Australia Day at The Rocks - Festival of the Voice

First published on 10 Nov 2010. Updated on 5 Apr 2011.

For a true-blue, ridgey-didj, bewdy-bottler-ripper-corker of an Australia Day this January 26, look no further than The Rocks.

On January 26 in 1788, Governor Phillip drank “success to the colony” in what would become The Rocks and did so with charged glasses of porter followed by a salute of musket fire and three cheers by the assembled convicts.

On January 26, 2011, this most homegrown of holidays is being celebrated with 10 hours of FREE live music from more than 70 singers and songwriters.

Six open-air stages across The Rocks will host some of Australia's finest musicians as the laneways, squares, harbour promenades and parks ring with rousing anthems.

Aussies of all ages will enjoy performances from Cloud Control, Katie Noonan and The Captains, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Tijuana Cartel, Casey Donovan, Andy Bull, The Medics, and many more. All totally FREE!

Sounds aside, there’s plenty else happening in The Rocks - a host of historic pubs and hip cafes plus an exciting and diverse new wave of restaurants to grab a bite in. There’s galleries to browse, museums to inspire and secrets around every corner.

The Rocks is Sydney's heritage village - always has been, always will be. Where else would you want to raise a flag, raise a glass and raise the roof on Australia Day?!