What about the nasties?
 

Good day fellas.I know the MLU is supposed to be used for mv stuff, but I've a couple questions for our Aussie friends that I just need answered.
Of course here in Canada we've seen the Crocodile Hunter, that other guy on Killer Instinct etc who dazzle us with their crazy acts of bravado whilst wrestling deady creatures down under.
And no, here in Canada there is not a grizzly bear every 10 yards in the bush. We have very few animals here which can or will kill or eat you instantly.
Following the posts on MLU, I see that we have quite a few CMP relic hunters who dig through old yards in OZ for their newest aquisitions.
Please tell me, what is the real truth? Is Australia as dangerous as the TV media would have us believe? I sure would not enjoy an early morning mv hunt only to be bitten by a deadly snake or eaten by a 15ft croc.
Relic hunting here might get you some cold, muddy feet, a bee sting, or at very worst an angry landowner yelling at you. Follow this up with a few pints of beer and a good day is usually had by all.
Please educate me. P.S. that guy who walks the swamps in your country must be nuts.:p

re. dangers in Oz
 

Chris,

From what I've heard of the place, if the wildlife don't get you then the people will. That's why we shipped 'em out there in the first place!!!!









:p only joking guys - please, no taipans or funnel webs in the post! :D :D :D

Hazards
 

I have a page on hazards where several people have told their stories on hazards relating to CMPs.

I'd also like to mention some additional hazards, and these are very real ones downunder...
It's now spring and I was driving in the country recently and saw an Eastern Brown snake sunning itself on the road. The Eastern Brown is the second most venomous snake on the planet and tends to be aggressive.
Other snakes often found in this part of the world are the Tiger snake and Red Belly Black snake.
Added to this are of course our famous Redback spiders which are closely related to the Black Widow and are found under bits and pieces everywhere.
Having scared you with that I should add I have not so far been bitten by any of these critters, so if you're careful you should be OK.
Oh - and another hazard when you're driving at twilight times in particular, are Kangaroos.. Just ask Max Hedges who says it all depends on where they are in their hop when you hit them...

Re: re. dangers in Oz
 

How about a Redback in a matchbox?
My nickname was "Spider"...

Satisfying your rust fetish searching for relics is relatively safe. Compared to the hazards of actually getting there on the roads.
If the "B triples" dont get you the Volvo drivers sure as hell will.

Croc Hunter
 

Steve makes alot of money being an "Aussie", mostly from overseas, and good luck to him but he is only working a set image and is not typical of most Aussie croc wrestlers. He is way too nice, unarmed and sober.

The outback can kill you in half a day if you do dumb things like travel with no water, spares and the like, and people keep doing this time after time. Then there are the snakes and bities not to step or sit on. If you take care and think about things you are as safe as anywhere else. Kind of like taking a hike in Northern Canada in winter and leaving your jacket home because it looks like a nice day.

In the north of W.A, Northern Territory and Queensland there are big crocs that like to eat things that swim in the water. There are even signs that say "Don't swim here or a croc will bite your arse" but this doesn't stop locals and tourists from having a dip. Then when they get taken it's all "kill the crocs" and "croc terror".

I was once in far north Queensland when after miles of dirt roads and rainforest my friend an I arrived at the beach/coast to set up camp. On our right some 100 metres were 4 topless girlies with a Kombi sunbaking on the sand. On the left some 100 metres were 3 saltwater crocs sunbaking on the sand. After eleventeen beers we did what all good Aussie boys do and kicked sand in the crocs faces. The girls were English tourists and the crocs were prettier and had better teeth

Then there are sharks, box jellyfish, dropbears and Italian Duck Hunters...:D

b triples
 

I agree with the comment about "b triples",same applies to the more common "b double"
Do non aussies understand what these dangers are

Trucks, eh?
 

Greg, I believe you are referring to B triples and B doubles as the infamous truck and tralier combinations which traverse the continent carrying supplies to the most desolate places in your country. (saw this on Discovery or The Learning Channel on TV). Am I correct?

Desolate Places?
 

Yes, most of these trucks do ply the Hume Highway on their way to Melbourne, but they also travel to other places in Australia, too.
These are road-going semi trailer trucks, perhaps what you have in mind are the Northern Territory road trains carrying cattle with 3, 4,or even 5 trailers in tow! Any travellers coming to Australia in 2005 for Back to the Track will see one of these behemoths as the trip will end up in the Alice Springs Transport Hall of Fame.

road train?
 

If the doco on the discovery channel was based in isolated places it was probably about road trains, a tractor with up to three trailers with wheel/axles at each end. Road trains are kept to the outback.
The B double/triple are still a tractor and two/ three trailer combination. the rear of the leading trailer/s has the fifth wheel so trailers attach in the normal methord behind each other, these are common on city freeways and can be seen on main arterial and lesser roads

Re: b triples
 

Overtaking a B triple is a serious undertaking as the time and distance it actually takes to safely complete the operation is considerable, especially when the truckie is up to speed and you are driving a 2a Landie .........speaking from experience, Back to the Track, 1995.

Richard

Speaking of hazards
 

What should turn up in the CMP today but a Tiger snake!

whoa!!!!!!!!
 

If I'd opned the door and seen that a number of things would have happened - in order:

1) I'd have sh*t myself
2) I'd have reached for flame-thrower, shotgun, spare nuke, .5 Browning, whatever
3) No more snake, truck, half of Oz !!!!!!!!

Could also have set a new 1000 metre record that would have ensured entry to the Athens Olympics

:D

Mean little B*****D
 

Keith, I hope you were shooting with a telephoto lens on that one. The more I see of OZ, the less I want to go there. Did I tell you guys that I hate snakes? The only good thing about crocs might be having it on the bar-b-que. In all seriousness, are these little buggers really common to see?

Re: Mean little B*****D
 

Hi Chris
Perfectly safe to visit our wide brown land as long as you have a guardian Aussie to take care of you;)
I was shooting this with a macro lens about 8 inches away, although of course this snake, as Monty Python (an apt misquote I hope) would say: This is an ex-snake, it's snuffed it, shuffled off the mortal coil..." It is, rather quaintly, illegal to kill this sort of critter in this country.

My wife noticed it by the rubbish bins near the house stuck in some bird netting which had strangled the poor thing - this stuff is deadly to snakes who can't back of it. It took me quite some time to cut it out to show the children.

So, if you choose to visit, perhaps you could protect yourself (from snakes at least) by surrounding the property with bird netting.

As for common to see, I s'pose we'd see one or two in our garden every couple of years. Some time ago Belinda (wife) was about to put her hand into a cucumber patch harbouring a Tiger snake like this one.
They are, incidentally very poisonous and should be left alone when active.
:eek:

Question Keefy
 

Belinda or the snake?

Bob

Re: Question Keefy
 

Bob, if she sees this you are SO dead!:)

You should share your snakes in a pipe pic here again.

You Mean This One
 

Look what you find whilst Blitz hunting

Bob

DUKW Hunting
 

Just stay out of the water. Don't you just love this country.

Naturalist Bob

Dear Belinda
 

I was only trying to clarify what Keefy was trying to say. I was absolutely appalled that what he said could be left open to either interpretation. I felt it necessary for Keefy to specifically say "snake" and remove any doubt as to his feelings towards you. I had to remind him that your charming persona was the main character building teaching that the poor lad had ever received and without that we would all say "Keefy who?"

Keefy needs to redeem himself by wining and dining you in the most elegant restaurant in Eltham.

Sympathetic Bob

Re: Dear Belinda
 

Hey ... sympathetic Bob ... did you mean to say "redeem himself by WHINING and dining...?"

:p I think Belinda probably knows how to handle that boy! You GO girl! ... all the best from YAPPY;)

Re: Re: Dear Belinda
 

Hey!

Why do I get the feeling you people are ganging up on me?:confused:

FOR SALE: 1 drum of NOS emergency fan belts
 

:eek: :eek: All you have to do is tie them end to end! I saw it on "MacGuyver Down Under".

Came across this old thread and thought it worth reviving. Found this F15A on a recent blitz hunting trip, however it had a resident.

Normally they're underneath something out of sight. Must have needed to go for a leak.
What there is of the Blitz looks very neat.
David

Boy you guys. After seeing all these photos, it kind of makes me want to rush outside and hug one of our neighbourhood racoons! :D

David

Chipmunks about as bad as it get here
 

Hi David

Chipmunks http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nhoernchen.jpg are about as bad as it gets around here. Only danger from them when they run through the shop, is if you are laying on the creeper under a truck and they decide to run across your chest. You sit up quickly, of course, and wail your head into the drive shaft.

Go ahead and laugh it happened to me.

But the real damage is if you forget to plug up engines, radiators and exhaust in the late summer as they start collecting acorns and need winter storage.

Cheers Phil

I can believe it, Phil.

There is a half cooked hamburger pattie sitting somewhere on our friend's cottage roof from last weekend because a pair of chipmunks decided to play tag across my bare foot just as I was flippin' the burger. Startled me so much it took three beers to calm down! :cheers:

David

Your under vehicle comment Phil reminded me of a workmate I had years ago. He related how he had wriggled under a vehicle and touched his nose on the hot muffler. His reflex action cracked his head on the concrete. Reaction to that, burnt nose to muffler then back to the concrete again. He was never sure how many times his head oscillated between the two before he managed to break the cycle.
To stay on topic though, there are some dangerous critters here and only a week or two ago there was another fatality up north involving a croc. They're not averse to having beans as part of their diet. Human beans that is. The fellow was aware of the danger but went swimming anyway or so the story goes. Such a fate can easily be avoided with a modicum of care, or less grog.

David

Not Sure if we should send you the chipmunk or
 

Hi David

As I was putting doing the posting of the chipmunk I'd looked at the pictures of the snakes, and was wondering if we should send you the chipmunks or you send us the snakes.

But then decided it was better to let you keep the snakes. Public TV has run a couple of animal programs lately about the variate of down your way. Seems like you got a good selection.


Cheers