'...girt bysea'

..is this nation continent and today Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain and the raising of the flag of Great Britain at (now)Sydney Cove in 1788.
A day of celebration or mourning and the annual debate as to changing the date of 'Australia day' continues.

Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia by David Hunt is well worth a read...possibly not on a plane though as snorts, tears and muffled laughter may well be a side effect!