Citizenship Ceremony

Before we left  Australia last February, we were both awarded citizenship but still had  to have the ceremony before we could vote or  get an Australian passport.  We had to have this within the year so we arranged to have it in WA when we got back.

I had always fantasized that we would have our ceremony in Sydney, possibly on Australia Day, possibly with the Prime Minister and the Governor General present!    A helicopter would fly over trailing the Aussie flag and a band would be playing 'Waltzing Matilda'.







We would  then spend the day with friends on the Harbour drinking champagne whilst watching an amazing firework display on the Harbour Bridge with the Opera House in the background.  I didn’t even mind if Leo Sayer was singing again!

We, in fact, ended up having it in the Council Chambers  at the office of the Shire of Morawa last Thursday  after the council meeting!

Not quite what I’d planned but, have to say, it turned out to be a cracking little ceremony.  Mel, Darren and the kids came and another  family were being ‘done’ at the same time which made it even more special.  We pledged our allegiance to Australia, sang Advance Australia Fair and were given a beautiful certificate and a native Australian plant which Mel and Darren have promised to keep alive until we're back in Australia with a home of our own!

We then adjourned to the Morawa Hotel for a traditional Aussie meal of Chicken Parmi and a glass of Emu Export!