How we celebrate Australia Day. All over the country in cities and towns people celebrate in many, many different ways ranging from Flag Ceremonies to cockroach races. There are multi cultural and multi religious festivals, there are citizenship and honours ceremonies, there are concerts and fireworks, there are pig races, and dunny can (outback toilet) races and the list goes on and on. We usually have thong (rubber sandal not undies) throwing competitions but this year due to the floods we had gumboot throwing competitions. Many people have house parties too.The saddest part was that in the towns where lives had been lost in the floods, they had memorial services.
Besides all the festivities we also have many important sports fixtures on this day too. The Australian Open Tennis, England v Aust Cricket, and my favourite sport Soccer Football. My local heros, the Brisbane Roar played Wellington (NZ) and won 2-0 but best of all our national team, the Socceroos beat Uzbekistan 6-0 in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup, now they are in the finals against Japan. I had a great day watching these two matches.
concerts
flag ceremony
Most families have a traditional Aussie BBQ of steak sausages and prawns either at home, at a festival, on the beach or in the park.
The BBQ is followed by traditional Aussie dessert, Lamingtons and...
..Pavlova.
We didn't fancy joining the crowded roads to the crowded beaches or festivals or parks so we had our own little celebration at home in the cool air conditioning. It was a scorching hot day but with blue skies and sunshine, no rain in sight, which was wonderful.
We have our Aussie hats on and had kangaroo sausage with salad and rockmelon (cantaloupe) instead of fattening Lamingtons and Pavlova. I even had the all Aussie spread, Vegemite, which only real Australians can manage to enjoy. Overseas people can't stand it and even Bill can't get to like it. We washed it down with a fruity Aussie Shiraz - Annie's Lane from Clare Valley, SA.
Thanks Diane! Sounds like a fun time. I saw Oprah eating the vegemite and she said she like it. Your celebrations sound much like our 4th of July USA birthday celebration. Which is also a lot of barbeques, parties and fireworks.
ReplyDeleteOh, Diane! How could you forgo the pavlova - it looks absolutely delectable!
ReplyDeleteWe've also been having some exceptionally hot days, here!
Yep, that just about covers it.
ReplyDeleteI like the Annie's Lane label. But then again, I also like vegemite. On butter, of course.
I went out very early for my Australia Day event. Just finished posting the first part of the story.
Mmmmmmm....Pavlova! I want some right now. And cockroache races?? Arizona has several that we can contribute to the cause. Hank pretty much keeps them out of the house. What a fun day!
ReplyDeleteVery informative. I confess I had to research "lamington" but now I know. Sounds delicious. Kangaroo sausage...hmmmm, that's a new one for me.
ReplyDeleteThe musician has been watching the Australian Open...
Looks like you had a very enjoyable Australia Day. I'm late with the good wishes, but here's to your beautiful country!
That's a little bit how we celebrate in Belgium too. It's on July 21, with a parade in front of the whole royal family.
ReplyDeleteIf Pavlova tastes as good as it looks, I would have trouble passing it up. I must admit that your celebrations remind me of our Forth of July celebrations, except for the cricket and soccer football. But congratulations to your two teams.
ReplyDeleteYour meal looks very nice, I had Kangaroo meat in Australia for the first time, we dutch looked at it, "can you eat that", but it tasted well. The Vegamite I don't know. The Pavlova looks good, but I think it is wise of you not to have one.
ReplyDeleteHow neat, Diane. Sounds like you and Bill had your own wonderful celebration at home. That's what George and I do on the 4th of July here. We fix our own meal and watch the celebrations on TV....
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
MY goodness, Diane and Billy B., not only are you patriotic but also extremely well organised.
ReplyDeleteI did my weekly Wednesday radio broadcast summing up local, national and international events but an OB this Wednesday. (an outside broadcast!)
From Bendigo's Lake Weeroona where thousands converge every Oz Day with flags sticky-taped to their car roofs, Aussie T-shirts on and the whole shebang.
The Mayor inducts the latest batch of residents into Australian citizenship in early afternoon.
And yes, Diane, during the b/cast I mentioned in some detail Australia's 6-0 thumping of the Uzbeks in the Asia Cup semi-final. My co-commentator describes our love, football (or as he prefers "soccer''), as far too full of dreary nil-all draws.
In that regard many of our Aussie compatriots are extremely narrow-minded.
Even though I'm still --- despite my advancing age! -- an Aussie Rules broadcaster and newspaper scribe I love football (soccer) and watched matches in London and Manchester in 2008 and 2009 with our UK-born son-in-law and his mates.
I also love America's football, the NFL, Diane. Catch the Super Bowl between Green Bay and Pittsburgh in early Feb. Not interested in college football, but the NFL.
My word.
-- RICHARD.
Sounds like a great day! I like every bit of it -- it would be hard NOT to try the Pavlova, that looks scrumptious. We'd probably opt for the quieter celebration now too. I used to want to go to every celebration or fair or whatever wherever we were. Now, not so much.
ReplyDeleteWe find very good Australian wine over here BTW.
Kangaroo sausages - YUCK!
ReplyDeleteToo horrible to contemplate - my "delicate" stomach is moving all over the place!
You are supposed to eat "lamb" and in times like is going on in QLD, you have failed. Don't you watch the innumerable ads?
What happened to the seafood?
Love the comments (????) - I enjoyed a veal casserole and a mango/pineapple pie with ice-cream - Yummy.
Maybe 2011 will be better for Australia - I sure hope so.
Cheers
Colin
A good round up. We don't get much into celebrating the day ... but now I come to think of it I baked fresh bread and made a vegemite sandwich.
ReplyDeleteglad you had a good day. your celebration looks really nice. i love vegemite, but then, i'm a real aussie. hahahaaaa. or should i say oi oi oi. i like the idea of a gumboot throwing comp. Fran
ReplyDeleteColin: kangaroo sausages are the only ones I like. They are less fatty than any of the others. You don't have a casserole on Australia Day...BBQ boy!
ReplyDeleteReading your comment above Diane, if the kangaroo sausages are less fatty that would be my choice too. I don't like sasuages because they are so greasy.
ReplyDeleteThe BBQ and sports sounds like our 4th, it's all fun.
Sounds like you had a great Australia Day, Diane. There were dragon and raft races etc here, but hot, we decided on air conditioning too.
ReplyDeleteYes kangaroo sausages are the only ones that I can find without nitrates, though we have only had them a couple of times.
Hugs, Jan