Hundreds of residents and visitors flocked to the Copacabana waterfront on Australia Day despite temperatures of up to 37 degrees.
The Australia Day flag raising ceremony, conducted by the Navy Veterans’ Welfare Association, commenced at 10am with the unfolding of the national flag by eight Copacabana residents.
“As the flag slowly unfolded we were reminded of how our beautiful country has grown to such a successful nation with the echoing words ‘we are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come, We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice – I am, you are, we are Australian’,” spokesperson Roque Hammal said.
“The flag was paraded around the green to the music of Waltzing Matilda and the National Anthem was played as the flag was raised to the top of the mast.”
The Association gave away more than 300 small Aussie icon koalas, kangaroos and 150 small Australian flags on the day and there was free ice cream for younger Australians.
Plenty of family photos were taken with a kangaroo wearing an Aussie flag.
“On the day a number of nationalities were represented but we are all Australian, which was reflected in the smiles and the fun day that was had by all,” Hammal said.