Celebrating Australia: A History of Australia Day essay
Written by Dr Elizabeth Kwan
The tradition of having Australia Day as a national holiday on 26 January is a recent one. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. Not until 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday on that date1.
What drew Australians together in this way? Did Australia Day become a day for all Australians to enjoy?

For full article - http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page76.asp