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Author Topic: Australia Day  (Read 5686 times)

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Offline smoooth2

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Australia Day
« on: January 27, 2016, 12:29:43 PM »
26th January is Australia Day each year. A national holiday, and the most important date in Australia's short history.

Why is this date so important ?

Sadly, many Australians, and almost certainly most new immigrants, have no idea. Please indulge me to explain Australia Day.

It all starts in America .... what ???  Yes .... in the mid 1770's Americans and Brits fought the War of Independence. The Americans won. The United States of America was born. (Independence Day 4th July)

The Brits lost 13 Nth American colonies. These colonies had been a valuable "dumping ground" for British convicts. The loss of these colonies became a major headache for the English judicial system. Where to now send these "undesirables" ?

Preferably somewhere far far way. Out of sight, out of mind. Hopefully never to be seen again.

Now we get to the Australia bit.

In 1770 Capt Cook "discovered", and explored, the entire East coast of Australia. (was called New Holland in those days)

Cook made no attempt to establish a colony, and he happily sailed away into the South Pacific.

Back in England, the gaols were full, and the overcrowding problem was acute. Where do we send all these buggers ?

Maybe Cook's recently discovered "Great Southern Land"? New South Wales.

What a good idea, thought the Brits. There's nothing there except for flies, kangaroos and blackfellas, and it's about as far away from England as anyone can go. We'll never see these shitheads again.

Done deal.

In May 1787, 8 convict ships, and 3 warships, departed England for New South Wales. Capt Arthur Phillip commanding.

The voyage took 8 months.

On 26th January 1788, Capt Phillip stepped ashore at a little cove within Port Jackson (now Sydney Harbour), and planted the Union Jack flag into the sand.

So ... there it is .... 26th January 1788 .... Australia Day

He named the spot Sydney Cove. It's the present site of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

A new colony was born. Made up entirely of convicts, marines and sailors. It was quite literally the only white settlement in the whole country. Lonely and isolated ??   Yes indeed.

It was called Sydney Town, New South Wales. Many more convict ships were subsequently sent to Sydney, and eventually many penal settlements were established along the East coast.

The lack of "freemen" ie not convicts, and white women, was a major drawback in the early days. Settlement was painfully slow, but eventually the nation of Australia was slowly taking shape.

Incidentally ....

The name Australia was first shown on maps drawn by Matthew Flinders in 1804, during the first complete circumnavigation of Australia. The British Parliament finally officially endorsed the name Australia in 1824, 36 years after the Sydney colony started. Flinders is generally considered to be the "man who named Australia"











 







 

Offline urleft

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2016, 03:33:07 PM »
There must have been further immigrants as it would seen unlikely that sex between the original colonists would have been furtile.  Unless some of the convicts were female.

Offline smoooth2

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2016, 04:30:51 PM »
There must have been further immigrants as it would seen unlikely that sex between the original colonists would have been furtile.  Unless some of the convicts were female.


Quite right Keith. During the period 1788-1868 it's estimated that 164,000 convicts were transported from England to various penal settlements around Australia.

Approx 20% were women. Highly sought after no doubt.

Also, as was probably the case with all new colonists around the world in those days .... there would have inevitably been some shacking up with females from the native population, producing half-caste kids.

1868 saw the end of convicts arriving in Australia. The population was by then 1,000,000 and convict labour was unnecessary.


Offline rufusredtail

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2016, 01:58:25 PM »

DID YOU KNOW ?


There must have been further immigrants



Yes I am one of those family name came to Australia in 1852 . very nice country you should come one day .
« Last Edit: January 28, 2016, 02:00:31 PM by rufusredtail »

Offline smoooth2

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2017, 07:52:18 AM »
26th January ......... Australia Day for the Aussies. Well done boys.

It is the most significent annual celebration in Oz, and is a public holiday across the nation.

Even non Aussies may find the Australia Day story mildly interesting, so please scroll up and read the original post in this thread. It'll only take a few minutes to read, and you'll be so much the wiser.  thumbup

Cheers lads.

Offline DeputyDavid

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2017, 11:03:41 AM »
26th January ......... Australia Day for the Aussies. Well done boys.

It is the most significent annual celebration in Oz, and is a public holiday across the nation.

Even non Aussies may find the Australia Day story mildly interesting, so please scroll up and read the original post in this thread. It'll only take a few minutes to read, and you'll be so much the wiser.  thumbup

Cheers lads.

I did and learned something new. 

Offline smoooth2

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Re: Australia Day
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2018, 07:44:51 AM »
Yesterday was Australia Day. A national holiday in Oz to celebrate the start of a new nation way back in 1788

Hope all Aussies spared a few moments to think about our homeland, and what you miss most.

Mrs Macs pies, Smiths chips, chicken salt, Coles lamb roast marinated in mint sauce  555

For anyone interested in historical stuff, the original post in this thread may be an amusing and enlightening read, particularly for British and American expats

Cheers lads.     australiaflag
« Last Edit: January 27, 2018, 07:46:30 AM by smoooth2 »

 

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