GOOD ON YA

HOW WE CELEBRATED AUSTRALIA DAY

WET weather wasn’t enough to deter people from stepping outside to celebrate Australia Day with a traditional barbecue, backyard cricket and fun by the sea.

Hundreds of people converged at the Cairns Esplanade and Palm Cove yesterday for a free barbecue breakfast and a range of activities thanks to Cairns Regional Council.

Smithfield resident Moira Beal said celebrating Australia Day on the Cairns Esplanade was a family tradition.

Arriving at 8.30am, she said no amount of rain was going to keep her away. “We had a ball,” she said. “It was wonderful, the kids got muddy and wet and were sliding around the grass then would wash off and jump in the pool.

“If anything we were quite surprised about the amount of people there.

“It was fantastic and the rain was a bonus I must admit.”

Surf Life Saving Queensland regional director Rob Davidson fired up the barbecue on the Esplanade yesterday, cooking a traditional bacon and egg breakfast for locals with the Cairns Surf Life Saving Club team.

“From about 7am people were lined up and the line didn’t stop,” he said.

“Those who came out had a great time.”

With backyard sports the focus of the Cairns Esplanade event, members of the Northern Pride rugby league club ran activities with the kids as well as the Cairns Taipans, AFL Cairns, cricket and soccer.

Palm Cove also came to life with live music, kids’ entertainment, art and craft activities, stalls, face painting and native wildlife from Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.

Residents and visitors alike enjoyed the northern beaches instalment presented in partnership with Tourism Palm Cove.

Megan Davis said her family had a fantastic morning celebrating Australia Day at Palm Cove for the first time yesterday.

“We live in Sydney and we have a house at Palm Cove that we rent out, but we come up and stay every year,” she said.

“It’s such a beautiful part of the world.

“It was lovely, we enjoyed it very much.

“We went down to the beach and had some breakfast then we watched the dances and went for a swim.”

PATRIOTIC: Brianna Mayne, 15, and Havana Cheethan, 16. enjoy Australia Day at Palm Cove.

FLYING THE FLAG: Kellie Niddrie and Karen Heath celebrate at Palm Cove.

BREAD LINE: Joel, Nathanael and Josiah Davidson tuck into the free food on the Esplanade.

DRINK BREAK: Alisha Shigeta, 6. has fun at the Esplanade.

TUNED IN: Jarra Sutherland, 12, playing with The Geckos at Palm Cove.

COLOUR: Ella Maher, 5, kept her face painting dry on the Esplanade.