Happy Australia Day Cobber :D

On the 26th of January 1788, the First Fleet arrived from Great Britain led by Captain Arthur Philip. In total eleven ships loaded with convicts arrived on the shores of Sydney Cove. The raising of the British flag there was symbolic of the beginning of British occupation in Australia and the date 26th of January has since been commemorated as Landing Day or Foundation Day or as it's now celebrated, Australia Day.

Two hundred and twenty three years on, we have grown into a proud, strong, young nation whom we adore and love fervently.

So early Wednesday morning we got ourselves into town to enjoy our little city's festivities. In typical Aussie style there was a free sausage sizzle by Rotary (a brilliant volunteer organization), bush music and games galore. Egg and spoon races, sack races and thong (not the underwear people, shoes!) throwing were a few we caught but the highlight for our boys was the massive turn out of vintage cars.

These vehicles are so precious to their proud owners. Lovingly restored and an accountable amount of money spent on the process we're so lucky to be able to see them on display and on the very, very rare occasion hop inside. Don't touch anything kids!!! But the owners were so cool. They said not to worry mate, it's built like a tank.

I had such tingles of pride and happiness yesterday. Our little town has such a beautiful community spirit. Attested to by the Australia Day Awards Ceremony which recognizes outstanding contributors to our little community. These people were so inspiring.

And didn't our very own Mary Poppins come Mrs Australia look brilliant in her days of yore attire. My boys thought she looked like she was floating.

And this chap! A piper for forty years, he played a solo at the top of our town hall on a little balcony. What an image :) He and his wife were adorable and she said not to complement him so much as his cap wouldn't fit him anymore.

But before I go, I'd like to share one of my favourite poems. An iconic and stirring composition which I think strikes most Aussies with an Aah! of recognition.

My Country

by Dorothea Mackellar

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die-
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold-
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land-
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand-
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Oh how can I leave it at that! Here's my littlest mate with our very own swagman. What's a swagman? Watch the vid and you'll learn a whole lot of Aussie colloquialisms. This is one of my boys absolute favourite songs. Not exactly full of ideals but definitely illustrates the rascally, stubborn Aussie with a thick streak of defiance.

Add an Aussie flavour to your day by making some damper too cobbers.

Happy Australia Day!!!