replaced it as the seat of government are being bathed in purple, as well as dozens of other landmarks across the country. the queen made her last trip to australia in 2011. in total, she visited 16 times. there is a growing sense that australia will inevitably become a republic one day. just this week, the new government appointed an official to start looking at this transition. but the queen s popularity is still going strong here. you can certainly feel the respect and admiration for the head of state as the country marks her 70 years on the throne. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, canberra. just time to bring you pictures of a rare albino giant galapagos tortoise, which has made its public debut at a zoo in switzerland. it s one of two tortoises born last month at the tropi quarium in western switzerland as part of a programme to preserve the endangered species.
Hugo the 71-year-old tortoise gives his election prediction 2gb.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 2gb.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
It has just been reported that Lonesome George, the Galapagos Tortoise who was considered to be the last of is kind, has died.
the last remaining tortoise of his kind and a conservation icon, died on Sunday of unknown causes, the Galapagos National Park said. He was thought to be about 100 years old.
Lonesome George was found in 1972 and had become a symbol of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, which attracted some 180,000 visitors last year.