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Apparently in addition to having venomous duck beavers, drop bears, poisonous octopi, invisible ocean-dwelling heart-attack machines, and some of the most deadly snakes and spiders known to man, you also have exploiding organic fire traps.

Of the many eucalyptus species that evolved with fire, none is more incendiary than blue gum. "Gasoline trees," firefighters call them. Fire doesn't kill blue gums. Rather, they depend on fire to open their seedpods and clear out the competition. And they promote fire with their prolific combustible oil, copious litter, and long shreds of hanging bark designed to carry flames to the crowns. Blue gum eucalyptus doesn't just burn, it explodes, sending firebrands and seeds shooting hundreds of feet in all directions. Living next to one of these trees is like living next to a fireworks factory staffed by chain-smokers.

It's no wonder the British sent their criminals to Australia, it's probably more effective than the electric chair!

That explains the prices, insurance cover and danger money.

So...
Australia has fire plants.

Yep, at least we don't have lightning plants... yet...

What about man eating lightning trees?
I saw one of them in action once...

Renewable fuel source much?

purplefood wrote:So...
Australia has fire plants.

Wait. What if the fireplants house a colony of drop bears and killer spiders? Color Texas impressed. I wonder if we could plant these on the Rio Grande. Why? No reason...

Australia, the only place on earth where Mother Nature can call in snake and nape...

purplefood wrote:So...
Australia has fire plants.

LIAR LIAR
Plants on fire!!


It is a Koala's equivalent of a vindaloo
and the source of the expression, "The ring of fire".

As compensation for stupidly high GW prices Aussie's can run around yelling "THIS IS MY BOOMTREE!"

purplefood wrote:So...
Australia has fire plants.

LIAR LIAR
Plants on fire!!


It is a Koala's equivalent of a vindaloo
and the source of the expression, "ring of fire".

This could also be an awesome prank for that friend who claims he loves spicy food and nothing is too hot for him.

biccat wrote:Apparently in addition to having venomous duck beavers, drop bears, poisonous octopi, invisible ocean-dwelling heart-attack machines, and some of the most deadly snakes and spiders known to man, you also have exploiding organic fire traps.

Of the many eucalyptus species that evolved with fire, none is more incendiary than blue gum. "Gasoline trees," firefighters call them. Fire doesn't kill blue gums. Rather, they depend on fire to open their seedpods and clear out the competition. And they promote fire with their prolific combustible oil, copious litter, and long shreds of hanging bark designed to carry flames to the crowns. Blue gum eucalyptus doesn't just burn, it explodes, sending firebrands and seeds shooting hundreds of feet in all directions. Living next to one of these trees is like living next to a fireworks factory staffed by chain-smokers.

It's no wonder the British sent their criminals to Australia, it's probably more effective than the electric chair!

To the best of my knowledge its not so much the trees that explode so much as their seed pods. The major problem with the bluegum or any eucalyptus tree is that they shed their leaves. In rural areas this causes a problem because those leaves get caught in gutters or on roofs and water tanks making houses and buildings more susceptible to catching fire. Even a home secure and well defended from fire is at risk because a fire can be well down the road, some seed pods will start getting too hot, blow their load and the seeds catch fire. Then you get little burning seeds getting taken away by the wind and blown down the road to what you think is a home not a risk then BAM, burning seeds in your gutter and then BAM your house is on fire.

Thats not the only way a house can catch fire in a rural area of Australia (obviously...) and that explantion may not be entirely correct either, in which case ive just made a out of myself. But i'm pretty sure its good and true.


Any way have some pictures of those other critters mentioned to distract you from my possibly fallacious story...


venomous duck beavers, cute till it mauls you.

drop bears. Go to hell Edward Cullen.

poisonous octopi. Little kids love playing with these crafty little buggers.

I'm pretty sure this is what was meant by invisible ocean-dwelling heart-attack machines but i cant be sure. (its a box jellyfish btw)

Left: Eastern brown snake, these are so common its not funny. (I have one in a jar.) Right: Inland Taipan, Most venomous snake in the world bar none.

Both Sydney Funnel webs. Most poisonous spider in Oz, and one of the worlds worst.


Not related but... If you want to read an amusing/kinda semi factual thing on Australia read this... http://www.badassoftheweek.com/australia.html

Is there anything in Australia that doesn't try to kill you?

Yeah, these things make it a real bugger to control fires. Even in relatively still conditions these things going off can make a mess of any firebreaks that might have been set up.

The exploding seed pods sounds like broom, which is a legume and has fruit like pea pods. When ripe, the pod dries out and splits suddenly shooting out the seeds.

On a hot summer day it is like tiny machine gun fire and the bushes crackle with pods snapping open.

Assume this eucalyptus has same seed dispersal mechanism

Exploding fire trees still take 2nd place as the 2nd most incompatable with human life plant based Australian lifeform behind the 1st place champ: Vegamite

Vegemite is a yeast extract and afaik yeast isn't a plant
(sorry for the pedantry Shadenfreude, couldn't resist)

Brother Azul wrote:I'm pretty sure this is what was meant by invisible ocean-dwelling heart-attack machines but i cant be sure. (its a box jellyfish btw)

Yeah, that's it.

Also, I forgot the freaking poisonous ants. ANTS for Christ's sake! Who has poisonous ants?

It's a continent of death for sure.

purplefood wrote:Is there anything in Australia that doesn't try to kill you?

The legal system.

Nerivant wrote:

purplefood wrote:Is there anything in Australia that doesn't try to kill you?

The legal system.

How do people with arachnaphobia even survive in that blasted country?

Nerivant wrote:

purplefood wrote:Is there anything in Australia that doesn't try to kill you?

The legal system.

Ha!

Nuff Said.

I get it. And I remember the only animals that don't try to kill you are the daddy long legs, the birds, and the underground moles.....
And also the Tasmianian Tiger. Instead it runs away from you. And makes everyone else believe that they don't exist anymore. Clever little buggers.

At least there are no camel spiders, the only thing on this planet that the saying "KILL IT WITH FIRE!" does not apply, they must be nuked from orbit.

apparently their stingrays are pretty nasty too...

CRIKEY!!!

WARORK93 wrote:apparently their stingrays are pretty nasty too...

CRIKEY!!!

Steve Irwin was my hero...

schadenfreude wrote:Exploding fire trees still take 2nd place as the 2nd most incompatable with human life plant based Australian lifeform behind the 1st place champ: Vegamite

Just letting you know, I hate Vegemite
I have never seen a spider bigger than 4cm but I have seen a few snakes.
The reason ecalyptus is so flamable is because of the alcahol in it. That's why drop bears drop, because they're always so drunk

Chowderhead wrote:

WARORK93 wrote:apparently their stingrays are pretty nasty too...

CRIKEY!!!

Spoiler:

Steve Irwin was my hero...

Come on, have a heart.

Nerivant wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

WARORK93 wrote:apparently their stingrays are pretty nasty too...

CRIKEY!!!

Spoiler:

Steve Irwin was my hero...

Come on, have a heart.

I had one, but I lost it at some Ziggurat of Death, or something.

Chowderhead wrote:
I had one, but I lost it at some Ziggurat of Death, or something.

A mistake that most visitors to Australia make, I'm sure.