Why does Australia rock? Beer, beaches, barbecues and sun have something to do with it: mateship and lifestyle seal the deal!

Why is it so great to be an Aussie? What makes Australia the best country on Earth? The Cairns Post asked our readers to share their reasons at facebook.com/CairnsComAu.

Happy Australia Day!

Australia Day wordcloud by Adelaide Now's Jamie Seidel

I am 10,000 miles from Scotland, and, despite my best efforts, have failed to find a haggis anywhere in Queensland.

So instead I raise a vicarious toast to Rabbie’s immortal memory and wish Scots everywhere a Happy Burns Night: slàinte!

Midnight update: I couldnae find any haggis, but managed an alternative supper featuring smoked salmon on oatcakes, cullen skink soup and rasberries on shortbread, all washed down with whisky and Irn-Bru! Too hot for the kilt, but not fae Scottish soup!

Haggis free Burns Night chez Simon McCrerar

http://crerar.me/CullenSkink

I saw loads of wonderful shorts. My highlight was Brick Novax’s Diary, whereby penniless former international super legend Brick (with only weeks to live), records his amazing tales as an astronaut, movie star, corporate CEO, and famous musician to preserve his legacy as the coolest guy in the history of the universe.

As well as Flickerfest I drank deep from the cultural cup over the opening weekend of the Sydney Festival, enjoying Sir Norman Jay, Gurrumul and Manu Chao at the Festival First Night in the Domain, plus Brook Andrew’s Travelling Colony,  the Barefoot Divas and I Am Eora at Black Capital in Redfern’s Carriageworks.

And, being in Sydney, I wasn’t going to miss Bronte and Tamarama, the Royal Botanical Gardens and a few languid laps of Andrew Boy Charlton Pool. Plus Picasso at the Art Gallery of NSW, House at the Museum of Sydney and Mapping Antarctica at the Mitchell Library.

Mental stimulation of the highest order for this poor, starved Far North Queensland culture vulture.

If there’s a prettier city in the world than Sydney, I’ve yet to see it.

Australia’s sole king rules a rich, fertile land of 158 sq km bounded by turquoise seas and white sand beaches dotted with palm trees. Honouring the past, embracing the future, he’s a very 21st century king. Read my article and take a tour of the kingdom via Holden Ute: http://crerar.me/TheTradieKing

Amangalla’s perfect blend of incredible history and impeccable service makes it our favourite of all hotels. We are eternally grateful to Olivia and her wonderful staff for the stunning show they put on.

If you visited Ayubowan.asia or read any of our regular countdown emails you’ll already have had some insight into how special Sri Lanka is.

Nestling like a jewel beneath the subcontinent in the dazzlingly aquamarine Indian Ocean, this lush and ancient island boasts a tropical climate, beautiful white sand beaches, wonderful wildlife and an incredible cuisine.

Our wedding ceremony fused Sri Lankan tradition with Western influences and we are eternally grateful to Henri for the brilliant job she did jollying us through and conveying the magic of this special island of Serendip on such a special day for us.

My stag do cricket match was about as ad hoc game of sport as Galle has ever seen, but with the band, scorer, commentator and crowd looking on from the ramparts I certainly enjoyed myself enormously.

Zoe organized a truly wonderful ladies afternoon at Why Beach.  Rachelle managed to get pretty much all of the Mr & Mrs answers right so I won’t hold it against her that she got the year we met wrong: the last nearly four years have been such a whirlwind of London, around-the-world, After the Apple and Far North Queensland adventures it’s been hard to keep up.

In my speech earlier I particularly wanted to remember my dear Grandmother Aline, age 94, who said she feared she would be leaving Sri Lanka in a coffin if she ventured this far form the safety of home: and wouldn’t be tempted even when I said I’d pay for the coffin!

More photos to follow asap…

Anyways, has been fantastic to spend a few days with my most cherished parents and siblings, plus their perfect partners and offspring.

Roll on the next family reunion, and until then, we’ll always have Skye House: check out the snaps!

Pictures over on Facebook

Read my column at The Punch:http://crerar.me/NoisyNeighbours

But as The Australian launches its “freemium” website, I’m confident journalism has an exciting future in the digital age.

Read this week’s Weekend Post column: http://crerar.me/Paying4News

Originally called by the Canadian-based anti-consumerist group Adbusters, the Occupy movement lacks the clear message of protests in the Middle East.

Among other things, participants are angry about perceived economic inequality, corporate greed and the pervasive influence of lobbyists on the US political process.

But as copycat demonstrations spread to more than 100 cities, the Occupy movement is hitting newspaper front pages and TV bulletins around the world.

Read my column in the Weekend Post