Australia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundation Day and ANA Day) is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, the hoisting of the British flag there, and the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of New Holland.
This live feed is in Sydney for the 2011 Australia Day celebrations:
Australia Day Sydney Live Feed
Australia Day is an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia, and is marked by the Order of Australia and Australian of the Year awards, along with an address from the Prime Minister.
Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with Governor Lachlan Macquarie having held the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales in 1818. In 2004, an estimated 7.5 million people attended Australia Day celebrations and functions across the country.
The date is seen as controversial by some Australians, particularly Indigenous Australians, who see commemorating the arrival of the First Fleet as celebrating the destruction of the native Aboriginal culture by British colonists. In Sydney the harbour is a focus and races are held, such as a ferry race and the tall ships race.
A major public holiday, Australian National Flag Day, proclaimed in 1996 as a national day, celebrates the first time the flag of Australia was flown on 3 September 1901. All Australians are encouraged to fly or display the Australian flag on this day.
This web cam feed is live on Sydney on Flag Day 2010 so you can see for yourself how many flags are on display!
Sydney Harbour web cam
Location Information:
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is locally nicknamed "The Coat Hanger" because of its arch-based design.
The bridge was designed and built by Dorman Long and Co Ltd, Middlesbrough Teesside and Cleveland Bridge, Darlington, County Durham and opened in 1932. Until 1967 it was the city's tallest structure.[citation needed] According to Guinness World Records, it is the world's widest long-span bridge and it is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres (440 ft) from top to water level.[citation needed] It is also the fifth-longest spanning-arch bridge in the world.
