At what other time of year can you match green and gold outfits from the wardrobe and get away with it?

And when else are women commended for dressing down in singlets and thongs?

And on what other day is mum okay with you sporting a bright red, blue and white flag tattoo in the middle of your forehead, or cheek, or wrist?

The answers are a collective, never!

As mentioned in a previous column, forget Christmas, Easter and the Queen’s Birthday - January 26 is purely ours... this Tuesday is Australia’s national day!

Okay, so India also celebrate their indepedence from Britain on January 26, but hey, that gives them double reason to celebrate - if they’re smart and become an Australian!

And who wouldn’t want to be??Going by what most overseas travellers say, this great land Down Under is the best of any country on earth.

The diversity - culturally and scenically - is second to none. We really do have it all.

Sun, sand, surf, snow, reefs, rainforests, woodlands, gorges, mountains, plains, a big red rock, cities, villages, 200-plus nationalities, hundreds more languages, multiple religious beliefs, a proud and celebrated indigenous population - yep, you’d be hard-pressed finding all these qualities in any other place on the planet.

Which is a big reason why everyone should get involved in an Aussie Day event.

Berrima is the traditional home of Australia Day celebrations in the Highlands (see the Weekender for a rundown of events), but tell us what else is on and we’ll give it a fair dinkum plug.