Allianz Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales © Destination NSW
A sport-lover's guide to Australia
A place where sport is life.
Sport is not just a pastime in Australia – it’s in the country’s DNA.
Attending a sporting match in Australia is a rite of passage. The atmosphere is always electric – the cheer of the crowd, the smell of pies and hot chips, the world-class athleticism. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a World Cup match or a few mates playing cricket on the beach... sport in Australia is seriously good fun.
Australia’s ‘Decade of Green and Gold’ will play host to 16 international sporting events, all leading up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic games.
Join us for Australia’s world-class sporting events
FNQ Nature Tours, Daintree Rainforest, Queensland © Tourism and Events Queensland
The spirit of green and gold
Though Australia’s national flag is red, white and blue, the country’s athletes don green and gold uniforms. The tradition of green and gold began back in 1908, when Australians olympians wore the colours that reminded them of home – the verdant green of our eucalyptus trees, rainforests and countryside, paired with the golden yellow of our wattle flowers, canola fields and pastel sunsets. For many Aussies, green and gold conjure a sense of pride in our sporting identity.
"Australians don’t just love sport… we’re downright obsessed with it."
Australia: A sporting nation
More than 100,000 people turn up to watch the Australian Rules AFL Grand Final every year. Indeed, the country’s big-name events – cricket Test Matches, the Australian Open, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race – draw serious crowds.
The Greens, North Sydney, New South Wales © Destination NSW
But Australians don’t wait for these exhilarating once-a-year events to get amongst the action. Instead, sport is infused in the local lifestyle. Mates meet at the pub before hitting a Friday night rugby game – sometimes every Friday for the whole season. Entire Sundays are spent in the sun watching test cricket, and you can bet most sport-loving Aussies attended their first match before their first day of school.
Whether you attend a local football match or join in a marathon that crosses the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, passionate sports fans will find plenty of ways to embrace the sporting culture in Australia.
You can bet most sport-loving Aussies attended their first match before their first day of school.
King River Rafting, Queenstown, Tasmania © Tourism Australia
Where sport and nature collide
Australia’s passion for sports runs deep – as does their love of outdoor adventure. Sports and nature often collide in Australia, whether it’s a sunrise surf or a round of golf surrounded by grazing kangaroos.
Have your own nature adventure in Australia and you’ll soon discover the magic moments that Australia’s landscapes offer. Scuba dive in the dead of night, navigate white-water rapids within rainforests and hike the rugged ridges of the outback. Sport amid nature is the ultimate adrenaline rush, and there are endless opportunities for a natural high in Australia.
A playful spin on sport
Once a year, thousands of people descend on the city of Darwin to race in boats – made from recycled beer cans. Welcome to the Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta. It’s safe to say that while Aussies take many sporting events seriously, they also like to have serious fun.
It’s safe to say that while Aussies take many sporting events seriously, they also like to have serious fun.
Aussies can’t go past an opportunity to have a good time. The evidence? A calendar of quirky sporting events across the country. Join in a wacky watermelon festival, where ‘melon skiing’ sees festival-goers wear melon rinds as skates. Or watch on while participants pull a toilet on wheels at outback Queensland’s annual Quilton Australian Dunny Derby. At South Australia’s Tunarama, tossing a rubber tuna the farthest in the annual Tuna Toss is a point of pride. Locals will put a playful spin on just about any sport.
