It's Australia Day!

Happy Australia Day!

What's great about Australia Day 2005? The weather, the barbecue breakfast down by the flagpole, the hokey bush band, not going into the non-air-conditioned office, Dr Fiona Wood getting Australian of the Year, 12 000 new citizens, cricket on telly and cricket on the streets, the fly-bys, and ultimately the Skyshow, of course. Nothing new there, nothing glam or outrageous. Just good old fashioned, artery-choking, willow-thumping fun.

But something's different this year.

Usually by this time, the streets of South Perth are tight with illegally parked vehicles, the foreshore is jam-packed, and bands of happy beer-addled strangers are wandering through your backyard looking for a party that doesn't start for another eight hours. The big speakers are thumping, the hot tubs on the backs of the illegally parked flatbeds are bubbling, and you're surreptitiously letting the air out of all the tires of the car some arsehole has parked in your bay.

But not this year. This year, the South Perth City Council decided enough was enough: North of Mill Point is the No Parking Whatsoever Zone, and South of Mill Point is the Parking On One Side Of The Road Only. Fuck Us, the City of South Perth said, And We Will Tow Your Vehicle Away.

We're in the No Parking Whatsoever Zone. Good thing we hadn't planned on entertaining this year, 'cause I'm not sure how we could have got anyone in, short of ferrying guests past the checkpoint. And then what, ferrying them back again after the event?

Hmm, just thinking about the idea of the traffic snarls being shifted south of Mill Point this year almost seems worth the hassle. This time, someone else can deal with it. No doubt South Perth is over-reacting a little, but when the girl at DVD Heaven couldn't even park her car legitimately to go to work, and when local residents can't have friends over... maybe South Perth is being just a tad draconian?

The pendulum has to swing the other way awhile yet, it seems. Maybe next year, they'll get it right. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the novelty of a lovely Australia Day arvo without hordes of drunks and weedheads traipsing under my window. Even the cat is nonplussed.

It's a beautiful day, a perfect Australia Day. Can't wait for the airshows and the fireworks. Enjoy!