#flathal #flatstanleyproject #australia #newzealand
Our guide in New Zealand referred to his homeland as a nation of farmers who are almost all comfortable on a boat. A country that once had 50 million sheep now has a mere 25 million sheep!
Australia was built on mining and some say its economy (how the people earn money) ‘rides on the sheep’s back’. This is a place where almost everyone feels at home on the beach or in the surf. They have lots of warnings about covering up our skin and protecting it from the sun. A nation of “outdoorsmen” knows how dangerous too much sun exposure can be— ever had a really bad sunburn? (The Flat Friends packed Reef Safe Sunscreen for our trip!)
A major difference in how the two countries manage their capitals:
Australia: Canberra is located within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This is a separate, self-governing territory that is not part of any of the six Australian states (like New South Wales or Victoria). Similar to America’s District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)— created specifically to serve as the neutral seat of the federal government.
New Zealand: Wellington is a major city located at the southern end of the North Island. It operates within the same standard local government structure as other New Zealand cities and is not situated in a separate “capital district” or territory.