The debate over changing the date of Australia Day rages on, but here is the truth: every anniversary—whether honouring the virtuous or acknowledging the flawed—should stand untouched. Why? Because erasing them erases the threads of our history. We risk forgetting the triumphs and the tragedies that have shaped us.

Take Australia Day on 26 January. It is the 237th anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip’s arrival in 1788, the dawn of white settlement. Yet, for First Nations peoples and many others, it is a stark symbol of invasion—a reminder that this land was never terra nullius but home to millions who had thrived here for over 66,000 years.

If we change the date, 26 January will fade from collective memory. Future generations might never grasp its profound significance—the complex tapestry of uplifting and painful stories that define our nation.

There is only one sensible option. 26 January should not be solely a day of celebration or of sorrow. It should be acknowledged and presented as a day that marks a pivotal point in the ongoing journey of this ancient land. It is significant to all who call Australia home: the First Nations peoples, the convicts and free settlers, the post-war “New Australians,” and the migrants from Asia and around the globe who have woven their lives into the fabric of our society.

Let us proudly acknowledge 26 January, reminding ourselves of our shared history and transient role on this enduring land. A land that will remain long after we are gone—until that distant day when Earth, a minuscule speck in the expanding universe, meets its predicted doom at the hands of the Sun a million years from now.