Your Guide to Australia Day 2012 in Sydney

Australia Day, or as it's more correctly pronounced, 'Straya Day, is a pinnacle date on the calender to celebrate our lives and the country we live in. Smack bang in the middle of summer, there is no better time to lounge yourself outdoors for a well-deserved day off.

Grab a bucket hat, a pair of sunnies and slide into your favourite pair of thongs (not flip-flops!) before heading to one of these destinations.

The Beach

Is there anything more Australian than going to the beach on Australia Day? No there isn't, provided you've got an esky and plenty of longnecks at your disposal. Besides the obvious choices of Bondi and Coogee, the nooks and crannies around Bronte and Tamarama play host to several parties and drinking spots, with McKenzies Bay the most notorious.

If you reside on the north side, kickstart your day with the big breakfast at Dee Why. If you do decide to grab a spot on the sands, make sure you have plenty of sunscreen, as there's nothing healthy about a tan. Furthermore, remember that swimming while intoxicated tends to be a bad idea, so look after yourself and your mates. I don't want to sound like a lecturing mother, but safety always comes first.

Freda's

Concrete Playground favourite Freda's will celebrate Australia Day by extending their regular happy hour to a whopping six hours, and cheap drink specials will be on offer from midday to 6 pm. In addition to house beers and wines for $5, you'll also find prawns and oysters at reasonable prices. Furthermore, they promise to host a handful of surprises on the day, so you never know what may eventuate. Seafood and schooners? Sounds like a win-win situation.

The Rocks

A hub of Sydney City that is full of rich history, the unmistakable cobblestone streets of the Rocks will transform into an open festival on Australia Day. Kicking off just before midday and ending at 8:30 pm, there is plenty of time to browse the market stalls, enjoy a beverage at the many pubs and cafes, or just relax before an unbeatable view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

All this will be accompanied by live music on three stages from the likes of Blue King Brown, Archie Roach and the Cat Empire's Harry James Angus. The best part? This event is absolutely free, which means more coin to be spent purchasing schooners. For drinking purposes it'll be a good idea to head down to The Argyle, who will provide brews, a BBQ and face-painting. Leave with a sausage and a smudged flag on your forehead.

The Deck

Sitting just inside the overarching smile of Luna Park, The Deck provides spectacular views of the harbour that will "tug at your patriotic heartstrings." Importantly, this will give you unbeatable views of the annual Ferrython race, whereby marine vessels will travel from Circular Quay to Shark Island before a photo finish at the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sit back and cheer on your favourite boat with $5 beers for the day. Later on in the night, you'll get 2 for 1 wines and cocktails if you're feeling a little classy.

Australia Day Spectacular

Fireworks fiends who are still reeling in excitement from the New Year's Eve display will be treated to a second helping at Cockle Bay. A fireworks display will be accompanied by an epic lights and music show. A boat parade and water police rescue will also take place, which will undoubtedly please the kids. This kicks off at 7 pm, which will be a perfect sunset end to the holiday.

Havaiana Thong Challenge

Get an early start to Australia Day at North Bondi for the famous Havaiana Thong Challenge. After registering your name and a fee of $25, grab yourself an giant inflatable thong and head out to the ocean. By doing so, you'll be partaking in a nationwide competition to see which Australian state can have the most floating thongs on the day. NSW will be defending their title in 2012, as over 2000 people floated their way to victory last year at Bondi. Furthermore, $10 of each registration will go to the local Nippers club.

Big Day Out

Besides getting to hang out with a bunch of people who like to wear Australian flags as capes, the Big Day Out also provides a consistent quality line-up for music fans, and 2012 is no exception. Local true blue favourites such as The Living End, Grinspoon and Regurgitator will appease the wife-beater wearing audience, and the international appearance from Soundgarden will also appeal to this demographic.

Fresh from releasing his critically-acclaimed collaboration album with Jay-Z, Kanye West headlines Sydney's grand stage with his opulent live show. Heavy bass and electronic fans will be pleased with the addition of Bassnectar, Nero and Perth's own ShockOne.