Today commemorates the day a British fleet of 11 sailing ships landed in Sydney Cove in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) in 1788 under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip to establish a penal colony.
It is considered to be the day of the foundation of modern Australia.
But it’s a controversial date.
Many find it difficult to celebrate when the people already living here, for at least 65,000 years, witnessed the start of the dispossession of their land and were subsequently treated in the most appalling ways…..even to this day.
Debate continues on what would be a more suitable and uniting day for the country.
Currently there seems little agreement.
For me it would be the date of the declaration of an Australian republic but that looks to be well into the future.
The co driver and I do not participate in any related activities today.
