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<pre>Best wishes to all for 2001. May it be happy and healthy for you and may
you have a good harvest.

Following on from Jamal's message list of Islamic Holidays which I
appreciated very much, I thought Olive Growers in other countries may be
interested in an important date for Australia.

January 1 2001

This day was the 100th Birthday of Australia as a Nation. It was on that
day that a proclamation issued by Queen Victoria was signed in Sydney, by
representatives of the separate Colonies, which are now known as States.
This came about after long and difficult negotiations and more than one
referendum. Apparently the only country to be formed by the vote of the
people. To mark this Centenary of Federation there will be many activities
throughout the country all year.

It began in Sydney with a re-enactment of the signing on the exact place in
Centennial Park. This was followed by five minutes of bell ringing
(simultaneously across the country, from large church bells to small hand
held bells, in public places and in homes), a Street Parade depicting all
aspects of Australia's past and current life, and a Commemoration Concert.
The concert outlined Australia's last 100 years and the diversity of its
multicultural population.

The Colonies had been formed at different times and under different
circumstances (some were convict settlements, others were not). Over the
years most, but not all, of these differences have been eliminated. A
couple of remaining differences are some road rules and the description of
honey - yes there are six different ones! We all vote the same way and,
with apologies to Americans, with the same technology - pencil and paper!
Women were granted the vote in South Australia in 1902 and other States soon
followed.

Happy Centenary Australia!


Liane Heinke
Hunter Valley, NSW
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