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After the Dawn Reflection on our national day, we join together for WugulOra in Barangaroo Reserve. This moving ceremony symbolises how we can embrace each other, united in a spirit of togetherness.
WugulOra means “One Mob” in the local Gadigal language, and it 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 is a celebration of 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. It is also an opportunity to hear from the NSW Governor and NSW Premier, as well as an address from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council.
The Australian National Anthem will be sung in Eora and English as we stand together in the early morning light of 26 January, joined by our history and shared future.
Photo highlights from WugulOra Morning ceremony 2024
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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