Yeah Jane, I wonder what people think when we talk about a green droughtit sounds like a contradiction in terms, but, we seem to have one every year.

Pete

Heh, when people here talk about wet weekend, they sure don't mean rain

Anyway, it's nice to hear that some of you have got the long awaited rain. For me it sounds
like a fairytail that in some places it hasn't rained for over a year! How can people still
continue living in such areas.

The drought is really bad, but here in Ballarat it has brought a new area of interest with it.

Ballarat is known for Lake Wendouree, it is the hub of just about everything here. Well, it is now completely dried up. In fact my husbands athletic club is going for a 3km run on it next week. That's how dry it is.

In some area's they have bulldozers on it, digging it up to deepen it for when it fills again.

But the things they have found in the lake is very interesting.......guns, bullets, hand grenades, old boats, old coins, bottles of some significance - all sorts of things.

At least they haven't found a body yet.

From memory, I think the last time the lake was dry was 100 years ago, so one can only imagine what has been 'discarded' in there in that time.


Edited to add: just checked, apparently is was last dried up in 1936

Time does certainly get away from me anyways.. and yes I do live on acerage as you call it, but I only maintain about two of them. LOL and that is the ones around my shed and water tanks. I have a few native gardens but I am happy to report that my water tank is full, 5000 gallons. So I no longer have to have the quickest shower around.. but the creek down the back is still dry. Not enough rain even to give it a trickle.. When you say a green drought Pete, I can relate to that. The trouble is when the rain comes, we only get it once, what we need is followup rain. That is something I haven't seen in donkey's years. Oh the days of the old monsoon season, it has been about 30 years since we had those. In those days holidays were never taken at Christmas time or into the New Year as you usually ended up stuck out in the middle of nowhere between two creeks. LOL. Memories..

I don't think we will get any rain this weekend. But I have been having a bad time with flying ants tonight. Give them two days after rain and you can't turn a light on. The even seem to get through the screen door.

I have also notice in the last few days, plenty of baby geckos. About 1 to 1 and a half inches long. Must be breading season at Dorky's Place. LOL I consider myself as the grandfather of the ever increasing number of little gecko feet that i hear during the still of night.

I see you ask the question, nenumphar, of how we live in these conditions.. LOL Well I guess this is our home and come hell, rain or shine, we just get on with what we have and make the best of it. That is the Aussie way. Just the way we are. We learn to adapt with the environment, whether it is heat, don't know much about the cold, but we stick with it. Stayers, is what I have heard others say.

I also have a computer to fix, Pete. I got young Trev the laptop I promised him for Christmas, a bit late, but I sort of lost the money, if you know what I mean. But he has had it a week or two now. Took it with him to Brisbane, but it has the new Vista on it as I couldn't get XP, it also came with a subscription to McFee, which personally I have never used, but I didn't have an option other than Norton, which I don't like either. Well seems that either Vista or McFee is throwing him out of MSN all the time. I have googled and found that MSN Live is supposed to be good with Vista, so I think it is the McFee. So I am going to uninstall it and put Kaspersky 6 on it, the trial version first, and see how that goes. If you have any other suggestions, anyone, I would love to hear from you. I will also let you know if it worked or not. That is when he drops it off. Hard to catch up with that lad these days.. living his life to the fullest.

Dorky

I have recently gone over to Kaspersky, and I have to say that I am impressed, I have had nothing but conflicts with Norton's in the past, yep with MSN too.
I have not had McPhee since I first got a p.c. with windows 95, so I really cant comment, MSN has been a little weird for everybody lately, all over the world.

Pete

MSN keeps dropping out for everyone? So it's not my wireless. As for rain, it's been on and off this weekend so Hinze dam won't get a lot because of all the posh people watering their lawns. Unfortunately we cut the grass short here because the weatherman said there'd be rain through the week and then that evening they said that it'll clear up by Monday

We have had plenty of good showers this weekend, but, it appears to be clearing now, with patches of blue.

We still have a heavy swell pounding in, so the surfers are in heaven. Regarding MSN, I have been dropping in and out so badly that I have just shut it down in sheer frustration.

Pete

Mine just seemed to disappear off the computer completely. I have it back now, but the computer will not load Messenger for me. Mine could be the result of a virus, because Internet Explorer disappeared too.

With MSN, whick version do you all use. Trev uses Live with some extras on it. I occasionally use Live, as it was the only one I could find at the time. I still haven't fixed his laptop yet.... he has been too busy to drop it off... half his luck...

Dorky

Live 8.1, the only reason I upgraded it was to stop it bugging me to upgrade. Micro$oft is really good at that.

HMMMM. must be the Vista than.. but says it is compatible with the latest version... I will definately get that McFee off. That could be the problem. Do you know of a good freebie.

Dorky

Nice three a row for the kiwi's, oh you poor ausies


Talking about cricket by the way.

There are times because, when we Aussies are overwhelmingly kind and generous, because you are our neighbors
and half of your population lives here anyway, once in a while we throw you a little neighborly bone.

However expect no mercy in the world cup.

Pete

Hi fellow Aussies

dropping in to say hi and that we have had rain. Not everywhere has had as much as we have, my sister who lives 15 minutes from me had 4mls when I had 80 mls. Thunder storms are great, but pity they don't even out the rain. We've had a few heavy showers over the last week or 2 on top of our 3 inches, damn grass is growing like crazy. The fires are all but out and a good thing at that because if we had not had that rain the fires would've been loving the weather we've been having. We've had a crazy hot spell with warm nights, it feels like I am in Nth Queensland again.
Storms most nights...I haven't seen that since I was a kid.

Anyway. thought I'd do my bit and bump the Aussie thread up, take care all

Just reporting overcast skies, for days now, but no rain. mmmm.

Been trying to fix Trev's computer, seems it is not MSN after all, there is no Messenger for Vista yet.... he won't be impressed. If anyone knows any different I would appreciate the help. Also McFee seems to have plenty of holes in it as well with Vista. Looks as though I may have to put Kaspersky on it. They say it is Vista ready. So far I am not real impressed, but I could buy a laptop through Dell without Vista... Supposed to have 24/7 support, but when I ring the number it says between the hours of ???? Monday to Friday... I am increasingly frustrated now. All the lad wanted was so he could talk to his internet friends and be on the forums he is part of Hopefully I will get this sorted out.

Dorky

Oppknox, your news makes me want to break into a feverish little dance.

Congrats!!! And may we all be blessed with delightful deluges very soon.

I'd like to see that

We've had some great thunderstorms here too, with the promise of lots of rain, and then the big drops start, and it's like woo hoo, but then it stops

But the lightening has been amazing, and pics have made front page of the local paper.
They are saying that here we should expect quite a lot of rain over the next few months, due to ' el nino' finishing......can't say I'm up on all this weather talk, but i do understand ' expect lots of rain'......

Back to blue skies here, and heaps of sting in the sun. I don't like Summer anymore I have decided.

Good rain at times last week, but, now it's just a memory.

Pete

Yes we are back to blue skies as well, but we had a light shower of rain about 5am this morning.

We have all our tanks full, so it just pours out of the overflow holes now, I really wish I could
send it to you guys who do really need it, as we have more than we need now.

We put up with time after time of those dark clouds teasing us with rain, then it finally happened.

So it will eventually happen for everyone else soon hopefully.

All the best for now gotta go as I can smell my roast cooking in the oven which needs some
attention. Roast Pork with gravy and apple sauce. Yum Yum can you guys smell it? You
are invited if you can be here in the next hour.

Jane

Just popping in to say Hi. I am not surprised the main topic is RAIN. After 10 years of the worst drought in history, it is wonderful to have storms, lightning, thunder and all that goes with it.
I did not even know this section was here, just shows how observant I am NOT.
Great to see a bunch of Aussies in MMG.

Hi valia, thanks for dropping by. Yes the main topic always seems to get back to liquid of some sort.

Rain is an unusual event these days. But we always want what we can't have... It is either too much or too little. I am happy to take all that the skies will give us... even if it means floods and some disadvantage to us. The water tables need to be replenished.. Rain is the only thing that is going to do it for us.

Other than that.... I hope you visit us again. You must have more interesting stories than mine.

Dorky

'bout time you hit the bowling club Dorky, you don't want them to run out now.

Pete

Just in case anybody missed the news (from a couple of days ago):

"Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has declared the weather pattern El Nino over.

El Nino reflects temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and their effect on climate over land in the Southern Hemisphere.

The meteorologists say all the main indicators show that normal conditions have returned to the Pacific Basin.

However, they say that though the end of El Nino would normally be associated with a return to more normal rainfall patterns it may not mean drought-breaking heavy rain is on the way for parched areas of Australia.

They say rain is now more likely, particularly over Australia's eastern half and in areas in the country's southwest.

Early signs have emerged of an imminent La Nina cycle, which would bring more rain, but to overcome long-term water supply issues the climatologists say several years of above-average falls are needed."

Pretty good news I'd say.

Nice post Justin, that will cheer a lot of people up.

Pete

Yes I would have to agree that it was a good post to give us Aussies some more information.

Did anyone see Current Affair program last night, where a man was using upto minutes plus
in the shower at a caravan park. Sorry I missed where the caravan park was, but I had a feeling
that it was in here in Qld somewhere.

Some of the other residents were timing him on a regular basis, and it was only with Current Affairs
team notifing the manager of the park before he said he was aware of the problem, something
I can't quite believe, I am sure the other residents would have informed him. The water waster
said it was no body elses business on how long he spent wasting one of Australia's precious
commodities. The comment by Current Affairs said that the manager of the caravan park
said that he would look at evicting the man. My view is that he is a water waster criminal. But
even if he is evicted from the caravan park, he will go else where and waste more water.

Just my little bit.

Jane

I totally agree Jane, until we ALL start to care, and realise just how serious this is nothing will change, and there will be selfish like this guy you speak of, doing what they like.

Pete

Thanks for the reply Dorky, strange name you have!!! Well, sad news today, Billy Thorpe passed away at 2am this morning from a heart attack. Billy is a good ole aussie icon in the music industry. I will give my age away now, but in the 60's I used to go to Surf City whcih was loctated at the top of William St, Sydney or rather King's cross. Billy and the Aztecs were regulars. My brother was a stand in guitarist for him.
Americans will know him also, because he spent many years in the US before returning home a few years back. It is all over the news now, such a loss.

Hi Valia, welcome to the Aussie thread

Very sad to hear about the passing of Billy Thorpe this morning.

What a loss to Australia and the music Industry.

Way too young to die

I only found out about 10 minutes ago, as we can't get radio where we live, and put the TV on
and watched City Extra on channel 9 at 5.30 and they had a story at the end of their show
at nearly 6pm on the passing of Billy Thorpe and a story they had done not long back. I
actually said to my husband that can't be true, but sure enough it was. I can remember
going to the Capitol Threatre in Sydney back in the late 60's with my sister and her
boyfriend at the time to see Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. It is a very sad day for the
Australian Music Industry plus his fans.

Jane

Wow, very quiet in here today, thought maybe I'd say hi to everyone.

We had a very warm day today, not a drop of rain in sight. I spent 3 hours mowing the lawn out
the front and started out the back. It will take me about 4 days to mow it all and thats even using
a ride on mower. I got a older gentleman in to whip a snip for me, as it is way too much for me
to handle. It helps him with a little extra with his pension and it certainly helps in getting it done, as
John is still very busy with the house.

Have a pleasant evening all.

Jane

Yep Jane, the last couple of days have been a fair bugger.

I am only 100ks or so South of you on the Sunshine Coast, we have had the odd, (very odd) shower, no breeze, and in general it has been horrible.

We had friends over tonight, and like a fool I cooked a roast, the kitchen got unbearably hot, the end result was everybody but me enjoyed dinner as I was dripping with sweat.

There seems to be a cyclone brewing off Mackay, maybe we will get a ton of rain, and no damage.

Pete

A little tribute to Thorpey:

I knew Thorpey, although not well, we had a great mate in common, Thorpey probably did more damage to my eardrums than anyone I can think of.

It is particularly sad to see a man who has worked so hard on his fitness pass like this, sex drugs, rock'n'roll, all take there toll, but Thorpey was a fitness fanatic, and it just doesn't seem right.

Some where over the rainbow then eh? Billy

Pete

i've lived in australia my whole life...but until recently someone called me a cobba...if thats how u spell/say it. what does it mean?

LOL Cobba or cobber I am not sure of the spelling, as you will probably notice it is not one of my best points, but it means "friend", but also here in Aussie "friend" is a mate.

Dorky

Correct spelling is Cobber.

Apart from the typical meaning of mate, they were also my favourite lollies as a kid....semi hard squares of chewy caramel, covered in chocolate. Yum yum

Oh I remember them too! What great memories....

For the life of me, I can't recall them. Must have been for city folks

Dorky

Remember the days of the old milk bars? I worked in our local one after school.

We had dozens of lollies we'd open by the box, and put in the display cabinet.

Kids would come in for 20 cents of mixed lollies, and the lollies were 4 for 1 cent.

I still remember the man who used to come in every Wednesday night (pay day) and buy $5.00 worth of mixed lollies......

Yep I remember,

I remember when I went to infant and primary school, we used to get these white eucalyptus
lollies for so many for a penny, and you can still get them today, but I can't remember the
name of them, but they certainly cost you a lot more now. Our pocket money used to be a shilling (10 cents for those who aren't that old), for the whole week, and that had to go a long way, High school we got $1 a week, and again we had to buy whatever we needed out of that dollar. These days from what I have
heard kids get anything from $5 upto or over $20 week, and they still get taken out as extras, or
seem to get whatever they ask for.
I remember when you could get into the pictures for somewhere around sixpence and you would
get your Jaffas in a box, but I didn't waste mine by rolling them down the aisle.

And the Sydney Royal Easter Show was incredible, they didn't call them show bags then, they called them
sample bags, and I can remember them costing around 1 Shilling each (10 cents for you younger ones).
You certainly got your moneys worth, and I wish I had kept'd all of those comics that you got in them, they
be worth a bundle today.

Ah as we have heard it said before ...... the good ol days.

Jane

Shops around here a few of them still do a good lolly bag for the kids or me and my sweet tooth.

50cents minimum.

I'm sending shivers up my spine here listening to a legend, anyone going into town today?

Undecided whether to go or stay here with a drink and watch the memorial live.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dd4CxfVgbs

Great stories on this page.

For a theme tune for the page I think you should be listening to the Little River Band playing Reminiscing.

Thanks for posting that link td.

I'm listening to it right now .....love it, but its making me cry




Cake, you're not going to make me suffer through that are you.

I was never a LRB fan, largely because I don't like Glenn Shorrock.

The song would be appropriate though

**** Super Headlines making this sunny morning ****:

This story is from The Sunday Mail (Qld)

Cyclone Odette tipped as drought breaker hope

* By Lou Robson
* March 04, 2007

TROPICAL Cyclone Odette looms as the best chance in years of ending southeast Queensland's long-running drought, which is now so severe there are fears Brisbane could run out of water by 2009.

Weather forecasters say the 700km-wide cyclone in the Coral Sea, about 800km off the Central Queensland coast, has the potential to produce a deluge across southeast catchment areas this week.

Weatherwatch meteorologist Anthony Cornelius said the cyclone was carrying enough rain to fill Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dams.

Mr Cornelius said a rare combination of conditions could position the cyclone over southeast Queensland for up to five days.

SEQWater officials said dam levels were expected to rise dramatically if this were to happen.

"Cyclone Odette has the potential to dump a lot of water and solve Queensland's water crisis," Mr Cornelius said.

"Up to 400mm could fall on catchment areas, which would end the drought."

Odette late yesterday slowed its westerly trek, resulting in an earlier cyclone watch along the coast being put on hold. But a close watch is being kept on the storm mass and it could strengthen to category two today.

Weatherzone, another commercial forecaster, said a lot of uncertainty remained over the future movement of the cyclone.

"Our computer models are suggesting a number of scenarios," Weatherzone meteorologist Matt Pearce said. "The most likely result, however, is an increase in winds, showers and swells along much of the Queensland coast by the middle of (this) week."

Big seas were already keeping lifesavers busy yesterday. Dozens of people from Coolangatta to Southport were rescued, while large swells challenged competitors at the Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships at Kawana on the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Cornelius said Odette could be the first major storm cluster to hit southeast Queensland in 33 years. Brisbane flooded when Cyclone Wanda dumped between 500mm and 900mm of rain in January 1974.

"The conditions are rare and haven't occurred in recent history."

SEQWater land and water quality manager Peter Schneider said heavy falls were expected.

"I was told there was a strong likelihood we would get strong rainfall," he said.

Mr Schneider said between 300mm and 650mm of rain would be needed to fill Brisbane's two largest dams and top up the third.

Meanwhile, tongues were wagging in Esk after lightning was seen in the skies north of the township near Wivenhoe Dam early yesterday for the first time in a decade.

Esk Shire Mayor Graeme Lehmann said it was usually a sign of big rain to come.

"When there are storms hanging around in that northern area, usually we see good rain two or three days later," he said.

"I am just hoping it is a good sign."

Edit:

Recent tracking news from the Cyclone warning centre....
Remarks:

Currently there are no strong steering influences on Tropical Cyclone Odette, and it is expected to remain slow moving well east of the tropical Queensland coast for the next two to three days.



More recent news again:




The Cyclone Warning Centre says tropical cyclone Odette, currently off the central Qld coastline, may not be the rainmaker that the state's south-east was hoping for.

Odette is about 800 kilometres north of Rockhampton and moving very slowly.

Cyclone forecaster Jeff Callaghan says it is bringing some big swells to the Capricorn Island group and the state's southern beaches.

He says while the cyclone's future movements are hard to predict, it looks like it will move further out to sea.

"It's had a fairly unpredictable track in the longer term," he said.

"It's always moved fairly slow, but it doesn't look like it'll come onto the coast now.

"But I suppose anything can happen by mid-week - but certainly up until Wednesday it won't move very far."


Freakin' weather weirdness.

Thanks Tdinoz

for that link, I am listening to Billy while I am typing this. I know what you mean about the tears
flowing AussieFox, as that Is what I am doing as well, also I do love Somewhere over the Rainbow,
and another way it was also done by another singer a few years ago, but I don't know the name
of them, and have always wonder.

Also thanks Justin for the weather update on the cyclone, yes everywhere could do with some more
rain, as long as there isn't too much damage with it.

Jane

Thanks for the weather update Justin. Here in Central Queensland, it is hot, humid and cloudless. Yes the sun is scrotching hot. Mind you, I have secured and tidied up a few things around the place in case the cyclone decides to come thundering in.. I dearly would like us all to get the rain, but not the destructive winds.

I also looked at your link TD. The name never really rang and bells for me. Nor did the live version in you link, but when it finished this one came up, and had photos as you watched and listened to it. Now I know who you are talking about. My eldest son went to Sunbury, he lost a week of too... nevermind is an old family joke..

The link if you would like it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FmE0QvTUaU

Dorky

As a kid, I grew up not far from Sunbury.

Back then it was all just countryside, now it is all residential estates. My brother lives there.

Anyway, I remember the furore the Sunbury Festival caused. I can vividly recall images on the telly of women jumping into the river topless, Dad having a good old chuckle, and Mum being absolutely disgusted.

Hope all you Q'landers get some of that rain, without the winds.

I had never been on You Tube until TD gave us the link for Billy Thorpe, well I just found
the version of Somewhere over the rainbow, even though I love Billy's version I really do like
this one.

It has a nice film clip to go with it, if you want to go take a look, it version was done by
Israel Kamakawiwo Ole's and it really is quite beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A2Jt4WOxN8

Does anyone know how to download this from youtube onto my computer so that I can save it
instead of going on the net to listen to it?

Jane

Jane you can go to Youtube downloader to save them to your computer and use a flash player to play them back....(that's an 'FLV Player')

why is Sydney so special?

Anywhere in Australia is special, just ask us Aussies.

Sydney is a great City, I grew up there and spent the 1st part of my 46 years there.

So why do you ask, is there something particular you want to know about Sydney, as there
is so much to see and do in Australia, each state has something special to offer the overseas
holiday maker.

Ask any particular question and you will find someone from this Aussie Thread from each state
who will certainly try and answer your particular question.

Jane