What are Australia Day and Anzac Day?
Last updated 23 October 2026
What are Australia Day and Anzac Day?
Australia Day falls on 26 January and marks the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Anzac Day falls on 25 April. It is a serious day for remembering the Australians who died or served in war, in other conflicts and on peacekeeping missions. Both days appear in Part 1 of the booklet.
What is Australia Day?
The date is 26 January. The First Fleet sailed in from Great Britain on that day in 1788, so the date is the anniversary of its arrival. The booklet says no other holiday in Australia is bigger each year. Every state and territory gives people the day off.
How people mark it:
- Communities think about history and about the people who built the achievements Australians share.
- It is a chance to recognise what each Australian gives to the country. That means Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose time here goes back around 65,000 years, families who have lived here for many generations, and newcomers from every part of the world.
- Events run all over the country, and some include special citizenship ceremonies.
- In Canberra, the Prime Minister names the winners of the Australian of the Year Awards.
Think about the mood. Australia Day is for reflecting and for celebrating what people contribute.
What is Anzac Day?
The date is 25 April. The name comes from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. That corps came ashore at Gallipoli, in Türkiye, on 25 April 1915, in World War I.
Anzac Day is serious in tone. People think of the sacrifice made by every Australian who went to war, fought in a conflict or served as a peacekeeper, and who died. They also honour the courage and commitment of servicemen and women, and they reflect on what war can mean in many different ways.
The mood is not the same as on Australia Day. Anzac Day is calm and respectful, and its focus is on those who served.
How to keep them apart
| Australia Day | Anzac Day | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 26 January | 25 April |
| What it marks | The First Fleet arriving in 1788 | Those who served and died in war |
| Mood | Reflect and celebrate | Solemn, remember |
Tricks for the dates. January is the first month, and the story of settlement starts with the First Fleet. Anzac Day comes later, in April.
One more link: some citizenship ceremonies are held on Australia Day, so the day connects to your own path. See what happens at a citizenship ceremony.
Where to read more
Both days sit in the "Important days for Australians" section of Part 1, Australia and its people. Check your memory with a free practice test.
Check yourself
- Which date belongs to which day, and what does each day mark?
- What does Anzac stand for?
- Which day is a solemn day of remembrance, and which is a day of reflection and celebration?
Questions people ask
- What does Anzac stand for?
- Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day takes its name from this group.
- Is Australia Day a public holiday?
- Yes. Every state and territory gives the day off, and the booklet says it is the largest yearly holiday in the country.
- Who names the winners of the Australian of the Year Awards?
- The Prime Minister does, in Canberra, as part of the Australia Day events.