Australia Day

Australia Day
a legal holiday in Australia, the first Monday after January 25, commemorating the landing of the British in 1788. Formerly, Foundation Day.

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      holiday (January 26) honouring the establishment of the first permanent European settlement on the continent of Australia. On January 26, 1788, Arthur Phillip, who had sailed into what is now Sydney Cove with a shipload of convicts, hoisted the British flag at the site. In the early 1800s the date, called Foundation Day, was celebrated by politicians and businessmen of New South Wales with private dinners. It then began to be called Anniversary Day, and in 1836 the first Anniversary Regatta, still held as the Australia Day Regatta and the oldest such sailing race in the world, was run in Sydney Harbour. In 1838, on the 50th anniversary of the settlement, official public celebrations were held for the first time. There were centenary celebrations throughout the continent in 1888, and in 1938, on the 150th anniversary, the day was proclaimed an official holiday. In 1988, January 26 became a national public holiday, and, in an effort to end the practice in some areas of celebrating the day on the closest Monday, agreement was reached in 1994 that the holiday would be observed on the actual date.

      Government and military officials have long taken a prominent role in the celebration of Australia Day, which includes many public ceremonies, and beginning in the 1940s, with increased immigration to Australia, the day became a time for naturalization ceremonies. Sporting events, including horse races and regattas, have continued to be an important part of the celebrations, and the day's festivities often end with fireworks. Since the late 20th century, Aboriginals and their supporters have criticized Australia Day celebrations as excessively nationalistic and have sought greater recognition both of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent and of the effect on them of European settlement.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Australia Day — „Australia Day“ Feierlichkeiten in Sydney, 2004 Der Australia Day ist Australiens offizieller Nationalfeiertag und wird am 26. Januar gefeiert. Er erinnert an die Ankunft der First Fleet in Sydney Cove am 26. Januar 1788. Feierlichkeiten Der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Australia Day — Feux d artifices, à Perth, à l occasion de l Australia Day. Autre nom Anniversary Day Foundation Day Observé par …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Australia Day — a national holiday in Australia on or near 26 January each year, in memory of when the British first came to Australia in 1788 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Australia Day — Anniversary Day redirects here. For the Norfolk Island public holiday, see Bounty Day. Australia Day …   Wikipedia

  • Australia Day — /əˈstreɪljə deɪ/ (say uh straylyuh day) noun 26 January, the anniversary of the landing of Governor Phillip at Sydney Cove in 1788 which began British settlement in Australia; celebrated in Australia as a public holiday. While many Australians… …  

  • Australia Day — UK [ɒˈstreɪlɪə ˌdeɪ] / US [ɔˈstreɪlɪə ˌdeɪ] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms Australia Day : singular Australia Day plural Australia Days a public holiday in Australia that celebrates the day when British people first arrived to live there …   English dictionary

  • Australia Day Live Concert — infobox music festival music festival name = Australia Day Live location = Parliament House, Canberra, Australia years active= 2004 (present) dates = January 25 Australia Day Eve genre = Pop and rock music website =… …   Wikipedia

  • Australia Day — Aus|tra|li|a Day [ ɔ streıliə ,deı ] noun count or uncount a public holiday in Australia that celebrates the day when British people first arrived to live there permanently. It takes place on the first Monday after 26 January every year …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • australia day — noun Usage: usually capitalized A&D : a national holiday in Australia that commemorates the landing of the British under Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove in 1788 and is observed on January 26 when that date is a Monday, otherwise on the following… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Australia Day — noun Date: 1911 a national holiday in Australia commemorating the landing of the British at Sydney Cove in 1788 and observed on the Monday of or next following January 26 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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