It was a dry, sunny and almost balmy afternoon in Canberra. In Lonsdale St in the city the trees along the side and down the centre of the road provided welcome shade and an atmosphere of what Canberra was like when it was just a country town. At 3 Lonsdale St we gathered as Brodie Buckland and four other brave souls got ready to affirm their allegiance to the Great Southern Land.
The immigration department staff ushered the small crowd of five soon to be citizens and their friends upstairs to a small hall on the first floor. After a short ceremony the New Australians were presented with their certificate s of citizenship. We all stood and sang the national anthem and signed the visitor book – got some photos of Brodie with a photos of the Queen.
Then it was a short farewell on the pavement as Brodie and a few of the AIS rowers in attendance had to head back to the “tute” for a pm training session.
Brodie will be trying to win a spot in the Australian eight to compete in the 2012 Olympics – nationals are 5-11th March in Perth and final Olympic trials start in Sydney on 23rd March.
Comments