Travel Blogs

Classic Australia Movies

Bringing a little Australian spirit to lighten up life at home

Looking for a little bit of Australia? While spending more time than usual at home we thought we’d bring a little Australia to you. Here are four classic Aussie movies to bring a little of our charm and entertainment to whatever stage of lock down you’re in.

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994)

A film as colorful as the misconceptions surrounding Australians keeping kangaroos as pets, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert follows the story of two drag-queens and a transgendered woman as they road trip from Sydney to Australia’s Red Centre – home to the iconic rock formation Uluru – to perform a drag show. With didgeridoo solos and ABBA singalongs, this movie will not only have you dancing in the living room and give you a glimpse of the sheer size of Australia, it’ll also leave you wanting to visit the Simpson Desert and Kings Canyon in the Northern Territory, in the tropical Top End of Australia, after your next Australian incentive.

Crocodile Dundee (1986)

Mick Dundee, played by homegrown legend Paul Hogan, is synonymous with Australia. Filmed in the Northern Territory’s World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, Crocodile Dundee introduced the country’s “no worries” attitude to the world. Released in 1986 it was the highest grossing film ever released in Australia and the highest grossing foreign film ever released in America.

The Man from Snowy River (1982)

The Man from Snowy River is not just about sweeping plains and rugged mountain scenery – it also brings famous Australian literature from Australian bush poet, Banjo Paterson, to the big screen. Based on the poem of the same name, the film was a box office success. Tapping into Australia’s national pride, it was recreated into a popular musical theater production and inspired a museum. As the story unfolds and you watch the sunrise and sunset across the beautiful terrain of Victoria’s Snowy Mountains in southern Australia, you’ll also be longing for your very own horseback experiences in Australia (and we can deliver).

The Castle (1997)

If you’re after something really Australian, The Castle, centred on a working-class Australian family fighting to keep their beloved home from being demolished in the country’s second largest city Melbourne, is all about “the vibe”. From the Australiana wardrobe (the iconic ugg boots worn by the film’s star, Michael Caton, are on display at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney), to the thick Aussie accents and the mundane (yet amusing) day-to-day activities of the family, The Castle is continuously commended as a comic masterpiece. You can watch the original version to try to decipher all the Aussie colloquialisms, or there is a more recent version that’s dubbed over in more common American lingo (not fair dinkum!). And if you think the young Con looks familiar, you’re right - this was Eric Bana’s first film role.