Australia Day 26th Jan

I supose being a person who does family history and loves history as I do I can not help but wonder about today. Happy Australia Day everyone, What does Australia Day mean to our Family? Well ----- As our family are not all Australian by birth but have choosen to make their home here in Australia and are Australian citizens, it is very important to us to reflect and celebrate this day each year . It is the day that the First Fleet landed on Australian shores. On the 26th January 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip stepped a shore at Port Jackson in Sydney NSW, thereby claiming Australia for the British Empire. This date is that of the foundation of a British setalment at Port Jackson. Arthur Phillip became the first Governor of Australia . Records of the celebration of Australia Day date back to 1808, and in 1818, Governor Lachlan Macquarie held the first official celebration of Australia Day.

Now we celebrate Australia Day as an official public holiday This day has also been known as Anniversary Day or Foundation Day.

On this day the nation comes together to celebrate in many ways but also think what's great about Australia and what it means to be an Australian, it's also the day to reflect on what we ourselves have achieved , what we can do to make this country a better place for the future, not forgetting our backgrounds and what we have to offer to this nation.

In WA we celebrate Australia Day, with a spectacular fire works display it is a great night for those who attend as its held along the foreshore with the city and Kings Park as it's back drop