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Australia Day - A History 1938 to 1988

Since their formation in 1871, the Australian Natives Association had been working patiently 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 'naturalisation' ceremonies.

An article in the Australia and New Zealand Weekly of January, 1963 commented on the timing of naturalisation ceremonies for the 26 January, 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 with the smallest town or rural village delighted if they can host a ceremony for even one new Australian citizen on the 26 January.

The celebration of our national day has always stimulated vigorous comment - positive and negative - and articles have appeared regularly in the daily press, magazines and journals commenting both on the perceived lack of national pride demonstrated by the average Australian and pushing for a change in the date of celebration.

The public holiday mentality of the average Australian for the 26 January was deplored by many commentators. In 1957 the Editor of The Educational Magazine, published by the Victorian Education Department, writes that 'the celebration of Australia Day, or the comparative lack of it, has always caused embarrassment both to those who would like to celebrate and those who would chiefly like to see that others do'.

Meanwhile, existing celebrations for Australia Day continued to have a largely imperial feel and influence and were quite formal. The Australia and New Zealand Weekly described the 26 January, 1959 in Sydney as a march of 12,000 men, women and children through the city to the Botanic Gardens, led by the NSW Mounted Police, the services and sporting personalities. The NSW Governor and Premier were in attendance for the ceremony which included a re-enactment of the First Fleet landing.

The Sydney celebrations from 1959 to around 1971 were conducted by a group called the Sydney Committee which also organised the annual Waratah Festival - a far more expansive affair than Australia Day. Australia Day ceremonies were typically formal, with a strong military involvement and the presence of numerous dignitaries including the Governor, Premier, Lord Mayor and Service Chiefs.

A positive aspect was the Committee's determination to conduct their events on the 26 January, regardless of the day in the week on which it fell.

From 1977 to 1986 the official NSW Australia Day ceremony was conducted by the Festival of Sydney, from 1982 on behalf of the Australia Day Council of NSW. Pre-1988, all ceremonies were principally based on the historical significance of the 26 January and involved a Tri-service Guard, the reading of Captain Phillip's 1788 Proclamation and the raising of the original Union flag as well as the Australian flag.

In 1979 the National Australia Day Council was formed. State councils or committees followed, the Australia Day Council of NSW being formed in 1981. From its inception, the NSW council encouraged 'grass roots' celebrations, working primarily with the 177 local government authorities in the promotion of the celebration of Australia Day.

However, the Australia Day public holiday was still held on the Monday closest to January 26 and to the broad community it was just another holiday.

By 26 January 1988, the community was really ready to fulfil the NSW Bicentennial Council's logo 'Let's Celebrate' and the world saw a 'spirited and emotional country' as Australians enjoyed the spectacular events on and around Sydney Harbour and across the country. In NSW alone, over 25,000 events took place and an estimated 2.5 million people attended the celebrations in Sydney.

And in 1988, for the first time, a public holiday was held around the nation on January 26.

In Sydney the ships of the First Fleet Re-enactment arrived in Sydney Harbour. These ships had departed Portsmouth on the 13 May 1987, arriving in Botany Bay earlier in January and then finally entering the heads on the morning of the 26 January 1988. On the same day the sail training ship the Young Endeavour became Britain's Bicentennial gift to the nation and Sydney Harbour was also host to a large number of Tall Ships from many nations.

Pre-1988, re-enactments of the 1788 landing were almost a prerequisite for any Australia Day ceremonies. In 1988 however, while the First Fleet ships staged a re-enactment of the voyage and subsequent arrival of the original First Fleet in Sydney Harbour, the NSW government reacted strongly against the suggestion of a landing re-enactment, stating they would 'ensure that such a completely insensitive and politically volatile act did not take place'.

Alongside the formal program celebrating 200 years of white settlement, the Aboriginal community staged a massive march for 'Freedom, Justice and Hope'. While 1988 was named a Year of Mourning for Aboriginals, it was also regarded as a celebration of survival. This was the most vocal indigenous presence ever felt on a 26 January.

As well as the festive and fun events, the 1988 Bicentennial, unlike earlier major celebrations in NSW, will be remembered for leaving a substantial number of very diverse and useful projects. Funded by a grant system from the NSW Bicentennial Council, these projects played a significant role in the participation of regional communities.

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Resourced from:

http://www.adc.nsw.gov.au/history.htm

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