1 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, a production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what, mengo, what's that? 3 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: Well? I have to tell you. You know, today I 4 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: was flat out like a lizard drinking. I was a 5 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: real battler who needed to calm my farm. 6 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: Wait, what's going on. 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: I'm just I'm practicing my Australian slang. But you know 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: one thing I'm not doing doing it in an Australian accent. 9 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: I'm sparing you of that. But just so you know 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: what I was saying. I just told you that I 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: worked super hard today, but I pushed through even though 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: I probably should have relaxed. 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: You see where I went there. Yeah, I hope they 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: have this category to do a lingo soon. 15 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: Oh it's gonna be so good. Yeah, it's only a 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: matter of time. I'm sure. You know, people visiting Australia 17 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 2: need to be prepared. I'm in support of this, but 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: of course we know all the cliches like it ay 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 2: made and there's a barbie for barbecue, made famous of 20 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: course by Paul Hogan's Australian tourism ads back in the 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: nineteen eighties. But there are a lot of lesser known ones. 22 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: So let's see if you can guess a couple. What's 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 2: a slippery. 24 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: Dip going for a swim? 25 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: It's actually a playground slide. How about a arvo? 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: Are you just trying to make me feel dumb? 27 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's my that was actually my goal. I was like, 28 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 2: you know, I don't feel great about myself today, I'm 29 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 2: gonna make mango feel dumb and arvo? 30 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: Is that something to do with avocados? 31 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: Well, it means afternoon. So Australians are big fans of 32 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 2: shortening words and adding an o to the end of it. 33 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: So a gas station is a servo, an ambulance is 34 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: an ambo, and a liquor store is a bottle. 35 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: Of I'm not sure I'm ready to incorporate those into 36 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: my vocabo. 37 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 2: Just yeah, you nailed it. That was That was pretty great. 38 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: We do want to study up because today we're taking 39 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: a virtual trip through US Australia, which is both the 40 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: world's smallest continent and the sixth largest country, and we've 41 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: got a lot of ground to cover, literally, so let's 42 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: dive in. 43 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 1: Awesome. 44 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 2: Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 45 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 46 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: friend Mangush hot ticketter, and over there in the booth 47 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: is our Palin producer Dylan Fagan. Now this is interesting. 48 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 2: He has a wolverine claw on one hand and in 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: the other he seems to be holding it looks like 50 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: Thor's hammer. 51 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: I'm guessing this is a reference to the great Australian 52 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: actors Hugh Jackman Chris hemsquare. Then he's also holding up 53 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: a barbie dog that has to be for Margot Robbie. 54 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know how he's doing all this just 55 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: two hands, but you know, Dylan, he's so impressed. 56 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,399 Speaker 1: He is really talented. And today's episode is pretty amazing too. 57 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: We are gallivanting across Australia, stopping for nine fascinating facts 58 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: along the way. Before we get going, I just want 59 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: to say that Ruby, my kid played an Australian bird 60 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: and their school play last year. 61 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: I can't think of anybody better to play it. 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: It was just a bird, but they decided to put 63 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: on an Australian access. Oh this is good, and it 64 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: sounded Chinese sometimes Indians. 65 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: Okay, it's a little a little problematic here there, but 66 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 2: it was amazing. That's pretty terrific. I need to see 67 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: a clip of. 68 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: This, so let us get started by planning our transportation. 69 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: So how do you feel about train travel? 70 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: Well, I mean train travel is one of the things 71 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: I love, the idea of it, right, you know, I 72 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 2: love I do love sort of shorter train travel trips 73 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: that are like a couple hours. I've done the like 74 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: really long train trips in the US when I was 75 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: a kid, and I used to go up to Virginia 76 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 2: during the summers and what would be like a ten 77 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: to eleven hour drive would just be like almost a 78 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: full day train. So that sort of thing got a 79 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: little long. But I do still have this sort of 80 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: ideal version or idea of train travel, and it's kind 81 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:15,839 Speaker 2: of nice or romantic to think about. 82 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: How about you, Yeah, I really have a similar sort 83 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: of like romance with train travel. My grandfather was a writer. 84 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: He's say the best writing he did was when he 85 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: was on trains. He'd get a lot of inspiration. And 86 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: I've always wanted to take that train across the Canadian 87 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: Rockies and also up to Montreal and the Fall to 88 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: see the foliage from the train. But Australia is obviously 89 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: a big place at around three million square miles. But 90 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: there is a way to go straight across it, and 91 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: that is the Indian Pacific Train. It is named for 92 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: the fact that it goes all the way from the 93 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, which is a journey 94 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: of about twenty seven hundred miles from Perth to Sydney. Wow, 95 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: and it goes straight through the outback. At one point 96 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: in the trip there are three hundred miles of straight track, 97 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: which is the longest such stretch in the world. In fact, 98 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: it stands out so much that this Australian astronaut his 99 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: name is Andy Thomas, once said that you can even 100 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: see it from space. He described it as quote like 101 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: someone had drawn a very fine pencil line across the desert. 102 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 2: Oh that's so interesting, I guess just because there weren't 103 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 2: many obstacles they were having to deal with, they were 104 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 2: just able to go go straight. I did not know this. 105 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 2: So let's say I wanted to take this train ride, 106 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 2: which honestly I kind of do. Now, how long does 107 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: this trip take? 108 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: It is five days and four nights. Actually, I had 109 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: a friend who took it on a honeymoon and he 110 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: said it felt a lot longer because he had a 111 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: kangaroo steak and it sat in his stomach. 112 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 2: Reminder not to do don't do that. 113 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: But there are quite a few sightseeing stops along the way, 114 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: so passengers visit Calgourly, a nineteenth century gold rush town, 115 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: a remote outback city called Broken Hill that's home to 116 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: the country's longest running mining operation, and in the Barossa Valley, 117 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: a prominent Australian wine region known for its bold and 118 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: full body cher us. 119 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 2: Okay, I'm mean I have to say that sounds like 120 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 2: an incredible adventure. But even without a train ticket, I 121 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: do know a bit about what that straight middle section 122 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: of the outback looks like, you know, because I did 123 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: some research. Mego, I did some research into Australia's topography, 124 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,559 Speaker 2: and what I learned is it's extremely flat, very flat mago. 125 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 2: Australia is actually the flattest continent in the world, with 126 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 2: an average elevation of under a thousand feet, and much 127 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: of that is just plateau like right there in the 128 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 2: middle of the continent. So you might be wondering, like, 129 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: how did this happen geologically speaking? Well, it turns out 130 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: Australia is located towards the center of a tectonic plate. 131 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 2: So when two tectonic plates next to each other move, 132 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 2: you know, pointy of things like mountains form, but if 133 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: you're right there in the middle of a plate, you 134 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: actually don't really get much of that effect. 135 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: But there must be some mountains in Australia, right, Yeah. 136 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 2: Its highest point is Mount Kozyuzko, with a peak of 137 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 2: seven three hundred and ten feet. It's maybe a little 138 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: bit taller than you imagined after this, but overall we're 139 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 2: talking about a pretty flat place, especially in the middle 140 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 2: part where the train tracks are running where we're describing there. 141 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: It's one fifth of the country and it's just a 142 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 2: big flat desert pancake, basically dessert pancakes. Yeah. 143 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: So one of the fascinating things about Australia is how 144 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: barren it is. Two thirds of Australia is considered too 145 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: arid for settlement, which is kind of crazy when you 146 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: think about it, which the country learned through trial and error. Actually, 147 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: it turns out Australia is littered with ghost towns, which 148 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: means that people did try to settle there and it 149 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: didn't go that well for them. So back in the 150 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: eighteen sixties, this guy named George Goiter, who was originally 151 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: from Liverpool, became Surveyor General of Australia and after this 152 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: big drought swept through South Australia in eighteen sixty four 153 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: and eighteen sixty five, Goiter was directed to make a 154 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: map of the affected region, and what he ended up 155 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: doing was drawing this kind of curvy line that supposedly 156 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: marked where rainfall was too unreliable to plant crops, and 157 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: north of the line was no good. South of the 158 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: line was okay. 159 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 2: It seems pretty straightforward. 160 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, for a curvy line. But the problem was in 161 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: the eighteen seventies the rain started falling, and by this 162 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: time the government was using Goiter's line to designate where 163 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: farmers could buy land on credit. But there wasn't much 164 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: land left south of the line, so farmers started buying 165 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: up land to the north. They were like, you know, 166 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: it's just a line on a piece of paper. What 167 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: does this guy know? And for a while things were okay, 168 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: but by the early eighteen eighties Goiter was proven right. 169 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: The rain to the north just turned out to be 170 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: this fluke, and the land dried up and those farms 171 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: started failing. Now you can still find the remains of 172 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 1: towns that once appeared to be booming, with schools, bars, 173 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: hotels all built up that are abandoned, and people actually 174 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: enjoy visiting these ghost towns, but it doesn't make sense 175 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: to stick around for too long. And here's a little 176 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: detail I can't stop thinking about. One of these towns 177 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: was optimistically named Farina, the Latin word for wheat, which 178 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: was the crop they thought the town would be famous 179 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: for growing. 180 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: Oh, I mean, that's kind of sad. So while we're 181 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 2: on the topic of Australia's unpredictable weather, this seems like 182 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 2: a good time to talk about the best months to visit. So, 183 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 2: as many of us probably know, winter in the US 184 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 2: is Australia's summer. So the hottest time of year there 185 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 2: is December through February, which just throws me for a loop. 186 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: No matter how many times I know that, it just 187 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: seems impossible. So during those months, major cities will experience 188 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 2: temperatures ranging from sixty eight to ninety nine degrees fahrenheit, 189 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 2: So it does get pretty hot. But you know, given 190 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 2: that time of year, it might be your preference. 191 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, especially if you're trying to escape cold or wet 192 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: or snowy winter. 193 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, but just so everyone's fully informed of what they're 194 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: getting into. I did look up Australia's hottest day on 195 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: record that occurred in Onslow, a coastal town in Western 196 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 2: Australia with around eight hundred residents, a pretty small place, 197 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 2: so in January twenty twenty two, the town matched a 198 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 2: previous high from nineteen sixty two. It was a record 199 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 2: set in southern Australia with a temperature of one hundred 200 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 2: and twenty three point twenty six degrees fahrenheit. 201 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: Wow. So maybe January and Anslow is something you skip. 202 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. I do think that heat is a bit much, 203 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 2: even for me. But if you're looking for a season 204 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 2: with some milder temperatures, you might consider traveling during Australia's winter, 205 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 2: which is June through August. So then the temperatures average 206 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: between fifty two degrees fahrenheit in eighty six degrees fahrenheit. 207 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, which is more of my kind of weather and 208 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: it reminds me a little of India. Speaking of which, 209 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: does Australia have a monsoon? 210 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 2: It does, so Northern Australia experience is a monsoon season 211 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 2: from November to March or you know, in that range. 212 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: So this causes weeks of heavy rain. But aside from that, 213 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: Australia's climate is incredibly dry. In fact, it's actually the 214 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: second driest continent on Earth, just after Antarctica. That's really fascinating. 215 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: So the lesson is check the forecast before you go, 216 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: which is good advice even if you're not craffling. Okay, 217 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: so we have to take a quick break, but we've 218 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: saved our. 219 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 2: Best Ossi facts for last. 220 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: When we come back, we've got Orca's bikes and a 221 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: record breaking fence. Stay tuned, Welcome back to Part Time Genius, 222 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: where we're counting down nine facts about traveling through Australia. 223 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: I should note here in case anyone is wondering this 224 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: episode is not sponsored by the Australian Tourism Board, but 225 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: it could be Ossy travel Board. Reach out if you 226 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: want us to do some on location work for you. Anyway, 227 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: I love this next fact. If you visit Southeast Australia, 228 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: you might bump into the world's longest fence. The wood 229 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: and wire fence known as the Dingo Fence, is three thousand, 230 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: four hundred and eighty eight miles long, which is about 231 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: the distance between New York City and London. 232 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, that is a very long I know. 233 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: It actually started as a few separate fences primarily built 234 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: to address all these wildlife related problems. The goals were 235 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: to keep invasive rabbits from destroying crops and to stop 236 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: dingos from going after sheep, and by the nineteen fifties 237 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: these fences got connected into one long dingo fence. Now 238 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: it's so long that if you tried to walk around it, 239 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: it would take you about six months. Thankfully, it has 240 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: gates so you actually don't have to do that. But 241 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: it's a lot of work keeping such a long fence 242 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: in tip top shape. There's a staff of twenty three 243 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: full time employees patrolling it, and it costs around seven 244 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year to maintain. 245 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 2: So has it done the job it was intended to do? 246 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: I mean, dingos do get through sometimes, but it has 247 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: divided up the wildlife pretty effectively, so the dingo free 248 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: side has a lot more kangaroos and EMUs and other 249 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: things dingos like to eat. But one interesting recent piece 250 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: of research found that young kangaroos outside the fence that's 251 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: on the same side as the dingos are larger than 252 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: the young kangaroos on the other side, who don't really 253 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: have to worry about being dingo food. They'd actually evolved 254 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: to be bigger to meet the demands of their environment. 255 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that's so interesting. Yeah, all right, Well, while 256 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,959 Speaker 2: we're on the topic of nature doing what nature does, 257 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 2: we do have to talk about Australia's national parks. So, 258 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 2: believe it or not, there are technically only five parks 259 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 2: that are run by the Commonwealth of Australia, although there 260 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: are plenty more that are run by Australian states or territories. 261 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: There that's crazy, there are only five national parks. I 262 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: remember your dad told me he used to memorize counties 263 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: but he couldn't fall asleep. And I told him Delaware 264 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: only had three counties. And You're just like, that would 265 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: take me much time. 266 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: I really wouldn't be that helpful. 267 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: But five parks isn't that many, so I guess it 268 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: makes it easier to visit them all if you want to. 269 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: But what's the number one national park I should put 270 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: on my bucket list if I'm going to Australia. 271 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 2: All right, Well, if you have to pick one, I 272 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: would say go with Kakadoo. It's the largest national park 273 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 2: in Australia. The place is massive, seventies seven hundred square 274 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: miles spreading across the Northern Territory. So to put that 275 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 2: in perspective, Grand Canyon National Park is nineteen hundred square miles, 276 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: so it's like four of those. It's a massive, massive park. 277 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 2: So given how big it is, Kakadu is a great 278 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: place to go if you want to experience a mind 279 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 2: boggling variety of ecosystems. This one park contains floodplains, wetlands, woodlands, rainforests, savannahs, 280 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 2: and so much more. And there are beautiful waterfalls, plenty 281 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: of wildlife, from crocodiles to wallabies to pythons. 282 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I definitely want to see a wallaby. I'm 283 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: not sure about the other two. 284 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: I was saying it to sound like I was brave, 285 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 2: but I definitely don't want to see a python, especially 286 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 2: I've seen plenty of crocodiles being near Florida. But something 287 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 2: you'll definitely want to experience if you go there is 288 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: the Aboriginal culture. So over half the park is Aboriginal land. 289 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: The Binning and the Mungoi people have lived there in 290 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 2: that region for more than sixty five thousand years and 291 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 2: visiting is a great way to learn about their history. 292 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 2: There are over five thousand Aboriginal rock art sites in 293 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 2: the park, including some works that are over twenty thousand 294 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 2: years old, which is incredible. And then visiting Kakadu, you 295 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 2: can choose a tour company with Aboriginal guides who share 296 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: the sort of the cultural significance of the park and 297 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 2: all of its art there. And I know you might 298 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 2: be a little wary of encountering crocodiles there, and that's fine, 299 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 2: But there is this one company that takes you on 300 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 2: a boat tour up the East Alligator River, so along 301 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 2: the way you get to learn about Aboriginal mythology, traditional 302 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 2: plant medicine, and even bush survival skills. So pretty fascinating. 303 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that. It's like it's called the East 304 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: Alligator River. I guess you know what's going to be 305 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: on it. Well, speaking of things in the water with 306 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: very sharp teeth, Australia's waters are home to the largest 307 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: orca congregation in the Southern hemisphere. So if you visit 308 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: Bremer Bay, about three hundred miles south of Perth between 309 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: January and April, you are actually guaranteed see orca. 310 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 2: Oh wow, I do love an orca guarantee. That's pretty Yeah, 311 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 2: that's pretty awesome. So what is it about this area 312 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 2: that makes it such a great place for whales and 313 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 2: people who appreciate them. 314 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: So, about forty miles off the coast of Bremmer Bay, 315 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: there's an undersea canyon. It's a biodiversity hotspot where marine 316 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: life booms and since things like zooplankton, fish, and squid 317 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: all congregate there, bigger animals like to feed on those 318 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: things and hang out there as well. So every year 319 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: orcas flock to the Bremer Canyon and they use it 320 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: as their hunting ground. You can actually take a sightseeing 321 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: boat out across the bay to see them. People have 322 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: reported seeing hundreds of orcas at a time. That's not 323 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: the only large marine life that actually spends time there. 324 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: You also find sperm whales, rare beaked whales, and plenty 325 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: of shark species swim through the area as well. And actually, 326 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: in the past few years, orcas have been observed killing 327 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 1: blue whales in the region, which is sad, but you know, 328 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: circle of life. 329 00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, it definitely is. All right, Well, let's wrap up 330 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 2: our up with a different circle, and that is circumnavigating 331 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 2: Australia by bike. 332 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: That is insane. I feel like I get winded after 333 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: twenty minutes on a city bike and I cannot imagine 334 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: bicycling all the way around Australia. 335 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 2: Well, get this, because the first time someone cycled Australia 336 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 2: was way back in eighteen ninety nine. It took Arthur 337 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 2: Richardson two hundred and forty five days to complete the journey. Then, 338 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 2: in October of twenty twenty four, cyclist Lachlan Morton made 339 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 2: the trip in thirty days, nine hours and fifty nine minutes, 340 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 2: beating the previous record by over a week. 341 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, like, it's amazing that it 342 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: took the better part of a year to just circle 343 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: the country. And then and then someone doesn't in thirty days. Yeah, 344 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: it's amazing. It still sounds entirely exhausting to me. So 345 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: what does the route actually look like? 346 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 2: All right? For to count as an official attempt to 347 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 2: circumnavigate Australia, you must bike at least fourteen thousand two 348 00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 2: hundred kilometers, which is over eighty eight hundred miles. There 349 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 2: are eight designated locations that you have to pass through, 350 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 2: including Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne, but you can go 351 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 2: in any direction you want, though people usually go counterclockwise 352 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: because of how the tailwinds work there. According to Morton, 353 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 2: it was a great way to see Australia and quote 354 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 2: get a real feel for the country. Now. He supported 355 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 2: a local charity with his ride, raising over one hundred 356 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 2: thousand dollars for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Oh I love that. 357 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: But given Australia's wildlife, isn't it like a dangerous ride? 358 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 2: It definitely can be, and Morton did have an unfortunate 359 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: run in while he was there. He was biking through 360 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 2: northern Queensland and he collided with a kangaroo, which I 361 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 2: think probably wouldn't go very well. He did say later 362 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 2: that he was on top of it before he even noticed, 363 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: but luckily both he and the kangaroo were okay. 364 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: Well, just because the kangaroo survived the incident, I'm gonna 365 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: have to give you today's trophy. If it hadn't survived, 366 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: I would have given it to Dylan. 367 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 2: That makes a lot of sense. All right, well, thank 368 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 2: you very much. I appreciate it, and I'd like to 369 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 2: have Fish share this trophy with Lachlan Morton. I sat 370 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 2: here and recorded a podcast. He biked around an entire continent. 371 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: So I don't know who's to say who worked harder 372 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 2: on this one, but thank you did that does it 373 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 2: for today's episode. We'll be back next week with a 374 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 2: new one. In the meantime, please be sure to subscribe 375 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 2: to the podcast on your favorite podcast app. Leave us 376 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 2: a five star rating and review. Today's episode was written 377 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 2: by Meredith Danko. Thanks Meredith, She's always a rock star, 378 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 2: and from Dylan Gabe, Mary Mango and me thank you 379 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:27,719 Speaker 2: for listening. 380 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 381 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and me Mongschatikler 382 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: and research by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 383 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan 384 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produce 385 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: for iHeart by Katrina Norvel and Ali Perry, with social 386 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: media support from Sasha Gay Trustee Dara Potts and Viny Shorey. 387 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 388 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.