What is WA Day?
Apr 12, 2019
Leanne Drewitt
What is WA Day?

In April 2012, Foundation Day was formally changed to WA Day following bipartisan political support in the Western Australian Parliament. This welcomed in a new era for the state with WA Day being a universal celebration of all Western Australians, recognising our Aboriginal history, early European settlers and the many people from all over the world who have made, and continue to make Western Australia their home.

The WA Day holidays always takes place on the first Monday in June and is now the focal point for encouraging state-wide participation in the wide range of activities and events, celebrating all that is great about our state and encouraging pride in all things Western Australian.

As a vast geographic area comprising many different urban, rural and regional communities, as well as being a very multicultural community, the emphasis for WA Day Festival events is on inclusion of all people no matter how long they have called themselves Western Australian.

Leanne Drewitt is the General Manager – Partnerships and Programs at Celebrate WA. Celebrate WA is a not-for-profit organization responsible for promoting and organising the annual WA Day long weekend program of events across the state and promoting excellence and achievements by Western Australians in all fields of endeavor.