Australia Day is a special day for us all to rejoice because we are young and free IT may have been a slightly wet "welcome to the team" for our 3580 newest NSW citizens yesterday but a re-emerging sun - and millions of flag-waving Australians - still managed to shine for the nation's biggest annual celebrations. NSW's newest Aussies, hailing from 102 countries, made the pledge at 111 ceremonies across the state. They were among the 17,863 people who received citizenship around the country including 24 in Canberra who were welcomed by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Ella, 6, and Hanna Mounter, 3, getting into the spirit of Australia Day at Newcastle's famous Nobby's Beach / Picture: Peter Lorimer Source: News Limited "To the men and women taking the citizenship pledge here today - and to the almost 18,000 taking the pledge around Australia - I say 'welcome to the team'," Mr Abbott said. He said Australia Day not only marked the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet but was an occasion to celebrate something "richer and deeper." Pepper Sutherland, 1, on the Newcastle Harbour Foreshore / Picture: Peter Lorimer Source: News Limited Twenty-three million Australians had found unity in diversity, respect in differences and have built a modern nation on the idea that anyone can get ahead provided they are prepared to have a go. The Governor-General said there was something very special about welcoming new members to the community and "uniting all Australians under the values we share." Jonah (9) and Kaelah Love (5) at Cronulla for Australia Day / Picture: Jeremy Piper Source: No Source She bestowed nine NSW Police officers with the Australian Police Medal for their distinguished service including homicide Detective Inspector Christopher Olen - who led the investigation into the Lin family murders at North Epping and the killing of Senior Constable David Rixon at West Tamworth - and Detective Sergeant Andrew Marks, who led the Madeleine Pulver "collar bomb" investigation at Mosman and was involved in the Kiesha Weippeart manhunt at Mount Druitt. Stand Up Paddle board races at Watson Bay. Two specialist NSW paramedics, Stan Harrold and Murray Trayner, were awarded the Australian Ambulance Service Medal. Meanwhile it was barbecues at 10 paces across the state where every scout hall, surf club, Bunnings carpark and public picnic area played tribute to the humble snag or lamb chop and revellers dressed head-to-toe in Aussie regalia. Maggie Wilk, Luke Melbourne and Samantha Jaillet at the Big Day Out / Picture: Attila Szilvasi. In Sydney, the day's celebrations kicked off with a fire at the Opera House, which was taken out to a barge on the Harbour by Aborigines in bark canoes for a traditional smoking ceremony. Both the Australian and Aboriginal flags were raised over the Harbour Bridge before the annual ferry race and a 21-gun salute in front of NSW Governor-General Marie Bashir, who dropped on to HMAS Choules via Seahawk helicopter. Girls at the harbour floating concert at Milson Point. But there was no denying the star of the Harbour celebrations, Jessica Mauboy, who took a few minutes away from her duties performing at the Australia Day concert to reflect on what it means to come from this country. Jessica Mauboy talks about the meaning of Australia Day before her performance. "It is all about what we can make of it," said the 24-year-old singer, who is born to an indigenous mother, Therese, and an Indonesian father Ferdi. Rather than having this conversation and being mad about it, we are having a conversation and celebrating it. Knowing we can move forward and that we can teach the next generation, that is the most important thing. Australia Day has always been about family for Mauboy, who recalls spending time with her grandparents as a child. "They would share their stories, passing down what they know and what this life can be and what we can make of it," she said. Mauboy's indigenous heritage is as important to her as every other part of her life. "I couldn't be more proud to be Australian and come from this beautiful country," she said. I never put one side before the other, it is always equal and has always been equal to me. Every day should be a day of representing and being proud of what this country has become and sharing it with those growing up, and they can make it a better place. Dami Im talks about the meaning of Australia Day before her performance. A more acrimonious approach to race relations in Rockdale failed to derail a council citizen ceremony thanks to a quick response from clean-up crews working to remove graffiti. The slogans, including "always was, always will be Aboriginal land," "no pride in genocide" and "f..k Australia Day" were discovered on Friday sprayed on walls, barbecue shelters, toilet blocks and just about every public surface along the Botany Bay foreshore stretching 8.2km from Brighton Le Sands to Peter Depena Park in Dolls Point. Graffiti denouncing Australia Day as 'Invasion Day' has been daubed along the foreshore at Botany Bay. Rockdale Mayor Shane O'Brien thanked council staff and its graffiti contractor and said he hoped the offenders would be "locked up." Australia Day is traditionally the busiest day of the year on Sydney Harbour and beaches. But the weather kept numbers down, a Surf Life Saving spokesman said, with 15 calls for assistance by 3pm but most turned out to be nothing. AFTER 65 years in Sydney, Patricia Tassone only learnt she wasn't actually an Australian citizen while preparing to travel back to the UK, where her ­biological mother lived. The 74-year-old arrived in Australia in 1948 as a nine year old with her adopted parents and after a life in Eastwood, where she had five children and now six grandchildren, Mrs Tassone has only recently started retracing her past. Newest Aussie citizen ... Patricia Tassone. "I knew nothing of my biological mother," she said. I've looked into it too late and of course she passed away 10 years ago. I found her neighbour of 35 years but she never told her neighbour about me. When I went to ­England I stayed with the neighbour for a few days and heard some stories about my mother. She said she was a lovely lady. During the preparations for the trip last year Mrs Tassone and her husband Sam were informed they weren't Australian citizens. She decided to get citizenship and she said there was no better day for it than Australia Day at Parramatta's Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. "I can't be any more proud of the country than I already am," Mrs Tassone said yesterday. Now her husband, Sam, 77, who also arrived in Australia in 1948 on a ship from Italy, said it's his turn to officially become a citizen.