Australia Day - 26 January

It wasn’t until 1935 when all the Australian states and territories used the name Australia Day. In fact, it was only 1994 when they began to celebrate Australia day consistently as a public holiday.

It is sometimes called Foundation Day, Anniversary Day, Survival Day, Invasion Day (depending on your point of view), and Day of Mourning (1938 and 1970). It is observed by most Australians in the form of a public holiday. The observances include family meetings, parades, citizenship ceremonies, Order of Australia honours and Australian of the Year award is presented.

History
On 26 January 1788 the First Fleet, under Captain Arthur Phillip arrived at Sydney Cove and established the Colony of NSW. By as early as 26 January 1808, the day that the New South Wales Corps arrested Governor Bligh in the Rum Rebellion, the day was being celebrated as 'First Landing' or 'Foundation Day'. In 1818 on the 30th anniversary, the then Governor, Governor Macquarie ordered a 30-gun salute at Dawes Point and gave government workers a holiday. This was soon followed by banks and other public offices.

In 1888 all colonial capitals, apart from Adelaide celebrated Anniversary Day and by 1935 all states of Australia were celebrating 26 January as Australia Day. This excluded NSW which still called it Anniversary Day.

The 1938 sesquicentenary - 150th anniversary - of British settlement in Australia was celebrated. A Celebrations Council was established in 1936 to begin preparations. In that year, NSW was the only state to abandon the traditional long weekend and the annual Anniversary Day public holiday was held on the actual anniversary day - 26 January.

By 1946 the Commonwealth and State governments unified the celebrations on 26 January as 'Australia Day', yet the public holiday was taken on the nearest Monday. Finally, by 1994 all states and territories have taken the Australia Day public holiday on 26 January.

Go back to our homepage to celebrate Australia Day with a feast of Australian food.