The Great South Land – Synchroblog

After a very busy weekend I’m running a bit late getting this post published but I figure it’s still out during the Australia Day long weekend.

This post is part of the Christianity In Australia synchroblog which a number of Australian Christians are participating in to celebrate Australia Day.

I don’t really have anything profound to say, it’s more just some musings that I’ve been throwing around in my mind for a while about the spiritual heritage we have here in Australia. I’ve been wondering about the place that a Christian past should have in our future. Maybe you can throw in your ideas.

My concern for some time has been that many people yearn for a former ‘golden age’ of Christianity in Australia which may or may not have ever existed.

Many will be familiar with references to the ‘Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.’ We talk about it, we sing about it, but what’s it really all about? Can we really claim that this is God’s own country? Is there something spiritually significant about this nation of ours beyond the fact that all the earth belongs to God?

The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit reference stems from a proclamation by Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, a Portugese seaman and explorer.

In March 1603 Queirós was finally authorized to return to Peru to establish another expedition, with the intention of finding Terra Australis, the mythical “great south land,” and claiming it for Spain and the Church. Queirós’s party of 160 men on three ships, San Pedro y San Pablo (150 tons), San Pedro (120 tons) and the tender (or launch) Los Tres Reyes left Callao on 21 December 1605.

In May 1606 the expedition reached the islands later called the New Hebrides and now the independent nation of Vanuatu. Queirós landed on a large island which he took to be part of the southern continent, and named it La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo (The Austrian Land of the Holy Spirit), for King Philip III, who was of Austrian descent. The island is still called Espiritu Santo. Here he stated his intention to establish a colony, to be called Nova Jerusalem.

Queirós’s religious fervour found expression with the founding of a new Order of Chivalry, the Knights of the Holy Ghost. The Order’s purpose was to protect the new colony. However, within weeks the idea of a colony was abandoned due to the hostility of the Ni-Vanuatu and to disagreements among the crew.– Wikipedia.org

So while the captain did make it into the area, it would seem that he never set foot on mainland Australia. However, the proclamation he made certainly included Australia.

Let the heavens, the earth, the waters with all their creatures and all those here present witness that I, Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, in the name of Jesus Christ, hoist this emblem of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ’s person was crucified and whereon He gave His life for the ransom and remedy of the human race, on this day of Pentecost, 14 May 1606, I take possession of all this part of the South as far as the pole in the name of Jesus, which from now on shall be called the Southern land of the Holy Spirit and this always and forever to the end that to all natives, in all the said lands, the holy, sacred evangel may be preached zealously and openly.

I guess the next question is what weight such a proclamation holds. I’m not saying that it’s not significant, I just wonder what it means. He was claiming and naming land that was already inhabited.  Even if the proclamation is sound, what significance should it hold for Christians in today’s Australia? We see people in scripture claiming lands for God so such instances aren’t without precedents but what difference should this particular proclamation hold for us in 2008?

Many people also claim that a ‘missing’ 6th verse from our national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, shows that this is a nation with strong Christian heritage.

With Christ our head and cornerstone, we’ll build our Nation’s might,
Whose way and truth and light alone, can guide our path aright.
Our lives, a sacrifice of love, reflect our Master’s care
With faces turned to heaven above, Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia fair.

While a lot of people say that leaving this verse out of our national anthem shows the hardening of Australian hearts towards the things of God, historians would say that they can find no evidence for this verse being in the original version of the anthem or that it was penned by the original writer. It is unknown who wrote the verse or when it was added.

I know that there is a great Christian history in this nation, and that many fine people of faith have helped create the country we call home, but I’m concerned that some people spend a lot of time searching for some kind of divine right to call Australia a Christian country. We may have been founded upon certain Christian principals but we’ve long since given up the right to call ourselves a Christian nation.

For me, I think the way forward is to to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. We must always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us, answering with gentleness and reverence. I truly believe that fellow Aussies are more likely to respond to that approach than to one that claims that we have a divine right to call the shots.

As I said, these are just a few thoughts that have been knocking around in my head and I’d appreciate your thoughts Are we really the Geat South Land of the Holy Spirit? If so, what does that mean for us today?

For more (and possibly far more coherent thoughts) on Christianity in Australia see:



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Australia Day 2008

Are you ready for Australia Day this Saturday?

We celebrate Australia Day on the 26th of January each year because it was that day in 1788 that Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales and became its first Governor. The first official celebrations were held in 1818 to mark the 30th anniversary of white settlement.

If you want to find out more about Australia Day you can go to the official website here.

Watching fireworks on Australia Day has become a solid tradition in Perth but over the past few years many people have started looking for ways to avoid the parking hassles and find a family friendly event. Answering the call is the 98.5 Sonshine FM Town of Bassendean Australia Day Celebrations and Fireworks event which has built a reputation as a safe place to spend Australia Day with friends and family as well as providing a spectacular show.

If you’re in the Perth area it’d be great to catch up with you at Ashfield Reserve, Guldford Road, Ashfield, for the evening. It’s a great event that culminates in a massive fireworks display away from the big and sometimes rowdy crowds of the city fireworks. 98.5 Sonshine FM is proud to be providing the soundtrack and we’ll be broadcasting live from the venue from two o’clock on Saturday afternoon.

I’ll be joined on stage by my friend and colleague, Arthur Muhl, to MC the live entertainment which starts from 6:00 p.m. There’ll also be a citizenship ceremony. The fireworks will begin lighting up the skies at 9:00 p.m.

If you want to enjoy some great entertainment in a more relaxed family atmosphere, without having to wait hours in traffic on the way home, come on down.

Either way, make sure that you’ve got some plans in place to celebrate.



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Perth Criterium Series 2008

I’m looking forward to some excellent cycle racing from Friday the 25th to Monday the 28th of January.

The Perth Criterium Series 2008 is on its way with some spectacular racing around various Perth street circuits. The series is being run by the team at TriEvents and promises to be a highlight of the Australia Day long weekend.

Criterium Racing is cycle racing at its most exciting – a fast-paced, multi-lap race on a tight and flat street course of approximately 1km in length. Criteriums are raced over a specified time rather than a distance with the races not lasting longer than 1 hour meaning the racing is fast and furious! Criterium Racing gives spectators the opportunity to be close to the action!

The Perth Criteriums is made up of four events across Perth over four days. The events are afternoon / evening races in four high profile locations – Joondalup, Perth, Victoria Park and Leederville.

Perth is home to some of Australia’s most talented bike racers, many of whom will be lining up for the Perth Criteriums. There will be an Open Men’s and Women’s category and a support Men’s category.

Make sure you come along and be part of this exciting event!

The first event of the series gets underway at 5:55 p.m. in Joondalup on Friday the 25th of January. Race two action begins at 12:30 p.m. on Riverside Drive in the city with the spectacular Swan River as its backdrop. On Sunday afternoon the action will be in Victoria Park from 2:40 with riders taking on the challenging but popular Albany Highway circuit. The final race will be help on the public holiday Monday afternoon on Oxford Street, Leederville starting at 2:55.

Western Australians are great supporters of this kind of cycle racing and there’s sure to be plenty of spectators watching each event.

I’m hoping to be involved with the events in one way or another. (No, I won’t be competing. I couldn’t keep up with these guys on their warm up laps.) I let you know more in a few days.



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