A National Day to unite, not divide

February 9, 2026

What or who in our history would have Australians up on their feet cheering. I offer Matthew Flinders and his circumnavigation of Australia as that event and that man.

He was the first man to circumnavigate Australia, with a special, separate circumnavigation of Tasmania, together with his colleague George Bass, thrown in for good measure. He was the first to refer to the continent, previously known as Terra Australis, as Australia, and to lobby vigorously with the British Admiralty for its formal adoption as the name of this continent.

Importantly he had two indigenous men, Bungaree and Nanbaree, willingly join him on the circumnavigation of Australia. Nanbaree changed his mind when they reached the Cumberland Islands. However, Bungaree continued to complete the circumnavigation. This journey records the first circumnavigation of Australia by a British man AND an Indigenous man. That should be notable in its own right.

Flinders also put foot on every state, and the Northern Territory. So, his voyage can be justly celebrated by all states, not just the first colony, NSW. There are dozens of dates in that voyage that would make a more worthy National Day then 26 January. Just pick one.