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During the 19th and into the 20th century Australia depended on products that could be stored and easily transported. Cities were spread along the coast, hundreds and even thousands of miles apart. Goods had to be imported by ship from the United Kingdom to the major cities. Then they had to be transported by horse and buggy hundreds of miles inland. These staples included flour, tea and sugar. Cooking was done on a camp fire kindled from whatever was lying around - leaves, sticks, logs. Flour was mixed with baking powder, salt and water, then placed in a pan. This Australiana icon was Damper. The fire was "damped" down to prevent the "bread" from burning. The fresh bread is ready to eat in 10 minutes. There was no need to store this food, just keep the flour in a dry pouch in a backpack. Furthermore, the bread could be "spiced-up" with whatever was available: sugar, dried fruit, cheese or herbs.
Damper
Campers in the bush make Billy tea over an open fire in any utensil at hand, usually a tin can.
Gumleaves are placed in the boiling tea to infuse their natural flavor into the brew .
Billy Tea can be purchased from the shop today. Remember to put a fire green gumleaf in before you drink it.
Gumleaves are placed in the boiling tea to infuse their natural flavor into the brew .
Billy Tea can be purchased from the shop today. Remember to put a fire green gumleaf in before you drink it.
Australians have always loved their beer, but there is a byproduct from the brewing process which increases in volume and ultimately becomes a problem, i.e., what do we do with Brewers Yeast? Well, make it into Australiana.
Opals were discovered at tarrawilla cattle station, near Adelaide, in 1849. They were very brightly colored compared to opals found in South America and Hungary. There was demand for them, so they were put on the world market in the 1890s.
Opal is Australia's National Gemstone. Australia produces 95% of the world's natural precious opal supply. Opals have long been a part of Australiana.
The color of an opal is a magnificent thing. Unlike any other gem, opals can display all the colours of the rainbow in an iridescent, moving pattern of red, green, blue, yellow, purple, aqua, pink, and any other colour you can imagine. The pattern and arrangement of the colour which is displayed in an opal can take on many beautiful forms, and the movement of color across the face of a stone is known as the 'play of colour.
Opal is Australia's National Gemstone. Australia produces 95% of the world's natural precious opal supply. Opals have long been a part of Australiana.
The color of an opal is a magnificent thing. Unlike any other gem, opals can display all the colours of the rainbow in an iridescent, moving pattern of red, green, blue, yellow, purple, aqua, pink, and any other colour you can imagine. The pattern and arrangement of the colour which is displayed in an opal can take on many beautiful forms, and the movement of color across the face of a stone is known as the 'play of colour.
Australians eat 260 million pies a year, that’s around 13 a year each, and on top of that we munch our way through an additional 20 other pastries such as pasties, sausage rolls and party pies. Meat Pies are Australiana.
In fact there would not be a town in Australia where you could not buy a hot pie, either pre-packaged or freshly baked. Hot pies remain the biggest selling favourite at sporting events and festivals throughout Australia.
The actual origin of the popularity of the meat pie in Australia is not known but the first recorded mention of the ‘pie’ appeared in 1850 in the Melbourne Argus which reported that the Councillors preferred a meat pie from the pub opposite rather than the food provided in the chambers.
Channel 7 and Channel 9 television cover the Australian meat pie competition every year. The idea for a meat pie competition was put forward by Craig Perry who used to work for GFW Foodservice. It was a good concept from the beginning - increasing exposure for meat pie makers nationwide.
The Aussie meat pie competition was so successful that it was moved from Sydney to Melbourne in 1991 because of public demand. Sydney and Melbourne have been the alternate locations from 1990 to 2000. Then it moved to Brisbane in 2001. Since that time it has alternated again between Sydney and Melbourne.
In fact there would not be a town in Australia where you could not buy a hot pie, either pre-packaged or freshly baked. Hot pies remain the biggest selling favourite at sporting events and festivals throughout Australia.
The actual origin of the popularity of the meat pie in Australia is not known but the first recorded mention of the ‘pie’ appeared in 1850 in the Melbourne Argus which reported that the Councillors preferred a meat pie from the pub opposite rather than the food provided in the chambers.
Channel 7 and Channel 9 television cover the Australian meat pie competition every year. The idea for a meat pie competition was put forward by Craig Perry who used to work for GFW Foodservice. It was a good concept from the beginning - increasing exposure for meat pie makers nationwide.
The Aussie meat pie competition was so successful that it was moved from Sydney to Melbourne in 1991 because of public demand. Sydney and Melbourne have been the alternate locations from 1990 to 2000. Then it moved to Brisbane in 2001. Since that time it has alternated again between Sydney and Melbourne.
Bert Appleroth was employed as a tram conductor. He made good use of this opportunity by going into shops along the way selling jelly crystals. Sales were so good that Bert started up a business making jelly crystals in a shed in Paddington, New South Wales. Aviation was new technology in the 1920s thus his product was named Aeroplane Jelly. More than ten million packets of Aeroplane Jelly are sold in Australia every year. An Australiana icon.
Though Dr. Callister at first believed only adults would like the strong taste, children liked it more. In the supermarkets today children are often heard saying to their mothers: "have you got the vegemite Mum?"
In 1926 Dr. Cyril Callister of the Fred Walker Company worked hard to find a use for this rich source of vitamin B. He was successful in developing a tasty spread and Fred Walker's daughter gave it a name - vegemite! When spread on bread or toast it has a strong yet pleasant taste. Though it is salty, Australian children took to it straight away. The advertizing campaign in the 1950s used the phrase "We're happy little vegemites, as bright as bright can be we, We all enjoy our vegemite for breakfast, lunch, and tea."
Tysaustralia
Aeroplane Jelly
Electronic Australiana
Billy Tea is made by Lyons Tetley (Australia) Pty. Ltd
It is an Australiana icon.
It is an Australiana icon.
OPALS
The Supreme Meat Pie Bakery Winner this year, 2009, was Mick's Bakehouse, Wagga Wagga, NSW.
Parkview Bakery, Maryborough, Vic was runner up.
Parkview Bakery, Maryborough, Vic was runner up.
Out and About
In the early morning of 25 April 1915 in the First World War soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp landed in Turkey at the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Every year since that time people of Australia and New Zealand have honoured the fallen in solemn ceremonies across both nations. The landing at Gallipoli was the first time a united force from the two former British colonies had fought in war under combined leadership with the British.
As the battle commenced, it became clear that a victory would not be possible. Despite repeated advances the Turkish soldiers fought and took ground back. Ultimately, both sides reached a stalemate where neither was gaining any advantage. It was then decided that the ANZACs should withdraw. The Turkish military gave the fallen honourable burials. Great respect was gained.
Today, Australians and New Zealanders go to Gallipoli in Turkey on the 25th April for the Dawn Service in memory of those who gave their lives.
Every year since that time people of Australia and New Zealand have honoured the fallen in solemn ceremonies across both nations. The landing at Gallipoli was the first time a united force from the two former British colonies had fought in war under combined leadership with the British.
As the battle commenced, it became clear that a victory would not be possible. Despite repeated advances the Turkish soldiers fought and took ground back. Ultimately, both sides reached a stalemate where neither was gaining any advantage. It was then decided that the ANZACs should withdraw. The Turkish military gave the fallen honourable burials. Great respect was gained.
Today, Australians and New Zealanders go to Gallipoli in Turkey on the 25th April for the Dawn Service in memory of those who gave their lives.
ABORIGINALS AND THE BOOMERANG
Australian Aboriginals had a culture before Europeans arrived. In fact it is the oldest surviving culture on earth. Tribes across the continent identified with a particular animal. Ancestral Beings were also "worshipped".
Various tools, weapons and art developed. Aboriginal culture continues to change. Use of sticks to make fire was commonplace. Tasmanian Aboriginals used fire but had to keep a flame going constantly. If they lost their fire they fought to regain it from others. Tasmanian Aboriginals were a different "race' from those who lived on the mainland.
It is estimated that mainland Aboriginals have been in Australia for at least 60,000 years using stone technology and red ochre for painting. Sharpening of flint for spear heads and choppers was still carried out until the 1960s. This technology began about 5,000 years ago. Aboriginals remained isolated from peoples in the rest of the world. They were probably the first to leave Africa.
A legacy left by Aboriginals has been a weapon used for hunting - the boomerang.
A boomerang used for hunting
is heavy and can be almost a meter wide.
Because it's edges are only slightly bevelled it flies
quite straight. It is capable of bringing down a large kangaroo.
Boomerangs that return to the thrower are much lighter. Due to curved edges, front and back on one side of the boomerang it acts like the aerofoil of an aircraft wing, producing a vacuum on the curved side and lift underneath. The theory of how a boomerang works is complex, though it is believed that one wing "cuts" through undisturbed air while making disturbed air for the other wing. Some claim that the leading wing gets more lift, but this is not the case. A right handed thrower holds the boomerang above the head, 30 degrees outward from the vertical, with the bevelled edged side toward the body. He throws, and the returning wing on the inside of the anti-clockwise curve actually lifts upward.
Australian Aboriginals had a culture before Europeans arrived. In fact it is the oldest surviving culture on earth. Tribes across the continent identified with a particular animal. Ancestral Beings were also "worshipped".
Various tools, weapons and art developed. Aboriginal culture continues to change. Use of sticks to make fire was commonplace. Tasmanian Aboriginals used fire but had to keep a flame going constantly. If they lost their fire they fought to regain it from others. Tasmanian Aboriginals were a different "race' from those who lived on the mainland.
It is estimated that mainland Aboriginals have been in Australia for at least 60,000 years using stone technology and red ochre for painting. Sharpening of flint for spear heads and choppers was still carried out until the 1960s. This technology began about 5,000 years ago. Aboriginals remained isolated from peoples in the rest of the world. They were probably the first to leave Africa.
A legacy left by Aboriginals has been a weapon used for hunting - the boomerang.
A boomerang used for hunting
is heavy and can be almost a meter wide.
Because it's edges are only slightly bevelled it flies
quite straight. It is capable of bringing down a large kangaroo.
Boomerangs that return to the thrower are much lighter. Due to curved edges, front and back on one side of the boomerang it acts like the aerofoil of an aircraft wing, producing a vacuum on the curved side and lift underneath. The theory of how a boomerang works is complex, though it is believed that one wing "cuts" through undisturbed air while making disturbed air for the other wing. Some claim that the leading wing gets more lift, but this is not the case. A right handed thrower holds the boomerang above the head, 30 degrees outward from the vertical, with the bevelled edged side toward the body. He throws, and the returning wing on the inside of the anti-clockwise curve actually lifts upward.
