Jan 27
Australia Day 2022
Yesterday, on Australia Day, we took a drive west of Brisbane. It is always refreshing to get out of the city, get our heads out of the business and be real for a few hours. It was an adventure traversing tiny country towns, eating our picnic lunch beside a small dam surrounded by rolling green pasture, watching graceful black swans glide across the smooth water under flocks of white bellied sea eagles freewheeling through the trees on the other side of the dam. It was breathtaking scenery as only Australia can do. 😊
After a few hours of driving and exploring we found ourselves seated at Lake Apex Park in Gatton. Glancing across the water towards the Historical Village, I contemplated what my ancestors would be thinking about Australia Day in 2022. As I silently thanked all those who built the local district and carved out an immigrant community together, I couldn’t help but feel immense sadness for what has befallen our beautiful country since then.
My great great grandparents sailed from England to Australia in 1871. Once processed, they walked, from Brisbane to Gatton. Walked. What took us a little over an hour to drive, took them the better part of eight months. Charles and Maria demonstrated true anzac spirit from the get go and underwent countless sacrifices and hardships to build their lives in this unforgiving penal colony on the other side of the world to everything that they knew and loved. Charles became one of the most well known pioneer agriculturists in Queensland settling in Ma Ma Creek whose thirteen children married, birthed, farmed and continued his work in the distract.
Yesterday, as I watched the wild cockatoos fly across the lake towards the historical buildings in the village, I wondered what Charles and Maria would possibly feel about the Australia I live in today. If they were thinking of emigrating now in 2022, would they choose to come here? Famous for the beauty of our natural wonders, bush, deserts, beaches and mountains, the stewardship of our country, in the hands of questionable governance is at an all time low.
The global press photos of Grace Tame yesterday were quite possibly the most succinct image of our country in 2022. Her barely contained contemptive grimace says it all. Australia is still the penal colony on the other side of the world.
It’s time for us to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and rebuild a country we can finally be proud of.
Nichola Burton is the CEO for The Pushworth Group, the Creative Director for The Manick Label, the Systems Designer for Aquarius™ The Integrated Solution For The Music Industry, Music Business Coach for Music Means Business.
