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Australia
Capital: Canberra
Population: 20,090,437
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and
the South Pacific Ocean
Climate:generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and
east; tropical in north
Terrain:mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in
southeast
National holiday:Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Festivals Celebrated: Australia Day, Anzac Day
Australia is a continent and a country. It is known as the land
down under because it is below the equator.
It is one of the seven continents of the world.
The
first people to live in Australia were aborigines (aboriginal means
first). They were like our Native Americans. They inhabit Australia
even today. Some live on reservations, some live on ranches (called
stations or property) or in cities.
Australia is made up of six states and two territories.
The middle part of the country is called the outback. The outback
does not get very much rain and therefore is very dry. Australians
generally rear sheep in the outback.Not very many people live in
the outback.
January and February are the warmest months.June
and July are the coldest months, with an average July temperature
of about 50° F, except in the Australian Alps, where temperatures
average 35° F.
The most famous animals in Australia are marsupials.
A marsupial is a mammal that has a pouch to carry its young. Some
kangaroos can jump 30 feet. The koala sometimes stays in the same
tree for days.
One of the remarkable feature of Australia is The
Great Barrier Reef. It is made up of coral and algae. Coral are
tiny invertebrate animals. The Great Barrier Reef is about 1250
miles long. There is a channel of water that separates the reef
from the Queensland coast. It is the largest deposit of coral in
the world. It is also the world's largest living structure with
spectacular beauty.
Captain James Cook claimed Australia for
England in 1770. It was first used as a prison colony by
the English. The first free settlers landed in Sydney in 1793. Today
Sydney is Australia's largest city. The Sydney Opera House is one
of the most unique buildings in the world.
Australia's national sport is Cricket.Rugby and
soccer are also extremely popular. Australia is also famous for
the boomerang. The aborigines used the boomerang as a weapon.
Recipes
The biggest Aussie snack is Chocolate Crackles! These can be made
before hand and are something that is always served at Aussie kids
parties.
You need:
250 grams (9 ounces) Copha (which is vegetable shortening)
4 cups rice bubbles (crispies rice)
1 cup sifted icing sugar
3 tablespoons coca (cocoa)
Method:
Melt the copha in a saucepan over a low heat, or in a microwave
oven. Mix the rice bubbles, icing sugar, coca and melted copha until
well combined. Spoon mixture into cupcake paper holders and then
set for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. This makes about 24 choccy
crackles.
Australian Damper
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) Grease a baking
sheet.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and the salt. With pastry
blender or your hands, cut in butter. Make a well in the center
of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and water. Stir until
the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured
surface and form into a round loaf 8 inches across. Place the loaf
onto the prepared pan and using a sharp knife, cut a cross in the
top.
3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then
lower the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue
to bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. The loaf should be golden
brown and the bottom should sound hollow when tapped.
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