What is a fact about Australia Day?
Australia Day was called “Foundation Day” in the early part of the nineteenth century, and was typically marked by sporting events including horse racing and boat races. The first colony to declare Australia Day as a public holiday was New South Wales in 1838, on the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Cove landing.
Why Australia Day should be changed arguments?
The Aboriginal-led organisation Common Ground says, “The purpose of changing the date is to recognise that many people value having a special day to celebrate the place they call home, while also acknowledging the traumatic context and history that 26 January in particular represents.”
Why we celebrate Australia Day for kids?
Australia Day is a holiday that takes place every year on January 26. It celebrates the day in 1788 that Arthur Phillip established the first permanent European settlement in Australia. Naturalization ceremonies, in which immigrants officially become Australian citizens, are also popular on Australia Day.
Why do we celebrate Australia Day?
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Jackson in New South Wales.
Why should we celebrate Australia Day?
Why is Australia Day a day of mourning?
Contrary to what was going on outside in Sydney and throughout the country, the assembly declared 26 January to be a Day of Mourning. They mourned the loss of their country, their freedom and self-determination, and the deaths of so many of their kin.
What can you do on Australia Day?
The holiday marks the day that the first fleets arrived from Britain. There are tons of ways to celebrate. Show your national pride by whipping up your favorite Australian foods, singing along to patriotic songs with your mates, making Australia-themed crafts, and watching the fireworks.
How do kids celebrate Australia Day?
Since Australia Day takes place in the summer “down under”, many people celebrate the day with outdoor events. There are plenty of large public events to attend such as music festivals, sports competitions, fireworks shows, and community awards ceremonies.
How do you explain Australia Day to preschoolers?
Australia Day is the national day of Australia celebrating the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. It is a day to celebrate all the things that people love about the country of Australia.
What are 3 interesting facts about Australia?
10 interesting facts about Australia that may surprise you
- The Australian Alps get more snow than the Swiss Alps.
- 90\% of Australians live on the coast.
- Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest eco-system in the world.
- Australia has over 60 separate wine regions.
Why you shouldn’t celebrate Australia Day?
Why Shouldn’t We Celebrate “Australia Day”? “Australia Day celebrates the colonisation/invasion of this country we now call ‘Australia’ and the attempted genocide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people leaving behind a hurtful legacy,” Thompson adds.
What were the effects of the day of mourning?
The ‘Day of Mourning and Protest’ made an impact, achieving both media attention and an agreement by the Prime Minister to receive a deputation of delegates. The day also saw an appalling contrast. Aboriginal organisations in Sydney refused to participate in the government’s re-enactment of the events of January 1788.
What is Australia Day and why does it matter?
Australia Day is a national public holiday on the 26th of January, the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia. What’s the tension surrounding Australia Day? For many Indigenous Australians, the 26th of January isn’t a day for celebrating.
Should Australia Day be celebrated on January 26?
Every year Australians debate over whether to celebrate Australia Dayon January 26. The date marks the anniversary of the First Fleet’s arrival in Sydney. But to many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it represents the beginning of the loss of their land, people and culture.
Is Australia ready to change the date for Australia Day?
The Local Government Association of Australia also supports the push for change. Even tennis stars are on board. Australia’s federal political leaders, however, are not. This is what Australian political leaders, and leaders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, have said about changing the date.
What does Australia Day mean to Aboriginal people?
But to many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it represents the beginning of the loss of their land, people and culture. A number of alternative dateshave been proposed for Australia Day over the years, but the holiday remains unchanged. So we asked our audience on Facebook Messenger for their thoughts.