There are too many music festivals in Australia to count, with new ones popping up every year all over the country. But if you are looking for the BEST Australian music festivals, I have organized them here into three different categories.
First, we feature mainstream/massive festivals that draw in large diverse crowds to hear a range of popular music of many different genres. Next, you’ll find one-day and traveling festivals, which are a unique phenomenon of a festival that takes place for one day in 4-6 different places (very common for music festivals in Australia). Lastly, you’ll find transformational festivals in Australia (the larger-sized ‘bush doofs’), which often have electronic music along with workshops, yoga, and more.
These Aussie music festivals span many different genres, sizes, and lengths, so I’m sure everyone will find something more suited to their wants and needs. I am also fully aware that there are MUCH more than 20 Australian music festivals, so I would love to know in the comments at the end which ones you think I should add!
Before you go: make sure to check out my lists of the best festival hydration packs, top music festival hacks + tips, top tips for going to a music festival alone, and more destinations and tips on my festivals homepage.
Mainstream/Massive Music Festivals in Australia to Add to Your Bucketlist
Bluesfest Byron Bay
When: Late March/Early April
Where: As the name suggests, Byron Bay
Genre: Blues, Rock, Grunge, Acoustic
Byron Bay Bluesfest is possibly one of the most well-known music festivals in Australia. Basically, the modern-day Aussie Woodstock, this camping festival brings in fans of all ages to groove to lots of acoustic and blues music with a lot of 80s and 90s throwbacks as well.
It’s been going since 1990 and now rakes in a crowd of over 100,000 revelers over five days to a venue for too bar from the blue Byron sea. With many stages and lots of extra things to do, you could never be bored! This year headlining are Alanis Morisette, Crowded House, Xavier Rudd, and more.
Falls Festival
When: Over New Years
Where: Various Locations
Genre: Multi – Rock, Electronic
Falls Festival is one of the most popular camping music festivals in Australia to ring in the new year. With 2-3 day editions in four different locations, the lineups remain the same as the artists travel to each location to play their show on a different day (with special guests in each location).
You can expect a lot of Australian favorites at Falls, such as Tash Sultana, Peking Duk, and Pnau, and also some internationals, such as Disclosure and Vampire Weekend.
Splendour in the Grass
When: Late July
Where: North Byron Parklands, New South Wales
Genre: Pretty much everything
Splendour in the Grass is another staple Australian music festival held just inland of Byron Bay in NSW. With a capacity of about 50,000 people (recently expanded), it still sells out quickly and is one of the most coveted festivals of the year. Interestingly enough, it is held in the dead of winter in July – making it the only festival of the season.
Splendour is also a camping festival with lots of extra activities, market stalls, and environmental initiatives. The main focus here is on music, however, and each year there is a massive lineup of international artists across many genres. This year will see the likes of Flume, Tyler the Creator, The Strokes, and lots more.
Lost Paradise Festival
When: Over the New Year
Where: Darkinjung (1hr from Sydney)
Genre: Multi, Mostly electronic
Lost Paradise is a popular festival to ring in the New Year in New South Wales. This Aussie festival really toes the line between being more mainstream and being more of a doof, but it pulls it off nicely. There are lots of extra activities, yoga, talks and workshops alongside some sustainability measures and an eco-focused ethos.
Lost Paradise will bring in some popular artists like Rufus Du Sol, the Hilltop Hoods, and The Veronicas across different genres and round it out with some great techno from the likes of Denis Sulta, Patrice Baumel, and Mallrat. A bit of something for everyone!
Beyond the Valley
When: Over the New Year
Where: Barunah Plains, Victoria (2-3 hours from Melbourne)
Genre: Multi/Electronic
Beyond the Valley is a fabulous option for the New Year in Victoria. Each year BTV pulls in jaw-dropping lineups across many genres, filling the mainstage with famous triple-j style artists and the techno stage with great doof vibes. There are also some smaller supplemental stages that throw different sorts of parties all weekend.
Beyond the Valley has just expanded from its initial venue, but still has a manageable sized venue for quite a lot of people and fabulous countryside views. They have a great art area with painting, workshops and meditation, tarot card reading, and other fun things to take a break from the party for a little bit as well.
Meredith Music Festival
When: Early/Mid-December
Where: Meredith, Victoria
Genre: Alternative, Electronic
Meredith Music Festival is perhaps one of the longest-running Music Festivals in Australia that keeps loyal punters returning year after year after year. Located just outside the small town of Meredith, Victoria, this festival has a little bit of something for everyone. From hard techno to folk bands, the lineup is curated for diversity.
From a special place everyone watches the sunset to a wedding arch to a gathering tree, Meredith has some long-standing and hilarious traditions that are a joy to take part in.
Woodford Folk Festival
When: Over New Years
Where: Moreton Bay Region, Queensland
Genre: Folk Music, Rock, Jazz
Woodford Folk is one of the largest music festivals in Australia, bringing in over 100k people to a gorgeous remote countryside lake area north of Brisbane. Woodford would definitely be considered as more of a transformational festival, as the event is more of a well-rounded experience than just a music festival.
You can expect dancers, performances, cabaret, art installations, workshops, talks, comedy, and a nearly overwhelming amount to do other than spectating the multiple genres of live music (mostly folk, rock, jazz, pop). It’s a well-rounded experience for the whole family!
One-Day/Traveling Music Festivals in Australia to Add to Your Bucketlist
So, Australia has this thing where a music festival will be held for one day in 5-6 different location throughout the country. I suppose people realize that Australia is WAY too big (and expensive) to constantly travel between states for festivals, so many Australian music festivals have adapted to bring themselves to the people!
Ultra Australia
When: Mid-April
Where: Melbourne
Genre: EDM/electronic
Possibly one of the globe’s most popular brands of an electronic music festival, Ultra Music Festival made its debut in Australia a few years ago and has not looked back. Taking place at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse and Sydney’s Parramatta Park over a weekend, Ultra does what it does best and brings in a stacked lineup of world-famous talent.
The main stage is generally graced by top-notch EDM talent, such as Afrojack, Zedd, and DJ Skake. The Resistance stage is known for have deeper trance + techno sounds, so you an expect the likes of Cirez D, Deborah De Luca, and more. Local supporting talent will always be there as well.
Wine Machine
When: Consecutive weekends from March-April
Where: Different wine regions of Australia
Genre: Multi
While there are surprisingly quite a few different kinds of wine music festivals in Australia, Wine Machine may be the most well-known. If you needed an extra excuse to drink wine in the countryside, Wine Machine has a fun lineup of Aussie artists that travel to a different popular wine region for 5 weekends running, to make it extra convenient for you.
Wine Machine did not happen in 2024, but we hope it will be returning next year!
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival
When: Across two weekends in early February
Where: Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Auckland
Genre: Alternative + Indie + Rock
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, as its name suggests, began in a little Melbourne laneway back in 2005. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too big to be held in a laneway these days, but the vibe still remains.
You can expect headliners such as the 1975, Earl Sweatshirt, and Ocean Alley to grace you with tunes during this daytime festival.
Groovin the Moo
When: 3 weekends from late April to mid-May
Where: One festival in each state except for Tassie and NT
Genre: Multi
Groovin the Moo is another really popular one-day festival with editions all over Australia. Traveling to all the states on the Australian mainland, this one is easy to get to for most Australians and also features a broad lineup that would appeal to many.
Traveling over Australia this autumn you will find The Veronicas, Waax, Darude, Hayden James, Kelis, and more.
Listen Out
When: Usually wo weekends in late Sept/Early Oct
Where: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Auckland, Adelaide
Genre: Electronic, Trap, Future
Listen Out Festival is perhaps the first of the music festivals in Australia that rings in a new festival season. Taking place in early Spring, this festival packs a lot of punch into one day and starts off the warmer weather with a bang.
This festival has a pretty varied lineup that brings together vibes from both electronic music and hip hop. You can expect harder-hitting artists like Diplo, Malaa, Ice Spice, Flava D, and Dom Dolla.
Techno + Transformational Music Festivals in Australia to Add to Your Bucketlist
The festivals below are the festivals that most Aussies would lovingly know as ‘bush doofs,’ albeit the more popular/larger ones that more people know about. If this is your jam, I actually have a separate article just about 20 bush doofs in Australia to add to your bucket list. That one goes in more depth!
Rainbow Spirit Festival
When: Unknown – Rainbow has sadly been on a pause for quite a few years although they still throw parties and events through the year in the city.
Where: Previously in Lexton, currently at venues like Melbourne Pavillion
Genre: Psytrance, House, Techno
Rainbow Spirit Festival was the esteemed Rainbow Serpent festival for over 20 years, better known as “Rainbow.” This festival is essentially the mother of all bush doofs and probably the most popular transformational festival in Australia. Taking place just outside the small town of Lexton in Victoria, the setting is of rolling countryside hills and beautiful sunset views.
As of now, we are not sure if Rainbow will return, but we are all hoping it will one day.
Rainbow specializes in electronic music, with specific stages for psytrance and for house + techno. The music is great, but Rainbow is so much more than that. The festival has grants for art each year, with impressive installations throughout the grounds. “The Village” is home to an impressive lineup of panels, talks, a permaculture garden, yoga space, meditation tent, children’s area, and aboriginal space.
Earth Frequency Festival
When: Early/Mid-May
Where: Willowbank, Queensland
Genre: Electronic, Bass, Glitch, Psytrance
Earth Frequency Festival, or EFF, is one of the best-known transformational music festivals in Queensland. Held in the height of summer each year in February, it brings in punters from all different states due to its fabulous reputation. EFF is the true epitome of a doof, with a frequency village serving up workshops on everything from permaculture to drumming, meditation circles, yoga, performances, markets, and live art.
The music at Earth Frequency focuses on big heavy basslines or psytrance. Headliners this year are Clozee, Opiou, Thomas Schumacher, and Menog.
Strawberry Fields Festival
When: Mid-November
Where: East Gippsland
Genre: house, techno, electronic
Strawberry Fields Festival, or “Strawbs,” is usually the first doof of the season out in Victoria. It takes place between the third and fourth weekends in November in an idyllic setting on the Murray River between Victoria and New South Wales.
Strawberry Fields has lots of electronic music across 4 unique stages, as well as enough art, workshops, performances, and extra activities to keep you busy for much longer than a weekend.
Esoteric Festival
When: Labor Day Weekend (first weekend of March)
Where: Donald, Victoria
Genre: Techno, Psytrance, Electronic
Esoteric Music Festival is a favorable way to spend your Labor Day Weekend at one of the best transformational music festivals in Australia. Many people say that ‘Eso’ embodies the true ethos of a bush doof, with patrons who respect themselves, each other, and the environment as they have a good time.
Eso is rather psychedelic in nature and has too many art initiatives to count – as well as chill spaces, workshops, performances, family areas, and more. I could go on forever! Eso favors psytrance but has stages playing a few different types of electronic music set though a beautiful forested area.
Babylon Festival
When: Late July
Where: Melbourne Pavilion
Genre: Techno + Psytrance
Babylon Festival is an annual gathering of techno + psytrance in Victoria, headlined and spearheaded by Carl Cox himself. Babylon Festival generally takes place in the bushlands of Carapooee, Victoria over three days. However, in 2020, Babylon has become a one-day event in the Sidney Meyer Music Bowl in Melbourne. It’s currently unclear if it will remain a one-day event or not.
Pitch Music Festival
When: Labor Day Weekend (first weekend of March)
Where: Moyston, Victoria (at the foot of the Grampians)
Genre: techno + electronic
Pitch Music Festival might just have the most impressive techno lineup of any of these music festivals in Australia. Each yeah Pitch’s lineup announcement drops jaws and sells many tickets with the promise of hard-hitting beats in a beautiful setting with a mountain backdrop.
Labed as “Pitch Music and Arts,” Pitch does have an art program each year complete with installations, a roller rink, a yoga room, and more. This festival definitely focuses on music, however.
Return to Rio Festival
When: Late October
Where: Wiseman’s Ferry, New South Wales
Genre: Melodic Techno + House
Return to Rio Festival is a smaller festival held on a scenic riverbank just inland of the Central Coast in NSW. Adding to the absolutely dreamy setting are very dreamy and melodic dj’s who will guide you through the weekend. With past headliners like Acid Pauli, Sebastian Leger, Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, and Super Flu, you can expect nothing but good techno vibes all weekend.
Enforcing a ‘Leave No Trace’ and “Good Vibes Only” policy, Return to Rio is known as a very happy gathering with Saturday dress-up themes, some amazing chill spaces, delicious food, and more.
Well, that’s about it for 20 amazing music festivals in Australia to add to your bucket list. I am fully aware I missed some great ones, so leave a comment below and let me know what you think should be added! Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow me on instagram for more travel and festival inspo.
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