<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Advance Australia Fair" Performed in 1915 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing this file? See media help . </Td> </Tr> <P> "Advance Australia Fair" was composed in the late 19th century by Peter Dodds McCormick under the pen - name "Amicus" (which means "friend" in Latin). It was first performed by Andrew Fairfax at a function of the Highland Society of New South Wales in Sydney on 30 November 1878 . The song quickly gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of around 10,000 at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901 . In 1907 the Australian Government awarded McCormick £ 100 for his composition . </P> <P> In a letter to R.B. Fuller, dated 1 August 1913, McCormick described the circumstances that inspired him to write "Advance Australia Fair": </P>

When was the australian national anthem first performed