#AustraliaDay! Here’s the low down on why today’s a national holiday ?

January 26 saw the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Britain and the holiday commemorates commander Captain Arthur Phillip’s raising of the Union Jack at Sydney cove.

Why do Australians have a national holiday on January 26 and how can you celebrate in London?
But Australia Day has become an opportunity for a general celebration of what’s great about Australia and being Australian.

Over half of the country’s 21 million inhabitants celebrate either by going to an organised event in their community or by meeting up with family and friends on the holiday.

Monday’s Google Doodle on the search engine’s Australian site pictured a weeping mother sitting in an ochre desert, dreaming of her children. The doodle was drawn by Ineka Voigt from Canberra High School, who entered it into a competition run by Google Australia to have her drawing placed on the Google Australia homepage.

Ahead of the national day, seven out of eight Australian state and territory leaders have signed a declaration that “Australia should have an Australian head of state”, increasing the demand among some republicans that the monarchy should be abandoned before the Queen’s reign ends.

The debate over the monarchy was reignited last September after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gained power. His office said on Mondaythat his “commitment to Australia having an Australian as head of state is undiminished”.
Australia held a referendum on becoming a republic in 1999.

Australian of the Year

Former Lieutenant-General David Morrison has been named as Australian of the Year by Mr Turnbull. The Prime Minister awarded the Mr Morrison, who is widely known for a video of him ordering army troops to accept women as equals going viral, at a ceremony in Parliament House.

London celebrations

• The capital’s biggest parties claims to be in Belushi’s bars in London Bridge and Shepherds Bush. It claims to be the top bar for London-based Aussies, Belushi’s are putting on events at two of their London bars this year.

• For a bar crawl, head to Shoreditch’s Translate Bar where the Bogan Bar Crawl will begin. There’ll be another bar crawl in Shoreditch on Saturday evening.

• South Londoners can head to the Clapham Grand for Bogan Bingo, typically Australian drinks and partying.

• Or head to the Grand Union in Brixton and for barbie-themed festivities, sizzling sausages and “Australian inspired antics”.

• For the complete Australian experience, head to Fitzrovia’s Jetlag Sportsbar for an early morning showing of the cricket, followed up with a movie marathon.

• While in the West End, there will be a beach party themed night at Bar Rumba and yes, another bar crawl, starting in Zoo Bar. By Agencies.