wa day
WAOTY
The 2024/25 financial year was a milestone period for Celebrate WA, marked by the WA Day Festival being held in November for the very first time. The shift proved highly successful, with perfect weather, an electric atmosphere and exceptionally strong community participation.
More than 112,000 West Australians came together across the two-day metro festival at Burswood Park in November 2024. Families enjoyed a vibrant mix of free entertainment, live music, carnival rides and interactive experiences, reaffirming WA Day as one of the State’s most loved community celebrations.
Our reach across the State also grew through the June 2025 regional program. More than 30,000 people attended eight regional events, including significant turnouts in Karratha and Newman. To further strengthen local engagement, 40,000 WA Day school booklets were distributed to 400 schools, helping young people connect with WA’s stories, history and identity.
A key highlight of the year was our new partnership with the West Coast Eagles, which significantly elevated the profile of WA Day celebrations. During the West Coast Eagles and Geelong game over the WA Day weekend in June 2025, Optus Stadium support for WA Day signage and branding was exceptional and the iconic WA mascot race, regional WCE activations and community appearances, this collaboration expanded our visibility across both metro and regional audiences.
We were also proud to deliver the 2025 Western Australian of the Year Awards at Crown Perth. With more than 550 guests, 21 finalists and seven category winners, the Awards once again showcased the remarkable talent and leadership found across our State. Brother Olly Pickett AM was announced as the 2025 Western Australian of the Year, recognised for his extraordinary service to the community.
Thank you to the Board, our partners and our dedicated team for their commitment throughout the year. The achievements of 2024/25 reflect a strong and growing connection with the community, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.
Celebrate WA is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to delivering the annual WA Day celebrations, recognising excellence across all fields, and inspiring pride in everything that makes Western Australia extraordinary.
From our rich Aboriginal heritage and diverse cultures to our world-class talent, iconic landscapes, and exceptional achievements, WA Day is a moment for the entire State to come together and celebrate who we are and what we stand for.
In 2012, Foundation Day became WA Day following bipartisan support, marking a new and inclusive era that honours our First Nations history, our early settlers, and the many communities who now call Western Australia home.
WA Day is powered by partnerships. Events of this scale and significance are only possible through the support of our sponsors, and together we uphold our core pillars.
The 2024 WA Day Festival marked a significant milestone, with the event moving to November for the first time after adverse weather in June impacted celebrations in previous years. Held on Sunday 24 November 2024 at Burswood Park, the festival successfully reimagined WA Day in a new season, welcoming thousands of Western Australians to come together for a full day and night of music, culture and shared community pride.
Music Concert
As the sea breeze rolled in, the Main Stage ignited. RTRFM curated an exciting line-up of WA talent including Eskimo Joe, San Cisco, Great Gable – all delivering high-energy performances that turned Burswood Park into a celebration of music, community and pure WA spirit.
The massive music line up also included Noah Dillon, Maatakitj, Angie Colmen, Anna Schneider, as well as RTRFM DJ’s throughout the day.
Drone Show & Fireworks
When the drones rose above Burswood Park, the entire festival paused to look upward together. More than 500 lights formed stories of our state — from coastlines to creatures — before a spectacular fireworks display closed the night and cemented the festival’s signature moment.
The 2024 media campaign proved to be exceptionally successful, garnering over $2.9 million in total media value with a campaign investment of $539,572 and a PR value of $5m. The WA Day Festival achieved its marketing objectives with flying colours.
Across Western Australia, including: Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Carnarvon, Fremantle and Albany, the 2025 WA Day regional festivals brought communities together in vibrant and meaningful ways – each event uniquely reflecting the spirit of Western Australia. From cultural exhibitions, creative workshops, live performances and hands-on activities for all ages.
The Goldfields enjoyed their biggest attendance ever with more than 6,500 people gathered at Centennial Park to enjoy 21 free activities, multicultural performances and powerful storytelling sessions that celebrated the region’s diversity and civic pride. Albany’s event delivered a warm and community-minded atmosphere, showcasing local history, Aboriginal culture and interactive attractions across the Museum grounds. Newman saw over half the population of the town come out to celebrate and enjoy the 14 food trucks, live country music band and DJ, as well as free giveaways and an activation by the West Coast Eagles.
Together, these regional festivals exemplified the pillars of Celebrate WA – social inclusion, community participation, Aboriginal engagement, celebrate our history, promote excellence and civic pride – proving that WA Day continues to have deep local resonance, connection and value across every corner of our state.
The regional WA Day Festivals received strong media coverage across TV, print and digital channels, with highlights including multiple front-page mentions across the Geraldton Guardian, Kalgoorlie Miner, Albany Advertiser and more, several full-page articles, and 5 TV news stories. Total broadcast reach of 767,500. More than 200+ press insertions across The West Australian, Midwest Times, Albany Advertiser, Kalgoorlie Miner, Northwest Telegraph and Pilbara News.
The 2025 partnership with the West Coast Eagles significantly elevated WA Day’s reach across both metropolitan and regional audiences. The collaboration delivered high-visibility moments, strengthened stakeholder relationships and broadened the celebration’s statewide impact.
As part of the agreement, the West Coast Eagles hosted all Western Australian of the Year (WAOTY) category winners, sponsors and key stakeholders at their Round 12 home game, providing a premium game-day experience. The popular WA Day Mascot Race returned at halftime, generating strong sponsor visibility inside Optus Stadium and further exposure across The Agenda Setters and digital channels. A limited-edition WA Day guernsey and commemorative Perth Mint coin were also launched, adding to the profile of the partnership.
Match-day recognition highlighted this year’s WAOTY overall winner, Olly Pickett, who performed the official coin toss. WA Day branding featured prominently throughout the stadium on LEDs, screens and signage, ensuring strong audience reach. The partnership also extended to regional WA, with WCE supporting local WA Day events through mascot visits, staff volunteers and interactive activations.
The 2025 Western Australian of the Year (WAOTY) Awards were held at Crown Perth on Thursday 29 May, marking the 52nd year of recognising extraordinary Western Australians who make outstanding contributions to our State. Hosted by Ryan Daniels and Jerrie Demasi, the evening opened with a powerful Welcome to Country by Dr Richard Walley OAM.
This year, 21 remarkable finalists were celebrated across seven categories: Aboriginal, Arts & Culture, Business, Community, Professions, Sport and Youth. Among an exceptional field, the Premier, the Honourable Roger Cook MLA, announced Brother Olly Pickett AM as the 2025 Western Australian of the Year.
With 550 guests in attendance (including leaders from business, government and community) the Awards once again highlighted the depth of talent, generosity and innovation that define Western Australia. We congratulate all category winners and finalists whose achievements continue to inspire and reflect the rich diversity of our State.
7NEWS promoted the awards and provided viewers with more than 8 minutes of coverage on our seven category sponsors, finalists and winners. The three shows had a total average of 377,200 viewers in WA