NEW SOUTH WALESBy Ginger Raywood

STATE FLAG:• The New South Wales flag has

been used since 1876.• It is blue, red, white and gold.• It shows the Union Jack and the

New South Wales badge.

EMBLEMS• The New South Wales floral emblem is the Waratah. It is a large, reddish-pink flower that grows in the bush in clumps of tall stems. It generally grows up to 5metres tall, and is a native flower to New South Wales.

• The New South Wales bird emblem is the kookaburra. It is the world’s largestkingfisher, and is known for it’s laughing call. They hunt snakes, lizards, fish and insects, and live at forest edges, in the clearings.

• The New South Wales animal emblem is the platypus. It is a furry creature, withwebbed feet and a large duck-like bill, which it uses to gather food from thebottom of rivers. It is one of the only mammals which lay eggs instead of givingbirth.

NATURAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

• The Three Sisters is a natural sandstone structure in the Blue Mountains

National Park. They were formed thousands of years ago, and are set among the cliffs of the Jamison Valley.

• The Kiama Blowhole is the largest in the world. It spouts water into theair when the seas are running from the south east. It was first sighted in December 1797 by George Bass.

• Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most famous beaches, and is well-known worldwide. Each year, tens of thousands of people will visit Bondi. It is a one kilometre long beach, and is only ten kilometres awayfrom the city centre of Sydney.

MAN-MADETOURIST ATTRACTIONS

• The Sydney Opera House is one of Australia’s most well-known buildings. It took 16 years to build, and was finally finished in 1973. It is located in Sydney, on Bennelong Point on the Sydney Harbour.

• The Sydney Harbour Bridge, is located near the Opera House and connects the city centre of Sydney to the North Shore. It is made of steel and is 1149 metres long. It is also called the “Coathanger” becauseof it’s shape. Cars will drive along the straight bit, but people can go on walks along the arch.

• The Tower Eye is Sydney’s tallest building and is the third tallest in Australia. It is 309 metres tall, and building began in 1975. It was opened to the public in August 1981.

NSW STATISTICS• Population = 7.4 Million (biggest state in Australia)• Highest Mountain = Kosciuszko (highest in Australia)• Capital = Sydney (biggest capital city in Australia 4.6 Million)

HISTORY AND DESCREPTIONAboriginal peoples have always lived in Sydney. BaraniBarani is an Aboriginal word for Sydney it means [yesterday].

QUIZ• What is the nickname for the Sydney Harbour Bridge?

• The Coat Hanger

• What year was the first European Settlement in NSW?

• 1788

• How much money did cost to build the Sydney Opera House?

• $102 Million

• Where do they play test cricket in NSW?

• Sydney Cricket Ground

• What is the newest team in the AFL?

• Greater Western Sydney