On 26 January 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet of British colonists arrived at Sydney Cove, New South Wales, where they hoisted the Union Flag, marking the beginning of European settlement in Australia.
This event, now commemorated as Australia Day, symbolises the foundation of modern Australia, yet it also remains a day of mourning for many First Nations people, who refer to it as Invasion Day, highlighting the profound and lasting impact of colonisation on Indigenous communities.
