9 Of Australia's Weirdest Festivals and Races

Australia’s dry sense of humour blossoms when anyone mentions festival and charity in the same sentence.

Here are some of the craziest ways that Aussies have found to raise money and/or community spirit.

1. The Parkes Elvis Festival

It’s not the subject of this festival so much as where it takes place that makes Parkes Elvis Festival unique.

Elvis impersonator in a car — The festival attracts 15,000-plus Elvis fans and voyeurs annually.

Imagine a sleepy country town almost five hours’ drive west of Sydney (population 10,000) inundated by 15,000-plus Elvis fans and voyeurs for a few days in one of the hottest months of the year – that’s why it’s one of Australia’s quirkiest events.

Elvis impersonators and crowds gather at the annua Street Parade in Parkes. — Elvis impersonators and crowds gather at the annual Street Parade in Parkes.

2. Henly-on-Todd Regatta, Alice Springs

This Alice Springs perennial has been going on so long that many Australians probably think it’s quite normal, but put this annual mockery of the UK’s terribly posh Henly Royal Regatta back into context and you see that it is unadulterated lunacy.

participants and spectators at the Henley on Todd Regatta in Alice Springs — It’s the most fun you can have without water. (Image: Tourism NT/Imparja Creative)

A boat race, where teams of participants (rowers) run down a dry, sandy riverbed, Fred Flintstone-style, carrying a mock-up yacht – and it’s held around 1500km from any body of water of any consequence. Ironically it was once cancelled due to bad weather – too much rain!

Henley on Todd Regatta — Henley-on-Todd Regatta is the world’s only dry river boating event in Alice Springs. (Image: Tourism NT/Imparja Creative)

3. Shitbox Rally

Quirky because it celebrates the underdog – in this case the clapped-out Australian car – and then proceeds to put it through a distinctly Australian torture test.

In the Redex-trail spirit, entrants in the Shitbox Rally must drive their under-$1500 ‘shitbox’ in one of three annual routes to raise money for the Cancer Council: Adelaide to Perth via the Northern Territory in autumn, Melbourne to Alice Springs passing through NSW and Queensland in winter, and Bendigo to Townsville with a dip over the border into South Australia en route in spring.

Every route features roads the cars would have struggled with even in their younger years, but of course, it only adds to the sense of adventure.

The quirky rally celebrates the underdog!

4. Tunarama

Our weirdness tends to swim upstream on Australia Day, so it’s no coincidence that the South Australian fishing city Port Lincoln holds its “world famous" Tunarama to coincide with it.

The festival celebrates all things relating to the city’s most lucrative fish resource, highlighted by, naturally, the World Championship Tuna Toss. The festival was cancelled in 2024 but will be resurrected under new ownership with some changes, likely to incorporate more of a focus on food and wine and local music. The iconic tuna toss is set to remain.

What’s weirder than the world-famous Tuna toss?

5. Boorowa’s Running of the Sheep

Not quite the gore and frenetic activity of the similarly named Running of the Bulls in Spain.

Boorowa streetscape — Farmers guide a flock of sheep down the town’s main street at the annual festival. (Image: Holly Bradford; Capital Country Tourism)

In fact, the pinnacle of the action is a farmer on a quadbike and some dogs guiding a flock of sheep down the town’s main street, which lies about an hour north of Canberra. It’s the grand finale of the Boorowa Hotel’s Irish Woolfest .

Sheep shearing in Boorowa, Capital Country — (Image: Holly Bradford; Capital Country Tourism)

6. Dunny Races

The dunny race surely embodies the pinnacle of Australian festival toilet humour.

The Sunshine Coast is home to the Great Australian Dunny Race. It started as an Australia Day race outside the Ettamogah Pub; the road transformed into a thunderbox drag strip with the athletes acting as human horses as they endeavour to pull their loo the quickest and be declared Dunny Race Champion of the World.

Now in its 34th year, the race is part of the Sunshine Coast Chilli & Chocolate Festival held annually in March with an entry fee that goes towards Mates in the Bush via Rural Aid. Other towns, such as Werribee, Victoria, and Quilton in Outback Queensland, have also dabbled in dunny races.

7. Maslin Beach Nude Games

Somewhat less patronised, but equally energetic is the primo sporting event on the South Australian nudists/naturalist’s sporting calendar.

The marquee events at the Pilwarren Maslin Beach Nude Games , held on the banks of the Murray River, are the three-legged race, the sack race and the tug of war. Unlike the competitors, clothes are optional for spectators at this summertime festival.

The event, which is currently on hold, has over 30 years of history and attracts over 300 participants annually. Hopefully, a resurrection is in the works.

8. Tully Golden Gumboot

Tully in Queensland scores the award for conjuring up the most obscure reason for a festival: celebrating its reputation for rain and being “a pretty wet place".

The symbol of this annual event, the Golden Gumboot, stands proud over a festival full of small-town energy with the mandatory float parade and, of course, gumboot throwing on the schedule.

The competition sees the Far North Queensland towns of Tully, Innisfail, and Babinda in Australia battle it out for the title of the wettest town in Australia with the winner of the competition awarded, rather fittingly, a rubber boot.

The Golden Gumboot in Tully Queensland — The township of Tully is home to the Golden Gumboot. (Image: Tourism Events Queensland)

9. Deni Ute Muster

A devastating drought in the late nineties inspired a small group of Deniliquin locals to start a rural-themed festival to bring visitors (and much-needed income) to the small country town. What followed was a mass gathering of ute devotees openly celebrating their sub-culture: bumper stickers, ‘circle work’, big, big aerials, and blue singlets.

The Deni Ute Muster now attracts over 20,000 people of all ages to the festival annually, with a mosaicked vintage ute and an erected ute on a pole two of the headline attractions.

TransmUTE is a celebration of arts and the ute culture in Deniliquin. — The mosaic vintage ute paints Deniliquin as the ute capital of the free world. (Image: Destination NSW)

The nightly concerts feature performances by Australian and International rock and country musicians (think Amy Shark, Kip Moore and Tyler Hubbard), and the day is full of entertainment for all ages.

Crowds enjoying the Deni Ute Muster — The evening entertainment features some of the country’s best musicians. (Image: Destination NSW)

There were 9,736 examples of the classic Aussie transport at the 2013 Deni Ute Muster , leading to claims that Deniliquin is indeed the ute capital of the free world.

Woman posing with three costumed kangaroos at the Deni Ute Muster 2015, Deniliquin. — The annual event attracts over 20,000 ute devotees. (Image: The Art of Zowie Photography)

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

9 of Australia’s weirdest festivals and races