January 26: A Date That Still Divides a Nation.

Each year, January 26 arrives carrying two very different meanings.

For some Australians, it marks the foundation of the modern nation — the day the First Fleet raised the British flag at Sydney Cove in 1788. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, however, it represents the beginning of dispossession, violence, and the systematic disruption of cultures that had thrived on this continent for tens of thousands of years.

This is why the date is widely referred to by First Nations communities as Invasion Day.

The arrival of the British did not simply establish a colony; it set in motion a process of land seizure, frontier conflict, introduced disease, and policies that would later include segregation and the forced removal of children. The consequences of these actions continue to shape social, health, and economic outcomes today.

In recent decades, January 26 has become a focal point for national debate. Supporters argue it is a day to celebrate Australian identity and achievement. Critics contend that a national celebration should not be anchored to a moment of profound loss for the country’s First Peoples, and call for a date that can be shared by all Australians.

Across the nation, rallies, cultural events, and commemorations now accompany official ceremonies, reflecting a broader conversation about history, recognition, and reconciliation. Increasingly, the question is not simply whether the date should change, but how Australia chooses to remember its past and define its future.

January 26 remains more than a public holiday. It is a reminder that history is not neutral — and that the stories a nation tells about itself matter.