Say G’Day | 4 Great Ways to Spend Australia Day

Local Community

With the post-holiday blues in full swing, Australia Day is the much anticipated break we’ve all been waiting for. While the long weekend is a great opportunity for relaxing, Australia day is a time best spent enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. Whether you’re after fitness or food, Chisholm and Gamon brings you four great ways to spend the day.

 1.     Great Australia Day Swim, Middle Brighton Beach

Celebrate Australia Day with a splash this year by participating in the Great Australia Day Swim at Middle Brighton Beach. Organised by the Rotary Club of Brighton, competitors can choose between the 5km, 1400m and 650m open water swim event, as well as the 300m Junior Dash for younger swimmers. Register online before the day for reduced entry prices. If you don’t feel like getting wet, there are plenty of great locations to watch the event for free, as well as live entertainment and delicious food stalls.

If you’re heading further down the bay, don’t despair – the Mount Martha Life Saving Club will also be holding their annual MMAD Swim. Swimmers can choose between the 1.2km and 5km “Crazy Combo” or the little less challenging 200m Nippers or 400m Novice races.

2.     Triple J Hottest 100 Festival, The Espy

The Triple J Hottest 100 has been an Australia Day tradition since it was first held in 1989, and where better to celebrate the countdown than at St Kilda favourite The Espy? Combining beach views, sunshine, BBQ, drink specials and live performances from the likes of Them Bruins, Japanese Wallpaper and Lurch & Chief, the all-day party kicks off at midday.

 3.     International Street Food Festival, Melbourne Showgrounds

If an event with copious amounts of delicious food is more your idea of fun then the International Street Food Festival is your Australia Day must-visit. Transforming the Melbourne Showgrounds into a bustling bazaar for the long weekend, what better way to celebrate the diversity of Australia than sampling delicious street food from all corners of the globe? Designed to tantalize all your senses, you’ll find food and market stalls, celebrity chefs, live music, rides and other amusements.

 4.     Piers Festival , Princes Pier, Port Melbourne

For a festival that will delight adults and kids alike, Port Melbourne’s Piers Festival is a great place for a day of family fun during the long weekend. The colourful (and free!) celebration will include a diverse range of musical artists, dancing, food, arts & crafts, exhibitions and storytelling on the theme of migration and kids activities, before finishing with a dazzling fireworks display.

With plenty of free, fun and family-friendly events around Melbourne this Australia Day, your only problem will be deciding where to go first!