We spent Australia Day with family down by the water.
Australia Day is held on 26 January each year. Officially, it is Australia’s national day, marking the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. For many people, it is a public holiday spent with family, friends, barbecues, picnics, beaches and community events. It is also a complicated date, because for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples it marks the beginning of colonisation and is observed as Invasion Day, Survival Day or a day of mourning.
For us, as a family spending time in Australia, it was a relaxed day with family rather than anything grand or political.
We went down by the water for a simple picnic. There were boats in the background, kids playing on the sand, food on the table, and plenty of space for everyone to spread out.
Georgia and Dotty joined in with beach games, played near the water, and enjoyed being outside with their cousins. The girls wore Australia Day headbands, everyone chatted, and the day had that easy summer feeling where you do not need much more than grass, shade, food and water nearby.
Nothing complicated. No big plan.
Just family, food, sunshine, water and a nice afternoon together.