Australia Day

Australia Day.    A time to celebrate being Australian.    And people do, with flags, clothes, barbeques, gatherings, music and general merrimaking.

However the indigenous peoples of Australia often do not feel so joyous, as the day also marks the time when invaders came to their country, took over, and set out to destroy their land and their culture, and their people too.

How do I feel about being Australian?    I hold an Australian passport.   Our children were born as Australian citizens.   We have two grandchildren who have only lived in Australia, and another one, who lives here now.   I have mixed feelings.    I lived in this country for 26 years, and there are some aspects of the country that I really love,  yet to be honest I do not feel Australian.    My roots are in New Zealand, and there they stay, I think.   

In consideration of the fact that I am fortunate in being able to have an Australian passport, I try and feel Australian on this important day of the year.

So we decided to celebrate Australia Day in Port Hughes, in glorious sunny weather, and just a slight breeze to keep the air coolish and pleasant.

This group started early, with plenty of alcohol and food, and an electric cord plugged into the point by the gas barbeque in order to keep everything cool.     A couple of shelters provided the finishing touches to their setting.   They were very loud, and it was only 10 a.m.

Now this sign had nothing to do with Australia Day, but the children were fascinated by all the missing letters, and the resulting 'rude words'!

In the morning two other shelters made up the total gatherings on the beach.

After lunch, in our airconditioned cabin, we too set off for a session on the beach.   Darren managed to construct a temporary shelter with two poles, some rope and a small plastic tarpaulIn.    Enough to shelter from the searing sun.

Darren and Sonya taking Elvis for a walk, and a swim.    Not sure if Elvis appreciated the water, as he needed to lie in the sunshine afterwards in order to warm up.

There were plenty of boats, and people fishing, or being towed while sitting on inflatables, or using jet skies.   All a bit too close to people swimming though.

 A group of people sitting on chairs in the water, keeping cool.  All with hats and shirts on.   Sensible people.

 Scott spent some time digging a huge hole in the sand, in order to lie comfortably and sunbathe.    Luckily he had plenty of sunscreen on, otherwise he would have suffered from sunburn.    Not good in this climate.

Jespa and Talie, then took over and buried themselves in the hole.    They looked so cute lying there with just their heads showing above the sand.

Jay found a kite and spent some time flying it on the beach, and in the water, with the other three children.  We always knew exactly where they were playing.

Back at the camping ground, and a bit of fun with my pink sunhat.   I think the result was more American rather than Australian.

Jay and Scarlett, spent a considerable amount of time attaching false Australian flag nails to their own nails.   A very exacting job.

A close up of the finished nail application.    Very cool.    Well done, girls.

Out to dinner at a local restaurant.   Where were the other customers?    Apparently Australia Day celebrations are usually held at home with family and friends, with barbeques and plenty of alcohol.   Oh well, we decided to do it differently.   Great food, and attentive staff who whipped our plates away rather too quickly.   Time to go home I think.

 We stopped on the way home to take silhouette photographs.    Perfect light, and plenty of photographers and willing subjects.

There are those masts again, standing tall and proud in the twilight.

A very red sunset, predicting a very hot day ahead.    And it was too.

And as the sun set on another Australia Day, I reflected on the one aspect of the day that always causes me to cringe somewhat.    Australia Day seems to bring out the ocker' in some people.    For those who are from elsewhere, ócker' is the slang word for a sterotypical Australian, one who has a strong accent, a very loud voice,  drinks a lot of beer, and likes sport.    Generally uncultured.    And most unattractive.

And I was not disappointed, on this past Australia Day.