Australia Day celebrations across Queensland are being cancelled, changed or scaled back as the state heads towards the peak of its Omicron wave expected later this month.
Ashley Robinson from Alexandra Headland Surf Lifesaving Club on the Sunshine Coast said usual celebrations would be "downsized" due to staff shortages and climbing COVID case numbers.
"We'll probably do some outside activities, but it certainly won't be what we initially planned," Mr Robinson said.
"We've got probably 30 per cent of our staff out at the moment … it's about the same as customers.
"The Premier needs to tell us if we actually want people to come out or whether we want them to stay home."
Annual cockroach race postponed
Also falling victim to the Omicron outbreak, one of Brisbane's biggest Australia Day traditions — the cockroach races at the Story Bridge Hotel.
Publican Richard Deery said the annual roach race had been postponed.
"COVID has affected a lot of things and I think maybe even a few cockies may have COVID — we haven't been able to get them out of their stables for a run," Mr Deery said.
"It's been devastating … unfortunately, we'll have to postpone our Australia Day cockroach races and put them back to about March.
About 5,000 people turn out for the annual event but this year, Mr Deery said he was expecting about 600.
"We'll still do some Australia Day activities … people will still come out but not the high numbers we're used to," he said.
"But we will have some great entertainment on — music, bands, our food's great.
"We'll be wearing masks, the sanitisers will be out, it's a one-day holiday, you've got to come out and stretch the legs.
"Once that [COVID] spike happens and we get back to a bit of normality, we'll be able to get back to what we call one of the greatest Australia Day traditions — racing the cockroaches."
'Didn't want to create a super-spreader event"
Some councils too are revising or reshaping their Australia Day plans.
Queensland's flag-raising ceremony and citizenship ceremony will go ahead in Townsville and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Governor Dr Jeannette Young will still be guests of honour.
However, attendance will be invitation-only and the event will be live-streamed for the first time in history.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the council "didn't want to create a super-spreader event".
Ms Hill said all public events in the region had been postponed or cancelled.
"Things like the fun run and the Beach Day Out," she said.
"We've had to try and learn to live with COVID for the last two years — I'm hopeful we're heading towards the end of it."
All but one of Townsville's Survival Day events have been cancelled as COVID cases grow among First Nations residents.
Survival Day event organiser Aunty Ros Sailor said it was a necessary measure to keep the community safe.
"It's really scary now — it is a big worry in our community and we did not have time to hesitate doing it any other way," she said.
South of Brisbane, Logan City Council's annual Australia Day awards and citizenship ceremony has been postponed.
A Logan council spokesperson said the citizenship ceremony would be rescheduled to a later date and the Australia Day award winners would be announced on the council's website and Facebook page on Australia Day.
Toowoomba Regional Council has endorsed invitation-only award presentations for the region's celebrations.
Brisbane City Council's Australia Day events are set to go ahead as planned, including its citizenship ceremony.
A Brisbane council spokesperson told the ABC "events held on Australia Day will proceed in line with the latest state government health directives and advice."
Invasion Day rallies will be held across Queensland, including Brisbane.
Vulnerable, elderly urged to stay home
Director of Infectious Diseases at Griffith University Professor Nigel McMillan said he did not expect Australia Day celebrations to fuel further spread of the virus.
"We can have crowds at the NBL inside and Big Bash outside, so this is not going to be any more risky than that," Professor McMillan said.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said vulnerable people, particularly those who have not had three doses of a vaccine and people aged 65 years or older, should carefully consider the need to attend public gatherings for Australia Day.
"Organisers of Australia Day proceedings are responsible for ensuring their events and patrons are compliant with the Public Health Directions," the spokesperson said.
