Australia Day: Do you celebrate?

Australia Day - Image credit: timeanddate.com

January 26 marks Australia's national holiday, Australia Day.

Australia Day celebrates the establishment of the first settlement in Port Jackson (which is now Sydney Harbour), in 1788.

What's known as the "First Fleet", consisted of 11 ships that set sail from Great Britain and landed on this day at the Port. By 1808, January 26 was celebrated as “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day”.

In 1818, the Governor of Australia gave all government employees a day off, and in the years that followed, bank employees, and other employees, were also given a holiday day.

Australian's celebrate in different ways with barbecues and trips to the beach popular options. There are also major fireworks displays. This year, as it falls on a Saturday, Australians will get Monday 28th as a holiday day.

Are you Australian or do you have Australian relatives? How do you, or they, celebrate? How did your Australian ancestors celebrate?

Let us know in the comments below.