[Headmaster Alan Burdett]

Why Tallygarunga isn't in a castle...

because we're a long way from England, you know!

There seems to be a few confusions going about, especially relating to the layout of the school and such. A lot of people seem to be confusing Tallygarunga and Hogwarts. So, for the information of all newbies and existing members... your ultimate guide to the differences between the two!

Hogwarts is a nice big castle.
Tallygarunga is an old sheep farm.

Yes my dears, an old sheep farm. The bottom half of the Gawler building reflects this, the floors are mostly wooden floorboards - sometimes covered with old carpet in faded reds and greens. The upper floors of Gawler, and the entirety of Tarnagulla are new - and have nice plaster walls with new carpet in a lightish blue. The Southern Cross Tower is not all a tower, just the section with the Astronomy room, the rest mirrors the Kookynie halls, both are mostly made of terracotta brick and plastered on the inside. The Eureka Underground Corridor is, of course, an old mineshaft that has since been sealed and bricked for stability, there's carpet there now - it's not really as dark and forbidding as it sounds.

Hogwarts uses passwords to get into common rooms.
Tallygarunga uses -shock horror- keys.

All of the doors in Tallygarunga are lockable by key and spell. The students will be issued with a room, and common room key for their house - but it is not uncommon for doors to be left open and students from all houses to wander in and out of other houses common rooms. Professors are issued with keys for their room and the staffroom, as well as offices and classrooms. The groundskeeper holds the keys for all rooms, as does the maintenance person. Even if the doors have been locked by spell, it is still possible to unlock the door if you are using the correct key.

Hogwarts is in the UK.
Tallygarunga is in Australia.

I know, it sounds obvious - what with it being written just about everywhere. But for those of you who have not yet discovered it, yes - Australia. That kooky little place with the giant bunny rabbits and drop bears, where they say g'day a lot. That place. And if you look on a map with the state lines drawn on it, you'll see a little triangle in the bottom right corner... no - not the island, that's Tasmania - yes, the little triangle on the big bit of land! That's Victoria, and that's where this roleplay takes place.

Hogwarts students start school in September.
Tallygarunga's first term starts at a logical time - January 27th

Australian kids finish their school year in the middle of December, and have a nice six week Christmas holidays before going back towards the end of January. They then have Easter holidays (two weeks), semester break holidays (roughly July-ish, two weeks) and September holidays (September, two weeks). Remember that January = summer!

Hogwarts is a big, prestigious school.
Tallygarunga is the public school equivalent for magical education.

Which is not to say it isn't a good school. It just means that we recognise the 'private' institutions in Melbourne for your more snobbish witch or wizard, Tallygaurnga is more laid back. Tallygarunga does have a uniform - and it's quite different to Hogwarts', so if you're into describing dress, I suggest you read!

Hogwarts students (on the whole) know very little of the muggle life.
Tallygarunga's students probably lived beside muggle neighbours.

The nature of the muggle/magical community in Narragyambie is so mixed that the magical folk have learnt to fit themselves into the muggle lifestyle. The muggles are unaware they are surrounded by them, for the most part - the odd occurrence sometimes threatens to give away their secret, but there is not so much separation between the lifestyles of the two types as in JK's novels.

-- more to come.