Do Australians Celebrate Halloween?

Some Australians celebrate Halloween, though the holiday and its traditions are more popular among backpackers and families with young kids. Halloween doesn’t have the same level of popularity in Australia as it does in the USA or Europe. But there are ways to have an epic October 31st full of costumes and Halloween parties if you know where to look!

Here is your guide to Halloween in Australia!

Do Australians Celebrate Halloween?

Halloween is sometimes celebrated in Australia, mostly by backpackers and other foreigners who bring their beloved Halloween spirit from home. It’s not an official holiday in Australia, and some Australians may even be a bit resistant to the whacky traditions of costumes, parties, carving jack-o-lanterns, and trick-or-treating. 

But you can still find some Halloween celebrations in Australia! Backpackers, immigrants, and international visitors from Europe or the USA often continue to celebrate Halloween in Australia. So if you head to multicultural places and tourist hotspots, you may find Halloween celebrations geared towards these groups. 

Some small communities with lots of families and young kids may also get into the Halloween spirit through fun decorations and trick-or-treating. But there aren’t really specific locations where Halloween is or is not celebrated in Australia. You just have to look around and seek out the communities that are getting into the spooky spirit!

Where did Halloween come from?

Though Halloween has been largely popularised in the USA thanks to pop culture and media, Halloween actually originated in Europe! There are several different stories and legends about ancient Halloween rituals, but most accounts link Halloween to the Celts. Ancient Celtic festivals often included bonfires and costumes to ward off ghosts at the end of October or early November. The festivals continued throughout history, to the point where migrants from Ireland and Scotland brought these traditions to countries like the USA and Australia in the 19th Century. 

Modern-day Halloween is now celebrated on October 31st by people all over the world. The USA in particular has taken a strong liking to the holiday, with people of all ages going above and beyond for Halloween costumes, parties, decorations, and activities. Australia hasn’t fully jumped on the Halloween bandwagon, but studies show that popularity has increased over the years!

Halloween for Backpackers in Australia

For backpackers hoping to celebrate Halloween in Australia, there are a few ways to get involved. Being a backpacker, you’ll likely be meeting other travellers through hostels and group tours. This is the best way to find the Halloween celebrations in Australia as most of the hype is supplied by the international community!

Hostels

Hostels provide the perfect group environment for either finding or throwing a Halloween celebration in Australia. Many hostels in Australia promote a social environment with common areas and sometimes a pool or bar. Filled with backpackers from places like the UK, mainland Europe, and the USA, you’re bound to find other travellers in your hostel who love Halloween!

Many hostels already notice and appreciate their guests’ enthusiasm for Halloween and might have themed costume nights or parties planned. If there is nothing planned, why not enquire at the front desk about a Halloween party? Or plan your own celebration with some of your new friends in the hostel. 

City Nightlife

Even outside a hostel, you can still find Halloween spirit in cities around Australia. Cities tend to have a healthy population of international residents, from students to backpackers to permanent migrants. So Halloween can be a popular holiday in cities, even for the locals as well. You can scope out the local bars and clubs for any theme nights, or even check the local craft, costume, art, and dollar stores for costume supplies. You may be pleasantly surprised at the level of Halloween commitment in Australian cities!

House Parties

Another popular spot to find Halloween celebrations in Australia is in share houses. Whether these are full of young Aussie locals, students, foreign workers, or backpackers who have settled in one spot for a while, there is generally a desire to let loose and have fun celebrations in share houses. And Halloween presents the perfect opportunity to have a themed costume party!

You can meet people who live in share houses through work, school, or social clubs in Australian cities and towns. It’s always worth suggesting a Halloween party to your fun-loving friends and coworkers, as you never know who might be on board for a themed party.

Halloween for Families in Australia

Halloween is also popular among families in some parts of Australia. If you head out into more residential neighbourhoods around the bigger cities, you can find kids trick-or-treating in costumes and local homes slathered in decorations. This Halloween spirit isn’t as popular as you might find in other countries around the world, but there is still a chance of seeing a jack-o-lantern or two on an Aussie’s doorstep. 

How popular is Halloween in Australia?

So Halloween is growing more popular in Australia, especially among multicultural communities and families who bring their favourite traditions from home. It’s definitely not universally celebrated in Australia, but you can still find some exciting Halloween events and parties in October. 

Even if you can’t find a Halloween celebration in your area, consider being the ring leader who starts one! October is a gorgeous time of year in Australia as spring is turning into summer. Get your friends together, hit the local party stores for costumes, and celebrate the most mystical holiday of the year!

Find more tips to make the most of your Working Holiday Visa, or check out our full list of things to do on Australia's East Coast!

Feel free to contact our travel experts if you have any questions about tours or activities during your stay!