Australian Outback History

The Australian outback is one of the hardest places to live. Water and food are scarce. The trees provide little shelter from the scorching sun and when they do, it is in dense forests which are impossible to run around in. Yet the Australian Outback is home to many creatures: kangaroos, wallabies and of course the emu. Emu's are fascinating creatures. Their legs and necks are long and their bodies plump and feathery. They survive in the Australian outback, eating anything they find. They can cover large distances at 50 km\h, which has proved useful over the years. Once emus were nationally protected but after WWI they were officially named vermin. It all started after the soldiers came home… Emmaline lifted her head listening for the

The wondered whether they could go while it was there. In the end, they decided that it was better to be safe than sorry. So the birds spent the day eating leaves and grass and wondering what the men were talking about. If they were close enough and could hear what the men were talking about they would be quite frightened. The one-armed veteran was complaining to the government that his and his friend's crops were being eaten by emu's . The government decided, after much persuasion, they would start 'The Great Emu War'. The next day the emus returned for more food but were greeted by a fully armed army. It was the scariest thing the emus had ever seen. Emerson hurried all the birds away standing guard until all of his flock had evacuated then he finally sprinted away too. But this time the birds weren't safe the army ran after them bullets spraying everywhere. Eventually, the flock was safe. They were almost at their first river so they decided to go back to its familiar banks. There they met another flock and they merged together walking towards their next feeding ground. The emus were walking along getting to know each other when the scent of wheat drifted towards them. The birds argued over whether to go and eat or not. The old birds saying no because of their previous experience but the birds from the new flock wanted to go. Eventually, they went but their welcome party was

With only the moon and stars to guide her, she picked her way down to the trucks, where a few embers of the fire remained. She could hear something that sounded like wind On the ground were unidentifiable lumps that seemed to be moving in the nonexistent breeze. On the front of one of the looming vehicles was a blood stain. Emmaline crept toward it. On her way there she accidentally stepped on one of the lumps and heard a man-like squawk. She looked down and saw two eyes glistening in the moonlight and an open mouth still. She slowly turned around in a circle. The lumps that Emmaline had assumed to be tree stumps earlier were now rising from the ground and shouting. Fear was welling up inside Emmaline but she told herself to stay brave for Edgar’s sake and she let out a deafening battle cry and charged at the nearest man. He ran towards the blood-stained truck and jumped up into the cab, Emmaline close behind. The soldier shut the door in Emmaline’s face and she turned around. The other men were all packing up as fast as they could. Emmaline stayed until every truck had left, watching silently with an evil glare. Then she raced back up the hill to join her Father and