AUSTRALIA

It’s referred to as “The Land Down Under,” a place kangaroos, dingoes and koala bears call home. It has the Outback, a great reef and people who talk with a distinctive brand of slang. Though Australia Day originally commemorated the first European settlements, today it honors its rich diversity and the first Australians--the aborigines. Learn more about Australia through the direct links on the Times Launch Point Web site:

https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

Level 1

Trishan’s Page of Oz: Can a kangaroo jump over Shaquille O’Neal? Definitely. Kangaroos can hop 40 mph and jump as high as 10 feet. Learn about Australia’s people and history, visit the Outback region and the Sydney Opera House, and explore the world’s largest coral formation, the Great Barrier Reef.

https://www.ozramp.net.au/~senani/mainpage.htm

The Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary: G’day means hello, a billabong is a watering hole and a bush telegraph is another way of referring to a town gossip. Learn Aussie slang, meet wallabies, wombats and dingoes, and hear the Australian national anthem in this site that features many fun activities.

https://ausinternet.com/ettamogah/siteindex.htm

Index of Australian Animals: Ever meet a Tasmanian devil? What about a platypus or an emu? Learn about many of the unique and unusual animals of the Australian continent and enjoy games and activities based on the facts you find here.

https://mag-nify.educ.monash.edu.au/acps_animals97/index.htm

Level 2

CIA World Factbook: Australia: Though Australia is the smallest continent, it is the sixth largest country in the world. View a color map and learn basic facts about Australia’s geography, people, government and economy.

https://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/as.htm

1,000 Questions About Australia: What is vegemite and who invented it? What is the significance of dream time to the aborigines? This combination of quizzes and clues teaches you about Australia--its people, culture, history, government, wildlife and geography.

https://mm-1.educ.monash.edu.au/1000/index2.htm

Australian Folk Songs: Explore Australia’s rich musical past through this collection of more than 100 folk songs that includes both the music and the lyrics. Aussie songs have a unique flavor and language of their own, so a glossary is provided.

https://www.chepd.mq.edu.au/boomerang/songnet/intro.html email: mark.gregory@mq.edu.au

Level 3

Microsoft Encarta: Australia: The Australian government has an executive branch, a judicial branch and a legislative branch consisting of a House of Representatives and Senate. Find out about Australia’s government, economy and history.

https://www.encarta.com/EncartaHome.asp?z=1&pg;=2&ti;=043B9000&

Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Centre: The Arrernte have lived in Australia for more than 40,000 years. Learn about the history and beliefs of this people, see examples of both traditional and contemporary aboriginal art, and learn how to play the didgeridoo, a traditional musical instrument.

https://aboriginalart.com.au/culture

Discovery Channel Online: Get Down! An Australian Adventure: Travel with cyclist Jim Malusa as he explores Australia’s lowlands and reports his reactions to such sights as Lake Eyre, Alice Springs and Kakadu National Park.

https://www.discovery.com/DCO/doc/1012/world/ exploration/getdown/getdownopener.html

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Patricia Holloway, Jill Martin, Danielle Straub and Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

What does the title of Australia’s favorite song, “Waltzing Matilda,” mean?

CLUE: See Trishan’s Page of Oz

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 50 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.