National Day and Cockroach Racing in Australia

Australia Day marks the beginning of Green continent reclamation implemented by Europeans. On the 26-th of January 1788, captain Arthur Phillip disembarked in the bay of Sydney, raised British flag and establish the first colony – New South Wales. It happened eighteen years after the discovery of continent by Captain James Cook.

Phillip called a new settlement «Sydney» in honor of Thomas Tausend, the first viscount of Sydney, secretary of British Empire in 1784-89, who delivered an order to send the navy.

Australia Day is the national and beloved holiday of Australians. Throughout the country the first fleet disembarkation is held, countless races and parades are organized. The celebration is adumbrated with numerous fireworks. Every year the greatest light shows are arranged in the third-largest town of country – Perth.

Who else apart from Australians could catch an idea to celebrate their national holiday, putting the most outrageous creatures in the spotlight? Even taking into account the nation proud of its unconventional – not to say eccentric – opinion on many items in life, it is hard to imagine more unusual performance than annual cockroach racing held in Brisbane in Australia Day. At the summer peak, humble insects appear under the flood light luminary in the pub «Story Bridge Hotel».

In a day of competitions around the ring similar to boxing squared one the huge anxious crowd gathers. The event is opened with the sound of bagpipes. Usually there are fourteen races, in each part twenty roaches participate. The person in charge pours insects out of the box, in the centre of the ring. Mainly «sportsmen» start running quickly in all directions; however, one or two insects remain at their places being overwhelmed by surrounding atmosphere. The winner is considered as the cocky which is first to reach the edge of the ring. Paying a little registration fee, you may put your own insect or buy it in a pub. By the end of the day blood is up: spectators are holding rave discussions of advantages of «sportsmen» with prominent names, such as Lord of Canalization, Cocky Balboa, or Sir Roachelot.

All the money gathered during the event belongs to charity. This is a happening with nontensional and kind atmosphere that is encouraged with the continual consumption of beer thought being the most suitable for such cases beverage.