January 26 is the day that my fair nation celebrates its birthday. Some 222 years ago approximately 1332 Royal Marines, sailors, family members & convicts (one of them rumoured to be an ancestor of yours truly) landed in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to commence the European settlement of Australia.
Well...thats the quick & easy version. Like all foundation myths it is not quite the whole truth. Being a bit of an historian I prefer the somewhat messier version. White settlement in Australia actually began a week earlier on Jan 19, 12 km south at Botany Bay. it turned out that the glowing reports of Captain james Cook some 18 years earlier were a bit off the mark. The soil was poor. Worse, the trees were so tough they broke the tools the men had. Those huts that were contructed soon fell down. And in a strong pointer to the future some of those guarding the convicts were more interested in getting drunk (what is it they say about starting as you mean to continue? :)) ). To top it all off the natives (take that proponents of terra nullius) were hanging around a bit too much.
So, Captain Phillip took some men in smaller boats for a bit of a scout. He soon stumbled on Port Jackson, "the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security ...". All in all a much better. There was, however, one more twist in the story. As the fleet exited Botany Bay it bumped into several French ships. Yep, you go to the literal ends of the earth & the bloody French are there! Fortunately for Australia the French, led by explorer La Perouse, had no intention or ability to stake a claim. Australia would become the proud British nation it remains to this day. ;)
The intervening years have been a mixture of good & bad, ups & downs, heroes & villans. The good news, however, is that we have built quite a nice place to live. Personally I'm rather fond of the place.
So, on Straya Day 2010 raise a cold one & burn a lamb chop on the barbie with your Ozzie mates. Straya, Straya, Straya we love you (crack tubes). :))
Well...thats the quick & easy version. Like all foundation myths it is not quite the whole truth. Being a bit of an historian I prefer the somewhat messier version. White settlement in Australia actually began a week earlier on Jan 19, 12 km south at Botany Bay. it turned out that the glowing reports of Captain james Cook some 18 years earlier were a bit off the mark. The soil was poor. Worse, the trees were so tough they broke the tools the men had. Those huts that were contructed soon fell down. And in a strong pointer to the future some of those guarding the convicts were more interested in getting drunk (what is it they say about starting as you mean to continue? :)) ). To top it all off the natives (take that proponents of terra nullius) were hanging around a bit too much.
So, Captain Phillip took some men in smaller boats for a bit of a scout. He soon stumbled on Port Jackson, "the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security ...". All in all a much better. There was, however, one more twist in the story. As the fleet exited Botany Bay it bumped into several French ships. Yep, you go to the literal ends of the earth & the bloody French are there! Fortunately for Australia the French, led by explorer La Perouse, had no intention or ability to stake a claim. Australia would become the proud British nation it remains to this day. ;)
The intervening years have been a mixture of good & bad, ups & downs, heroes & villans. The good news, however, is that we have built quite a nice place to live. Personally I'm rather fond of the place.
So, on Straya Day 2010 raise a cold one & burn a lamb chop on the barbie with your Ozzie mates. Straya, Straya, Straya we love you (crack tubes). :))
Comment