Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

I wanted to wish all my fellow Ozzians a great and wonderful Australia Day.

On the east coast here, so dealing with cyclone remnants... most activities got cancelled due to real bad winds and rain.

Even though it was windy and rainy, I still had a good 'Stralia Day.

Watching the flick "Australia"... great movie if you get a chance, check it out sometime.

Pravdaseeker

Happy Australia Day!

A few of my friends have moved over there for work, they say its brilliant! I'd like to go too, but Australia scares me, everything wants to kill you.

Australia Day...

Commemorates the day some boats filled with white people (1st fleet) arrived in Sydney Cove way back in 1788.

Back in the early 1900's some people wanted to make it January 1st since that was the day Australia became a Federation. It became one due to two main things.. Shearer's Strikes and of course the police murdering miners at Eureka (Eureka Stockade).

Also known as 'Invasion Day' by the only remaining race of peoples who had inhabited this land in the last 100,000 years... "only remaining race" because there were 5 different races inhabiting the land over that timeframe.

As born and bred Aussies become a minority in their country, we pause to commemorate the boats that arrived back then... knowing that the boats arriving now are part of the process forcing us to become a minority.... just like the native peoples experienced back then.

I would much prefer to commemorate the Eureka Stockade as the main reason we do Australia Day.. because that at least was strongly responsible for Australia becoming Australia and not just another 'County' of England.

So I would lift my glass.. if I drank.. to the miners at Eureka whose deaths began the process of our country becoming what it has been over the last 100 years... and forget for a day what it is now becoming.

Australia day was over when you posted this.

Originally posted by SpearMint
Australia day was over when you posted this.

Yep, I know. I just signed up for an account here. Still, if you are an Aussie then what I posted is worth having a think about.

a personal update of Monday, Australia Day Public Holiday

after the rain stopped and after 5 hrs of a very adventures drive to reach the town nearby that usually takes me half an hour, here a few pictures of that day ::

this lady, still in her pyjamas, and her 2 kids lost their house under water, came down to the river to have a look



….. but still in celebration mood




this is my way to work over a bridge that is not visible under 21 ms of water. i lost heaps of a good triple pay and was fuming over that. only state emergency services crossed from one side to the other. the river runs through town and needless to say that the hwy was also gone. total isolation for days.




the town’s main street. and mind you: this is the third time in 4 years !!




BUT Australians are never short of having a good time



nor of being stupid






but then again, there was a special kind of fever in the air


i had 3 days of no electricity and neighbours had arrived soon to have cups of teas and dinner because I have a gas cooker. life had changed quickly to cavemen’s allures. it was true survival.

ok, the roof leaked a little but for me, worst was no internet and no money income - i’m so ashamed to report. the first day i was near shaking with cold turkey. but the second day was truly beautiful: back to nature.

we are drying out now. slowly but surely. the feet are dry, maybe i’m still a bit wet between the ears. -