Australia Day (which is different to Anzac Day) is one of the interesting facts about Australia. It is the official national day of Australia, celebrated every year on January 26, commemorating the arrival of the first British colonial fleet in Sydney in 1788. If you have never seen the flag of Australia before (really?), well keep your eyes wide open, there is a slight chance you might see it everywhere on that day. You may see the Australian Aboriginal flag as well, as Australia Day is also known as Invasion Day for a lot of Indigenous Australians. Although Australian news promote thousands of activities and events celebrating this part of Australia's history, Australia Day seems to just be an Australian public holiday for a large part of the population. We have noticed that celebrations are not as significant as those of Bastille Day (French National Day) or Quebec's National Holiday for example. We did not see any fireworks on the Sunshine Coast but a true barbecue festival instead (a lot of specials on meat!). It seems that having a BBQ Party is part of the Australian culture to celebrate the nation.

What do you think about Australia Day? Do you celebrate Australia Day? How? Why do you celebrate Australia Day? Would you say attending an Australia Day event is an important thing to do in Australia? Let us know in the comments below!

The Gold Coast extends over several dozens of kilometres south of Brisbane. It is still part of Queensland. The town is populated by approximately 600,000 inhabitants, making it the sixth largest city in Australia. Some of them might live here because of the weather. The Gold Coast has a humid subtropical climate with 300 days of sunshine per year and an average annual temperature exceeding 25°C. According to Lonely Planet, it is considered to be "The Mecca of seaside tourism" attracting each year tens of thousands of schoolies. At first sight, the Gold Coast consists of a sad mix of Los Angeles (for its traffic), Las Vegas (for its ostentatious style and theme parks like Wet'n'Wild), Miami Beach (for its architecture) and Cancun (for its fauna and its haute cuisine... not). This is not exactly what we expect to find when coming to Australia. Surfers Paradise district has an appealing name though and… that is pretty much about it. Not too many surfers here but a lot of luxurious and modern buildings, including the Q1 Tower (one of the tallest residential buildings in the world). Actually they should think of changing Surfers Paradise name for Real Estate Paradise. It would certainly be a bit more accurate. The period is quite busy due to summer holidays. Today the Gold Coast is host to Summafieldayze, a huge annual music festival. A line-up of international artists such as Justice, Snoop Dogg, Moby or Erick Morillo performed on stage this afternoon. We have to admit, we are quite impressed. The town also hosts a few different major events throughout the year such as the Gold Coast 600 (a V8 Supercars street circuit carnival), the Gold Coast Airport Marathon and the Quicksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast (a leg of the ASP World Tour). In our opinion, unless you really like the place or unless you have already bought your tickets to attend an event, there is no need to book a hotel or any other kind of accommodation in the Gold Coast. Spend the day if you want, then drive (far away).

Voilà! As the signs at Brisbane Airport say: "Welcome to Australia". Here we are. Our flight to Brisbane just landed. Even if it is only 6 or 7 in the morning, we can already feel the heat from the sun. We have been told that Brisbane has a humid subtropical climate with abundant rainfall. But today the weather is just perfect. It is summertime here in Australia and the temperature is already rising. On our way to the city, which is actually the capital of Queensland, we spot a few tennis players sitting on terrace drinking coffee. There are here for the Brisbane International, a professional tennis tournament part of the ATP World Tour 250 series and of the WTA Premier tournaments. It is held just before the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, the Australian Open. Being the most populated city in the state, we expect to come across a lot of people. Actually it is quite a ghost town on January 1st. A few Christmas lights here and there. Are there all gone to the Gold Coast or what? Among those who managed to get up this morning, mostly families, many find themselves in The Parklands of South Bank situated along the banks of the Brisbane River. Formerly occupied by Indigenous tribes, this green area is now one of the most popular in the city. Its water-play park and sandy beach are reminiscent of certain parts of Miami Beach. Brisbane is not always quiet like it is today. It has played an important role in the Allied supreme military command South West Pacific Area during World War II by serving as headquarters. More recently Brisbane hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games, World Expo 88, the 2001 Goodwill Games and some events during the 1987 Rugby World Cup, 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The city is also a major cultural and tourist centre.