Welcome to the October 2007 edition of E-news. With Australia Day a few months away, it's time to start planning so that you make the most of our national day of celebration.

Book your table at the 2008 Australia Day Lunch

We encourage you to book your table now for the 2008 Australia Day Lunch proudly sponsored by Australia Post.

The Australia Day Lunch is the largest annual corporate lunch and according to business leaders who attend, it is also the most enjoyable, and value for money.

Venue: Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre
Date: Friday, 25 January 2008

Reserve your table at the 2008 Australia Day Lunch today.

Join the Corporate Club

Delivering national spirit with Corporate Australia all year round.

GOLD - $15,000 plus GST
The ultimate package for companies wishing to feature their brand and association with Australia Day.

SILVER - $8,000 plus GST
A comprehensive package for companies seeking strong corporate exposure, high impact networking & hospitality

BRONZE - $5,000 plus GST
An introductory package for members to experience VIP Australia Day hospitality and promotional benefits.

We invite you to become a member of the Corporate Club in 2008.

Calling Australia Day volunteers

Each year, Australia Day events in the city are delivered with the assistance of over a hundred volunteers who give up their time to ensure others have a great day and find their way around Sydney.

You will be helping us co-ordinate Australia Day activities by managing information booths in the city, giving directions, recommending events and providing advice. If this sounds like you, please send your details through on AustraliaDay@dpc.nsw.gov.au

2008 Australia Day Surfboard Challenge

It is with much sadness that we report that the Australia Day Surfboard Challenge has been withdrawn from the Sydney event program for Australia Day 2008.

This spectacular event which took place each morning on Sydney Harbour each Australia Day since 2003 no longer has a sponsor. Significant efforts to find a replacement sponsor were made but nothing was able to be confirmed within the necessary timeframe or funding for planning to commence.

The Australia Day Surfboard Challenge requires significant budget and resources to deliver a fun and safe event. The Australia Day Council of NSW runs a substantial event program on Sydney Harbour and in the CBD on Australia Day but without a confirmed corporate partner was not in a position to fund the Australia Day Surfboard Challenge.

The Australia Day Council of NSW is committed to seeking funding for the event in 2009. It has been a highlight of the Australia Day harbour program since it commenced and we will be working towards it returning as a highlight of Australia Day in 2009.

Should you have any questions or suggestions for the event, we would be pleased to speak with you directly. Please contact us via email at AustraliaDay@dpc.nsw.gov.au 

Who the bloody hell are we?

Certain historical events such as Gallipoli may have forged the identity of the nation, but as Australia’s cultural mix continues to grow, it has become increasingly difficult to identify with any certainty what it means to be Australian.

Now a University of Western Sydney study aims to cut through familiar stereotypes to provide a more accurate picture of who we really are.

All Australians of high school age and above are asked to complete the anonymous survey which can be found online at www.aussiehaveyoursay.com

Professor Rhonda Craven from the Centre for Educational Research at the University of Western Sydney will conduct a nationwide study to provide some real answers about what it means to be an Aussie today.

“There is no one homogenous Australian identity. We all come from different backgrounds and all those collective experiences help to shape our identity as a nation,” Professor Craven says.

“The goal is to create knowledge about contemporary Australian’s conceptions of national identity. We want to make sure every Australian has the opportunity to have a voice in defining who they are,” Professor Craven says.

Get online and have your say about what it means to be Australian.

26 seconds with ... Judy Nunn and Bruce Venables

 What is your favourite Australia Day Memory?

Judy: The very real people and town of Tommingley, population 29. It was 40 degrees Celsius and 27 citizens were present at the Australia Day Ceremony when apologies arrived and were offered from the missing two; a father and son who were caught up in the process of sheep-dipping.

After the ceremony games were held in the paddock behind the pub; a dummy spitting competion for the ladies and Blundstone boot throwing for the men. Hard times but happy faces. A struggling country town - a brave community and a lesson to us all in survival.

Bruce: 1997, my first Australia Day as an Ambassador. Six o'clock in the morning, couldn't sleep, standing in the deserted main street of Gilgandra. Heard the clip clop of horses hooves. Over a rise, on horseback came three very, very old men in Lighthorse Brigade uniform, their saddle leathers Sam Browne belts and bandoliers gleaming, with 303 rifles and regimental cockades in their slouch hats and stirrup-cupped lances flying Australian flags. They passed within six feet of me and continued on to where the Australia Day Ceremony would commence at 7 o'clock. I was overwhelmed by the rush of patriotic pride brought on by those dignified old soldiers. It was one of the most profound moments in my life and will remain in my memory forever.