spouse of scouse

This is quite a good potted history of European and British expeditions to Australia. https://www.britannica.com/place/Australia/History

Kooky.

Hope you are still OK Clacfart, it's looking bad down there today.

I know it's all relative but Sydney's smoke today is evil. I am due to go to a party at a bowling club and really questioning the wisdom of that (on more than one level, but there you go).

BEVS

It all looks dreadful to me.

Clacfart

It was pretty bad yesterday, quite a few fires near the surrounding areas. Fire crews are amazing though and had them contained! Much cooler today.

How's everyone else going? Heard it's pretty Smokey over in Sydney xxx

moneypenny20

But it's all ok because cricket.

mikelincs

All over the TV yesterday and today id the woman rescuing a Koala from a burning tree, the rescue was on last night (UK time) and a follow up this morning from the rescue center the Koala was taken to.
Am I being a bit cynical to say if the woman hadn't stripped off her shirt to wrap the Koala in it might NOT have been such news, (she did have a bra on)

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/watc...4?ndtv_related

moneypenny20

Yes I think you are. We've lost so many animals in these fires, it's actually a really good feeling to see one get saved. I've watched it a few times and honestly hadn't noticed until you mentioned it that she had taken her shirt off. Disclaimer: I'm a straight female so......

scrubbedexpat142

Apart from being a very good deed I think it's a brave person who exposes any flesh to an animal that is (potentially) crazed with fear & pain.

Bravo that lady (pun intended!).

DeadVim

Not a bad day at The Gabba today actually after a slow start, could be a low scoring thriller. The venue is a dump though, desperately needs work that won’t be covered by the planned superficial turd polishing exercise.

Sorry, thought this was the cricket thread.

PittwaterPrincess

I met a family in Sydney a few years ago, who were going back to the UK, as it was too hot for them.

And that was literally the only reason they were leaving.

I suggested they move somewhere colder like Melbourne or Tasmania, but they said those places were still too warm.

spouse of scouse

Tasmania was too warm for them? With an average maximum temperature in summer across the island of 17 - 23C, and the thermometer struggling to reach 13C in winter? They must really love extra cold weather! I have to wonder if they did any research at all on Australia's weather before they moved over.

PittwaterPrincess

Yes. I wondered that too

I should have asked them

spouse of scouse

It's bad again/still

About 100 bushfires are raging in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), with the most severe burning on the outskirts of Sydney.

More than 2,000 firefighters are battling huge blazes, which escalated in intensity late on Thursday.

Footage of one blaze on the southern fringe of the city showed firefighters fleeing as flames surged forward.

Australia's largest city has been blanketed by thick smoke all week, causing a rise in medical problems.

Since October, bushfires have killed six people and destroyed more than 700 homes across Australia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50680083

BEVS

I know. I was just reading about that.

Dreamy

Obviously, we check the firesnearme app regularly throughout the day, but we tend to concentrate on our immediate surroundings. Last night, I scrolled out to see the whole of NSW. Absolutely terrifying to think about how much has burned, and how much is still burning.... and we're 7 days into summer.

These photos are from the app this morning. The first is an overall look at the fires burning, the second and third are zoomed in on the two worst areas - the greyed areas are the extent of the fire fields. Blue diamonds are advice, Yellow are Watch and Act - fortunately there are currently no Red diamonds- Emergency (LEAVE NOW!!!!!)