Australia Day 2026 events across the Illawarra: confirmed programs in Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama

Public events set for Monday, 26 January 2026

Australia Day 2026 falls on Monday, 26 January, and councils across the Illawarra have confirmed a mix of morning community gatherings, formal citizenship ceremonies and an evening waterfront program with fireworks. The largest scheduled public events in the region are being staged in Shellharbour, Kiama and Wollongong, with most activities promoted as free to attend, while food purchases and some optional elements may incur costs.

Shellharbour: lakeside breakfast and family activities

Shellharbour’s main daytime program is centred on Reddall Reserve at Lake Illawarra, running from 8am to 12pm. The event includes a barbecue-style breakfast alongside a roster of family activities and market stalls. The advertised activity list includes water play, jumping castles, sand modelling, parkour, a rock-climbing wall, laser tag, stand-up paddleboarding, face painting, children’s arts and crafts, and live music.

Where: Reddall Reserve, Lake Illawarra
When: Monday, 26 January 2026, 8am–12pm

Kiama: BBQ breakfasts across multiple locations and a formal ceremony

Kiama’s Australia Day program is split across several community-led sites with free barbecue breakfasts scheduled in Jamberoo, Kiama Downs and Gerringong. Times vary by location, with Jamberoo listed from 8.30am to 10.30am, Kiama Downs from 7am to 11am, and Gerringong from 7.30am to 11.30am.

A formal citizenship ceremony is also scheduled for the day. Public information released by the council places the ceremony start time at 10am and identifies Gerringong Surf Club as the venue in one event listing, while another council listing describes the citizenship ceremony as being held at Jamberoo Youth Hall, also commencing at 10am, and followed by a community picnic at Reid Park from 11.30am to 2.30pm. Residents planning to attend are likely to benefit from checking the final venue details close to the date.

Wollongong: afternoon-to-night harbour event with fireworks

Wollongong’s council program is scheduled to begin at 5pm at Wollongong Harbour and nearby foreshore areas including Osborne Park and Belmore Basin. The public schedule lists a Welcome to Country at 5pm and a series of activities through the evening, including cultural art workshops, street performances, roving entertainment, jumping castles and food trucks.

The event is due to conclude shortly after the fireworks display, which is scheduled for 9pm over Wollongong Harbour, with the finish time listed as 9.10pm. The council has also flagged road-closure information for local traffic changes and notes that accessibility arrangements include an option for a reserved viewing area for people with disabilities and access requirements.

What to plan for: timing, transport and crowd management

• Morning starts dominate in Shellharbour and Kiama, while Wollongong’s main program begins in the late afternoon.

• Fireworks are scheduled in Wollongong at 9pm, likely concentrating crowds around harbour vantage points closer to the evening window.

• Across the region, councils have emphasised family-friendly programming, with food available on site and public-space conditions applying to parking and local access.

With events spread across multiple precincts and time slots, attendees can expect a day shaped by local geography: lakefront activities in Shellharbour, community-hosted breakfasts and ceremonies across Kiama’s towns, and a harbour-based evening program in Wollongong.