17 Australian Shows On Netflix

Netflix has become a common household name in Australia and has opened up the world to Australian viewers. It has also provided a way for Australian TV shows to reach new audiences around the world. Australian shows on Netflix range from gritty crime drama and edge-of-your-seat thrillers to romance and comedy. The selection of Australian TV shows on Netflix will provide hours of entertainment and plenty of binge-watching, depending on which country you’re in. So get ready for these binge-worthy Australian series but do bear in mind that not all these shows may be available on the streaming platform in every country.

Australian TV has a distinctive flavour. The dry Aussie humour and distinctive Aussie accents make watching Australian TV shows popular with many people around the world. Some of the best Australian TV series have originality, quirky humour and believable characters. Australian drama has also been gaining fame with shows like the award-winning thriller, ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries,’ which is showing on Amazon Prime and not Netflix Australia. In addition to providing interesting entertainment, many Australian shows on Netflix are relevant to what’s happening in society today. Aussie TV shows cover a wide range of topics including discrimination against the LGBT community in shows such as ‘Please Like Me ‘, racism in comedies and the struggle of starting up small businesses.

Australian TV began in 1929 and has a solid history of development and growth. There are many Australian TV series and Australian movies that attracts a cult following around the world. Fortunately, viewers around the world can be entertained by a range of Australian shows on Netflix.

Also read:

Australian Shows on Netflix

Australian Drama on Netflix

1- Stateless

Stateless is an Australian series based on a true story of the lives of four people from vastly diverse backgrounds in an asylum-seekers detention centre in the Australian desert.

A former Australian airline hostess who escaped from a cult with a fake ID, an Afghan asylum seeker who arrived by boat, a bureaucrat and a security guard are the four featured in this Australian TV series.

This Australian series raises the awareness of the boat people, asylum seekers looking for a new life who end up detained in offshore centres.

It’s a thought-provoking drama about the lives of people from different cultures who all want the same thing, a good life.

Genre: Drama

First episode: 1 March 2020

Set in: Port Augusta, South Australia. The Barton Detention Centre features in the series as the ‘Baxter Detention Centre’.

Seasons: 1

Cast: Yvonne Strahovski, Asher Keddie, Fayssal Bazzi, Jai Courtney, Marta Dusseldorp, Dominic West, Cate Blanchett.

2- Wanted

If you’re looking for a binge-watch that will have you at the edge of your seat, try Wanted.

Wanted is an Australian drama series about being in the wrong place at the worse possible time.

Two strangers, Lola and Chelsea, witness a car crash at a suburban bus stop at the same time and two men shoot the driver of the car.

Lola struggles with one of the attackers and accidentally kills him then both girls are kidnapped by the other attacker.

The girls manage to escape and they go on the run on a wild ride where they are framed for the murder of the driver and the attacker and find themselves on the run from both police and criminals.

Put this Netflix show on your to-watch list!

Genre: Crime Drama

First episode: 2016

Set in: Queensland and South Australia

Seasons: 3

Cast: Rebecca Gibney, Geraldine Hakewill, Kerry Fox.

3- Tidelands

Tidelands is an Australian series about a young woman who returns home to the small fishing village of Orphelin Bay.

After spending 10 years in juvenile detention, she discovers a commune of outcasts hidden away and starts delving into mysteries.

The deeper she gets into her investigation, the more she learns about a conspiracy surrounding drugs and murder.

Genre: Crime Drama

First episode: 14 December 2018

Set in: Southeast Queensland (Brisbane and Moreton Bay),

Seasons: 1

Cast: Charlotte Best, Elsa Pataky, Aaron Jakubenko, Marco Pigossi.

4- Secret City

Secret City is a political thriller set in Canberra, Australia’s capital city.

This Australian drama series is about conspiracies and cover-ups.

The story revolves around Australian journalist Harriet Dunkley, who uncovers secrets and scandals that rock the nation.

The first season is focused on the growing tensions between China, Australia and the USA as well as espionage and features spyware.

The sequel is about the same main characters investigating a cover-up by the military.

This TV series on Netflix has well-developed characters and at the same time combines Australian humour with a plot about modern-day politics that is pretty close to real life.

Genre: Political Thriller

First episode: 2016

Set in: Canberra

Seasons: 2

Cast: Anna Torv, Jackie Weaver, Alex Dimitriades.

5- Pine Gap

Another Australian drama featuring relationships between Australia and the USA, Pine Gap has American and Australian analysts work together at an important joint intelligence facility of the same name.

The political thriller revolves around this secret defence facility located in central Australia.

The NSA locates and monitors cellphone calls from the Pine Gap base.

Pine Gap offers insights into Australian intelligence while at the same time looping in the US’s involvement in the region.

Genre: Political Thriller

First episode: 14 October 2018

Set in: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Adelaide and other parts of South Australia.

Seasons: 1

Cast: Parker Sawyers, Tess Haubrich, Jacqueline McKenzie, Steve Toussaint, Stephen Curry.

6- Glitch

If you’re a fan of supernatural phenomena, put Glitch on the list for your next Netflix binge.

This Australian series ran for three seasons and is set in a small town, where seven people who died return to life and appear to be in perfect health.

A policeman is called out to the cemetery in the middle of the night to find that seven people have risen from the dead.

The seven have no memory of who they are or what happened to them and they are all connected to each other in some way.

Genre: Drama

First episode: 9 July 2015

Set in: Castlemaine, Victoria.

Seasons: 3

Cast: Patrick Brammall, Genevieve O’Reilly, Emma Booth.

7- The Beautiful Lie

The Beautiful Lie is a six-part Australian soap opera that is a contemporary version of Leo Tolstoy’s classic 1877 novel Anna Karenina.

The original storyline of Anna Karenina was about an extramarital affair between Anna and a Russian Count, a scandalous relationship in the social circles of Saint Petersburg.

The Beautiful Lie is about the personal life of a sporting star.

The story focuses on seduction, jealousy, fidelity and family relationships.

What happens when a happily married woman meets a man who ignites a spark she hasn’t felt in years?

The pair reevaluate their life choices after bonding upon watching a horrific accident.

Genre: Drama

First episode: 18 October 2015

Set in: Melbourne, Kyneton and Daylesford, Victoria. Paradise Book Store was used as the primary location.

Seasons: 1

Cast: Alice Bell, Jonathan Gavin, Blake Ayshford.

8- Tangle

Tangle is an Australian drama about sex, love, marriage, religion and politics.

At the same time, it’s also about moral compasses and coming to terms with decisions, families and things that adults might hide from their teenage kids.

The story is about a minor celebrity, Nat, who returns home after living for 10 years in London.

Nat has a 15-year-old son she barely knows and who was raised by his father, a politician and stepmother.

This series on Netflix Australia as well as other countries is a binge-worthy web series to watch.

Genre: Family Drama

First episode: 1 October 2009

Set in: Kew, Melbourne

Seasons: 1

Cast: Justine Clarke, Catherine McClements, Matt Day, Kat Stewart, Joel Tobeck.

Australian Crime Shows on Netflix

9- Deep Water

Deep Water is a gritty crime drama featuring detectives Tori Lustigman and Nick Manning, who are trying to solve a series of suspicious suicides and unexplained murders.

The clues lead to the 1980’s murders of gay men and there’s a twist when one of those turns out to be Tori’s younger brother.

This Australian Netflix show is set in one of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi.

Deep Water is a binge-worthy crime show that will have you glued to the screen.

The short first season has four episodes and the storyline is fictional but inspired by real events, drawing attention to the treatment of the gay community.

Genre: Crime Drama

First episode: 5 October 2016

Set in: Bondi, Sydney.

Seasons: 1

Cast: Yael Stone, Noah Taylor, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Danielle Cormack.

10- Jack Irish

If you’re looking for Australian movies to watch, there are three Jack Irish movies on Netflix – Black Tide, Bad Debts, Dead Point and a popular Australian series about a former criminal lawyer turned PI.

In the first episode, Jack Irish is hired to look for a missing cop but ends up in the stressful situation of becoming a murder suspect.

The final series captures the Melbourne lifestyle, featuring graffiti laneways, cafes, wine bars and streets with trams.

Much of the action is set in Fitzroy, which has some of the best Melbourne laneway graffiti.

Melbourne is also a city with fantastic pubs and the fictitious Prince of Prussia features in this Netflix series.

Genre: Detective Crime Series

First episode: February 11, 2016

Set in: Fitzroy, Melbourne.

Seasons: 3

Cast: Guy Pierce

11- Janet King

The character of Janet King made her screen appearance in the Australian TV drama ‘Crownies’ and the character was so popular, a spin-off series was created.

Janet King is a tough Senior Crown Prosecutor working for the DPP, is in a same-sex relationship and has children via IVF.

Janet returns from her maternity leave only to face a high profile murder case along with a conspiracy that will have a frightening effect on the legal system.

Genre: Drama

First episode: 27 February 2014

Set in: Sydney. The series was mostly shot in Bankstown.

Seasons: 3

Cast: Marta Dusseldorp, Vince Colosimo, John Howard.

Awards: AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama.

Australian Comedy Shows on Netflix

12- Sisters

Sisters is a humorous Australian show on Netflix about a woman who discovers she has over 100 brothers and two sisters.

After the deathbed confession of her Nobel prize-winner father, who enjoyed a 30-year career as a top in vitro fertilisation pioneer, Julia is on a mission to meet her biological siblings.

He potentially fathered hundreds of children by using his own sperm.

Sisters was launched as a ‘Netflix Original Series’ on September 1, 2018.

Genre: Comedy

First episode: 25 October 2017.

Set in: Melbourne.

Seasons: 1

Cast: Lucy Durack, Antonia Prebble, Maria Angelico, Dan Spielman.

13- Offspring

Offspring is an Australian show on Netflix about 30-something Nina Proudman and her dysfunctional personal life.

Nina is a quirky well-educated professional woman who works as an obstetrician at a Melbourne hospital.

The show centres around Nina, her love life, and the lives of her siblings, hospital friends and divorced parents.

Offspring is about modern life and has poignant and funny moments that will have you laughing out loud.

This series premiered on Network Ten and is now showing on Netflix.

It has won multiple awards, including Asher Keddie’s TV Week Logie Awards for ‘Most Popular Actress for five years running for her performances in the second season to the fifth season.

In the third season, Asher Keddie won the two awards listed below.

Genre: Comedy

First episode: August 15, 2010

Set in: Melbourne

Seasons: 7

Cast: Asher Keddie, Kat Stewart, Matthew Le Nevez

Awards: Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian TV, Most Popular Actress

14- The Letdown

The Letdown is an Australian television comedy series about a new mum’s struggles with the demands of motherhood.

The series follows the adventures of Audrey and her difficulties in coping with life’s issues as a new mum including relationship problems with her ambitious partner, sleeplessness and issues with her own mother.

Season one of The Letdown is about navigating the identity crisis of parenthood and is lighter than season two.

The comedy is an entertaining characterisation of real life in Australia and is an intriguing series to watch on Netflix.

Genre: Comedy

First episode: 4 May 2016

Set in: Sydney and Adelaide

Seasons: 2

Cast: Alison Bell, Sarah Scheller, Duncan Fellows.

Awards: Series one won the 2018 AACTA Award for Best TV Comedy Program and The Pilot Episode won the AACTA Award for Best Television Screenplay in 2016.

15- Rake

Rake’s lead character Cleaver Green is a self-destructive barrister with numerous addictions, who has a penchant for taking on ‘lost cause’ cases no other lawyer is willing to take on.

This Australian series is highly entertaining to watch and Cleaver Green fans will love reviewing old episodes on Netflix.

The show is as much about the mess Cleaver Green has made of his own life in Australia, including dodging creditors, resisting drugs and being a terrible father, as well as very funny episodes about how he manages his clients.

Richard Roxburgh plays the lead character and has a strong Australian accent that US viewers love to watch.

Cleaver Green is charming and charismatic in a way that makes the whole series worth every minute of viewing and you will be hanging out for a new episode.

Genre: Comedy

First episode: 2010

Set in: Sydney in New South Wales.

Seasons: 5

Cast: Richard Roxburgh, Matt Day, Adrienne Pickering.

16- Operation Buffalo

Written and directed by the creator of Rake, Operation Buffalo is about the antics and events at a remote British nuclear testing.

The series is inspired by true events in Maralinga in the South Australian outback around a British nuclear bomb test in the 1950s.

The key character Major Leo Carmichael is an Australian Army engineer who has the task of keeping the secret military base working and his task of testing the most dangerous weapon in the world is made super difficult by a series of quirky characters.

Genre: Comedy

First episode: 31 May 2020.

Set in: New South Wales and South Australia

Seasons: 1

Cast: Ewen Leslie, James Cromwell, Jessica de Gouw.

Australian Family Series on Netflix

17- The Bureau of Magical Things

The Bureau of Magical Things is an Australian Netflix show about a teenager who discovers a magical realm where magic is being pushed aside by technology.

In this realm, fairies and elves are endangered species and a girl named Kyra has magical powers that can unite all species.

Genre: Fantasy

First episode: 8 July 2018

Set in: Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Seasons: 1

Cast: Kimie Tsukakoshi, Julian Cullen, Mia Milnes.