Australian Natives Association
Ballarat - Victoria - Alfred Deakin - Alexander Peacock - native-born males - promoting nationhood - Advance Australia - humanitarianism - protection - strengthening Australia’s defence - improving social welfare - white Australia - 1874 - Australia Day - January 26 - E.W. Swift - Australian identity through art and literature - Tom Roberts - Arthur Streeton - Henry Lawson - Eureka - Aborigines - environment - Australasian Federation League -
Despite the organisation's name, and the tendency of some members to call their meetings corroborees, the association had nothing to do with Aborigines. This Ballarat-based friendly society in fact played a central role in the campaign for Federation, particularly in Victoria. It was established, with Alfred Deakin’s support, in Melbourne in 1871
Its membership was restricted to native-born males.
Its agenda, overwhelmingly focused on promoting nationhood, was reflected in the motto, "Advance Australia".
Many prominent members shared Deakin’s commitment to humanitarianism and protection, to strengthening of Australia’s defence capability, improving social welfare and a white Australia.
The Ballarat branch was formed in 1874, the first outside Melbourne, and by the end of the 19th century it was the biggest in the land.
In its first decade, it was debating such questions as whether a republic was better than a "limited monarchical form of government", considering proposals for Federation and talking up the prospects of a new flag - one with white stars on a blue backdrop as a direct link to the Eureka Flag.
Another priority was the promotion of an Australian identity through art and literature, a task concurrently pursued by the likes of Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and Henry Lawson.
The idea for Australia Day, to be celebrated on January 26, was first suggested in a letter from E.W. Swift of Ballarat to the 1885 ANA conference. At the association’s suggestion, the Victorian government organised with its counterparts in the other colonies for the first national celebration of the day in 1888, the centenary of European settlement.
The association’s headquarters were built in Camp Street next to the Trades and Labour Council, a short walk from where the soldiers assembled before marching to the Eureka Stockade in the early hours on Sunday, December 3, 1854. About 30 Diggers died in the onslaught that followed, as did five of the soldiers.
Fifty years later, Deakin described Eureka as "an important constitutional advance in the history of Australia".
The success of the Ballarat branch could be attributed to two factors: the offer of sickness, injury and death benefits to those working in the dangerous occupation of mining, and the promotion of national identity to those whose fathers were either part of the Eureka rebellion or were witnesses to the ruthless manner in which it was put down.
Although many in the association shared the prevailing wisdom that the Aborigines were a dying race, there was at least recognition of them in the ANA stationery, which also promoted concern for the environment.
Although the ANA was concentrated in Victoria, particularly in the goldfield towns of Ballarat, Bendigo and Creswick, the movement of miners interstate helped in the forming of branches in the mining towns of Charters Towers in Queensland and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, two key centres in the federal story.
To promote Federation among those born overseas, the ANA encouraged the forming of Federation Leagues across the nation.
In June 1894, Deakin became chairman of the Australasian Federation League, bringing together a wider coalition of support for the cause, including trade unions.
While the Labour Party was at best ambivalent about the cause and at times a fierce opponent, there was support within some sections of the union movement, particularly in the gold fields towns like Ballarat. Beggs Sunter argues that this was both a reflection of the radical liberal tradition inspired by Eureka and a natural consequence of the expansion of the union movement.
Alfred Deakin and Alexander Peacock were powerful figures in the Australian Natives Association,