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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 55 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Mixed Australia
John Boston. John Boston was Australia's first brewer. He concocted a brew he called 'beer' from corn and gooseberry leaves (yuk)! The first legal pub in Australia was built in 1796, the 'Masons Arms', in Parramatta and in 1804, hops were successfully grown in Australia.
| In which Australian city was the world's first official international surfing championship held? | Trivially Australian
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Sydney. The first official international world surfing championship was held at Manly Beach in Sydney on 17 May 1964 and was won by Australia's 'Midget' (Bernard) Farrelly.
Thirty Five Cents. Australia's original fifty cent piece, introduced with decimal currency in 1966, was a round shape and had about thirty five cents worth of silver in it! It was replaced with a dodecagonal (twelve sided) coin, made from a nickel blend, with a kangaroo and an emu either side of the Australian Coat of Arms on one side of the coin.
| At which Australian beach was the first surf life-saving club in the world founded? | Trivially Australian
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Bronte Beach. Bronte Surf Club came into being in 1903. In the 1800s in Australia, surfing was forbidden by law, but at Bronte and many other beaches in those early days, this law was regularly flouted. Following a drowning in 1895, a Major Bond (who later served in the Boer War) wrote to the English Life Saving Society for all the information they had on life saving and the first group of life savers came together at Bronte in 1903. The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club was established in 1907 and pioneered the surf reel and line with their first rescue of note being that of a young boy, Charlie Smith, who went on to fame as an aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith!
| The first landing by Europeans in Australia was in 1606, but which nationality was it? | Trivially Australian
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Dutch. In 1606 a Dutch ship, the Duyfken (which means Little Dove) made the first landing in Australia at Cape York. In the same year the Spanish navigator, de Torres, sailed through the strait now known as Torres Strait. In 1642, Abel Tasman discovered Tasmania, which he named Van Diemen's Land and in 1770 the east coast of Australia was discovered by Captain James Cook, of the British Royal Navy.
1953. The present day Australian flag was formally established under the Flags Act 1953. On a blue background, the Union Jack (upper left) represents Australia's link to Great Britain. The five stars of the Southern Cross (constellation) make up the main body of the flag, and, the Commonwealth Star, which has seven points and sits beneath the Union Jack, represents Australia's six states and territories.
Green and Gold. The official colours of Australia are green and gold and were set under the Governor General's Proclamation of 19 April 1984.
1974. Australia voted in a public opinion poll in 1974 to change the national anthem from 'God Save the Queen (King)' to 'Advance Australia Fair'. Then, in 1977, a 'National Song Poll' was held and 'Advance Australia Fair' was voted as still the most popular choice for the national anthem. The first verse is mostly sung alone, however, the second verse is sometimes thrown in for good measure (even though some say the second verse, as I know it, is actually the third verse)!
"Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free.
We've golden soil and wealth for toil; our home is girt by sea.
Our land abounds in nature's gifts, of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage, Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia fair!
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross, we'll toil with hearts and hands.
To make this Commonwealth of ours, renowned of all the lands.
For those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share.
With courage let us all combine to advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia fair!"
50. Australia's most well-known animals are the kangaroo, koala, platypus, wombat and echidna (spiny anteater). There are about 50 species of kangaroo in Australia, ranging from those taller than a man to those as small, if not smaller, than a cat!
| The first step before attending a quiz night is to invite your trivia-loving friends to make up a table. Quiz night tables usually consist of 6 to 8 people. Since quiz nights are almost always fundraisers, many people and businesses donate prizes. What is the most common first prize? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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All of these answers are common first prizes (Dinner for 6-8 people at a restaurant, Bottles of wine, Food or grocery hampers). All of the answers are correct. However, because the prizes are donated, sometimes they can be quite bizarre. The strangest first prize I've ever won was a bottle of motor oil and a jar of home-made pickles. But the strangest one I've ever heard about was a doctor who donated a free hysterectomy.
| At most quiz nights, there are usually 8 or 10 rounds of 10 questions per round. A good quiz night organiser will ensure that there are some easy questions as well as some challenging ones. I hope you find this sample question easy.
Australia is the only place in the world which is home to mammals which lay eggs. To which biological order do these unusual animals belong? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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Monotremes. The mammals which lay eggs, or monotremes, are the platypus and the echidna. Another unusual feature of the monotremes is that their mammary glands have no nipples or teats.
| Not all the questions should be easy, of course. You need a few hard ones to sort the sheep from the goats! Is the following question hard? Only if you don't know the answer.
Where in Australia will you find the biggest rock in the world? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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Western Australia. Uluru, previously known as Ayer's Rock, is often incorrectly described as the largest rock on the world. However, that honour goes to Mount Augustus in a remote area of Western Australia known as the Gascoyne, some 850 kilometres from Perth. Mount Augustus is more than twice the size of Uluru and covers 4800 hectares.
| Before you attend a quiz night, it is a good idea to check the daily newspaper, as there is almost always a question about the paper. What is possibly the most commonly asked quiz night question in Western Australia? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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When was the "The West Australian" newspaper established?. Based upon my vast experience attending quiz nights, "When was "The West Australian" newspaper established?" would definitely have to be the most commonly asked quiz night question in WA. The state of Western Australia was founded in 1829, and the newspaper a few years later in 1833. It is the second oldest newspaper in Australia and it "has the largest distribution area of any daily newspaper in the world from a single source", according to its website.
| Trick questions are a common inclusion and many of them are classics that you've heard before; for example, how many months of the year have 28 days? Answer: 12, or all of them. Do you know this one? Which came first – the chicken or the egg? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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egg. The egg - because dinosaurs were laying eggs long before there were chickens.
| The person who prepares the questions is also likely to throw in one or two brainteasers or riddles, such as this one: What is greater than God, more evil than the Devil, the rich don’t want for it, the poor have it and if you eat it, you’ll die? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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nothing. Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the Devil, the rich want for nothing, the poor have nothing and if you eat nothing, you'll die.
| In between the rounds of questions, while the answers are being marked, it is common to play a game which involves the tossing of coins. What is the name of this game? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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Heads and Tails. Participants in "Heads and Tails" are charged, on average, 20c or 50c to bet on one of three outcomes when two coins are tossed in the air – two heads, two tails or one head/one tail. To place a bet on two heads, you place your hands on your head. To place a bet on two tails, you place your hands on your buttocks. To bet on one head/one tail, you place one hand on your head and one hand on your buttocks. Statistically, the latter is the safest bet. To begin with, all paying participants stand up. As people lose, they sit down. The coins are tossed repeatedly until there is only one winner left standing. The prize is usually a bottle of wine. By the way, "Heads and Tails" is not the same thing as Two-Up.
According to my editorial colleague, Ozzz2002, one of the funniest coin games (for observers anyway) is clenching a coin between the buttock cheeks, and then trying to drop that coin into a glass on the floor. One can only wonder about the kind of quiz nights he attends!
| Another way of killing time between rounds is to ask "spot questions"; that is, a single question for an on-the-spot prize. These are often "Who am I?" questions. Here's one for you to try.
Who am I?
I was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1930.
I am well known as a musician, artist and television performer.
From 1948 to 1952 I was the Western Australian state champion swimmer for a variety of events and distances.
I was created a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2006.
My cover versions of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Stairway to Heaven" were not appreciated by some Queen and Led Zeppelin fans.
My portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was controversial too.
I am credited with the invention of that unusual musical instrument, the wobble board.
I am…? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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Rolf Harris. "Who am I?" questions are usually asked in stages. The first person to put their hand up and have the correct answer is the winner. The problem is that sometimes several people will raise their hands simultaneously, so it is a bit "hit and miss" for the quiz-master or compere to decide who was first. With the increasing use of mobile or cell phones, it is becoming popular for the quiz-master or compere to have people ring the answer through to his/her phone. Then there are no arguments about who was first.
| At intervals throughout the evening, the answers to previous rounds are given. Sometimes your table's correct answer will be marked incorrect. What usually happens if you wish to dispute the answer? | Ever been to a Quiz Night?
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All of these answers are valid. (You aren't allowed to dispute answers – the judge's decision is final., You have to make a donation for the privilege of disputing an answer – and the judges' decision is final., You put your case forward and the people attending the quiz night decide if your answer is acceptable.). All of these answers are common ways in which disputes are handled. However, quiz nights are meant to be a fun evening to raise money for a good cause so most people don't bother to dispute answers. Unless, of course, you are my husband (FunTrivia member Maynooth) and the question involves Sherlock Holmes.
Most Australian quiz nights are small, friendly, local events. However, in July 2006, the annual Trivia Night held by the Queensland branch of Think Pink (an organisation which fundraises for breast cancer research) broke the Australian record for the number of people at one single quiz night or trivia event (663 people) and they raised over $42,000. So quiz nights aren't always trivial!
| The name of the Prime Minister of Australia dismissed by the Governor-General Sir John Kerr in 1975 was? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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Gough Whitlam. Whitlam was dismissed in November 1975 and the Liberal leader, Malcolm Fraser, became the caretaker Prime Minister. There was a deadlock when the Liberal dominated Senate blocked supply of the Government's Budget bills (reputedly they were overspending). This was designed to force an election, but when Whitlam refused to accede to this pressure, the Governor-General dismissed Whitlam and the Labor government.
| There is a famous coral reef on the eastern coast of Queensland, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. What is the name of another beautiful reef found on the north-western coast of Western Australia? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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Ningaloo Reef. Ningaloo Reef is 290 kilometres in length. The Great Barrier Reef is 2300 kms long and is the longest reef in the world.
| Which Australian city was bombed by Japanese planes during WWII resulting in the deaths of civilians? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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Darwin. Ten weeks after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour, Darwin was bombed with the loss of over 240 lives and more than 300 injured. It occurred on 19th February 1942.
Uluru. Uluru is a huge monolithic rock found in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987 because of its outstanding universal natural and cultural values. It was first sighted by 'Europeans' in 1872 by Ernest Giles, but Aboriginal people had moved into the area about 10,000 years before. 'Uluru' is simply an Aboriginal place name which is applied to both the rock and the waterhole on top of the rock.
| Ned Kelly is an infamous Australian bush ranger whose crimes included horse theft, bank robbery and murder. He was hanged in Melbourne, Victoria in 1880. Of what nationality were his parents? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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Irish. Edward (Ned) Kelly was the son of Irish convicts John Kelly and Ellen Quinn who were transported to Australia from Ireland for petty crimes. Irish immigrants were generally treated abhorrently by other 'English' Australians in the 1800s. Much controversy surrounds Ned Kelly, some see him as a rebellious hero, others as a criminal who deserved to be hanged.
| Azaria Chamberlain was an infant baby who died at Uluru in 1980. How did she die? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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taken by dingo. The baby was taken by a dingo in 1980. Lindy Chamberlain, Azaria's mother, had her life sentence for murder quashed in 1986. A film 'Evil Angels' starring Meryl Streep was made the next year.
| The largest sand island in the world is found off the eastern coast of Queensland. What is its name? | Australian Quiz Fizz
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Fraser Island. Stretching over 123 kilometres along the coast of Queensland, Fraser Island with an area of 184,000 hectares is the largest sand island in the world. It is a World Heritage site due to its outstanding natural universal values. It is an outstanding example of significant ongoing ecological and biological processes and an example of superlative natural phenomena.
Small Union Jack with white 'Southern Cross' stars on blue background. The Australian National Flag features the five stars of the constellation of the Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star, and the combined crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick, the Union Jack. The union of crosses represents Australia’s early settlers. The Commonwealth Star with its seven points represents the unity of the six Australian states and the seventh point stands for all Australian Territories.
Sydney. Between 1788 and 1850 the English sent over 162,000 convicts to Australia in 806 ships. The first eleven of these ships are today known as the First Fleet and contained the convicts and sailors who are now acknowledged as the Founders of Australia. The prisoners suffered greatly on the voyage, many dying on route. A minor misdemeanor could result in "transportation" to Australia, never to return home.
The Avon Descent. The Avon Descent is a rare event, in that both motor-boats and paddle-boats such as kayaks compete. It was first held in 1973. It is usually run on the first weekend in August every year. It starts in Northam, WA and finishes in Perth, WA.
The safety standards for the Avon Descent are very strict. Sadly there was one fatality in a year were the river was unusually high.
A big storm came and blew the town away. Cyclone Tracey hit Darwin early Christmas morning 1974. It killed over 70 people and caused around $800 million (Australian) dollars in damage.
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory.
| Geography: I flew from the most isolated capital city in the world north to the city in the top end. I caught the Ghan and travelled south to the Red Centre, where I spent a couple of days. I then hopped on the Ghan south to the City of Churches, then joined up with the Indian-Pacific to travel west back to where I started from. Where did I go? | Australian Mixed Bag
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Perth - Darwin - Alice Springs - Adelaide - Perth. This is a fantastic train journey which sees some really beautiful parts of Australia. A lot of tour buses which do the Capital City tours, include Alice Springs (not a capital) as the main cities are all coastal.
Darwin is the capital city in the Northern Territory. It was bombed in World War II in Japanese air raids. In 1974 Darwin was devastated when Cyclone Tracy crossed the cost on Christmas Day. Darwin has since been re-built. The main economies in Darwin come from the mining industry and tourism.
Alice Springs is in the region of Australia known as the Red Centre. The Henley on Todd is held here (A regatta celebrating the dry river). Tourism is a big industry in Alice Springs as it is relatively close to attractions such as Uluru. We enjoyed visiting the art gallery, Panarama Guth, in Alice Springs.
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia. It was named after the consort of King William IV in 1836. Adelaide's economy is largely based around manufacturing - several car manufacturers have (or had) bases in Adelaide. Another industry in South Australia is the wineries, such as those in the Barossa Valley. Adelaide is nick-named the 'City of Churches' due to the large number of churches.
Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. It is dubbed the most isolated capital city in the world due to its distance from other capitals. It's nearest Australian capital city is Adelaide (over 2100 kilometres away). Major industries in Perth include mining and tourism. Several mining companies have their head offices in Perth. Perth hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1962.
Jackie French. It's a really funny children's book about an wombat which adopts a human family and pesters them for food.
Jackie French has also written quite a few other books for children and young adults. She has a series "The (animal) who ..." about events in history told through the eyes of an animal. Her book, "The Camel Who Crossed Australia" has one of the best opening lines to a book I have seen.
'Diary of a Wombat' was released in 2002.
John Marsden writes mostly for young adults, including the "Tomorrow" Series.
Tim Winton has written quite a lot of adult fiction, such as "Breathe" and "Dirt Music".
Gretel Killeen was the host of "Big Brother" in Australia and has written several children's books such as the "Very Naughty Mother" and "My Sister" Series.
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