ROCKDALE Council will celebrate Australia Day with a family friendly community festival at Peter Depena Reserve, Dolls Point.
Celebrations start at 8.15am with a "welcome to country" by the Koomurri Australia group and an official flag-raising ceremony.
Entertainment will be from 10am to 1pm and will include a performance by party band Peppermint Jam, with a free sausage sizzle.
There will be plenty to keep the kids entertained as well, with a drumming workshop, free face painting and a lamington-making workshop.
The free event will also include a special citizenship ceremony, the Rockdale Citizen of the Year award, and a speech from Rockdale's Australia Day ambassador gardening personality Graham Ross, known for his work on Better Homes and Gardens.
He has received the Veitch Memorial Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society in London for his contribution to gardening and horticulture in Australia.
For Sam Aryan of Monterey, Australia isn't just a land of opportunity, it's a place he calls home.
Sam, 33, came to Australia from Iran more than four years ago and will become an Australian citizen during a special ceremony on Australia Day.
Since he moved to Australia he has studied at university and now has his own business.
"I've been given a lot of opportunities," he said.
"I settled quite easily, so I don't miss Iran too much. I can say I love living here. It's my home."
He said his favourite thing about Australia was the people.
"There's a lot of diversity and the people have been so nice — it's great."
While he usually spends Australia Day with friends at Darling Harbour this year they'll be watching on when he receives his citizenship.
"I'm really looking forward to it, it'll be good to celebrate."
He will be one of 50 people to take part in the citizenship ceremony as part of Australia Day festivities at Rockdale.