Australia Day In Sydney

Broadcast Events

Program Director

Location: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2026
Venues / Dates: Sydney Harbour, Barangaroo, Sydney Opera House Forecourt and Circular Quay, 26 January 2026
Featured Artists: Cody Simpson, Kate Ceberano, Harts, Kathleen Halloran, William Barton, Jude York, The Fabulous Caprettos (Dave Gleeson, Wendy Matthews, Rai Thistlethwayte, Joe Camilleri), Burn the Floor, Rrawun Maymuru, Diego Torre, Jael and The Wena Family, Victor Valdes, DJ Ha, Doonooch Dancers, SHIR – Australian Jewish Music Festival, Cianna Walker and Olivia Coe Fox, Yidaki Orchestra, NSW Public Schools Choir Pulse Alive, Australian Pops Orchestra (MD: David Prichard-Blunt).

About

Australia Day in Sydney features a program of free community events celebrating the national day.

Proceedings begin with First Nations–led ceremonies, including the Dawn Reflection and WugulOra, followed by maritime highlights such as the Ferrython and Harbourfest, and a mass citizenship ceremony. The day concludes with the Australia Day Live concert at the Sydney Opera House forecourt and around Circular Quay, attended by the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, and the Premier of New South Wales.

Australia Day Live showcases some of Australia’s leading singers and musicians, accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra and a 110-voice children’s choir. The event attracts an audience of more than 40,000 people and is broadcast live on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The program is delivered in partnership with Destination NSW and produced in collaboration with a wide range of specialists across the arts, production, pyrotechnics, drone operations, broadcasting, and maritime services.

Reviews

Sydney Harbour glowed and came alive for this incredible event. Australia Day Live delivered a high-impact, deeply felt celebration that transformed the Sydney Opera House forecourt into a shared national gathering, bringing together extraordinary Australian artists, diverse cultural voices, and a crowd ready to listen, sing, and dance together.

Australia Day Live succeeded not by simplifying who we are, but by holding space for joy, history, complexity, and belonging – all at once. –  What’s On Sydney

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