How a bus ride and a sense of exclusion birthed Australia's national anthem

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When Peter Dodds McCormick attended a concert in Sydney, he felt frustrated that no Australian music was played. On his bus ride home, he composed the melody and lyrics for what would eventually become the national anthem, a song that evolved through decades of public debate and official revision.

The anthem, Advance Australia Fair, was composed by Scottish-born Australian Peter Dodds McCormick in 1878. McCormick, writing under the pseudonym Amicus, was inspired by a concert at Sydney's Exhibition Building where he noticed the absence of any Australian representation. He later described the creative process as an inspiration, noting that he wrote the music and words with remarkable ease. The song was first performed in Sydney on November 30, 1878, by Andrew Fairfax.

For much of its early history, the song coexisted with God Save the Queen, which served as the national anthem from 1788 until 1974. The transition to a distinctively Australian anthem gained momentum in the 1970s. After a 1977 national poll favored Advance Australia Fair over other options like Waltzing Matilda, it was officially adopted as the national anthem on April 19, 1984. God Save the Queen was subsequently relegated to the status of royal anthem for use during British royal appearances.

The lyrics have undergone significant updates to reflect changing national values. The original opening line, Australia’s sons, let us rejoice, was modernized to the gender-neutral Australians all let us rejoice. More recently, in 2021, the phrase describing the nation as young and free was updated to one and free. This change was intended to formally recognize the long history and presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring the anthem better represents the entirety of the Australian population.

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