1984, 1988 & 1992
Australia's national colours of green and gold - 1984
In 1984 Australia's national colours were proclaimed to be green and gold. The gold represents the wattle blossom.
This settled a long dispute as to whether the national colours should be red, white and blue, or green or blue together with gold.
The precise green and yellow references chosen are:
- Green: PANTONE®348C
- Gold: PANTONE®116C
Australia's national floral emblem - 1988
The proclamation of Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha as the national floral emblem, was made during Australia's Bicentennial Year on the 1 September 1988. This species was selected from the more than 1,000 Acacia species that occur naturally in Australia; partly because of its attractive appearance and economic importance to the leather industry in colonial Australia.
Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)
Photo: ©S.D. Searle
National Wattle Day - 1992
Continuing confusion over the actual date of Wattle Day required a long-awaited agreement among the Commonwealth and States to unify Australia's Wattle Day as the First Day of Spring (1st September) in every State and Territory. This took place in 1992 at the urging of Maria Hitchcock, Ian McNamara, presenter and Executive Producer of ABC's radio program 'Australia All Over', and petitions signed by members of the Society for Growing Australian Plants'.
With the Centenary of Federation in 2001, Australians once again experienced strong feelings of nationhood. The Wattle Day Association is promoting a new Wattle Day oriented towards the future, encompassing positive virtues in the celebration of Australia and the Australian spirit. While appreciating the history of the Day, we can adapt its rich symbolism to the great issues Australia faces as a nation still seeking to find its place in the world and as a community-minded people within a global economy.