oztraylya day...

 Australia Day 2012 - Cobargo School of Arts Hall

Cobargo was the first town in the Bega Valley to hold Australia Day celebrations and remains per capita the largest Oz day crowd in the Shire... I suspect this is mostly because we (the good townsfolk) have a different take on what Oz day means:- In a small town it's less about celebrating the 1788 landing of the First Fleet in Botany Bay and of distanced (and potentially problematic) nationalism, rather, it's a chance to acknowledge the contribution of a few special people whose gift of time and energy keeps our community vibrant and viable. Cobargo's Oz day celebration is organised by the town's branch of the CWA, and the highlight of the day is always the announcement of 'Citizen of the Year' (you've got to be there - its an award that draws FAR more attention than any old Oscars...)  Both of my parents have previously been awarded 'Citizen of the Year' - and this year our kidlet's godmother, Helen Schaefer, received the honour. (Yay Helen! what a deserving recipient! and proof positive that you don't need to be born into a community to be considered one of its leading lights...)

So I decided to hold a BIG ozzie barbie - and invited a whole mess of folk to 'come on down to the creek!'

while the kids ran through the sprinkler

(it has been a hot day)

I was cooking up a storm - 

BBQ marinated lamb and snags (you've got to have sausages on the barbie for oz day...)

rice paper vegie rolls, carrot and cheese triangles, mounds of salads, 

and of course

pavlova....

its been a yummy day all around really...

.....