By Nicole Murphy, proud Aussie!
Today, January 26th, marks the anniversary of the arrival of English colonisation on the east coast of Australia. Gotta be that specific - white man arrived at the east coast 18 years earlier, and saw the west coast 164 years before that.
And then there's the Indigenous Australians - no one's exactly sure how long they've been here, around 60,000 years is the estimate...
But today has been adopted as the day we celebrate how absolutely awesome it is to be Australian, while at the same time acknowledging that we're not perfect and we've still got some work to do. We Aussies love a public holiday and Australia Day is a particular favourite, with most of the others being during the colder months of the year.
So how are the Darkside Downunder folks going to be celebrating Australia Day in 2012?
Imogene Nix said - We get the Australia Day Ambassador for the day usually, taking them places etc.,Last year we did Eidsvold RM Williams Bush Learning Centre, Art Gallery etc., Not sure what the plan is for this year though.
Tracey O'Hara said - I celebrate the birth of my first born. :)
Sandra Harris said - We've just finished attaching the flag pole with the Australian flag to the house. We like to fly the flag each Australia day 'week'.
Peta Crake said - More often than not we head to Kings Park in the evening for the skyshow fireworks. Other than that it would have to be a bbq with family and friends.
Denise Rossetti said - I was married on Australia Day, so we celebrate our anniversary and congratulate ourselves on lasting as long as we have. I'm thinking I should have medals struck!
Kelly Bowerman said - When hubby is actually home and not deployed we have lamb and a bbq at home…
Kathrine Grover said - We always have a BBQ and over the years without really realising it, we have created our own ‘know more about Australia Day’ event. Being patriots, we talk about issues such as Aboriginal culture and its importance to the global Australian culture, about the ANZACS and how much we owe them. We also talk about innately Australian cultural tenets such as ‘do the right thing’ or ‘you don’t dob in a mate’. It is a wonderful thing to be born in this great country. CELEBRATE!
Rebecca Skrabl said - I am sadly unpatrriotic, unfortunately. I get excited because I get the day off - which usually means more writing. This year however, a friend invited me for a barbie, so I am actually doing something this year.
As for me - I'm working (pooey!). But I'm planning on sausage sandwiches for dinner (very Australian) and maybe I'll get some beer as well. And at some point I'll crank up some music and belt out Cold Chisel's 'Keh Sanh' at the top of my voice cause THAT'S the true Australia. To me, at least :)
If you're looking for a way to celebrate Australia Day, why not do it with some fabulous Australian books? Here's a list of some of the latest publications by the members of Dark Side DownUnder (any that have been missed please put in the comments).
VENGEANCE BORN (Feb 7th, Berkley Sensation)
www.kyliegriffin.com
Blog tour happening as we speak so there are giveaways of the book happening now!
Starline – released January 23, 2012
www.imogenenix.com
CAPTIVE
http://www.christinaphillips.com
Death’s Sweet Embrace (audio version)
www.traceyohara.com
Rogue Gadda (Book Three, Dream of Asarlai)
http://nicolermurphy.com
Blood Cursed (Book Four, Shadowfae Chronicles)
http://www.ericahayes.net/
The Outcast Chronicles July, August, September 2012
http://rowena-cory-daniells.com/
The Price of Fame June 2012
http://rowena-cory-daniells.com/
Guilty as Sin
http://www.deniserossetti.com/
Happy Oz Day everyone! I'm ALL ALONE - My Beloved has gone to work, wearing his Eureka flag tshirt as he does every year.
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm editing, then going to watch a bit of Torchwood as a reward. Happy Australia Day to meeee! *grin*
I'm alone as well - today is the first day's play in the Canberra Open (croquet) and hubby is out being a sporting stud :)
ReplyDeleteSo I'm going with the Australian desire for free speech and freedom of expression and I'm polishing and submitting my first piece of erotica (eek!) Wish me luck.
Luck! Sounds like fun though. *grin*
ReplyDeleteHappy Australia Day to you too! And what a great way to remind us of the wealth of Aussie writers doing their bit.
ReplyDeleteExcellent list.
Happy Australia day all. I am celebrating my son's birthday, watching SG1 and writing a little erotica myself. :) have fun all and Denise - mmmm Captain Jack.
ReplyDeleteI spent the afternoon at the beach - can't get more Aussie than that! :) Hope everyone had a great day.
ReplyDeleteNicole, good luck with your first piece of erotica, and thanks for a great wrap up of Australia Day!