The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[underquark]

The Bird with the greatest wingspan nests near here
The Byrd who flew over both Poles watches the harbour
The Bard turns his back on the church
A "bird" from this country once flew from England to Australia and then - a couple of years later - flew back again; the same bird was recorded as having flown form England to Brazil in just over 61 hours.
And a boy who can fly looks after the gardens.

Where am I? Bonus marks for succinct explanations of each part.

[Cec]

A "bird" from this country once flew from England to Australia and then - a couple of years later - flew back again; the same bird was recorded as having flown form England to Brazil in just over 61 hours.

My apologies if I don't get the spelling right but would this be the popular former Test cricket umpire "Dicky" Bird?

Cec

[MCC]

The Bird with the greatest wingspan nests near here

This is the Abatross, which have a number of breeding sites, a list of which is
here

The Byrd who flew over both Poles watches the harbour

This could be Richard Evelyn Byrd. He attempted to fly over the North pole in 1926 and flew over the South pole in 1929.
A bust of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd can be found at McMurdo station, Antarctica, overlooking McMurdo sound.


MCC

[MCC]

...A "bird" from this country once flew from England to Australia and then - a couple of years later - flew back again; the same bird was recorded as having flown form England to Brazil in just over 61 hours.

Jean Gardner Batten, CBE, (1909 -1982)
Arguably New Zealand's greatest aviator was born Jane Gardner Batten on September 15, 1909 in Rotorua, New Zealand and despite her so to be made fame, died in obscurity on November 22, 1982 in Palma, Majorca.

Jean Batten's Principal Achievments : Flights

1933
England - Australia (women's record) 10,500 miles in 14 days 22 hours 30 minutes
1935
Australia - England in 17 days 15 hours. First woman to make return flight.

England - Brazil: 5000 miles in 61 hours 15 minutes elapsed time. World record for any type of aeroplane. Also fastest crossing South Atlantic Ocean, 13 1/4 hours, and first woman to make England - South America flight.
1936

England - New Zealand. World record for any type. 14,224 miles in 11 days 45 minutes total elapsed time, including 21/2 days in Sydney.
Also first direct flight from England to Auckland. Also world record for fastest flight between Australia and New Zealand (101/2 hours). Established on same flight: England - Australia solo record, 10,500 miles in 5 days 21 hours total elapsed time.
1937

Australia - England solo record, 5 days 18 hours 15 minutes. First person to hold both England - Australia and Australia - England solo records at the same time.


MCC

[MCC]

...And a boy who can fly looks after the gardens.

This could be Peter Pan.

There is a statue of a defiant Peter Pan near Virginia Lake in Wanganui, New Zealand.

These questions seem to be centering on New Zealand.


MCC

[underquark]

You're all certainly circling the right area. The Bard will probably give the specific town/city.

[MCC]

..The Bard turns his back on the church
...

How about Dunedin, New Zealand

Dunedin was founded by the Rev. Dr Thomas Burns, nephew of Robert Burns.

A statue by Sir John Steell of Robert Burns was erected in Dunedin.

I believe Robert Burns upset the Church by his amoral behavour.


MCC

[underquark]

And congratulations to MCC; Dunedin's the place.

There is an albatross colony nearby at Taiaroa Head.
If you've never seen an albatross flying by then just imagine something the size of a labrador dog but with a 2m wingspan.

Richard E Byrd flew over the poles but not pole-to-pole (his plane was carried on a boat from Dunedin down to the Antarctic). There is a bust of him at McMurdo but they made more than one identical bust and one stands in Unity Park, Dunedin overlooking the harbour.

Likewise, there's a Peter Pan in the Botanic Gardens in Dunedin (there are Peters Pan all over the world).

Jean Batten is one of many unsung heros/heroins of yesteryear and you should look her up if you're ever in Auckland at MOTAT.

The Bard is, of course, Robby Burns who was the uncle of one of the founders of New Zealand. Never a great hit with the (Scottish) Church they nevertheless erecte a statue of him but made sure to place it so that he sits with his back to the Anglican Church in the Octagon in the centre of Dunedin.

[MCC]

...Richard E Byrd flew over the poles but not pole-to-pole (his plane was carried on a boat from Dunedin down to the Antarctic). There is a bust of him at McMurdo but they made more than one identical bust and one stands in Unity Park, Dunedin overlooking the harbour.

Once I narrowed it down to New Zealand, I suspected that there must be another statue/bust closer to Dunedin, but was unable to follow it up.

Underquark, you must have spent some time putting this riddle together, so I hope you're not too upset that it was solved so quickly.


MCC

[underquark]

Underquark, you must have spent some time putting this riddle together, so I hope you're not too upset that it was solved so quickly.

Didn't take long; I lived in Dunedin for a year and have seen all the items mentioned (including the Jean Batten stuff when I visited Auckland).