The milestone is thought to have been achieved about 9.32pm and 58 seconds (AEST) today, according to an online clock operated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that estimates the country's resident population.
The estimate calculates an increase of one person every one minute and 45 seconds by averaging one birth every one minute, 56 seconds; one death every three minutes, 59 seconds; and a net gain of one international migrant every three minutes and 15 seconds.
Australia's population passed the 20 million mark in December 2003, according to ABS data.
It was not immediately clear who was the 21 millionth Australian - a baby or a migrant - or where they might be.
.....................but WE know who they are, don't we!?
G'day to our good friends Downunder, Jon and Lin Price - Australia's newest citizens!!
Just in case you are having a rough day, here's a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological journals - the strange thing is that it really does work and I promise it will make you smile.
1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.
2. Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water.
3. Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air.
4. No one knows your secret place.
5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world.
6. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
7. The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater.
See? It really does work. You're smiling already.
..........and Andrew keeps telling me I don't have enough to occupy my time!!!
TERENCE SHRIMP - An East End boy whose success as a photographer has taken him into the most fashionable social circles.
MARTIN X - A reclusive political rights campaigner from
MARY-JANE FAITHLESS - Formerly the lover of Lord Jagged, now known as a pop star in her own right.
OLIVER STEED - Actor, raconteur and hell-raiser: larger than life and twice as loud
Wiggy and Oliver Steed
Wiggy, Charlie Bunson, Kitty Killer, Babs Crayfish, Terence Shrimp, Tamara Fara-Bucktooth, Mary Jane Faithless and Brian Sewer (kneeling)
The
That’s all because in the Southern Hemisphere, winter takes place in the months of June, July and August; December — and Christmas — occur in the summer.
In a country where Christmas takes place in the summer, it seemed only a matter of time before people started enjoying the spirit and the trappings of Christmas in the middle of the Australian year — which is when it's winter in Australia.
Rumour has it that it all began only in 1980 when a group of Irish visitors, visiting the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney during the Australian winter, saw snowflakes dancing in the wind, and felt celebrating Christmas in the summer didn't quite feel the same.
So was born Christmas in July — with Christmas decorations, snowmen, carols, roast dinners of turkey, ham and mince pies with plum pudding, and yes! Snow too!
Oh and for the rest of us enjoying the (wet ‘n windy) June in England, its only 186 days to our Christmas or 16,070,400 seconds or 267,840 minutes or 4464 hours or simply around 26 weeks!!
................isn't it just amazing how interesting a pile of pebbles can be!
It’s not really been a ‘good news’ day today.
Clare had an appointment at
She has what they call a ‘Ductal carcinoma in situ’ or simply for short DCIS; it’s a cancerous situation of course and in Clare’s case it’s considered ‘High Grade’ which obviously carries more risk.
We talked to her a couple of times since this morning and naturally we’re all very concerned but after the initial shock had worn off, she seems very positive. She’s had explained what the condition is and how it can be treated – I also found this very helpful website which explains the issues more fully for us as well.
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Breast/DCISLCIS/DCIS
Clare will be admitted into
Coincidentally she, John and the boys are coming down on Friday this week to see Andrew, Sue and the kids before they go back to
Like most of the East Coast of NSW, Sydney has been experiencing some rather wild weather these past few days with high winds and major flooding especially in the Central Coast area , north of Sydney including Newcastle and the Hunter Valley where some major flooding has taken place.WILD weather wreaked havoc across the peninsula yesterday as high winds forced ferry cancellations, ripped roofs off homes, brought down trees and rain flooded roads.
As the weather bureau predicted more of the same for today, electricity was cut as trees brought down wires, traffic was disrupted and emergency volunteers worked all day clearing up the damage.
At Newport a roof torn from a house landed on Barrenjoey Rd yesterday afternoon.
The weather bureau issued a gale warning as winds gusting at up to 100km/h hit the peninsula and 3-5m seas on a 3-4m swell slammed beaches.
At 2pm yesterday the Manly Hydraulics Laboratory's Waverider buoy off Sydney registered wave heights of nearly 12m.
The big seas eroded vast quantities of sand from many beaches but did not stop a number of hardy - or foolhardy - surfers.
