Australia Day

It was a hot and sunny day, and many Lennox Headers headed for Seven Mile Beach. 

Today is a public holiday throughout the nation; Australia Day. The date commemorates the founding of the British convict settlement in Sydney in 1788. The First Fleet was commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip who was appointed the first Governor. He had no idea that his insignificant settlement was the founding act of what would become a significant nation - the only nation that occupies an entire continent. He had no idea of the extent of the land mass he was settling on. 

Celebrating Australia Day on the anniversary of Phillip's founding proclamation in Sydney Cove is increasingly contested, and many of us are uncomfortable about it. It's a real problem for indigenous Australians, whose ancestors have been here for something like 65,000 years. Yesterday's blip by jensphotos also touches on this - I entirely agree with her sentiments.