How and when did Australia Day become a national holiday?

Answer 1

Australia Day originally began to remember the arrival of the First Fleet in New South Wales and the establishment of the new British colony there. The first celebrations of the landing of the First Fleet were held in 1791. By 1804, 26 January was referred to as First Landing Day or Foundation Day. From that year onwards, informal celebrations were carried out in Sydney, especially among freed convicts.

Answer 2

Australia Day celebrates the anniversary of the first permanent white settlement of Australia and a significant point in Australian history. For right or wrong, it marks the the raising of the Union Jack to claim the land as belonging to England.

It took over 200 years for Australia Day to be celebrated annually and consistently as a public holiday, Australia-wide. The first celebrations of the landing of the First Fleet were held in 1791. By 1804, 26 January was referred to as First Landing Day or Foundation Day. From that year onwards, informal celebrations were carried out in Sydney, especially among freed convicts.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie officially designated 26 January 1818 as a public holiday, but only for that year, being the 30th anniversary.

26 January 1838 was also declared a public holiday, as it was the Jubilee year (50th anniversary). However, it wasn't until 1871 that particular groups such as the Australian Natives' Association (referring to Australian-born people of European heritage, not the indigenous people) began to advocate not only a permanent public holiday on 26 January, but also Federation of the colonies. This same Association (Victorian chapter) pushed to have 26 January 1931 celebrated as Australia Day on a Monday, creating a long weekend. Other states and territories followed suit by 1935, but Australia Day was still not a public holiday every year. In 1935 the term "Australia Day" was used among all of Australia's states and territories to mark the anniversary of this first white settlement

1946 saw the formation of the Australia Day Celebrations Committee for the purpose of increasing public awareness of the significance of Australia Day. This was the precursor to the establishment of the National Australia Day Committee in Canberra in 1979, which then became the National Australia Day Council in 1984.

Events such as the Indigenous rights movement on the 150th anniversary in 1938, and the bicentenary (200 year) celebrations of 1988 also contributed to the development of Australia Day as a public holiday across the whole nation.

Finally, as late as 1994, Australia Day celebrations were formally recognised as an annual event.