It’s the Australia Day Book Giveaway
Thanks to Shelleyrae from Book’d Out for setting up an Australia Day Book Giveaway again this year. Click here to visit the site and find other wonderful opportunities to win books. And what ever you’re doing to celebrate it – enjoy!!
So what does Australia Day mean to you? Is it a chance for a long weekend getaway before the kids go back to school? Or is it a chance to get everything sorted before that happens?
Maybe it’s time to head to one of the many Australia Day celebrations or have lunch with friends. Do you stop and think about why we celebrate an arbitrary date in January or do you just enjoy the moment?
I’m not big on the public celebrations and having been in aviation for 26 years I haven’t often had the day off anyway. But I always stop and contemplate what it is to be Australian. If I were to sit down with my closest friends there’d be less than fifty percent of us who are Australian by birth. I was born in Canada and Capt G was born in the UK. Others were born in Jersey, UK, Fiji and Thailand and USA. Yet we all consider ourselves Australian and that, I think, is the wonderful thing about this country.
It is a melting pot and, with the recent heatwave, that was actual as well as metaphorical! So many cultures transplanted to these southern shores have influenced our food, our fashion, our music and even our literature. I hope that it makes us more tolerant and it certainly makes us some of the world’s most travelled people.
The school-leaving rite of passage to head overseas still persists today although the UK isn’t necessarily the most popular destinations as young adults head off to visit the land of their parents’ birth. Hopping on a plane and flying for twenty hours doesn’t faze us. Although when I see the red tail of Qantas aircraft parked by an icy terminal it always sends a little rush of warmth and nostalgia through me.
I think the same spirit that sent our young men off to the World Wars, seeking an adventure as much as justice, still holds strong for today’s young people. Maybe it’s something to do with being on the bottom of the world, so far from anywhere, that sends them rushing over the horizon.
What ever the reason, I hope Australia continues to grow as a tolerant nation who welcomes new comers, embraces different traditions, but never loses sight of its past.
And for me, the Peter Allen song, ‘I Still Call Australia Home,’ will always be as powerful as the national anthem.
So to enter my giveaway I’d love to know what songs make you think of Australia? Is it ‘I Come From a Land Down Under?’,Khe Sanh, or something more classical?
To go into the draw you need to leave a comment by midnight 28th January. I’ll announce the winner on the 2nd February.
For Australian Residents you’ll go into the draw to win a copy of Bronwyn Parry’s wonderful book,’DARKENING SKIES.’
For international readers you’ll go into the draw for an e-book copy of Phillipa Fioretti’s latest release ‘FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY’.
You need to tell me which book draw you’d like to be entered in. And don’t forget to visit all the other blogs involved in this great celebration of Australia. Visit Book’d Out’s post here for all the links 🙂
| Write Note Reviews | Jennifer Collin |
| Sherryl Caulfield | Literary Exploration |
| Lisa Walker | Wendy Orr |
That’s beautiful, Louise 🙂 And so true.
You’re in the draw for Bron’s book.
Although it makes me teary I love Cootamundra Wattle – ‘There’s all the colours of the rainbow in the garden woman,
And symphonies of music in the sky.
Heaven’s all around us if you’re looking,
But how can you see it if you cry.’
Love Australia and its colours. Cheers
A most fabulous song, Michelle, and another one that sounds great at full volume with a crowd singing along!
Thanks for visiting 🙂
Jen, another great John Williamson song. He really captures the essence of the country.
Thanks for dropping by and you’re in the draw!
Catherine, I’ll have to Google that one. I haven’t heard of it. How lovely that it reminds you of someone special!
For me its john williamson True Blue. Im entering the Australia draw. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Great Southern land for me every time
Hi Helen,
I’m showing my church music roots here, but I do love the Carol of the Birds! It reminds me of my sister-in-law who lives out in Porcupine Ridge and spends her time teaching people about local flora, fauna and weather patterns.
Also, it’s a lovely piece of music.
Catherine
Regan, that’s a very powerful song and one which I’m sure resonates with many people.
You’re in the draw for Bron’s excellent book!
Hi Helene,
The song that resonates with me as being Australian is Treaty by Yothu Yindi. I get goosebumps when I hear it…such a great song and a great moment.
Thanks for the giveaway, I am in Australia, so Darkening Skies.
Thanks for joining in the discussion, Sally. Sounds like we have very similar choices in songs!!
You’re in the draw for Darkening Skies 🙂
I Come From a Land Down Under was guaranteed to be playing at full volume in the pubs in Earls Court in London in the mid-1980s and it always took me home.
Good choice, BN100 🙂
Kelly, that’s a great song too. Plenty of votes for that today!! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Phillipa, Christine Anu has a beautiful voice and that’s a lovely song. There was a group of older Torres Strait women called the Mills Sisters who used to fly with us up to Horn Island. I will never forget the way they sang all for the whole flight with many of the other passengers joining in. Their joy in their music shone through 🙂
Bron, I love being able to share wonderful authors with new readers and you and Phillipa fit the bill perfectly! Thanks for sharing the love over on your blog!!
I had heard that Armidale claimed Peter Allen as their own and I’m sure he was delighted 🙂 He wrote many more beautiful songs than many of us realise.
See you for Valentine’s Day in Melbourne with the SINC crew!
Flame Tree is a fabulous song, Wendy, and another one that paints a gorgeous picture. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
You’re in the draw for Bron’s wonderful book.
I’m a child of the eighties and nineties, so I associate Australia with songs like ‘Sounds of Then’ by Gangajang, ‘Land Down Under’ by Men at Work and, of course, ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ by Peter Allen.
(I’m an Australian citizen – and resident – and would love to win Bronwyn Parry’s book.)
I Come From a Land Down Under
My fav sound that reminds me of Oz is “sounds of then” by gangajang.
I love the original version of My Island Home by Christine Anu. At the beginning of the song when I hear the sound of the water lapping at the sides of the tinnie I get all choked up. She is such a talented singer. I saw her sing this at Womad in 2000 with back up dancers from the Tiwi Islands. It was Brilliant! Makes me feel all shivery ….
Helene, thanks so much for your support in giving away a copy of my book! I’ve been distracted by work, but have finally joined in, too – and since I have a spare copy of your wonderful book, it’s a prize choice over at my blog!
As far as songs are concerned, my taste seems to be the same as Gabrielle’s list earlier in the comments! Those are all great songs, and evocative in different ways of Australia and what it means to me. I have always had a particularly soft spot for Peter Allen’s Tenterfield Saddler, long before I moved up here to the region. Did you know, by the way. that he began his career here in my town? Armidale counts him as a local boy 🙂
(Oh, and of course no need to enter me in the draw – I already have a copy of the book 🙂 )
For me it’s Flame trees, I love a song that tells a story and actually makes sense!
(I’m in Australia and would love to read the Bronwyn Parry)
Cathryn, Tenterfield Saddler is a very moving song and once it’s humming along it’s hard to move…
It’s a fun blog hop and a great way to help celebrate Australia and spread the love!!
I’ll put you in the draw for Phillipa’s book if you already have Bron’s??
Donna, John Williamson’s songs are wonderful stories in themselves. And I see he won yet another award at the Tamworth Music Festival last night – one of our enduring song masters!
I’ll add you to the draw for Bron’s book.
Julie, I think that must be a song that many people from overseas know as Australian! Rolf Harris has a huge following 🙂
And you’re in the draw for Phillipa Fioretti’s wonderful book For Only One Night 🙂
Karen, thanks for your lovely post. I hope you do travel one day although I understand why you would be wishing your kids don’t grow up too soon!
Love your list of songs. From the list I’m gathering on this post we could have a lengthy BBQ and not run out of music!!
You’re in the draw for Darkening Skies 🙂
Sharon, those are very evocative Australian songs and I hope they never diminish in popularity. Something very stirring about hearing a huge sports crowd singing Waltzing Matilda!
You’re in the draw for Darkening Skies 🙂
Juzz, Great Southern Land is a wonderful song!
I’ll put you into the draw for Phillipa Fioretti’s new book and then you’ll be a huge fan of hers as well 🙂 Thanks for dropping by!
I’ve had Tenterfield Saddler on the brain since Thursday!
Gorgeous post, Helene. I’m kicking myself I missed news of this blog hop. Should’ve been playing along too, stuffit. Nevermind. Definitely in next year.
True Blue by John Williamson. A song that describes the australian lifestyles and how perhaps we sometimes lose sight of our cultures and our language. Also it tells about their attitudes. About friendship, trustworthy and honesty. The show on the road means don’t give up and keep on going.
International giveaway please.
‘Tie me kangaroo down sport’ always makes me think of Australia.
Hi Helene
What a wonderful post. How exciting to have been in the aviation industry. I sold tickets for a while, but never had the opportunity to travel very much. Perhaps in the future when the kids are all grown, although I don’t wish for that to happen to fast.
Australia Day for us this year will be a mixed bag – a couple of the kids are off the the 30th Anniversary Perth Australia Day Skyshow with friends. The rest of us are having lamb chops for dinner, and may yet venture to the city for the show. That is undecided.
I am a huge fan of Aussie music, and have so many cd’s in my collection, that the song is a very hard choice for me.
I would definitely have Cold Chisel in my list, my favourite songs being “Flame Trees” and “When The War Is Over”. I also love Icehouse “Great Southern Land”, GangGajang “Sounds Of Then”,
Peter Allen “Tenterfield Saddler”. There are so many more, I could be here all night.
Thanks for the opportunity to win, I would like to be placed in the draw for Darkening Skies.
Thanks
Karen
Hi Helene, the songs that make me think of Australia are Walzing Matilda and Home Among The Gumtrees. Thanks for such a wonderful giveaway and I hope you have a great weekend. I’d like to be placed in the draw to win Darkening Skies.