Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Because these are countries that I have already visited, this post will be a bit different, as it will combine sites and information from and about both countries. The featured image is the Māori (“mah-oh ree”) flag, representing the native inhabitants of Australia and New Zealand. The Commonwealth of Australia Sydney In 1788, Sydney began as a penal colony for convicts from England. They had originally been sent to the USA, but were refused entry after the US gained independence. After the convicts served time, they were allowed to remain in Australia as free citizens. Approximately 25% of…