Australia Day, 26 January, is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove by its commander Captain Arthur Phillip, in 1788 Figure 1The Founding of Australia, Jan. 26th 1788, by Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N. Sydney Cove. Original oil sketch [1937] by Algernon Talmadge R.A. ML 1222* Though 26 January marks this specific event, today Australia Day celebrations reflect contemporary Australia: our diverse society and landscape, our remarkable achievements and our bright future. It also is an opportunity to reflect on our nation's history, and to consider how we can make Australia an even better place in future. On Australia Day, over half of the nation’s population of 21 million attend either an organized community event, or get together with family and friends with the intention of celebrating our national day. Many more spend the public holiday relaxing with family ...
