Welcome to the new and revamped Australia Day eNewsletter. We hope you find this helpful and pass it onto your family and friends. Encourage your friends to visit the Australia Day website and subscribe to the Australia Day eNewsletter.

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New Look Australia Day Website

www.australiaday.com.au has been overhauled, re-shaped and revamped to make it easier to find information that you are looking for.

The new site has more information about events in Sydney City, on Sydney Harbour and events in local areas across New South Wales.

The site has many new features, including a search function in the What's On section that allows you to search by event type or location.

If you're unsure as to what to see or do this Australia Day in the CBD or on Sydney Harbour, download the Event Schedule. This will provide you with an overview of events taking place in each location.

For those that do know what they want to see and do, build your own Australia Day Guide and share it with your family and friends. You can do this by simply adding events to your Guide each time you go into an event to read what it is all about. This is a great way to make sure that you meet up with family and friends on Australia Day.

Congratulations to Layne Beachley!

The Australia Day Council of NSW would like to congratulate Australia Day Surfboard Challenge event patron, Layne Beachley, who has won her 7th World Title.

"It’s surreal, absolutely surreal. It’s just been such an amazing journey this year. Not having to actually fight for it, but almost just having it given to me. It’s one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had, it’s probably one of the most rewarding and satisfying World Titles I’ve ever won!", she said.

Layne will be taking part in the 2007 Australia Day Surfboard Challenge, so make sure you get your entry in before January 17 and paddle alongside an Australian champoin!

Entries are now open!

2007 will be the 5th year of the Australia Day Surfboard Challenge, so get a group of friends together and enter.

This year there will again be 2 courses – the 3.5km Australia Day Surfboard Challenge and the 2km Short Cut. Both courses provide competitors with the unique opportunity to paddle across Sydney Harbour under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Entry is $30 to be part of this unique Australia Day experience. Enter the 3.5km course to be in the paddle for over $15,000 in cash and prizes. Enter online or download your entry form.  

Year of the Surf Lifesaver

2007 will be the Year of the Surf Lifesaver and the 100th anniversary of the Surf Lifesaving Association. To commemorate this special occasion up to 300 nippers will be taking part in the 2km Short Cut course. Contact your local SLSA if you know a little nipper that is eager to be part of this event.

NSW Winners for the Australian of the Year Awards

The New South Wales winners of the Australian of the Year Awards have been announced in the following categories:

Dr Tim Flannery, Australian of the Year
Bernie Banton, Senior Australian of the Year
Iktimal Hage-Ali, Young Australian of the Year
Michael Stringer - Local Hero Metro
Len Wallace - Local Hero Regional

These inspiring Aussies will now contest the national award which will be announced on 25 January 2005 in Canberra. For further information or to read their stories, please visit www.australianoftheyear.gov.au

Australia, the friendly nation

A recent article in B&T (22 Nov 06) said that Australia has once again been picked as the world's number 1 holiday destination and contines to be considered one of the friendliest countries.

"To the rest of the world, Aussies appear to be seen as friendly, hardworking, trustworthy and honest" said the article.

The friendliness of our nation is at its best on Australia Day. Have your say on our friendly nation and how you'll be celebrating Australia Day.

Australia Day Lunch

For over 20 years, the Australia Day Lunch has brought together the business community in Sydney. Book your table today and start the year with true Aussie Spirit!

The Australia Day Lunch provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate our achievements as a nation. 

We invite you to join us. The Australia Day Lunch is proudly sponsored by Australia Post.

Australia Day Corporate Club

Members of our Corporate Club certainly do enjoy celebrating Australia Day all year round. Not only did over 85% of our members renew in 2007, we also grew, with the following new members:

* Foxtel (Gold)
* Austcorp (Bronze)
* Cabcharge (Bronze)
* Hawker Britton (Bronze)
* Macquarie Generation (Bronze)
* SPOS (Bronze)

Find out more about the Australia Day Corporate Club. Join Now.

Having Fun

The new Australia Day website has lots of fun & free stuff such as activity sheets for the kids, online trivia to test your knowledge of all things Australian and downloads such as screen savers.

Keep an eye out for the ultra cool Betty Lingo ringtones that are coming soon for you to download.

Look Up and Smile

This year a satellite sweep will show the rest of the world how Aussies celebrate their national day - put yourself in the picture by participating in Look Up and Smile. Further information will be available in the next newsletter or visit www.australiaday.com.au regularly to find out more.

26 seconds with ..... Anna Choy

Spend 26 seconds with Australia Day Ambassador, Anna Choy.

What's your favourite Australia Day memory?
Back in my first year as an ambassador to Narromine and Gilgandra, I was asked to judge a scone-making competition. Yup, that was tough - not!

And last year in Bingara, I was one of the Gwydir Idol judges - what a talented all-singing, all-dancing, warm-welcoming community...

Or maybe my favourite memory is from Forbes when I sat atop an old-fashioned stage coach in a street parade and waved at everyone down the main street - you know, a 'royal' wave, although I don't think The Queen would have grinned quite so much...

Or there was the time... Nope, sorry, but I couldn't pick just one favourite Australia Day memory!

Who is the most interesting person you've ever met & why?
I recently met Rachael Kohn, ABC Radio National presenter and producer of 'The Spirit of Things'.

I really admire Rachael's ability to communicate the intangible. To me, being an Australia Day Ambassador is a lot about finding words for feelings. Because the things that I most love about Australia - our history, our people and our values - aren't material things you can easily point to, or slap a 'Made In Australia' sticker on.

How will you be celebrating Australia Day this year?
This year I'll be spending Australia Day with my mum and the people of Cowra. 2007 will be my sixth year as an Australia Day Ambassador and every community I've been lucky enough to visit so far has celebrated differently. Mum and I never really know what to expect - but that's half the fun.