Australia Day

Australia Day is just around the corner and above all else, it should be a day of coming together as a nation and celebrating our differences.

Mater Foundation is privileged to enjoy a team of dedicated staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds—it is these devoted and enthusiastic individuals that together, along with our wonderful supporters, help raise funds to provide exceptional health care and life-saving research and education.

Sisters of Mercy founder Catherine McAuley opened the first Mater Private Hospital in Brisbane in 1906 to provide community health care, indiscriminately; and we are proud to offer the same mission with the same values today.

So what will you do to celebrate our nation this year?

Mater Prize Home lottery No. 269 is located a stone’s throw away from some sun-soaked parks on the water’s edge; so we thought if you didn’t have any other plans, we’d give you some hot tips on the best park party to throw!

What to wear?

This is where the fun begins! Should you choose to ask your guests to come dressed in appropriate Aussie attire, we’ve got some suggestions to help. You could go the usual ‘ocker’ outfits; but think outside the box this year and try something new!

Aussie celebrities

Get into the spirit and ask your guests to come dressed as their favourite Australian celebrity. Whether it’s a sporting icon, a television or movie star, an admired politician or someone who should be celebrated more often; the options are endless.

What Australia means to you

Ask guests to come dressed as what Australia means to them. Let their imaginations run wild!

Everyone loves a barbecue on Australia Day. A lot of parks throughout Australia provide free barbecues that we should make the most of! Sausages, lamb, prawns and steaks usually don’t last long off the hotplate, so get cooking.

Indulge in traditional bush tucker

For tens of thousands of years, Aboriginal people cultivated the land to produce a thriving food culture. It is estimated there are up to 5,000 native food species that were utilised by the Aboriginal people and fortunately we have seen a revival of this delicious fare. If you’d like to indulge in some traditional bush tucker this Australia Day, you will find countless recipes to create. Check out Flavours of the Coast, native Australian recipes from SBS or Outback Chef.

Games

Let the games begin. A day in the park celebrating our nation is not complete without some fun-filled games to bring our friends, and communities, together. Stumped for ideas?

–      Backyard cricket – this needs no explanation!

–      Thong throwing – throw the thong the furthest distance and win.

–      Eating competition – just how quickly can you eat a sausage on bread?

–      Aussie trivia – come up with your own list of Australian related questions to find out who knows the most. Need inspiration?

Be sun smart

We aren’t called the sunburnt country for nothing! Make sure you slip slop slap this Australia Day. Pick a park with shade or take plenty of umbrellas, grab your family sized bottle of sunscreen and share it around, and don’t forget your hat!

Enjoy

Take a moment this Australia Day to reflect and encourage your guests to speak about what being an Australian, in 2016, means to them. Get to know your neighbours, be kind to strangers and enjoy celebrating one of the greatest countries in the world.