101 Australian Films You Must Watch
Films are a great resource to use when studying English, or any language for that matter. Not only are they full of English vocab, phrases, grammar, idioms, and slang, but they’re also usually full of culture and history.
My students often ask me to give them recommendations when it comes to Australian movies, so I’ve tried to compile a list of 50+ Australian films you must watch below. They cover all types of genres, styles, and periods from the 1960s to the present.
In the list below you’ll find each movie’s title and release date, a brief description, and its trailer video on the right. A handful of the older films are also available to watch for FREE on YouTube. Where possible, I’ve linked these free-to-view films via a button titled “WATCH THE FULL MOVIE ON YOUTUBE”.
Enjoy!
🎬 Classics (1960s–1980s)
1. They're a Weird Mob (1966)
An Italian journalist deals with culture shock in Australia in the 1960s when his cousin convinces him to emigrate for a lucrative magazine job.
2. Wake in Fright (1971)
After a bad gambling bet, a schoolteacher is marooned in a town full of crazy, drunk, violent men who threaten to make him just as crazy, drunk, and violent.
3. Walkabout (1971)
A story of two children, one a teenage schoolgirl and the other her little brother, who are put into a deeply disturbing and unexpected situation that changes both of their lives forever.
4. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
A haunting mystery where schoolgirls vanish on a picnic in 1900. Important for understanding Australian New Wave cinema and how Aussies use atmosphere and silence in storytelling.
5. Storm Boy (1976)
Storm Boy lives with his recluse father on South Australia’s lonely and beautiful Coorong coast.Here his free spirit roams with his pet pelican,Mr Percival,and his secret Aboriginal friend Fishbone.
6. Mad Max (1979)
Max Rockatansky, a member of a police unit, confronts a gangster that results in the gangster being killed. The gang leader decides to avenge his mate’s death.
7. Breaker Morant (1980)
Story accentuates the unlawful actions exercised during the war in 19th century, when three lieutenants were court-martialed for a murder that they carried out under orders from superior commanders.
8. Gallipoli (1981)
Two Australian sprinters face the brutal realities of war when they are sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I.
9. Puberty Blues (1981)
Teen best friends Debbie and Sue grow up and find love and freedom on the beaches of Sydney’s Sutherland Shire during the tumultuous 1970s.
10. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Living in a gasoline-rich area in the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland are survivors who want to escape from a bunch of bandits. A cynical ex-cop decides to help them with their escape plan.
11. The Man from Snowy River (1982)
In 1880s Australia, after young Jim Craig’s father dies, he takes a job at the Harrison cattle ranch, where he is forced to become a man.
12. Careful, He Might Hear You (1983)
After his mother’s death, PS lives with working-class aunt and uncle until posh Aunt Vanessa claims co-guardianship.
13. Bliss (1985)
Life is going great for Harry Joy — until he dies. After a startling near-death experience, the advertising exec awakens to a world that is not as he remembered it.
14. Crocodile Dundee (1986)
A reporter travels to Australia to interview an eccentric crocodile poacher. When he rescues her from an attack, she invites him to return with her to New York City.
15. Shine (1996)
David Helfgott, a gifted pianist, struggles through childhood as his dysfunctional father abuses him and his siblings. Years later, he suffers a mental breakdown but manages to return as a legend.
🎬 Indigenous Films
16. Ten Canoes (2006)
Ten Canoes has two stories, one in black and white about a young man’s first hunt, and one in color about a ritual payback, showing Indigenous land connection.
17. Samson and Delilah (2009)
Samson and Delilah are in love, but tragedy strikes when her grandmother dies and she is blamed for it. They leave the village hoping for a better life, not knowing what the city holds for them.
18. The Tracker (2002)
When a Native Australian man is accused of murdering a woman, three white men, along with a tracker, set out to capture the fugitive. On the mission, their ideologies on racism trigger a conflict.
19. Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
In 1931, three aboriginal girls escape after being plucked from their homes to be trained as domestic staff and set off on a trek across the Outback.
20. Sweet Country (2017)
During the 1920s in Northern Territory of Australia, an elderly farmer kills the farm owner in self-defence. A breath-taking game of cat and mouse ensues after he decides to escape with his wife.
21. High Ground (2020)
A young aboriginal man seeks the help of ex-soldier Travis to track and hunt down the most dangerous warriors in the territory. However, when Travis’s past actions are revealed, he becomes the victim.
22. Mad Bastards (2011)
TJ undertakes a road trip to find the son he never knew and meets various people, which makes him question his life of violence.
23. Satellite Boy (2012)
Pete lives in an old drive-in cinema with his grandfather and he gets lost in the Outback when he goes to the city to save his home from demolition.
🎬 Comedy & Satire
24. The Castle (1997)
A Melbourne family loves its home which is located next to the Melbourne airport. When government and airport authorities force them to vacate the house, they decide to fight for their beloved home.
25. Muriel's Wedding (1994)
Stuck in a small town with her dominant father, depressed mother and cruel friends, a socially awkward woman takes destiny into her own hands and sets off in search of happiness and her ideal groom.
26. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Two drag queens and a transgender woman travel across the Australian desert in a tour bus to take their cabaret show to a remote town. Along the way, they encounter various interesting characters.
27. Kenny (2006)
Kenny Smyth delivers portable loos for a living. Although he faces ridicule at times due to his job, he manages to keep calm and stay dignified.
28. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
This romantic comedy is about the dreams of youth and ultimate fulfillment. It tells a story of love and conflict of two young people fighting for artistic freedom against a repressive regime.
29. Young Einstein (1988)
Albert Einstein, the son of a farmer, discovers a way to split the beer atom to put the bubbles back into the beer. He travels to Sydney to patent his invention and meets a beautiful French scientist.
30. Kath & Kimderella (2012)
A group of women who travel to Italy turn into the town’s new centre of attraction. Apart from grabbing several men’s attention, the ladies end up having a fabulous trip.
31. Brothers' Nest (2018)
Brothers Terry and Jeff plot to kill their stepfather for being an irresponsible parent and to acquire the family inheritance but their plans go terribly wrong.
32. 100 Bloody Acres (2012)
Reg and Lindsay run an organic fertiliser business and have a secret formula that makes their product famous. They run a risk of being exposed when Reg meets three strangers.
33. The Dish (2000)
A bunch of maverick scientists on a remote Australian sheep farm are the globe’s only hope for obtaining the epic images of man’s first steps on the moon.
34. Rams (2020)
Colin and Les, two estranged brothers, manage their own sheep farms. When Les faces a troublesome situation, the two must put aside their differences and unite to protect their herds and livelihood.
35. Last Cab to Darwin (2015)
After learning that he is terminally ill, Rex, a taxi driver, decides to drive to Darwin to end his life. Along the way, he has interesting encounters that make him rethink his views on life.
36. The Big Steal (1990)
An Australian teen (Ben Mendelsohn) dates his dream girl (Claudia Karvan) in a used Jaguar bought from a crooked car dealer (Steve Bisley).
🎬 Horror
37. Boar (2016)
In the Australian outback, a large and dangerous wild boar relentlessly guards its territory. With a lust for violence and blood, it brutally attacks and kills any trespassers.
38. Wolf Creek (2005)
Horror tale of backpacking friends out in the Australian wilderness whose car breaks down. They accept help from an eccentric local who turns out to be a tourist-hating maniac.
39. Rogue (2007)
An American journalist joins a few tourists as they cruise the river in Kakadu National Park. When their boat is attacked by a massive creature, they find themselves being chased by a 23-ft crocodile.
40. Black Water (2007)
Grace, her husband, Adam, and her sister, Lee, go on a fishing trip to the mangrove swamps of Northern Australia. When their tour guide is killed by a crocodile, they are left to fend for themselves.
41. Cargo (2017)
A virus that turns humans into zombies within 48 hours spreads through Australia. Andy and Kay, a married couple, try to protect their daughter Rosie from the virus.
42. The Babadook (2014)
Sam, a young boy, is convinced of a monster’s presence in his home, due to certain disturbing visions. His erratic behaviour concerns his single mother, Amelia, who spirals into a state of paranoia.
43. Killing Ground (2016)
A couple goes on a camping trip to take a break from their routine lives. There, they come across an empty campsite with a crying child and learn that something horrific has happened.
44. The Nightingale
Clare, a young Irish convict, enlists the help of Billy, an aboriginal tracker, and sets out in pursuit of a cruel British officer in the Tasmanian wilderness.
45. The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce (2008)
Alexander Pearce, an Irish convict, escapes from a maximum-security prison with other inmates but is the only one to survive. His confession to his sins before his execution shakes the legal system.
46. Talk to Me (2022)
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game — until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
47. Bring Her Back (2025)
A brother and sister are introduced to their new sibling by their foster mother, only to learn that she has a terrifying secret.
48. The Moogai (2024)
Sarah and Fergus, a hopeful Aboriginal couple, give birth to their second baby. However, their joy and happiness soon takes a sinister turn when Sarah becomes convinced that a malevolent spirit is trying to steal her newborn.
49. The Reef (2010)
While sailing to Indonesia with his friends, Luke’s boat capsizes. Desperate to survive, a few members decide to risk swimming to a nearby island but a great white shark starts trailing them.
50. Dangerous Animals (2025)
A shark-obsessed serial killer holds Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, captive on his boat. Racing against time, she must figure out a way to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
51. Relic (2020)
Kay and her daughter, Sam, go to her old house to help her elderly and demented mother. But they notice something dark in the house as the old woman becomes increasingly erratic and disoriented.
52. Together (2025)
Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads when they move to the countryside, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.
🎬 Crime & Thriller
53. Chopper (2000)
Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, a convict serving sentence in a maximum-security prison, is stabbed for his eccentric behaviour. Upon being released, Chopper desperately searches for his hidden enemy.
54. Animal Kingdom (2010)
After the death of his mother, Joshua decides to live with his grandmother, who heads a criminal clan. His life takes a turn as he gets involved with his cousins and their criminal activities.
55. Two Hands (1999)
A 19 year old finds himself in debt to a local gangster when some gang loot disappears and sets him on the run from thugs.
56. Lantana (2001)
Leon, a Sydney police detective is cheating on his wife, Sonja, with a married woman, even though he still loves his wife. Soon a woman’s body is found in a tangle of Lantana forest.
57. Noise (2007)
Graham McGahan is a cop—almost by default he thinks. Self-centred, beset with doubt and afflicted with tinnitus, a few days before Christmas he is sent by his boss to man a police van in a suburban shopping strip, after violent murders rock the local community.
58. The Interview (1998)
A psychological drama that explores guilt and the uncertain nature of truth. A duel between a suspected murderer and a detective pressed by people who want results. But whose skin is really wanted.
59. Mystery Road (2013)
After arriving at a town where his alienated father lives, a detective probes the case of two young farmers who disappear in a bizarre manner.
60. Goldstone (2016)
Detective Jay Swan goes to a mining town to inquire about a missing person. He joins hands with Josh Waters, a local cop, to investigate a corruption scandal that involves the mayor of the town.
61. The Dry (2020)
A federal agent’s return to his hometown for his childhood friend’s funeral leads to a murder investigation that reopens old wounds and threatens to expose the town’s hidden secrets.
62. Snowtown
Based on true events, 16-year-old Jamie lives with his depressed mother and sexually abused brothers. When he tries to escape from this cruel world, he meets John, who changes his life forever.
63. Force of Nature (2024)
Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to investigate the disappearance of a woman during a corporate retreat in the Giralang Ranges, uncovering hidden secrets and a trail of deception within the community.
64. The Proposition (2005)
Captain Stanley detains a raging fugitive, Charlie Burns, and gives him nine days to execute his elder brother in a bid to save the latter’s younger brother, Mikey.
65. Nitram (2021)
Nitram, a lonely and frustrated man, meets Helen, a reclusive heiress, and the two develop a close friendship. When the relationship ends tragically, Nitram becomes the cause of a great disaster.
66. The Royal Hotel (2023)
Americans Hanna and Liv are backpacking in Australia and take a temporary live-in job in a remote Outback mining town. Soon, they find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control.
67. The True History of the Kelly Gang (2019)
Ned Kelly, a young boy who grows up in a rebellious immigrant family, is pushed into a life of crime. Soon, he becomes a bushranger, gathers an inner circle and is forced to flee from authorities.
🎬 Drama & Romance
68. Australia (2008)
An English aristocrat travels to Australia in order to save the cattle ranch she inherited. In the process of doing so, she befriends a local called Drover who then helps her accomplish her mission.
69. My Brilliant Career (1979)
Sybylla, an independent woman, makes it clear that she wants to concentrate on building her career instead of getting married. Yet, she gets proposals from many interested suitors.
70. Oscar and Lucinda (1997)
After her parents die, Lucinda buys a glass factory and gets involved in gambling. She meets Oscar who shares the same interest as her and falls in love with her.
71. Japanese Story (2003)
A geologist and Hiromitsu, a Japanese businessman, play out a story of human inconsequence in the face of the blistering universe set in Western Australia.
72. Romper Stomper (1992)
A gang of young white supremacists in Australia take aim at Melbourne’s Asian community with brutal results.
73. The Year My voice Broke (1987)
In rural 1960s Australia, a boy watches helplessly as his best friend falls in love with a small-time criminal, setting off a violent chain of events.
74. Dead Calm (1989)
A couple’s vacation in the middle of the Pacific ocean turns into a nightmare when a mass murderer shows up on their yacht and kidnaps the wife, leaving the husband to die on another boat.
75. Jindabyne (2006)
Stewart and his friends find the dead body of a girl but fail to report it for days. This action has consequences that go beyond humanity and crime and takes a toll on his relationship with his wife.
76. The Sapphires (2012)
Set in 1968, the film tells the story of four young, talented sisters from Australia who are discovered by Dave, a talent scout. Their destiny lands them in Vietnam to sing for the American soldiers.
77. Holding the Man (2015)
Tim and John fell in love while teenagers at their all-boys high school. Their romance endured for 15 years to laugh in the face of everything life threw at it – the separations, the discrimination, the temptations, the jealousies and the losses.
78. Lion (2016)
Saroo gets separated from his family at the age of five and ends up being adopted by an Australian couple. However, 25 years later, he returns to India to search for his birth parents.
79. The Stranger (2022)
Mark, an undercover cop, forms an intense, intimate relationship with Henry, a murder suspect, in an attempt to earn his trust and get a confession, risking both of their lives in the process.
80. Australia Day (2017)
Three Australians from different backgrounds collide and must deal with their cultural similarities, as well as issues of national identity and racial tension that are prevalent in Australian society.
81. Just a Farmer (2024)
A newly widowed mother is left with the care of an alcoholic father-in-law and a failing farm. She is forced to forge a new path for her family, all while struggling to pick up the pieces of her life.
82. How to Make Gravy (2024)
Prisoner Joe writes a letter to his brother Dan about wanting to be with family at Christmas, lamenting how he can’t make the gravy for the roast and how much he misses everyone.
83. Ali's Wedding (2017)
Ali, an aspiring musician, is conflicted between fulfilling his familial obligations and choosing his dreams. Hilarity ensues when he starts lying about his academics to please his family.
🎬 Action, Adventure, & Family
84. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
In an apocalyptic world, a tyrant rules over a stark desert, controlling every drop of water. Two rebels, one escaping grief and the other reaching out to her childhood, are the last hope for a few.
85. Babe (1995)
Babe, an orphaned pig, learns to herd sheep after Arthur Hoggett, a farmer, wins him in a contest at a country fair. However, Rex, Hoggett’s lead sheepdog, doesn’t like Babe.
86. Babe: Pig in City (1998)
Babe, the sheep-herding pig, visits the city along with Esme and stays in a hotel that allows pets. When officials impound the animals at the hotel, Babe steps in to free the animals and save the day.
87. Red Dog (2011)
Near his grandfather’s farm, 11-year-old Mick, who is unhappy, rescues a puppy. Mick soon discovers the joys of life with his canine companion by his side.
88. Oddball (2015)
Set in Warrnambool, Victoria, this family comedy-drama tells the true story of a mischievous Maremma sheepdog named Oddball. The town’s population of little penguins is under threat from foxes, and eccentric chicken farmer Swampy Marsh comes up with an unusual plan: train Oddball to protect them. The film mixes humour, Aussie small-town charm, and environmental themes, while showcasing coastal language and accents.
89. Storm Boy (2019)
Retired businessman Michael Kingley reminiscences his childhood days spent on an isolated coastline and tells his grandchild about the special bond he shared with a rescued pelican.
90. The Water Diviner (2014)
Joshua Connor’s three sons are presumed dead in the Battle of Gallipoli. After his wife commits suicide, Connor goes to Turkey to find the bodies of his three sons to bury them with their mother.
91. Nim's Island (2008)
Imagination and reality collide when young Nim’s father goes missing at sea. Fate brings to her the author of the Alex Rover series, her favourite books, and together they try to find Nim’s father.
92. Paper Planes (2014)
When Dylan picks up the art of turning a piece of paper into an aerodynamic paper plane, he decides to compete in the upcoming regional finals of a paper plane flying competition.
93. Tracks (2013)
Robyn Davidson travels thousands of kilometres across the deserts of Australia to the Indian Ocean with her four camels and a pet dog, as a photographer documents her journey.
94. Penguin Bloom (2020)
Based on a true story, this drama follows Sam Bloom (played by Naomi Watts), a mother who suffers a life-changing accident that leaves her paralysed. Her family struggles to adapt until they rescue and adopt an injured magpie chick, nicknamed “Penguin.” The bird’s resilience inspires Sam and her family to find new strength. Emotional and uplifting, the film highlights themes of family, healing, and connection with Australian wildlife.
95. Ned Kelly (2003)
After being threatened, Constable Fitzpatrick places the blame on Ned and exaggerates what happened. Ned and his gang set into the wild, to remain hidden, even if it means having his family arrested.
96. The Legend of Ben Hall (2016)
When bush ranger Ben Hall is drawn back into crime by the reappearance of an old friend, the duo take on a new recruit and soon begin a spree of robberies and crimes across New South Wales. After killing two policemen, the three become the most wanted men in the colony when the government declares that they can be shot on sight. Fearing for his life, Ben makes desperate plans to flee the colony, but with a such a large bounty on their heads, treachery abounds where he least expects it.
97. The Hunter (2011)
Martin, a mercenary, is sent to the Tasmanian wilderness by a military biotech company to hunt down the last of the Tasmanian tigers in order to thwart competing organisations from getting their DNA.
98. What About Sal? (2024)
With his mother dying of a terminal illness, Sal, in his 30s and with Down Syndrome, embarks on a journey to find his long-lost father.
99. Kokoda (2006)
A band of Australian soldiers realize that they are outnumbered by the Japanese special unit in the Kokoda Trail. They have to think of a solution before getting ambushed.
100. Red Dog: True Blue (2016)
Mick, an eleven-year-old, befriends a dog when he goes to live with his grandfather in a remote region. Accompanied by the dog, he goes on many adventures that proves life-changing for both of them.
101. True Spirit (2023)
An Australian teenager plans to become the youngest sailor to have travelled the world alone. In doing so, the intrepid 16-year-old not only seeks to fulfil her dream, she also faces her greatest fears at the same time.
