12 things to do this Australia Day 2019

Posted on 24 January, 2019

Here’s what to do, see, watch and eat in Canberra on Saturday 26 January 2019.

Australia Day Festival at the National Museum of Australia

Join the National Museum of Australia for tours, music, dance, demonstrations, games, fun and food inspired by the First Australians gallery and Rome exhibition.

10 am–12.30 pm

The festival begins at 10am with a Welcome to Country followed by Indigenous-themed activities including tours of our First Australians gallery and a weaving workshop with Ronnie Jordan (Kalkadoon).

Enjoy ‘Tastes of the Bush’ with Yurbay and Adam Shipp (Wiradjuri), and don’t miss seeing the free Bush Mechanics exhibition and films.

1–3 pm

Experience the wonder of Ancient Rome with roaming Romans, Rome-inspired craft activities, large-scale Roman board games, pop-up poets and curator talks.

4 pm–9 pm

As Australia Day draws to a close, gather on Acton Peninsula and get ready for the fireworks. Enjoy music with local DJ Disca-roo, play games on the lawn and grab a bite to eat at the Australia Day BBQ by Broadbean Catering.

Suitable for all ages. Free, though costs apply for some activities, including Rome exhibition entry.

Saturday 26 January from 10 am–9 pm | Gandel Atrium and Lakeside Amphitheatre, National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton | nma.gov.au/whats-on/australia-day-festival

Pialligo Estate Australia Day BBQ

Pialligo Estate is catering for the whole family this Australia Day long weekend and taking care of celebrations with their award-winning cuisine and activities tailored for the young and young at heart.

The gates to the Estate will be open from 5 pm for an evening of food, fun and festivities, with loads of activities for all ages, including an area for little ones, and a section for those in their teenage years.

The Estate’s Executive Chef has designed the perfect menu for the occasion with a selection of national and international flavours fresh from the farm kitchen and their new charcoal grill to treat the taste buds.

Sunday 27 January from 5 pm – 10 pm | Garden Pavilions at Pialligo Estate, 18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo | thepialligoestate.com.au/whats-on/australia-day-bbq

AUSTRALIA DAY IN CANBERRA CONCERT

Celebrate with family and friends this Australia Day in Canberra with music, food and fireworks at the official ACT Government celebrations around the lake.

Kicking off from 4 pm, Australia Day celebrations will be spread across two locations, Regatta Point and Patrick White Lawns. The event will conclude with a show-stopping fireworks display from the lake and Commonwealth Avenue Bridge at 9 pm.

The main stage at Regatta Point will have back-to-back entertainment from 4 pm until just before the 9 pm fireworks. Headlined by Rogue Traders featuring Natalie Bassingthwaighte, best known for their hit Voodoo Child, the concert will also feature a mix of local Canberra based artists including The Advocates, Los Chavos and Big Boss Groove.

Patrick White Lawns will feature a range of sporting and interactive activities, try your hand at a cricket fast bowl, practice your golf swing and so much more, there is something for everyone. Activities at Patrick White Lawns will run from 4 pm until 8.30 pm.

Pack a picnic or grab someone from one of the many food outlets at both Regatta Point and Patrick White Lawns. With a multicultural focus, tantalise your taste buds as you take in the music and fireworks.

Saturday 26 January from 4-9 pm | Regatta Point, Commonwealth Park | events.act.gov.au/australia-day

PIALLIGO ESTATE RIVER GARDEN OUTDOOR CINEMA

Enjoy Pialligo Estate’s award-winning food and great family entertainment this Australia Day long-weekend as they launch their new outdoor cinema experience with two classic movies; Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Friday) and Crocodile Dundee (Saturday).

Bring your picnic rug and relax on the lawns of the Estate with their chef’s selection of Estate-grown and Smokehouse food the whole family can enjoy. The restaurant team will be on hand providing a variety of local beverages at Cellar Door prices.

Head to Pialligo for a relaxing evening under the stars with family, friends and a host of Aussie actors in this iconic Australian film.

Gates open at 6 pm with an anticipated movie start time of 8.30 pm (at Sunset).

25-26 January from 6 pm | Pialligo Estate, 18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo | thepialligoestate.com.au/whats-on/river-garden-cinema-pialligo-estate

SCREENING OF PAPER PLANES + LESSONS AND PLANE FLYING COMPETITION

Why not take the whole family to see this heart-warming Australian family film about a young boy who dreams of competing in the world paper-plane championships?

Not only can you see the film, but you can meet the Paper Pilots, the real-life grown-up boys the film is based on, in the NFSA courtyard for plane-folding lessons after the film.

A plane-flying competition will be held on the NFSA front lawns at 3.30pm weather permitting.

Saturday 26 January from 1-4.30 pm | National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton | $10 per person | nfsa.gov.au/events/paper-planes

NBL: Hawks vs Taipans

Prefer to spend your day cheering on elite basketball?

The Illawarra Hawks will take on Cairns Taipans on Australia Day at the AIS Arena – A guaranteed thrilling game of basketball, and enjoyable day out for all the family!

Saturday 26 January from 2-5 pm | AIS Arena, Bruce | hawks.com.au

AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS IN QUEANBEYAN

Watch the local citizenship ceremony and Australia Day awards and enjoy the dulcet tones of the Sing Australia Choir and Queanbeyan City Pipes and Drums.

Entertainment will include fireworks, BBQ, merry-go-round, jumping castle, face painting and temporary tattoos and a prize raffle draw.

Saturday 26 January from 4 pm–9.30 pm | Queanbeyan Park, Lowe Street, Queanbeyan

AUSTRALIA DAY ALL WEEKEND AT CONTENTIOUS CHARACTER

Celebrate at Contentious Character Vineyard by embracing tradition with a twist – native herbs and spices!

The winery will be barbecuing locally grown produce with native herbs and spices and pairing them with their home-grown summer wine range all weekend.

Taste wines such as the 2017 Come the Raw Prawn Riesling, 2018 Rose, 2015 Merlot and for those who really enjoy a good Merlot, their 2010 will be there too.

With a menu including a slow-cooked brisket burger with native pepper and house pickles, a Dewsbury pork sausage sanga with slow-cooked onion and Contentious Ketchup, a Cherry Pavlova and a Lamington ice cream cake, what are you waiting for?

25-28 January | Contentious Character Vineyard, 810 Norton Road, New South Wales | contentiouscharacter.com.au/visit

Australia Day Brumbies Match

The Plus500 Brumbies are starting the 2019 season with a friendly trial match against the Rebels in Canberra at the Vikings Park.

Happening Saturday 26 January from 6:30 pm at Vikings Park in Wanniassa.

See the website for more information.

Fancy a road trip? 

BUNGENDORE

Watch sheepdog demonstrations, browse market and food stalls and enjoy live music in Bungendore.

Saturday 26 January from 10 am–2 pm | Mick Sherd Oval, Gibraltar Street, Bungendore

BRAIDWOOD

See the local Australia Day awards, enjoy a free BBQ lunch and live entertainment from Wombat Bill in Braidwood this Australia Day.

Saturday 26 January from 12 pm–2 pm | Braidwood Serviceman’s Club, Coronation Avenue, Braidwood

CAPTAIN’S FLAT

There will be activities for the whole family, including a jumping castle, yabby races, and country entertainment.

Saturday 26 January 2019, 11am–2pm | Colin Winchester Oval, Foxlow Street, Captains Flat