January 26 is one of the most debated dates in Australia’s history. Often described as the nation’s birthday, the day marks neither the formal founding of the colony nor the creation of the Commonwealth. Instead, it reflects a layered history shaped by colonisation, political decisions, and ongoing First Nations resistance. Understanding what actually happened on January 26 reveals why the date is experienced so differently across the country.
Key Points
- The First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay on 18 January 1788, not January 26.
- Australia was formally founded on 7 February 1788, not on January 26.
- January 26 has long been a site of protest and truth-telling for First Nations peoples.
This article, based on an NITV video presented by John-Paul Janke, the National Indigenous Affairs Editor at the SBS and co-host of The Point on NITV. He traces how January 26 became Australia Day and why it continues to hold very different meanings for people across the country.
- What happened on January 26 in Australia?
- Did the First Fleet arrive on January 26?
- When was Australia officially founded?
- How did the landing impact First Nations?
- Why did January 26 become Australia Day?
- Does Australia Day mark federation?
- When did the name Australia Day come into use?
- Why is January 26 a Day of Mourning for First Nations peoples?
- When did Australia Day become a national public holiday?
- Why does January 26 still matter today?
What happened on January 26 in Australia?
January 26 marks the day in 1788 when Captain Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at Sydney Cove. By that evening, the full First Fleet of eleven ships had anchored in Port Jackson, more than eight months after leaving England.
While this moment is often framed as the start of the nation, it was neither the beginning of British arrival nor the formal establishment of the colony.
Did the First Fleet arrive on January 26?
No. The First Fleet began arriving at Botany Bay on 18 January 1788. After assessing the area, Phillip determined it was unsuitable for settlement due to poor soil and limited fresh water.
Strong winds delayed the fleet’s departure, and on 25 January two French ships, led by Captain Jean-François de La Pérouse, appeared offshore. Early the next morning, Phillip and a small party moved to Sydney Cove, where a brief ceremony took place on January 26.
When was Australia officially founded?
The colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed on 7 February 1788, when Arthur Phillip’s governorship was officially declared.
The colony’s boundaries extended east from the 135th meridian, covering more than half the continent. These borders were based on European treaties, despite the fact the land was already home to First Nations peoples.
How did the landing impact First Nations?
The First Fleet arrived on Country belonging to at least 29 First Nations clan groups across the Sydney Basin. The land was not vacant.
For First Nations peoples, January 26 marks the beginning of dispossession, violence, and resistance. These impacts continue to be felt today.
Why did January 26 become Australia Day?
January 26 was first gazetted as a public holiday in New South Wales in 1818 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. It was known then as First Landing Day or Foundation Day.
By 1888, most colonies were marking January 26 as Foundation Day or Anniversary Day, though each colony observed different founding dates.
In the late nineteenth century, the Australian Natives Association became a strong advocate for a national holiday on January 26. The organisation promoted federation but restricted membership to white, Australian-born men.
Does Australia Day mark Federation?
No. The Commonwealth of Australia came into being on New Year’s Day 1901. The first sitting of the federal parliament took place later, on 9 May 1901.
January 26 does not mark either event. Instead, it commemorates the 1788 landing at Sydney Cove.
When did the name Australia Day come into use?
The idea of a national Australia Day emerged during the First World War as part of fundraising efforts for the war. For several years, events were held in July rather than January.
By 1918, some organisations had begun referring to January 26 as Australia Day. In 1930, the Australian Natives Association formally adopted the name, and by 1935 most states followed, though New South Wales continued to call it Anniversary Day for several more years.
Why is January 26 a Day of Mourning for First Nations peoples?
On the 150th anniversary of the landing in 1938, First Nations leaders organised the Day of Mourning. It was one of the earliest national Aboriginal civil rights protests, calling attention to injustice, exclusion, and dispossession.
Since then, January 26 has remained a powerful day of protest, remembrance, and survival for many First Nations communities.
When did January 26 become a national public holiday?
Public holiday arrangements differed between states for decades. Some marked January 26 itself, while others observed the holiday on the nearest Monday.
After the 1988 bicentenary, all states gradually aligned their public holidays. January 26 became a nationally uniform public holiday in 1994.
Why does January 26 still matter today?
January 26 carries multiple meanings. For some, it represents national identity and celebration. For many First Nations peoples, it symbolises invasion, loss, and resilience.
As conversations continue across Australia, understanding the full history of the date is central to truth-telling and to building a more informed and inclusive future.
This Australia Explained story was produced in collaboration with NITV. Audio from John-Paul Janke is extracted from an NITV video explainer.
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You're listening to Australia Explained, an SBS audio podcast helping you navigate life in Australia.
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January 26th, known as Australia Day, is marked as a public holiday across Australia, but its history is far from straightforward. For some people, it's seen as the date the First Fleet arrived in Sydney in 1788. For many others, including First Nations peoples, it represents the beginning of profound loss,
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disruption and resistance. Many Australians still assume the First Fleet landed at Sydney Cove on the 26th of January 1788. But the fact is they first reached Botany Bay on the 18th of January.
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The First Fleet had landed on the lands of some 29 clan groups whose country stretched across the entire Sydney Basin.
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This is Australia Explained, and I'm your host, Maram Ismail. In this episode, you will learn the history behind January twenty-sixth, why it became a public holiday in Australia, and why it is understood and experienced so differently across the country.
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You're about to embark on a historical journey guided by John-Paul Janke, the National Indigenous Affairs editor at the SBS and co-host of The Point on NITV. He traces how the 26th of January became the date officially observed as Australia Day and why its meaning continues to shift and spark debate across the country.
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So, where and how did it all start?
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Many see January 26th as a day that commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney in 1788 and the beginnings of a nation.
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But did you know that the First Fleet, a group of 11 ships, had actually started arriving in Botany Bay eight days earlier on January 18, 1788. Captain Arthur Phillip found Botany Bay unsuitable to establish the new colony.
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Later, Phillip and his party returned to Botany Bay on the evening of January 23rd.
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And gave instructions for the entire fleet to set sail for Port Jackson immediately.
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Strong headwinds kept the fleet trapped in Botany Bay, and the next day the crews were shocked to see two strange ships appear outside Botany Bay. They were French ships under the command of Captain La Perouse. On Jan 25th, the weather forced
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all but one of the ships to again abandon their efforts. The ship that succeeded was the supply. Early on the morning of the twenty-sixth, Phillip and his party rowed ashore. The Union Jack was planted, a little ceremony took place with only a few dozen marines, officers and oarsmen, while the convicts witnessed it from the deck of the supply.
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By evening, the entire fleet had anchored in and around Sydney Cove more than 8 months after leaving England.
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So, was this the formal start to the colony?
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Well, no, it wouldn't be until February 7th that the new colony is formally founded, and Arthur Phillips' governorship is formally proclaimed. The colony included all of Australia eastward from the meridian of 135 degrees east.
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This included more than half the mainland of Australia and reflected the line of division between the claims of Spain and Portugal that was established in the Treaty of Tortoscila in 1494.
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And of course, as Australia has now come to formally recognise, the land was not vacant.
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The First Fleet had landed on the lands of some 29 clan groups, whose country stretched across the entire Sydney Basin. The 26th of January was first gazetted as a public holiday for the colony of New South Wales by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1818, when it was referred to as First Landing Day or Foundation Day.
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The other colonies
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had different founding day holidays. By 1888, January 20th was celebrated in most colonies as Foundation Day or Anniversary Day.
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During the latter part of the 19th century, a group called the Australian Natives Association became a strong lobby group for federation and for celebrating a national holiday on
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January 26th, the Australian Natives Association was founded by and for the benefit of white native born Australians.
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And membership was restricted to that group. Many people assume Australia Day marks the creation of the Commonwealth, but that's not the case.
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What the people celebrate on Australia Day is not the coming into being of the
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Australian Commonwealth that happened on New Year's Day 1901, and it's not the first sitting of the Parliament of the Commonwealth. That was May 9th, 1901.
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Instead, the date marks the 1788 landing of Captain Arthur Phillips. Officials, Marines, and transported convicts from England landed on the shores of Sydney Cove.
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So, when did the name we know today emerge?
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It was actually during the First World War that the concept of a national Australia Day came about, and initially it was part of a fundraising plan for the war effort.
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However, events were held in
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July for several years. By 1918, some branches of the Australian Natives Association were referring to January 20th as Australia Day, while others still preferred Foundation Day or Anniversary Day.
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In March 1930, the ANA annual conference resolved to name the day Australia Day, and by 1935, most Australian states were recognising January 26th as Australia Day, except for New South Wales, which still referred to the date as
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Anniversary day.
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But the story of the date is not just about celebration - it's also about resistance. Three years later, in 1938, on the 150th anniversary of the landing, First Nations leaders organised a day of mourning.
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This was one of the earliest national Aboriginal civil rights protests. It was actually much later, in 1994, when the public holiday eventually became nationally aligned.
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Some states had a public holiday on the 26th of January, while others used the first Monday following in 1988,
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the states all marked the bicentennial of Arthur Phillips Landing as a public holiday, gazetting of the 26th of January as the Australia Day public holiday finally became uniform in 1994.
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The history of the 26th of January is long, complicated, and deeply felt. It's a date that represents celebration for some and mourning, protest, and survival for many First Nations peoples. As conversations continue across the country, understanding the history behind this date is part of a growing movement toward truth-telling.
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This Australia explained episode was produced in collaboration with NITV. The audio from John-Paul Janke is extracted from a video explainer produced by NITV.
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This was an SBS audio podcast. For more Australia explained stories, visit sbs.com.au/Australiaexplained.
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Subscribe or follow the Australia Explained podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia. Do you have any questions or topic ideas? Send us an email to australiaexplained@sbs.com.au.
