Australia Day
Australia Day is a celebration of our diversity, our communities and our culture. It is a day of reflection of all things achieved in our great country and to be proud of who we are as Australians. It is a day of unity and a celebration with family, friends and neighbours.
Australia Day is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson in 1788. The First Fleet was captained by Captain Arthur Philip and he established the first penal colony in Australia known as New South Wales. By 1808, January 26 was being celebrated as “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day". In 1935, January 26 was known as Australia Day in all states except New South Wales. New South Wales continued to call it Anniversary Day up until 1946.
Each year on the 26th January Australia Day is celebrated by our communities in a variety of ways.
The Port Lincoln annual Tunarama Festival is held on the closest weekend to the Australia Day public holiday. As part of the celebrations on 26th January City of Port Lincoln and 5CC Radio Station hold an Australia Day Community Breakfast from 7am for a gold coin donation. The voluntary gold coin donation is given to the community group(s) who have expressed an interest in helping to prepare and cook the breakfast alongside the City of Port Lincoln's Elected Members, Council and 5CC staff.
Entertainment is provided throughout the morning with the official Australia Day Celebrations commencing at 11am with the raising of the flag, if the event is held on the foreshore, the singing of the National Anthem followed by the Citizenship Ceremony and the presentation of the Citizen, Young Citizen, Active Citizenship and Community Event Awards presented by the City of Port Lincoln.