minus 23 - getting started (1)

*The name for the Australian marsupial Kangaroo came about when some of the first white settlers saw this strange animal hopping along and they asked the Aborigines what it was called. They replied with 'Kanguru', which in the native language meant 'I don't know' .

* Swimming - In 1838 it was declared illegal to swim at public beaches during the day! This law was enforced until 1902.

*The box jellyfish is considered the world's most venomous marine creature. The box jellyfish has killed more people in Australia than stonefish, sharks and crocodiles combined.

* In 1954, Bob Hawke was immortalised by the Guinness Book of Records for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. Bob later became the Prime Minister of Australia.

* Until 1984, Australia's National anthem was "God save the Queen/King."

*A census taken in 1828 found that half the population of NSW were Convicts, and that former Convicts made up nearly half of the free population; in 2007, it was estimated that 22 per cent of living Australians had a convict ancestor.

source: http://www.convictcreations.com