Australian citizenship celebrations

Citizenship is celebrated in Australia in a number of different ways.

60th anniversary of Australian citizenship

This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Australian citizenship. Since the first citizenship ceremony was held 60 years ago, over four million people have chosen to become Australian citizens.

Citizenship Ceremony at Canberra's Albert Hall 80th Anniversary

A special citizenship ceremony was held at the historic Albert Hall in Canberra, the site of Australia’s first-ever citizenship ceremony, as part of the hall’s 80th anniversary celebrations on 10 March 2008.

Queensland Day Citizenship Ceremony

This year Queensland celebrated its 150th birthday on 6 June 2009. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh celebrated the occasion by presiding at a citizenship ceremony welcoming more than 500 new Australian citizens.

Australian citizenship quilt project

The Australian Citizenship Quilt project began in Melbourne in February 2005. The assembled quilts were unveiled on Australian Citizenship Day 2005 and then toured Australia in 2006.

Australian citizenship coin

The department and the Royal Australian Mint have joined forces to create a coin which celebrates the 60th anniversary of Australian citizenship.

The 2009 one-dollar 60th anniversary coin features the smiling faces of the very first Australian citizens, each as individual as the country from which they originate. The raised hands symbolise their pride in becoming Australian, now linked symbolically to create the star of federation.

Visitors can press their own 2009 citizenship coin at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. The design is available for the next 12 months.

Citizenship Place

Citizenship Place is a permanent tribute to the 60th anniversary of Australian citizenship. It is positioned in a prominent location within the national capital because the first citizenship ceremony was held in Canberra in 1949.

Australia Day citizenship ceremonies have been held at this site since 1986.

Citizenship Place is located on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin between Nerang Pool and Regatta Point. It consists of a sitting wall at the lake edge with the citizenship affirmation inscribed in brass lettering and a sign outlining the timeline of Australian citizenship.

Citizenship Place was constructed by the National Capital Authority on behalf of the Australian Government and officially opened by the Governor-General, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, on Australia Day 2009.