Canberra ready to celebrate Aust Day

Australia Day celebrations in the nation's capital start a day early with the Australian of the Year awards.

The award ceremony outside Parliament House in Canberra on Saturday will be bookended by a concert with Lior, Matt Corby, Megan Washington and DJ Havana Brown.

On Sunday the main events will start with a barbecue breakfast in Commonwealth Park.

Official events include a flag raising, 21-gun salute and citizenship ceremony from 10am (AEDT), likely to be attended by Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Elsewhere in the capital, historic houses at Lanyon and Mugga-Mugga will be open for picnics and tours.

The National Museum of Australia is hosting many activities including hip-hop dance workshops, Yamba the Honeyant, bush tucker demonstrations and sand sculptures.

A fireworks display over Lake Burley Griffin will round out the day's events.

Canberra's nudists will be celebrating radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown on the day by stripping down for a pool party at their club.