My Aussie Page
Welcome to "DOWN..UNDER"
I have put this page together, because I get so many e-mails each week , asking me about Australia.
So, to save my poor old fingers, from all that typing, (especially) since I am just a two finger pecker, on the old keyboard!
I thought to myself,(self) why not "just build a page, all about the land "down under" !
So folks , here it is, "enjoy"
The music playing on this page is"Advance Australia Fair" our national anthem.
AUSTRALIA DAY
(our national holiday)
A brief history:
for more information on our history
click on the catergory below:" Our History"
Australia Day is the day set aside to comemorate the arrival of Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on
26 th January,1788. On the day of his arrival,Captain Arthur Phillip proclaimed the area that became the colony of New South
Wales to be a British possesion.This landing started the first permanent European settlement on this Island continent.
211 years later,we acknowledge with maturity that this wonderful continent of ours was not ours to begin with and we rightfully
respect,the original indigenous people of our land
(The Aborigines).
May we live in peace and harmony to celebrate this "Land DownUnder".
The celebrations of Australia Day have changed over the years.The traditional flag-raising and commemorative events still play
an important part,but are now augmented by activities that promote Australia and the diverse cultural backgrounds represented
in the Australian society.
Special celebrations associated with Australia Day include the presentation of Australia Day Citizen
and Young Citizen Awards as well as naturalization and citizenship ceremonies.
There are also many fun things to do around the city and suburbs, Darling Harbour is a real focal point, i.e face painting, free concerts, The Sydney "ferry race",the "tall ships race" and the Harbour is a glow with colour. To top of the days celebrations, there is a huge fireworks display. All in all "Aussies" really come together to show their patriotism, and our love of this "great and lucky land".
"Our Forebearers"(The first fleet)
Captain Arthur Phillip (1738-1814)
Captain Arthur Phillip is remembered as being the founder of the first European settlement in Australia. He originally
commanded the flagship of the First Fleet,the "Sirius". The First Fleet consisted of eleven ships.The "Sirius" and the "Supply"
were provided by the Royal Navy. The other ships were transport ships- privately owned merchant ships which the British
Government hired. One official estimate of the First Fleet was 564 male and 192 female convicts,450 crew with civil and
military personnel appointed to official duties,28 wives and 30 children(half of which belonged to the convicts).
It appears that Captain Phillip did not have an illustrious career as a Naval Officer. He became a ship's apprentice at the age of
15 and continued to serve both full time and part-time in the British and Portuguese Navy. In 1786 he was appointed to
establish the settlement in New South Wales with a yearly salary of 1000 British pounds. Before the Fleet left
Portsmouth,Phillip spent months in preparing for the journey,studying every detail to ensure its success.He asked for an
advance party to prepare the site for the new settlers but this was ignored. He was in command of "Sirius" as the fleet left
harbour but later transferred to the "Supply" in an effort to get to Botany Bay first and make preparations before the main group
arrived. When he arrived,he decided not to settle at Botany Bay and,after exploring further north,chose Port Jackson for the
settlement and named it Sydney Cove. Phillp has absolute power over the affairs of the Colony and proved himself to a very
capable administrator.He remained as Governor of New South Wales until 1793 when he resigned because of ill health and
returned to England.
He was appointed Admiral just before he died in 1814.
AUSTRALIA'S STATES AND TERRITORIES
Australia is made up of six states and two territories
Below you can "click on the interactive map of each state to find out more, or go to the categorys below!
Also, there is a page on the Aborigines, Our History, Wildlife,
"Aussie slang words"and our Anzacs.
Most of the pages listed below aren't anywhere near finished as yet!(sorry)
The aborigine page has some cool stuff on it ,and I have the "Aussie words",our history, our Anzacs and the N.S.W page up and running, but the others have a ways to go
I will endeavour to try to get these pages up and running as soon as I can ! *smile*
"Click on to go back to Chow Down Down Under"
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Our Anzacs
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