SYDNEY—The mystery skywriter who scrawled "sorry" above Sydney Harbour, in an Australia Day reconciliation message, was almost thwarted by an errant cloud.
The smoke-trailing light plane, contracted by an anonymous backer, completed the message above Bondi Beach at midday (AEDT) but ran into trouble when seeking to repeat the feat over Sydney's centre.
"I saw two (messages). I saw the first attempt and it got hidden by the cloud and I thought 'What a pity', but then he had another go," Australia Day Council chairman Michael Egan said.
"That's another Australian quality, having a go."
Mr Egan said the sky writing was not an official Australia Day event, and did not know who had paid its hefty price tag, but it was a welcome addition to the day.
He said it showed the rising status of reconciliation with the nation's indigenous people generally, and in the context of marking Australia Day.
Sydney's official roster of Australia Day events started with the Woggan-ma-gule, an indigenous ceremony involving song and dance at the Botanic Gardens.
"The number of people of Aboriginal decent that had an Aboriginal flag and the Australian flag flying was great to see," Mr Egan said.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to vantage points along Sydney Harbour to watch a series of fly-bys and displays by military aircraft, and races involving historic tall ships.
A perfect summers' day ensured bumper crowds also at a vintage car show and family fun day in the city's Hyde Park.
Mr Egan estimated up to two million people would have attended Australia Day events across the state.
"You could go to 200 places in NSW today and you'd see a happy scene like you're seeing here in Hyde Park," he said.
"Certainly the crowds around the harbour and on the harbour have exceeded last year.
"If that is replicated around the state, then I think we will certainly see two million people in NSW out at official events this year."
A citizenship ceremony was also held at Hyde Park, in which 17 people from 14 nations swore an oath and were declared to be new Australian citizens.
Moments afterwards, Christie Lim, 31, who is of Chinese-Malaysian descent, said the feeling of being an official Australian was just sinking in.
"It is now," Ms Lim said.
"It didn't feel exactly like that before, but now I can vote, I can work for the government. I pay my taxes already, so I might as well get the benefit as well."
Streets around The Rocks district were also closed to traffic as thousands of people took in live entertainment from five stages, and buskers ranging from jazz bands to didgeridoo players players.
Thongs, Australian flags and anything with a flag print were the major fashion theme of the crowd, and a harbourside souvenir shop reported business was brisk.
"Hats, koala bears, flags, (stick-on) tattoos ... we order in stock specifically with the flag for Australia Day because we know it's going to go out the door," a shop worker said.