Australia
"Advance Australia Fair"

Words by: Peter Dodds McCormick
Music by: Peter Dodds McCormick
Adopted: 1984

One of my pet peeves as one who studies anthems is incorrect knowledge of anthems. I want to clear it up here that "Waltzing Matilda" is not the official anthem of Australia, any more than "America the Beautiful" is the official anthem of the U.S.A. At the most, "Waltzing Matilda" is a patriotic song. At the least, it's a popular song. The official anthem of Australia, and has been since 1984 (before that it was God Save the Queen,) is "Advance Australia Fair". However, there has been sentiment lately to replace "Advance Australia Fair" with "Waltzing Matilda".

One of my favourite anthems, it was adopted after exhaustive surveys of national opinion. In 1974 the Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted a national opinion poll of 60,000 and in 1977 a plebiscite for a national song was conducted. On each occasion, Advance Australia Fair was the preferred option, and it was in consideration of such support that Advance Australia Fair was proclaimed as the national anthem by the Governor-General on 19 April 1984. From the original five-verse song, only the first and third verses are the official national anthem.

Special thanks to: Leonie Payne and John Farrell for some of this information.