With summer upon us. Australia Day is just around the corner. Encourage your family and friends to visit the Australia Day website and subscribe to Australia Day eNews. 

What are you doing this Australia Day?

This Australia Day create your own Guide and share it with family & friends.

If you know that you are coming into the city and want to find out what is happening in the CBD or on Sydney Harbour, print out your very own Event Schedule.

Visit www.australiaday.com.au/2007 to create your own Guide or print your Event Schedule.

Free Fun this Australia Day

Have fun this Australia Day and download your own Australia Day ringtone or send an Australia Day message to your family & friends from our very own Betty Lingo to remind them that Australia Day is coming up!

Woggan-ma-gule Morning Ceremony

Each year, Australia Day begins with the Woggan-ma-gule Morning Ceremony. Performed in the Royal Botanic Gardens, sacred land of the indigenous Gadigal people, the ceremony honours the past and celebrates our future.

Following the ceremony visit Cadi Jam Ora, the indigenous section of the Botanic Gardens featuring a 50-metre long 'storyline' that weaves its way through four garden beds like a giant mythical serpent. Created with the full support of the local Aboriginal community, the storyline presents an indigenous perspective on the history of the site from the Cadigal dreaming to the present day. 

Australia Day Surfboard Challenge

Seven time world champion, Layne Beachley has been Patron and a keen participant of the event for the last five years and says that ‘nothing compares to the exhilaration of paddling across the most beautiful harbour in the world with a few of your mates.’

Layne will take to the water alongside keen competitors. Amongst the participants will be nippers who will be taking part in celebration of the Year of the Surf Lifesaver.

For further information the Australia Day Surfboard Challenge presented by TAB, go to the Australia Day website. 

Look Up & Smile

This Australia Day, you have the chance to put yourself, your family and your friends right in the picture – just Look Up and Smile!

You’re invited to help us create an online photographic record of how we celebrate Australia Day.

In sharing images of your community’s Australia Day events you’ll be sharing with the world the pride, fun, emotion and reflection that are all part of this special day – and you’ll be in the running to win some terrific prizes.

There are three ways you can participate in Look Up And Smile on Australia Day, so make sure you get involved:

1. Join us at Sydney's Centennial Park and take part by forming the image that will be photographed from the air.

2. Local Australia Day organising committees can participate by hosting their own Australia Day event. Take a photograph and record the Australia Day celebrations for the chance to win $5,000 or one of five Microsoft Windows Vista personal computers.

3. Australia Day Photo Competition: Share your Australia Day celebrations with the rest of the nation by uploading your best Australia Day photographs at www.lookupandsmile.com.au for the chance to win $100,000 worth of prizes.

When you register and upload your photos, your town/suburb will be added to the map of Australia, so with one click everyone can zoom in and see how you or your community celebrated Australia Day 2007.

So if you’re looking for something memorable to do this Australia Day – get involved and Look Up And Smile! Visit www.lookupandsmile.com.au for further information.

Australia Day Address

Now in its 11th year, the annual Australia Day Address has given many eminent Australians a platform through which their ideas and opinions on issues affecting our nation can be shared and discussed within the wider community.

Each Australia Day Address has been as individual as the Australian presenting it. Previous Address speakers include Dr Lowitja O’Donohue, Dr Tim Flannery and Robyn Nevin. 

The 2007 Australia Day Address will be presented by arts and entertainment industry leader, Mr Kim Williams AM. He has had a long involvement in the arts and entertainment industry in Australia and internationally.

The Australia Day Address will be broadcast on ABC Radio National 576AM on 26 January after the 5:00pm News. The Australia Day Address will also be available at www.australiaday.com.au from 8:00pm on 23 January.

Enter & Win

There are some great competitions that you can enter to win this Australia Day.

Simply visit the Enter & Win section on the Australia Day website and check out the great prizes on offer.

26 seconds with ..... Mark Ferguson

What’s your favourite Australia Day memory?
Without doubt the amazing bi-centenary celebrations in 1988. I was based in Far North Queensland at the time - but that distance seemed to make the incredible events on and around Sydney Harbour larger than life.

Who’s the most interesting person you've ever met & why?
An impossible question - I've been fortunate enough to meet many incredible people but the ones that stand out the most almost had the same qualities: pride, passion and perseverance.

How will you be celebrating Australia Day this year?
It will start with my family - then I'm looking forward to helping out with some Australia Day festivities in Canterbury before heading into the studio where our news team will report on all the day’s action. It should be a great day.