Australia Day - 26 January - on the beach

26 January is Australia Day and the day we celebrate everything Australian, our history, the future, way of life, mateship and cultural diversity. 

I'd love you to waltzing matilda over to my post from last year to look at a more humouress look at what Australianism is - Celebrating Australia and Waltzing Matilda

Why do we celebrate Australia Day on 26 January?  This is the day in 1788 that Captain Arthur Phillip landed in Sydney Cove with the First Fleet (eleven convict ships) from Great Britain. They raised the Union Jack to symbolise British occupation of the eastern half of the continent claimed by Captain James Cook on 22 August in 1770. We should also remember on this day that Australia's first inhabitants, the traditional indigenous owners, have a slightly different view of this event. You can learn more by clicking here - Australia Day History 

Please click on "read more" to read more!


As well as the presentation of the Australian of the Year awards, Australia Day is celebrated around Australia with citizenship ceremonies, parades, concerts, sporting events, community festivals and barbecues, and in more major centres there are fireworks.  It is a time to get together with family and friends.

And of course there is the beach and many Australian's flock to the beach on Australia Day. Australia is an island and so it is no wonder that we love the beach. And with impossibly blue water like this can you blame us? I took this pic on Sunday around Meelup south of Dunsborough in south west of Western Australia - a very popular area during the summer holidays. 

I was excited this week to be guest contributor on "Wild Western Australia  - Western Australian Traveller's Guide" - Please click on the link here to see the my article "Life is a Beach in Western Australia"  - Wild Western Australia - Life is a beach in WA

It's only about an hour south of our home, so today we went down there for the day. But before the beach we stopped off for a fantastic take-away coffee at "Hot Chocolatte" in Dunsborough. Honestly they have the best ever take-away coffee and hot chocolate, and chocolates of course.  You can check them out on their face book page here - Hot Chocolatte, Dunsborough.
I loved this sign in their window - so I've posted it for my chocolate loving friends. We all knew that chocolate was good for us!

Then on to the beach. Ok.... Busselton, Dunsborough and Meelup beaches are not for surfers. They are more for families with calmer water generally. Surfers go a bit further south to Yallingup and Margaret River.

 We sat under the trees to eat our lunch at Meelup

 There are lots of little coves like this one along this stretch. Make sure you pack a sun shade and sunscreen - slip, slop slap, wrap - as they say here in Australia. Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on sunglasses.

 Bunkers Bay

On the way home we stopped at the Busselton Jetty to buy an icecream at Simmos. We tried to stop at their main shop just out of Dunsborough, but people were queued out the door! You can see my Mango icecream in the collage up above here. Check out the yummy flavours you can get - Simmos Icecream on Facebook

Extending 1.8 kilometres into Geographe Bay, the heritage listed Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. You can read more about it here - Busselton Jetty.  It has always been a popular spot for locals and tourists.  On 8 February they have the "round-the-jetty" swimming race, an annual event.

 Ah..... life is a beach in Australia on Australia Day..... and don't forget the bronze Aussie bloke - I hope he remembers to slip, slop, slap, wrap!

Happy Australian Day to all my Aussie readers. What are you doing on Australia Day?

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you and will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Travel Photos Monday, Weekend Travel Inspiration, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, Travel Photo Thursday, and What's It Wednesday.  Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Weekend Travel Inspiration
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday

You might also like - 
Celebrating Australia Day and Waltzing Matilda - 2014
Celebrating Australia Day 2013
Blue on Blue - Coral Bay, Western Australia

Wild Western Australia - Life is a beach in WA