The purpose of this post is to let members know the involvement I have had over the past four months as a voluntary helper of the ExploOz Admin team. Last November Michelle and David put out the call for interested persons with time on their hands to assist with checking New and Updated
Places for spelling, grammar, correct location, place type etc. Being retired and at a loose end over our wet, hot tropical summer, I put my hand up. Keep the brain active and all that.
It has proved to be a fascinating experience as I was intrigued by the number of new
places around Australia being added to the list daily. I relished the research for some
places which brought to light so much history about our country that wasn’t taught at school. There is a mass of information available on the net once you start searching. It was also an insight into where people are travelling to, what’s there and how it may help in our own future travels to know of these
places and what to expect there. Through this work I travelled to National Parks, Lookouts, and sandy beaches to sandy deserts. I walked walking trails, saw
Silo art, visited the High Country of Victoria and did the Cape - through every State and Territory - without leaving
home. What a trip!
A little daunting at first to be given Admin status, but in a short while it became second nature moving around the Edit procedure, doing the research and being mindful of only using descriptions from official tourist websites (State, Local Government, National Park) or owner/ operator’s websites and not plagerising content. Michelle gave clear instructions as to what was expected and was always ready to give back up help when needed.
I would say that computer experience, loads of curiosity, being literate (having been taught to read and write the old way) and having an eye for detail, helped in performing the task required.
As we all know, life continually changes and so it has come time for me to step back from this privileged position. However, I recommend the ExplorOz Admin team experience to any other member wishing to do the same.
Also, I’d remind everyone with the
ExplorOz Traveller App that they too can be part of the team by checking
places and making corrections. If they happen to be passing through an area where there is a Place tag in place, why not add a comment about what the facilities were like or update the description to include local points of interest, etc. Put in what you have experienced there - good or bad. Uploading photos is invaluable for other travellers - always good to get a visual of the area.
The way I think of ExplorOz is as a community, sharing knowledge and experiences, being part of the adventure and at the same time building a worthwhile mapping tool for like-minded travellers who are out there discovering more about this magnificent country we are so lucky to call
home.
Thank you to Michelle and David for the chance to do this which was not a chore, but a pleasure. Dorothy