Happy Australia Day

I hope everyone who reads my blog has a very happy Australia Day... including those who have the misfortune to not live in this wonderful country :)

Also to my Indian friends, hope you have a happy Independence Day.

For those who don't understand the Australia Day bit, it is the anniversary of white settlement. On January 26th 1788 the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove with its wretched cargo of convicts- the unwanted citizens of Britain.

Because none of our founders really wanted to be here in the first place, we've huddled on the coastal strips waiting for the boats to come and take us "home". Very unlike the United States.

While Sydney is rapidly becoming unliveable, the whole of coastal NSW and SE Queensland is turning into one large suburban sprawl and the whole of the empty wilderness west of the Sandstone Curtain (*) remains underpopulated and underdeveloped.

Still those of us on the right side of the Big Levee (*) enjoy a lifestyle that would be the envy of the huddled masses in the cities if only they knew how good we've got it!

Have a great day!

(*) Common terms for the Great Dividing Range which is as much a culture divide as a modest (by world standards) mountain range that runs just inland of the Eastern Coast.