Commonwealth celebrations
Forging the Nation - Federation: the First 20 years
- Forging the Nation: home
- Federation
- National identity
- Seeking security
- The First World War
- Towards the future
- Australians
- Introduction
- Commonwealth celebrations
- Governors-General
- Prime Ministers
The creation of the new nation was celebrated in pageantry, parades, dinners and speeches. The festive mood lasted for days. On 1 January 1901 the inauguration ceremony was conducted in Sydney. It consisted of a monster parade followed by the proclamation of the Commonwealth and the swearing in of the Governor-General at Centennial Park.
The Sydney parade stretched for eight kilometres along the decorated streets and was watched by huge, noisy crowds. In Melbourne parades and celebrations were held on 9 May 1901 to mark the opening of the first federal parliament.