What is Australia Day - and why is it controversial?

The 26th of January marks the day in 1788 when the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove, beginning the British colonisation of Australia.

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Now commemorated with a public holiday, millions see it as a time to celebrate all that they love about being Australian.

But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, it's a day of pain.

Group of People Waving Australian Flags in Back Lit Source Source: iStockphoto

Across the country, tens of thousands of people spend the 26th of January participating in 'Invasion Day' events.