Australia Day, Survival Day: Different Histories, One Shared Future

Working together on 26 January begins with listening, recognising Aboriginal culture and respecting the different experiences that shape Australia.

On 26 January, people across Australia bring very different experiences to the same date. Some celebrate the country they love, their communities and the opportunities Australia has provided. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples mark Survival Day, Invasion Day or a Day of Mourning, reflecting on colonisation and its continuing consequences while recognising cultural strength, resilience and survival.

For people becoming Australian citizens, the day can also represent belonging, hope and the beginning of a new chapter. Across families, workplaces and communities, these experiences sit alongside one another, shaping conversations about our history and the future we share.

Particularly on a day that can divide communities, there is value in listening carefully and working together. Unity grows when people have room to speak honestly, their experiences are respected and they can contribute to decisions that affect them.

At Aboriginal Cultural Immersions, we work alongside Aboriginal Elders, Traditional Owners, artists, performers and cultural facilitators to create opportunities for learning and connection. As councils, community organisations and workplaces plan for 26 January 2027, we encourage an approach grounded in cultural respect, cooperation and a willingness to understand what the day means to others.

Through Aboriginal-led storytelling, cultural learning, ceremony and shared experiences, communities can begin conversations that help build greater understanding and stronger relationships.

Understanding Australia Day and Survival Day

Australia's history extends back tens of thousands of years through the continuing cultures, languages, knowledge systems and connections to Country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Understanding 26 January requires recognising this history and the profound consequences of British colonisation.

For many First Nations people, the date is a time to acknowledge dispossession, injustice and loss, while honouring the people and cultures that have endured. Survival Day gatherings can express cultural pride, community strength, remembrance and determination.

The date also has a long history of Aboriginal advocacy. On 26 January 1938, Aboriginal leaders gathered in Sydney for the Day of Mourning, calling for equality, citizenship rights and an end to discriminatory treatment.

Australians continue to hold different views about the national day and whether its date should change. Alongside that debate, communities can undertake practical work together: learning about local history, supporting Aboriginal cultural leadership and building respectful relationships.

Experience with Major 26 January Events and Local Councils

Our approach is informed by the experience of Aboriginal Cultural Immersions CEO Darrel Baird. For seven years, Baird was responsible for booking and managing all Aboriginal performances for the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet's 26 January program, including events at Barangaroo, Tallawoladah and the Sydney Opera House concerts.

His experience also includes coordinating Aboriginal cultural content for many local councils across Australia, working with organisers and cultural practitioners around the sensitivities of this significant and often controversial date.

That background informs how we approach planning today. The purpose of the gathering, the wishes of participating Aboriginal people, local cultural authority and the way contributions will be presented all deserve attention from the outset.

Working together means maintaining clear communication between cultural practitioners, organisers and communities. It also means respecting the decisions of those who choose to participate and those who choose to mark the day in other ways.

Building Unity Through Cultural Understanding

A shared experience can open a conversation that might otherwise never happen. Hearing an Elder speak about Country, listening to Aboriginal stories or learning alongside an Aboriginal artist can help people understand perspectives beyond their own.

These exchanges can be especially valuable on 26 January. They give audiences an opportunity to hear directly from Aboriginal people about the knowledge, experiences and cultural practices they choose to share.

Cultural participation should be shaped through cooperation. Aboriginal practitioners need a voice in the purpose, content, presentation and promotion of their involvement. Organisers can support this by beginning discussions early and allowing time for thoughtful planning.

Working together starts with listening. It continues through decisions and actions that show people's voices have been heard.

Seven Ways to Support Respectful Cultural Engagement

1. Begin with a Welcome to Country

Where appropriate, arrange a Welcome to Country with a local Traditional Owner or a person authorised by the Traditional Owners. A Welcome recognises continuing connections to Country and welcomes those gathering there. For new citizens, it can provide a meaningful introduction to the First Peoples of their adopted homeland.

2. Create Time for Cultural Reflection

A Smoking Ceremony, where culturally appropriate and authorised, can offer an opportunity for reflection and connection. The practitioner conducting it should guide its meaning, delivery and audience participation. Explore our information about Welcome to Country and Aboriginal Smoking Ceremonies when considering arrangements for your gathering.

3. Listen to Elders and Cultural Storytellers

Invite Aboriginal Elders, storytellers or cultural knowledge holders to share perspectives they wish to offer. These conversations can introduce audiences to local history, Country and contemporary Aboriginal life. Respectful listening includes accepting boundaries around personal experiences and cultural knowledge.

4. Include Aboriginal Dance, Music and Performance

Aboriginal dance, song and culturally appropriate didgeridoo performances can express stories of Country, identity and cultural continuity. Work with performers to understand what they wish to present and how it should be introduced. Our Aboriginal dance and didgeridoo performance programs provide information about options for different audiences and settings.

5. Learn Together Through Art and Cultural Workshops

Aboriginal-led art activities, collaborative painting and cultural workshops can bring people of different ages and backgrounds together. Participants have opportunities to ask questions, exchange ideas and learn directly from the artist or facilitator. Practitioners determine the stories, designs and knowledge they are authorised and comfortable to share.

6. Connect Citizenship with First Nations Cultural Learning

Citizenship is an important commitment to Australia's future. A Welcome to Country, cultural presentation or associated learning activity can introduce new citizens to the continuing place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the nation they are joining.

7. Continue the Relationship Beyond January

Relationships established around 26 January can continue through community projects, cultural learning and workplace programs. Our Aboriginal cultural workshops and workplace training offer opportunities for ongoing learning through storytelling, art, conversation and shared experiences.

Respecting the Choice to Participate

Aboriginal people hold diverse views about 26 January. Some choose to share culture at public events. Others reserve the day for mourning, protest, remembrance, family or community gatherings. Each person's decision deserves respect.

Organisers should explain the nature of the event openly, including how it will be promoted and how Aboriginal contributions will be represented. Participation in a cultural program should never be presented as evidence that a person or community endorses the date of Australia Day.

Survival Day gatherings should retain the purpose and identity determined by their Aboriginal organisers. Cultural practitioners should also receive appropriate payment for their expertise, preparation and contribution.

Aboriginal Cultural Programs Across Australia's Cities

Aboriginal Cultural Immersions coordinates cultural learning, ceremonies, performances and workshops across major cities and regional locations. Explore the programs and local information available for your area: