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Australia
Day History - A Celebration Since 1788
Source - www.australiaday.vic.gov.au
January 7, 2008
 Australia Day
celebrates the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip unfurling the British
flag at Sydney Cove and proclaiming British sovereignty over the eastern
seaboard of
Australia
on 26 January 1788. The quest for the celebration of a
united Australian national day commenced within a few short years of the
First Fleet landing and subsequent white settlement on this island
continent.
Australia
Day History - 1788-1888
(Picture - Captain Arthur Phillip
becomes Governor of Colony)
 January 26, through more than 200 years of debate and controversy, has remained the Australian celebratory national day since that date in January 1788 when 'formal possession was taken of the Colony of New South Wales. On that day, Captain Arthur Phillip became Governor of the Colony, having jurisdiction over the area bounded by latitude 10 37' to latitude 43 49' south and inland to longitude 135
east'.
The fledgling colony soon began to mark the anniversary of 26 January 1788 with formal dinners and informal celebrations. Manning Clark noted that on January 26, 1808, the 'anniversary of the foundation of the colony' was observed in the traditional manner with 'drinking and merriment'. John Macarthur Senior had ensured his soldiers were amply supplied with liquor, bonfires were blazing and private houses illuminated...
[Continued].
Australia
Day History - 1888-1938
(Picture - Opening of Commonwealth
Parliament - 1901)
In 1871 the Australian Natives Association (ANA) was formed in Victoria. This was the first Australian Friendly Society and its motto was Advance Australia. The group, which had particular influence in the period between the 1890s to around 1914, had strong nationalistic aspirations and its members included Edmund Barton (who became our first Prime Minister), Alfred Deakin (Australia's second Prime Minister) and Sir Isaac Isaacs (our first Australian-born
Governor-General).
The ANA grew rapidly and branches were formed across Victoria and in all states as well as a branch in London. By the 1880s, the group was making a nation-wide impact.
The ANA supported many issues including afforestation, an Australian-made goods policy, water conservation, Aboriginal welfare, the celebration of proper and meaningful citizenship ceremonies, following the increased levels of migration after World War II, and the adoption of the wattle as the national floral emblem (accepted in 1912)...
[Continued]
Australia
Day History - 1938-1988
(Picture - Sir McFarlene Burnet - First
Australian Of The Year)
 Since its formation in 1871, the ANA Association had been working towards the unified naming and dating of our national day. Following their concerted efforts and with the support of similar movements, the Commonwealth Government and all States and Territories finally agreed, in 1946, to observe the same National Day - 26 January - and to call that day Australia
Day
Separate Australian citizenship became law for the first time in 1949. The waves of non-British immigration after 1945 led to a new role for Australia Day, one that celebrated new citizenship with
naturalization ceremonies (now citizenship ceremonies).
An article in the Australia
and New Zealand Weekly in January 1963 commented on the timing of naturalization
ceremonies for January 26, claiming that 'this year, 4,500 'New
Australians' will become fully-fledged Australian citizens'.
Citizenship ceremonies are still an integral part of Australia Day
celebrations around the nation.
Celebrations began to recognize Australian excellence with Sir MacFarlane
Burnet named the first Australian of the Year in 1960. Eight years later
Lionel Rose became the first Aboriginal Australian of the Year. This
annual award is now a popular tradition... [Continued]
Australia
TODAY
 Australia's national colours of green and gold are those of the Golden Wattle tree in flower.
Since 1901 there have been ten public competitions for a new national flag and they have drawn over 60,000 entries.
On Australia Day 2006, 90 Ambassadors traveled throughout rural and regional Victoria to 103 locations.
Over 120 languages other than English are spoken in Victoria, and about half of the overseas born arriving since 1981 came from Asian countries.
One Australian child is born every 2 minutes.
Since 1988 Australia Day celebrations across the country have continued to grow in number and stature. Ceremonies now appeal to a broad community audience and attendances have increased considerably over the last 5-10 years.
While January 26 has remained our National Day from the time of Phillip's landing, discussion has taken place since the 1800s on the pros and cons of this particular date. Over the years, the reason cited for a possible change of date has been varied - historical, practical and most recently, the desire for reconciliation with our Indigenous population...[Continued]
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