ON THE WALLABY- 5th February 2007

”I love a sunburnt country/A land of sweeping plains,/Of ragged mountain ranges, /Of droughts and flooding rains.”- Dorothea McKellar’s classic poem “My Country”

‘YOUR AUSTRALIA” – A NEW GAME THAT LETS YOU EXPLORE, AND COME TO KNOW, THIS WIDE BROWN LAND OF AUSTRALIA WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR HOME

Over the last 30 years I have flown myself over a million miles or more back and forth across Australia in my own aircraft, auctioneering cattle and horses and there is very little of Australia that I have not seen, felt or experienced.

So it came as an especially great, and pleasant, surprise to come across a new game entitled “Your Australia” which allows you, in the comfort of your home, to travel around Australia, literally, and through the 160 trivia questions and over 30 “pit stops”, have a lot of fun learning about “Oz”.

The game comes on a 59 by 84 centremetre map of Australia and here is how you play:-

• 1. Starting off from Sydney, travel anti-clockwise around Australia, stopping off along the way at some of our most famous icons. Simply throw the dice and move your playing piece the corresponding number of spaces around the game board.

• 2. If you land on a ‘Blue Thong’ space take a card from the ‘Blue Thong’ pile. Give the card to the person sitting next to you to read. The card contains 4 questions. State which question you wish to answer (A, B, C or D). Answer your chosen question for your reward.

• 3. If you land on a ‘Yellow Thong’ space take a card from the ‘Yellow Thong’ pile. Give the card to the person sitting next to you to read. Follow the directions for your reward.

• 4. If you land on a ‘Free Throw’ space you get the chance to throw the dice again and move ahead the number rolled on the dice.

• 5. If you land on a ‘2-up’ space you are faced with a difficult decision. Toss the coin and shout either heads or tails. If you win you can either move ahead 3 spaces or choose a player to move backwards 3 spaces.

• 6. If you land on a ‘Detour’ space you must follow the path indicated by the arrow on your next throw. But don’t worry, even though it may seem like a longer journey the rewards can be just as big.

• 7. The first player to make it back to Sydney wins... good luck!”

In a uniquely Australian touch, the various tokens you use are blue and yellow thongs (a la beach style) and red and blue Kangaroos.

Trivia questions are certainly varied , for example one blue thong card asking:-

a. what was Tom Roberts famous for?

b. What does the term “On the Wallaby” mean?

c. what sport is the song “Up there Cazaly” an anthem for?

d. what is a “dunny”?

One yellow thong card asks-

“Complete the line of this famous Dorothea McKellar poem “I love a sunburned country.........”

Get it right and you move ahead two spaces. If you didn’t, you’d better re-read this OTW’s quote of the bulletin!!!

Already a number of schools and teachers have purchased copies and whilst it is suitable for 10 year olds and up, there are many, many adults I know who were born here, know next to nothing of Australia outside Sydney or Melbourne and who also could learn heaps.... and have a lot of laughs.

The game sells for $34.95 a copy plus $7 postage ($17 for overseas) and handling and orders can be made over the internet from the distributor Molpir Publications. Simply click on the Molpir link, go to the Molpir site and then to the “publications icon” , follow the instructions, make the payment and the game will be forwarded pronto.

“Onya mate” as we say here in Oz!!

Carpe diem

Tony

Tony Fountain

Professional Speaker, auctioneer and author

Sydney NSW Australia

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