Nicole Kidman Awarded Australia's Highest Honour

Stunning Australian actress, Nicole Kidman has received one of her country's highest honours today.

In a special ceremony held today at Government House in Sydney Australia, Nicole Kidman was given the Companion of the Order of Australia. The award was presented to the Hollywood star by the Governor-General Michael Jeffery, a representative for the Queen.

The top Australian honour was bestowed on Nicole Kidman because of her excellent contributions to film and her "work promoting women and children's health, and cancer research." Nicole Kidman is also a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

When speaking to reporters just after accepting the award Kidman said, "It's a pat on the back, which as a little girl is something you dream of."

To help put this award in perspective it is possible to compare it to being awarded a kinghthood in England. To be given the Companion of the Order of Australia is the highest award a citizen can be bestowed in Australia. It "is awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or humanity at large."

The ceremony held today in Sydney included other deserving recipients of the award. These recipients are Barry Marshall a top Australian medical researcher, Robin Warren a Nobel Prize winner and Ken Henry Australia's Treasury Secretary. Nicole Kidman's husband Keith Urben and her parents, Janelle and Antony were at the ceremony to celebrate Nicole Kidman's award acceptance with her.

Nicole Kidman arrived in Sydney last Sunday with her husband Keith Urben to celebrate Easter with her family and get ready to film her latest movie 'Australia', which will be filmed in various locations around Australia.

Since arriving in Sydney Kidman has been spotted around the city enjoying the 'Royal Easter Show', an annual Sydney fair and going horse riding in Centennial Park will full riding gear. The horse riding is most likely preparation for her new film where Kidman will be require to ride horses. Centennial Park is located next to Fox Studios where Kidman has been making preparations for the film. Her co-star, Hugh Jackman has also been visiting the park to practice horse riding.

'Australia' takes place mainly in the Australian outback and is set in a time period around 60 years ago. Nicole Kidman will play the role of an upper class English woman "who is pushed to the limits of her physical and emotional endurance." Pre-filming practices have already begun for the film in Sydney's Fox Studios.

Sources
http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=45176&in_page_id=7
http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0413/kidmann.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSSYD16008620070413?pageNumber=2