On the first Tuesday of every month (except January) the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia holds a monthly meeting. At this meeting they decide on (among other things) the current settings for official interest rates. The official interest rates have a significant effect on financial markets, home buyers, mortgage holders and self-funded retirees. The rates are usually announced by mid afternoon.

A. J. Campbell & his followers celebrating Wattle Day, Werribee Gorge, 1905

This day has been celebrated by many Australians for over a century as Wattle Day.