Australian Unity has celebrated Australia Day, or Foundation Day as it was originally known, since 26 January 1888. The Australian Natives' Association (ANA), one of our predecessor companies, resolved at its annual conference in 1886 that a national day should be established and that 26 January was the most desirable date. Following the success of the celebrations in 1888, the ANA began a campaign to recognise and celebrate this date annually. In 1889, the Metropolitan Committee of the ANA celebrated Foundation Day with a dinner at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne.
From 1889 until 1946, when the Australia Day Council was formed, the Metropolitan Committee organised annual fetes and carnivals to commemorate Foundation Day. On 26 January 1890, the first annual fete was staged in the Friendly Society Gardens, and thereafter the annual fetes and luncheons were held at the Exhibition Buildings, where sports carnivals, elocutionary competitions and cycle races were successfully staged. As a result of the ANA's celebrations, Foundation Day became unofficially known as "ANA Day." In January 1927 the ANA decided to celebrate Foundation Day by hosting a dinner on 26 January, held at the Masonic Hall in Melbourne. Previously it had been celebrated at a luncheon on the Saturday following the anniversary. It was felt however that holding the celebration on January 26 would be a greater encouragement to the development of an Australian national sentiment.
In 1934, chiefly as the result of the efforts of the ANA in Victoria, the Commonwealth and State Governments of Australia agreed that 26 January be recognised throughout Australia as "Australia Day" and that the following Monday be proclaimed a holiday. The tradition of Dinners and Smoke Socials continued until 1944, when the celebrations moved to the ANA Board Room in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, with a reception which included members of Parliament, businessmen, representatives of many organisations, and members of the Consular Corps. In 1994, there was national agreement that the celebrations and public holiday for Australia Day would take place on the actual date of 26 January.
Australian Unity continues the tradition of celebrating Australia Day with our support of the Australia Day People’s March in Melbourne and by hosting the first official event on Australia Day—The Great Australia Day Breakfast.
Read more about the history of Australia Day on the National Australia Day Council website.
