Melburnians marked Australia Day in varied ways, some attending a protest advocating a change to the date and others enjoying the summer weather on a long weekend.Police were out in force around the CBD as tens of thousands of people marched through the streets at an Invasion Day rally and a few dozen staged a counter-protest in support of the day.

The extreme temperatures brought back memories of the catastrophic 2019-2020 "Black Summer" that saw fires destroy an area the size of Turkey, killing 33 people and billions of animals.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised $12.7 million for a theatre and arts centre in Launceston in the seat of Bass, $5 million for Nowra housing projects in Gilmore and $6 million for the “living city” project in Devonport, in the marginal seat of Braddon.

Sydney restaurateur Judith Lewis couldn’t save the mezuzah, a framed parchment inked with Hebrew prayers, that was hanging in her family’s café when arsonists set it alight in the early hours one Sunday in late October.

Temperatures are expected to soar across a large swathe of south eastern Australia on Monday with authorities warning of an extreme fire danger.

Two historic statues in Melbourne were vandalised ahead of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, which are expected to see tens of thousands across the country participating in protests. These demonstrations support Aboriginal people who believe the date is not a cause for celebration.

Tens of thousands of Australians protested over the treatment of Indigenous people on Sunday as the country celebrated a national holiday marking the 1788 arrival of British colonisers.

Tens of thousands of Australian Indigenous activists protested over the treatment of Indigenous people on Sunday as the country celebrated a national holiday marking the 1788 arrival of British colonizers.

The police said they were investigating whether “overseas actors” were involved in the vandalizing of synagogues and a day care center.

The Greek Community Cup of Melbourne is adding a women’s soccer tournament to the event for the first time, the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria confirmed on its Facebook fan page.

The vandalism unfolded in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Australia Day is a divisive holiday that critics see as a symbol of racism and oppression.

Multiple monuments in Australia defaced to protest country’s National Day - The day is contentious as many Indigenous Australians consider it a day of mourning