Top Events in Australia

There is a plethora of world class events in Australia throughout the year. The country is famed for its love of sport, so naturally a lot of these occasions involve some sort of epic competition, be it the Australian Tennis Open, the Melbourne Cup or the Grand Prix. It is also a country with a proud and passionate sense of heritage, and this is reflected in the Anzac Day memorials and the jubilation of Australia Day. If it’s a taste of the unique culture you’re after then look no further than the Adelaide Fringe Festival or the Darwin Beer Can Regatta, which pretty much does what it says on the tin. Scroll on for more inspiration…

January – Australian Tennis Open

The first of the four grand slams and marks the start of the tennis year. If you’re into tennis, then Melbourne is the place to be.

January – Australia Day

Parties across the country to celebrate the founding of the nation. Wear your Aussie gold with honorary pride, grab a beer, and make some noise for Australia day.
This is a video of the 2013 Australia Day fireworks in Perth – pretty impressive!

February/March – Adelaide Fringe Festival

This is an arts festival held annually in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. The event is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest arts event, and the second-largest fringe festival in the world!
This is a video of the 2013 Adelaide Fringe parade:

February/March – Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

One of the world’s biggest gay pride events, the centre piece of which is the huge street parade. Don your feather boa and join the party.

March – Australian Grand Prix

The start of the F1 season kicks off in Melbourne this year with Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull looking to dominate. Head to Melbourne if you’re a petrol head.

March/April – Melbourne Comedy Festival

Features some of the world’s funniest comedians and undiscovered acts in the world’s third largest comedy event. Expect to see Jim Jefferies and Tim Minchin to make outrageous appearances.
This is a video of the hilarious Arj Barker at the 2013 event:

April – Rip Curl Pro Surfing

The world’s longest running and most prestigious professional surfing contest in Australia. This year Rip Curl Pro Surfing will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at its home in Torquay, Victoria. Can’t surf? It doesn’t matter. Just go and watch how the pros do it.

April – Anzac Day

A national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who died in honour for their country. Ask about two up, two down.

May – Australian Fashion Week

Ladies. Get your glam on at Australia’s biggest fashion event of the year. You may not be able to afford the clothes, but you can still look. Dress up and head down to the Circular Quay in Sydney.
Check out this video of the 2013 event catwalk:

July – Lions International Camel Cup

An international camel race along a dry river bed at Alice Springs. Camels, riders, spectators, beer = the camel cup. Only in Australia.

July – Darwin Beer Can Regatta

Held off Mindil Beach, it’s a great party atmosphere with plenty of live music. Oh, and boats made entirely out of used ‘tinnies’ (beer cans).
This is an awesome video of the 2012 Darwin Beer Can Regatta:

August – Henly-On-Todd Regatta

A boat race in Alice Springs? On dry land? A very popular and slightly unusual boating event that captures the Aussie spirit…
The video explains all!

November – Melbourne Cup

The race that stops a nation is a thoroughbred horse-race over a distance of 3,200 metres. The Aussie equivalent of the ‘Grand National’. Go on, take a punt…
These are the top five Melbourne Cup moments of all time:

December – Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

One of the most glamorous and exciting boat races in the world sets off from Sydney Harbour every Boxing day.

December/January – NYE Fireworks

Sydney Harbour does one of the best New Year’s Eve fireworks displays and can challenge even ‘Times Square’ in New York for popularity. ‘The Rocks’ is the place to be for this one.
Just one word: epic.