For those of you who don’t know, Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia, celebrated annually on 26 January each year.  It marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships At Port Jackson, New South Wales and the rising of the flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.

However, to various Indigenous Australians (and those sympathetic to their cause) Australia Day is known as ‘Invasion Day’ or ‘Survival Day’, as a protest to what they see as the celebration of an invasion of the continent by Europeans.  Currently, there are talks of actually changing the date but for now it’s still 26 January.

What it means, generally, in this present day is to celebrate our diverse society and landscape of the Nation by having family gatherings, outings etc as well as Australian of the Year Awards and citizenship ceremonies.  Most local Councils put on events around their areas for the residents to join in, Sydney Harbour is alive with boats and yachts of all shapes and sizes carrying people all celebrating the day.  During the evening there is always fireworks displays, I feel so much for our fur babies when it comes to fireworks, but it seems every celebration has to have them.

To me it means being grateful to be living in one of the best countries and also reflecting on the people who live here.  We are a young Country compared to most and we haven’t always got it right – we are human after all, but either way I love living here.

I love our land , we have some of the worlds best beaches and, believe it or not,  we do get snow in some parts.  We have countryside, mountains, oceans, dessert and picturesque places indifferent to anywhere else in the world and I just love it here.

When I was younger, one of my Uncles used to travel around the world for his work at the time and I remember saying to him that he was so lucky he got paid to travel the world and see beautiful places and how much I wanted to do that.  He said to me, ‘Janine, we have some of the most amazing places right here in Australia’,  and as I’ve gotten older I understand what he means.  You really don’t tend to appreciate what’s right under your nose sometimes.

The Aussie people are a diverse bunch but generally we’re a laid back kind of persona and we’d really rather be your friend and share a drink with you than be your enemy.  However, when pushed to the brink we’ll stand up for our Country.

So, my Australia Day will be spent with those I love honouring a Country I feel proud and privileged to be living in.

When was the last time you stopped and really took note of the Country you live in (not the leader/s of the Country, but the Country itself), how does it make you feel to be living where you are?

I’d love to hear your stories, where you’re from, what you love about where you live, paws on by and give us a tail.

Cheers

J & B at Woofalicious Tales

PS – We tried to stage Billy in the Australia Day shot I had it all set up and he just wound’t sit there, so we waited for him to sit and posed the stuff around him lol they do say it’s hard to work with animals and kids…..!!!!!