“I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror - 

The wide brown land for me”

- Dorothea Mackellar 1908

Happy Australia Day from everyone here at The All-in-One Company! Phillip, who came to visit us just before Christmas, is just one of our fabulous Australian customers who has kindly put together a brilliant blog post on Australia Day;

January 26th Australians across the globe celebrate Australia Day. This day in 1788, The First Fleet lead by Captain Arthur Phillip landed in what is now modern day Sydney. The First Fleet was carrying convicts from Great Britain to New South Wales as a form of punishment for their crimes. New South Wales was set up as a penal colony to help the British ease their overcrowding prisons. In those days, stealing a loaf of bread could see you sent to New South Wales.

Image from Image from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-30/arthur-phillip-five-surprising-things/6580852

The ships landed, the Union Jack was raised for the first time on Australian soil. We became a British colony.

Captain Arthur Phillip was not however the first to reach Australia. Australia was first discovered by Captain James Cook in his search for “The Great Southern Land". 

Image from Www.firstfleetfellowship.org.au

Captain Arthur Phillip became Governor Arthur Phillip of New South Wales , he held this position until December 1792 before returning back to Great Britain. New South Wales was the first state of Australia. It was called New South Wales simply because it was “new” and “South of Wales”. New South Wales took up the entire east coast of Australia before Queensland and Victoria where created.

This is the birth of our nation and over time the foundations of what is now modern Australia was built. Still today, the history and traditions is practised and celebrated by Australians here at home and Australians living abroad. Our system of Government was introduced by the British and we are still a proud member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 

Image from http://crossfithurakan.com.au/wod/monday-25012016-australia-day-eve/

Australia today is a modern, vibrant, diverse and economically successful country. Moreover, we are a stable and peaceful nation. We can have elections without violence. We are known to “Bat above our average”, but we have this ability to hold our place on the world stage. 

Image from: www.australianluxuryescapes.com

Australia Day is a day where Australians all over this land, weather they be in the cities, the regions or the outback will celebrate what makes us great. Barbeques are had by people at home or in public parkland… those lucky enough to live near our worlds best beaches, spend the time with their loved ones at the beach… There is also plenty of sport going on, with the finals of the Australian Open tennis and a One Day International cricket match in Adelaide. 

We also give the prestigious award of Australian Of The Year. this award goes to a member of the Australian community who has been deemed to have done extraordinary things with grace and humility in order to help others. This year, The Prime Minister will announce this in Canberra at the National Australia Day celebrations. This year, Queensland’s Biomedical scientist Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim has been named Australian of the Year for his work in stem cell research. 

For me, I am a proud Australian. I love my country so much. I love who I am and I love our history. I love our place in the world and I love how we can make big decisions without the threat of violence and or persecution. I love how we are young and free. I love how our island nation is girt by sea. I love our “Fair Go” and “Can Do” attitude. Why wouldn’t I…. Australia is the best country in the world and long may that be so…

Happy Australia Day!