Education
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODEAaaah, that good old Aussie tune, The Road to Gundagai, played by clarinetist Alex Hutchinson.G'day and Happy Australia Day!Yeah, that's right... today is the 26th of January, 2010. We celebrate Australia on this day every year.So, what about Australia? What is it we celebrate? Well, for some it isn't a celebration at all. In fact, some Australians call it "Invasion Day" - especially the Aboriginal people.You see, in January 1788 the "First Fleet" arrived from Britain carrying over 1,400 passengers and crew who would be the first white inhabitants on this beautiful island continent.But this was no luxury cruise, these passengers were mostly convicts. It was not only the first white settlement, but the first penal colony.There are many songs about that day, and many songs about poor Englishmen and Irishmen who were convicted of a crime and were "Bound for Botany Bay".You know, even today a lot of English call Australians "convicts", and regard Australia as a barren, desert island.Well that's a load of hogswash. What would those poms know anyway? We flog 'em at whatever sport they invent or try to dominate! Cricket, rugby league, rugby union, swimming, tennis...Righto, I better back off a bit, I think I'm gettin' a little patriotic.Anyway, what better way to celebrate Australia Day than to honour the Australian Anthem?We have a pretty snazzy anthem, says me. Some people want to change the anthem to Waltzing Matilda, which I think is a totally stupid idea, because Waltzing Matilda says nothing about our country. It doesn't even say the word "Australia" in it. It's just an Aussie folk song, which is good in itself, but not for an anthem.So here is our National Anthem. Please follow along to Advance Australia Fair!Australians all let us rejoiceFor we are young and freeWe've golden soil and wealth for toil,Our home is girt by sea:Our land abounds in nature's giftsOf beauty rich and rare,In history's page let every stageAdvance Australia fair,In joyful strains then let us singAdvance Australia fair.That was beautiful...Well it's been great having a good old chinwag with you, but I better hit the sack, cos tomorrow it's back to work! (Unless I chuck a sickie).Enjoy your Australia Day! Seeya later when ya legs are straighter!Words you might wanna know:Aboriginal, Aborigine: Original inhabitants of a country. Native.Convict: Convicted criminal, prisoner.Hogwash: False talk, lies, silly rumours.Flog 'em: To beat them (in sport, games etc), conquer them.Snazzy: Very impressive, nice.Chinwag: Chat, friendly talk.Hit the sack: Go to bed.Chuck a sickie: Have a day off work due to sickness (but usually when you are not truely sick)