Australia Day, 2008, and with beautiful weather everyone seemed to be heading for the beach. After spending quite a lot of time looking for a parking spot I finally jumped into a space quite close to where I wanted to be and a few minutes later I was taking photographs of a small Surf Carnival at North Cronulla Beach.....
.....before heading off to the adjoining beaches....
.....where surfers were taking advantage of the good surf rolling in.
Meanwhile back at the Carnival, the Girls under 14 surfboard event was underway...
...where some knew that winning feeling (and a member of my husband's old surf club at that) ....
...and others had to start all over again.
The old wooden surfboats have now been replaced by the modern inflatable rescue craft but they still have to be hauled from the beach up to the clubhouse boatshed which takes a lot of effort since recent storms removed a lot of the sand from the beach.
Others were relaxing and enjoying the sunshine and water.
While others enjoyed the water but had to hang on tight as the surf washed over them..
Back in the Park alongside Cronulla Beach, the days entertainment was getting underway - I hate to think what those cameras and lighting cost !
Some people had arrived early to get a spot in the shade....
while others - part of the entertainment - got all hot and bothered. Who needs chopped wood when the temperatures are around 30c !
This young chap came well prepared with his cool box for the beer and his Aussie clothing but all the good spots had been taken.
One of the local Musical Societies put on a show of all their Show Stopper numbers.....
....and one of my daughter's friends gave us a taste of their next production, The Boy From Oz which will be a World Amateur Premiere.
...and wherever you looked you could see the Australian Flag being waved by people in the streets and parks, hanging from balconies, flown on the flagstaffs.....and even plastered all over cars and trucks.
The festivities continued well into the night and ended with a fireworks display but by the time these were fired off I was at home in bed nursing my sunburn......I had forgotten to take my hat and suncream with me !
