The 26th January marks one of Australia’s most important holidays – Australia Day. Australia Day marks the anniversary of the day Captain Arthur Phillip first raised the British flag at Sydney Cove, and commemorates the arrival of Europeans to Australia on 26 January 1788.
However, the event has this year been surrounded by controversy after the newly crowned Australian of the Year, Mick Dodson, demanded that the date of Australia Day had to be changed because it “isolates” indigenous people.
Dodson said, “To most indigenous Australians it (Australia Day) really reflects the day on which our world came crashing down.
“Many of our people call it invasion day.”
However, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has ruled out a change to the date of the national day. He said, “Let me say a simple, respectful, but straightforward no.”
What is Australia Day?
It is a designated public holiday and is a time for Australians of all backgrounds to celebrate national unity. It is also a time to appreciate heritage and history; to take an active part in the community and to remember colonial pioneers. The day usually begins with morning formalities; flags are hoisted, the national anthem is sung, cannons are fired, special community projects and individuals are recognised, ceremonies are held to welcome the country’s new citizens. Many of the formal occasions are coordinated by the national Australia Day Council network.
Over the years many informal events have become so popular they are now considered an Australia Day tradition. There are free BBQ breakfasts and fun beach parties, corroborees and concerts, parades and pageants, sports, festivals and fireworks.
For more information visit the Australia Day website.
History of Australia Day
Britain’s gaols were crowded and the crime rate was soaring in 1787 when King George III sealed Australia’s fate by declaring it Britain’s new penal colony. Being sent to Botany Bay was a severe punishment. Sentences ranged from a minimum exile of seven years to life, with varying degrees of hard labour.
Australia Day commemorates the first landing Sydney Cove
Under the command of Arthur Phillip, 11 ships of the First Fleet left Plymouth on 13 May 1787. It was an arduous journey with more than 1,400 people living in cramped conditions for 251 days. Captain Phillip arrived at Botany Bay onboard The Supply on 18 January 1788, two days ahead of the rest of the fleet. He thought the unprotected bay with its poor soil was unsuitable for permanent settlement.
The fleet then sailed north into Port Jackson and landed at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788 after eight months at sea. The new site had everything the first settlers needed; deep water close to the shore, shelter and fresh water. Phillip named it Sydney Cove, after Lord Sydney the British Home Secretary.
More than 700 convicts (188 female), 700 merchant seamen, Royal Navy and Marine personnel and families, 209 fowls, 74 pigs, 35 ducks, 29 sheep, 29 geese, 19 goats, 18 turkeys, five cows, four stallions, three mares and two bulls disembarked from the First Fleet.
Australia Day for Indigenous Australians
Australia Day means different things to different people and evokes mixed emotions, particularly for Indigenous Australians who face past and continuing inequities as a result of European settlement. For many Indigenous Australians, 26 January is an occasion to reflect on past loss and suffering. There are also people in the wider community who have mixed feelings about Australia Day and who acknowledge that Australia Day evokes a variety of emotions.
Today, organisers of Australia Day events are more mindful of Indigenous heritage and culture, and of the continuing problems confronting Indigenous communities. Australia’s national day is an important annual opportunity to recognise the place of Indigenous Australians in our nation’s history, and to promote understanding, respect and reconciliation. It is also a time for each Australian to think about our identity, the many aspects of Australian life that give us pride and areas where we have the opportunity to make the nation stronger for the future.
The National Australia Day Council
It was not until 1946 that the name ‘Australia Day’ was adopted and proclaimed a public holiday throughout the country. A decision was made in Melbourne that year to establish an Australia Day Council (ADC) which would encourage an appreciation of the day’s significance. The ADC played a major role in cultivating the goodwill which is now so prevalent in Australian society. The ADC network aims to foster national pride and to instill in Australians from all backgrounds a desire to contribute to the country’s future.
Australia Day Events 2009
So, how can you celebrate Australia Day?
Here is the UK you can visit the Edinburgh Australian Wine Festival, find your nearest Aussie bar and enjoy and ice cold beer, watch a special Australia Day screening of Australia, the movie, or download the new Australia track pack for Guitar Hero!
On Australia Day, hundreds of events are held across the country
In Australia, hundreds of Australia Day events take place across the nation. In Sydney, thousands of people gather along Sydney Harbour foreshore to watch the Australia Day parade on the water. In towns across the nation, people gather to raise the flag. Other activities include citizenship ceremonies, community breakfasts, and the presentation of Australia Day awards. Also on the agenda are concerts, sporting events, cultural and historic exhibitions and, in a few cases, a fireworks display.
For the calendar of events visit the Australia Day website.
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