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After the Dawn Reflection on our national day, we come together for WugulOra in Barangaroo Reserve.
This moving ceremony symbolises how we can embrace each other, united in a spirit of togetherness.
WugulOra, meaning “One Mob” in the local Gadigal language, represents all of us and the future of a united Australia. It is a time for reflection, understanding, and reconciliation as we gather as a nation proudly anchored by timeless rituals and beliefs.
WugulOra celebrates the culture of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, told through dance, song, and storytelling. The ceremony features a smoking ceremony performed over countless generations, offering cleansing and healing for new beginnings and fresh inspiration for our future.
Aboriginal artists showcase the richness and significance of their culture with a blend of historical and modern expression. The ceremony also includes speeches from the NSW Governor, NSW Premier, and an address from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council.
The Australian National Anthem is sung in Eora and English as we stand together in the early morning light of 26 January, joined by our history and shared future.
WugulOra is broadcast on NITV, SBS, and SBS On Demand on Monday, 26 January, at 7:30am.
Photo highlights from WugulOra Morning ceremony 2025
History of the Australia Day morning ceremony
For the past two decades, Australians have gathered on Gadigal land in Sydney on the morning of 26 January to acknowledge and celebrate First Nations’ culture through music, dance, language and story-telling.
In this video, hear from those who created the first event back in 2003, which was called Woggan-ma-gule (meaning ‘Meeting of the waters’), about its importance as a reflective and meaningful start to our national day.
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