Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove is urging people to celebrate the history and culture of indigenous people and contributions of migrants on Australia Day.
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove is urging Australians to embrace Australia Day to celebrate the rich history and culture of indigenous people and the contributions of migrants.
As disagreement intensifies over shifting the national day from the January 26 anniversary of the First Fleet's arrival in 1788 and division widens amid growing "Invasion Day" rallies, Sir Peter reminded Australians to celebrate their diversity on Friday.
"From the rich culture and history of our first Australians, to the many generations who've come here to make Australia home, to those people proudly taking the citizenship pledge and becoming our newest Australians today, our nation is stronger because of our diversity and the way we live and work harmoniously together," he says in his Australia Day address.
Citizenship ceremonies and backyard barbecues are bound to draw big crowds, but not all will be celebrating this year.
NSW Governor David Hurley has helped kick-off Australia Day celebrations in the state with a speech acknowledging the controversy surrounding the holiday to mark the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney harbour.
He urged Australians to unite and celebrate whilst also tackling past injustices perpetrated on indigenous populations.
"I'm proud of my country, its people and its achievements but I also want it to be better," the former army chief said in Sydney on Friday.
The governor was joined by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and about a 1000 people at Barangaroo on the harbour to watch the indigenous WugulOra ceremony.
It included dancers, a smoking ceremony, the singing of the national anthem and the raising of the Australian flag next to an indigenous flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Thousands are expected at "Invasion Day" marches around the country, buoyed by Thursday's comments from Australian of the Year nominee Johnathan Thurston that the date will inevitable change one day.
More than 5000 are expected at a rally outside the Victorian Parliament and similar numbers will walk in Sydney, starting from The Block in Redfern.
Protests have already begun with a Melbourne statue of Captain Cook daubed in pink paint and the words "No Pride" on Thursday.
But Multicultural Affairs Minister Alan Tudge is among those to throw his wholehearted support behind keeping the date.
"On Australia Day, we celebrate the big three pillars of our society; our Indigenous heritage, the British foundation and multicultural character," Mr Tudge said.
An Institute of Public Affairs poll released this week suggests most Australians agree with him, with 70 per cent of 1000 respondents saying the public holiday should remain on January 26, while 11 per cent disagree.
And not all Aboriginals are boycotting celebrations with indigenous performers including the Koomurri Aboriginal Dancers and the KARI Singers opening Friday's festivities in Sydney which is expecting a crowd of around half a million into the city.
The harbour will be the focus of celebrations, including ferry races, an aquatic ballet and evening fireworks.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be in Canberra for a citizenship ceremony and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will attend events in his Melbourne electorate.
Almost 13,000 people from 129 different nationalities are due to become Australian citizens in ceremonies across the country.
Cockroach races in Queensland and native animal cook ups in the Northern Territory have become Australia Day staples, while hundreds of thousands of others will flock to various public events across all capital cities.
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