Ode to Australia Day

The Hallmarks of Australia Day in words and pictures. By Darren Martin.
Bronte Beach, Sydney, Australia. My home. My new home. Not that I’m a “new” Australian, I’m a Northern Beaches bloke born and bred with salt water and sand coursing through my veins. But Bronte is my new home. A place to discover new landscapes and make new acquaintances, just like Captain James Cook did when he stumbled onto our shores almost 242 years ago. But January 26 is the date that we mark the later arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, and why wouldn’t you want to celebrate our history and culture, or multiculture as we like to call it today?

A day of sun and surf, sunburn and bluebottles. Beach and park cricket. A lazy day downing a few beers, or downing the tools and just taking it easy. A day where you meet people from different backgrounds who long to ingrain themselves in our culture by throwing a snag and a chop on the barbie. The day when we become one and celebrate just why we are so bloody lucky to call this place our home.

And the perfect place to celebrate Australia Day for Aussies new and old? You just can’t beat Bronte Beach Park.
Happy Australia Day!

THE DETAILS
Where  Bronte, Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs (south of Bondi, just past Tamarama).
Notes  Catch the 378 bus from the city to the terminus at Bronte (for routes and timetables go to sydneybuses.info), or walk along the coastal track from Bondi. There’s plenty of grass, a patrolled beach, communal coin-operated barbecues, covered picnic tables and a strip of excellent cafés.