Australians flock to live performance, with major talent across theatre, cabaret, musicals, circus, comedy, performance art and dance. Live performances are also a major driver of our festival calendar. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the second-biggest in the world of its kind and almost every capital city has its own fringe festival. Events such as OzAsia showcase the latest ground-breaking work from the Asia-Pacific region.

​​​​​​​Since Patrick White won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973, Australia’s literary scene has gone from strength to strength. Australians spent $1.3b on books in 2022 and attend literary gatherings across the country including large events like the Sydney Writers’ Festival and Melbourne Writers Festival. Many Australian authors have achieved major international success and have had work adapted for the screen.

​​​​​We have over 1,100 public and commercial art galleries and museums across our capital cities and regional centres, supporting the work of painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramicists, printmakers, jewellery makers, glassblowers, and multimedia artists, among others. Our top galleries are remarkable places for discovering modern and contemporary art. You’ll find masterpieces from Australia and overseas, major international exhibitions, the controversial and the quirky, and a broad range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. To learn more visit www.australia.com.

Australia is home to hundreds of major arts organisations and venues. From the grassroots level to the grand stage, we are a world leader in arts and culture.

Whether you’re a beginner or a savvy surfer, Australia offers some of the world’s best waves. Bondi and Manly beaches are popular surf spots in Sydney, while the New South Wales’ coastal town of Byron Bay is famous for its surf and relaxed lifestyle. Bells Beach, on Victoria’s breathtaking Great Ocean Road, is popular among competitive surfers and hosts the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach as part of the World Surf League Championship Tour. Noosa Heads on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is renowned for its beaches and stylish shops, while Western Australia’s Rottnest Island, a short ferry ride from Perth or Fremantle, has more than 60 beaches to choose from including Strickland Bay, Salmon Bay and Shark Bay.  To learn more go to www.australia.com.

With a multitude of coastal treks and rainforest hikes, you won’t run out of places to explore. From beginners to experts, hikers can choose between mountains, beaches, forests and the Outback to get a taste of Australian nature. Whether you want to spot koalas and kangaroos in the wild, discover hidden waterfalls, trek through ancient forests or explore more than 30,000 kilometres (18,000 miles) of coastline, you will find plenty of hiking trails to satisfy your inner adventurer. To learn more, check out www.australia.com.

Australian snowfields offer a unique experience for skiers and boarders looking for fresh snow with a beautiful bushland backdrop. There are 5 major downhill ski resorts: Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales; and Mount Buller, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham in Victoria. Smaller downhill resorts such as Selwyn Snow Resort and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales, Mount Baw Baw in Victoria, and Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson in Tasmania provide a more relaxed experience and are popular with novice skiers and families. To learn more, visit www.australia.com.

Australians like to be active and sport is part of the Australian way of life. Popular sports include: soccer, golf, Australian Rules Football (AFL), tennis, netball, basketball, cricket, swimming, touch football, and running/athletics.