Australians are enthusiastic participants in community events and commemorations, ranging from small-scale local activities to major national celebrations.
Many events also reflect Australians’ well known willingness to undertake voluntary social and community work. More than six million Australians over the age of 16 years are active volunteers in diverse fields, including emergency services, welfare, environment and conservation, teaching and fundraising. Many of Australia’s bushfire fighters and emergency service officers are volunteers.
Commemorations and holidays
Australians commemorate certain days each year that have particular meaning or national significance. These days are a holiday for everyone. They are usually held on the same day across the country, but some local holidays are celebrated only in particular states or territories. Most workers in Australia have about 12 national and state or territory public holidays in addition to their annual holidays. The main holidays are:
New Year’s Day, 1 January, is a national public holiday. The most common time for people in Australia to take their annual leave is between mid-December and the end of January. Many Australians also celebrate the Chinese New Year in February.
Australia Day, the national day, is celebrated on 26 January each year. It commemorates the anniversary of the unfurling of the British flag by Governor Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove in 1788. Australia Day is a national public holiday, and special activities and ceremonies are held across the country to mark the event. These include the Australian of the Year Awards in the national capital, Canberra, to recognise people who have made significant contributions or achievements. There are four categories: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, and Australia’s Local Hero. In most cities, special citizenship ceremonies are also held for migrants wishing to become Australians. New arrivals are especially welcome to join Australia Day events and meet other Australians.
Anzac Day, 25 April, commemorates the brave but ultimately failed battle that was fought in 1915 by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps—the Anzacs—and other allied troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. The eight-month campaign which began on 25 April resulted in the deaths of an estimated 8700 Australians, who were either killed in action or died of wounds or diseases. Some of Australia’s most enduring values emerged from this experience: the Anzac ethos of courage, spirit and ‘mateship’. Anzac Day has been set aside in memory of those who fought for Australia and those who lost their lives in other wars and conflicts. The day is a national public holiday and is commemorated with ceremonies, the laying of wreaths, and military parades in all Australian cities and most country towns.
The Queen’s Birthday is celebrated on the second Monday of June in most states and territories and is a public holiday.
Labour Day (also known as Eight Hour Day) commemorates the granting of an eight-hour working day to stonemasons in the state of Victoria after they downed tools and marched on Parliament House to fight for improved working conditions. In what is generally regarded as a world first, they won the right to ‘eight hours work, eight hours rest and eight hours recreation’. The states and territories commemorate the day in different months of the year.
Melbourne Cup Day occurs on the first Tuesday of November each year. Most people, whether at work, school or home, stop and watch this world-famous horse race on television. The day is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne. In other cities, many people have a lunch or party in their workplaces to celebrate the running of the Cup and participate in modest betting sweeps.
Christmas and Easter, two of the most important dates in the Christian calendar, are observed with national public holidays throughout Australia. Christmas Day is on 25 December every year, while Easter falls between late March and April.
Sports events
Most Australians love their sport and enjoy being participants or spectators. Around 6.5 million are registered as sports participants and just over 11 million Australians aged 15 or over undertake a physical activity at least once a week for exercise, recreation and sport.
Australians are also avid sports spectators. The Melbourne Cup brings the nation to a stop for a few minutes once a year, as most Australians pause to watch the famous horse race. Grand finals of winter sports such as Australian Rules Football, rugby league, rugby union and football attract up to 100 000 attendees as well as huge television audiences.
The Australian Rules Football grand final is a major community event, complete with a grand final parade through the city, a televised grand final breakfast, ‘live’ television sites in public places and training sessions open to the public.
Other major sports events include: the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, a 628-nautical mile course which is described as the most gruelling long ocean race in the world and which starts in Sydney every Boxing Day; Test Cricket matches in summer, including a major Test match in Melbourne that starts on Boxing Day and attracts huge crowds; the Australian Tennis Open, which is the first grand slam title of the calendar year; the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, which is held on Phillip Island in Victoria every October; and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, which is held in Melbourne every March.
Charity events
Australians are generous donors to charities and humanitarian organisations such as the Australian Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Care Australia and the Smith Family. They also give freely to humanitarian organisations in times of natural disasters. Some agencies, such as the Salvation Army, conduct annual door-knock appeals.
Other groups hold annual events to raise funds and awareness for specific causes. Daffodil Day, usually held in August, aims to change attitudes to cancer and give hope and support to those affected by the disease. On Jeans for Genes Day, people throughout Australia are invited to wear jeans to work to raise funds for children’s medical research. The day is held on the first Friday in August each year. During Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, usually held in May, more than one million Australians get together at work, in schools, in their homes and in the community for fund-raising morning teas for the Cancer Council.
Once a year Legacy, a uniquely Australian organisation, appeals to the public for funds to enable it to continue its work of looking after war widows and their dependants. Legacy was established in 1923 by ex-servicemen to care for the widows and dependants of their fallen comrades.
Pink Ribbon Day, held on the fourth Monday in October, raises funds for breast cancer research. It is coordinated by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
