Get Your Flag on and Celebrate in Aussie Style!
It’s Australia Day on January 26th, and what a great time to spotlight this country and its people. It’s a day when all Australians and lovers of Australia around the world will be celebrating. Whether it’s the amazing wildlife such as koalas and kangaroos, or famous sights like the Great Barrier Reef, or the Sydney Opera House, Aussies have a lot to be proud of, and to celebrate! On Australia Day, many will gather with family and friends to enjoy drinks, barbecues, concerts, boat races and citizenship ceremonies.
From Convicts and Criminals to Clothing-Optional Beaches
It was on January 26th 1788, when the First Fleet of British ships landed in Port Jackson. Captain Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack, establishing the first British colony at Sydney Cove. And, did you know that the first colonies of Australia were designated as penal settlements, to exile criminals and convicts? Today, modern-day Australia is home to many awe-inspiring sights, such as Uluru (Ayers Rock), Shark Bay and clothing-optional beaches, like Maslin Beach in Adelaide.
Shark Bay, Western Australia – Source: https://www.sharkbay.wa.gov.au/
Seven Interesting Facts About Australia
Sourced from: http://tingoeducation.com.au/10-interesting-facts-about-australia/
Australia is known as the world’s sixth largest country by total area after Russia, Canada, the US, China and Brazil.
Australia is a beach paradise, with over 10,000 beaches. If you visited a new beach every day, for 27 years, you still wouldn’t see them all.
Australia is ranked as the second-best in the world for quality of life, health, education and economic freedom.
Australia is one big island surrounded by more than 8,000 smaller islands.
The Red Kangaroo is the national animal of Australia. This species of kangaroo is known to be the largest, and is native to Australia. The meaning behind the Red Kangaroo as the national animal of Australia is that it’s not particularly good at walking backwards. This symbolizes determination to move forward, as a nation.
Over 300 different languages and dialects are spoken in Australia, together with 45 Indigenous languages.
Australia ranks number 54 in countries of the world by population, and the current population of Australia is over 25 million, as of 2019.[1]
The National Flag
Australia’s national flag holds three main elements, which are the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. The Union Jack reflects the history of British settlement, the Commonwealth Star has seven points representing the states and territories of the commonwealth, and the Southern Cross is a constellation, positioned in the design to signify Australia’s geography. [2]
We all know that national flags are symbols of national identity and pride. No matter where we come from, we can understand how it feels to see our own nation’s flag being unfurled, raised and flying overhead! And, every flag has its own story to tell. Did you know that the Australian National Flag is the only one in the world which flies over an entire continent? This glorious flag is also the first one to involve a public competition. Five people tied in the competition and co-designed the flag. One of the designers was Ivor Evans, a 14-year-old from Melbourne, whose father owed a flag making business, and another was Annie Dorrington, a famous artist from Perth.[3]
So Many Ways to Celebrate in Canada
We know there may be 14,000 kms, and the largest ocean in the world, separating us from Australia, but we Canadians love to celebrate with our Aussie mates. On January 26th, get your flag on and join in on one of the many Australia Day events happening in your community. While we couldn’t list all celebrations across Canada, here are few of them, with convenient links to more details:
Vancouver, BC
Australia Day Games at Strathcona Park (AFLBC)
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2AUCnCg
Kelowna, BC
Australia Day at Big White Ski Resort
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2FWQ1Z9
North Okanagan, BC
Silverstar Mountain Resort Annual Australia Day Bikini Run
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2HrZJoC
Fernie, BC
Australia Day at the Kodiak Lounge
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2R6rjHi
Golden, BC
Australia Day at the Kicking Horse
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2RH8BeB
Whistler, BC
Australian Aboriginal Art Exhibit at the Audain Art Museum
Open Until January 28th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2S4RFhy
Calgary, AB
Unicorn Pub Australia Day Party
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: http://superpub.ca/
Banff, AB
Australia Day at Sunshine Village
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2R7qMF4
Montreal, QC
Australia Day at the Mad Hatter Pub
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2RFbQmM
Toronto, ON
Australia Day Celebration Dinner at the Australian Wine Society of Toronto
Friday, January 25th 2019
For information, please visit: http://www.aws.ca/
Tickets: https://bit.ly/2RKsP7t
Gladstone Hotel Triple J Hottest 50 Countdown Party
Saturday, January 26th, 2019
For information, please visit: https://bit.ly/2W9nXr0
Want to Know More About Where to Get Your Aussie Flags?
We’re so glad you asked! No matter how you’ll celebrate, all of our Flag Shop locations across Canada carry Australia flags in all sizes! We also have crests and friendship pins. So, stop “faffing around” as they say, and let us know how we can help you and your mates get ready for a “rip snorter” of an Australia Day!
On a Serious Note
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Sources:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population
[2] https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-flag
[3] http://www.australianflag.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103
[4] https://www.reconciliation.org.au