Australian American Chamber of Commerce Houston - Celebration of Australia 2007

Every year on January 26, Australians unite to celebrate their land, people, heritage, diversity and freedom. Dating back to 1788 when Captain Arthur Phillip unfurled the British Flag proclaiming sovereignty over the land. Australia Day is now honoured by all Australians.

Join us for a week long Celebration of Australia to promote Australia and Australian business in Houston and the strong business and cultural ties between the United States and Australia.

The program of events will include a showcase of Australian lifestyle, commerce, tourism and indigenous culture culminating in the highlight of the week, the Australia Day Gala.

Schedule of Events

Click here to Download the Calendar of events

Saturday January 20, 2007: Australian Rules Football Exhibition Game

Time: 11am USA V The Rest of the World

1.30pm US Revolution V Canadian Northwind

Venue: Tom Bass Park, 3452 Fellows Rd, Houston TX 77047

Australian Rules Football (also known as "Aussie Rules", "Footy" or AFL) is a physical contact sport. It is a form of football with roots traceable from early forms of Rugby and Gaelic football, but it is uniquely Australian.

The 49th Parallel Cup (US Revolution V Canadian Northwind) comes to Houston for the first time! Don't miss the opportunity to watch these National teams compete in the lead up to the International Cup to be played in Melbourne in 2008. The US Revolution is an All-Star team of Americans from around the country playing Australian Football and competing with national teams from around the world.

Come and experience the physical, acrobatic game of Australian Rules Football. Entry is free so pack your esky/ icebox full of cool drinks and bring your family and friends for an afternoon of fast paced sport. There‘ll be a great Australian BBQ and Aussie meat pies and drinks will available for sale.

Click here for more information about the game of Australian Rules Football.

The event is presented by: USFooty, Houston LoneStars and Mojo Pies

January 20 - 26, 2007: SHOWCASE OF AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE & FOOD SAMPLING

Time: Sat 20 January 2 – 6pm

Sun 21 January 11 – 3pm

Mon-Fri 22-26 January 2 – 4pm

HEB Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, Houston, TX

Australian chefs will be showcasing the range of Australian products available at Central Market.

Come say G'day and sample some great Australian produce.

This event is presented by:

Austrade, Gravitas Restaurant, Kookaburra Liquorice, Coopers Beer, Waterwheel Industries, Murray River Salt and Kind Fruit and Nut Bars

January 11 – 26 January 2007

Event: 2007 Australia Day Pie Drive

Details: As part of the 2007 Celebration of Australia Week in Houston, The Australian American Chamber of Commerce in association with Mojo Pies presents THE AUSTRALIA DAY PIE DRIVE. Click here to download the form. Order now and celebrate Australia Day with a great Aussie Pie!

Ordering: Orders include taxes & shipping and forms must be received by 5pm on Friday 19 January Fax your order to the AACC on 713 527 9688 or Call Marion Woodward on 713 426-3544

Delivery and Collection: of all orders will be made on Australia Day Friday 26 January, 2007. All orders can be collected C/ Kate King at 6622 Rodrigo TX, 77007 between the following times: 9 - 11am and 5.30 - 6.30pm.

Payment for your order can be made by cash or check and made at the time of collection. Orders are delivered frozen in insulated boxes and individually boxed.

For more information about Mojo Pies visit www.mojopies.com or www.aacc-houston.org

January 25, 2007: John Bolton Memorial Seminar: The Future of Radio Astronomy

Time: 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Venue: Rice Media Center, Rice University

A world-class panel of radio astronomers and cosmologists will convene to discuss what the last half century of space observation has given us, what the next half century of space observation will yield, what questions might be answered and perhaps, most importantly, what all of it may mean for humanity. Click here to download an information sheet.

Cost: $15. Ticket includes wine reception and reserve seating for the film screening of Australian film ‘The Dish’ at 8pm.

RSVP: By Monday January 22, 2007. Call the AACC on 713 527 9688 to pay by credit card or mail your check to AACC, PO. Box 130261, Houston TX 77219

Directions: Rice Media Center, Rice University Rice cinema is located on the Rice University Campus, inside of Entrance No 8 University Blvd at Stockton Drive, 2^nd building on the right hand side. Parking at Rice Media Center is $2.

This event is presented by: Government of Western Australia, Rice Space Institute,Palandri Wines

January 25, 2007: Australian Film SCREENING - The Dish

Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Rice Media Center, Rice University

Following the John Bolton Memorial Seminar & wine reception a free screening of Australian film The Dish, starring Sam Neill will be shown. A whimsical narrative of Australia's role in the Apollo 11 moon walk. This unique Australian-American collaboration owes much to Australia’s decades-old expertise in deep space radio exploration. The partnership, which utilized Australian radio telescopes and tracking stations from Carnarvon, Muchea, Woomera, Parkes, Honeysuckle and Tidbinbilla, is a critical organizational precursor for the type of global collaboration that is now leading the International Space Station and other efforts to explore the universe through optical and radio astronomy.

Cost: Free. Seating is allocated on a first come first served basis.

January 23 - 26, 2007: Art Exhibition: Brendon Darby ‘Listening to Paintings’

Time: 8:00am to 5:00pm (Bank business hours)
Venue: JP Morgan Chase Bank. 707 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002

Direct from New York, acclaimed Western Australia artist, Brendon Darby, presents an exhibition of 10 major paintings from 10 different locations across Australia depicting the diverse Australian landscape. At each of the locations the ambient sounds (birds, waterfalls etc) were recorded and incorporated into a music score, the score is played so the viewer is literally listening to the paintings. Visit www.brendondarby.com for more information.

This event is presented by: BHP Billiton , Government of Western Australia, Chase Bank

January 28 - 2 March 2007 - "LISTENING TO LAND" Art Exhibition: Brendon Darby

Opening: Sunday 28 January 4 – 6 pm Come and meet the Artist

Time: Gallery Hours

Venue: Booker Lowe Gallery, 4623 Feagan St, Houston TX 77007

The exhibition will include paintings and drawings on paper, based on the artist’s current project “Listening to Paintings - Australia.” Brendon plays the trumpet and composes his own music. His vision for “Listening to Paintings” was born while he was giving an outdoor performance in Perth, during which he realized a connection between the country’s terrain and the music. It was nearly thirty years before Brendon began carrying out the project he had once envisioned, and now finally complete; his message is being received with open arms.

January 2 - 26, 2007 - Aboriginal Art Exhibition

Time: Gallery Hours

Venue: Booker Lowe Gallery, 4623 Feagan St, Houston TX 77007

“Wandjinas: Spirits of the Dreamtime”. Wandjinas are mystical, magical, and majestic spirits believed to have created many of the geological features of the rocky coastline of northwestern Australia during the Dreamtime. The paintings are reminiscent of some of the world’s oldest rock art, that found in the Kimberley mountains and nearby areas.

January 26, 2007: LUNCHEON – INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Time: 12 noon – 2pm

Venue: The Downtown Club 910 Louisiana, One Shell Plaza, 49^th Floor

The Western Australian Trade & Investment Office, the Americas in cooperation with the Greater Houston Partnership cordially invite you to a luncheon briefing on Procurement, partnerships, research and investment opportunities with one of the world’s strongest economies – Western Australia (WA).

As one of the most productive and diversified mineral and petroleum regions in the world, Western Australia is the powerhouse of the resources industry not only in Australia, but also for the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. The State hosts an impressive 560 commercial mineral projects, embracing 1,222 operating mine sites (open pit, underground mines and quarries), plus 171 processing plants as well as 67 operating oil and gas fields. Surprisingly, WA remains under-explored and warrants considerable follow-up investigation by geoscientists. Enormous potential also exists for the development of petrochemical and other world-scaled downstream processing industries using WA's vast uncommitted gas reserves as an input.

Additionally, WA is home to many innovative companies and research initiatives involved in alternative energy generation and associated climate change mitigation strategies.

Speakers:

Mr. David Doepel, Regional Director – The Americas Western Australian Trade & Investment Office

Mr. Bill Tinapple, Director, Petroleum & Royalties Department of Industry & Resources, Government of Western Australia

Mr. Jeff Haworth, Manager, Petroleum Geology Department of Industry & Resources Government of Western Australia

Prof Steve Halls, PhD. Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australian Research Institute for Sustainable Energy

Cost: $20 Registration fee includes entry and a buffet lunch. One-on-one meetings with the business delegation are available on request to the AACC.

RSVP: Please call the AACC to RSVP by Monday, January 22, 2007.

Click Here to download the registration form and Mail or fax the completed form with your check or credit card information to: American Australian Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 130261, Houston, TX 77219

Ph/ Fax: 713-527-9688.Entry fees will also be accepted at the time of the event.

Directions: Convenient parking is located in Two Shell Plaza directly across the street.

FRIDAY 26 JANUARY, 2007 – AUSTRALIAN JAZZ GROUP – VOID

Venue: Red Cat Jazz Caf?, 924 Congress, Houston, TX 77002

Time: Club opens at 6pm. Void plays 3 sets from 9pm

Tickets: $10 Cover Charge. Call the Red Cat Jazz Caf? on 713-922-0955 or visit www.redcatjazzcafe.com

Catch VOID, one of the hottest groups in contemporary Australian jazz play in Houston on Australia Day 26 January. Their music stems from many sources including fusion, hip-hop and soul. Together they synthesize all these into an extraordinary delivery of speed, virtuosity, melody and seriously-phat groove that will excite your senses yet soothe your soul. Their products include a self titled CD and a live DVD, and VOID will launched these at the Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival in Rome this year. Three of the four band members play alongside the fiery James Morrison as part of his “On The Edge” project, which has toured widely – from the Sydney Opera House in Australia to Europe and Russia.

Saturday January 27, 2007: Australia Day Gala

Time: 7pm

Venue: Hotel Derek, 2525 West Loop South Houston, TX 77027

This spectacular black tie event will feature an Australian gourmet dinner, live and silent auction, multi media displays featuring Australian live music and indigenous culture, the Australian Star Awards honoring the extraordinary achievements and contributions made by two Australians in the fields of Science, Culture & the Arts.

Thanks to our Sponsors

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