Blue Mountains

During the holidays we went to see the famous Blue Mountains, a great tourist attraction in Australia. It is great in natural beauty. In this area there are a few aboriginal caves. There are signs of
aboriginal habitation in these caves, such as hand prints on rocks.

A large part of the Blue Mountains area belongs to a World Heritage Site. When the British arrived in Australia, Blue Mountains area was occupied by many aboriginal people. Since 1995, ‘Grunungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation’ claimed their traditional lands which included Blue Mountains area. In 1799, the British made a prison town in this area, which was used for political prisoners from Ireland and Scotland.

Starting at 8 a.m., it took us around two hours to get there. We went to see a site called ‘The Three Sisters’. It consists of three rocks, said to be three aboriginal sisters who lived around thousand years ago. Legend says, three brothers fell in love with three maidens and an elderly person turned them into rocks for their own good. The scenery near the rocks was beautiful.

Blue Mountains has got its name because of its colour. It is said that the oil of the tree Eucalyptus evaporates and deposits in the mountain area and it turns blue. On the way back we visited caves, waterfalls and beautiful botanical gardens. We also went to a Buddhist temple in a place called Katoomba. This temple, built in 1971, was the first Buddhist temple in Australia. Lots of people came to this temple for meditation. It was an amazing trip.

The poor butterfly

By Wasana Thennakoon (Grade 5), Lyceum Int. School, Ratnapura

Once upon a time there was a girl named Polly. She had a garden in her house. There are beautiful flowers in her garden. She likes to play in her garden. Butterflies come to her garden to drink nectar from her flowers. But still she doesn’t have a friend.

One day a beautiful butterfly came to her garden to drink nectar. A wicked cat saw the butterfly and came to catch the butterfly. Polly felt sorry for the butterfly and she shouted at the wicked cat. It ran away.

Now Polly has a friend. Everyday the butterfly comes to Polly’s garden to drink nectar, play with Polly and go home.

Gunpowder plot

By Aqthas Sabri (Grade 2), Gateway College, Kandy

One of the five plotters, Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament of England on November 5, 1605, using gunpowder, and kill King James I. Guy Fawkes and the other plotters were arrested and killed in January 1606.

My best friend

By Yamuna Marasinghe, Balagolla K.V.

My best friend is Nipuni Hansika. She is very beautiful. Her face is round. Nipuni’s eyes and mouth are small. Her hair is very long. It is black in colour. Nipuni’s mother is a nurse. Her father is a farmer. She has one sister and one brother.

Nipuni is a very good girl. She is tall and thin. She is clever. Her school is Kumbukwewa Maha Vidyalaya.
She lives in Kumbukwewa. Her favourite food is rice and curry. She doesn’t like fruits. She is clever in all subjects. Her ambition is to be a doctor. I wish her all the best.

A drought has come

By Samindya Bandara (14 years), St. Joseph’s B.M.V., Kegalle

There is a drought in the dry zone. Most trees, bushes have withered. All living beings are suffering.
People have no water for basic needs. They have no water to drink, wash clothes, cook or bathe. They have no water to cultivate their lands.

They have to walk miles and miles to find a pot of water. But the water has changed into a muddy colour and it is polluted. Children suffer from water borne diseases.

The few green leaves left on trees have lost their green colour. Cattle, goats and other animals are
roaming about looking for something to eat and drink. There is no water to drink or food to eat. Fish have died because the lakes and ponds have dried up. People are praying for the gods to get rain. They are offering poojas to the gods.

People are responsible for this situation because people cut down trees and pollute the environment.
So people are suffering from this problem. Hence we should protect our water resources for the future. So we must protect the environment.