 |
| Flags at the Shrine, Melbourne, 8 Oct 2020 |
I took this image as I walked past the Shrine in Melbourne on a gloomy day in October 2020. We had been in 'lockdown' for months, but these three flags (National, State and Aboriginal) flying breezily together, in unity, somehow cheered me up. By contrast, the atmosphere as we approach this year's Australia Day celebration fills me with sadness. There is too much angry division.
It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon of the #ChangeTheDate campaign for #AustraliaDay. But it’s not so easy to spend the time thinking of the rationale for a better alternative date and then obtain the necessary community support for that choice. It will take hard work.
I don’t support changing the date, in fact I see every reason to retain 26 January as Australia Day. Could there be any day more meaningful in our history as a nation and more able to generate genuine community discussion of where we’ve come from, where we’re heading, and what we can contribute as good citizens? Could there be any date more unique, more distinctive among all the world’s national days, compared with the day that incoming Europeans met a culture extending back for more than 60,000 years? Being the descendant of a First Fleeter I believe I can see both sides of that story and I’ve done my best to tell it fairly in my book ‘Sentenced to Debt: Robert Forrester, First Fleeter’.
Despite my personal views, I have been willing to do a bit of groundwork laying out a framework of possibilities - or unsuitabilities - for an alternate date. It’s clear that if we decide to change the date, perhaps to the day that we become a republic and truly independent as a nation (ho hum, just like so many other countries) - or the day that we pass the referendum on ‘The Voice’ or enact a Treaty as part of the Uluru Statement from the Heart - then we’d better take great care about our choice of date when we take those actions, lest it clash with a problematic date.
The calendar is very crowded. Some of the dates below mark our progressive march away from ties to the British. Some of the dates mark achievements in our own right as Australians, of which we can be proud and which contribute to our sense of national identity. Some of the dates will be unacceptable because they denote the killing or, worse, massacre of Aboriginal people (and some settlers) somewhere in our nation, only some of which dates are listed below.
Some of the alternative dates have already claimed international significance for other reasons, either as the anniversary of a world event or the national day for major segments of our multicultural community. Some of the dates don’t fit with our seasons, current lifestyles and our existing sense of identity – for example, who wants to celebrate 'Australianness' in the depths of winter? Some of the dates are unsuitable, like New Year’s Day, when the populace is tired and often hungover from New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It’s amazing how many interpretations of the dates in our history can be found, even among the ranks of professional historians. In my table, the Year column denotes how long the event has been recognised in Australia, or overseas. The material is sourced from multiple, official or seemingly reliable, websites on the internet and I thank the numerous authors.
I forgive myself in advance for any mistakes and omissions I have made and welcome your corrections and additional suggestions. But please – let's just stop this mindless chant of ‘Change the Date’, if that's what people want, and start focusing on ‘What to?’
|
EVENT |
DAY |
MONTH |
YEAR |
|
New
Year’s Day (worldwide) |
1 |
Jan |
|
|
‘Federation
Day’, Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 comes into force |
1 |
Jan |
1901 |
|
Commonwealth
Nationality Act 1920 comes into effect. Codified concept of a British subject for
natural-born and naturalised Australians. Outsiders were 'aliens'. No mention
of Indigenous Australians. |
1 |
Jan |
1921 |
|
Native
Title Act 1993 comes into effect and the National Native Title Tribunal is
established |
1 |
Jan |
1994 |
|
First
ship of First Fleet enters Botany Bay |
18 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Murray River, QLD |
20 |
Jan |
1870 |
|
Phillip
discovers Sydney Harbour, ‘the finest harbour in the world’. |
21 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
Lunar
New Year (Chinese New Year), a 15 day festival beginning from new moon that
appears between 21 Jan and 20 Feb. |
22 |
Jan |
2023 |
|
Phillip, officers and marines camp overnight at Sydney Cove |
25 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
Phillip, officers and marines at Sydney Cove hold flag-raising
ceremony. |
26 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
The remainder of the fleet arrives in Sydney Cove in the late
afternoon. |
26 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
Landing
Day celebrated |
26 |
Jan |
1790 |
|
Rum Rebellion,
Governor Bligh overthrown in a coup d'état |
26 |
Jan |
1808 |
|
Governor
Macquarie proclaims first official public holiday to celebrate 'Foundation
Day' |
26 |
Jan |
1818 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Waterloo Creek, NSW |
26 |
Jan |
1838 |
|
‘Anniversary
Day’ established as a public holiday in Victoria by the Australian Natives
Association. |
26 |
Jan |
1871 |
|
NSW
government changes name of ‘Anniversary Day’ to ‘Australia Day’, an idea
supported later that year by Prime Minister. |
26 |
Jan |
1932 |
|
The
‘Day of Mourning’ instituted as a day of protest by Aboriginal Australians,
with a focus on loss of land and mistreatment. Aboriginal Advancement League
begins to call it ‘Invasion Day’. Many now call it ‘Survival Day’. |
26 |
Jan |
1938 |
|
Nationality
and Citizenship Act of 21 Dec 1948, creating Australian citizenship and
conditions by which it can be acquired, comes into force. Indigenous people
as ‘natural-born’ Australians implicitly included. Australian citizens
continue to be British citizens. |
26 |
Jan |
1949 |
|
Indian
Republic Day honours the date when Constitution of India replaced the
Government of India Act (1935). |
26 |
Jan |
1950 |
|
Male
convicts on First Fleet unloaded and start building the camp site in Sydney
Cove |
27 |
Jan |
1788 |
|
Emancipists hold a dinner party and sing toasts to ‘Rise Australia’
(but on 27 Jan, as 26 Jan in that year fell on a Sunday). |
27 |
Jan |
1817 |
|
Holocaust
Memorial Day, marking date when the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was liberated,
honouring victims, survivors and rescuers of Nazi regime in Germany (United
Nations date) |
27 |
Jan |
1945 |
|
New
citizens pledge their commitment to Australia, replacing an oath
to the Queen of Australia. |
31 |
Jan |
1994 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Barmah Lake, VIC |
1 |
Feb |
1843 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Loddon Junction, VIC |
1 |
Feb |
1846 |
|
Sri
Lanka Independence Day, also known as National Day, commemorates political
independence from British rule. |
4 |
Feb |
1948 |
|
Waitangi
Day, New Zealand, commemorates signing of Treaty of Waitangi |
6 |
Feb |
1840 |
|
First
Fleet's female convicts come ashore |
6 |
Feb |
1788 |
|
Formal
Proclamation of the Colony of New South Wales (which then included today's
QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS and ACT). |
7 |
Feb |
1788 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Cape Grim, TAS |
10 |
Feb |
1828 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Manumbar, QLD |
10 |
Feb |
1861 |
|
Japan's
National Foundation Day celebrates the accession of Japan's first emperor,
Emperor Jimmu on 11 Feb 660 BC |
11 |
Feb |
1873 |
|
Islamic
Revolution Day, National Day of Iran, also known as Bahman 22nd |
11 |
Feb |
1979 |
|
Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd moves a motion of Apology to the "Stolen
Generation" of Indigenous Australians, responding to ‘Bringing Them
Home’ Report |
13 |
Feb |
2008 |
|
Valentine's
Day (worldwide) |
14 |
Feb |
|
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at West Tamar, TAS |
18 |
Feb |
1829 |
|
‘Battle
of Darwin', the first of 100 air raids on Australia by the Japanese during
World War 2 |
19 |
Feb |
1942 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Lubra Creek, VIC |
24 |
Feb |
1842 |
|
Russia
invades Ukraine |
24 |
Feb |
2022 |
|
Willem
Janszoon aboard 'Duyfken' lands near today's Weipa on Cape York Peninsula |
26 |
Feb |
1606 |
|
Welsh
National Day (St David's Day) |
1 |
Mar |
|
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Twofold Bay, NSW |
1 |
Mar |
1806 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Deepwater, NSW |
1 |
Mar |
1845 |
|
Australia
Act 1986 - Australia’s Constitution can no longer be changed by UK
parliament, only by a national referendum. Appeals to UK’s Privy Council
cease. The Queen remains Australia’s head of state. |
3 |
Mar |
1986 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Yuleba Creek, QLD |
4 |
Mar |
1850 |
|
Labour
Day in WA |
6 |
Mar |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Fighting Hills, VIC |
8 |
Mar |
1840 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Clyde & Ouse Rivers, TAS |
10 |
Mar |
1830 |
|
World
Health Organisation declares novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a worldwide
pandemic. |
11 |
Mar |
2020 |
|
British Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March since 1958) - no
longer a national public holiday but public holidays coincide with this day
in ACT (Canberra Day), Victoria (Labour Day), & South Australia (Adelaide
Cup Day). |
13 |
Mar |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Buxton's Property, TAS |
14 |
Mar |
1826 |
|
Ireland's
National Day (St Patrick's Day). Irish Catholics begin celebrating St
Patrick’s Day in Australia |
17 |
Mar |
1795 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Bullock Hunting Ground, TAS |
19 |
Mar |
1828 |
|
Harmony
Day, coinciding with United Nations International Day for the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination, promotes activities which enhance a sense of belonging
within diverse communities. |
21 |
Mar |
1999 |
|
Ramadan
- the ninth month of the Islamic Year. In 2023 Ramadan in Australia begins in
the evening of Wednesday, 22 Mar and ended in the evening of Thursday, 20 Apr |
22 |
Mar |
2023 |
|
Pakistan
Day or Pakistan Resolution Day, also Republic Day, marks adoption
of Pakistan's first constitution, when it became the world's
first Islamic republic. |
23 |
Mar |
1956 |
|
Greece
Independence Day, commemorates start of War of Greek Independence from
Ottoman Empire in 1821. It coincides with Greek Orthodox Church celebration
of Annunciation to the Theotokos. |
25 |
Mar |
1821 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Clyde & Ouse Rivers, TAS |
28 |
Mar |
1929 |
|
April
Fool’s Day (worldwide) |
1 |
Apr |
|
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Fighting Hills, VIC |
1 |
Apr |
1840 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Elizabeth River, TAS |
2 |
Apr |
1828 |
|
Australians
voluntarily becoming citizens of other countries no longer lose Australian
citizenship. |
4 |
Apr |
2002 |
|
Good
Friday (worldwide) |
7 |
Apr |
2023 |
|
Easter
Sunday, the first Sunday after the first Full Moon occurring on or after the
March equinox on 21 March (worldwide) |
9 |
Apr |
2023 |
|
Easter
Monday |
10 |
Apr |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Whiteside Station, QLD |
15 |
Apr |
1858 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Appin, NSW |
17 |
Apr |
1816 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Whitefoord Hills, TAS |
18 |
Apr |
1830 |
|
England's
National Day (St George's Day) |
23 |
Apr |
|
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Yamboucal Station, QLD |
23 |
Apr |
1849 |
|
ANZAC
Day (Gallipoli) |
25 |
Apr |
1915 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Nepean River, NSW |
27 |
Apr |
1805 |
|
Freedom
Day, South Africa, celebrates the first elections when all citizens had the
right to vote |
27 |
Apr |
1994 |
|
Port
Arthur Massacre in Tasmania |
28 |
Apr |
1996 |
|
First
Englishman sets foot onshore at Botany Bay |
29 |
Apr |
1770 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Slaughterhouse Creek, NSW |
1 |
May |
1838 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Yeelanna, SA |
1 |
May |
1849 |
|
Spanish explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros names the New Hebrides,
which he assumed to be a continent balancing up the northern hemisphere
landmasses, as Austrialis del Espiritu Santo |
3 |
May |
1606 |
|
Massacre of Aboriginal People at Risdon Cove, TAS |
3 |
May |
1804 |
|
Coronation of King Charles III |
6 |
May |
2023 |
|
Ma -ate
Day (May eight) suggested |
8 |
May |
2018 |
|
Europe
Day (European Union) |
9 |
May |
1950 |
|
Prime
Minister John Howard bans all automatic and semi-automatic weapons in the
country. |
10 |
May |
1996 |
|
Mother's
Day (2nd Sunday in May) |
14 |
May |
2023 |
|
Israel's
National Day, Day of Independence, celebrates its Declaration of Independence
(celebrations can be either side of this date for religious reasons) |
14 |
May |
1948 |
|
Eddie
Mabo and others begin their claim to title over their lands in the Torres
Strait |
20 |
May |
1982 |
|
East
Timor Independence Day marks independence of Timor Leste
from Indonesian rule. |
20 |
May |
2002 |
|
Aborigines win the right to enrol and vote in Federal elections. |
21 |
May |
1962 |
|
Empire
Day proclaimed. |
24 |
May |
1903 |
|
Irish
Catholics begin referring to May 24 as ‘Australia Day’ |
24 |
May |
1911 |
|
‘Bringing
Them Home’ report tabled in Federal Parliament, dealing with impact of
forcible removal policies separating Aboriginal children from their families. |
26 |
May |
1997 |
|
National
‘Sorry’ Day, a grass roots response to the conservative government’s refusal
to apologise for federal policies described in ‘Bringing Then Home’ Report. |
26 |
May |
1998 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mt Dispersion, Murray River, NSW |
27 |
May |
1836 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Waterloo Bay, SA |
27 |
May |
1849 |
|
Australians
overwhelmingly support referendum to give Commonwealth Parliament power to
make laws in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and
include them in the census. |
27 |
May |
1967 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Bathurst Plains, NSW |
31 |
May |
1824 |
|
Japanese
midget submarines attack Sydney Harbour |
31 |
May |
1942 |
|
Samoan
Independence Day celebrates freedom from command by New Zealand |
1 |
Jun |
1962 |
|
Italy
Republic Day, also known as Festa della Repubblica, marks the day when
Italians voted to abolish the monarchy. |
2 |
Jun |
1946 |
|
‘Lady
Juliana', the 'floating brothel' and first convict transport ship of Second
Fleet, arrives at Sydney |
3 |
Jun |
1790 |
|
Mabo v
Queensland No. 2 1992 – High Court judgement agrees that traditional
ownership existed and had not been extinguished by British possession. |
3 |
Jun |
1992 |
|
Dutch
ship 'Batavia' wrecked off West Australian coast |
4 |
Jun |
1629 |
|
Nationality
and Citizenship Act amended and renamed the Citizenship Act, making it easier
for the influx of non-British immigrants to become citizens. All Australian
citizens now ‘Australian citizens with the status of a British subject’
rather than British subjects. |
4 |
Jun |
1969 |
|
Tiananmen
Square Massacre, Beijing |
4 |
Jun |
1989 |
|
D-Day,
World War 2, largest seaborne invasion in history |
6 |
Jun |
1944 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Hawkesbury, NSW - caution, this took place in May,
not June |
7 |
Jun |
1795 |
|
Matthew
Flinders circumnavigates Australia, 1801-03, and arrives in Sydney Harbour on
9 June, having proved it was a continent. |
9 |
Jun |
1803 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Campaspe, VIC |
9 |
Jun |
1840 |
|
Massacre of Aboriginal People at Myall Creek, NSW |
10 |
Jun |
1838 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mount Rouse, VIC |
11 |
Jun |
1840 |
|
Racial
Discrimination Act 1975, outlawing certain forms of racial discrimination. |
11 |
Jun |
1975 |
|
Commonwealth
Franchise Act defined who could vote in Commonwealth elections, and included
all women but excluded many native races including Australian Aborigines. |
12 |
Jun |
1902 |
|
King's
Birthday since 4 June 1788. From 1966 the Queen’s (now King's) Birthday has
been celebrated around her official birthday (not her actual birthday) on
second Monday in June (Qld & WA have different days) |
12 |
Jun |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Dairy Plains, TAS |
13 |
Jun |
1827 |
|
Battle
of Waterloo, Europe |
18 |
Jun |
1815 |
|
Aboriginal
people allowed to vote in Federal elections. |
18 |
Jun |
1962 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Glenmore Downs, QLD |
21 |
Jun |
1866 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Laycock Falls, TAS |
24 |
Jun |
1827 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Frew River, NT |
24 |
Jun |
1891 |
|
Korean
War begins |
25 |
Jun |
1950 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Quamby Brook, TAS |
26 |
Jun |
1827 |
|
Treaty
of Versailles, official end of World War 1 |
28 |
Jun |
1919 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Umbercollie Station, QLD |
30 |
Jun |
1848 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Moreton Island, QLD |
1 |
Jul |
1831 |
|
Canada
Day, celebrates the date when three separate colonies united to form Canada |
1 |
Jul |
1867 |
|
Australian
Citizenship Act 2007 replaces 1948 Act – and introduces a citizenship test |
1 |
Jul |
2007 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Naracoorte Caves, VIC |
2 |
Jul |
1845 |
|
Independence
Day, USA, when the American colonies signed Declaration of Independence from
UK |
4 |
Jul |
1776 |
|
‘Mary
Ann', first transport ship of Third Fleet, arrives at Sydney carrying female
convicts |
9 |
Jul |
1791 |
|
Commonwealth
of Australia Constitution Act 1900, an Act of the UK Parliament, becomes law |
9 |
Jul |
1900 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Morinish Goldfields, QLD |
12 |
Jul |
1867 |
|
Bastille
Day, France |
14 |
Jul |
1789 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mt Cottrell, Werribee, VIC |
16 |
Jul |
1836 |
|
Malaysian
Airlines Flight MH 17 shot down over Ukraine, significant loss of Australian
life |
17 |
Jul |
2014 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mt McMinn, NT |
19 |
Jul |
1875 |
|
Battle
of Fromelles, WW1, huge Australian death toll |
19 |
Jul |
1916 |
|
Massacre
of Colonisers at Breelong, NSW |
20 |
Jul |
1900 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mt McMinn, NT |
23 |
Jul |
1875 |
|
Pozieres
Campaign begins, WW1, huge Australian death toll |
23 |
Jul |
1916 |
|
Papua
New Guinea Remembrance Day, marks start of Battle of Kokoda and commemorates
Papua New Guineans who have died in military service. |
23 |
Jul |
1942 |
|
William
Dampier aboard the 'Roebuck' reaches and names Shark Bay on the West
Australian coast, having already landed on west coast in 1688 |
26 |
Jul |
1699 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mt Haldon, QLD |
27 |
Jul |
1843 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Raffles Bay, NT |
30 |
Jul |
1827 |
|
Red
Cross designates 30 Jul 1915 and 30 Jul 1916 as ‘Australia Day’ as a
fund-raising event. |
30 |
Jul |
1915 |
|
Australia
enters World War 1 |
4 |
Aug |
1914 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Wannon River, VIC |
6 |
Aug |
1843 |
|
National
Day of Singapore commemorates Singapore's independence from Malaysia. |
9 |
Aug |
1965 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Fitzroy River Valley, WA |
14 |
Aug |
1896 |
|
India's
National Day. Independence Day marks day when UK Parliament transferred
legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. |
15 |
Aug |
1947 |
|
Prime
Minister Gough Whitlam hands over freehold title of the Gurindji lands |
16 |
Aug |
1975 |
|
Indonesia's
National Day celebrates reading of the proclamation of independence from the
Netherlands |
17 |
Aug |
1945 |
|
Vietnam
Veterans Day, commemorating Battle of Long Tan on 18 Aug 1966 |
18 |
Aug |
1969 |
|
Afghan Independence
Day commemorates the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919 and relinquishment of its
status as a state protected by Britain against the Russians and Persia |
19 |
Aug |
1921 |
|
Australian
Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1986. Children born in Australia can only be
Australian citizens if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or
permanent resident. Removed concept of ‘alien’. |
20 |
Aug |
1986 |
|
Captain
Cook notes in his journal that he’d claimed the east coast of NSW for
Britain. |
22 |
Aug |
1770 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Rufus River, VIC/SA |
23 |
Aug |
1841 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Rufus River, VIC/SA |
27 |
Aug |
1841 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Caders Range, NT |
29 |
Aug |
1875 |
|
Malaysia's
National Day (Hari Merdeka) celebrates Malaysia's Declaration of
Independence |
31 |
Aug |
1957 |
|
Diana,
Princess of Wales dies |
31 |
Aug |
1997 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Turon River, NSW |
1 |
Sep |
1824 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Hunter Valley, NSW |
1 |
Sep |
1826 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People east of Ben Lomond, TAS |
1 |
Sep |
1829 |
|
Wattle Day commences. (National Wattle Day since 1 Sep 1992). Amnesty
International promotes this for our National Day. (Allergy problems??) |
1 |
Sep |
1910 |
|
World
War 2, the deadliest conflict in human history, begins with the invasion of
Poland. Hitler signs an order to begin the systematic euthanasia of mentally
ill and disabled people. |
1 |
Sep |
1939 |
|
United
States, Australia and New Zealand sign the ANZUS Treaty, a mutual defence
pact |
1 |
Sep |
1951 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Mole Hill, NT |
2 |
Sep |
1875 |
|
Massacre
of Colonisers at Daly River & Mary River, NT |
2 |
Sep |
1884 |
|
Vietnam's
National Day, commemorating President Hồ Chí Minh reading the Declarations of
Independence of Vietnam in Hanoi |
2 |
Sep |
1945 |
|
Australia
enters World War 2 |
3 |
Sep |
1939 |
|
Statute
of Westminster Adoption Act of Australian Parliament formally adopts sections
2–6 of UK's Statute of Westminster 1931, an Act enabling total legislative
independence of self-governing Dominions of British Empire and further
restricting ability of UK Parliament to legislate for the Dominions.
Backdated to take effect from outbreak of World War 2. |
3 |
Sep |
1942 |
|
Father's
Day (1st Sunday in September) |
3 |
Sep |
2023 |
|
Queen
Elizabeth II dies, funeral 19 September |
8 |
Sep |
2022 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Deepwater, NSW |
11 |
Sep |
1842 |
|
Attack
on Twin Towers of World Trade Centre, New York |
11 |
Sep |
2001 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Dairy Plains, TAS |
15 |
Sep |
1826 |
|
Papua
New Guinea Independence Day, commemorating Independence from Australia |
16 |
Sep |
1975 |
|
Aboriginal
boy shot at Hawkesbury in early Sep 1794 |
17 |
Sep |
1794 |
|
Murder
of two Aboriginal boys at Hawkesbury |
18 |
Sep |
1799 |
|
Referendum
to ban the Communist Party defeated. |
22 |
Sep |
1951 |
|
Jewish
Religious Holiday period - Sep/Oct, such as Yom Kippur |
24 |
Sep |
2023 |
|
Cathy
Freeman wins 400m Gold Medal in Sydney Olympics |
25 |
Sep |
2000 |
|
First
record of a Colonial Frontier Massacre, of 6 Aboriginal People, by civilians
at Hawkesbury, NSW. Date unclear but documented on 26 September. Perpetrators
never identified or punished. |
26 |
Sep |
1794 |
|
Australia
wins America’s Cup |
26 |
Sep |
1983 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Argument Flat, NT |
27 |
Sep |
1884 |
|
AFL
Grand Final Day (last Saturday in Sep) with public holiday in Victoria on the
preceding Friday. |
30 |
Sep |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Minnamurra River, NSW |
1 |
Oct |
1818 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Dourallie Creek, NSW |
1 |
Oct |
1846 |
|
National
Day of People's Republic of China celebrates its foundation ceremony in
Tiananmen Square, forming the Central People's Government. This is also Hong
Kong's National Day. |
1 |
Oct |
1949 |
|
NRL
Grand Final Day (1st Sunday in October) |
1 |
Oct |
2023 |
|
Labour
Day in ACT, NSW & SA and King's Birthday, QLD |
2 |
Oct |
2023 |
|
National
Iraqi Day celebrates the day Iraq joined the United Nations. |
3 |
Oct |
1932 |
|
Germany's
National Day (German Unity Day) |
3 |
Oct |
1990 |
|
Trial of William Millar and Thomas Bevan for murder of the Aboriginal
man Tom Rowley (9th or 10th October) |
9 |
Oct |
1797 |
|
Commonwealth
Electoral Act makes voting compulsory, with penalties for failure to vote. |
10 |
Oct |
1924 |
|
Fiji
Day marks cession to UK in 1874 and independence gained in 1970 |
10 |
Oct |
1970 |
|
Fiesta
Nacional de Espana
(Spain's National Day) celebrates the arrival date of Christopher Columbus in
America. Other countries also mark Columbus Day. |
12 |
Oct |
1935 |
|
Bali
Bombings, significant loss of Australian life |
12 |
Oct |
2002 |
|
Naturalisation
Act 1903 excludes Aboriginal people and people from Asian countries. |
13 |
Oct |
1903 |
|
Battle
of Hastings |
14 |
Oct |
1066 |
|
Robert
Forrester is first man brought before an official enquiry to answer the
charge of shooting an Aboriginal boy at Hawkesbury on 17 Sep 1794. |
17 |
Oct |
1794 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Bluff Rock, NSW |
17 |
Oct |
1844 |
|
Massacre
of Colonisers at Cullin-la-Ringo, Qld |
17 |
Oct |
1861 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Upper Maranoa, QLD |
19 |
Oct |
1861 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Cockatoo Valley, TAS |
23 |
Oct |
1828 |
|
First
recorded landing by a European (Dirk Hartog) on West Australian coast, at
Shark Bay |
25 |
Oct |
1616 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Nogoa River, QLD |
25 |
Oct |
1861 |
|
Austria’s National Day (Austria not to be confused with Australia) |
26 |
Oct |
1955 |
|
Massacre
of Colonisers at Hornet Bank Station, QLD |
27 |
Oct |
1857 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Pinjarra, WA |
28 |
Oct |
1834 |
|
First
conscription plebiscite in WW1 fails |
28 |
Oct |
1916 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Woolgar River, QLD |
30 |
Oct |
1863 |
|
Halloween
(worldwide) |
31 |
Oct |
|
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Maryborough, QLD |
1 |
Nov |
1854 |
|
Vietnam
War begins |
1 |
Nov |
1955 |
|
Boer War involvement begins when the first formed unit of troops from
Australia lands in Cape Town |
2 |
Nov |
1899 |
|
Balfour
Declaration, a public statement issued by the British government in 1917
during World War I announcing support for the establishment of a
"national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. |
2 |
Nov |
1926 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Battle Camp, QLD |
5 |
Nov |
1873 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Fitzroy River, QLD |
6 |
Nov |
1860 |
|
Defeat
of Australian Republic Referendum |
6 |
Nov |
1999 |
|
Melbourne
Cup (1st Tuesday in November) |
7 |
Nov |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Junction of Murray & Darling Rivers, NSW |
11 |
Nov |
1839 |
|
Eureka
Statement at Ballarat |
11 |
Nov |
1854 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Ivanhoe Station, WA |
11 |
Nov |
1895 |
|
Remembrance
Day marks date when World War 1 Armistice came into effect (worldwide) |
11 |
Nov |
1918 |
|
Dismissal
of Australia's Prime Minister by Governor General |
11 |
Nov |
1975 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Glen Helen, NT |
13 |
Nov |
1884 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Meredith River, TAS |
15 |
Nov |
1823 |
|
Balfour Declaration of 1926 declares UK and its Dominions (including
Australia) to be autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in
status and not subordinate |
15 |
Nov |
1926 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Geike Gorge, WA |
19 |
Nov |
1894 |
|
Lebanese
Independence Day celebrates end of French mandate over Lebanon |
22 |
Nov |
1943 |
|
Australian
Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1984 - Australian citizens cease to be ‘British
subjects’. British subjects not yet naturalised become ‘permanent residents’. |
22 |
Nov |
1984 |
|
Thanksgiving
Day, long-celebrated but in 1863 declared a national holiday in USA by
Abraham Lincoln. Now celebrated in USA on fourth Thursday in November, followed
immediately by Black Friday & Cyber Monday as a shopping bonanza |
23 |
Nov |
2023 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Exhibition Range, QLD |
26 |
Nov |
1861 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Kangaroo Creek, NSW |
29 |
Nov |
1847 |
|
The
Eureka Oath of miners at Ballarat: ‘We swear by the Southern Cross to stand
truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties’. |
29 |
Nov |
1854 |
|
Scotland's
National Day (St Andrew's Day) |
30 |
Nov |
|
|
Australian Citizenship Act 1973 removes distinction between migrants
from Commonwealth & other countries as candidates for Australian
citizenship, ending the last vestiges of the ‘White Australia’ policy. |
1 |
Dec |
1973 |
|
Nationality Act 1920 - naturalised and native-born Australians share
the same rights & obligations with respect to Commonwealth government and
those outside this group are 'aliens', effective 1 Jan 1921 |
2 |
Dec |
1920 |
|
Abel
Tasman plants flag and claims Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) for the Dutch |
3 |
Dec |
1642 |
|
Battle
of the Eureka Stockade |
3 |
Dec |
1854 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Tooms Lake, TAS |
6 |
Dec |
1828 |
|
Japanese
attack Pearl Harbour and Australia declares war on Japan. |
8 |
Dec |
1941 |
|
Marriage
Act amended to permit same sex marriage |
8 |
Dec |
2017 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Bank Head Farm, TAS |
9 |
Dec |
1826 |
|
Mount
White volcano erupts in NZ, significant loss of Australian life |
9 |
Dec |
2019 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Dawson River, QLD |
10 |
Dec |
1861 |
|
Statute of Westminster, a British law, grants former British colonies
full legal freedom except where they choose otherwise |
11 |
Dec |
1931 |
|
The words ‘British Passport’ removed from Australian Passports (The
Canberra Times, Fri 15 Dec 1967, p 9, Passports No Longer 'British') |
14 |
Dec |
1967 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Snowy River, VIC |
16 |
Dec |
1846 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Nassau River, QLD |
16 |
Dec |
1864 |
|
Second
WW1 conscription plebiscite fails |
20 |
Dec |
1917 |
|
Immigration
Restriction Act 1901 (the White Australia policy) takes effect. |
23 |
Dec |
1901 |
|
Japan National Day (Emperor Akihito’s Birthday) |
23 |
Dec |
1933 |
|
Christmas
Eve (worldwide) |
24 |
Dec |
|
|
Native
Title Act 1993 sets out circumstances under which Indigenous people
throughout Australia can claim traditional rights to unalienated land. |
24 |
Dec |
1993 |
|
Christmas
Day (worldwide) |
25 |
Dec |
|
|
Cyclone
Tracey destroys Darwin |
25 |
Dec |
1974 |
|
Boxing
Day (worldwide) |
26 |
Dec |
|
|
Massacre
of Colonisers at Mt Larcom Station, QLD |
26 |
Dec |
1855 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Ivanhoe Station, WA |
27 |
Dec |
1895 |
|
Massacre
of Aboriginal People at Fort Wellington, NT |
29 |
Dec |
1827 |
|
New
Year’s Eve (worldwide) |
31 |
Dec |
