Advance Australia Fair is the national anthem of Australia. Scottish-born Australian Peter Dodds McCormick wrote the song in the 1870’s, when Australia was a British colony. It was first performed in public in 1878. At the time, Australia used the British anthem, “God Save the Queen.” In 1901, a choir of 10,000 voices performed McCormick’s song for the nation’s inauguration as the Commonwealth of Australia. In 1907, the government awarded McCormick £100 (about $10,000 U.S. today) for the song. Australia became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1931. The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent countries and other political units, most of which formerly lived under British law and government.
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After McCormick’s death in 1916, occasional attempts were made to have his song declared as Australia’s national anthem. A Labor Party government declared it the national anthem for nonroyal events in 1974, though this decision was reversed by a Liberal government in 1976. With the exception of those years, “God Save the Queen” (or “God Save the King,” when the monarch was a king) remained the official anthem of Australia. Several competitions and opinion polls were held to find an alternative to the British anthem. It was not until 1984 that Australia’s governor-general proclaimed “Advance Australia Fair” the official national anthem. “God Save the Queen” (or “King”) was designated as the royal anthem to be played during all official visits by the monarch or members of the royal family. “ Waltzing Matilda,” another Australian favorite song, is considered the nation’s “unofficial” anthem.
Although there are five verses to the song “Advance Australia Fair,” only verses one and three were adopted as the official national anthem. Both verses may be performed, but on most occasions, only the first verse is sung. Some of the words in the two verses have been revised from the original song. As of Jan. 1, 2021, for example, the second line of the first verse was changed from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free.” Australia is fairly young as a modern nation, but the change was made as a recognition that the country’s history stretches back for many thousands of years through the histories of the Indigenous peoples of Australia.
The two verses of “Advance Australia Fair” that serve as the Australian national anthem are as follows:
Australians all let us rejoice, For we are one and free; We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil; Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in nature’s gifts Of beauty rich and rare; In history’s page, let every stage Advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We’ll toil with hearts and hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands; For those who’ve come across the seas We’ve boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair. In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair.
