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From: peter edkins <>
Subject: Re: Happy Birthday Australia
Date: Sat, 06 Jan 2001 17:25:08 +1100


Hello List,
In my well worn, not as efficient as it used to be, mind, is memory of
the origins of the word "Australia".
The Europeans, knowing of the distribution of land masses through the
world, mainly Northern Hemisphere, but also Africa and South America,
conjectured that , to achieve a "balance", there must be some unknown
land mass yet to be discovered (ie by Europeans.) This projected land
mass was termed "Terra Australis Incognito" - Unknown Land of the South"
In modern times, "Gondwanaland" is the name given to the land mass,
conjectured from the theory Plate Tectonics, and assumed to include
Australia, Antarctica , and possibly others (presumably including New
Zealand)

Best Wishes
Peter
VIC Australia

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