Flag Day (Australia)
Encyclopedia
In Australia
, Australian National Flag Day is celebrated on 3 September. It commemorates the day in 1901 on which the Australian National Flag was first flown. On that day Prime Minister Edmund Barton
announced the winners of a competition to design a flag for Australia. A large flag, 5.5 metres by 11 metres, was flown over the dome of the Royal Exhibition Building
in Melbourne.
On 28 August 1996, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sir William Deane, issued a proclamation from Government House, Canberra
that officially established 3 September as Australian National Flag Day.
Australian National Flag Day is not a public holiday
.
, a noted vexillographer and historian, arranged for the New South Wales branch of the Australian National Flag Association
(ANFA) to observe 3 September as “Australian National Flag Day” at a public ceremony held in Hyde Park, Sydney. In several newspaper articles, radio and television appearances over the following years, Vaughan continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of 3 September as Australia’s "National Flag Day".
Vaughan encouraged all the other state branches of the ANFA to promote and organise Flag Day ceremonies for members and the general public to participate in. The recognition and popularity of Flag Day continued to grow with each passing year and in 1989 the Governor of NSW, Sir David Martin, delivered a Flag Day address at Tumbalong Park, Sydney in which he said, "I come here as someone who is proudly Australian, I come here out of respect for a Flag which is proudly Australian".
On Flag Day 1996 an official ceremony took place in the Martin Place Amphitheater in the centre of Sydney. On that occasion Dr Brendan Nelson, MP, Federal member of Parliament introduced the Hon. David Jull, MP, Minister for Administrative Services, who read a message from the Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard, MP. He then presented the ANFA with a copy of the proclamation by Sir William Deane.
Ceremonies are held annually in schools, major centres, and the Governor-General, Governors and some politicians attend or release statements to the media.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Australian National Flag Day is celebrated on 3 September. It commemorates the day in 1901 on which the Australian National Flag was first flown. On that day Prime Minister Edmund Barton
Edmund Barton
Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
announced the winners of a competition to design a flag for Australia. A large flag, 5.5 metres by 11 metres, was flown over the dome of the Royal Exhibition Building
Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...
in Melbourne.
On 28 August 1996, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sir William Deane, issued a proclamation from Government House, Canberra
Government House, Canberra
Government House, Canberra, commonly known as Yarralumla, is the official residence of the Governor-General of Australia. It is located in the suburb of Yarralumla, in the City of Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory....
that officially established 3 September as Australian National Flag Day.
Australian National Flag Day is not a public holiday
Public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year....
.
Observance
The idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Australian National Flag dates from 1984. In that year John Christian VaughanJohn Christian Vaughan
John Christian Vaughan is a Sydney historian and vexillographer. He is the former CEO of the Royal Australian Historical Society. Among his other credits, he is the national spokesperson for the Australian National Flag Association and was employed as an expert commentator by Channel 7 for the...
, a noted vexillographer and historian, arranged for the New South Wales branch of the Australian National Flag Association
Australian National Flag Association
The Australian National Flag Association was launched at a public meeting in Sydney on 5 October 1983 to oppose suggestions that the existing Australian National Flag is not appropriately representative of the nation, and should be changed, with the late Sir Colin Hines elected as founding President...
(ANFA) to observe 3 September as “Australian National Flag Day” at a public ceremony held in Hyde Park, Sydney. In several newspaper articles, radio and television appearances over the following years, Vaughan continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of 3 September as Australia’s "National Flag Day".
Vaughan encouraged all the other state branches of the ANFA to promote and organise Flag Day ceremonies for members and the general public to participate in. The recognition and popularity of Flag Day continued to grow with each passing year and in 1989 the Governor of NSW, Sir David Martin, delivered a Flag Day address at Tumbalong Park, Sydney in which he said, "I come here as someone who is proudly Australian, I come here out of respect for a Flag which is proudly Australian".
On Flag Day 1996 an official ceremony took place in the Martin Place Amphitheater in the centre of Sydney. On that occasion Dr Brendan Nelson, MP, Federal member of Parliament introduced the Hon. David Jull, MP, Minister for Administrative Services, who read a message from the Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard, MP. He then presented the ANFA with a copy of the proclamation by Sir William Deane.
Ceremonies are held annually in schools, major centres, and the Governor-General, Governors and some politicians attend or release statements to the media.