Advance Australia Fair is the official national anthem of Australia. Advance Australia Fair was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick in the late 19th century, and first performed by Andrew Fairfax at a Highland Society function in Sydney on St Andrew's Day, (30 November 1878). The song quickly gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. In 1907, the Australian Government awarded McCormick £100 for his composition. It emerged as the most popular choice for the national anthem after an opinion poll in 1974 (the Australian Bureau of Statistics polled 60,000 nationally). At the same time as the 1977 referendum, a national plebiscite was held to choose the National Song. Advance Australia Fair received 43.6% of the vote, fairly convincingly defeating the three alternatives: Waltzing Matilda (28.5%), Song Of Australia (9.7%), and the then-current national anthem God Save the Queen (18.7%). Advance Australia Fair was adopted as the national anthem on 19 April, 1984 by a decision of the Labor government of Bob Hawke, although it required a proclamation by the Governor-General for the decision to become official.



Advance Australia Fair - The official version

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"