National Flag Day was celebrated on 3 September 2026. It is now on the list of special and important events to be celebrated each year. It has become even more important because this year marks the 125th birthday of the Australian national flag.
The Northern Daily Leader published a four-page edition to celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2001. At the time, absolutely no plans were in place. I contacted Gunnedah Shire Council to have flags put up on the large steel poles in the main CBD, which had been erected for this purpose.
I finally asked Gunnedah’s former deputy prime minister for support. He contacted the council, and the flags did go up.
Thankfully, the mainstream media ignored the importance of having the symbol of a nation, passed into history, not to be celebrated.
Former deputy prime minister John Anderson contacted the council, which I was very thankful for.
I personally tried for 25 years to promote this day, which became more special because it is also the birthdate of councillor Mikie Maas who put Gunnedah on the tourism map with the statue of Dorothea Mackellar on a horse, near the town’s information centre.
Dorothea’s famous verse from ‘My Country’ is on a silo near Gunnedah’s amazing overhead bridge.
Special mention should also be made of Kevin Anderson’s determination to make sure this bridge became a reality.
I believe the names of others should also be recorded for history. I recall the words of two very special people: mayor Digger James, former president of the RSL said: “The Australian flag must never touch ground”.
Senator Neville Bonner stated that the Australian flag served as a beacon of freedom for refugees from a weary world.
Such was the respect for the senator that he was given a state funeral when he passed away. His coffin was covered by the Australian flag.
Judith Law,
Gunnedah
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