Australia Day in Sydney

Our oldest continuous culture

As the sun rises, connect with the world’s oldest living culture as First Nations artwork is projected on the Sydney Opera House and flags are raised on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the Dawn Reflection. This event will take place from 5.20am to 5.40am, with the best vantage point for viewing the illumination being from the Overseas Passenger Terminal at The Rocks.

This is followed by a cultural acknowledgement to our Indigenous past with the moving WugulOra Morning Ceremony at Walumil Lawns at Barangaroo, honouring the world’s oldest living culture. Featuring a smoking ceremony, Aboriginal artists showcasing the richness and significance of their culture with a blend of historical and modern expression, and the Australian National Anthem sung in Eora and English, this is a time of reflection and reconciliation. The ceremony will take place from 7.30am to 8.30am.

WugulOra Morning Ceremony, Barangaroo - Credit: WugulOra Morning Ceremony

On the water

Enjoy an exciting lineup of free events and activities taking place on, above and around Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay. Grab your togs and goggles and challenge yourself with a one-, 2.5- or five-kilometre swim at Sydney Harbour Splash. Back for its 10th year, the iconic swims start at Rose Bay and follows the coastline, giving participants stunning views to the Harbour Bridge while raising funds for dementia research.

A stirring 21-gun salute marks midday, followed by the breathtaking aerial acrobatics of the Royal Australian Airforce as they conduct a high-octane fast jet flypast. The Royal Australian Navy HMAS Canberra takes centre stage in Sydney Harbour before the Ferrython, a crowd favourite, sees our iconic ferry fleet racing at double speed for line honours. Maritime Mayhem will entertain with fast and furious jet-ski performances, daredevil flyboard tricks and crazy tugboat stunts. 

Around the harbour, the 190th Australia Day Regatta, Tall Ships Race, Harbour Parade, and Working Harbour Vessel Display celebrate our maritime heritage.

Australia Day Ferrython, Sydney Harbour

Family-friendly fun

The Mega Kidz Zone at the Overseas Passenger Terminal will have the whole family entertained. Transformed into a massive interactive arcade, challenge your kids to complete the massive maze, bounce through an enormous inflatable obstacle course or test your skills during a game of wheelchair basketball.

Head to The Rocks to see the world's best wheelchair track and road athletes battle it out through the streets of Sydney as they compete to win the Oz Day 10K. Australia Day in Sydney has proudly placed accessibility and inclusion at the forefront of the event program to ensure everyone can participate.

Join Sydney locals and head to the beach for a barbecue picnic. You could take a hamper full of goodies to a harbour cove or fry up on one of the beautiful eastern beaches like Coogee or Bondi.

Australia Day, The Rocks

Concerts and fireworks

In the evening, Australia Day Live kicks off at 7.30pm and showcases some of Australia’s best-loved performers. Held on the forecourt of Sydney Opera House with the iconic sails in the background and the harbour beyond, the concert will feature an all-star line-up reflecting the diversity of our cultures, lifestyles and the quirkiness that makes our country so unique. Limited free tickets for the Sydney Opera House forecourt will be made available in January 2026 on the Australia Day Live page. 

Australia Day Live, Sydney Opera House - Credit: Australia Day Live

If you miss out on a ticket to the Forecourt, you can still join the party around Circular Quay to watch the concert on large digital screens with a front-row view of the amazing fireworks display or watch the broadcast from 7.30pm to 9.30pm or ABC TV and ABC iview. 

Australia Day Live fireworks, Sydney - Credit: Australia Day Live