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VK3ABK > DESERT 04.10.03 17:14l 68 Lines 3453 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 3061_VK3KAY
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: Re: Re: Lost in the desert.
Path: DB0FHN<DB0RGB<OK0PPL<DB0RES<ON0AR<ZL2BAU<VK7AX<VK3KAY
Sent: 031004/1503Z @:VK3KAY.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC #:3061 [Wendouree] $:3061_VK3KAY
From: VK3ABK@VK3KAY.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC
To : DESERT@WW
Hello all Geographers.
The buletins from David, G4EBT, about Australia's deserts, and aircraft
crashes, have left me somewhat bemused. Terry, VK5ATN, has come to the
rescue (I didn't mean that, honest!) with some topical advice. To me, and
most Australians, an aircraft crash so close to a city would be just a crash
on take off! Almost within sight of home, and given that a flight plan
would be lodged, rescue would take a matter of hours. Thirst and hunger,
heat and cold, would be minor worries. Terry's smoke from an already visible
wreckage would ensure early sighting and a helicopter would do the rest.
Even when a plane crashes in heavily timbered country, the scene is often
found the same day due to the damaged trees marking the spot. These plane
crashes happen almost weekly in such a big country, where air travel by
privately owned light aircraft is almost essential.
Visions of a desert is the critical factor in most of the comments on our
Australian 'deserts'. I hope this wont start further controversy, but the
idea that a desert is a sea of sand and nothing else, does not describe an
Australian desert. These are similar to the deserts of the USA seen in
'western' movies: dry and rocky, sand and gravel, scattered and scrubby
bushes and small trees are common. Plants have evolved over thousands of
years to survive with a minimun of water in the dry parts of Australia.
We do have a 'Great Sandy Desert' but this is a relatively small section of
a whole. So, the thought of a 'blazing' sun, extreme heat, and a human wreck
crawling along, half naked and staring bleary eyed directly at the sun as we
see in most 'Foreign Legion' type movies, is foreign to us.
The other point that stuck into me was David's description of a kangaroo and
a Joey. David asumed that we all know that a 'joey' is an infant kangaroo!
In fact, a kangaroo gives birth in the same way as all mammals. ( Ok, the
platypus is a mammal and it lays eggs. There's always one trouble maker in
any outfit!) At birth the joey, peanut size and hairless, makes it's way
from the rear end to the middle, crawling through the mother's fur and into
a pouch. It then attaches to milk teats and stays safe and warm as it grows.
It even rides in the pouch long after it can hop and feed by itself, the
pouch distending accordingly!
Another survival trick that has evolved in the kangaroo, and I believe in
walabies and possums, and similar animals, is that further conception is
delayed while the young kangaroo is still suckling. No doubt to ensure the
survival of each off-spring in a sometimes harsh environment.
I get the impression from the many bulletins about Australia, that I am on
public display with everyone talking about me; so I just wanted to put in a
bit of local knowledge. Our flora and fauna is unique, and if Charles Darwin
had bypassed Galapagos and continued on to Australia, he would have seen the
origin of many species. We could have put him up in a five star hotel in
'urbanized' Melbourne. VK5, according to Terry, is not urbanized! I suspect
they still live in bark huts and log cabins. :-)
I think Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin have a lot to answer for. They have given
the impression that Australians a lot of 'Galahs'! A Galah is an Australian
parrot, but it is also slang for someone who is stupid or idiotic.
Some of us are quite sane and harmless. :-))
73. Dick. VK3ABK.
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