Cockroach races, thong-throwing contests and citizenship ceremonies have become Australia Day staples but not all will be celebrating this year amid "Invasion Day" marches and debate about changing the date.
As disagreement intensifies over shifting the public holiday from the January 26 anniversary of the First Fleet's arrival in 1788, both major political parties remain determined the date will stand, while the Greens have vowed to lead a campaign for change.
On one side of the argument firmly lies former prime minister Tony Abbott, who plans to get in an early surf on Friday before attending an RSL barbecue and enjoying the day.
"I will be out there with thousands of my fellow northern beaches residents saying 'To be an Australian is to have won the lottery of life'," he said of his plans for the day.
"Sure, we are not perfect but modern Australia began on the 26th of January 1788, British settlement was a very good thing and let's make the most of what we've got."
An Institute of Public Affairs poll released on Wednesday suggests most Australians agree with Mr Abbott, with 70 per cent of 1000 respondents saying the day should remain January 26, while 11 per cent disagree.
On the other side of the argument will be thousands of people at Invasion Day marches around the country, who believe the day which marks the arrival of Europeans is offensive to Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.
More than 5000 are expected at a rally outside the Victorian Parliament and similar numbers will walk in Sydney, starting from The Block in Redfern.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be in Canberra for a citizenship ceremony and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will attend events in his Melbourne electorate.
More than 16,000 people are due to become Australian citizens across the country on Friday but several councils in Melbourne and Perth have been barred from holding ceremonies after voting to ignore Australia Day in support for indigenous groups.
Others will gather for barbecues in parks and backyards.
So what's on the grill?
Native animals including emu, kangaroo and buffalo will be thrown on the barbie at the Berry Springs Tavern in the Northern Territory.
The less adventurous will opt for more traditional meat, poultry and game products, if National Health Survey results ring true, with the waft of lamb and seasonal sausages likely to fill the air.
But party guests are increasingly unlikely to stand around the barbecue with a beer in hand as the amber fluid becomes less popular among drinkers, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Just don't tell punters at Brisbane's Story Bridge Hotel, which will host an iconic afternoon of cockroach races.
A whopping 300,000 spectators are expected to swarm to Perth's Australia Day fireworks show.
A string of Adelaide councils are expected to cancel and reschedule planned Australia Day community events due to extreme heat forecasts for Friday, with temperatures tipped to hit 39 degrees in parts of the city.
A parade featuring more than 1000 participants from over 80 community and cultural groups will stream along Swanston Street in the Melbourne CBD.
The Wiggles will put on a show at Sydney's Darling Harbour which will also host to a thong-throwing competition and wife-carrying race.
