I’ve had really mixed feelings for the last decade or so about how to, or whether to celebrate Australia Day. After living in The Netherlands since 2012, it usually passes by quietly for me.

Though I have a handful of Australian friends here in NL, of course it’s not a holiday here and we are all busy with our day to day life. January is during the winter too – so it’s usually cold, wet and windy. Today it fell on a Sunday, the sun shone for a while so I did get out for a walk.

It was icy cold though not freezing. Being originally from Queensland, I miss the warmth, as well as my family and life there so much. I’m proud to be Australian, though it’s been so long since I’ve lived there….it hurts to actually count how many years. So it’s hard to “celebrate” when I’m homesick…though have also done my best to make The Hague my home and there’s a lot I love here.

These emotions on 26 January also come from the fact I fall in the group of those who feels that though it’s great to celebrate Australia as an amazing country, at the very least, the date should be changed out of respect. Read further in this post for more information on that.

Acknowledging my own nationality and past

I do want to make sure I at least acknowledge Australia Day each year personally, as 26 January holds an important part in my own past. I did celebrate for many years when I was younger before I became more aware of the very real and serious issues relating to inclusion. I would like to still find a way to mark the day and find another way to honour and celebrate my Australian nationality and pride, even currently so far from there. So I am writing this blog post to share & reflect and ask for other’s opinions.

Raising dual national children away from Australia

My daughters were only 3 & 5 when we moved (back) to the Netherlands and have dual nationality (as do I). I like the tradition my daughter began of baking ANZAC slice, so am having a taste of home while I type!

I used to bake ANZAC biscuits when I was young, impressed by the story that these were originally made to send to the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Gallipoli. At some stage, my family morphed the recipe into a version of slice.

And to my daughter growing up in NL (but thankfully visiting AU regularly), this has become something that represents Australia to her. I love that she chooses to celebrate her nationality this way, and share it with others.

Celebrating in The Netherlands

It’s lovely that the Australian and New Zealand Club organise a celebration here in The Netherlands each year, combined with Waitangi Day. Though I haven’t been able to attend this year or last, I did the year before, and it’s always a wonderful event.

If you’re reading this and in NL, find out more and book here for the annual event: https://anzc.org

Invasion/Survival Day

But back to the mixed emotions with the actual date. I posted these sentiments back in 2016 and 2017, along with this powerful video that is now 9 years old.

This year I did some more research, and found that Amnesty International has some strong resources worth reading through. From their website….

….for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities January 26 is a day of mourning. It marks the start of the invasion and colonisation of this country, the mass genocide of First Nations peoples, and the dispossession of cultural practices, language and Country. 

January 26 is not an appropriate day for a national celebration. Despite this, Australia remains the only former British colony who celebrates its national day on the anniversary that colonisation commenced in that country.

There is more information here and I’d encourage everyone to take a look:

https://www.amnesty.org.au/invasion-day-2025-activist-toolkit/

I have not (yet) personally had the chance to have a direct conversation with First Nations Peoples about this, but really would like to. Meanwhile, I am going to trust my own research, intuition and critical thinking, which leads me to sharing this:

How did you spend the day?

The video below is from ABC news and I enjoyed the various ways that being Australian is celebrated around the country. We truly have incredible diversity.

If you are a Nederlander living in Australia, I’m curious how you feel about Australia Day?

Comment below, or come on over to our Facebook Community:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dutchaustralian

Renee