Friday, December 16, 2005

Who Let the Dogs Out?

I was browsing around Wikipedia (a free, online Encyclopedia that is constantly being updated by its community of users) and came across an article on Dingos. We're preparing for a trip into the outback to go see Ayers Rock / Uluru and thought it would be worth reading up a bit.

Australia in 1880, erected a 8500k (5200 miles) fence to protect the South Eastern portion of the continent from wild dogs. At the time, sheep were a precious commodity to the country and these Dingos (as often associated with their Aboriginal Hosts)were natural predators, feasting at will. Mint Jelly supplies at outback pet stores sky rocketed.

After the fence was erected, the longest man made structure in the world at the time, the reduction in wild dogs was offset by increased grazing competition from kangaroo and emu, not bolstering the sheep population any.

The initial, but similarly unsuccessful endeavor was as a Rabbit Proof Fence, of which a fine Australian film was titled after. There are 25 employees still maintaining the fence to this day, parts of which are illuminated at night by solar-charged, red and white lights.

posted by ncawthon at 4:43 PM

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Starting to Feel Nothing Like Christmas

Glorious summer days have hit the fair city of Sydney recently. Bright, hot sunshine accompanied by gentle, cooling breezes have made life indoors near impossible. We've been over to the beach every day this week for at least a dip in the drink, sometimes a quick snooze on the sand.

It is a bit odd that Christmas is only a week or so away. The Aussies precede the Yanks by putting up decorations November 1st, the day after Halloween. When you're sweltering in the summer heat, tinsel streamers and plastic Santa Claus do little to get you into the holiday spirit. That and the race riots.

We're planning to have a get together with friends on Christmas day, putting prawns and chestnuts together on the barbie, making it truly a 'mixed grill'.

posted by ncawthon at 5:45 PM

Monday, December 12, 2005

Disgrace Riot

An ugly weekend in Sydney. A solidarity march to try and unify a small beach community about a half-hour South of us, turned into a race riot, driving the mob to attack many innocent people based upon their complexion.

Here's what we've garnered from the past few days. A week ago, there was an incident at Cronulla beach where a lifeguard got punched out while on-duty by a group of Lebanese youth. Small skirmishes have been flaring up in Cronulla all week between the surfer clique, vowing to reclaim the beaches.

On Sunday, an 'Australia Pride' rally at the beach meant to bring the warring fractions together took a turn for the worse when the members of the middle eastern community who made an effort for mediation were attacked by those not even from the Cronulla community. Being at the end of a railway line, the event drew in ruffians from the surrounding suburbs. Hiding behind the guise of national pride and attacking innocent and not so innocent people in a mob fashion. The numbers were something like 18 people arrested, maybe 6 injuries reported.

The immmigration policy in Australia has been a contentuous issue for years. Until the 1970s there was a blantantly racist whites-only policy in place, but Sydney is an extremely cosmopolitan place nonetheless. The Olympic ramp-up certainly galvanized an embracing of diversity within the community here, but obviously some of their old habits die hard.

Although some of the violence spread to Maroubra Beach, three beaches South of us, the Eastern suburbs were generally spared of such unrest. Bronte doesn't see much in the way of controversy, being very family oriented and sheltered. We had strongly considered moving to Cronulla when first arriving in Sydney. It was a ideal surfside town with easy access into downtown. What a mind's picture of an Australian surf culture would be. Unfortunately, there seems to be more under the surface than just a day at the beach, pardon the pun.

posted by ncawthon at 3:32 PM