For over a century, modern Australia Day has been celebrating heroes. I told a version of this story on West Bremer Radio.
The 26th of January 1788 has always been commemorated. At first it was celebrated in New South Wales as “Foundation Day”. Following Federation in 1901 and then the Anzac Landing in 1915 when Australia first strutted onto the world stage, Australia needed a day.
In some parts of Australia, something called “Australia Day” sprang up in July 1916 during the First World War. That was a fundraising day to collect money for soldiers and their families. In Queensland it was never called “Australia Day”, instead it was “Queensland Patriotic Day”.
That morphed into “Queensland Heroes’ Day” which was used to raise funds for both the Queensland Patriotic Fund and the Queensland government’s Repatriation Fund.
That meant there was support for both soldiers on active service or those wounded, as well as returned soldiers and their dependents or the dependents of those who had lost their lives.
Heroes Day was launched in 1917 when the governor Major Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams performed the opening ceremony at the General Post Office in Brisbane. He did it with a display of a mile of shillings and five miles of pennies.
There were enthusiastic Heroes Day collections right across the state on, or around, the allocated day of the 1st of December. None more so than for the Ipswich Heroes Day.
A branch of the Queensland Young People’s Prohibition League was formed in Ipswich’s eastern suburbs. Like in a lot of places, this was in response to the effects of alcohol that was really hitting hard the returned soldiers and their families. The first rally was held in a Bundamba park and proceeds went to the Heroes Day fund.
Incidentally, the treasurer of that branch was Robert Lupton. He later became the accountant for Ipswich City Council, and then the town clerk at Maryborough where he actually sued the mayor of Maryborough for defamation.
When metal detecting (with a Minelab detector of course!) I discovered a 1917 Maryborough Heroes Day badge (photo top of page) that probably belonged to former Ipswich school teacher Frank Claussen. Frank grew up in Bundaberg and Maryborough, and then taught at Bundaberg, West End, Goodna, Coorparoo, Sandgate, Oakey, Mungar and at Brookfield which is where I found his badge.
The most memorable fundraising effort for Heroes Day anywhere that year was in Ipswich. That’s when eleven-year-old Robert Simmonds and eight-year-old Kevin McKenna held a concert in their back yard in Martin Street. They charged one penny for admission and collected twelve pence. They didn’t spend any of it and gave it all to the Red Cross for Heroes Day.
Not all their concerts were as successful though. On one occasion, they were training-up a possum to do tricks, but it got out and was killed by a dog.
While the possum was doomed, young Kevin might have been a bit unlucky because he was one of thirteen siblings. Robert’s family were also unfortunate. His father’s butcher shop in Rosewood burnt down, and then their hotel in Miles burnt down.
Foundation Day on the 26th of January continued to be celebrated in New South Wales with it rebranded Australia Day. Heroes Day in Queensland was superseded by Anzac Day and Australia Day. In Victoria from the late 19th century, the date was celebrated under another name until Victoria too fell into line.
Australia Day was just a rebranding of Foundation Day which has been marked since that first step ashore by the First Fleeters in 1788. Australia Day was taken up in all states by 1935, with Queensland’s Heroes Day and other days playing a part.
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Photo credits:
Maryborough Heroes Day 1917 badge – Harold Peacock 2024 20240119_153259.
Sir Hamilton and Lady Elsie Goold-Adams outside Government House in Brisbane 1915 – State Library of Queensland.
Crowds gathered outside the Post Office in Queen Street Brisbane street watching the procession during Heroes Day in 1917 – State Library of Queensland.
Brookfield State School 1915 – Brisbane Courier, 23rd October 1915, page 13.
History Out There 
Wattle Day was, and is, another national day that has its roots way back in the 19th century.
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