Australia Day Research Paper

What is Australia Day?

It is a national public holiday in Australia where families gather, commemorating 26th of January 1788 when Captain Aurther Philip established the 1st European Colony on Australian soil and raised the flag in Port Jackson (Sydney Cove).

When is Australia Day?/ What is the Purpose of Australia day?

Australia Day is celebrated every year on the 26th of January. Australia Day is celebrated by most Australians throughout the country with awards and local gatherings. But some Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people remanded it Invasion day or Survival day.

Important dates; In the 19th Century, the 26th of January was seen as an opportunity to commemorate and celebrate Australia. In 1840’s 26th of January was called “Anniversary Day”. After the Federation in 1901, the term “Australia Day was used. On May 24th, 1911 Australia day was used in the Roman Catholic Church. In 1944 Australia day became a National Public Holiday.

Why do people call Australia Day Invasion day?

It commemorates the invasion of the British. For them it marks trauma and it celebrates a day of sovereign loss, loss of land, loss of family and close ones and the right to practice their own cultures. Many Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander People prefer the term Invasion day except for Australia day, this day is not pleasing to them. They say it should be a day to celebrate people’s survival not the country’s invasion. People want the name and date to be changed. Invasion Day was used in a protest on Australia day focusing on history of Aboriginals. Quoted by Michael Mansell, National Aboriginal Alliance Spokesman, “January 26th marked the beginning of the murders, the rapes, and the dispossession. It is not a date to celebrate.” Quoted by Chris Lawrence, “Let’s get the facts right and the facts are that this country was