Western Australia Day in 2024

When is WA Day?

This regional holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in June in the Australian state of Western Australia.

WA Day, also known as Western Australia Day, used to be known as Foundation Day and commemorates the day that the first European settlers arrived in Western Australia to found the Swan River Colony on June 1st 1829.

History of WA Day

Though the first Europeans to arrive in the region had been Dutch, the western part of Australia had been claimed for Britain on May 2nd 1829 by Captain Fremantle.

The merchant vessel Parmelia with civilian settlers on board arrived on the night of May 31st 1829 and sighted the coast on June 1st. The Swan River Colony was officially proclaimed on June 11th.

In 1832, Admiral Sir James Stirling, the administrator of Western Australia decided to establish an annual celebration to unite the new colony's inhabitants, including all settlers and Aborigines.

Stirling chose June 1st each year (or if a Sunday, on the following Monday), the date of the first sighting. The holiday was originally called 'Foundation of the Colony Day', and later became simply 'Foundation Day'.

In 2012, the name was changed to Western Australia Day to be more inclusive of all inhabitants of Western Australia.

Because of the celebration of Western Australia Day, Western Australia does not celebrate the Queen's Birthday Holiday in June, as do the other Australian states.