The Australian Natives’ Association Canberra & Monaro branch is has been active since 2015, following on from the original ANA Branch formed in 1927 which lived until the mid 20th century.
Originally formed in 1927 by Mr E. Alexander and Mr H. T. Shannon the ACT branch of the Australian Natives’ Association grew rapidly with the influx of Australia’s first generation of federal public servants with an idealistic sense of duty to the Australian people. The ANA launched the “Canberra Citizens League” and maintained positions of influenced within its executive committee. During the growth phases of Canberra’s life the ANA was active in propagating Australian native plant-life plating 377 trees in the Federal Capital (179 Kurrajongs, 82 Eucalypts and 166 Wattles. ) Mr C. E. Francis the first President of the Canberra ANA planted the first trees. A number of park-benches and seats were also donated to the capital by the ANA, some of which still can be found today.
The ANA in Canberra during this period started a medical pool which covered the medical expenses of ANA members; The branch continuously grew however during the 1930s became increasingly political, losing sight of their common Australian identity; choosing instead to identify by their branch of Government the ANA branch in Canberra became factionalised and paralysed by combats of department. It was said that there was little energy amongst new and younger members in the ANA at the middle of the 20th century, resulting in the office-bearers holding their positions for too long; advancing in age and losing energy of their own. Fresh blood as it were; was reluctant to rise up through the ranks of the ANA – occupied with other things in their own lives.
In a new era of time and circumstance however, some truly Australian-born young men of European descent rose to the task of forming a fraternal organisation in 2015; over the years of its development it travelled many political and cultural trajectories and has settled at last in the embracing of self-help and charity to their fellow Australians; mobilising an effort to improve our town and ourselves as men; as the old motto was “Every man a king, every native a pillar of his community.”
Feeling atomised in an ocean of migrants and rootless ‘globetrotters’ the organisation has grown steadily to create a strong sense of community for its membership; having regular dinners, social gatherings, hikes and road-trips; the Canberran ANA is flourishing, and has begun to march down the road to cultural renewal, flowering as a community culture and organisation advocating for our own interests in the community.
Canberra@ausnatives.org