WHEN Australia Day celebrations, January 26, 2012.

WHERE New Lambton, near Newcastle.

PHOTOGRAPHER Simone de Peak.


"This photo was taken to get an image that represented a slice of life of fellow Novocastrians and how they celebrated their Australia Day. I had been out for most of the day covering events when, in the afternoon, I was heading back to the office to finish filing and I drove past this front yard of people. They were decked out in the patriotic Australia Day attire of singlets, mullet wigs, bucket hats and thongs, kicking back and splashing about in rubber wading pools. Justin McElhenny, of New Lambton, grabbed a flag as his mates splashed at him on the muggy afternoon while enjoying a few bevvies and listening to the Triple J Hottest 100."