The best things to do around Australia in September

There’s no shortage of things to do in Australia. If anyone knows that, it’s us…

However with such a breadth of things going on around the country, it can sometimes get a little overwhelming to separate the champs from the chumps. You’re busy people, we get it.

To help you out, we have collated a guide of the best-goings-on for the month of September, allowing you plan your calendar accordingly. Thank us later.

NSW

Indulge in some cinematic nostalgia at Randwick Ritz

Randwick’s Ritz Cinemas is dialling up the nostalgia at a pop-up video store. While the doors (and cinemas) are closed during lockdown, locals can  head in and browse for DVDs and videos to take home and plug in (that is, if they still have a DVD or VCR player). Everything’s free to borrow, and punters are encouraged to donate any VHS tapes or DVDs they no longer want.

Unlike the Blockbuster of Video Ezy processes you may remember, there are no rental limits; everything works on an honesty system.

Take The Ritz home.

View world-class Art online

Two of the Art Gallery of NSW’s blockbuster 2021 exhibitions have been brought online thanks to lockdown. Oh and even better, they are completely free.

Scroll through the mystical works of abstract artist Hilma af Klint in a Youtube video walkthrough – this Swedish artist’s work at New York’s Guggenheim Museum broke attendance records back in 2019, so it’s definitely worth your time.

The famous Archibald, Wynne and Sulman exhibitions are also on offer, which is the perfect cultural fix during lockdown.

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Peter Wegner’s winning Archibald Prize 2021 portrait of artist Guy Warren.

Support small business

Necessary precautions to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus – cancelled events, social distancing, and businesses working from home, as well as the decline in outside activity – have left shops and restaurants empty, creating immediate losses in revenue across the board.

Head here to learn 6 ways you can support small businesses during lockdown.

VIC

Do an online exercise class

There are a myriad ways to get your sweat on in lockdown. From yoga and pilates classes, living-room-friendly workouts, and free apps to lead you around the park.

Universal Practice at Home is an online platform with unlimited access to more than 70 classes by the Melbourne-based pilates and physiotherapy studio. Tune in for an abundance of workouts including pilates, strength training, yoga and meditation – for $49 per month.

Yoga studio Humming Puppy (which has studios in Melbourne, Sydney and New York) is offering unlimited access to its suite of pre-recorded classes for 50 cents a day (plus its offering a handful of freebies).

Retrosweat is live-streaming ’80s-style aerobics on its Instagram account.

Humming Puppy from home.

Each kit contains 500 grams of air-dry clay, as well as a wooden clean-up tool, a sponge and an original Elph Ceramics tiny house to start your tiny village.

Classes run on Thursdays only between September 9 and 30. The kits can be shipped Australia-wide – best to order at least two weeks before your chosen session. Private group bookings are also available.

Create a Elph Ceramics Tiny House.

TAS

Great Eastern Wine Week

Stretching along 221 kilometres of coastline envied for their cool-climate drops, The Great Eastern Wine Week is an 11-day festival and is a collective of 50 events at the region’s boutique wineries and other local businesses. Meet the winemakers, the growers, the producers, and the people behind the wine.

It’s all about the people, the places, the natural beauty and the stories of the East Coast.

Taste Tasmania’s East Coast.

Junction Arts Festival

Junction is an annual Festival of extraordinary arts experiences in unusual spaces throughout Launceston, held in the first week of September.

In 2021 Junction will celebrate its 10th anniversary festival, with a history of developing, commissioning and presenting participatory and community-engaged contemporary artwork.

Convene at the fountain.

QLD

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers

Toowoomba is known for two things: as the home of the Lamington, and as the home of the Carnival of Flowers, held every year in spring.

The two-week event, to be held this year from September 1-30, will bring together the very best of the region’s gardens, events, entertainment and food and wine experiences to aptly showcase all that Toowoomba and its surrounding regions have to offer.

A new addition to this year’s Carnival is the Flower, Food & Wine Festival, which will offer three days of mouth-watering menus from regional restaurants, cafes and food producers.

Stop and spell the flowers in Toowoomba.

Under The Trees Music and Arts Festival

Under The Trees continues to be a feast of the senses. On September 18, sight, sound, taste and touch comes alive with amazing art and lighting, rhythmic sounds skipping across reggae, pop rock, folk, blues and soul entrancing laid back, friendly crowds.

Tasty hip food offerings and craft beers on tap add to the experience whilst lolling in the Pineapple Lounge or playing dress up from the dress up box or dancing with the wandering brass band as it beats out great sing along tunes. Kids are also catered for with a variety of activities offered across the event.

Under The Trees continues to be a feast of the senses.

SWELL Sculpture Festival

September brings the return of much-loved SWELL Sculpture Festival. This annual affair runs over 10 days (this year from September 10-19).

Catch local and international sculpture designers, creatives and artworks scattered across the glorious Currumbin foreshore. Unique experiences such as guided twilight walks, chats with the artists, an outdoor cinema, masterclasses, a photography competition judged by Sean Scott and various kids’ activities are sure to tickle your fancy.

SWELL sculptures in Currumbin.

NT

Top End Pride Festival

In 1985, a group of passionate Darwinites came together to create the very first Darwin Pride Festival – promoting diversity, equality and celebrating LGBTIQ+ communities. The current global situation looks pessimistic for many areas of Australia right now, and the committee of Top End Pride NT (inc) holds a vision; to create a weekend celebrating life, diversity and community sharing positivity with one another.

The focus of  Top End Pride this year is Hope. Celebrate the LGBTQI+ community with locals and people from further afield.

Bush Bands Bash

Showcasing some of the finest Indigenous bands and solo artists, Bush Bands Bash is an open-air festival with attendance of over 3000 people, with many more tuning in to live radio broadcasts and live video feeds.

Celebrated in the spring time in Alice Springs, Bands Bush Bash has grown into a huge foot-tapping night under the stars at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station.

With many of the bands singing in traditional cultures, this is the biggest night of Aboriginal music in Central Australia. The event is drug and alcohol free, family-friendly event.

Go to a bash in the bush.

Kakadu Bird Week

Kakadu National Park is a bird lover’s paradise – home to more than a third of Australia’s bird species, Kakadu is the perfect place to discover and learn all about the unique species of birds living in this magical part of the world, which is dual World Heritage listed for both its natural and cultural values.

Enjoy a host of exciting activities, including birdwatching, wetlands cruises, Aboriginal cultural experiences and much more.

Keep your eyes peeled in Kakadu.

WA

The Perth Royal show

The Perth Royal Show is Western Australia’s largest annual community event, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the state and beyond since 1834.

It is anticipated that the 2021 Perth Royal Show may have some slight differences, but it will have just as much agriculture, entertainment, displays, animals, food and fireworks than previous years.

The Perth Royal Show will continue to honour its traditional values of connecting the city and country, featuring a unique mix of traditional agricultural fair, entertainment, fairground attractions, great Western Australian food and beverages and educational exhibits.

The Perth Royal Show is Western Australia’s largest annual community event.

Lost And Found Festival

SA

Bloom Festival

Welcome to Bloom 2021 – an inaugural celebration of South Australia’s springtime events and festivals. Coloured by music, sport, arts, culture, food and wine, our great state is in full bloom from September to November.

Use the Bloom 2021 calendar to discover South Australian spring events you won’t want to miss. Welcome the spring sunshine at new events including Barossa Contemporary, IMMERSE and The Ultimate Event and existing South Australian favourites including the Royal Adelaide Show, OzAsia, the Adelaide Rally, Feast Festival and so many more.

Spring is Adelaide’s festival season.

Drive the South Australian Distillery Trail

Map your journey here.

Drive the distillery trail.