What’s On In Sydney – Australia Day 2023

Australia’s first massive holiday celebration of the year is almost here! Australia Day, Straya Day, Invasion Day, whatever you’d like to call it, in recent times it has been the day where we come together as Australians and embrace our way of life. This year is no different – Australians and visitors alike are urged to come together and celebrate the strength, spirit and culture of our local communities.

The 26th of January falls on a Thursday, which means it’s a mid-week holiday for the Aussies, the perfect excuse to take Friday off for a 4-day long weekend!

If you’re looking to make the most of the upcoming events and activities and celebrate a memorable national day with friends and family, then check out these top picks for Australia Day 2023 in Sydney.

Harbour during day

As expected, the best celebrations of the day take place on Sydney Harbour. From the traditional Ferrython race, where Emerald-class ferries dress up in green and gold for a thrilling race on the harbour, to the high-adrenaline monster truck-like display on the waters called Maritime Mayhem, it’s going to be a day to remember! The best seats in the house are obviously on the waters – Australia Day cruises run throughout the day and at night to bring you the prime views of everything extravagant!

These Australia Day cruises running on Sydney Harbour are one of the best venues to be for the daytime events, offering you a crowd-free vantage point to some of the most iconic activities!

An Aussie way of partying

One of the best things about Australia Day as a holiday, is that it falls in mid-summer and gives you an opportunity to explore the Australian way of summer life. And the most Aussie thing you can do, besides cooking up a barbie in your own backyard, is to hit the sand and the waves! Most of the well-known beaches like Bondi and Manly, might be in the ‘no-go’ zone with thousands enjoying their own national day celebrations. So if you want to lay low for a quieter day in the sun, head to Resolute Beach, Congwong Beach, Milk Beach, Kutti Beach or any one from your own ‘secret beaches’ handbook.

Indigenous culture in the front seat

The nation acknowledges the indigenous people of the land, their communities’ past sufferings and the ongoing adversities. The state also insists that the day is a reminder for us to keep moving forward and how we, as one strong nation, can join forces for the better of each other.

It’s the third year in a row where Australia Day will begin in a more reflective manner. Dawn of Reflection, held before sunrise, is an honouring of the traditional custodians of the land where a First Nations artwork will be projected onto the sails of the Opera House. This year, the artwork is done by a proud Kamilaroi woman, Rhonda Sampson, who has said that the art will showcase the site of Tubowgule, the original land where the iconic Opera House now sits high and mighty.

This touching moment will be harmonised with the flag raising on top of the Harbour Bridge. Both the national flag and the Australian Aboriginal Flag will be raised together as a symbol of unity, inclusion, and recognition.

A techni-coloured finale

As the evening settles in, Sydney Harbour transforms into a world-class stage for the top acts of Australia to perform a one-of-a-kind concert! Names like Casey Donovan, James Morrison, Dami Im, Darren Percival, and plenty more, will take to the stage for a unique land and water concert! That’s right! The music will be perfectly synchronised to a flotilla of yachts, jet skiers, and flyboarders, and with the epic fireworks show in Circular Quay. The cruises mentioned above act as the ideal way to enjoy the event in the highest comfort!

Travel as far as you can, we can take the knowledge from all of the things we see