Australia Day, 26 January, is our largest annual community celebration and gives all Australians the opportunity to celebrate our nation’s history, diversity and way of life.
Australia Day is celebrated on January 26 each year and commemorates the first landing in Australia by Captain Arthur Phillip.
The naming of “Australia” was first suggested by Captain Matthew Flinders, an English navigator and surveyor. He was the first explorer to sail entirely around Australia and identify it as a continent. “Australia” means “southern” in Latin. The continent was officially christened “Australia” in 1824.
Member for Toowoomba North, Trevor Watts said “Australia Day gives all Australians an opportunity to celebrate what’s great about Australia and being Australian.”
Each year on January 26, an “Australian of the Year” award ceremony takes place. The awards go to four individuals who have made outstanding achievements. The award categories are: Australian of the Year; Senior Australian of the Year; Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero.
“Our nation is full of passionate and courageous people who have made a significant contribution to their communities, the state and the country and these awards provide an ideal opportunity to acknowledge these remarkable people and show our gratitude for the difference they have made in our lives.
“Australia Day is a special day for all Australians to walk together to find a better path to the future.
“I encourage everyone to take time out to appreciate what it means to be an Australian by spending time as a family, waving the national flag, eating one of Toowoomba’s lamingtons or just enjoying being part of this great nation,” Mr Watts said.