The Ultimate Summer Festival Guide - Australian Traveller

These are the summer festivals you’ll be talking about long after the season ends.

If summer in Australia had a soundtrack, it would be loud, live and playing somewhere outdoors. Every year across the country, festivals of every shape take over parks, beaches and city streets. Long days turn into golden sunsets, weekends fill fast and there’s always a setlist calling your name. Consider this your shortcut to the best of them, from open-air gigs to foodie fiestas and everything in between.

Dougstock

Willunga, SA: 5–6 December

Dreaming of a hilltop escape that feels like a local secret? Look no further than Dougstock . The two-day music and camping festival in Willunga brings original Aussie artists together in a lush, elevated setting. Plus, artisan markets, food trucks, yoga sessions and good vibes, of course. Whether you’re into psych-rock, jazz, soul or acoustics, the line-up is sure to excite.

Rolling Sets

Central Coast, NSW: 6 December

Nothing beats a good summer festival, and this one is up there with some of the best. Hosted on NSW’s picturesque Central Coast, Rolling Sets pairs live music with good vibes and great times (plus a delicious curation of food trucks, of course). This year’s musical line-up features acts like Hilltop Hoods, Spacey Jane, The Jungle Giants and Skeggs.

Spilt Milk

Canberra, ACT: 13 December

Spilt Milk is gearing up for another huge year, and Canberrans won’t be missing out. The festival rolls into its hometown at Exhibition Park in December, bringing the same electric energy that’s made it one of Australia’s most in-demand music events. Past performers include big names like Post Malone, Flume and Fisher, so expectations for the line-up are high.

Cherry Harmony Festival

Manjimup, WA: 13 December

Celebrate the local food and wine of Manjimup at the Cherry Harmony Festival this December. The flavour-fuelled day is full of exciting activities, including live music, street performances, exhibitions, workshops and the much-loved log-chopping competition.

Woodford Folk Festival

Moreton Bay, Qld: 27 December – 1 January

Woordford Folk Festival — Woodford Folk Festival is inspired by culture passed through generations. (Image: Lachlan Douglas)

Welcome the New Year by setting your soul free at the Woodford Folk Festival . Built by a diverse congregation of the creative community, the festival has transformed into a village of music, culture and colour since its inception in 1887. The vibrant event is held in the magical lands of Woodfordia by Lake Gkula, around a 1.5-hour drive north of Brisbane.

Taste of Summer

Hobart, Tas: 27 December – 3 January

Hobart’s waterfront explodes with flavour and festivity over the New Year period, as Taste of Summer transforms Princes Wharf into a week-long celebration of Tasmania’s finest produce. Over 80 locally led artisan stalls will be dishing up seasonal fare, fresh seafood, craft beer and premium wines across the week, paired perfectly with a line-up of live music.

Snack Festival

Perth, WA: 31 December

More NYE wonderland than music festival, Snack takes over Perth with three main stages hosting epic music acts. Each stage has its own offshoot: The Pyramid Stage has a silent disco dancefloor, Sin City, a kissing booth, and the Duckzilla Stage, a VIP deck. The festival also features thrilling rides, food trucks, a wedding chapel and a tattoo parlour.

Field Day

Sydney, NSW: 1 January

Field Day is the best way to welcome 2026 and the antidote to the whole panoply of NYE drawbacks. Picture it: you’re out in the summer sun, your friends are by your side, and the best music you’ll hear all year is blasting. Field Day specialises in party music, with global artists delivering a mix of house, hip-hop, indie and electronica.

Summernats

Canberra, ACT: 8–11 January

Revheads, get ready – the annual Summernats Car Festival is returning to Canberra this January. Considered Australia’s biggest horsepower party, the four-day festival takes over Exhibition Park in the heart of the country’s capital with lawn-mower racing, burnout shows, mullet competitions, live performances by Aussie icons and more.

Sydney Festival

Sydney, NSW: 8–25 January

The NSW capital comes alive for the Sydney Festival , celebrating culture, creativity and the questioning mind since 1977. Watch impactful shows at the Roslyn Packer Theatre. Catch comedy at Carriageworks. Enjoy live music at the Opera House. Admire art exhibitions at the National Art School. Whatever you choose, you’ll leave feeling creatively recharged.

Elvis Festival

Parkes, NSW: 7–11 January

You may do a double-take when visiting the regional NSW town of Parkes, as thousands of Elvis lookalikes fill the streets each January. If you chuck on a leather jacket, slick your hair back and grab those blue suede shoes, you’ll fit right in. Live performances, art exhibitions, dance workshops, street parades, and more will have you All Shook Up in no time.

Cygnet Folk Festival

Cygnet, Tas: 9–11 January

Serving as one of Tassie’s most iconic calendar events, the Cygnet Folk Festival is a community-driven affair showcasing eclectic music genres, as well as other melodic art forms like dancing and poetry. Alongside attending an assortment of live performances, guests can indulge in local food and wine, attend workshops and browse local markets.

Forage & Feast

Central Highlands, Vic: 12 January – 15 February

Brought to life by the Central Highlands Growers and Producers Hub, Forage & Feast is a summer-centric tour of local flavours by the region’s artisan producers, tracing towns like Ballarat, Bendigo, Trentham and Daylesford. This year’s jam-packed program brims with everything from local markets and beekeeping classes to dinner degustations and farm tours.

Australian Open

Melbourne, Vic: 12 January – 1 February

One of the biggest events on Australia’s sporting calendar, the Australian Open sees some of the world’s best tennis stars take to the court across 21 heated days. Internationally recognised players like Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka will battle it out across a range of divisions at Melbourne Park.

Tamworth Country Music Festival

Tamworth, NSW: 16–25 January

Each January, the regional hub of Tamworth transforms for its iconic Country Music Festival . In 2026, more than 700 artists will perform across town, from live outdoor concerts and intimate indoor gigs to the Golden Guitar Awards. Guests can look forward to a star-studded line-up this year, including headliners Troy Cassar-Daley and Lee Kernaghan.

Bunbury Fringe

Bunbury, WA: 23–31 January

Bunbury festival — Bunbury features art, music and circus. (Image: Martin Frazer)

Launched in 2016, Bunbury Fringe has grown into one of Western Australia’s top arts and culture festivals. The sole purpose of the Fringe is to bring happiness to its guests and cause as much laughter as possible – the epitome of feel-good fun. This year also marks 10 years of Bunbury Fringe, so expect the biggest celebration yet!

Rosé & Dumplings Festival

Adelaide Hills, SA: 24–25 January

Rosé & Dumpling Festival at Howard Vineyard, Adelaide Hills, SA — Devour hand-rolled dumplings and all-day rosé at Howard Vineyard. (Image: Ryan Cantwell)

Howard Vineyard’s Rosé & Dumpling Festival pairs two of the world’s most delicious delicacies, while also inviting guests to indulge in local cocktails and beer, plus other foodie favourites. It’s the perfect excuse to dress up with your friends for a day of free-flowing rosé, live music, hand-rolled dumplings and lawn lounging in the summer sun.

Festival of Us

Darwin, NT: 26 January

Run by the Australia Day Council of the Northern Territory, the Festival of Us is a celebration of the NT’s diversity, culture and history. Chaired by Larrakia man Dr Richard Fejo and made up of a multicultural board, the not-for-profit is all about inclusivity. Embrace the 2026 theme of Reflect. Respect. Celebrate with workshops, market stalls, live performances and more.

Party in the Paddock

Carrick, Tas: 5–8 February

Just outside of Launceston, the town of Carrick is a master of disguise. On the outside, it appears to be a humble historic village. But linger a little longer, and you’ll see it transform into one of Tassie’s biggest arts festivals. This year’s line-up is a crowd pleaser – think Ocean Alley, The Veronicas, Peking Duk, Ball Park Music and more.

Perth Festival

Perth, WA: 6 February – 1 March

The Perth Festival program has been designed from day one to please all – think dance, theatre, film, art, literature and more. But the music program remains a highlight, with names like Baker Boy, Annahstasia, King Stingray and Ngaiire on the setlist. Off-stage, over 100 other events will keep you entertained, from poetry readings to panel talks.

Riverboats Music Festival

Echuca-Moama, Vic: 13–15 February

At the convergence of two historic regional towns, the Riverboats Music Festival entertains all weekend long. The stellar line-up is always a crowd-pleaser, with big names like Baker Boy, Xavier Rudd, Daisy Kilbourne and The Living End taking to the stage. It’s intimate sideshows will also return onboard the PS Pevensey paddlesteamer for one-hour gigs along the Murray.

Mardi Gras

Sydney, NSW: 13 February – 1 March

Celebrating LGBTQIA+ identities since 1978, Mardi Gras has become a cultural stalwart with connection and community at its core. Running across 17 days, the jam-packed program features everything from pool parties to comedy clubs. This year, more than 80 events will take over some of Sydney’s hottest venues, including Enmore Theatre and the Art Gallery of NSW.

BrisAsia

Brisbane, Qld: 14–15 February

The streets of Brisbane will be pulsing with energy this February at BrisAsia , a 10-day festival celebrating the Lunar New Year with everything from rooftop parties to garden picnics. This year is the Year of the Horse, representing strength, endurance, freedom, independence and momentum – values worth embracing in 2026.

St Kilda Festival

Melbourne, Vic: 14–15 February

The beloved St Kilda Festival returns in 2026 to celebrate summer along the city’s iconic foreshore. Designed to entertain all, the two-day program traverses everything from live music and interactive workshops to food trucks and market stalls. It kicks off with First Peoples First, a vibrant celebration of First Nations music and culture, followed by Big Festival Sunday.

Royal Canberra Show

Canberra, ACT: 20–22 February

The Royal Canberra Show is the city’s largest all-ages event, hosted annually by the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society. While agriculture has always remained at its core, the community event has since expanded to include rides, entertainment, educational features, exhibitions and food stalls galore.

Adelaide Fringe

Adelaide, SA: 20 February – 22 March

The largest arts festival in Australia will again bring its hometown of Adelaide alive throughout February and March this year. Its program is practically exploding with theatre, dance, comedy, film, music, circus and even magic. Think workshops, panel talks, community gatherings and family-friendly activities, plus plenty of food and drink from across the state and beyond.

Big Beer Festival

Bundaberg, Qld: 21 February

A tasting paddle of craft beers — Sample local craft beers via curated tasting paddles. (Image: Getty/JWU)

Raise a glass to Bundaberg’s beloved brewery scene at the Big Beer Festival in Alexandra Park. Sip your way through a wide range of craft pours, served alongside cocktails, wines and spirits for the beer-averse. A line-up of live music makes for the perfect soundtrack, while the official Beer Pong Tournament adds an energetic edge.

National Penny Farthing Championships

Evandale, Tas: 21 February

The National Penny Farthing Championships is cycling as you’ve never seen it; instead of the carbon rigs of today, competitors battle it out atop 1870s-style bicycles. There are multiple races throughout the day, from sprints and slaloms to relays and novelty laps. Trackside, spectators can enjoy a range of food stalls, markets and period-themed entertainment.

Noosa Summer Swim

Noosa, Qld: 21–22 February

Grab your togs and get ready for the Noosa Summer Swim , a water-filled weekend of saltwater, sand and sun. Held on the shores of Noosa Main Beach, it’s the perfect excuse to explore Australia’s most-loved town of 2025. Races range from a cruisy one-kilometre splash to the five-kilometre main event, with open-water clinics run by local experts for the less competitive.

Tropfest

Sydney, NSW: 22 February

The largest short film festival in the world will take over Sydney’s Centennial Parklands in February, featuring some of the biggest names in Hollywood right now. Don’t believe us? Take it from this year’s Jury President, Margot Robbie, instead. Global filmmakers are set to showcase their talents at Tropfest via a seven-minute movie, all for your screening pleasure.

Enlighten Festival

Canberra, ACT: 27 February – 9 March

Light, sound and movement collide in a kaleidoscope of colour at Enlighten Festival , an 11-day celebration of culture and creativity. The mesmerising display of artworks is not one to miss, as each masterpiece is projected onto the city’s most iconic buildings. From interactive after-dark experiences to live music line-ups and more, it’s clearly the place to be come February.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .