The Australian stream: Home-grown movies and TV shows to watch now
Be a patriotic viewer and stream some Australian classics.
Video streaming has brought us a world of entertainment, including a number of favourite Australian films.
If you want to get your Australian movie fix, we’ve done some digging in order to pick some titles that you can watch while enjoying a spread of fairy bread, Tim Tams and lamingtons.
Here are a few options for Aussie content that’s streaming on some of the different services:
Stan
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Starring Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving, and Terence Stamp, Priscilla Queen of the Desert was a huge cinematic success during the 1990s.
Beneath the fabulous costumes, makeup and 'that' bus is a riveting tale about cabaret-performing drag queens on tour and the hardships they face by challenging the status quo of regional Australia.
Mad Max
The original and the remake (Fury Road) are available for streaming on Stan. Set in a dystopian future, these movies scream around the desolate future countryside of Australia. The original flick, released in 1979, famously stars Mel Gibson.
As far as Aussie representation goes, the latest version was handled by the original film’s director, George Miller, and features model and actress Abbey Lee, along with a string of familiar Australian faces including Angus Sampson and John Howard (the actor, not the former Prime Minister).
Crocodile Dundee
“That’s not a knife”... with those immortal words, Paul Hogan put Australia on the map. Filmed in the outback as well as New York, Crocodile Dundee is responsible for a thousand Aussie stereotypes.
Even so, it’s impossible not to fall head over heels for loveable larrikin Mick Dundee. You can also watch the second Croc Dundee flick on Stan, if you feel like really making a night of it.
Red Dog
Who doesn’t love this film?
A fun cast of characters, a red dusty setting and the very best of man’s best friends make for a heart-warming family favourite. Set in regional WA in the 1970s, it’s an entertaining step back in time.
Netflix
A Few Best Men
This cheeky comedy of errors brings together a British and an Australian cast for a wedding in the Blue Mountains.
The groom has his head screwed on, but his hapless mates don’t seem to be able to get anything right in this cringe-and-laugh comedy, which stars Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Debicki and none other than Olivia Newton-John.
The Reef
If you have a fear of sharks, stay away from this movie!
An Aussie-made flick, this features a group of travellers who decide to take a lovely sailing trip… until everything goes wrong.
Swimming for help seems a good idea, right up until a Great White makes itself known (cue screaming). The Reef puts your fears of cutting yourself on sharp rocks while you’re swimming into very sharp focus.
The Square
A crime thriller from 2008, The Square is a twist-and-turn tale of crime, affairs and the suburban middle class.
Critics described this film as “a well-made and entertaining descent into a black-comic hell” and “the kind of crime film that is not easy to make”.
It stars Aussie favourite Joel Edgerton, who co-wrote the film, and is directed by his brother Nash Edgerton.
Presto
Australia
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, this flick has Nicole (Kidman), Hugh (Jackman) and that beautiful, vast outback, along with shot after shot of sweeping vistas.
Set during the second World War, the film centres around the drama of the times as well as a murder mystery. The costumes, the sets and the special effects combine to make it memorable viewing.
Lantana
Adapted from a successful stage play, the name Lantana refers to a pink-flowering weed that grows out of control in many areas around Australia, from paddocks to backyards.
The movie centres around the relationships of four couples and how they unravel after a body is found in a Lantana bush. The relationships are as intertwined as the vines of the weed itself.
The Dish
Until this film was released, many people didn’t know that Australia played a large part in the 1969 moon landing.
Starring Sam Neill (among others), the Dish tells the story of the team of Australian scientists who managed the satellite that allowed the iconic images of man on the moon to be broadcast around the world.
The ‘Dish’ itself was in the outback NSW town of Parkes, and was surrounded by a cast of colourful Australian characters.
Foxtel Play
The Rescuers Down Under
While not 100% an Australian film, this is one for the kids. Notably Disney’s first ever foray into sequels, The Rescuers Down Under tells of the travels of brave mice Bernard and Bianca, who set off to rescue and Australian boy in trouble.
Little ones will love this action packed adventure.
Tracks
Starring Mia Wasikowska and Star Wars’ Adam Driver, this film focuses on the far outback and the real life story of a woman who decided to take a walk of more than 2,700 kilometres across the Australian wilderness, accompanied by only four camels and her dog.
The journey, taken over more than six months, took Robyn Davidson from Alice Springs to the west coast of Australia.
There are dozens more Australian titles to be streamed if you keep an eye out, however you will also be able to stir your patriotic feelings by discovering more and more talented Australians featuring in major Hollywood movies, from superhero movies to major comedies and action flicks.
If you've ever wondered about the impact all this viewing might have on your monthly cap, you can check out how much data video streaming uses here.