The best ways to spend Australia Day
Australia Day is a day to celebrate Australia and being Australian because, and we’re trying not to be biased here, this really is the best country with the best people. Here are the biggest events going on around the country but check your local council’s website for events closer to your area.
SYDNEY
There are plenty of events all around the Sydney CBD during the long weekend. There will be a Summer Playground in Hyde Park for the kids with interactive zones, activities and the chance to meet beloved children’s characters like Dora, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants. Darling Harbour will be a site of family-free entertainment from noon. Make sure you’re there for the official NSW Australia Day Spectacular – a dazzling extravaganza of fireworks, digital effects, multi-media and music!
MELBOURNE
Wander down for a picnic at Kings Domain Gardens for the RACV Australia Day Picnic. They’ll be plenty to keep you entertained with an enchanted forest craft installation, dingoes, owls and snakes, 400 historical vehicles and a chess master. Or line up along Swanston Street to grab the best view of the colourful Australia Day Parade. It will start at 11am and meander along Swanston Street, over Princess Bridge and into Kings Domain.
Head to the Docklands for live performances, wildlife demonstrations, kids’ activities and of course, the breathtaking fireworks display after sundown.
BRISBANE
With its shady trees and panoramic views of Brisbane River and the city, South Bank Parklands “Long Weekender” is the place to go for your Australia Day celebrations. There will be over 70 free music performances over the long weekend including children’s performances by favourites Toasted TV, Totally Wild, Lissa and Nee Nee and Jelly Kids. Spectacular fireworks will light up the city skyline on Australia Day eve, not Australia Day.
PERTH
The City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks returns to the Swan River foreshore for another year of celebrating all things Australian. There’s hundreds of free family entertainment at the Langley Park Entertainment Zone including a water park, circus shows, sand sculpturing, motocross displays and toddler town. The day will end with the Skyworks fireworks finale, which will include a special laser and water show that will certainly wow viewers.
ADELAIDE
Elder Park will once again host Adelaide’s Australia Day in the City, a twilight event with parades, concerts and fireworks. The night begins with the country’s largest Australia Day Parade – more than 4000 people walked the streets in 2014 and this year promises to be bigger and better. Following the parade, a free family concert will kick off with Aussie dance-music group Sneaky Sound System before the finale of glittering fireworks.
DARWIN
Following the great success in 2013, Oz Fusion will again celebrate the rich cultural diversity of this country on Australia Day with performances and food. For a full program of performances, click here.
CANBERRA
Head to Commonwealth Park for Australia Day in the Park events and activities. There will be a Children's Concert, featuring free, live entertainment as well as ride, amusements and games.
HOBART
Spend Australia Day at the beach, specifically at the A Day on the Beach event that promises loads of free sporting activities, live music, sandcastle competition, beachside breakfast, two Big Aussie BBQs, double decker buses, sailing, swimming, giant inflatable slide and the pristine backdrop of Kingston Beach.