Australia: 'Invasion Day' rally in Melbourne Protesters gather in Melbourne for an "Invasion Day" rally. January 26 is officially recognised as Australia Day, a public holiday to celebrate the origins of the modern nation. However, the date is a time of mourning for indigenous Australians, who have inhabited the land for 65,000 years and view the arrival of British settlers in 1788 as heralding two centuries years of pain and suffering.\\n IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES