Indigenous leaders have been pushing for the change in recent years, saying January 26 marks the date the First Fleet landed in Sydney Cove in 1788, marking the beginning of British colonisation.

However Indigenous singer Christine Anu, one of the performers on Australia Day, said that "as long as the conversation continues, we as Australians all have the right to be proud and celebrate our diversity and our cultural heritage, whatever that might be".

"We all have a right to have a day to celebrate that," she said. "I also think it's an important day to remember and acknowledge the history of the first nation's people and never to forget that."

Several local councils in Victoria are changing the date of their local celebrations and Greens leader Richard Di Natale has announced the party's push to organise a major political plan to abandon January 26 as the official day.

He doesn't necessarily think the change will happen soon, but hopes there is an important national conversation over the next couple of years.

"We can only gain from moving Australia Day," Senator Di Natale said. "People can continue, if they want to, to commemorate the arrival of the First Fleet."

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce rejected the push, and said he was very proud of Australia Day and looked forward to celebrating it this year.

Sydney's Australia Day party broken into three areas

Three entertainment precincts - Darling Harbour, The Rocks and Circular Quay - will host this year's Australia Day celebrations in Sydney.

The program kicks off at 7.45am with the Indigenous WugulOra Morning Ceremony at Barangaroo.

Darling Harbour will host a Summer Playground, with the Wiggles performing morning and afternoon concerts. Then the precinct will transform into an entertainment hub with DJ sessions and party cover bands.

At Circular Quay there will be multiple shows on land, sea and in the air while the Sydney Street Party will kick off at The Rocks. In the evening the Live at the Quay! event will host live musical performances that have been choreographed to power ski shows and fireworks.

The Sydney Opera House forecourt will host the Australia Day 2018 - Live at Sydney Opera House starring Australian singers Guy Sebastian, John Paul Young and Christine Anu.

Although free, tickets to both the Wiggles and Live at The Opera House concerts requires people to enter a ballot for their chance to win tickets via the Australia Day website.

NSW Australia Day creative director John Foreman said the decision to move the fireworks and lights display to Circular Quay will allow the event to be "bigger and better than ever".

For the first time people watching the Australia Day concert at home will also be able to watch the fireworks.

With these three new entertainment precincts planned for the day, security and public safety is set to be the priority for the NSW Police Department.

"It's a large operation, we will be deploying a large number of police to the operation both on land, the water and in the air," Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb said.

Ms Webb will also be the Australia Day police commander and has advised people visiting venues to check the Australia Day website to see what security measures will be in place.

The public need to "allow themselves plenty of time and we advise to travel by public transport", she said.

"We really encourage everyone to go about their business but if they see something they need to report it."

with AAP