Western Australia Day2026 · Date · History
Western Australian legislation and current government calendars establish Western Australia Day as the state public holiday observed on the first Monday in June; the 2012 Act renamed the longstanding Foundation Day holiday.
About Western Australia Day
Western Australia Day is a public holiday in Western Australia observed on the first Monday in June.
The holiday was called Foundation Day before the Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012 changed its name as part of a broader, more inclusive framing of the state’s history and community.
Why Western Australia Day matters
Current Western Australian government material presents the day as a state-wide occasion intended to bring Western Australians together while recognizing Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants and traditional custodians and acknowledging later settlement and migration.
The guide keeps the historical Swan River Colony origin visible without treating British colonization as the beginning of human history in Western Australia.
History of Western Australia Day
WA Government holiday-history material says the holiday has been observed on the Monday on, or first Monday following, June 1 since 1832 and was originally called Foundation Day.
The Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012 received Royal Assent on April 10, 2012. The WA Government announced that the June 4, 2012 Foundation Day public holiday would be the first known as Western Australia Day.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Foundation Day
Foundation Day was renamed Western Australia Day by the Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012; the recurring June public-holiday lineage continued under the new name.
Governor James Stirling (Foundation Day predecessor)
WA Government holiday-history material says Stirling declared the recurring predecessor holiday in 1832.
Parliament and Governor of Western Australia
Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012
First documented observance
The WA Government’s Royal Assent announcement says the 2012 Foundation Day public holiday on June 4 would be the first known as Western Australia Day.
Renamed Foundation Day as Western Australia Day while retaining the public-holiday framework.
Parliament and Governor of Western Australia · Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012
Government of Western Australia
The WA Government publishes the current public-holiday calendar and official historical/status information.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
1 field not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe Western Australia Day
Check current WA Government public-holiday information for the year and locality relevant to you.
Attend a community, museum or cultural program that presents both Aboriginal history and later settlement/migration history respectfully.
Learn whose Country you are on and use locally appropriate acknowledgements where relevant.
Do not generalize WA public-holiday employment or trading rules to other Australian states or territories.
For work, penalty-rate or closure questions, use current WA employment guidance or qualified advice rather than relying on a general observance guide.
Western Australia Day Facts
Western Australia Day is a Western Australian public holiday.
It is currently observed on the first Monday in June.
The holiday was formerly known as Foundation Day.
The 2012 renaming Act received Royal Assent on April 10, 2012.
The WA Government identified June 4, 2012 as the first public holiday under the Western Australia Day name.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
WA Government — History of State Public Holidays
WA Government — Public holidays in Western Australia
Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012
WA Government — History of State Public Holidays, Appendix B (opens in a new tab)
State Government Holiday History
WA Government — Public holidays in Western Australia (opens in a new tab)
State Government Current Calendar
WA Government — Western Australia Day declared (2012) (opens in a new tab)
State Government Establishment History
Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012 (opens in a new tab)
State Legislation
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Western Australia Day?
First Monday in June; 1 June 2026 and 7 June 2027 The documented recurrence rule is: First Monday in June.
Does Western Australia Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Western Australia Day an official public holiday?
Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Western Australia / state public holiday. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.
Who established or recognizes Western Australia Day?
The reviewed sources identify Parliament and Governor of Western Australia as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Governor James Stirling (Foundation Day predecessor). Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of Western Australia.
Is Western Australia Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Western Australia / state public holiday. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-24.
When is Western Australia Day?
Under current arrangements it is observed on the first Monday in June in Western Australia.
What was Western Australia Day called before 2012?
The state public holiday was formerly called Foundation Day.
When did the name change?
The Western Australia Day (Renaming) Act 2012 received Royal Assent on April 10, 2012, and the June 4, 2012 holiday was the first under the new name.
Does Western Australia Day apply across Australia?
No. The public-holiday status discussed here is specific to Western Australia.
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