The best Australian dramas to stream right now

Ready to discover your new favourite drama? Whether you’re craving police dramas, heartfelt family dramas, historical stories, or laugh-out-loud comedies, this list of the top Australian dramas streaming right now has your next TV obsession sorted. 

Curl up on your sofa and let these top Australian dramas whisk you away to sun-drenched cities, rugged coastlines, and small towns bursting with secrets – all without leaving your living room. 

Here are 22 of the best Australian dramas streaming for free right now!

1. The Narrow Road to the Deep North 

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 🍅100%

Part war story and part forbidden romance, The Narrow Road to the Deep North follows Australian surgeon Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi) across decades. From the brutal realities of a Japanese POW camp during the Second World War to postwar life in Australia, he wrestles with memory, lost love, and the haunting weight of survival. 

2. Colin From Accounts 

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 🍅100%

This Aussie rom-com is an absolute must for fans of romance, dogs and the Australian accent! Colin From Accounts follows two single-ish strangers, Ashley and Gordon, whose lives unexpectedly collide when a car accident leaves a stray dog injured and in their reluctant care. What begins as an awkward encounter turns into a hilariously messy, and surprisingly heartfelt journey through modern relationships, emotional baggage, and unexpected connection. 

Psssst we hear that season 3 will be arriving sooner than you thinkkkk!

3. Ten Pound Poms 

Stream both seasons now on BBC iPlayer 

Set in the 1950s, Ten Pound Poms tells the story of a group of British migrants who leave postwar Britain behind for a fresh start in Australia – sold on the promise of sun, opportunity, and a better life. However, they soon realise paradise is not quite what it seems. As they settle into a harsh and unfamiliar land, culture clashes, secrets, and personal traumas bubble to the surface! 

4. Return to Paradise  

Stream on BBC iPlayer

With Beyond Paradise series 4 juuuust round the corner and you're in need of a juicy TV whodunnit, this one’s for you! DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) is back in her Aussie hometown, Dolphin Cove, solving grisly murders while juggling a personal life messier than the crime scenes. Her ex-fiancé? Works with her. The boss? Her mother. That’s a whoooole lot of drama.  

5. The Newsreader 

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

Set in a 1980s Australian newsroom buzzing with ambition and egos, The Newsreader follows ambitious young reporter Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) and star anchor Helen Norville (Anna Torv) as they navigate breaking stories, shifting power dynamics, and a complicated relationship both on and off screen. With world events unfolding around them, from the AIDS crisis to political scandals, the series explores the personal cost of public-facing roles. 

6. Black Snow 

Stream on BBC iPlayer

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 🍅100% 

When a time capsule is unearthed in the remote Australian town of Ashford, long-buried secrets resurface, sending the community on a journey into the past. In the first season, Detective James Cormack (Travis Fimmel) is drawn into a decades-old cold case uncovered by the time capsule, unravelling dark truths along the way. 

7. Scrublands 

Watch now on BBC iPlayer 

Based on Chris Hammer’s bestselling novel, Scrublands follows investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) as he arrives in a remote Aussie town to write a follow-up story – just a year after a beloved young priest opened fire on his congregation. But what starts as a simple assignment quickly unravels, as the locals greet him with hostility and the official version of events starts to crack. 

8. The Twelve

Watch now on ITVX

Aussie courtroom dramas? Yes please! In The Twelve, it's not just the people on trial under the microscope. Each season follows a different high-profile case, while the lives of the twelve jurors become tangled up in the search for justice. Full of shocking twists, and many edge-of-your-seat courtroom moments, this is the perfect binge for anyone who lovesssss a legal thriller. Starring Sam Neill.

9. Fake 

Stream on ITVX 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 🍅100%

Love, lies, and a whole lot of trouble come knocking when magazine writer Birdie Bell (Asher Keddie) meets charmer Joe (David Wenham) on a dating app, but their fairy-tale romance quickly spirals as his stories start to unravel. Caught in a tangled web of truth and deception, Birdie must figure out if Joe is the man of her dreams – or the ultimate conman. 

10. The Cry

Stream on BBC iPlayer

It's dark, it's dangerous and it's deliciously addictive. The Cry follows Joanna Lyndsay (Jenna Colman) and her fiancé Alistair (Ewen Leslie)  who's four month old son disappears while they are visiting family in Australia. What follows are three different timelines simultaneously telling this shocking story.

11. The Secrets She Keeps

Stream on Channel 4

When two pregnant women from completely different worlds cross paths, an unsettling friendship begins to form. But behind the smiles and small talk lurks a web of lies that grows more dangerous by the day. The Secrets She Keeps is a psychological thriller that'll leave you questioning every character's motives until the final credits roll!

12. The Last Anniversary  

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

An island called Scribbly Gum sounds cute, right? Think again, it’s packed with secrets! Sophie Honeywell (Teresa Palmer) inherits a mysterious house from her ex’s great-aunt, and the mystery begins. Adapted from Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, with Nicole Kidman (yep, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers) as exec producer, this twisty thriller dives into motherhood, love, betrayal, and a whole lot of drama. The Last Anniversary cast includes Danielle Macdonald, Miranda Richardson and Josephine Blazier. 

13. The Family Next Door

Stream on ITVX 

Young mysterious Isabelle (Teresea Palmer) moves into a seaside cul-de-sac to investigate a secret concerning for neighbouring families. Her obsession with solving the case soon raises suspicion as each family has something to hide, leading to simmering tensions and sweltering secrets amid a summer heatwave.

14. Jack Irish

Stream on Channel 4

Former criminal lawyer Jack Irish (Guy Pearce) would much rather spend his days helping out at the local horse-racing syndicate than chasing criminals. But trouble has a habit of finding him, and before long he's tangled up in murders, missing persons cases and conspiracies that are much bigger than they first appear. 

If you're a fan of Mystery Road or Rake, this is one binge-worthy crime drama you won't want to miss.

15. One Night 

Stream on ITVX 

Twenty years after a night that changed everything, three childhood friends are reunited in their small hometown – and the secrets they thought were buried aren’t staying quiet. One has returned to care for her ailing father, another has brought her family from overseas, and the last never left the place they all fled. When a novel about that night hits the shelves, old wounds are opened and truths come crashing back, making this Aussie drama impossible to look away from. 

Starring Jodie Whittaker alongside Alison Bell and Yael Stone. 

16. Bay of Fires 

Stream on ITVX 

After a brutal betrayal forces Stella Heikkinen (Marta Dusseldorp) into witness protection with her two kids, she finds herself in the remote Tasmanian town of Mystery Bay –  a place brimming with eccentric locals, simmering secrets, and danger that’s never far from the doorstep. As her old enemies close in, Stella must learn fast: in Mystery Bay, trust is a luxury and survival is an art form. 

17. Lie with Me

Stream on 5

After a relationship betrayal rocks her marriage, Anna (Charlie Brooks) relocates with her husband and young daughter to Australia for a fresh start. But when a charismatic young nanny enters their lives, suspicion, jealousy and long-buried secrets begin to bubble to the surface. What starts as a family drama soon spirals into a gripping psychological thriller...

18. Mix Tape

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

Get ready to hit rewind to 1989 and the soundtrack of young love. Back in 1989, Daniel (Jim Sturgess) and Alison (Teresa Palmer) fall in love as teens until life pulls them apart. Their story spans decades with fate giving them a second chance. Tender, nostalgic, and layered with music that will take you right back, this drama is a love letter to first romances and the songs that defined them. If you loved Normal People, this is your next obsession.  

19. Fisk 

Stream now on ITVX 

Fisk stars Aussie comedy legend Kitty Flanagan as Helen Tudor-Fisk, a no-nonsense lawyer who takes a job at a small wills and probate firm after her personal and professional life implodes. With zero tolerance for nonsense and even less people skills, Helen stumbles through the eccentric world of suburban legal disputes with a sense of humour that’s impossible not to love! 

20. Bump 

Stream on BBC iPlayer 

What happens when a straight-A teen turns up at school with stomach cramps and leaves with a new-born baby? Mayhem, that’s what! This Aussie dramedy follows ambitious overachiever Oly (Nathalie Morris) as she’s blindsided by an unplanned pregnancy and thrust into the chaotic, messy, and unexpectedly heart-warming world of new motherhood. Bump is a joyous, binge-worthy reminder that life’s biggest curveballs can lead to the most surprising connections. 

21. Rake 

Stream on Channel 4 

Rake follows Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh), a sharp-tongued Sydney barrister with a knack for defending the indefensible (and wrecking his own life in the process). Whether he’s going head-to-head with corrupt politicians, guilty-as-sin clients, or his own vices, Cleaver’s charm and wit somehow keep him afloat. 

22. The Imposter

Stream on 5 

After emigrating to Melbourne, family matriarch Helen (Jackie Woodburne) builds a thriving hotel empire. But when illness strikes, her children see dollar signs and plot to sell her beloved business. Enter the ultimate plot twist: a long-lost adopted daughter, Amanda (Kym Marsh), who threatens their deal. Is she who she claims to be or something far more dangerous? Betrayal, greed and murder collide in this twisty family drama.  

Also starring: Dannii Minogue, Don Hany, Jane Harber, Charlie Clausen and Jackson Gallagher

If you're loving the drama recommendations, why not check out our best dramas to stream right now? Orrrr, subscribe to our newsletter so you can keep up with the latest TV news!