Then and now:Perth’s Australia Day celebrations dwindle under weight of shifting sentiment

For almost four decades Perth’s magnificent riverfront brimmed with people hoping to catch a glimpse of what was once the country’s largest Australia Day fireworks celebration.

But the annual waterfront celebration is now a stark illustration in the shifting sentiment toward Australia’s national day,with local governments moving away or scaling back its large-scale events.

Attendance at Australia Day events has been waning as the campaign to change the date from January 26 and recognise its solemn meaning for First Nations people has picked up steam.

Several events were also cancelled during the pandemic.

The City of Perth slashed the budget for the 37-year-old event from $2.5 million to $750,000 and replaced the once-cherished eye-popping event with a modest drone and firework show.

It wasn’t the only local government to introduce changes to the annual event.

Central councils that have historically spent hundreds of thousands of dollars hosting community events ahead of the spectacle opted out this year.

The City of South Perth,once a central meeting place on Australia Day,issued a statement on Thursday reminding the public there would be no events on the foreshore and limited public amenities.

It’s a world away from the approach taken in years past,with South Perth funnelling close to $1 million into the festivities as recently as 12 months ago.

But when attendance reportedly fell from more than 100,000 to about 30,000 in 2022 South Perth decided to allocate ratepayer funds elsewhere.

Zempilas reins in the spectacle

Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas told 6PR Radio the Australia Day celebrations would be “city-centric” this year,with the local government hosting a family event and city of lights show at Langley Park.

“I’m not saying you won’t be able to see it from the vantage points you have been previously,but what we are saying is that this is a city-centric show and the best vantage point is Langley Park,” he said.

“Australia Day commemoration and events to mark the day respectfully are happening,and they’re happening at Langley Park.

“It’s a little bit different,but it will still be spectacular.”

And photographs sourced byWAtoday from Australia Day events of the past decade demonstrate just how different it was.

At the height of its popularity in the early 2000s,Perth’s Skyworks were known to draw more than 400,000 spectators.

But the festivities were more concentrated this year.

There was also a noticeable difference in the attire worn,too,with fewer people donning Australia Day merchandise,which retail giant Kmart chose not to stock this year.

Photographs taken at Langley Park,metres from where Invasion Day protesters had marched just hours earlier,showcase a happy crowd arriving in considerable numbers,but nothing like the number that once lined either side of the riverfront.

There was also a healthy crowd gathering at Kings Park.

But the South Perth foreshore was particularly bare,with fewer than 1000 gathering along the river.

The atmosphere there was also strikingly subdued.

It comes as several major companies,including gas giant Woodside and supermarket Woolworths,gave staff the option to work on the national public holiday.

is a journalist with WAtoday,specialising in civil courts,business and urban development.

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