Wattle Day
Encyclopedia
Wattle Day is a day of celebration in, Australia
of the first day of spring
with the use of acacia
s, known by the common name "wattle" in Australia. A sprig of Australia's national floral emblem, the golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha is traditionally worn on this day.
In 1992 the 1st of September was formally declared as "National Wattle Day" by then Minister for the Environment, Ros Kelly
at a ceremony held at the Australian National Botanic Gardens
.
The day was originally conceived as a day to demonstrate patriotism
for the new nation of Australia
by wearing a sprig of wattle. 'Wattle Days emerged to prominence in Australia in the early years of the federated nation. They took on some of the national and civic responsibilities for children that Australia Day could not' The first known use of wattle as a meaningful emblem in the Australian colonies
dates back to the early days of Tasmania
in 1838, when the wearing of silver wattle sprigs was encouraged especially on the occasion of an anniversary celebration of the seventeenth century European discovery of the island. However the first recognised use of wattle as a symbol of the first day of spring was the formation in 1899 of a 'Wattle Club' in Victoria by Mr A. J. Campbell, a field naturalist. For several years the club organised bush outings on the first day in September. The first suggestion of a Wattle Day was made by Mr Campbell during a speech in September 1908. The first wattle day was celebrated in 1910 in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
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...
of the first day of spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
with the use of acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
s, known by the common name "wattle" in Australia. A sprig of Australia's national floral emblem, the golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha is traditionally worn on this day.
In 1992 the 1st of September was formally declared as "National Wattle Day" by then Minister for the Environment, Ros Kelly
Ros Kelly
Ros Kelly AO was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Division of Canberra from 18 October 1980 to 30 January 1995. She was a minister in the governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating....
at a ceremony held at the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Australian National Botanic Gardens
The Australian National Botanic Gardens are located in Canberra and are administered by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage....
.
The day was originally conceived as a day to demonstrate patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
for the new nation of Australia
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...
by wearing a sprig of wattle. 'Wattle Days emerged to prominence in Australia in the early years of the federated nation. They took on some of the national and civic responsibilities for children that Australia Day could not' The first known use of wattle as a meaningful emblem in the Australian colonies
History of Australia
The History of Australia refers to the history of the area and people of Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies. Aboriginal Australians are believed to have first arrived on the Australian mainland by boat from the Indonesian archipelago between 40,000 to...
dates back to the early days of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 1838, when the wearing of silver wattle sprigs was encouraged especially on the occasion of an anniversary celebration of the seventeenth century European discovery of the island. However the first recognised use of wattle as a symbol of the first day of spring was the formation in 1899 of a 'Wattle Club' in Victoria by Mr A. J. Campbell, a field naturalist. For several years the club organised bush outings on the first day in September. The first suggestion of a Wattle Day was made by Mr Campbell during a speech in September 1908. The first wattle day was celebrated in 1910 in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.