Alternative & Indie Festivals in Australia & New Zealand

The WA Day Festival is a free, two-day metropolitan festival held in Perth, Western Australia, celebrating the state's people, culture, and shared identity. It features a diverse program of live music from local artists, family-friendly entertainment including carnival rides, drone shows, fireworks, and a variety of food and cultural experiences.

Soft Centre is Sydney's leading experimental arts, discourse, and music festival, originating from the city's warehouse rave scene and known for curating genre-bending, cross-disciplinary events within remarkable public architecture. It offers a multi-sensory, choose-your-own-adventure experience featuring live electronic sounds, experimental performance art, and immersive audiovisual installations.

The Barunga Festival is an annual celebration of remote Indigenous community life, culture, music, art, and sport, held in Barunga, Northern Territory, Australia. It showcases traditional and contemporary Indigenous music, dance, art, and cultural workshops, offering a unique opportunity to engage with Aboriginal culture and also holds historical significance as the home of the 1988 Barunga Statement.

The Winter Wine Festival is an annual two-day music and wine festival held at the picturesque Crooked River Estate in Gerringong, New South Wales, Australia. It offers a blend of live music from award-winning artists and local talent, exquisite wines, gourmet food, and artisan delicacies against a backdrop of rolling hills and ocean views.

Kilby Block Party is an independent music festival in Salt Lake City, Utah, celebrating the city's longest-running all-ages venue, Kilby Court. Entering its 7th year in 2026, it is known as the largest indie music festival in Salt Lake City, attracting approximately 25,000 attendees daily.

The 35th Townsville Folk Festival, held from 12–14 June 2026 at Foots Hill Station in Reid River, Queensland, is a not-for-profit, family-friendly event celebrating music, arts, culture, and community. It showcases an inspiring mix of folk, acoustic, world, and roots music, alongside workshops, artisan markets, and camping under the stars.

The Darwin Pride Music Festival is an annual event held in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, celebrating the rich and diverse LGBTQIA+ community of the Top End. It features a vibrant program of musical performances, DJs, and drag artists, alongside community stalls and food vendors.

RTR FM's Fremantle Winter Festival is an annual music event held in North Fremantle, Western Australia, showcasing a diverse lineup of local and independent artists across multiple venues. It serves as one of RTRFM's key fundraising events, supporting the community radio station and the local music and arts scene.

Thrashville is a unique heavy music camping festival held at Dashville in Lower Belford, New South Wales, Australia, where punk, hard rock, and metal genres collide. The event features around 25 bands across multiple stages, alongside live graffiti artists, a tattoo studio, and professional skateboarding displays.

Stonefest is an annual music festival held at the University of Canberra in Bruce, ACT, Australia, celebrating the university's foundation and recognized as Canberra's last surviving music festival. Organized as a not-for-profit event by the University of Canberra Union, it features national headliners and local talent across two stages, with a focus on affordability and student services.

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Scouted is South Australia's premier music showcase for unsigned talent, held in Adelaide/Kaurna Yerta, Australia's UNESCO City of Music. It provides emerging artists with a platform to perform for national and international music industry figures, coinciding with the Indie-Con Australia conference and A2IM Indie Week.

The Mundi Mundi Bash is a premier outback music festival held on the Mundi Mundi Plains near Silverton, featuring iconic Australian rock and country performers. This family-friendly camping event offers a unique desert experience complete with world-record dance attempts and stunning sunset views over the Barrier Ranges.

Rhythm and the Reef is a music and arts festival held in Mackay, Queensland, celebrating live music, community, and coastal vibes. The regional event, which has grown from a grassroots celebration, features a diverse lineup of Australian artists and aims to leave a lasting impression on local and intrastate attendees.

The Gympie Music Muster is an iconic Australian music festival held annually in the Amamoor Creek State Forest, Queensland, celebrated as the country's original bushland music festival. It offers a unique blend of country, blues, folk, roots, and rock music across multiple stages, fostering a strong community spirit and family-friendly camping experience while supporting charitable causes.

BIGSOUND is the southern hemisphere's largest music industry gathering, held annually in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland. It serves as a vital platform for influential tastemakers and music lovers to discover the future of music, featuring a daytime conference and nightly showcases of over 120 emerging artists across multiple venues.

Wonder Mountain is an intimate, genre-blurring music festival held annually in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, primarily at the historic Tanswells Hotel. The festival emphasizes local talent and community, offering a diverse lineup of disco, funk, indie, experimental pop, soul, and house music in a unique country-town setting.

Wallaby Creek Festival is an annual three-day celebration of music and arts held in the lush wet tropics rainforest of Rossville, Far North Queensland, known for its community-focused, family-friendly, and intimate atmosphere. The festival features live original music across multiple stages, a dedicated Children's Festival, diverse workshops, and a strong environmental focus, with camping included.

Melbourne Fringe Festival is an annual independent arts festival held across various venues in Melbourne. It is an open-access festival showcasing a wide variety of art forms, providing a platform for emerging and independent artists.

Harvest Rock is an annual two-day music festival held in Adelaide, South Australia, combining a diverse lineup of international and Australian musical artists. The festival is also a celebration of South Australia's exceptional food and wine culture, featuring premium dining options, pop-up cellar doors, and a dedicated culinary stage.

Floriade NightFest is Canberra's after-dark extravaganza, transforming Commonwealth Park into an illuminated wonderland with cutting-edge light installations. This ticketed event features a mesmerising program of live music across multiple stages, street theatre, fire shows, and diverse entertainment for all ages, including an adults-only cabaret.

The Nanga Music Festival is an annual weekend event held at Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra, Western Australia, celebrating acoustic music in a rustic setting. It features intimate concerts, workshops, and communal meals, showcasing Australian acoustic, roots, folk, Celtic, indigenous, and world music artists.

Yours and Owls Festival is Wollongong, NSW's largest annual two-day music and arts festival, known for its diverse lineup of international and local talent. The event offers multiple stages, local arts, food, and beverages by the beach, and notably was the first music festival in NSW to trial pill testing in 2025.

Gidgestock Music Festival is a family-friendly, fundraising music festival held annually in a natural amphitheater on a 50-acre property in Gidgegannup, Western Australia. It features over 22 live bands, rustic camping, market stalls, and activities for kids, with all profits donated to various local charities.

The Patchewollock Music Festival is an annual, volunteer-run bush festival held in Patchewollock, Victoria, Australia, known for its unique blend of music, dance, comedy, yarn-spinning, bush tucker, and sheep racing. It offers a diverse lineup of folk, country, blues, rock, and roots music, alongside family-friendly activities and a strong community spirit, with camping being a central part of the rustic outback experience.

Parramatta Lanes is a street festival in Parramatta, New South Wales, that offers food and entertainment throughout the city's various streets and laneways. The festival showcases the cultural diversity of Western Sydney through themed sites, performances and food.

Wild Horses Festival is an electronic music, arts, and culture festival held in Carapooee West, Victoria, Australia, known for its psychedelic gathering and intimate community atmosphere. The event emphasizes sustainability and features a curated lineup of international and local electronic artists, alongside immersive visual arts and workshops.

Blues at Bridgetown is a long-running annual music festival held in Bridgetown, Western Australia, celebrating blues, roots, and associated genres. The event is known for its community atmosphere, diverse lineup of established and emerging artists, and a popular Saturday street party.

Tunes On The Turf is an annual music festival held at the Dunedoo Sports Club in New South Wales, Australia, showcasing live performances of original Australian music. It is known for its community-driven, "backyard party" atmosphere, attracting both local and wider Australian talent and music lovers.

Handpicked Festival is a family-run music and wine event held annually at Lake Breeze Wines in Langhorne Creek, South Australia, known for its intimate atmosphere amidst vineyards and gumtrees. It offers a curated sensory experience featuring award-winning wines, local food trucks, a "Cocktail Forest," and a diverse lineup of Australian musicians.

Adl 500 - Bands on Track is a music festival held in Adelaide, South Australia, as part of the larger Adelaide 500 motor racing event. It is distinctive for showcasing local contemporary South Australian musicians who perform alongside international headliners.

The Queenscliff Music Festival is an award-winning annual event on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula that features a diverse lineup of contemporary Australian and international music. This family-friendly celebration transforms the historic coastal township into a vibrant hub of live performances, local produce, and community-driven arts across multiple stages.

BAMFEST is an annual music festival held in Bathurst, NSW, Australia, celebrating the talents of students, past and present, from the Bathurst Academy of Music. It is a family-friendly event featuring live entertainment on multiple stages, food vendors, and activities, run by volunteers and local music teachers.

Good Things Festival is one of Australia's largest travelling music festivals, held annually in major cities including Brisbane, featuring a diverse lineup of international and Australian acts across rock, metal, punk, and emo genres. It has become a staple alternative music event, filling the void left by the Soundwave festival, and is known for its high-energy atmosphere and significant headliners.

NYE On The Hill is a boutique music and camping festival held in the picturesque rolling hills of South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, known for its intimate and friendly atmosphere. The three-day event features over 30 bands, DJs, and artists, along with free camping, BYO alcohol, art installations, and morning yoga.

Luliepalooza is Melbourne's iconic rock 'n' roll block party, held annually at Victoria Park in Abbotsford, transforming it into a full-throttle, open-air celebration of music, art, food, and community. The festival, now in its fifth and biggest iteration, features two stages, over a dozen live bands spanning rock, punk, and soul, alongside skate demos, local food and beverages, and a strong emphasis on accessibility.

Ocean Sounds Festival is a family-friendly, picnic-style music event held annually on the scenic Churchill Island in Victoria, Australia. The festival features live performances from leading Australian acts alongside a curated selection of regional gourmet food, local wines, and cheeses.

AO Live is an extensive music and entertainment festival held at Melbourne Park in conjunction with the Australian Open tennis tournament. The event features a diverse lineup of international and local artists performing live concerts and DJ sets across multiple stages during the Grand Slam.