Australia Day - our day needs a new date

The celebration of Australia Day on 26 January is not set in stone.

Surely it is not beyond us to select a different date that represents how we all want to see ourselves?

There is everything right about having a unifying national day to celebrate and reflect upon all things Australian such as the land, our values and our lifestyles. If the date of Australia Day celebrations also needs historical significance, let it have positive and meaningful associations for all Australians. Unfortunately that is not what 26 January offers, especially for indigenous Australians. Read more...

Photo: © Suzette D Searle

Celebrate Australia's National Wattle Day on 1 September

National Wattle Day has been officially celebrated since 1992 across Australia on 1 September.

For more than a century Australians in different States and the territories celebrated their own wattle day on different days In July, August and September whenever the wattles were at their blooming best locally. The first celebration of wattle day took place, however, on 1 September in 1910 in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Wattles have long had special meanings for Australians and in 1988 the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) was officially gazetted as Australia's national floral emblem.

Want to know more about why we celebrate National Wattle Day?

How can you celebrate National Wattle Day in 2020?

WEAR a sprig of wattle or Australia's colours of green and gold
GREET each other with 'Happy Wattle Day'
GO for a walk to enjoy wattles in flower around your garden, suburb, nearby bush or arboretum
ORGANISE a picnic, lunch, morning/afternoon tea, BBQ or dinner for your family & friends

Tennis greats win 2019 Golden Wattle Award

Ashleigh Barty and Dylan Alcott are joint winners of the 2019 Golden Wattle Award. Ash Barty won this year’s French Open and became the world’s No. 1 women’s tennis player and Dylan Alcott won the inaugural 2019 Wimbledon Quad Wheelchair Singles title, having earlier won the French and Australian open titles.


Ash Barty Credit Julien De Rosa/EPA, via Shutterstock	Dylan Alcott Credit Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP

While both are top tennis players, it is not just their efforts on the tennis court that have won them the coveted Golden Wattle Award. Both Ash and Dylan have displayed great dignity and grace in the way they have handled the attention and fame that comes with their on-court success. Their manner, on and off the court, has won praise around the world and brought great credit to them and Australia. Their demeanour and approach has been both gracious and generous. Ash Barty is a role model for all young Australians, and an inspiration to other young indigenous players. Dylan Alcott has shown amazing resilience and determination in his lifetime effort to overcome his disability and win acceptance in the broader community. Both brought Gold to Australia, the key criteria for the Golden Wattle Award.