Matt,<br>
<br>
I'm an Aussie and was involved with re-enactment here for many years, though not these days. I'm still in touch with most of the older hardcore re-enactors, many of whom do some small scale, but high quality ancients re-enactment these days, having been involved with ECW and Medieval stuff in the past.<br>
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You can find all the contacts you could ever want on the [url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~cryanaj/arlho/" target="top]The Australasian Register of Living History Organisations[/url], which has an extensive listing of [url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~cryanaj/arlho/arl_anc.html" target="top]Ancient and Medieval Groups[/url] here.<br>
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Rest assured that virtually no groups operate in "the outback", since almost all Australians live in the cities on the coast and "the outback" is in the virtually unpopulated semi-arid or desert inland. Not a great place for marching around in armour (ask Crassus). There are plenty of snakes here, but you usually only see them briefly as they try to get as far away from you as possible.<br>
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Aussie re-enactors do use (blunted) steel weapons in combat, and this includes the Ancients guys. The idea of having weapons and not using them strikes us as odd and the idea of using duct-tape wrapped rattan or swords covered in felt strikes us as hilarious and good for comedy value only.<br>
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Feel free to ask any other questions about re-enactment here or about Australia in general - I'd be happy to answer.<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
PS Where will you be based? <p>Tim O'Neill / Thiudareiks Flavius<br>
<br>
Visit
'Clades Variana' - Home of the Varus Film Project<br>
<br>
Help create the film of Publius Quinctilius Varus' lost legions</p><i></i>