Australia: Summer festival fun

The Australian Open in Melbourne is a major summer drawcard.

Planning a trip to Australia in the new year? We round up a selection of must-do upcoming events across the Tasman...

THE TASTE OF TASMANIA
28 December - 3 January

The Taste Festival celebrates Tasmanian food, produce, arts, culture and sporting activities. Sample some of the best food, wine, beer and beverages in Tasmania and dance the night away at the event's hub on Hobart's waterfront as the Sydney to Hobart yachts roll in.

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
13 - 26 January

For two weeks in January, the eyes of the world zone in on Melbourne Park as the best tennis players on the planet fight it out for one of the biggest Grand Slam titles the sport has to offer.

MONA FOMA TASMANIA
15 - 19 January

MONA FOMA is the Museum of Old and New Art's Festival of Music and Art, held in Hobart each January. The festival is curated by Brian Ritchie, former bassist for the Violent Femmes, and spans experimental music, improvisation, jazz, contemporary classical through to pop, rock and everything in between over 10 days and nearly 60 events.

SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER SOUTH AUSTRALIA
19 - 26 January

More than a bike race, the Santos Tour Down Under is a festival of cycling, with a range of associated events and festivals that create a massive party atmosphere across South Australia. Staged annually since 1999, the event brings top WorldTour professional cycling teams, as seen in the Tour de France, to race on the streets of Adelaide and regional South Australia over six stages.

PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA
7 February - 1 March

The longest running annual international multi-arts festival in the southern hemisphere, Perth International Arts Festival offers some of the world's best theatre, music, film, visual arts, literature and free community events. Since 1953, the Festival has welcomed to Perth some of the world's greatest artists and performers and connects with more than 800,000 people.

IF YOU GO

Getting there: Fly there with Air New Zealand.

Find out more at: Australia.com.

For more information visit: myaustraliapassion.co.nz.