Beyond Barbecues and Protests: The Untold Stories of January 26
While Australia Day is widely recognised for commemorating the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 and has become a day of both celebration and contention, January 26 holds a far richer and more peculiar tapestry of events than many realise. Beyond the familiar narratives of barbecues, flags, and protests, this date has witnessed a remarkable collection of historical incidents that range from the significant to the downright bizarre.
A Date of Historical Significance and Strange Occurrences
January 26 has been the backdrop for numerous pivotal moments in Australian history, including the Rum Rebellion in 1808, the Waterloo Creek massacre in 1838, the enactment of the Citizenship Act in 1949, the tragic disappearance of the Beaumont Children in 1966, and the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972. Interestingly, it was also on this day in 1798 that the first recorded European sighting of a koala occurred, a notable event given that Sydney had been colonised a full decade earlier.
However, interspersed among these major historical milestones are a host of lesser-known, yet equally fascinating, incidents that capture the unique character of Australian life. These events, often curious, odd, grim, or humorous, provide a compelling alternative perspective on what it means to mark this day.
A Curious Collection of January 26 Incidents
1793 – Australia's First Flasher: Convict Charles Grey, notorious for his repeated acts of villainy in Sydney, made headlines on January 26 when he exhibited himself to public view. His punishment was exile to Norfolk Island, where authorities believed he would have fewer opportunities of exercising his predatory abilities.
1794 – William Crozier's Fermented Bowels: Branded a worthless vagabond and obnoxious to the law, Crozier stole a bag of unground wheat and fled into the woods. After consuming the wheat and water, the wheat expanded inside him to such an extent that he nearly burst. He crawled back to town in agony but ultimately succumbed to his fate.
1831 – Caution Concerning Mary Adams: John Adams placed a newspaper advertisement declaring he would not be responsible for any debts incurred by his estranged wife. When Mary later appeared in court for drunkenness, her behaviour was described as most extravagant, with reports noting her penchant for standing on one leg while engaging in an incessant gabble of nonsensical talk, occasionally bursting into song.
1845 – Unusual Sporting Events in the Maitland Mud: Despite a morning hailstorm that shattered windows across Maitland, residents were determined to proceed with their January 26 celebrations. The day's festivities included climbing a greasy pole, dandy horse races, a jingling match, buffet the bear, bobbing for apples, a wheelbarrow race, and a pig race. The latter was won by George the Bricklayer, who emerged covered in mud as the surprise victor. Notably, the scheduled cricket match was cancelled due to the conditions.
1847 – The Founding, Unfounding, and Refounding of Gladstone: In England, Lord Gladstone proposed establishing a settlement north of Brisbane. George Barney identified a suitable location and returned to Sydney to gather the town's first settlers, troops, and convicts. They arrived in Gladstone on January 26, 1847, only to learn shortly after their departure that Earl Grey, who had replaced Gladstone, had cancelled the instruction. Barney and the settlers returned in April, and a colonial outpost was finally established there seven years later.
1870 – The Anniversary Day Bicycle Steeplechase: Held in Sydney's Redfern Park, this event required competitors to race their bicycles, dismount to throw their bikes over large hurdles, and then remount to continue. The hurdle area was notoriously muddy. Although intended as a fun activity, the race was taken so seriously that protests ensued, leading to it being rerun the following week.
1892 – The Priest Who Prayed for an Earthquake: A minor earthquake struck Launceston on January 26, 1892, causing some damage, particularly to the hospital. The following Sunday, the local priest claimed he had prayed for the earthquake to awaken his parishioners to the power of God. His congregation was unimpressed, and Tasmanian insurance agents even considered suing him, fearing that if a man could randomly conjure earthquakes, their business would be jeopardised.
1909 – The Problem of Gossiping Girls: Perth's telephone exchange faced criticism for being too small to meet growing demand and having hazardous cabling. While many newspapers highlighted these issues, some attributed the problems to young ladies, who gossiped over the wires, rang up all their male friends in city offices, and thus paralysed the wires at the busiest commercial time of the day.
1954 – Topsy the Elephant Goes to Church: On Australia Day in 1954, an elephant named Topsy escaped from a circus and entered a nearby church, startling a pipe band rehearsing inside and causing minor damage. The trainer later led Topsy out by the ear, explaining that the elephant disliked bagpipes. The priest remarked that the animal had shown good sense by going to church.
1955 – The 'No Pants' Strike: A report in a Perth newspaper, curiously uncorroborated by other sources, detailed a strike at Coalcliff, south of Sydney. Workers downed tools, insisting that the heat was so extreme they should be allowed to work naked. By January 26, 1955, the strike had lasted six days and cost the company £12,000.
1969 – The Hoax That Wasn't: A man entered a Commonwealth Bank branch in Brisbane with a brown paper-covered box and demanded all the money from the tills before fleeing nervously. Staff initially thought it a hoax but alerted police. The man was apprehended after a brief chase, during which he dropped the box, causing a small explosion and fire. Inspection revealed the box contained enough gelignite to demolish the bank, but fortunately, the perpetrator lacked the knowledge to detonate it. The source of the explosives remains a mystery.
1978 – Chopper Read Takes a Shotgun to Court: On January 26, which was not yet a public holiday, aspiring gangster Mark Chopper Read went to the sixth floor of Melbourne's County Court, placed a shotgun to Judge Bill Martin's neck, and attempted to take him hostage in exchange for a jailed friend's release. The judge escaped by kicking Read in the groin, and bailiffs subdued the criminal. Read was sentenced to 16 years and later apologised to Judge Martin, who replied that he knew it was nothing personal.
2007 – No More 'Whingeing Poms': During the Ashes series, Toohey's launched an advertising campaign that promoted their beer while poking fun at the English cricket team. Initial complaints to the Advertising Standards Board were dismissed as playful characterisations of national rivalry. However, on January 26, it was ruled that Toohey's had gone too far with an ad depicting whingeing Poms complaining about the beer being too cold.
2015 – The Captain's Call: Prime Minister Tony Abbott surprised many by awarding Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, a Knight of the Order of Australia medal. Since the duke was not Australian, the title was changed to honorary knight. The decision sparked concern and surprise, particularly as Abbott had not consulted his cabinet, insisting it was a captain's call. This term later became the Macquarie Dictionary's word of the year for 2015.
Annual Oddities and Cultural Quirks
Beyond these isolated incidents, January 26 has also been marked by a variety of quirky annual events across Australia. These include the Sunshine Coast's Great Australian Dunny Race, the Story Bridge Hotel's annual cockroach race, the Rockhampton beard contest, the Yerong Creek dog high jump (where Pip the kelpie holds the current record of 2.6 metres), and the annual tractor pull in the New South Wales town of Wombat. Sadly, the Port Lincoln Tunarama festival, famous for its tuna toss, ceased after 2023.
These stories, among many others, illustrate that January 26 is far more than a single historical event or a day of contemporary debate. It is a date woven with threads of absurdity, tragedy, humour, and innovation, reflecting the complex and often unpredictable nature of Australian history and culture.
