The Australia Day is the official national holiday in Australia, and is celebrated on January 26. It recalls the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour, on 26 January 1788. History On January 26, 1788 was the day that Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales In 1808 the festival was celebrated as the “First Landing” or “Foundation Day”. In 1818, on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary, government employees received a holiday (a tradition that was soon followed by banks and other public offices). In 1888 all the capitals of the colonies (with the exception of Adelaide) celebrated the festival as “Anniversary Day, and during 1935 all states of Australia as the celebrated” Australia Day “(although it was still known as Anniversary Day in New South Wales). The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of whites on the continent in 1... read more