Australia Day – Celebrate in style!

Australia Day, 26 January, is the anniversary of when Captain Arthur Phillip, raised the British flag at Sydney Cove to commemorate the arrival of European settlement to Australia in 1788. Today, the event has become the single largest event in the nation – a time for Australians to celebrate.

Over the years many ‘informal’ events Down Under have become so popular, they are now considered an Australia Day tradition. There are free barbeque breakfasts and fun beach parties, corroborees and concerts, parades and pageants, sports, festivals and of course fireworks – so this Australia Day, celebrate in style!

Australia Day Live 08, Australian Capital Territory:
Australia Day Live 08 brings together the Australian of the Year Awards with a celebrity concert featuring some of Australia's hottest performers. Held on Australia Day Eve on the lawns in front of Parliament House, Australia Day Live is a national tribute to Australia and being Australian. Australiadaylive.gov.au

Australia Day Spectacular, New South Wales:
Sydney hosts a variety of spectacular celebrations, with the official start of the Australia Day celebrations marked by the traditional Woggan-ma-gule Ceremony which takes place on the sacred sites of the native Gadigal people, Sydney’s traditional landowners. Following this, Darling Harbour will host free children’s entertainment, live music, an international food fair and a vessels parade on the water. As day turns to night, the festive atmosphere continues to echo in Darling Harbour with The Australia Day Spectacular, set against a glittering harbour backdrop. Thousands of spectators are expected to watch the magnificent fireworks.

In Sydney Harbour, the waters fill up with an array of tall ships and decorated barges, cranes, ferries, tugs, yachts and tour boats for a unique waterborne parade. While at The Rocks, there’s an all Australian line up of blues, roots and rock talent across a number of open air stages. Therocks.com

Australia Day Festival, Queensland:
In Brisbane, the South Bank Parklands plays host to a packed programme of events, performances and activities. The Big Backyard will feature all day circus workshops, puppet shows and puppet making for kids. The Suncorp Piazza will come alive as some of Queensland's most talented and colourful community groups take to the stage, before the festival culminates with the Australia Day Fireworks Finale, one of Brisbane’s biggest fireworks displays.

Australia Day, Western Australia:
Australia Day celebrations around Western Australia range from firework displays and street parties to family picnics in parks or relaxing by the beach.

Australia Day Tour Down Under, South Australia:
The Tour Down Under holds its Willunga Leg (Stage 5) on Saturday 26th January that will feature a special Australia Day Breakfast and an after race concert. The Tour Village in Victoria Square will also be themed for Australia Day.

Sports and Balls, Northern Territory:
Across the NT a number of sporting events will be held to celebrate Australia Day as part of the Tattersall's Australia Day Sports Carnival. Then it’s time to swap the gym kit for evening wear as Alice Springs holds the Australia Day Ball – the largest and most popular ball in the region.

Damper and Billy Tea: Tasmania:
From Aussie style breakfasts and barbeques to tulip festivals and Australia Day awards; there’s plenty going on across Tasmania.

Great Australia Day Duck Race, Victoria:
It will be every duck for himself on 28 January, when thousands of yellow rubber ducks race along the Yarra River in the Great Australia Day Duck Race. Up to 20,000 rubber ducks will take to the water having been adopted for the race with proceeds to support the fundraising efforts of Life Saving Victoria and Clean Up Australia.

For further information on Australia Day Events 2008 visit Australiaday.gov.au.

For more details about Australia visit Australia.com.