Isnit a good life if you spend almost every waking hour working fornmoney? If you never get time to relax, see your friends and family,nread a book, watch a movie, attend a baseball game or a rocknconcert…if you never have a break to go camping or visit a farawaynrelative or tour a nearby national park…if you only have time tonsleep and work, with a few minutes for a shower or a quick meal, herenand there… Well, that’s not a very good life, is it?
n
n
n
n
nOnnthe other hand, is it a good life if you don’t have any work andntherefore no money? n
n
n
n
nAngood life is a life that has a balance of work and play, time withnfamily and friends and time alone, time to exercise and time to rest.nIn many different times and places, in the history of the world, itnwas hard to achieve that balance. But laws about working conditionsnhave helped. One of those labor laws was a law that set up theneight-hour workday in Australia.
n
n
n
nBeforenthe law, factories and other employers had workers slave away ten orntwelve hours a day, six days a week. The law induced employers tonestablish 8-hour days instead.
n
n
n
n
n
n
nItnwas a huge victory for workers who had protested and marched tonachieve the 8-hour day. In honor of this victory, the various statesnand territories of Australia celebrate Labour Day or Eight Hours Daynin various months. In Tasmania, the holiday is today! n
n
n
n
nWherenin the world is Tasmania?
n
n
n
nTasmanianis an island state that lies to the south of the continent.n(Actually, the main island is surrounded by 334 tiny islands that arenalso included as part of Tasmania.) Thousands of years ago, Tasmanianwas joined to the rest of Australia, but when it separated aboutn10,000 years ago, the plants, animals, and native peoples were cutnoff from those on the mainland. Today the island is known for itsnunique flora and fauna—but unfortunately not for the uniquencultures of the indigenous people, since they died out in the laten1800s or very early 1900s.
n
n
n
n
Anothernunique thing about Tasmania is its landforms. There are rock columnsncalled the Organ Pipes (left).
Anothernunique thing about Tasmania is its landforms. There are rock columnsncalled the Organ Pipes (left). n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
There are mountains that are made almost completelynof quartzite, and so they look like they are capped with snow allnyear long (right).
There are mountains that are made almost completelynof quartzite, and so they look like they are capped with snow allnyear long (right). n
n
n
nThere are distinctive cliffs formed from dolerite andnmagnificent caves formed in limestone (below).
n
n
n
n
n
n
With almost 37% of the landnset aside in reserves and national parks, Tasmania sounds like angrand place to visit!
With almost 37% of the landnset aside in reserves and national parks, Tasmania sounds like angrand place to visit!n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAlsonon this date:
n
n
n
n
World Plumbing Day
World Plumbing Dayn
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Anniversarynof Charles Van Doren’s loss on the TV quiz show TwentynOne
Anniversarynof Charles Van Doren’s loss on the TV quiz show TwentynOnen
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversarynof the discontinuance of two-stick Popsicles
