Welcome to The Australian Festival's Quarterly e-NEWS -  Winter Edition 2006
10th Annual Australian Festival - September 15-17, 2006 in Nashville, TN
www.australianfestival.com - (615) 443-9050

G'Day Mate!

Welcome to our first official quarterly e-news. This edition is for Winter of 2006 and we would like to wish every body a happy and prosperous year ahead.  Our e-NEWS is provided to keep you up to date with our upcoming 10th Annual Australian Festival and also any major Aussie news here in Tennessee as we head towards September!. If you have any questions related to the articles in this e-NEWS - or would like to see a topic in the next edition please contact director@australianfestival.com .

With the weather being cold (and snowy) in Tennessee there is no better time to think about that dream trip to the land down under. (The warm land down under!). Be sure to keep Southern Cross Travel and Tours in mind when planning that dream trip. They are the official travel agents of the Australian Festival and can help you plan every detail.  You can check them out online at www.southerncrosstravelonline.com - and of course be sure to visit their travel booth at the 2006 Australian Festival!

We thank you for your support over the last 10 years and we look forward to seeing you in Nashville in September! 

1.     Australia Day - A Celebration Since 1788... - Click Here

2.     G'Day Mates Visits Abintra Montessori School... - Click Here

3.     Celebrate the Land Down Under at the 10th Annual Australian Festival... - Click Here

Australia Day - A Celebration Since 1788....
January 15, 2006
Australia Day celebrates the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip unfurling the British flag at Sydney Cove and proclaiming British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia on 26 January 1788. The quest for the celebration of a united Australian national day commenced within a few short years of the First Fleet landing and subsequent white settlement on this island continent. [History of Australia Day]

Hey Mates - coming by for quick G'Day - impress your friends with some Aussie Slang - Click Here  

Back to Articles Index

G'Day Mates Visits Abintra Montessori School
January 12, 2006
G'Day Mates program kicked off the 2006 calendar year with a visit to the Abintra Montessori School, whose attractive campus is located on 10 wooded acres in West Nashville, Tennessee. Grades 1, 2 & 3 were studying Australia in December 2005 and January 2006 so a visit from the gang at G'Day Mates was definitely in order.

Pru Clearwater, Tom Mason, Peter Beare, and Vicki Payne from G'Day Mates and the Australian Festival made the visit with our friends at Abintra. The visit commenced with Pru and Peter introducing Australia, and in particular the amazing indigenous animals from Down Under. To the students' credit, each had a favorite animal (or two) and could not only name the animal but explain why it was their favorite. As part of the G'Day Mates visit, the classroom was provide with a coloring book of Australian Animals and some stencils which would be used in art class. Pru and Tom then broke into song with some Aussie bush favorites (new and old) as the children joined in. 

Next in the Aussie curriculum was a case study on Kangaroos and their overall habits and habitat, which was received with hopping enthusiasm by the students. Pru then ignited the artist and musician in each student with a talk on aboriginal instruments, including the didgeridoo. The children (and teachers alike) were mesmerized by the sounds of the didgeridoo (and also the design and color of the instrument) and also the fact that it is one of the oldest instruments in the world. In November, the didgeridoo made it to the Tennessee state capitol -- and now to a class room in West Nashville! It makes sense that a didgeridoo is a part of the landscape in Music City USA!

A rousing chorus of Waltzing Matilda finished out the exciting G'Day Mates visit. We would like to thank the Abintra Montessori School for welcoming the G'Day Mates program. For a photo recap of the visit - Click Here.

For more details on the G'Day Mates program please check our G'Day Mates Page.

Back to Articles Index

Celebrate the Land Down Under at the 10th Annual Australian Festival
January 5, 2006
It gives me tremendous pleasure in presenting the 10^th Annual Australian Festival, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee on September 15-17, 2006 at Centennial Park. The Australian Festival was founded in 1997 with a commitment to Australian authenticity that has been matched with quality and detail. Over 50,000 patrons have attended the festival since its inception, enjoying features that include education, animals, entertainment, commerce, art, and sports in a highly participatory environment.

In celebration of our 10^th anniversary in 2006, we are expecting 500 Australian participants, including more than 25 Australian musical acts, 100 business and government representatives, 50 Australian & New Zealand trade products and services, and upwards of 200 athletes to compete in Australian football, netball, and cricket. Highlighting the festival will be our Kids Down Under area, which will focus on educating and entertaining patrons about the amazing animals from the land down under.

New to 2006 will be “Down Under Market Place”, which will be the center of product promotion, demonstrations, and expert seminars, and will highlight the business opportunities that exist between Tennessee and Australia. We are also excited to announce the “Australian Music Festival”, which will be held on Saturday evening, featuring music and entertainment on two major stages.

Festival Week will kick off on Thursday, September 14, 2006 with the Australian Business Forum focusing on export, import, and the music industry. Following the business forum, the Gum Trees Gala will hold a very special 10 year celebration. Friday, September 15, 2006 will commence with the G’Day Mates Schools Program, followed by our Down Under Trade Show. Then… Centennial Park will become “Official Australian Soil” as we open the Australian Festival for a weekend of celebration!

We look forward to you joining us for this historic 10^th anniversary here in Nashville, Tennessee!

Cheers & G’Day,

Peter J. Beare, Festival Founder & Director  

Back to Articles Index

"The Australian Festival consists of 8 key areas - Kids Down Under, Music Down Under, Down Under Market Place, Australian Expo, Australian Pavilion, Sports Down Under, G’Day Café & Jackaroos Pub. The festival features Australian music, animals, merchandise, food & drink, sports, games, events, clinics & demonstrations, workshops, and concerts..."  

It all started in 1997, when a social crew of Australian Football fans joined forces with an enthusiastic group that had started playing in the Nashville area. They held the first official Australian Festival celebration with a game of Australian  Football at Elmington Park followed by a BBQ then the Grand Final Party at the Sportsman's Grille in Hillsboro Village. (The "Grand Final" - watched by the revelers via a live telecast - is the Australian Football Leagues Championship game, ala the American Super Bowl)... [ Festival History - Click Here ]