Resource Sheet 1
Melbourne’s Federation celebrations
1 January 1901
The city man’s notion of a holiday, naturally, is to get away from the city as far as possible, but a holiday to the country people is not complete unless they can get to the city. With the desertion of Melbourne on holidays by the city folk, the opportunity comes to their country cousins to see “the sights of the town.” “I’ve been in Melbourne for nearly a fortnight,” said an old lady from the country yesterday, “and this is the only day I’ve had a good look at the shop window.” The old lady was the central figure in a group of eight persons… All the afternoon this group, and many more like it, paraded the streets with that uneasy gait which comes of walking over uneven roads. Their enjoyment was quiet, but very full, and none of them will forget the first Commonwealth Day in Melbourne…
Flags and streamers were the principal decorations in the streets… At Parliament house the Government concentrated its efforts in this direction… Amidst a wealth of flags and streamers on the top of the building there was a representation of the crowning of the Young Queen described in Kipling’s federation poem. Then in big gold letters the words “Federated Australia” ran across the full front of the Parliament house. Underneath in smaller gold and red letters was the sentence, “One Flag, One Hope, One Destiny”…
The Argus, 2 January 1901
At intervals yesterday crowds of people stood at the top of Bourke street and gazed intently at the outlines of Parliament House. They lingered around in admiring groups, and after they had gone away their places were taken by others. In all matters of art there is room for differences of opinion; but in regard to the decorations of Parliament House there was absolute unanimity. It was agreed on all sides that the work had been artistically done, and that the expenditure of £500 was entirely justified…
With Parliament House bearing the brunt of the decorations, the remainder of the city did not trouble itself to put on many festal garments… The Town Hall and some other buildings were decorated with taste and profusion. In the vicinity of Princes bridge was an arch of flags which gave the southern approach to the city a gala appearance…
In the way of formal decorations and public ceremony there was very little done in Melbourne. …Two services were held in St. Paul’s Cathedral yesterday in celebration of the inauguration of the Commonwealth… The sailors present in the port of Melbourne were reminded of the inauguration of the Commonwealth yesterday by being entertained at a picnic and social at Elsternwick in commemoration of the occasion… and afterwards an enjoyable musical programme was rendered.
The Age, 2 January 1901.