National Wattle Day marks 35 years since the official proclamation of Golden Wattle as Australia's floral emblem.
Government House in Canberra kickstarted Wattle Day celebrations on Thursday, with performances by the ACT Primary Concert Choir and presentations of wattle to Governor-General David Hurley and Linda Hurley by students from St Clare of Assisi Primary School in Conder, on behalf of all the school children in Australia.
Then governor-general Sir Ninian Stephen in 1988 proclaimed the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) as Australia's national floral emblem.
Thirty-five years later, the current Governor-General and Mrs Hurley planted Golden Wattle in pots for placement around Government House while more will be planted on Friday at the Australian National Botanic Gardens by members of the Wattle Day Association.
At a reception at Government House on Thursday, General Hurley told the school children he wondered why there was a floral emblem for the states and nation and believed it told a story about the nature of the country.
There were 1073 species of wattle and the Golden Wattle had become a symbol of unity, just as Australian was a country of many cultures and backgrounds united as one.
"It is a very resilient plant. It is like us," he said.
The Governor-General said wattle got through the hard times such as drought and bushfires and persevered like the Australian people.
"We go through some very hard times but we also blossom afterwards," he said.
Members of the ACT Primary Concert Choir performed tunes including The Wattle Song written by Mrs Hurley. They also joined her in a traditional rendition of You Are My Sunshine, Mrs Hurley telling the children every time they sang, it was a gift to someone and they should never stop singing.
National institutions and landmarks will also light up in green and gold on Friday night to celebrate Wattle Day.
City Services also made available hundreds of Golden Wattles to primary schools across the ACT for planting on school grounds. And the National Capital Authority is also on Friday planting wattle in Commonwealth Park.
As part of ongoing celebrations, guided Wattle Walks will be held at the Botanic Gardens next Monday to Thursday at 11am and 2pm.
Dr Searle said the wattle was "such a symbol of Australia".
"We actually presented wattles to their Excellencies so they could plant wattles in the gardens and have a continuing presence of Golden Wattle for the years to come," she said.
Dr Searle said Golden Wattle had a rich history in the Canberra region and the fact City Services, Botanic Gardens and National Capital Authority were all joining in to plant more Golden Wattle was significant.
"There are more Golden Wattles going in the ground this year as a result of the 35th anniversary than there have ever been planted since the days of Charles Weston, who planted thousands of them in the establishment of Canberra to try to improve the soil and stop wind-blown erosion," she said.
"Charles Weston collected seeds from Mount Jerrabomberra near Queanbeyan and the Jerrabomberra Preservation Society call it 'The Home of the Golden Wattle', even though it grows in NSW, South Australia and Victoria.
"This is the first time the ACT government, National Capital Authority, the arboretum, botanic gardens and Government House have been planting Golden Wattle all at once and that's because it is the 35th anniversary."
