Buzz
Australians are famous for their cheeky humor and their giving nature. We take pride in raising funds for our local community causes. Traditional fundraisers like raffles, lamington drives, and charity galas can sometimes feel a bit stale, so community groups are always on the hunt for new and exciting ways to generate support. When you blend humor, a strong sense of community, and the desire to have fun, you end up with some of the most outrageous events Australia has to offer.
Some of these events were short-lived, like one in a rural town where a man spent an entire weekend perched on a toilet seat in the back of a pickup truck outside the local pub to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. But many of the events that began as a playful joke went on to become surprisingly popular, even to the organizers' surprise.
10. Henley-On-Todd Regatta
Each August, the dry riverbed of the Todd River in Alice Springs serves as the backdrop for an unusual boat race. Originally conceived as a lighthearted parody of British-style rowing regattas, which are still held in major cities, it’s become a unique tradition in its own right.
In 1962, members of the local Rotary Club gathered for a picnic by the dry creek bed and discussed potential fundraising ideas. One member, half-joking, suggested hosting a “boat race” where the participants would carry their boats down the barren riverbed. The idea quickly caught fire among the locals, and the Henley-on-Todd Regatta has since grown into a beloved annual event in the heart of the outback.
This whimsical event sees teams of “rowers” sprinting down a dry creek bed while holding their makeshift “boats” around them, reminiscent of Fred Flintstone’s car from the classic 1960s cartoon. Each participant must create a boat large enough to fit a crew of four, all while running down the riverbed. Fancy dress is highly encouraged, adding to the regatta's festive and playful atmosphere.
9. Dunny Races
Few things embody the essence of being “Australian” quite like the iconic bush outhouse, or “dunny” as it’s affectionately known. It’s no surprise, then, that the humble dunny has found its way into the Australia Day festivities on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Every January, five-person teams come together for the annual Dunny Race. Four participants push and pull a portable dunny on wheels, while the fifth person takes their place on the “throne” for a madcap race toward the finish line.
The Dunny Race is just one component of a larger, offbeat Australia Day celebration. Other quintessential Australian activities on the day include a Weetbix-eating contest, a thong-throwing competition, and a crab race. Naturally, no great Aussie festival is complete without plenty of beer.
8. Darwin Beer Can Regatta
Each July, the Darwin Lions Club organizes a fundraising regatta with a unique twist.
Unlike their counterparts in Alice Springs, the boats in Darwin actually hit the waters at Mindil Beach. The catch is that the boats are constructed entirely from recycled beer cans. Participants spend months building their boats, hoping they’ll float. Many don’t. In the process, they also consume plenty of beer for charity.
Participants race through a designated course, aiming to sabotage their opponents along the way. From water cannons to flour bombs, just about anything goes in the effort to capsize other boats. A secret object is hidden somewhere along the route, and the winner is the crew who successfully retrieves and returns it to land. It’s perfectly acceptable to steal the object from other teams.
The Darwin Beer Can Regatta is undoubtedly one of the most outlandish fundraising events you’ll encounter in Australia.
7. Cockroach Races
There’s an Australian saying that people would “bet on two flies crawling up the wall.” The Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane certainly takes insect racing to the next level.
Every January, the hotel hosts its iconic Australia Day Cockroach Races, which have grown into a significant community event. Back in 1982, two patrons decided to settle a bet on which suburb had the speedier cockroaches by racing them. Today, the Australia Day Cockroach Races have become a major annual fundraiser for a local youth charity.
The street is blocked off, with “stadiums” set up around the “arena” where spectators can enjoy the races from the comfort of their seats. The schedule features a “steeplechase” where the cockroaches must climb over a hose. Competitors purchase and “train” their cockroaches in advance, giving them amusing names under which they race on the day.
This might not be the event for you if you’re not fond of insects.
6. Wife Carrying Championships
Carrying your bride over the threshold is a long-standing tradition. But did you know that the Australian town of Singleton has hosted the Australian Wife Carrying Championships since 2005?
The event is a quirky feature of the annual Singleton Agricultural Show and was inspired by the World Wife Carrying Championships, held in Finland every year since 1992. Contestants must navigate an obstacle course with their wives on their backs.
The couple with the quickest time are crowned the Australian champions. The victorious duo also earns the chance to travel to Finland and compete in the World Wife Carrying Championships.
5. Tuna Tossing in South Australia
Each January, the South Australian town of Port Lincoln hosts a festival dedicated to celebrating the region’s tuna industry. “Tunarama” offers the usual mix of music, food stalls, and fireworks for the locals. However, the highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the annual Tuna Toss.
Back in 1979, a couple of members from the festival committee thought the event needed something to spice it up. Observing the local tuna fishermen tossing their catches from boats onto waiting trucks, they decided to start their own tuna tossing competition. Like many quirky events, it caught on, and now the Tunarama Tuna Toss is celebrating its 40th year.
Muscular young men line up on the sand, spinning a tuna to see how far they can launch it. A 9- to 10-kilogram (20–22 lb) tuna is thrown using a technique similar to that of Olympic hammer throwers. The current record stands at 37.23 meters (122.15 feet).
If tossing a hefty fish doesn’t quite float your boat, the festival still offers plenty of chances to sample the region’s delectable seafood.
4. Cane Toad Racing
The notorious cane toad was introduced to Queensland in the 1930s in an effort to control the cane beetles harming the local sugarcane crops. The experiment failed, and the toxic toads have since multiplied to plague proportions across Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
However, this hasn’t stopped Australians from having a bit of fun with them. Many pubs in Northern Queensland now host weekly or even daily cane toad races, where numbers are attached to the backs of the toads, and they are placed in the center of an arena. The first toad to hop out of the arena wins.
The races originated on Magnetic Island in Queensland during the 1980s as a fun and quirky way to raise funds for local charities. The event proved so entertaining that the races have spread like wildfire, and now they can be enjoyed at many Queensland pubs.
3. Narooma Duck Races
In Australia, it’s not uncommon to place a bet on nearly anything, even rubber bath duckies. On the southern coast of New South Wales, the Narooma Rotary Club hosts an annual “duck race,” which has become a key community fundraiser.
Each year on Australia Day, 1,000 numbered bath ducks are released into the local estuary from a bridge to float downstream. Locals purchase tickets and cheer on their duck from the foreshore. The first duck to reach the town wharf is crowned the winner. Meanwhile, members of the local surf club take to kayaks to rescue any ducks that stray off course, resulting in disqualification.
The Narooma Duck Races have been a fixture of the local Australia Day celebrations for over a decade, with the community gathering to enjoy the fun. Locals rush to secure the best spots along the foreshore to watch the race unfold.
2. Melbourne Birdman Rally
Throughout history, the dream of flight has captured the imagination, as seen in the myth of Icarus from Greek mythology. Every March, the Birdman Rally takes place in Melbourne during the Moomba Festival. Birdmen from across Australia gather to showcase their eccentric flying devices, each spending months in preparation before launching themselves into the Yarra River for charity.
Whether it's homemade gliders, more professional aircraft, or comical birdman outfits, participants compete not only for distance but also for entertainment value. The more outlandish, the better, with creativity and humor earning points. The goal is to make it across the Yarra River, though many competitors end up taking an unplanned dip in the water.
The winner's score is determined not only by how far they 'fly,' but also by how much money they've raised for their chosen charity before the event begins.
1. Birdsville Races
In remote rural areas where entertainment can be scarce, a group of landowners and stockmen came together in 1882 to organize a fundraising horse race at the Queensland-Northern Territory border. What started as a local event would grow into one of Australia's most prestigious races.
Each September, the small town of Birdsville, located on the edge of the Simpson Desert, sees its population surge from just 140 to thousands. Horses and spectators flood the area for the annual race, creating a unique atmosphere in the middle of nowhere. Unlike high-profile events, racegoers camp under the stars, and an impressive 80,000 cans of beer are consumed over the course of the festival.
As with many Australian events, the Birdsville Races are all about fun. Fancy dress is encouraged, and the week is filled with quirky activities to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. From fun runs and sack races to a 'mock race' where toy horses are pulled along the main street, the Birdsville Races have become an annual celebration of enjoyment and community spirit.
