Australians flocked to beaches while others took part in church services, as the country experienced a generally warm and sunny Christmas Day.
While Brisbane saw as much as 26 millimetres of rain up to 3pm, the country’s other capitals were mainly sunny, making it perfect weather for visits to the beach or outdoor barbecues.
In Queensland, Brisbane’s Queen Street was mostly empty, while hundreds of Queenslanders turned out for Christmas Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane’s CBD.
In Western Australia, hundreds of Catholic churchgoers, old and young, gathered to celebrate Christmas at a crowded St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth.
During his address, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe spoke to the idea of peace and gift giving, while also alluding to the war in Ukraine.
In Melbourne, hundreds of people could be seen celebrating Christmas on sunny St Kilda Beach.
In Sydney, thousands flocked to beaches to appreciate the warmer temperatures following an unusually chilly start to December.
ABC/wires