Happy Australia Day!

A brief history of Australia Day:
"From the earliest white settlement at the end of the 18th century, Australians have striven to celebrate a national day, and in so doing, define what it means to be Australian. January 26 has traditionally marked the landing of Captain Arthur Phillip at Port Jackson in present-day Sydney, thereby claiming Australia for the British Empire. Early settlers, perhaps naturally, marked the anniversary. Australia Day has evolved from a small commemorative New South Wales holiday into a major national celebration. Though it has often been criticised, it remains the most inclusive celebration of a national day in Australia, expressing the national diversity which has become such an important part of the Australian national character. Australia Day today celebrates diversity and tolerance in Australian society. Whereas once it celebrated the staunchly British nature of Australian society (or was disparaged for this approach), it now embraces multicultural Australia, including all ethnic backgrounds, racial differences and political viewpoints." (http://www.australiaday.com.au/studentresources/history.aspx) 

   

A bit more about Australia: 

"Australia is a natural wonderland of beautiful beaches, crystal blue waters, amazing ancient rock formations and pristine rainforests. Occupying an entire continent of some 7.6 million square kilometres, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. Our ocean territory is the world’s third largest, spanning three oceans and covering around 12 million square kilometres. For tens of thousands of years, the lives and sense of cultural identity of Indigenous Australians were inextricably linked to the land, its forms, flora and fauna. Today, the identity of all Australians is linked to a relationship with the natural environment. Nearly seven million square kilometres or 91 per cent of Australia is covered by vegetation. Our country is one of the most urbanised and coast-dwelling populations in the world. More than 80 per cent of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the coast. Australia has 16 world heritage listed properties with its historic townships, bustling cities, vivid landscapes and exotic flora and fauna all adding to its unique appeal. Actually, much of our exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The culture and customs consists of a rich tapestry of nationalities including traditions, legends, myths and folklore. The Indigenous 'Dream Time' forms the base of tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art and culture. In Australia over 200 different languages and dialects are spoken, including 45 Indigenous languages. The most commonly spoken languages (other than English) are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin. Australia is a stable, democratic society with a skilled workforce and a strong, competitive economy. With a population of 20 million, Australia is the only nation to govern an entire continent and is the sixth largest country in the world in land area. Australia's multicultural society includes its Indigenous peoples and migrants from some 200 countries." (http://www.australiaday.com.au/studentresources/about.aspx)