Jan 31 2009
Waitangi Day in Australia
I’ve been searching for information on Waitangi Day celebrations in Perth, or even Waitangi Day celebrations in Sydney or in fact Waitangi Day celebrations in Australia - and I am surprised - the Internet has failed me - there really doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest by New Zealanders celebrating Waitangi Day in Australia.
There best resource I found was the Maori in Oz site which lists a number of hangi and picnics in the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast but nothing even in Sydney? I can’t believe that with the Kiwi population in Sydney there must be a Waitangi Day celebration!
For those who don’t know - Waitangi Day is New Zealand’s national day celebrated on the 6 February it marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori and the British Crown.
In New Zealand celebrations have been somewhat controversal - often marry by protestors who would like to see more Maori soverignity (hint guys - try hanging out in Australia for a while - its a whole lot worse here!) so as a white New Zealander I generally view Waitangi Day as a paid holiday - or when I was a kid - a bit of nuisance as you had normally just gone back to school!
Maybe Waitangi Day and Australia Day should merge? Australia Day is sensibly always a Monday and generally still in the school holiday.s I noticed when researching this piece that many expat communities further away than Australia do just that have a combined Australia- Waitangi Day celebration - normally on one of theSaturdays between the 25 January and the 6 Feburary - that’s quite a good idea if you think about it. …
17 Responses to “Waitangi Day in Australia”
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Hi
We celebrate Waitangi Day in Perth every year in Mosman Park. We have a big festival with performances, hangi and everything to do with New Zealand. The address is McCabe street Mosman Park just go down Stirling Highway and turn onto McCabe street near Matilda Bay Brewery just continue down the road, you won’t miss it.
Hope this helps
Hi
We celebrate Waitangi Day in Perth at Mosman Park. The address is McCabe Street just off Stirling Highway. We have performances, hangi and everything New Zealand. It’s a great day that most of us kiwi’s living in Perth look forward to every year.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the info Ren - I looked for the information online and found absolutely nothing - you guys need to advertise a bit more!
Kia ora
In Sydney Waitangi or New Zealand Day is remembered annually at Bondi Pavilion saturday and sunday and at Holroyd Park in Merrylands on saturday. I have also sourced off the net one that they hold in Dee Why put on by the All Blacks suppporters club. The latter I found by googling ‘Waitangi Day Festival in Sydney’ and that was the only one that came up for Sydney. However their name is ‘Kiwi Waka Festival’. Mind you it is unusual that the former two locations are not advertised on the net, it’s mostly by word of mouth.
Thanks for the info Ele!
Morning,
Ren my partner has just called me in relation to attending tomorrow. I am wonder what time it starts ends- Is there a cost or is there a site wher ei can view this information?
Thank for you help
Good Morning-
I have just recieve a call from my partner telling me to look online as he just heard about it on the radio.
I have uncovered the address with the info up top- I am wondering what time it starts in Perth, Is there a cost? Have a missed a website with all this info?
If anyone could help that would be great
If Ren doesn’t see your question - I would just swing by at around 10am or so with a picnic and sunblock- though its going to be a relatively cool day according the forecast!
Hi Thanks for that!
We’ll head down at about 10!
good to know we are interested as well what time dose it go till?
Great to see Kiwi’s in search for a touch of Culture here in Australia.
We are also searching for a similar happening here in Darwin, does anyone know ??
Hey this is great so many Kiwis dropping by - Kia Ora all!
@Anna - no idea I should think late afternoon
@ Sho - you got me there Cuture + Darwin - could be tricky you know!
Hi
Firstly i just want to point out why it is celebrated on the 6th of February….. It is because this is the day the Treaty was signed… Waitangi Day is not just a NZ day like Australia Day.
Ive been told the festivals in sydney are in merryland, parramatta and bondi, oh and the one in the northern beaches.
Cant wait to see all the long lost cuzzies and whanau from nz….. hmmm and a good feed of Kai Moana lol
Yeah but if the Treaty was that important to the government it would be important enough to make sure we got a paid day off surely - I make the same arguement re ANZAC btw -which the Australians make a holdiay regardless of the day of the week it falls
Kia ora peeps,
Any1 know of any venues in Brizzy..I heard thy hav Waitangi hea 2, but dunno wea bowts.. HELP plz wuld b kul..
Kia ora all.
I would like to have a hangi for 30 May 2009 does anyone know who hires the Hangi Kegs or does hangi’s help Thanks in adavance Angie