Yes, Australia; First girl in history wins.

Byline: Lonnie Shekhtman

WORCESTER -- A female student won the state National Geographic Bee on Friday at Worcester Academy, a first in the competition's 27-year history, organizers said.

"We are really psyched,'' said Rosalie Sokol, 20-year moderator for the event and former geography teacher.

Lucy Chae, a seventh-grader from Charles E. Brown Middle School in Newton, defeated runner-up Michael Izdal, a sixth-grader from Wilson Middle School in Natick by answering correctly that Australia is the country that includes the islands of Melville, Mornington and Bathurst.

The state's most precocious geographers participated in the competition Friday, winnowed down throughout the day from 103 students to 10 who had correctly answered clever geography questions like: "A scientist came up with the idea of Velcro when he saw burrs stuck to a dog's fur. ... This invention occurred in which country that borders the Jura Mountains -- Switzerland or Slovenia?'' (Switzerland)

Though most of the young competitors -- fourth through eight graders -- seemingly have been cartophiles, or map lovers, since birth, Ms. Chae said that's not a requirement for winning.

"You hear about these kids studying maps from when they were 3, and I started last year, so it's not impossible,'' she said.

Her preparation strategy, Ms. Chae explained, included carrying around a small atlas, which she flipped through in between classes. It also helped that she likes "Googling things,'' she said.

In May, Ms. Chae will travel to National Geographic Society's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to compete with winners from each state for a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime...