🇦🇺 Australia Day 2024 is on Friday 26th January

Australians of the Year 2024 – Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer

Melanoma research and treatment pioneers, Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer, have been jointly named 2024 Australians of the Year.

The co-directors of the Melanoma Institute of Australia are credited with saving thousands of lives since developing an immunotherapy approach to treating melanoma.

What a fantastic acceptance speech from Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer. Tears streamed down our faces with pride and admiration from beautiful selfless humans. Congratulations to them for their tireless work and dedication towards a cure for one of the many cancers that touch and affect everyone, not only in Australia but worldwide.

🇦🇺 Australia day is celebrated in every state of Australia.

Its great to be Australian and on this public holiday there are plenty of events held around the country to celebrate. Australia Day is an official public holiday in every state of Australia with Australians attending citizenship ceremonies, music festivals, the Cricket or BBQs with family and friends.

If you are planning a get together on Australia Day some old Aussie favorites to include on your menu could be … a roasted leg of lamb, meat pies and Sausage rolls – home made or bought ( party pies for nibbles), damper, Prawns on the BBQ, T-Bone Steak, lamb chops and Sausages on the BBQ, Beef burgers with the lot, and for desserts a pavlova, lamingtons, or vanilla slice.

With so many public holidays in the first 6 months of the year, it’s the perfect opportunity to go on another holiday or get away for a few nights and remove yourself from the daily grind.

🇦🇺 Australia Day Events

On Australia Day, 26 January, we come together as a nation to celebrate what’s great about Australia and being Australian. On Australia Day, over half of the nation’s population of 21 million attend either an organised community event, or get together with family and friends with the intention of celebrating our national day. Get out and celebrate being Australian today!

Find out Australia Day events by going to your own state government website or visit this website for some other ideas on what to do…

https://www.australiaday.org.au/events/

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🇦🇺 Learn the lyrics of Advance Australia Fair!

Advance Australia Fair Lyrics

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NEW LYRICS FOR VERSE ONE

From 1 January 2021, the second line of the Australian National Anthem was changed from ‘For we are young and free’ to ‘For we are one and free’.

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Verse 1
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are one and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Verse 2
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

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🇦🇺 Aussie Pavlova Recipe

The pavlova is a simple easy to make dessert that Australians love. Decorate with whipped cream and your favorite topping.

8 egg whites
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 rounded dessertspoons cornflour

1) Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2) Place egg whites (don’t let ANY egg yolk get in your whites – use 2 teacups and separate eggs one at a time then add the egg whites to the bowl !) in a warm DRY basin and beat until they stand in peaks.
3) Gradually add half the sugar adding it to the mixture a dessertspoonful at a time.
4) Sift the remainder of the sugar into the mixture and fold in lightly , then quickly add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla.
5) Spread in an even circle on the tray and bake in a slow oven for about 1 ½ hours. If you want a crispier crust on the pavlova you can increase the oven temperature and cook it for less time. When you do this the outside is crisp and the middle of the pavlova takes on a “marshmallow” consistency.
6) Decorate with whipped cream and strawberries/cherries/blueberries OR Grated Peppermint Crisp Chocolate bar/ peppermint sprinkle topping

🇦🇺 Australia Day Scones

This is my favorite scone recipe. Easy to make and they turn out light and fluffy every time!

3 cups self-raising flour
1 cup lemonade
1 cup cream
1 egg ( for brushing on the top of the scone)

1) Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
2) Add lemonade and cream to flour and mix to form a soft dough.
3) Place dough on a floured surface.
4) Knead dough to 2cm thickness and cut with a floured cutter.
5) Place close together on tray, brush with beaten egg and bake for 10-15 minutes.
6) Serve warm Serve with Raspberry or Strawberry Jam & Freshly Whipped Cream

Note: Hot scones straight out of the oven are also great with butter and Vegemite! YUM