The NSW Government’s Australia Day program for 2026, the largest in the country, will host a range of free events to mark the significance of our national day and showcase the very best of our city and country to locals and visitors alike.

Garry Purchase’s Dancing in the Moonlight was projected on the Sydney Opera House sails for the annual Dawn Reflection, depicting the sacred BurriBurri, the humpback whale, breaching beneath a night sky. It represented its ancient journey since time immemorial, its path written across the dreaming and emblazoned in the stars.

The WugulOra Morning Ceremony will take place from 7.30am at Barangaroo. Meaning ‘One Mob’ the ceremony features performances from First Nations storytellers and represents reflection, understanding and reconciliation as the nation proudly gathers.

The city’s newest world-class attraction, Sydney Fish Market, will be hosting activations all day. Open from 7am, visitors are encouraged to participate in the festivities and experience the best seafood in the world before enjoying events at the Fish Market or in and around Circular Quay.

This year, the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony will be held at the iconic Sydney Opera House forecourt, a setting that reflects the significance of the unique celebration where we proudly welcome new Australians into our vibrant multicultural society.

More than 350 people will be sworn in as our country's newest citizens and joined by special guests including Premier of NSW, Chris Minns and Professor Mark Spigelman, a child survivor of the Holocaust who has made a significant impact in science, medicine, law and on the nation’s human rights landscape.

From midday, Sydney Harbour will come alive with a series of showstopping events across the water that are free to view from many vantage points.

  • Midday Salute will celebrate contributions of many Australians through a tri-forces display including a 21 Gun Salute, the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Canberra and a fast-jet fly past.
  • Ferrython will see four Emerald Class ferries go head-to-head in a spirited race to the finish line at the Sydney Harbour Bridge, flanked by responders of the Bondi Terror Attack. Fast, colourful and guaranteed to thrill.
  • The Tall Ships Race, 190th Australia Day Regatta and Harbour Parade will round out the events showcasing Sydney’s quintessential maritime communities.

The return of the popular Mega Kidz Zone at the Overseas Passenger Terminal will offer giant games, inflatables and arcade action for families, alongside a Surf Life Saving NSW

  • Fun in the Sun activation that will offer a chance to meet the volunteers of one of Australia’s most beloved organisations and brush up on water safety.

As the sun sets, the Australia Day Live concert will feature an all-star Aussie lineup, including Cody Simpson, Kate Ceberano, William Barton and Jude York, alongside supergroup The Fabulous Caprettos, composed of Wendy Matthews, Rai Thistlethwayte, Dave Gleeson and Joe Camilleri.

The concert will include a tribute to the families and communities affected by the terror attack in Bondi last month and a performance by Sydney based band SHIR - Australian Jewish Music Festival, who performed their moving rendition of I Am Australian at the Bondi vigil last month.

The concert will culminate in a unique fireworks display and a spectacular aerial show over Circular Quay, delivering a memorable celebration for locals and visitors.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Australia Day is an opportunity to celebrate what unites us. Our shared values. Our diversity. The spirit of mateship that defines our nation and what makes us inherently Australian.

“At the end of 2025, we saw that spirit at its strongest, as communities came together to support one another in the wake of the tragic events at Bondi targeting the Australian Jewish community. Our local communities are the heartbeat of this state and events like Australia Day in Sydney bring that to life.

“Whether you’re starting the day at the Dawn Reflection, firing up the barbecue with friends and family or enjoying our harbour and beaches, it’s a chance to come together and recognise what makes our country so wonderful.

“There’s so much on offer for all ages, with a full list of free, action-packed events. However you chose to celebrate, enjoy the day – Happy Australia Day!”

The Australia Day in Sydney program is delivered by Destination NSW.