what day is australia day

Australia Day is held each year on 26 January.

Quick Scoop

• Date: 26 January every year.

• Type of day: Australia’s official national holiday and a public holiday nationwide.

• What it marks: The arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788 and the beginning of British colonisation.

A bit of context

Many people see 26 January as a day for citizenship ceremonies, community events and fireworks. At the same time, a lot of First Nations people and supporters regard it as a painful anniversary, often calling it “Invasion Day”, “Survival Day” or “Day of Mourning”.

Because of this, there is an active public debate and regular polls, forum threads and news pieces every January about whether Australia Day should stay on 26 January or move to another date.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.