Photo: Jamie, who is from Sydney, is having a blast in Melbourne. (ABC News: Elias Clure) Australia Day: Celebration and citizenship ceremonies mark January 26 26 Jan 2018, Australia Day is being marked around the nation, with around 13,000 people becoming citizens. But for some Indigenous Australians January 26 is a time of mourning, and protests are also taking place across the country. From fun runs in Alice Springs to citizenship ceremonies in Antarctica, here is how people are spending the day. In capital cities huge crowds got together for ceremonies, marches and themed celebrations. In Sydney hundreds of people gathered on the lawns of Sydney's Barangaroo, where an Aboriginal smoking ceremony was performed.  Photo: The Australia Day Wugulora Morning Ceremony takes place in Sydney. (AAP: Ben Rushton) The streets of Melbourne were lined with crowds waving Australian flags as they watched marches. Along the Queensland coast people hit the beaches early, with not even more 100 millimetres of rain deterring celebrations in the far north. Nurses, Cheryl Treloar and Pam Oats finished their night shift at the hospital before trekking a kilometre in the rain to enjoy the free breakfast on the Esplanade in Cairns. "It's only Australia Day once a year and we're proud to be Australians so we thought once we finished work we'd come down and check it out," Ms Treloar said.  Photo: Lifesaver Sammy Hemsley competing in the races at Mooloolaba. (ABC News: Bruce Atkinson) Life Savers in Mooloolaba, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, competed in novelty races, while there was a more serious commemoration at Caloundra, where the 5th Light Horse regiment reenactors paraded with both Aboriginal and Australian flags. For thousands of people, Australia Day means making a pledge and officially being able to call the country their home. "Australia is a nation united in our diversity," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said at the citizenship ceremony in Canberra, where 32 people from 19 countries became citizens. "We do not define our national identity, as so many other nations do, by race, by religion, or by a particular culture, but by shared values. "Democracy and freedom, mutual respect and equality for men and women, a steadfast commitment to the rule of law." Outside Australia, British plumber Terry Barrell became the second person ever to be made an Australian citizen whilst in Antarctica. "[I] was hoping to become an Australian citizen before I left for Antarctica but there wasn't time to arrange a ceremony," he said.
Photo: UK plumber Terry Barrell (L) at his Australian citizenship ceremony held at a remote research outpost in Antarctica. (AAP: Australian Antarctic Division)) Governor General Peter Cosgrove said he "never fails to be touched and inspired" by the new citizens for "making the great leap and officially becoming part of our wonderful nation". "Our strength and unity is founded on a mutual respect and a determination to work side by side to make this nation all it can be," he said, before leading the Australian citizenship affirmation in Canberra. Coinciding with the citizenship ceremonies and celebrations are protests, with Indigenous people across the country attending Invasion Day events to mark the anniversary of the First Fleet's arrival. Roy Ah-See, one of the Prime Minister's Indigenous advisors, said today is not a day for celebration for his people. "We love a party … unfortunately it's just not the right date for Aboriginal Australia."
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