Australia - The Land Down Under

The people who organise such an event have had to jump through many hoops....some of which are noted here :https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations/public-activities
ie:
A person must not—


(a) allow a prescribed gathering to occur at a place occupied by the person; or


(b) organise a prescribed gathering at a place; or


(c) attend a prescribed gathering at a place,


unless the approving authority has approved a COVID Management Plan in respect of the prescribed gathering.
Density requirement


(1) Subject to this clause, the occupier of a place at which a defined public activity is conducted, and any person who conducts a defined public activity at a place, must ensure that the density requirement is complied with in relation to that place.


(2) In determining the size of a place for the purposes of applying the density requirement, only those parts of the place that are used by members of the public for the purposes of the activity are to be included.


(3) People employed or engaged to work, or undertaking official duties, for the purposes of a defined public activity are not to be counted for the purposes of this clause.

The rules and regulations, go, and on...etc....but the general gist of the matter is that in Australia there have been sufficient steps taken to contain the virus, that rules such as these are regularly implemented for public gatherings.
The above statement does exclude the state of Victoria....which due to some poor planning etc etc has troubles which are unique to Victoria. The state of Victoria is closed....no one in and no one out, until the figures show a dramatic improvement.

In South Australia today, 30 September 2020, the daily update is as below:
Wednesday 30 September 2020
This information is updated every day at approximately 4:30 pm. The data displayed is based on data current at 2:00 pm the same day.

New cases today0

Active cases 0

Total cases 468

Patients in hospital 0

Patients in ICU 0

Recovered 464

Deaths 4

Tests yesterday 3,050

Total tests 468,740

South Australia has managed the covid 19 outbreak magnificently....which in turn allows them to hold public gatherings of the type planned for Waikerie.

Waikerie SA.png


Waikerie is situated approx halfway between Adelaide (state capital) and Mildura,,,,which in Australian terms is known as "the back of buggery".....or more politely, "the middle of nowhere"

Waikerie SA.png
 


It would appear that AUstralia is finally to be free of the crippling drought which has done horrible things to this country since around 2012. In some areas, much, Much longer... !!


A La Nina weather pattern could finally put an end to the drought in parts of Australia, but for some it has raised concerns about potential cyclones and flooding.

Key points:
  • The BOM says La Nina could bring cyclones and flooding but conditions are will likely be less extreme than they were during the last event
  • A Queensland cotton grower says frequent, lighter rainfall in spring would be ideal
  • Sugar millers are concerned that the weather pattern could threaten the remainder of the 2020 crush

Regardless of the flooding possibilities, those areas which have been dry for years, will welcome this news.

dry area in Queensland.jpg


property in drought.jpg


Dry as a bone.
 
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High Ground

Australian 'frontier western' starring Jacob Nayinggul and Jack Thompson, to premier at Brisbane International Film Festival


Key points:
  • The film High Ground stars Jacob Nayinggul, Jack Thompson and Simon Baker
  • The film will make its Australian premier this week at the Brisbane International Film Festival
  • High Ground was shot across Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park.....

Through the crocodile-infested East Alligator River to Gunbalanya, a massive blow-up cinema screen was transported to the Aboriginal community in West Arnhem Land, 300 kilometres out of Darwin.


The story is a fictional reimagining, steeped in the stories of an Aboriginal resistance to white settlement drawn from Arnhem Land's traditional owners and elders, including lands in Kakadu National Park.

"It's the history of this country and showing it through the movie worldwide, from the little corner of Arnhem Land, but representing the whole of Australia and Tassie about what happened," the film's executive producer Witiyana Marika said.

For Marika, the 20-year process to create High Ground has been about correcting history: to reflect the stories his grandmother told him.


Simon Baker.png
Caren Pistorius.jpg
Jack Thompson.jpg
Witiyana Marika.jpg
Cinema, Arnhem Land style.jpg
Jacob Junior Nayinggul.jpg


In a nutshell, this deals with the early settlement of Australia.....and not all "settlement" stories are nice and cuddly and warm, as some of the 'history' books would have us believe.
 
I think it's just plain stupid to host these type of events during a pandemic, and total disrespect towards hospital personnel.

I understand where you are coming from, my friend :):)

Brian has done an excellent job explaining the conditions that need to be met for such an event being adhered to.

Not just for you, but for all reading from different nations, I believe it is important to understand that each nation, or group of nations (eg Europe) has its own "profile" for COVID's effects, that can be influenced by geography, population, rates of travel between points A, B, and C, borders closed or open, harbours and airports frequented by tourists, and many other factors.

Although Australia is its own continent, it and New Zealand are still island countries, and do not border on other countries. This makes it a bit easier to "close up shop" and maintain an integrity of medical precautions.

I can leave Darren to speak for New Zealand if he wishes, but in Australia, our figures 10 hours ago were as follows (only the more populated states showing

COVID-SOTN.png


and by population


Oz-Pop-by-state.png

That is about 23 million or so, and there are nations in Europe that have 3 to 6 to 10 times worse COVID figures, and I won't even comment on the US.

It's not a competition, though, and Australians wish their friends and allies overseas and around the world the very best with coming to grips with this phenomenon that has changed our lives, perhaps for all time.

Stay safe, and wear your mask

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
aSo far we have been able to keep it under control. The initial outbreak which took us to level 4. We got to no active cases in the community for around 100 days I think.

Then in Auckland a second outbreak. They went to level 3 and the rest of the country level 2 eventually. We managed to contain it to the Auckland area. Measure were masks, No More than 10 people at gatherings... The Auckland cluster has all but dwindled. We and Australia are looking at a Trans-Tasman bubble. The All-Blacks will play the Aussies for an extended Bledisloe.

There will be Cricket for the Black Caps - the Ladies are already playing Aussie.

To sum up we are lucky with regards to our isolation and a man with Orange hair isn't running our country (apologies to any fans of a certain orange haired leader. Jacinda has done a reasonable job in difficult circumstances.
 
Now, THAT is a mailbox !


mailbox in Western Australia.jpg
mailbox in Western Australia.jpg
 
The bloke climbing the silo looks petrified. Maybe he's afraid of heights.
 
Always enjoyed this Australian hero :D
crocodile-dundee.jpg
 
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As well as the real hero, Steve Irwin. :cool:
Steve-Irwin.jpg
 
That little fella in Steve's hands is a saltwater croc (as opposed to freshwater, which are smaller and not maneaters) which can grow to 16 feet (5 metres) or more.

Interestingly enough, @gvisoc was talking earlier about blue-tongued lizards. I have been living rural for 13.5 years now, and every house I have lived in has a blue-tongue, and in Queensland they grow to about the size of that small croc, about 20 inches, 50 cm. I have held them in my hands when relocating them, can weigh 2 kg 4.4 pounds by my reckoning, and will pee on you if they are nervous.

But not dangerous like the fella you have pictured :)

Steve's kids Bindy and Bob are all grown up now, we still miss Steve.

Wiz
 
I understand where you are coming from, my friend :):)

Brian has done an excellent job explaining the conditions that need to be met for such an event being adhered to.

Not just for you, but for all reading from different nations, I believe it is important to understand that each nation, or group of nations (eg Europe) has its own "profile" for COVID's effects, that can be influenced by geography, population, rates of travel between points A, B, and C, borders closed or open, harbours and airports frequented by tourists, and many other factors.

Although Australia is its own continent, it and New Zealand are still island countries, and do not border on other countries. This makes it a bit easier to "close up shop" and maintain an integrity of medical precautions.

I can leave Darren to speak for New Zealand if he wishes, but in Australia, our figures 10 hours ago were as follows (only the more populated states showing



and by population



That is about 23 million or so, and there are nations in Europe that have 3 to 6 to 10 times worse COVID figures, and I won't even comment on the US.

It's not a competition, though, and Australians wish their friends and allies overseas and around the world the very best with coming to grips with this phenomenon that has changed our lives, perhaps for all time.

Stay safe, and wear your mask

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
I understand it after seeing the numbers and the requirements @Condobloke posted. It's true that most European cities people live on top of each other, especially where I am from. So it was just kind of unbelievable for me to see before I knew the facts. Thanks for sharing.

covid-shirt.jpg
 
That little fella in Steve's hands is a saltwater croc (as opposed to freshwater, which are smaller and not maneaters) which can grow to 16 feet (5 metres) or more.

Interestingly enough, @gvisoc was talking earlier about blue-tongued lizards. I have been living rural for 13.5 years now, and every house I have lived in has a blue-tongue, and in Queensland they grow to about the size of that small croc, about 20 inches, 50 cm. I have held them in my hands when relocating them, can weigh 2 kg 4.4 pounds by my reckoning, and will pee on you if they are nervous.

But not dangerous like the fella you have pictured :)

Steve's kids Bindy and Bob are all grown up now, we still miss Steve.

Wiz
I think anyone who loves animals misses Steve! He had such a big heart and love for animals. Do his kids work with animals too now?
 
Bindi is 22 now and expecting her first child. Bob is 17 1 December coming.

Mum, Terri is still running Australia Zoo, the project she and Steve began. It is in Queensland a couple of hundred kilometres north of me.

AFAIK, both "younguns" are still involved.

Bindi won the 2015 edition of Australia's Dancing With The Stars, she was very good.

Bios are as follows

Bindi

https://www.biography.com/personality/bindi-irwin

and Bob

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Irwin_(television_personality)

Steve would be proud, as I expect Terri is. :)

Wiz
 
You know you're Aussie when....jpg
 

Meet three orchid obsessives with a passion for the picturesque plants with a cult-following


Orchid.jpg


Orchid Country.jpg
 
For all the Facebook inclined folks out there...

 
I understand where you are coming from, my friend :):)

Brian has done an excellent job explaining the conditions that need to be met for such an event being adhered to.

Not just for you, but for all reading from different nations, I believe it is important to understand that each nation, or group of nations (eg Europe) has its own "profile" for COVID's effects, that can be influenced by geography, population, rates of travel between points A, B, and C, borders closed or open, harbours and airports frequented by tourists, and many other factors.

Although Australia is its own continent, it and New Zealand are still island countries, and do not border on other countries. This makes it a bit easier to "close up shop" and maintain an integrity of medical precautions.

I can leave Darren to speak for New Zealand if he wishes, but in Australia, our figures 10 hours ago were as follows (only the more populated states showing

View attachment 7382

and by population


View attachment 7385
That is about 23 million or so, and there are nations in Europe that have 3 to 6 to 10 times worse COVID figures, and I won't even comment on the US.

It's not a competition, though, and Australians wish their friends and allies overseas and around the world the very best with coming to grips with this phenomenon that has changed our lives, perhaps for all time.

Stay safe, and wear your mask

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
If only ALL U,S, citizens would wear a mask!!!!!!!!
 

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