All official festivities for Australia Day are a little different for 2022 compared to pre-COVID times, but there will be live music, fireworks and fun planned across the region.

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Shellharbour City Council citizenship ceremonies will go ahead as planned, while the community will celebrate in the evening with a Symphony By The Sea concert.

The family-friendly and alcohol-free twilight concert will have the Sydney Youth Orchestra performing at Reddall Reserve. Food trucks will be on site, or concert-goers can pack a picnic.

Mayor Chris Homer said the number of people taking this year's citizenship tests are bang on average, while he hoped the surge of Omicron wouldn't stop the community celebrations.

"It's very tricky, its a rapidly evolving situation," Cr Homer said. "From what I've seen, people are doing their best and being sensible and following health advice ... I hope we get on top of it."

Up the road at Wollongong Harbour it's expected fireworks will still bounce around Belmore Basin in the evening.

Council had already opted for a stripped back event and not included the traditional cavalcade of rides, food stalls and entertainment activities.

A flyover of vintage aircraft from the Historical Aircraft and Restoration Society will go ahead at 5.15pm.

However, Wollongong's Australia Day Awards and annual Citizenship Ceremony will now be held online.

"Australia Day is about all of us who acknowledge this amazing land as our home and its past both good and bad,'' Wollongong City Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said.

"It has gone through some challenging times in the past and this Australia Day will be yet another. I invite all our residents to celebrate this Australia Day in smaller, simpler and safer ways in the interests of our community's health and our City's future.''

Wollongong's other big plans are the Aquathon (8am) and the Australia Day Regatta (12pm) - neither are Council events and are expected to go ahead.

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Kiama Council are committed to holding its traditional Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony at Gerringong Town Hall, though will adjust if government health orders change such as moving it online.

"We will also review arrangements for our various Australia Day barbecues hosted by local community groups as necessary," a spokesman said.

Three community barbecues will be held the morning of Australia Day at Kiama Downs, Jamberoo and Gerringong from 7am.

There will also be roving performers during the day at popular picnic and barbecue spots around the area, and there's a helicopter fly over with the Australian and Aboriginal flags at 10am and 3pm.

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