Celebrate what makes Australia great
Published on 21 January 2026
Residents are invited celebrate the Australian way of life and pay tribute to inspiring locals at the traditional Australia Day ceremony at the Civic Centre on January 26.
The big day will kick off at 7.30 am on the Civic Centre Plaza with a BBQ breakfast by gold coin donation thanks to the Lions Club.
A flag raising ceremony will be held at 8.30am, with official proceedings including the 2026 Australia Day Awards to be held in the auditorium from 9am.
Other highlights will include welcoming new Australians via the Citizenship Ceremony, a welcome from Mayor Tom Kennedy, and an address from the city's Australia Day Ambassador for 2026 - journalist, author, activist, and media personality - Liz Deep-Jones.
Ms Deep-Jones' career has been a fascinating journey that has included covering major events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Sydney Olympics, and meeting Countless famous people from Nelson Mandela to the Dalai Lama.
Official proceedings will be followed by a free morning tea, and the unveiling of a plaque in Sturt Park at midday to mark the location of city's latest time capsule. The capsule been buried and unearthed every 25 years since 1975, and will be opened by locals in 2050.
The Living Desert, Art Gallery, and GeoCentre will all have free entry for locals and tourists to enjoy. There will also be free entry to the Aquatic Centre until 6pm, with the waterslide in operation.