Indigenous communities and allies will mark Invasion Day, or Survival Day, on 26 January with marches, rallies and gatherings for ceremonies and festivals across the country.
Here’s a guide to what’s happening in each state and territory.
New South Wales
Sydney
At 5.20am, the Sydney Opera House sails will light up with an artwork by Wiradjuri–Biripi artist James P Simon for a dawn reflection at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, 3 Circular Quay West, The Rocks.
The WugulOra morning ceremony will follow from 7.30am in Barangaroo Reserve for “a celebration of the culture of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation”, including dance, song and storytelling.
From 10am people will gather at Belmore Park, Haymarket, for a protest and “call to action to reject the colonial narrative, confront the truth of this racist country, and work towards building the movement of justice and Indigenous sovereignty”. The event is organised by the Blak Caucus.
The annual Yabun festival will be held at Victoria Park, Broadway, from 10am to 7pm, featuring activities, panels and discussions, as well as performances from artists including Barkaa, Electric Fields and Troy Cassar-Daley.
From 5pm, We Are Warriors and Powerhouse will host live music, dance, art, food and DJs at the University of Sydney’s Manning House.
Narrandera
A Survival Day march organised by Narrungdera NAIDOC Committee is set for 10.30am. Meet at 10am at Kurrajong Centre, East Street, Narrandera, Wiradjuri Country, where people will gather before marching to Memorial Gardens.
Wagga Wagga
In Wagga Wagga, the Murun-Dhu – I Live, I Breathe Day of Contemplation invites people to gather at Riverina Playhouse at 10am “to contemplate Australia Day” with yarning, films, documentaries, and animations.
Griffith
Griffith’s Survival Day will be held from 11am to 3pm and will feature traditional dances, singing, cultural stalls, live music and a free barbecue lunch at the Griffith Regional Aquatic Leisure Centre.
Katoomba
Katoomba’s Survival Day invites people for a barbecue, live music, amusement rides and activity stalls at Katoomba North public school, Barton Street, from 11am to 3pm.
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy will lead the Sovereignty Day rally from Garema Place at 9.30am, for “land rights, restitution, justice, liberation”.
Victoria
Melbourne
St Kilda’s We-Akon Dilinja (Mourning Reflection) dawn ceremony will begin at 5.45am at Alfred Square.
The Naarm Invasion Day protest will begin at 10am, when people will gather on the steps of Parliament House, Melbourne/Naarm on Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Lands before walking to Federation Square.
Gates will open to the Share the Spirit Invasion Day festival at 11.30am at Treasury Gardens, 2-18 Spring Street, where people will gather after the Naarm protest “for some deadly summer vibes coming together as one to celebrate all things culture and connection”.
Torquay
A welcome to country and smoking ceremony from Wadawurrung Traditional Owners will open the Pilk Purriyn Truth Telling event at sunrise, from 5.30am to 7am at Cosy Corner beach, The Esplanade, Torquay.
Ballarat
The shores of Lake Wendouree will host Ballarat’s dawn ceremony from 5.30am for reflection on “a day of mourning and remembrance of First Peoples who fought in the frontier wars” and “the survival of ongoing traditions and cultures”.
Geelong
Be Tru 2 Uluru is hosting a Cry for Truth and Justice rally that will begin at Little Malop Street, Geelong, at midday and will call for “Truth, Treaty, Country and Justice for First Nation Australians and all other Peoples of Australia.”
Mildura
The Mildura Survival Day rally will begin at 11am at Langtree Mall, with the march heading to Jaycee Park Playground, Cureton Avenue, where there will be dances, speeches, art, weaving, traditional medicine stalls and a free sausage sizzle.
Portland
The Celebrate Gundtij event will happen on the Portland Foreshore from 11am behind the skate park and feature community speakers, local music, artists and food.
Port Fairy
The reflection and healing ceremony at East Beach, Port Fairy, will welcome people for “truth telling and healing” with live music and a barbecue from 5pm.
Northern Territory
Darwin
A smoking ceremony will be held at the Darwin Waterfront, from 7.45am.
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The Justice Not Jails: Survival Day Picnic starts at 10.30am at the Rapid Creek Footbridge where there will be speeches and a sausage sizzle.
Queensland
Brisbane
The We Have Survived! Meanjin rally will start at Queens Gardens at 10am and march to Musgrave Park.
Sunshine Coast
The Maleny remembrance ceremony and morning tea will start at 9.30am at the Maleny Community Centre and will “acknowledge the dispossession of Australia’s First Nations people that began on 26th January 1788 with the invasion of this land by the British”.
The We Have Survived! procession will begin at 9am at Foundation Square (Sunshine Coast City Hall), Maroochydore.
Townsville
The Kunbul Survival Day dawn ceremony will start at 5.30am, followed by a solidarity walk at 10am, and then a festival at 11am.
Cairns
The Our Truth Matters Invasion Day Rally will be held at 11am at Fogarty Park.
Survival Day Knockouts Reconciliation Carnival is hosting a three-day rugby league event featuring men’s, women’s and under 18s teams at Jones Park, Cairns, as well as a live field performance by O-FOUR.
South Australia
Adelaide
Mourning in the Morning will start at 7.30am local time at Karrawirra Parri (River Torrens), Tarntanya Wama (Elder Park). A welcome to Kaurna country will be followed by speakers, musicians and dancers, and a smoking ceremony by elder Uncle Moogy Sumner.
From 9.30am local time, Kura Yerlo will host a Survival Day celebration at North Haven Surf Lifesaving Club, with a ceremony, speeches, performance, barbecue and workshops.
Mount Barker
A Survival Day event themed “Reignite Our Spirit” at Laratinga Pavilion, 100 Springs Road, Mount Barker will start at 11am. There will be films, stalls, live music, dancing, poetry, political speeches, food and drinks. The event “will respectfully honour our culture, connection and resilience through storytelling, song and dance; as we remember and mourn our past, while embracing healing in the present for a stronger united future”.
Western Australia
Perth
The Sovereignty Day Protest, honouring 237 years of resistance and calling for land rights and liberation, will be held at midday local time at Forrest Chase.
The Birak concert at the Supreme Court Gardens will feature live performances, dance, community stalls, and interactive art installations from 3pm to 7.30pm.
The Reflect Respect Celebrate Film Dome pop-up will be showing a selection of films at Langley Park, Riverside Drive, from 3pm to 8pm.
Fremantle
A selection of documentary feature and short films from Fremantle’s Indigenous focused film program will be shown “under the stars” at Fremantle Arts Centre, from 6pm.
York
A three-day Ballardong First festival in Avon Park will be a “celebration of Aboriginal history and culture through storytelling, language, art, music, dance, and food”. Bush tucker barbecue and cultural performances start at 6pm.
Broome
The Gimme Club will open from 4pm for Rubibi Survival Day, an event hosting performances from Indigenous artists across the Kimberley region, as well as food trucks and a bar.
Tasmania
Hobart
Gather at 198 Elizabeth Street, Nipaluna / Hobart at 11.15 to depart at 11.30 for a “we won’t celebrate invasion day” street march. People will march to parliament lawns for a rally at midday.
Devonport
A second street march is organised for Limilinaturi / Devonport, meeting at 106 Best Street at 11.30am to march to Market Square, Paranapple Centre, for a rally at noon.
