Aussie bloggers unite on this day and salute the fallen diggers, the Anzacs: those who fought for our freedom. Without them, we may not have the opportunity to blog our diverse thoughts, interests and political persuasions: Lest we forget.

Let's begin with the ANZAC Day posts:

Laurie Joyce, grandson of an Anzac, presents Bill Joyce - ANZAC posted at Laurie Joyce. Laurie's post contains diary entries written by his grandfather while he served in the First World War. A fascinating look at the life of the Australian and New Zealand Diggers, this post is educational and offers a peek into the mateship that was to become known as the Anzac Spirit.

Megan from Child Protection: Serious Business presents ANZAC DAY. A Black Day in Australian History. Asking us to also remember the Indigenous Australians who fought in the First World War, Megan includes some ANZAC Day facts for those interested in knowing more.

In ANZAC Day Poetry Reading: The Final Inspection, a home schooling family offers a poignant poem that is suitable to read to children this ANZAC Day.

Is home schooling invading Australia? What would the Anzacs make of that? In Schola, American blogger who now resides, and home schools, in the wilds of Far North Queensland, suggests that Aussies "are almost without exception delightful. Helpful, friendly, inclusive, outgoing, real. True blue, as they say. We have made some great friends." Welcome to Australia Lynne and family. I hope the spirit of ANZAC continues to please you.

What is Anzac Day without Anzac biscuits? Here's an Anzac Biscuits recipe from Janda Gooding, Senior Curator of Art at the Australian War Memorial and co-blogger to George Lambert: Gallipoli and Palestine landscapes.

The ANZAC spirit of mateship is not just a urban myth. In Get the book!, Aussie Gillian at the School of St Jude gives of her own 'mateship' to ensure the blogosphere stays aware of what is happening in Tanzania. Importantly, the Australian founder of St Jude’s is currently touring her own home country of Australia. Gemma Sisia (Australian Story) is criss-crossing the nation to meet the thousands of Aussie supporters who are assisting the fight against poverty through education of disadvantaged children in Tanzania.

Just as our Diggers cared in 1915, so too do many Aussies today. We are a nation of people who give when the chips are down. Emily Turner of World Grows Wide keeps a philanthropic blog and has recently noticed her blog has produced Unexpected benefits to the profile of her employer's website. How's that for a new spin of philanthropy! Perhaps the employer should promote Emily to Corporate Blogger.

Tokyo Girl Down Under, a pom (acronym for Passage of Means) who married a German, lived in Tokyo, moved to Australia, changed the name of her blog AND scored as a Blogger Blog of Note, reflects on only meeting true Aussie Sydneysiders when riding the bus. Australia is such a transient country. Perhaps it's cheaper for locals to live on a bus than buy a house in Sydney. Welcome to Australia Tokyo Girl. Your diversity fits in well!

In Oly and Em's Oz Adventure, an immigrating Pommie couple have gone walkabout in their bus and are keeping a diary of their trip around Australia. Travelling in their VW Kombi, Henry, Oly and Em really are showcasing all Australia has to offer. Just be careful Oly and Em, take heed from the Down Under lyrics offered by Men at Work: "Traveling in a fried-out combie, On a hippie trail, head full of zombie, I met a strange lady, she made me nervous. She took me in and gave me breakfast."

Buzzybee from stock.xchng tells a hilarious story about where Aussie portraits turn up when they are shared as free photo stock. It's a small world, especially when attempting to recover from a broken heart and your company flashes up corporate power point presentations containing photos of your ex! Check it out in it's Funny ... But True ...

Speaking of Stock.XCHNG, the leading FREE stock photo site, they have many Aussie themed photos available to use on your blog posts. Not only have I included a couple of my photographs as free stock, but, I use the site all the time when I need photographs better than I can take myself. Most of the photographs on the Carnival of Australia are courtesy of stock.xchng. I support the Aussie photographers as much as I can.

We breed’em tough down under. Move over Conan the Barbarian here comes Conan the Australian. Conan is an Aussie actor who left Down Under to live in Asia. Down under? Conan must have to bend down to get under everything. He’s 7ft tall! Even though we Aussies apparently suffer from Tall Poppy Syndrome, there won't be many who can reach the head of this tall poppy to knock him down! A prolific writer and keeper of three blogs, Conan Stevens presents:

1. Bangkok Adrenaline Scriptwriter And Principle Actor - Read The Script Online Now from Conan Stevens Online. This movie is scheduled for release in September.


2. Conan also presents a good few tips for aspiring actors: Acting - So You Want To Be A Movie Star? posted at Actors And Acting Informational Blog. This post is a real life look at what happens on set.


3. If you'd like to be as big as Conan the Australian then have a look at Muscle Building The Basics Getting Started posted at Bodybuilding Muscle.

Debriefing, literally, for Australian hospital workers: Australian Emergency Department male nurse, Ian Miller, uses humour and loving as a way to survive the trauma of working in a fast paced, crisis driven environment. In get some loving. posted at impactED, the Aussie sense of humour (dunny humour) keeps Ian sane. WARNING - this post is not for viewing by children.

In a different Australian health vein, Spasmodic Dysphonia presents Dystonia: Identifying and Acknowledging our Limitations. A sufferer of several forms of the debilitating Dystonias, Sue comments that, "It is okay to go easy on ourselves, especially when experiencing pain or discomfort on a regular basis." If you have Dystonia, or know anyone who has, this Aussie's blog is full of information and links to Australian support for Dystonia sufferers.

Does Australia really detest homosexuality? We are such a diverse and accepting race I wouldn’t have thought so but here’s an interesting post from Jack Yoest in America: Same Sex Marriage: A Foreign Precedent? posted at Reasoned Audacity. Jack states, "there is one country that the activists and mainstream media will never mention in this debate: Australia." It was interesting to read Jack's alternative view of Australia.

While on the topic of Australian politics: Roger Hanney presents Silencing Dissent: an interview with Clive Hamilton - April 17, 2007 posted at typing is not activism...., saying, "An interview with executive director of The Australia Institute Clive Hamilton about the politics of silence and compliance in Johnny Howard's Awstrayleeya" Although the Carnival of Australia has a one post per blog policy, I couldn't resist also including Roger's entertaining, ' Under Southern Scars - Australia's new National Vanthem. by "Um" and "er" Vanstone. Roger describes his post by claiming that, "Amanda 'Sgt Schultz' Vanstone could have left us with a competent immigration department, Aboriginal health and well-being at a level superior to that in the third world, and a shred of hope for multiculturalism in Australia. Instead, she's bequeathing us a remix of Land of Hope & Glory. AAAAGH!!!"

And finally...can Aussie bloggers surf the crest of the blogosphere? Problogger, Darren Rowse, is continually asked for a list of 100 Aussie best blogs. With the help of Aussie blogging friends, Craig Harper and Meg from Dipping into the Blogpond, Darren has suggested links to Top Australian Blogs.

That concludes this edition of the Carnival of Australia. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Australia (hosted at Home Schooling Aspergers on May 9, 2007) using our carnival submission form. If you'd like to be a true blue mate, give hosting the carnival on your site a go. Just let me know and I'll book your hosting date. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Help spread the word about the fortnightly Carnival of Australia. Write a post and provide a link back directing other Aussie bloggers to the carnival. Here's an example of how I link back to various Carnivals: A to Z: Ways to Celebrate Family Life.