Wattle Day is a national holiday celebrated annually in Australia on September 1. Wattle is the name used in Australia for trees and shrubs of the acacia group. Wattle Day occurs at the time of year when the wattles bloom, near the beginning of the spring season in Australia. Wattles have yellow or cream flowers arranged in cylindrical spikes or round heads. The celebration of Wattle Day began in New South Wales in 1909. Today, Australians throughout the country celebrate the day.
Wattle Day is a celebration of spring and of Australia. On that day, people often wear a bright yellow sprig of wattle flowers. Members of the Australian Wattle League offer sprays of wattle to the passing public, and plant wattle trees and shrubs in public places. School activities may include learning songs featuring the wattle or planting trees. Other typical activities include nature walks and local festivals. Families and friends may gather for picnics or barbecues.
The Australian Wattle League of New South Wales began the observance of Wattle Day in 1909. The following year, the observance spread to several cities in other states. During World War I (1914-1918), the wattle became a symbol of home for Australian soldiers serving overseas. On Wattle Day, people in Australia began to sell sprigs of wattle to raise money for the Red Cross, to aid injured soldiers and for other causes. Different parts of Australia celebrated Wattle Day at different times, depending on when the wattles bloomed in that region. In 1988, Australia adopted the golden wattle blossom as its national floral emblem because of the tree’s beauty and fragrance, its large number of species, its great abundance, and its wide distribution throughout the continent. In 1992, Australia’s governor-general proclaimed September 1 to be National Wattle Day throughout Australia.
