Click here for the words to the Australian National Anthem: http://www.imagesaustralia.com/australiannationalanthem.htm and click here for some history about the composer http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/nat_anthem.html.
One of my favourite Aussie songs is Waltzing Matilda.
Click here for the words and to hear the tune:
http://www.imagesaustralia.com/waltzingmatilda.htm
For a different take of the song give the instrumental version by Ophelia of the Spirits a listen (found on the soundtrack of the movie Australia).
NOTE: See if you can find the picture book Waltzing Matilda, by A. B. Paterson and illustrated by Desmond Digby, Angus & Robertson, 2000.
Australia Day is January 26th but any time is a good time to learn about a different country. Have some fun exploring the land Down Under with this theme day.
You may also want to learn about Australia as a family if you have a child who loves animals. Over 80% of mammals and reptiles in Australia are unique to the Land Down Under.
We liked to learn about Australia because we have family that live there.
Print out the Family Theme Day Planner and decide which activities you’d like to do and in what order.
"Advance Australia Fair" is the national anthem of Australia. It was written by a Scottish-born composer named Peter Dodds McCormick. It replaced “God Save the Queen” as the official national anthem in 1974, however it was first performed as a patriotic song in Australia in 1878.
The lyrics were updated on 1 January 2021 to recognise the Indigenous Australians. The lyrics are now as follows:
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Australia
Australia has a lot of popular music listened to around the globe. Here are some famous bands you may want to give a listen to on Spotify or your favourite music streaming platform: AC/DC, INXS, Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, Men at Work etc..
A childhood favourite of mine from Girl Guides was the Kookaburra Song. Click here for the words and to hear it:
SONGS:
MUSIC:
Take out a globe or atlas or go online (Google maps) to show your child where Australia is and compare it to where you live.
Officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, it is the sixth-largest country in the world. Australia consists of the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a variety of landscapes and climates, including deserts and tropical rainforests. It has a population of more than 28 million.
Australia’s name is is derived from the Latin Terra Australis ('southern land'), a name used for a hypothetical continent in the Southern Hemisphere since ancient times.
Photo: CW
THE DIDGERIDOO
You could can also listen to some Australian Indigenous music that features the unique instrument the didgeridoo.
The didgeridoo (also spelt didjeridu) is a wind instrument. It is a cylindrical instrument that can measure between 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 feet) long. The didgeridoo is played with vibrating lips to create a continuous sound using circular breathing whish is a special breathing technique. It was developed by the Aboriginal peoples of Northern Australia at least 1,000 years ago.
Photo: CW
INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION
The AUstralian Flag
and the National Crest