Chuck us another shrimp on the barbie, eh luv?
*takes a deep breath, bursts into horrible off-key song*
Australians all let us rejoice,
For it's a Public Hol!
...
Okay, that's enough singing.
Ah, Australia Day. A day to gather around the charred BBQ, cook some dead animal (or veggies if the whole carnivor thing is distasteful), drink a heap of beer (homebrew all the better), tell bad jokes, complain about the flies, and at some point in the evening sing the anthem loudly and off-key.
Plus, there's the added bonus of the long weekend. No work! We get paid for this day off AND it doesn't affect the annual leave hours... WHOOHOO!
But there is a bit more to Australia Day than the public hol, the BBQ and the beer... well, apparently there is.
According to the National Australia Day website:
"On Australia Day we celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation.
It's the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future."
It's also a historical date. Let's do a little research... (this is warped a little from the above mentioned website):
On Jan 26th 1788 this guy Captain Arthur Phillip took over NSW and became the first Governor. They started celebrating this anniversary every year with "drinking and merriment" (go you original colonial party beasts!).
Then the day got called Foundation Day for awhile, but since we don't call it that anymore we'll ignore that and move on in the history lesson. Well, we'll just make mention that Foundation Day became Australia's first public holiday back in 1838. And the glorious tradition of slacking off beings!
Foundation Day became Australia Day in 1946 (took 'em awhile, eh?) so all the States and Territories would have it on the one day and under one banner yadda yadda yadda. Then there was some stuff about should the celebrations be on the actual date or the Monday closest to the date... feh, as long as there's a public holiday I don't think anyone honestly cares.
Hmmm...
But really, one should take a few minutes out from the day of merriment and think about the significance of Australia Day.
So I sit and read all this, and ponder what it IS to be Australian. The fact that we're a melting pot country? The easy going nature of the majority of the citizens? Tall Poppy syndrome? That we need to become more comfortable with our own identities, or do we strive be more like the UK or USA? The love of a sunburnt country?
*ponders*
Stuff that, mate! Chuck us another shrimp on the barbie, hey luv? I'm off to crack open a tinnie and have a smoko. Mind you don't burn the chops. Sweet!
Australians all let us rejoice,
For it's a Public Hol!
...
Okay, that's enough singing.
Ah, Australia Day. A day to gather around the charred BBQ, cook some dead animal (or veggies if the whole carnivor thing is distasteful), drink a heap of beer (homebrew all the better), tell bad jokes, complain about the flies, and at some point in the evening sing the anthem loudly and off-key.
Plus, there's the added bonus of the long weekend. No work! We get paid for this day off AND it doesn't affect the annual leave hours... WHOOHOO!
But there is a bit more to Australia Day than the public hol, the BBQ and the beer... well, apparently there is.
According to the National Australia Day website:
"On Australia Day we celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation.
It's the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future."
It's also a historical date. Let's do a little research... (this is warped a little from the above mentioned website):
On Jan 26th 1788 this guy Captain Arthur Phillip took over NSW and became the first Governor. They started celebrating this anniversary every year with "drinking and merriment" (go you original colonial party beasts!).
Then the day got called Foundation Day for awhile, but since we don't call it that anymore we'll ignore that and move on in the history lesson. Well, we'll just make mention that Foundation Day became Australia's first public holiday back in 1838. And the glorious tradition of slacking off beings!
Foundation Day became Australia Day in 1946 (took 'em awhile, eh?) so all the States and Territories would have it on the one day and under one banner yadda yadda yadda. Then there was some stuff about should the celebrations be on the actual date or the Monday closest to the date... feh, as long as there's a public holiday I don't think anyone honestly cares.
Hmmm...
But really, one should take a few minutes out from the day of merriment and think about the significance of Australia Day.
So I sit and read all this, and ponder what it IS to be Australian. The fact that we're a melting pot country? The easy going nature of the majority of the citizens? Tall Poppy syndrome? That we need to become more comfortable with our own identities, or do we strive be more like the UK or USA? The love of a sunburnt country?
*ponders*
Stuff that, mate! Chuck us another shrimp on the barbie, hey luv? I'm off to crack open a tinnie and have a smoko. Mind you don't burn the chops. Sweet!