Origins of the Australian National Anthem
The writer and composer of Australia’s national anthem was Peter Dodds McCormick. He was born the son of a seaman at Port Glasgow, Scotland around 1834. An apprentice joiner, he arrived in Sydney in 1855, where he pursued his trade and became involved in various musical societies.
In 1863 he was appointed teacher-in charge of at St Mary’s National School in 1863 and went on to teach at the Presbyterian denominational school at Woolloomooloo in 1867 and at Dowling Plunkett Street Public School in 1878 where he remained until 1885.
McCormick had strongly held Scottish values and beliefs and was active in the Presbyterian Church and a number of community and benevolent organisations. He began his involvement with Sydney’s St Stephen’s Church as a stonemason, working on the now demolished Phillip Street Church (where Martin Place now stands). The Reverend Hugh Darling was so impressed with his singing on the job he asked him to join the choir. McCormick’s musical ability led him to becoming the precentor of the Presbyterian church of NSW, which gave him the opportunity to conduct very large massed choirs. He was also convenor of the Presbyterian Church Assembly’s Committee on Psalmody.
Also a talented composer, he published around 30 patriotic and Scottish songs, some of which became very popular. Included in his collected works was Advance Australia Fair, which was first performed in public by Mr Andrew Fairfax at the St Andrew’s Day concert of the Highland Society on November 30, 1878.
The Sydney Morning Herald described the music as bold and stirring, and the words “decidedly patriotic” – it was “likely to become a popular favourite”. Later under the alias “Amicus” he had the music and four verses published by W. H. Paling & Co. Ltd.
Advance Australia Fair was sung by a choir of 10,000 voices at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia and was performed by massed bands at the Federal capital celebrations in Canberra. In 1907 the Federal government awarded McCormick
