Although not a public holiday in Australia, Chinese New Year is widely observed by local Chinese and Asian communities.

The date of Chinese New Year, known as the Spring Festival in the northern hemisphere based on the timing of the seasons, occurs Down Under in mid-to-late summer.

This year Chinese New Year falls on Tuesday, February 1, heralding in the Year of the Tiger.

Major community celebrations are planned in capital cities across the country and wherever significant numbers of Chinese and Asian Australians reside but will be dependent on COVID health orders.

"Chinese New Year celebrations are really important to local Australian families and communities of Chinese ancestry," Jackie Seow, a dancer with the Australian Chinese Community Association of NSW said.

"Celebrations in Sydney, for example, typically run for over two weeks with lots of family and community gatherings, dancing, tai chi, theatre, dragon dancing, firecrackers, karaoke, art classes and so on."

Seow said the first three days of festivities are really important at a family level, especially the New Year's Eve dinner.

"It's traditionally a big reunion dinner," Seow said.

"In olden days, people who worked far away from the village would travel many days back to their parents' home town. This was often hard, and that's why they had a reunion on the night - a big feast and dinner.

"My extended family are from Malaysia, and before COVID, we would endeavour to get back there, but now in COVID times, we'll Zoom it."

On Chinese New Year's Eve, Seow and her family will gather at her home this year.

"If your parents were no longer alive, you would gather at the eldest brother or sister's place," Seow said.

"Preparation starts around 3pm with lots of people in the kitchen to help - aunties, uncles, sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers.

"People go to the market and do shopping. People cook and carry. We all work together as a team."

Eating kicks off around 7pm, and although the menu may vary from household to household, some traditional dishes are considered essential.

"Fish is a must," Seow said. "Eating fish means you will be very prosperous.

"Dumplings are another item always on the menu as they signify a happy occasion. Sometimes parents will put a coin in a dumpling, and whoever gets it is the luckiest person.

"At the end of the meal, we also have a special dessert - Tuan Yuen - which is made from glutinous rices, sesame seeds, peanuts, sugar and ginger, and usually boiled."

Often there are speeches and small rituals during the meal.

"In old Chinese dinner tradition, we have a few words from the kids about the meal and new year, and then they kneel down and give tea to the parents," she said.

"Then the parents hand out envelopes with money and say a few words about work and study and the new year."

Seow and her Australian Chinese Community Association of NSW dance troupe specialise in traditional Chinese dancing.

Before COVID they would perform at many community Chinese New Year events, but those events have been cancelled for the last two years.

"This is the first year back that we have received invitations to dance, and we are very excited," she said.

"Hopefully, the health situation is OK and more invitations will come.

"In this Year of the Tiger, the tiger is brave and courageous, but it must also use common sense."