From daytime events recognising diversity and national pride to Australia Day parties and the fireworks display, here are the top events for Australia Day this year.
Australia Day fireworks in Melbourne
In previous years, the Australia Day fireworks display has been held at Docklands Harbour and the fireworks were released from various barges along the harbour at 9pm.
The 2024 fireworks haven't been confirmed yet, but we'll update this page when they are.
Australia Day events in Melbourne for 2024
Event
Details
Location
Time
Cost
Learn more
Reflect, Respect, Celebrate @ FED SQ
Celebrate in the heart of Melbourne CBD with a full day of family-friendly activities, including an appearance by Bananas in Pyjamas, live music and a screening of Olivia Newton John's Xanadu.
The doors of Government House are flung open to the public on 26 January. More than just a tour around this historic setting, there will be live entertainment, kids' activities and food and drink available for purchase.
Just after midday, look to the skies as a 21-gun salute cracks the sky to commemorate Australia Day. The salute is fired from the Shrine of Remembrance's Lower Forecourt.
Established in 1970, the Air Force Roulettes is a team of Royal Australian Air Force pilots who dip and barrel through the skies in a marvellous display of airplane aerobatics. Their display follows the Australia Day salute.
Viewing points from Fed Square and Government House
Hosted by The Rotary Club of Brighton, this open-water swim event brings fun for all ages. Now in its 12th year, there is a 650m intermediate swim, a 1,400m and a 2,500m open swim, a 5km surf ski challenge and a junior dash. For anyone not keen to get in the water, you can spectate while tucking into one of many food stalls available on the day.
Australia Day - Make Your Move Fun Run, Walk, Roll
The third anniversary of this fun run brings families and friends to Dandenong Park for a day out. All ages and experience levels are welcomed and registered runners/walkers/rollers can tuck into a free BBQ after they cross the finish line.
Head out of the city to spend the day sipping drinks, cooling down on gelato and listening to DJ Gerry K play some of the most classic Australian songs.
Starting celebrations early, Temperance Hotel has live music running from 9pm until close on 25 January. On 26 January, it'll host a wind-down session with Bill Golding bringing the tunes from 2:30pm.
Sing and dance Australia Day away at Jersey's Cider House, south of Melbourne CBD. Jordan Mills will bring the tunes and Jersey's will be bringing the all-Aussie feast.
The beach is always the right place to be on Australia Day. When you're not soaking up those rays on a towel on the sand, why not get in the water for a swim or a surf? First-timers will be happy to hear that the waves don't stop for public holidays and lessons and gear hire are readily available throughout the day.
There are 4 tennis grand slams and Melbourne is lucky enough to host the first one of the year. Head out for a day of tennis to support local and international players.
The Australia Day public holiday is the perfect time to head to your local zoo or aquarium to see all of the animals and sea creatures native to Australia.
Hang out at St Kilda Beach: When the sun is out, there's nothing better than zipping off to the local beach.
Spend the day at a museum or art gallery: For curious minds and those who love learning, the National Gallery of Victoria, Australian Sports Museum and Melbourne Museum will give you a glimpse into Australia's past.
Set up a picnic: Conveniently located in the middle of the city, make your way to the Royal Botanic Gardens for a picturesque picnic surrounded by nature.
What's open on Australia Day in and around Melbourne?
Available on select dates on destinations including Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart. Minimum spend of $300 required. Activities include hot air balloon flights, skydives and high teas. T&Cs apply.
Available when you spend a minimum of $250 on activities such as hot air balloon flights, rally driving, skydives, high teas and more. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart. T&Cs apply.
Available on activities including skydives, whale watching cruises, day tours and getaways. Must purchase 2 or more vouchers. Destinations include Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates across Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast and more. Activities include day tours, zoo and animal interactions, tandem skydives, hot air balloon flights and jet boat rides.
Available for travel on select dates and locations at TripAdvisor. Experience activities like land adventures, wine tours, water sports, and more T&Cs apply.
Available for booking on select dates at Experience Oz. It includes a free digital photo pass valued at $39.60, an Ocean Invaders interactive jellyfish exhibit, and Daily shows and presentations. T&Cs apply.
Discover penguins, seals, and other inhabitants of Victoria's coast and ocean at the Wild Sea exhibition. Available for booking on select dates at Klook. T&Cs apply.
Available for booking on select dates at RedBalloon. It includes overnight camping at Melbourne Zoo in tents (suitable for two adults) and dinner, supper, and breakfast. T&Cs apply.
Available for travel on select dates across Australia at Expedia. Destinations include Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates until 2023, including Easter and school holidays. Activities include whale- and dolphin-watching and lunch and sunset cruises in Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth and Melbourne.
Cirque du Soleil Crystal with Premium Fan Experience tickets from $269 per person
Grab the Cirque du Soleil Crystal with Premium Fan Experience tickets at Luxury Escapes for only $269 per person. Available in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Sign up with your email address and unlock Sneaky Saver deals. Activities include day tours, attraction passes and hop-on hop-off bus tours. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Up to 10% off Melbourne activities + an extra $10 off with code
Available on select dates until 2023 on activities including driving experiences, kayak tours, attraction passes and more. Minimum spend of $300 is required. T&Cs apply.
Available on select dates on hot air balloon flights and scenic flights. Destinations include Melbourne, Hunter Valley, Byron Bay, Sydney, Whitsundays, Gold Coast and more.
Available on select travel dates. Activities include getaways, wine tours, attraction admissions, tandem skydives, hot air balloon flights and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select travel dates until 2022 on activities such as wine tours, dinner cruises, hot air balloon flights, attraction entry passes and more. Sample fare is an audio walking tour.
Courtney Edwards was associate travel publisher at Finder. She has a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Journalism and sub-majoring in English from Western Sydney University and a Certificate II in Tourism. She discovered her love for travel while completing a semester abroad in England and travelling around Europe. Outside of work, you’ll find Courtney visiting new brunch spots and planning her next adventure.
Major shopping centres, public spaces and dining options are still open across the Gold Coast during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few to get you started.
Is your Valentine's Day going down in the Top End? Let's get romantic with these hot date ideas for the most loved-up day in the year.
Feedback
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
findershopping.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
RedBalloon
Klook
KKday
Tripadvisor
Experience Oz
Viator
Adrenaline
Expedia.com.au
Classbento
Luxury Escapes
Lastminute.com.au
Groupon
Wotif
