- Australia Festivals & events

A Whistle-Stop Annual Events Guide to what's going around the country...

January:

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - Surviving boats arrive in Tasmania,
Summadayze Dance Party - Melbourne, VIC
Pier to Pub Swim - Lorne and Portsea, VIC.
Jacobs Creek Cycle Tour Down Under - Adelaide.
Australian Tennis Open - Melbourne, VIC.
Australia Day (26th) - BBQs across the land
Big Day Out concerts - Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

February:

Heineken Classic PGA Golf Tournament - Melbourne, VIC.
Good Vibrations Music Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Chinese New Year - China Towns across Australia
Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - Sydney, NSW.
St Kilda Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Grape Grazing Weekend - Yarra Valley, VIC.

March:

Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, VIC.
International Comedy Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Blues and Roots Festival - Byron Bay, NSW.
Melbourne Fashion Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Moomba Waterfest - Melbourne, VIC.
St Patrick's Day - Pubs across Australia
Backpacker Expo - Melbourne, VIC.
Clipsal 500 Adelaide V8 Street Race - Adelaide, SA.
Rip Curl Bells Beach Surf Classic - Geelong, VIC.
WOMADelaide Music Festival - Adelaide, SA.
Food and Wine Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Aussie Rules Football Season starts - VIC, SA and WA.
Rugby League season starts - NSW and QLD.

April:

International Comedy Festival cont. - Melbourne, VIC.
ANZAC Day (25th) - Public Holiday and Remembrance services across Australia
End of turtle egg hatching season - Bundaberg, QLD.
Start of Whale Shark Spotting Season - WA.

May:

Mercedes Fashion Week - Sydney, NSW.
Beginning of Right Whale Spotting Season - Warrnambool, VIC.
St Kilda Film Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
State of Origin Rugby League 1st game - Brisbane, QLD.
Sydney Writers Festival - Sydney, NSW.

June:

Queens Birthday (2nd Monday) - Public Holiday and Parties everywhere, except WA.
Darling Harbour Jazz Festival - Sydney, NSW.
Snow Season Opens - NSW and VIC.
Barunga Wugularr Aboriginal Art and Culture Festival - Near Katherine, NT.
Winter Wine Quest - Yarra Valley, VIC.
State of Origin 2nd game - Sydney, NSW.
Sydney Film Festival - Sydney, NSW.
End of Whale Shark Spotting Season - WA.

July:

State of Origin 3rd game - Brisbane, QLD.
Camel Cup - Alice Springs, NT.
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Week - Various, esp. Perth, WA.
Darwin Beer Can Boat Regatta - Darwin, NT.
International Film Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Mount Isa Rodeo - Mount Isa, QLD.

August:

Hervey Bay Whale Festival - Hervey Bay, NSW.
Yuendumu Aborigine Culture Festival - Near Alice Springs, NT.
City to Surf Run - Sydney, NSW.
Writers Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Festival of Darwin - Darwin, NT.
Brisbane River Festival - Brisbane, QLD.

September:

Aussie Rules Football Grand Final - Melbourne, VIC.
Royal Shows - Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Manly Arts Festival - Manly, NSW.
Birdsville Horse Races - Birdsville, QLD.
Solar Car Race - Between Darwin and Adelaide.

October:

Livid Festival - Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
National Rugby League Grand Final - Sydney, NSW.
Melbourne Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Melbourne Fringe Festival - Melbourne, VIC.
Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix - Phillip Island, VIC.
Stompen Aboriginal Festival - Broome, WA.
Start of turtle egg hatching season - Bundaberg, QLD.
Beginning of the Red Crab Migration - Christmas Island, WA.
Jazz in the Vines - Hunter Valley, NSW.

November:

Melbourne Cup (first Tuesday in Nov) - Melbourne, VIC.
Backpacker Expo - Sydney, NSW.
Bathurst 100 Touring Car Race - Mt Panorama, NSW.
Sexpo Exhibition - Melbourne, VIC.
Margaret River Wine Festival - Margaret River, WA.

December:

Homebake Music Festival - Sydney, NSW.
Australian PGA Golf Tournament - Coolum Beach, QLD
Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim - Sydney, NSW
Carols in the Domain - Sydney, NSW
Boxing Day Cricket Test - MCG, Melbourne, VIC.
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Starts - Sydney, NSW.
New Years Eve Fireworks - Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.
The Streets New Year's Eve Party - Brisbane, QLD

Australia - Festivals & events