Lunar New Year road trips in Australia
By Vroom Team • Reviewed 12 Feb 2026
Known as an important event around the world with colourful decorations, parades, folk traditions, and a magical feast, the Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is a movable holiday.
Kicking off usually in mid-February, a large population of residents and visitors in Australia, primarily of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Malaysian, Singaporean, and Taiwanese ancestries, welcome the festivities each year with sumptuous reunion dinners, ringing of bells, and watching traditional lion dances and fireworks. The annual celebrations last for 15 days, marking it as the longest holiday in the Lunar calendar.
Check out VroomVroomVroom's cool list for fun activities you can do during your Lunar New Year road trip in Australia.
Enjoy some exciting Lunar New Year traditions in Sydney
Lunar New Year in Sydney is one of the largest festivals outside of Asia. More than 1 million people celebrate this event each year, with over 80 fun events stretching from Sydney’s Chinatown to Opera House, where the Lunar New Year Concert takes place.
Thousands of spectators flock to watch a ton of great cultural performances all over the city, with the Sydney Lunar Festival concentrating in the CBD on Haymarket Streets. Local communities in Parramatta, Chatswood Mall, Forest Road in Hurstville, and The Fairfield Showground also host their own celebrations.
Where to stay? There are endless accommodation options in Sydney. From budget to top end - there are plenty to choose from.
Larger-than-life Lunar zodiac lanterns
Colourful Lion and Dragon performances
Street parade
Live music and other fun activities
Directions: If you are coming from Sydney Airport (SYD), you can also rent a car at the airport and go on a 20-minute drive via M1. Already in downtown? There are plenty of convenient car rental options in Sydney, making it easy to confirm your booking and pick up a vehicle when you're ready to hit the road.
Attend the Chinatown Adelaide Lunar New Year Street Party
Experience the magic of the Lunar New Year as Adelaide’s Chinatown play host with a street party on Gouger Street. Expect lion dances, family-friendly activities, and over 80 stalls offering festival food and themed merchandise.
Head to Adelaide Central Market for some arts and crafts with the kids and a lion dance performance in the afternoon. Adelaide Arcade becomes a feast for the eyes as red lanterns line its paths throughout the festival season.
Where to stay? From great suites to affordable hotels and beachside apartments, the city of Adelaide has accommodation to suit every taste and budget.
Chinatown Adelaide Lunar New Year Street Party
Colourful street banners
Red lanterns
Lion dance performances
Face painting
Directions: If you will be arriving via Adelaide Airport (ADL), you can also hire a car from there and go on a 15-minute drive via Sir Donald Bradman Drive/A6 to explore the city.
Stop by and enjoy non-stop cultural entertainment in Hobart
Be entertained by the Chinese Community Association of Tasmania as they play host on the manicured lawns of Parliament House at Salamanca Place in Hobart during the Lunar New Year.
Indulge in Asian cuisine, multicultural performances, and fire cracker fun, while your kids enjoy some interactive activities at the Panda Zone.
Non-stop entertainment and stage performances
Food, culture and children’s activities
Three-metre long fire crackers
Food stalls showcasing Asian festive food
Directions: Pick up your car hire in Hobart or if you are arriving from Hobart Airport (HBA), you can also book a car rental from there and go on a 18-minute drive via Tasman Hwy/A3 to experience the city.
Explore Melbourne’s rich East and Southeast Asian heritage
Melbourne is another hotspot for Lunar New Year festivals, offering two amazing weeks of citywide lighting installations, concerts and street performances, fire crackers, and community activities.
Everyone is welcome to join the fun in Melbourne’s Chinatown, with the Dai Loong Millennium Dragon Parade keeping the tradition alive that goes back to the 1830s. A trilingual storytelling session will take place at narrm ngarrgu Library — perfect for the youngsters — while the Museum of Chinese Australia History will host a flower arrangement class. Other regional cities such as Bendigo and Ballarat play host to several Lunar New Year festivals.
Where to stay? From luxury hotels, boutique hotels and budget hotels, there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from in Melbourne.
Dragon boat race
Dai Loong Millennium Dragon parade
Arts and crafts for the family to enjoy
Flower arrangement activity
Trilingual storytelling
Directions: If you are coming from Melbourne Airport (MEL), you can also rent a car at the airport and go on a 26-minute drive via M2.
Indulge yourself with some festive dishes in Perth Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year in Perth attracts about 35,000 attendees a year with multicultural concerts, exciting games and delicious food.
Northbridge hosts the Perth Chinese New Year Fair at James Street and Lake Street, up to Northbridge Piazza. At Elizabeth Quay, a crowd gathers to watch traditional dances and battle drums.
If you're celebrating Lunar New Year with family, there's a list of activities worth trying at NB Supermarket and The Marina as they host lantern-making events, red packet decoration, face painting, and dumpling stations. The Lunar New Year Night Market opens at Victoria Park, featuring calligraphy lessons and fortune telling.
Or join the raffle draw by taking a fortune cookie at Raine Square as you watch lion dances.
Where to stay? Perth offers a diverse range of accommodation options to suit all budgets and styles. You’ll find plenty of hotels, hostels and apartments here.
Battle drums
Crafting sessions for the kids
Live music and entertainment
Fortune telling
Directions: You can pick up your hire car in Perth and explore the area or if you are arriving from Perth Airport (PER), you can also rent a car at the airport and go on a 20-minute drive via National Highway 94 to reach the city.
Be dazzled by hundreds of handmade red lanterns in Canberra
Canberra is offering some spectacular events. Each year, the National Multicultural Festival provides residents and visitors with three jam-packed days of fun, cultural performances, festival snacks and community events for all visitors to enjoy.
The Canberra Beijing Garden Lantern Festival features a lantern making workshop and holds a nighttime parade. For something to eat, worth checking out is Woolley Street's food village in Dickson, showcasing Canberra favourites from local vendors. You'll also find the Mini Mongkok market where artists open stalls inspired by the festive season.
Where to stay: You will find a wide range of accommodation to suit your style in Canberra, including QT Canberra, Little National Hotel and East Hotel.
National Multicultural Festival
Lion dance and zodiac performances
Food village and mini market
Fireworks
Directions: You can pick up your car rental in Canberra or if you are coming from Canberra Airport (CBR), you can take the Pialligo Avenue and Morshead Drive to reach the city.
Join the street parade in Cairns
Supported by Cairns Regional Council, the city of Cairns celebrates the Lunar New Year with fireworks, countless East and Southeast Asian food, and lively cultural exhibitions.
The festival runs for 15 days at Cairns Esplanade, with red lanterns decorating the streets and traditional percussionists setting the festive mood. Not to be missed is the nighttime fireworks display to end the celebration.
For good luck and fortune, make sure to feed the dancing lion.
Where to stay? Providing a wide range of accommodation options to suit your budget, you’ll find plenty of hotels, backpacker hostels and apartments in Cairns.
A huge variety of market food stalls
Street parade
Colourful Lion and Dragon performances
Fireworks and firecrackers
Directions: If you will be arriving via Cairns Airport (CNS), you can also rent a car from there and go on a 16-minute drive via Airport Avenue and Lake Street to get to the city.
Important InformationWhere to park your car
Expect limited parking and closed-off roads during the Lunar New Year festival as cities make way for street parades and food stalls. Before taking your rental car on a Lunar New Year road trip, ensure you know where to leave it and how much parking costs. Sydney has dedicated parking spaces for the festival season.
About the author
Vroom Team
VroomVroomVroom’s writing team brings together decades of writing expertise to share their insights into travelling around Australia by rental car. Let our team help you get the most out of your rental car experience.
