Australia Day fun to finish with a bang

Skating and Parkour activities for kids along with a smorgasbord of entertainment and a variety of tasty food will feature in Australia Day celebrations to be capped off with an evening fireworks display over Newcastle Harbour.

A range of fun family activities will be staged from 10am-2pm in the amphitheatre at the eastern end of Foreshore Park with Parkour lessons, skate boarding activities on mobile ramps and giant inflatables to keep youngsters occupied (see full line up below).

"Food, fun and entertainment will make up the Australia Day celebrations at Foreshore Park," City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said.

"In addition to the Parkour, skate boarding and giant inflatables, the lunch time amphitheatre event will feature Brazilian dance by Brazilian Samba Newcastle the energetic youth band called - “Twisted Tongues” from Newcastle’s School of Rock and African Beats by ‘Bakoomba’."

At 8.30pm, the fireworks postponed from New Year's Eve will be let off from Stockton, offering a clear view right along the Newcastle Foreshore and from higher vantage points such the Obelisk.

"As soon as it is dark we will set off the fireworks which we had to postpone due to the wild winds and lightning that hit on New Year's Eve," Mr Bath added.

"Because we have only just received the necessary approvals for the fireworks, there isn’t time to develop an associated event. However, Honeysuckle, Queens Wharf and Darby Street businesses will be trading so there will still be plenty of locations where people can grab a bite to eat prior to the fireworks display.

Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody said the revised date of 26 January would enable the fireworks display above the working harbour to still go ahead.

"This is a significant year for the port, marking 220 years since the first commercial shipment in 1799," Mr Carmody said.

“The port has grown to become an internationally-significant trade gateway integral to the economic prosperity of our region, state and nation.

“In the Lower Hunter alone, activity within the Port of Newcastle contributes $1.6 billion and 9,000 jobs per annum.”

Public transport is recommended on Australia Day, but the Wright Lane, Throsby carpark and The Mall carpark will all be free.

Earlier in the day, the City will welcome more than 120 new Australians in the annual Australia Day citizenship ceremony at City Hall, when Australia Day award winners will also be announced.

The City will mark 70 years since the Australian Government first introduced Citizenship into Commonwealth law in 1949.

Just seven men were sworn in as new legal citizens that year, swearing their allegiance to Australia from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Spain and Yugoslavia.

Today, Australia is one of the most successful multicultural nations in the world, having welcomed more than five million new Australian citizens to our shores.

Image from 2018 Australia Day Ceremony

Foreshore Park, East Newcastle

10am – 10.10am Welcome to Country
10.10am – 10.30am Brazilian Samba Newcastle (set 1)
10.30am – 10.35am MC intro
10.35am – 10.50am Cultural Dancers
10.50am – 11am Change over / MC announcements
11am - Fort Scratchley – Cannon release
11am – 11.15am Act 2
11.20 – 12pm: Cultural Dancers
12pm– 12.30pm: School of Rock (set 2)
12.30pm – 12.35pm: Change over
12.35pm – 12.50pm: Brazilian Samba Newcastle (set 2)
12.55pm – 1.10pm: School of Rock (set 2)
1pm Fort Scratchley – Cannon release
1.25pm – 2pm: Bakoomba