Getting the Australian Animalia colony set up was taking a lot more work than anyone had expected. A lot of it came down to zoning laws. The Parliament of Australia wasn't as full of opposing individuals and parties as the American government. However, they did tend to dither a lot and be indecisive for weeks or months on end. It made the Animlians who had already been uplifted and converted in Australia a little miffed. True, they were able to get lodgings in human residents, especially since there weren't any fauna in Australia that was too large. But they had been promised a colony and they've been kept waiting long enough. There were some Animalians who were particularly irked about the lack of progress.
"What are those pack of dills doing?!" snapped Tyree, "I mean, how long does it take those clowns to figure out where to put our colony? What are they doing, counting chicken bones?"
"We are getting two colonies," said Ben mildly, "One of them is going to be a short drive from Alice Springs."
"Then why haven't they started on them yet?!" snapped Tyree.
Ben sighed. The real reason Tyree was so upset was that they were planning to have their wedding be part of the Australian colony's official opening. Neither of them had realized the colony would take so long to get started. "Maybe it's time for a vacation," said Ben.
"Don't tell me we're going to go walkabout again," said Tyree with annoyance.
"That wasn't what I was planning," said Ben. The last walkabout didn't turn out quite what they expected.
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Uluru, or Ayers Rock as it's more commonly known, is one of the most important landmarks in Australia. If it wasn't the exact geographical center of the continent, it was still very close. It was an important oasis in the middle of the outback. The Aborigines considered it an important meeting place and sacred for many reasons. While it was possible to climb Ayers Rock, the local Aborigines ask visitors not to because of its sacredness. There have also been multiple incidents of people falling from Ayers Rock, with 37 deaths recorded. There were also a few disrespectful people who had climbed the rock, some of which involved public nudity. Eventually, the National Park Board voted unanimously to ban climbing Uluru, which will take effect on October 26.
Ben and Tyree weren't just visiting Uluru because the chance to climb it was closing its window. Tyree had been thinking more about their wedding lately and was thinking that an outdoor wedding by the giant sandstone rock formation would be a good setting. "Just think of it," said Tyree, "Wouldn't our wedding photos be so memorable for having Ayers Rock in the background?"
"I think they'd be memorable enough with us both being Tasmanian Tigers," said Ben jokingly.
"This is a good place to walk around anyways," said Tyree, "May as well enjoy the sights."
Despite being the middle of Australia's desert, the area around Uluru had many springs and waterholes. There was a reason this place was considered important by the indigenous Australians. "To think, we may be the first thylacines to walk here in centuries," said Ben.
"Did thylacines even live near this part of Australia?" asked Tyree.
"Er...maybe?" said Ben uncertainly.
"Where would be a good place for the ceremony?" asked Tyree to herself.
"Can't you think of anything but our wedding?" asked Ben.
The two of them passed around a large row of bushes and paused in surprise. On the other side was a group of men with very, very dark skin. In sharp contrast was the white stripes painted on their bare skin, almost looking like bones. The men stared back at Ben and Tyree with as much surprise as the couple felt. Then the men, clearly Aborigines, started cheering. There was ululating, kissing the ground, some of them weeping with joy.
Tyree turned to Ben and said, "They seem friendly."
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It had later turned out that the group of Aborigines had been on walkabout for quite a long time and hadn't heard of Animalia when it first started. To them, it seemed like a pair of gods had stepped out of the Dreamtime. It was a little uncomfortable for Ben and Tyree, but at least the indigenous Australians were in support of Animalia. It had secured them a desert-based town as well as the coastline town. Hopefully, those colonies would be started on before too much longer.