National Festival of Beers SEP / Brisbane Not to be confused with the Beer Can Regatta (held in Darwin the previous month) this festival takes place at Story Bridge Hotel, Kangaroo Point, Queensland. About 80 different draft beers pour from pub taps over five days. Street performers and touring bands add to the refined ambience. Birdsville Races SEP / Brisbane An Australian classic! One of the most remote towns in Outback Australia - Birdsville in Queensland - holds a weekend of races and revelry. Birdsville’s population (100) swells by several thousand, with many visitors arriving by plane. Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race DEC / Sydney One of the world’s classic blue-water yacht races, this starts on Boxing Day in Sydney in front of a vast crowd and culminates in a colourful New Year’s Eve party in Hobart. Stroud International Brick Throwing Contest JUL / Sydney An annual international contest between four townships named Stroud sees Stroud New South Wales pitted against Strouds in Britain, the US and Canada. Bricks and rolling pins are thrown by champions. A Taste of Manly JUN / Sydney Sydney’s largest annual food and wine festival, this two-day event is a showcase for the multicultural restaurants of the beachside suburb of Manly. More than 30,000 visitors come to sample food (which ranges the culinary globe) and free entertainment. The Melbourne Cup NOV / Melbourne One of the premier events on the world horseracing circuit, this 130-year-old race brings Australia to a virtual standstill. A glorious celebration of horseflesh, champagne and giant hats. Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix OCT / Melbourne With three World Championship races – 125cc, 250cc and the superstars of 500cc – the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Victoria’s spectacular Phillip Island circuit is the premier event on the international motorcycle calendar. Melbourne International Festival OCT / Melbourne Each year, this 17-day extravaganza transforms the city into a vast kaleidoscope of sound, colour and imagery. Enjoy the finest international and local visual and performing arts, including opera, dance, drama, paintings, and sculpture, buskers and street performers. Southern Safari Tasmania AUG / Hobart Annual Tasmanian round of the Australian Rally Championships, attracting national and state competitors. Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race DEC / Hobart One of the world’s classic blue-water yacht races, this starts on Boxing Day in Sydney in front of a vast crowd and culminates in a colourful New Year’s Eve party in Hobart. Shinju Matsuri, Festival of the Pearl AUG / Perth A tribute to the diverse and exotic cultural heritage of Broome, Western Australia. Special features include pearl jewellery and art exhibitions, a float parade, traditional Japanese festival ceremonies, a mardi gras and the crowning of the Pearl Queen. Saltwater People’s Festival JUL / Darwin Linked to the start of the Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race and inspired by the welcome bestowed on sailors at the end of the race, the festival celebrates Darwin’s cultural identity by focusing on local art and culture. Royal Darwin Show JUL / Darwin This three-day show presents the Northern Territory’s finest livestock, produce, craft, industry and services, with sideshow alleys and food stalls. The culmination: a monster firework display. Jabiru Wind Festival SEP / Darwin The major annual cultural community event in the Alligator Rivers and Kakadu National Park region. The week long celebration of art, culture and entertainment culminates in a finale of music, dancing, eating and spectacular sunset fireworks. National Opera Festival Canberra JUL / Canberra The best of Australian opera in a variety of styles from main stage to theatre restaurants, from recitals to movies. Various venues in Canberra. Floriade Canberra – Theme "Gardens & Gourmet" SEP / Canberra One of the biggest display of flowers in the southern hemisphere, Floriade is Canberra’s most celebrated festival, complemented by music, dance, street theatre, sculpture and fine food.