I took this image as I walked past the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne on a gloomy day in October 2020. We had been in 'lockdown' for months, but these three flags (National, State and Aboriginal) flying breezily together, in unity, somehow cheered me up. By contrast, the atmosphere surrounding Australia Day this year fills me with sadness. There is too much angry division. Those dark storm clouds in my photo remain relevant.
It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon of the #ChangeTheDate campaign for #AustraliaDay. But it’s not so easy to spend the time thinking of the rationale for a better alternative date and then obtain the necessary community support for that choice. It will take hard work, as I said a year ago when I first posted this line of argument on a different blog site.
I don’t support changing the date, in fact I see every reason to retain 26 January as Australia Day. Could there be any day more meaningful in our history as a nation and more able to generate genuine community discussion of where we’ve come from, where we’re heading, and what we can contribute as good citizens? Could there be any date more unique, more distinctive among all the world’s national days, compared with the day that incoming Europeans met a culture extending back for more than 60,000 years? Being the descendant of a First Fleeter I believe I can see both sides of that story and I’ve done my best to tell it fairly in my book ‘Sentenced to Debt: Robert Forrester, First Fleeter’.
Despite my personal views, I have been willing to do a bit of groundwork laying out a framework of possibilities - or unsuitabilities - for an alternate date. It’s clear that if we decide to change the date, perhaps to the day that we become a republic and truly independent as a nation (ho hum, just like so many other countries) - or the day that we pass the referendum on ‘The Voice’ or enact a Treaty as part of the Uluru Statement from the Heart - then we’d better take great care about our choice of date when we take those actions, lest it clash with a problematic date.
The calendar is very crowded. Some of the dates below mark our progressive march away from ties to the British. Some of the dates mark achievements in our own right as Australians, of which we can be proud and which contribute to our sense of national identity. Some of the dates will be unacceptable because they denote the killing or, worse, massacre of Aboriginal people (and some settlers) somewhere in our nation, only some of which dates are listed below.
Some of the alternative dates have already claimed international significance for other reasons, either as the anniversary of a world event or the national day for major segments of our multicultural community. Some of the dates don’t fit with our seasons, current lifestyles and our existing sense of identity – for example, who wants to celebrate 'Australianness' in the depths of winter? Some of the dates are unsuitable, like New Year’s Day, when the populace is tired and often hungover from New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It’s amazing how many interpretations of the dates in our history can be found, even among the ranks of professional historians. In my table, the Year column denotes how long the event has been recognised in Australia, or overseas. The material is sourced from multiple, official or seemingly reliable, websites on the internet and I thank the numerous authors.
I forgive myself in advance for any mistakes and omissions I have made and welcome your corrections and additional suggestions. But please – let's just stop this mindless chant of ‘Change the Date’, if that's what people want, and start focusing on ‘What to?’
| EVENT | DAY | MONTH | YEAR |
| New Year’s Day (worldwide) | 1 | Jan | |
| ‘Federation Day’, Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 comes into force | 1 | Jan | 1901 |
| Commonwealth Nationality Act 1920 comes into effect. Codified concept of a British subject for natural-born and naturalised Australians. Outsiders were 'aliens'. No mention of Indigenous Australians. | 1 | Jan | 1921 |
| Native Title Act 1993 comes into effect and the National Native Title Tribunal is established | 1 | Jan | 1994 |
| First ship of First Fleet enters Botany Bay | 18 | Jan | 1788 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Murray River, QLD | 20 | Jan | 1870 |
| Phillip discovers Sydney Harbour, ‘the finest harbour in the world’. | 21 | Jan | 1788 |
| Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year), a 15 day festival beginning from new moon that appears between 21 Jan and 20 Feb. | 22 | Jan | 2023 |
| Phillip, officers and marines camp overnight at Sydney Cove | 25 | Jan | 1788 |
| Phillip, officers and marines at Sydney Cove hold flag-raising ceremony. | 26 | Jan | 1788 |
| The remainder of the fleet arrives in Sydney Cove in the late afternoon. | 26 | Jan | 1788 |
| Landing Day celebrated | 26 | Jan | 1790 |
| Rum Rebellion, Governor Bligh overthrown in a coup d'état | 26 | Jan | 1808 |
| Governor Macquarie proclaims first official public holiday to celebrate 'Foundation Day' | 26 | Jan | 1818 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Waterloo Creek, NSW | 26 | Jan | 1838 |
| ‘Anniversary Day’ established as a public holiday in Victoria by the Australian Natives Association. | 26 | Jan | 1871 |
| NSW government changes name of ‘Anniversary Day’ to ‘Australia Day’, an idea supported later that year by Prime Minister. | 26 | Jan | 1932 |
| The ‘Day of Mourning’ instituted as a day of protest by Aboriginal Australians, with a focus on loss of land and mistreatment. Aboriginal Advancement League begins to call it ‘Invasion Day’. Many now call it ‘Survival Day’. | 26 | Jan | 1938 |
| Nationality and Citizenship Act of 21 Dec 1948, creating Australian citizenship and conditions by which it can be acquired, comes into force. Indigenous people as ‘natural-born’ Australians implicitly included. Australian citizens continue to be British citizens. | 26 | Jan | 1949 |
| Indian Republic Day honours the date when Constitution of India replaced the Government of India Act (1935). | 26 | Jan | 1950 |
| Male convicts on First Fleet unloaded and start building the camp site in Sydney Cove | 27 | Jan | 1788 |
| Emancipists hold a dinner party and sing toasts to ‘Rise Australia’ (but on 27 Jan, as 26 Jan in that year fell on a Sunday). | 27 | Jan | 1817 |
| Holocaust Memorial Day, marking date when the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was liberated, honouring victims, survivors and rescuers of Nazi regime in Germany (United Nations date) | 27 | Jan | 1945 |
| New citizens pledge their commitment to Australia, replacing an oath to the Queen of Australia. | 31 | Jan | 1994 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Barmah Lake, VIC | 1 | Feb | 1843 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Loddon Junction, VIC | 1 | Feb | 1846 |
| Sri Lanka Independence Day, also known as National Day, commemorates political independence from British rule. | 4 | Feb | 1948 |
| Waitangi Day, New Zealand, commemorates signing of Treaty of Waitangi | 6 | Feb | 1840 |
| First Fleet's female convicts come ashore | 6 | Feb | 1788 |
| Formal Proclamation of the Colony of New South Wales (which then included today's QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS and ACT). | 7 | Feb | 1788 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Cape Grim, TAS | 10 | Feb | 1828 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Manumbar, QLD | 10 | Feb | 1861 |
| Japan's National Foundation Day celebrates the accession of Japan's first emperor, Emperor Jimmu on 11 Feb 660 BC | 11 | Feb | 1873 |
| Islamic Revolution Day, National Day of Iran, also known as Bahman 22nd | 11 | Feb | 1979 |
| Prime Minister Kevin Rudd moves a motion of Apology to the "Stolen Generation" of Indigenous Australians, responding to ‘Bringing Them Home’ Report | 13 | Feb | 2008 |
| Valentine's Day (worldwide) | 14 | Feb | |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at West Tamar, TAS | 18 | Feb | 1829 |
| ‘Battle of Darwin', the first of 100 air raids on Australia by the Japanese during World War 2 | 19 | Feb | 1942 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Lubra Creek, VIC | 24 | Feb | 1842 |
| Russia invades Ukraine | 24 | Feb | 2022 |
| Willem Janszoon aboard 'Duyfken' lands near today's Weipa on Cape York Peninsula | 26 | Feb | 1606 |
| Welsh National Day (St David's Day) | 1 | Mar | |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Twofold Bay, NSW | 1 | Mar | 1806 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Deepwater, NSW | 1 | Mar | 1845 |
| Australia Act 1986 - Australia’s Constitution can no longer be changed by UK parliament, only by a national referendum. Appeals to UK’s Privy Council cease. The Queen remains Australia’s head of state. | 3 | Mar | 1986 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Yuleba Creek, QLD | 4 | Mar | 1850 |
| Labour Day in WA | 6 | Mar | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Fighting Hills, VIC | 8 | Mar | 1840 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Clyde & Ouse Rivers, TAS | 10 | Mar | 1830 |
| World Health Organisation declares novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a worldwide pandemic. | 11 | Mar | 2020 |
| British Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March since 1958) - no longer a national public holiday but public holidays coincide with this day in ACT (Canberra Day), Victoria (Labour Day), & South Australia (Adelaide Cup Day). | 13 | Mar | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Buxton's Property, TAS | 14 | Mar | 1826 |
| Ireland's National Day (St Patrick's Day). Irish Catholics begin celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Australia | 17 | Mar | 1795 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Bullock Hunting Ground, TAS | 19 | Mar | 1828 |
| Harmony Day, coinciding with United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, promotes activities which enhance a sense of belonging within diverse communities. | 21 | Mar | 1999 |
| Ramadan - the ninth month of the Islamic Year. In 2023 Ramadan in Australia begins in the evening of Wednesday, 22 Mar and ended in the evening of Thursday, 20 Apr | 22 | Mar | 2023 |
| Pakistan Day or Pakistan Resolution Day, also Republic Day, marks adoption of Pakistan's first constitution, when it became the world's first Islamic republic. | 23 | Mar | 1956 |
| Greece Independence Day, commemorates start of War of Greek Independence from Ottoman Empire in 1821. It coincides with Greek Orthodox Church celebration of Annunciation to the Theotokos. | 25 | Mar | 1821 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Clyde & Ouse Rivers, TAS | 28 | Mar | 1929 |
| April Fool’s Day (worldwide) | 1 | Apr | |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Fighting Hills, VIC | 1 | Apr | 1840 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Elizabeth River, TAS | 2 | Apr | 1828 |
| Australians voluntarily becoming citizens of other countries no longer lose Australian citizenship. | 4 | Apr | 2002 |
| Good Friday (worldwide) | 7 | Apr | 2023 |
| Easter Sunday, the first Sunday after the first Full Moon occurring on or after the March equinox on 21 March (worldwide) | 9 | Apr | 2023 |
| Easter Monday | 10 | Apr | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Whiteside Station, QLD | 15 | Apr | 1858 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Appin, NSW | 17 | Apr | 1816 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Whitefoord Hills, TAS | 18 | Apr | 1830 |
| England's National Day (St George's Day) | 23 | Apr | |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Yamboucal Station, QLD | 23 | Apr | 1849 |
| ANZAC Day (Gallipoli) | 25 | Apr | 1915 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Nepean River, NSW | 27 | Apr | 1805 |
| Freedom Day, South Africa, celebrates the first elections when all citizens had the right to vote | 27 | Apr | 1994 |
| Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania | 28 | Apr | 1996 |
| First Englishman sets foot onshore at Botany Bay | 29 | Apr | 1770 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Slaughterhouse Creek, NSW | 1 | May | 1838 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Yeelanna, SA | 1 | May | 1849 |
| Spanish explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros names the New Hebrides, which he assumed to be a continent balancing up the northern hemisphere landmasses, as Austrialis del Espiritu Santo | 3 | May | 1606 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Risdon Cove, TAS | 3 | May | 1804 |
| Coronation of King Charles III | 6 | May | 2023 |
| Ma -ate Day (May eight) suggested | 8 | May | 2018 |
| Europe Day (European Union) | 9 | May | 1950 |
| Prime Minister John Howard bans all automatic and semi-automatic weapons in the country. | 10 | May | 1996 |
| Mother's Day (2nd Sunday in May) | 14 | May | 2023 |
| Israel's National Day, Day of Independence, celebrates its Declaration of Independence (celebrations can be either side of this date for religious reasons) | 14 | May | 1948 |
| Eddie Mabo and others begin their claim to title over their lands in the Torres Strait | 20 | May | 1982 |
| East Timor Independence Day marks independence of Timor Leste from Indonesian rule. | 20 | May | 2002 |
| Aborigines win the right to enrol and vote in Federal elections. | 21 | May | 1962 |
| Empire Day proclaimed. | 24 | May | 1903 |
| Irish Catholics begin referring to May 24 as ‘Australia Day’ | 24 | May | 1911 |
| ‘Bringing Them Home’ report tabled in Federal Parliament, dealing with impact of forcible removal policies separating Aboriginal children from their families. | 26 | May | 1997 |
| National ‘Sorry’ Day, a grass roots response to the conservative government’s refusal to apologise for federal policies described in ‘Bringing Then Home’ Report. | 26 | May | 1998 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mt Dispersion, Murray River, NSW | 27 | May | 1836 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Waterloo Bay, SA | 27 | May | 1849 |
| Australians overwhelmingly support referendum to give Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and include them in the census. | 27 | May | 1967 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Bathurst Plains, NSW | 31 | May | 1824 |
| Japanese midget submarines attack Sydney Harbour | 31 | May | 1942 |
| Samoan Independence Day celebrates freedom from command by New Zealand | 1 | Jun | 1962 |
| Italy Republic Day, also known as Festa della Repubblica, marks the day when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy. | 2 | Jun | 1946 |
| ‘Lady Juliana', the 'floating brothel' and first convict transport ship of Second Fleet, arrives at Sydney | 3 | Jun | 1790 |
| Mabo v Queensland No. 2 1992 – High Court judgement agrees that traditional ownership existed and had not been extinguished by British possession. | 3 | Jun | 1992 |
| Dutch ship 'Batavia' wrecked off West Australian coast | 4 | Jun | 1629 |
| Nationality and Citizenship Act amended and renamed the Citizenship Act, making it easier for the influx of non-British immigrants to become citizens. All Australian citizens now ‘Australian citizens with the status of a British subject’ rather than British subjects. | 4 | Jun | 1969 |
| Tiananmen Square Massacre, Beijing | 4 | Jun | 1989 |
| D-Day, World War 2, largest seaborne invasion in history | 6 | Jun | 1944 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Hawkesbury, NSW - caution, this took place in May, not June | 7 | Jun | 1795 |
| Matthew Flinders circumnavigates Australia, 1801-03, and arrives in Sydney Harbour on 9 June, having proved it was a continent. | 9 | Jun | 1803 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Campaspe, VIC | 9 | Jun | 1840 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Myall Creek, NSW | 10 | Jun | 1838 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mount Rouse, VIC | 11 | Jun | 1840 |
| Racial Discrimination Act 1975, outlawing certain forms of racial discrimination. | 11 | Jun | 1975 |
| Commonwealth Franchise Act defined who could vote in Commonwealth elections, and included all women but excluded many native races including Australian Aborigines. | 12 | Jun | 1902 |
| King's Birthday since 4 June 1788. From 1966 the Queen’s (now King's) Birthday has been celebrated around her official birthday (not her actual birthday) on second Monday in June (Qld & WA have different days) | 12 | Jun | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Dairy Plains, TAS | 13 | Jun | 1827 |
| Battle of Waterloo, Europe | 18 | Jun | 1815 |
| Aboriginal people allowed to vote in Federal elections. | 18 | Jun | 1962 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Glenmore Downs, QLD | 21 | Jun | 1866 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Laycock Falls, TAS | 24 | Jun | 1827 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Frew River, NT | 24 | Jun | 1891 |
| Korean War begins | 25 | Jun | 1950 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Quamby Brook, TAS | 26 | Jun | 1827 |
| Treaty of Versailles, official end of World War 1 | 28 | Jun | 1919 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Umbercollie Station, QLD | 30 | Jun | 1848 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Moreton Island, QLD | 1 | Jul | 1831 |
| Canada Day, celebrates the date when three separate colonies united to form Canada | 1 | Jul | 1867 |
| Australian Citizenship Act 2007 replaces 1948 Act – and introduces a citizenship test | 1 | Jul | 2007 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Naracoorte Caves, VIC | 2 | Jul | 1845 |
| Independence Day, USA, when the American colonies signed Declaration of Independence from UK | 4 | Jul | 1776 |
| ‘Mary Ann', first transport ship of Third Fleet, arrives at Sydney carrying female convicts | 9 | Jul | 1791 |
| Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900, an Act of the UK Parliament, becomes law | 9 | Jul | 1900 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Morinish Goldfields, QLD | 12 | Jul | 1867 |
| Bastille Day, France | 14 | Jul | 1789 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mt Cottrell, Werribee, VIC | 16 | Jul | 1836 |
| Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 17 shot down over Ukraine, significant loss of Australian life | 17 | Jul | 2014 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mt McMinn, NT | 19 | Jul | 1875 |
| Battle of Fromelles, WW1, huge Australian death toll | 19 | Jul | 1916 |
| Massacre of Colonisers at Breelong, NSW | 20 | Jul | 1900 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mt McMinn, NT | 23 | Jul | 1875 |
| Pozieres Campaign begins, WW1, huge Australian death toll | 23 | Jul | 1916 |
| Papua New Guinea Remembrance Day, marks start of Battle of Kokoda and commemorates Papua New Guineans who have died in military service. | 23 | Jul | 1942 |
| William Dampier aboard the 'Roebuck' reaches and names Shark Bay on the West Australian coast, having already landed on west coast in 1688 | 26 | Jul | 1699 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mt Haldon, QLD | 27 | Jul | 1843 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Raffles Bay, NT | 30 | Jul | 1827 |
| Red Cross designates 30 Jul 1915 and 30 Jul 1916 as ‘Australia Day’ as a fund-raising event. | 30 | Jul | 1915 |
| Australia enters World War 1 | 4 | Aug | 1914 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Wannon River, VIC | 6 | Aug | 1843 |
| National Day of Singapore commemorates Singapore's independence from Malaysia. | 9 | Aug | 1965 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Fitzroy River Valley, WA | 14 | Aug | 1896 |
| India's National Day. Independence Day marks day when UK Parliament transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. | 15 | Aug | 1947 |
| Prime Minister Gough Whitlam hands over freehold title of the Gurindji lands | 16 | Aug | 1975 |
| Indonesia's National Day celebrates reading of the proclamation of independence from the Netherlands | 17 | Aug | 1945 |
| Vietnam Veterans Day, commemorating Battle of Long Tan on 18 Aug 1966 | 18 | Aug | 1969 |
| Afghan Independence Day commemorates the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919 and relinquishment of its status as a state protected by Britain against the Russians and Persia | 19 | Aug | 1921 |
| Australian Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1986. Children born in Australia can only be Australian citizens if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Removed concept of ‘alien’. | 20 | Aug | 1986 |
| Captain Cook notes in his journal that he’d claimed the east coast of NSW for Britain. | 22 | Aug | 1770 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Rufus River, VIC/SA | 23 | Aug | 1841 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Rufus River, VIC/SA | 27 | Aug | 1841 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Caders Range, NT | 29 | Aug | 1875 |
| Malaysia's National Day (Hari Merdeka) celebrates Malaysia's Declaration of Independence | 31 | Aug | 1957 |
| Diana, Princess of Wales dies | 31 | Aug | 1997 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Turon River, NSW | 1 | Sep | 1824 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Hunter Valley, NSW | 1 | Sep | 1826 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People east of Ben Lomond, TAS | 1 | Sep | 1829 |
| Wattle Day commences. (National Wattle Day since 1 Sep 1992). Amnesty International promotes this for our National Day. (Allergy problems??) | 1 | Sep | 1910 |
| World War 2, the deadliest conflict in human history, begins with the invasion of Poland. Hitler signs an order to begin the systematic euthanasia of mentally ill and disabled people. | 1 | Sep | 1939 |
| United States, Australia and New Zealand sign the ANZUS Treaty, a mutual defence pact | 1 | Sep | 1951 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Mole Hill, NT | 2 | Sep | 1875 |
| Massacre of Colonisers at Daly River & Mary River, NT | 2 | Sep | 1884 |
| Vietnam's National Day, commemorating President Hồ Chí Minh reading the Declarations of Independence of Vietnam in Hanoi | 2 | Sep | 1945 |
| Australia enters World War 2 | 3 | Sep | 1939 |
| Statute of Westminster Adoption Act of Australian Parliament formally adopts sections 2–6 of UK's Statute of Westminster 1931, an Act enabling total legislative independence of self-governing Dominions of British Empire and further restricting ability of UK Parliament to legislate for the Dominions. Backdated to take effect from outbreak of World War 2. | 3 | Sep | 1942 |
| Father's Day (1st Sunday in September) | 3 | Sep | 2023 |
| Queen Elizabeth II dies, funeral 19 September | 8 | Sep | 2022 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Deepwater, NSW | 11 | Sep | 1842 |
| Attack on Twin Towers of World Trade Centre, New York | 11 | Sep | 2001 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Dairy Plains, TAS | 15 | Sep | 1826 |
| Papua New Guinea Independence Day, commemorating Independence from Australia | 16 | Sep | 1975 |
| Aboriginal boy shot at Hawkesbury in early Sep 1794 | 17 | Sep | 1794 |
| Murder of two Aboriginal boys at Hawkesbury | 18 | Sep | 1799 |
| Referendum to ban the Communist Party defeated. | 22 | Sep | 1951 |
| Jewish Religious Holiday period - Sep/Oct, such as Yom Kippur | 24 | Sep | 2023 |
| Cathy Freeman wins 400m Gold Medal in Sydney Olympics | 25 | Sep | 2000 |
| First record of a Colonial Frontier Massacre, of 6 Aboriginal People, by civilians at Hawkesbury, NSW. Date unclear but documented on 26 September. Perpetrators never identified or punished. | 26 | Sep | 1794 |
| Australia wins America’s Cup | 26 | Sep | 1983 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Argument Flat, NT | 27 | Sep | 1884 |
| AFL Grand Final Day (last Saturday in Sep) with public holiday in Victoria on the preceding Friday. | 30 | Sep | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Minnamurra River, NSW | 1 | Oct | 1818 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Dourallie Creek, NSW | 1 | Oct | 1846 |
| National Day of People's Republic of China celebrates its foundation ceremony in Tiananmen Square, forming the Central People's Government. This is also Hong Kong's National Day. | 1 | Oct | 1949 |
| NRL Grand Final Day (1st Sunday in October) | 1 | Oct | 2023 |
| Labour Day in ACT, NSW & SA and King's Birthday, QLD | 2 | Oct | 2023 |
| National Iraqi Day celebrates the day Iraq joined the United Nations. | 3 | Oct | 1932 |
| Germany's National Day (German Unity Day) | 3 | Oct | 1990 |
| Trial of William Millar and Thomas Bevan for murder of the Aboriginal man Tom Rowley (9th or 10th October) | 9 | Oct | 1797 |
| Commonwealth Electoral Act makes voting compulsory, with penalties for failure to vote. | 10 | Oct | 1924 |
| Fiji Day marks cession to UK in 1874 and independence gained in 1970 | 10 | Oct | 1970 |
| Fiesta Nacional de Espana (Spain's National Day) celebrates the arrival date of Christopher Columbus in America. Other countries also mark Columbus Day. | 12 | Oct | 1935 |
| Bali Bombings, significant loss of Australian life | 12 | Oct | 2002 |
| Naturalisation Act 1903 excludes Aboriginal people and people from Asian countries. | 13 | Oct | 1903 |
| Battle of Hastings | 14 | Oct | 1066 |
| Robert Forrester is first man brought before an official enquiry to answer the charge of shooting an Aboriginal boy at Hawkesbury on 17 Sep 1794. | 17 | Oct | 1794 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Bluff Rock, NSW | 17 | Oct | 1844 |
| Massacre of Colonisers at Cullin-la-Ringo, Qld | 17 | Oct | 1861 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Upper Maranoa, QLD | 19 | Oct | 1861 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Cockatoo Valley, TAS | 23 | Oct | 1828 |
| First recorded landing by a European (Dirk Hartog) on West Australian coast, at Shark Bay | 25 | Oct | 1616 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Nogoa River, QLD | 25 | Oct | 1861 |
| Austria’s National Day (Austria not to be confused with Australia) | 26 | Oct | 1955 |
| Massacre of Colonisers at Hornet Bank Station, QLD | 27 | Oct | 1857 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Pinjarra, WA | 28 | Oct | 1834 |
| First conscription plebiscite in WW1 fails | 28 | Oct | 1916 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Woolgar River, QLD | 30 | Oct | 1863 |
| Halloween (worldwide) | 31 | Oct | |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Maryborough, QLD | 1 | Nov | 1854 |
| Vietnam War begins | 1 | Nov | 1955 |
| Boer War involvement begins when the first formed unit of troops from Australia lands in Cape Town | 2 | Nov | 1899 |
| Balfour Declaration, a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I announcing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. | 2 | Nov | 1926 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Battle Camp, QLD | 5 | Nov | 1873 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Fitzroy River, QLD | 6 | Nov | 1860 |
| Defeat of Australian Republic Referendum | 6 | Nov | 1999 |
| Melbourne Cup (1st Tuesday in November) | 7 | Nov | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Junction of Murray & Darling Rivers, NSW | 11 | Nov | 1839 |
| Eureka Statement at Ballarat | 11 | Nov | 1854 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Ivanhoe Station, WA | 11 | Nov | 1895 |
| Remembrance Day marks date when World War 1 Armistice came into effect (worldwide) | 11 | Nov | 1918 |
| Dismissal of Australia's Prime Minister by Governor General | 11 | Nov | 1975 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Glen Helen, NT | 13 | Nov | 1884 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Meredith River, TAS | 15 | Nov | 1823 |
| Balfour Declaration of 1926 declares UK and its Dominions (including Australia) to be autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status and not subordinate | 15 | Nov | 1926 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Geike Gorge, WA | 19 | Nov | 1894 |
| Lebanese Independence Day celebrates end of French mandate over Lebanon | 22 | Nov | 1943 |
| Australian Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1984 - Australian citizens cease to be ‘British subjects’. British subjects not yet naturalised become ‘permanent residents’. | 22 | Nov | 1984 |
| Thanksgiving Day, long-celebrated but in 1863 declared a national holiday in USA by Abraham Lincoln. Now celebrated in USA on fourth Thursday in November, followed immediately by Black Friday & Cyber Monday as a shopping bonanza | 23 | Nov | 2023 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Exhibition Range, QLD | 26 | Nov | 1861 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Kangaroo Creek, NSW | 29 | Nov | 1847 |
| The Eureka Oath of miners at Ballarat: ‘We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties’. | 29 | Nov | 1854 |
| Scotland's National Day (St Andrew's Day) | 30 | Nov | |
| Australian Citizenship Act 1973 removes distinction between migrants from Commonwealth & other countries as candidates for Australian citizenship, ending the last vestiges of the ‘White Australia’ policy. | 1 | Dec | 1973 |
| Nationality Act 1920 - naturalised and native-born Australians share the same rights & obligations with respect to Commonwealth government and those outside this group are 'aliens', effective 1 Jan 1921 | 2 | Dec | 1920 |
| Abel Tasman plants flag and claims Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) for the Dutch | 3 | Dec | 1642 |
| Battle of the Eureka Stockade | 3 | Dec | 1854 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Tooms Lake, TAS | 6 | Dec | 1828 |
| Japanese attack Pearl Harbour and Australia declares war on Japan. | 8 | Dec | 1941 |
| Marriage Act amended to permit same sex marriage | 8 | Dec | 2017 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Bank Head Farm, TAS | 9 | Dec | 1826 |
| Mount White volcano erupts in NZ, significant loss of Australian life | 9 | Dec | 2019 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Dawson River, QLD | 10 | Dec | 1861 |
| Statute of Westminster, a British law, grants former British colonies full legal freedom except where they choose otherwise | 11 | Dec | 1931 |
| The words ‘British Passport’ removed from Australian Passports (The Canberra Times, Fri 15 Dec 1967, p 9, Passports No Longer 'British') | 14 | Dec | 1967 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Snowy River, VIC | 16 | Dec | 1846 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Nassau River, QLD | 16 | Dec | 1864 |
| Second WW1 conscription plebiscite fails | 20 | Dec | 1917 |
| Immigration Restriction Act 1901 (the White Australia policy) takes effect. | 23 | Dec | 1901 |
| Japan National Day (Emperor Akihito’s Birthday) | 23 | Dec | 1933 |
| Christmas Eve (worldwide) | 24 | Dec | |
| Native Title Act 1993 sets out circumstances under which Indigenous people throughout Australia can claim traditional rights to unalienated land. | 24 | Dec | 1993 |
| Christmas Day (worldwide) | 25 | Dec | |
| Cyclone Tracey destroys Darwin | 25 | Dec | 1974 |
| Boxing Day (worldwide) | 26 | Dec | |
| Massacre of Colonisers at Mt Larcom Station, QLD | 26 | Dec | 1855 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Ivanhoe Station, WA | 27 | Dec | 1895 |
| Massacre of Aboriginal People at Fort Wellington, NT | 29 | Dec | 1827 |
| New Year’s Eve (worldwide) | 31 | Dec |
For more details of my work, see my Facebook page. My book 'Sentenced to Debt:Robert Forrester, First Fleeter' is described here and can be purchased here