The Alternative Guide to Australia Day 2017
BY JEMMA CLARKE
What do you associate with January 26? If it’s your traditional Aussie barbie and a couple of coldies, don’t read on. Whether you’re looking for an unusual way to spend your public holiday, or if you oppose what this date symbolises, there are events happening in and around Sydney this Thursday and over the weekend that could be right up your ally.
Australia Day in Parramatta
Western Sydney is bringing some fierce entertainment this year in Parramatta with headlining acts Eskimo Joe and Thundamentals as well as special guest Thandi Phoenix, BEATZ, FROYO, Hurst and plenty more. Get in there nice and early to make the most of your day: you can watch Sydney’s biggest air balloon launch, be dazzled by vintage bikes, cars and trucks in the iconic CARnivale expo and contribute to interactive Welcome Walls offering a chance for the public to engage in mural artwork celebrating community, cultural heritage and belonging. The day also features the Hottest 100 countdown and lots of delicious dishes. Check out the website for more information on the event schedule.
Thu Jan 26, 6am-9pm. Parramatta Park. Free entry. Info: www.ausdayparramatta.com.au
Vintage Bus Service
If Western Sydney is a bit too far away, there are some cool Harbour and CBD activities happening just for you. You can take yourself back to the 1940’s by riding in some vintage buses beginning at the Sydney Opera House all the way to Wynyard and back. You will be supporting the Sydney Bus Museum and will have the opportunity to stop at Macquarie Street, Market Street, Clarence Street, York Street and Elizabeth Street.
Thu Jan 26, 10.30am-5pm. Selected Streets in Sydney CBD. Gold coin donation. Info: www.australiaday.com.au
The Bloke and the Larrikin Walking Tour
If you’d prefer to step back even further and put your best foot forward, go on a tour with The Bloke and the Larrikin from Walking Sydney. This tour is on this Friday and Saturday at various times. It is much more than ‘ooing’ and ‘aahhing’ at local Sydney scenery, instead prepare to hear about Australian history in a way that is “engrossing, poignant, funny, and most of all, entertaining”.
Fri Jan 27 + Sat Jan 28; 9:30am, 1pm + 4pm. Wynyard Park, Wynyard. $45 (25% discount for Australia Day weekend). Bookings & info: www.walkingsydney.com.au
Entertainment at Sydney Harbour
Look to the sky over Sydney Harbour for In the Sky – Red Berets, Qantas and Russian Roolettes (12.30pm-2pm) which will provide you an hour and a half of aerial acrobatics including a parachute display. Look also into the Harbour where you will find a couple of custom-crafted floating stages for Cruising Concerts (11.30am-5pm) featuring high-energy rhythms by Junkyard Beats playing on found objects including a wrecked car and suave jazz sounds from Tony Dee, James Morrison & The Army Band. They will be showcasing their sounds from a number of key destinations from the Opera Bar to Barangaroo, see website for schedule.
Thu Jan 26. Sydney Harbour/various locations. Free. Info: www.australiaday.com.au
Yabun Festival
If you would rather join in on celebrating the rich history and culture of Aboriginal Australia then head to the Yabun Festival. The largest one day gathering and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in Australia, held annually upon the traditional lands of the Gadigal people in Sydney. Established in 2001, Yabun (meaning ‘music to a beat’ in Gadigal language) is a free event that features live music, a bustling stalls market, panel discussions and community forums on Aboriginal issues, children’s activities, and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural performances.
Thu Jan 26, 10am-7pm. Victoria Park, cnr Parramatta Rd + City Road, Camperdown. Free. Info: www.yabun.org.au
Saltwater Freshwater Festival
If you’re wanting to get out of the city to mark January 26, then head on up to the Saltwater Freshwater Festival in Coffs Harbour. Showcasing some of the best Aboriginal talent, there are so many events, workshops and artists to see and interact with including Emma Donovan who is set to headline her husky reggae-inspired sounds. Others on the bill include rapper Briggs, Archie Roach, Tasman Keith plus many more. There will be Wagana Dances, Three Rivers, Wajarr Ngaarlu, cultural talks and storytelling.
Thu Jan 26, 10.30am-4.30pm. Coffs Harbour Botanical Gardens. Entry by donation. Info: www.saltwaterfreshwaterfestival.com.au
Invasia: an Interactive Performance
If you’re looking for some free evening entertainment, thought-provoking conversation starters and somewhere to wet your whistle – look no further. Invasia is an interactive performance taking over a bar in the heart of Redfern. Five candidates from the planet are in the running for the election of the new leader of ‘Invasia’ and it is up to you to vote in the leader who earns your trust. But their speeches won’t be in English, each performer utilizes a unique dialect made up of up to several different languages. You’ll be required to test your “aural racism” as you nominate the ruler who earns your trust.
Thu Jan 26, 6.30pm. Hustle & Flow Bar, 3/105 Regent St, Redfern. Free. Info: www.theleftoverscollective.com
Invasion Day Rally
Finally, if you are hankering to show your stance against Australia Day celebrations, in which you see it not as a celebration but a day to reflect on the British invasion of this continent and surrounding Pacific Islands, Fighting in Resistance Equally (FIRE) has initiated a protest in Redfern. They believe that a stand against racism and colonialism will help to stop the struggle of oppression and exploitation of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.
Thu Jan 26, 11am. The Block, cnr Caroline + Louis Sts, Redfern. Free. Info: www.facebook.com/events/236690090088950/
