All times are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)
The new Sydney Fish Market‘s roof will illuminate green & gold tonight from sunset (8:17pm) until sunrise (6:10am) on Australia Day. It will not be illuminated after sunset on Australia Day.
The new Market’s roof comes with a programmable light display so whilst this is the 1st special illumination, it certainly won’t be the last & the wait until the next one shouldn’t be long.
The Market will also host in their new Civic Plaza a Welcome To Country by Uncle Lloyd Webber at 11:45am on the 26th followed by a yidaki performance by Ralph Hatzi. Then, at 12pm, there will be face painting for children, live music, roving performers & oyster shucking demonstrations until 5pm.
The live music & roving performers will also be held today, the 25th, at the same time but finishing at 3pm instead.
The new Sydney Fish Market, which opened its doors for the 1st time on the 19th, is on the shores of Sydney Harbour’s Blackwattle Bay at 1 Bridge Rd, Glebe. To get there, you can catch the light rail from Central or Dulwich Hill to Wentworth Park (400 metre walk) or a bus from Parramatta or Bondi Junction to Harris Street (550 metre walk). There is also a dedicated taxi & ride share drop-off & pick-up area outside as well as basement car parking, which, due to it being a special event long weekend, is expected to have a flat cashless $15 fee (definitely 5pm-10pm) except for mobility permit holders (1st 2 hours only), taxis & emergency services. There is NO FERRY access.
Expanded Mega Kidz Zone back in Harbourfest With Fun In The Sun & New Lego Zone
After initially reporting it was excluded, an expanded Mega Kidz Zone is back as being included in Harbourfest between 11am & 3pm. Held in the Overseas Passenger Terminal south to the Museum Of Contemporary Art, this is mainly an interactive arcade for kids in the Arrivals Hall featuring the Wipe Out Challenge, ninja-inflatable obstacle course, classic arcade games & a new Lego Zone. Outside, there will be roaming street performers & in the Undercroft Food Court, there will also be wheelchair basketball & a disc jockey.
Photograph: Australia Day In Sydney/Salty Dingo
On the lawn in front of the Museum Of Contemporary Art is Fun In The Sun – included in the Mega Kidz Zone for the 1st time ever after being held as a separate event since 2023.
Hosted by Surf Life Saving New South Wales (NSW) volunteer surf life savers, Fun In The Sun teaches kids how to stay safe in the water with games, colouring-in & free sunscreen. An important activation especially as Australia Day In Sydney is already affected by a shark attack within Sydney Harbour killing a 12-year-old boy (see below).
Photograph: ‘Australia Day In Sydney’
Look, you know, we really look forward to Australia Day like all the community does & how iconic to have Australia’s most iconic organisation – the red & yellow Surf Life Saving – there celebrating Australia Day & we’ve done that year-on-year in, in here with the activation so, you know, we’re going to be over at Circular Quay with all our lifesavers. The red & yellow flags will be flying over there. We’re inviting people to come over onto the grass. Come & talk to a lifesaver. Free sunscreen will be handed out & obviously, you know, we will be talking all about lifesaving & water safety this summer.
Lifesavers are really looking forward to it. We love the appreciation & support of everyone but importantly, it’s just a great platform for us to promote water safety here along the, uh, New South Wales beaches.
We love Australia Day. We love the festivities & we just love celebrating everything about Australia.
Steve Pearce, Surf Life Saving NSW Chief Executive Officer
Salute Begins At 11:30am
Harbourfest‘s Salute will now begin at 11:30am when His Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Canberra, a landing helicopter dock naval ship, arrives to float in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the eastern side. It is the 1st time HMAS Canberra has featured in the Salute since 2020.
Centred in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the eastern side, the Salute weaves together cultural & ceremonial traditions in a tribute to Australia including, from 11:55am, a smoking ceremony from the vessel, Wirwai, the Navy Helicopter Flag Display (departing from Middle Head) & a 21-gun salute from Bradfield Park. After which, the National Anthem, Advance Australia Fair, will be played concluding at 12pm with a F35-A Lightning II stealth strike fighter jet aircraft flypast & handling display.
Photograph: Gareth Christian
The route & estimated times of the whole Navy Helicopter Flag Display are below:
- 11:56am – North Head
- 12:03pm – Barrenjoey Head
- 12:11pm – North Head
- 12:14pm – Sydney Harbour Bridge/Goat Island
- 12:16pm – South Head
- 12:17pm – Bondi Beach
- 12:18pm – Coogee/Maroubra Beach
- 12:19pm – Cape Banks/Kamay Botany Bay National Park
- 12:21pm – Cronulla Beach/Royal National Park
- 12:33pm – Wollongong
- 12:38pm – Shellharbour
- 12:43pm – Kiama
- 12:50pm – Comerong Island
The Salute will end at 1pm with a sing-along of the National Anthem, Advance Australia Fair & the Navy Helicopter Flag Display landing in Nowra.
Harbour Splash Cancelled
After the shark attack in Rose Bay on the 18th of January, the Harbour Splash swim was cancelled the next day. The shark attack, yesterday, become a fatality. The event, which would have begun at 8am on Australia Day, features swims around Sydney Harbour of up to 5 kilometres in length beginning & ending in Rose Bay with loops up to Hermit Bay. The shark attack occurred in Vaucluse Bay 700 metres further to the north. A statement from the 19th on the cancellation is below:
Following the tragic incident in the Harbour off Vaucluse on Sunday the 18th of January, the Organising Committee for the Sydney Harbour Splash has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2026 event taking place next week on Monday the 26th of January.
This decision has been made following extensive consultation with New South Wales Police & experienced, senior Harbour and waterways personnel as well as our event partners. This cancellation is made out of deep respect for the young boy who was tragically attacked yesterday & for his family and friends. Our thoughts & prayers are with them during this difficult time.
The Sydney Harbour Splash is a valued community event & we respect the Sydney and eastern suburbs community. We also acknowledge & thank the many 1st responders and waterways personnel who protect & patrol our Harbour.
We’ll be in touch with registered participants via e-mail with the next steps.
On behalf of the entire Sydney Harbour Splash family, we thank you for your continued support.
‘Harbour Splash’ Cancellation Statement
Broadcast Details
All the below can also be accessed on our Watch LIVE page
10 Kilometre: The Great Australian Wheelchair Race will be broadcast on YouTube & Facebook from 8:45am.
The Yabun Festival will be broadcast on their website in full with 4 separate streams, one for each stage/event area.
The Wollongong Fireworks will have local radio station, i98FM, playing the fireworks soundtrack at 9pm.
Event Map
The official event map has been published but note that it also features the now-cancelled Harbour Splash.
Food Trucks
Lastly, on Circular Quay Way, there will also be food trucks selling easy family meals from 11am to 9pm.
Australia Day 2026 is held on the 26th of January.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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