Friday, January 25, 2008

AUSTRALIA DAY


Australia Day is Australia's official national day, 26 January. It commemorates the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove on that day in 1788.
Occupying an entire continent of some 7.6 million square kilometres, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.
The Honourable Alfred Deakin was Australia's Prime Minister three times from 1903 to 1910. He attended Melbourne Grammar School and the University of Melbourne. He practiced law and was a journalist for the Age newspaper.
About 85 per cent of flowering plants, 84 per cent of mammals, more than 45 per cent of birds, and 89 per cent of inshore, freshwater fish are unique to Australia.A worldwide competition to design the Australian flag attracted 32,823 entries in 1901.
There were 5 winners who shared the 200 pound prize money.Australia Day celebrates the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip unfurling the British flag at Sydney Cove and proclaiming British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia on 26 January 1788. The quest for the celebration of a united Australian national day commenced within a few years of the First Fleet landing and the subsequent white settlement of this island continent.
The following timeline gives a chronological history of how Australians have acknowledged, celebrated and mourned January 26 since 1788.
It traces the path that leads to all States and Territories celebrating Australia Day as one on January 26 annually.January 26, through more than 200 years of debate and controversy, has remained the Australian celebratory national day since that date in January 1788 when 'formal possession was taken of the Colony of New South Wales.
On that day, Captain Arthur Phillip became Governor of the Colony, having jurisdiction over the area bounded by latitude 10 37' to latitude 43 49' south and inland to longitude 135 east'.
The fledgling colony soon began to mark the anniversary of 26 January 1788 with formal dinners and informal celebrations. Manning Clark noted that on January 26, 1808, the 'anniversary of the foundation of the colony' was observed in the traditional manner with 'drinking and merriment'.
John Macarthur Senior had ensured his soldiers were amply supplied with liquor, bonfires were blazing and private houses illuminated.By 1820, Australia was beginning to look undeniably prosperous and sentiments of Australian patriotism were being expressed at gatherings of ex-convicts.
The sense of belonging to a new nation was encouraged in 1817 when Governor Macquarie recommended the adoption of the name Australia, instead of New Holland, for the entire continent

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Advance Australia Fair-National Anthem

Australians all let us rejoice,

For we are young and freed,

We've golden soil and wealth for toil,

Our home is girt by sea,

Our land abounds in nature's giftsOf beauty rich and rare,

In history's page, let every stageAdvance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We'll toil with hearts and hands,

To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands,

For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share,

With courage let us all combine toAdvance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair.

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21 Comments:

Blogger bigbikerbob said...

Hi Jen,Hope you enjoy your celebrations, you have to share the date with Scottish poet Robbie burns birthday, so a double reason to celebrate.

January 26, 2008 6:06 am  
Blogger Bob said...

Happy Australia Day Jeanette, hope you have a great time, I will look forward to hearing what you get up too.

January 26, 2008 10:16 am  
Blogger smilnsigh said...

Happy Australia Day to you!!!

I noticed this on my calendar.

Mari-Nanci

January 26, 2008 11:35 am  
Blogger Peggy said...

Happy Australian Day!!!

January 26, 2008 2:00 pm  
Blogger Gattina said...

A very interesting post ! I learned again something. I didn't know that today it's your national day. I think the whole world knows about the 4th of July because Americans make such a mess about their national day but it is also interesting to know when other countries have theirs. I also didn't know that Australia was named New Holland before ! How afull ! Holland and Australia are as similar as an Elephant with a flee.
We have ours on July 21 when Belgium was created. And Germany celebrates now in October when the wall fell. And shame on me I don't know the Italian national holiday, lol !
BTW I don't have to DUST my cats ! They are behind glass and only once in a blue moon I take them out to clean the shelf. My ceramic cats I put in the dishwasher and they come out like new !

January 26, 2008 3:23 pm  
Blogger Puss-in-Boots said...

Happy Australia Day, Jen. That's a great post, too.

Have you heard the ad that starts off with:

"Australians all let us sleep in
For we have comfy beds..."

It's for a bed or mattress company or something...

Of course, you can share my Maltesers!

January 26, 2008 6:26 pm  
Blogger Pamela said...

a little late I am..
to celebrate with you.
Hope you saved me some cake or whatever ??

January 27, 2008 1:10 pm  
Blogger Merle said...

Dear Jan ~~ Great post ~ you have done well. Bit late but Happy Australia Day to you too. Thanks for your comments about the Holy Man that Gwen sent me - it was nice and teaches us to help each other.
Take care my friend, Love, Merle.

January 27, 2008 3:32 pm  
Blogger Merle said...

Hi again Jan ~~ Thanks for your comments. Glad you liked the Stress
article and The Blonde Cook-book.
I hope it didn't get too hot for you today, it was about 33 here. Had a good visit with geoff and Jo and also John but I see him more often. Take care my friend. I loved Billy Joel's
We didn't start the Fire, thanks.
Love, Merle.

January 27, 2008 7:59 pm  
Blogger Margaret said...

Great Post, I enjoyed the read. I it nice to look back to our beginnings now and then.
Love Margaret

January 27, 2008 10:06 pm  
Blogger Betty said...

Jeanette,
Happy belated Australia Day....sorry I'm late....

Thanks for the visit....Betty

January 28, 2008 7:59 am  
Blogger Lady Di Tn said...

What a wonderful history lesson you gave us. Thanks so much. I am a day late but I hope you had a happy Australia Day.
Peace

January 28, 2008 9:59 am  
Blogger Heart of Rachel said...

Hope you had a great celebration. Thank you for sharing some interesting things about Australia. Take care.

January 28, 2008 12:57 pm  
Blogger Jim said...

Thank You, Jeanette, for sharing that with us. I was very ignorant (still am on lots of things) on your beginnings.
I hope you enjoyed your day. It was Saturday, is Monday a non-working day?

Thanks, too for the national anthem. You are very patriotic.
..

January 28, 2008 2:43 pm  
Blogger Pear tree cottage! said...

Hello Jeanette, thank you so much for the visit to my blog and gosh thanks for the name of the plant I had no idear what it was......while I think about it could you tell Gwen her wedding dress was stunning. I loved the post on their anniversary.

Your holiday pictures were great I feel if I bumpted into any of your family in the streets of Yarrawonga I would know who they were and that is a very good think.

One day I may just do that.....visit Yarrawonga it has been such a long time since I was there.

Lee-ann

January 28, 2008 10:35 pm  
Blogger sonia a. mascaro said...

Happy Australia Day, Jeanette. (Sorry I am late with the greetings)

Have a nice weeke ahead!

January 29, 2008 12:22 am  
Blogger Susan said...

This was very interesting. Thanks for posting it. I tagged you for a meme, Jeanette. I hope you'll com check it out and play along.
Susan

January 29, 2008 2:07 am  
Blogger Gledwood said...

Here's wishing you a fantastic time on Aussie Day!

Hey I was just thinking about this only this morning when I captured sight of an Australian flag somewhere in the newspaper or somewhere like that... how enormously flattered I am that yous people still want the Union Flag in the corner of your own flag. That makes me feel all gooey and mushy with kind of pride inside... (type thing)...

January 29, 2008 4:51 am  
Blogger Judypatooote said...

Happy Aussie Day......my daughter and her husband are going to Australia next month.... judy

January 29, 2008 10:21 am  
Blogger Betty said...

Jeanette,
Did Marion's gift happen to pass through Australia? I wouldn't be surprised....

Thanks for visiting with me...Betty

January 29, 2008 12:42 pm  
Blogger Janice Seagraves said...

Hi Jeanette,

Happy Australia day to you and yours. I hope you had a great day!

Janice~

January 29, 2008 2:06 pm  

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