You don't have to go far to get away this spring!
Better weather and longer days means festivals and destinations come back to life, many of them outside our major capitals.
Plan your spring getaway to a regional event near you!
*All event information included is correct at the time of publication. Please check with event organisers for updated information.
Credit: @capricornfoodandwine
Rockhampton, QLD
If you love to eat, drink and enjoy live music, the Capricorn Food & Wine Festival in Rockhampton is for you.
Choose between your favourite smelly cheeses, fine wines and craft beers at this foodies delight. Come for the treats but stay for the atmosphere, then explore the Capricorn Coast!
Credit: @darwinstreetartfestival
Darwin, NT
This festival of creativity is back for another year and will showcase the mural art of some of Australia’s best local painters and graffiti artists.
Check out super-sized murals in the Darwin CBD including an amazing piece on Travelodge visible from Garamilla Blvd, and don't miss the Closing Night Party!
Credit: SATC
Warrnambool, VIC (June to October)
A visit to Warrnambool is a guaranteed whale of a time!
Get close to the water during September and there’s a very good chance you’ll see southern right whales swimming in their pod as they migrate from sub-antarctic waters.
At Logans Beach, there is a platform to view the females as they calve. These amazing mammals have been making Warrnambool their spring stopover for centuries!
Credit: @swellsculpture
Currumbin, QLD
The SWELL Sculpture Festival will take over Currumbin Beach. See more than 50 large scale contemporary sculptures set amongst the sand and dunes.
Look out for memorable works of art by distinguished local, national and international artists in this magnificent outdoor gallery.
Credit: SATC/Adam Bruzzone
Clare Valley, SA
Country Events SA is presenting the inaugural edition of what promises to be an exhilarating event that will form part of the Urban Polo circuit, the largest polo series in the world.
Set amongst majestic gums and verdant vines, spring will be in full bloom when the fast-paced polo action heats up. Worthy of a weekend away in one of South Australia’s premium food and wine regions.
Goulburn, NSW
Still plenty of time to get in shape for this fun run, which is a 5km or 10km loop in Goulburn, NSW.
Experience a great afternoon with friends, with a little fitness & lots of fun. Work up a thirst with the 5km or 10km run through an amazing winery. Then enjoy a cool down through the wine tasting waddle to re-energise yourself before some grape dancing and live entertainment as the sun goes down.
A great community day out.
Credit: @desertfestival.nt
Alice Springs, NT
Red Hot Arts Central Australia put together an amazing program of events for the Desert Festival.
Visit Alice Springs and celebrate the depth and breadth of arts and culture in Australia’s incredible Red Centre, where music, art and hospitality come with the friendliest of smiles.
Ceduna, SA
Oysterfest Ceduna is a celebration of the food and wine of the Eyre Peninsula.
As the oyster capital of Australia, Oysterfest showcases cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, master classes and a wine pavilion. An amazing annual community event.
Credit: Tom Roschi
Cradle Mountain, TAS
Spring is the season to experience Tasmania's incredible frontier wilderness.
One look over Dove Lake at the peak of Cradle Mountain and you'll realise that no picture will ever do it justice. Don't miss out. Plan your trip to include a guided tour which can range from a three-hour circuit alongside Crater Falls, to a full day walk to Cradle Mountain Summit.
Adventure awaits!
Credit: Tourism WA
Swan Valley, WA
Swan Valley in spring is all about dappled light, golden hours and delicate native wildflowers.
Surround yourself in beauty and taste the most delicious of food and wine at Entwined In The Valley. Whether you enjoy a verdelho with your dark chocolate or a slab of ribs, this event has something to suit. A signature event.
Devonport, TAS
Tasmania is known for its specialty foods. Think wild salmon and abalone, artisanal honey, forest truffles and world-class cheese.
The Devonport Food & Wine Festival celebrates the craftsmanship of producers that make this type of food and wine in the North West region. Chefs, cheesemakers, brewers and food-lovers of all types pour their hearts into what they produce, and it shines through in this series of connected events.
Credit: @capetocapemtb
Margaret River, WA
Riding through spectacular forests and coastal trails, the Cape to Cape is a four-day mountain bike stage race that has grown in status over the last dozen years.
Set in the majestic Margaret River region, riders enjoy four days of sublime single track, and end each stage at a world-class winery or brewpub!
A must-do.
Credit: Richard Watson
Bondi, NSW
Sculpture by the Sea will return to the Bondi Beach to Tamarama coastal walk as the world’s largest free public sculpture exhibition!
This already spectacular coastal walk will be transformed into a 2km long art gallery over three weeks and will featuring more than 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the world!
Always a feature of the season.
Credit: @feastfestival
Adelaide, SA
This is a highly entertaining month on SA's Festival calendar.
Feast is Adelaide’s only not-for-profit LGBTIQ+ Queer Arts and Cultural Festival. Beginning in 1997 as a safe platform for the LGBTIQ+ community to share and express themselves through art and culture, it is now the 3rd largest LGBTIQ+ Festival in the country.
Previous acts have included 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, adult film star and trans activist Buck Angel, Olympic Diver Matthew Mitcham and 90’s dance icon Dannii Minogue! Book early.
Credit: Discovery Parks - Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, QLD
Relax in Paradise for three days at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music and see some of the best bands in Australian music history!
Dozens of well-known acts will perform in venues across Airlie Beach in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. What more can we say? This will sell out.
Credit: @noosatriathlon
Noosa, QLD
Noosa Triathlon is a jam-packed five days of festival fun!
The largest and most famous triathlon in Australia and the biggest multi-sport festival in the southern hemisphere, Noosa Tri attracts thousands to compete on Queensland’s stunning shores each year.
With an irresistible mix of sport and entertainment coupled with sun, sea and surf, this event is a must-do for professional athletes, amateurs and weekend warriors chasing eternal glory!
Launceston, TAS
The Effervescence Tasmania Sparkling Weekend is a celebration of the world-class sparkling wines that are produced in Tasmania.
Described as one of the best sparkling wine festivals in the world, Effervescence Tasmania is once again putting on a full program of tasting dinners, masterclasses and live music events.
One of the best get-togethers of the year for Taswegian winelovers. Chef's kiss!
East Maitland, NSW
Craft Beer lovers unite!
The Bitter and Twisted Boutique Beer Festival is a celebration of all the best things in life - music, food and the goodness of well-made, flavoursome beer.
Held annually in November, Bitter and Twisted takes place within the walls of a former maximum security prison, Maitland Gaol - so behave!
Expect over 80 craft beers on show, an eclectic range of live music, entertainment and food from all over the world.
Credit: @handpickedfestival
Fleurieu Peninsula, SA
Hidden amongst the vineyards and gums of Lake Breeze Wines in Langhorne Creek, Handpicked Festival is all about music, wine and barefoot dancing on the grass!
Held in the Follett family’s own backyard, spend the day outstretched on a picnic blanket and sip on SA wines that are the pride of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Then, boogie down while some of Australia’s best musicians do their thing on stage!
Coffs Harbour, NSW
How good does it feel to laugh and enjoy yourself in company?
Skip the Big Banana, (actually don't) and get along to this year’s Coffs Harbour International Buskers & Comedy Festival.
Having hosted an impressive lineup of Australian and international performance artists in the past, keep your eyes peeled for more comedy and street performance this November.
