Australia

Australia, host of the upcoming summer Olympic games, is the only country that is both an island and a continent. It ranks as the sixth largest country (covering nearly three million square miles) and the smallest continent. I've never been there, but after creating this cyber tour, Australia is certainly is on my list of places I'd like to visit.

Just the Facts About Australia

http://www.about-australia.com/facts.htm

"Australia is an independent Western democracy with a population

of more than 17.6 million. It is one of the world's most urbanized

countries, with about seventy percent of the population living

in the ten largest cities. Most of the population is concentrated

along the eastern seaboard and the southeastern corner of the

continent." Everything you need for school reports is organized

into topics such as Wildlife and Conservation, States and

Territories, and Government. Visit Fabulous Facts about Australia

for answers to questions such as "How long is Australia's

coastline?" and "How many deserts are there in Australia?"

Lore of the Land

http://www.loreoftheland.com.au/

"Reconciling spirit and place in Australia's story." Lore of the

Land (created by a partnership of native and non-native

Australians) seeks an "understanding of how non-indigenous

Australians are connected to their country." But it also serves

as a wonderful introduction to the land for students of all ages.

Don't miss the immigrant stories found under Cultural Experiences

(click Experiences first), the interactive map (look in Land

Issues), and the photo slide show (choose Understanding, then

Reflections.)

National Geographic on Australia

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/downunder/

"It's a fact: Koalas smell like cough drops. Find out why in our new animal attraction. Sorry, it doesn't have scratch-n-sniff." Once again, National Geographic creates a site that earns my Pick of the Day appellation. Best clicks include Creature Feature Koala, Australia Through the National Geographic Lens, Make a Boomerang (a flying disc that returns to its thrower), Desktop Wallpaper and Australian Postcards.

Sydney on View

http://203.42.117.88/index3.htm

"View exciting LIVE images from our webcam located on a rooftop

in The Rocks -- Sydney's historic waterfront precinct. Look out

for people climbing Sydney Harbor Bridge, traveling on our famous

waterways or simply enjoying the atmosphere." To make things even

more interesting, you can actually take control of the camera for

two minutes. Click on the Start Control icon, and use the slider

control to zoom in and out. If you capture a particularly

stunning panorama , snap a photo (use the camera button), and

email it to the webmaster for posting in the archive.

Tales from the Billabong

http://www.fraynework.com.au/story/

"Strewth mate, this is a bonza billabong!" Which is Australian

for "It is true, my friend, this is a very nice watering hole."

The games and stories from Tales from the Billabong will delight

the under-ten set. My favorites are Where do I Belong? ( place

Australian animals in their natural habitats), Tops and Tails

(mix and match animal parts to create imaginary beasts) and the

Australian Slang Dictionary.

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