- 56% of Aussies are looking for a coastal holiday, while 40% are planning a road trip
- Almost 19m Australians say cooking is their top pastime
- AFL dominates NRL when it comes to participation
Sydney – September 24, 2025 – New insights from Nielsen Consumer & Media View (CMV) reveal how Australians are spending their free time, and it’s not what you think.
Despite the pinch of cost-of-living pressures, leisure time isn’t shrinking, it’s shifting. Travel remains a top aspiration, but Australians are more likely to pack the car for a coastal holiday (56%) or hit the open road (40%) than splurge on an overseas getaway.
However, cooking is the undisputed king of kicking back, with 83% of Australians (18.9 million) saying it’s how they chill out, with almost nine in ten also saying they “cook from scratch”.
Cooking is closely followed by reading (68%) and gardening (41%), cementing the home as the hub of leisure.
That doesn’t mean Aussies don’t hit the outdoors in their spare time, with walking the nation’s top leisure activity (19.1 million). Bushwalking is also popular (54%), along with hitting the beach (76%).
While participation in organised sport is moderate, watching it is high. 37% of all Australians watch AFL, while NRL attracts 29%. And high-profile events, like the Australian Open (29% high interest), unify the country in front of screens of all sizes.
Glenn Channell, Nielsen’s Pacific Head of Advanced Analytics said: “Australians don’t need extravagance to have a good time. They’re looking for simple ways to enrich everyday experiences, from road trips to backyard projects. With Nielsen CMV Persona Packs, we can profile these audiences and reveal how brands can position themselves as the enablers of those moments.”
Monique Perry, Managing Director of Nielsen Pacific added: “Australians are hungry for inspiration that enhances their leisure time, from recipes for the 83% who cook, travel guides for the 80% who love to travel, or gardening hacks for the 41% with a green thumb. When brands provide real value in these spaces, they build trust and affinity that goes far beyond the point of sale.”
About Nielsen Consumer & Media View (CMV)
Nielsen Consumer & Media View, with its extensive breadth and depth of data, lets you access consumer research that is vital to achieving strong business and marketing goals.
Nielsen Consumer & Media View is an essential tool for understanding the constantly evolving consumer landscape. With rich demographic and lifestyle data, and information on purchasing behaviours and intentions alongside extensive media habit reporting, Consumer & Media View helps you shape successful brand, advertising and marketing strategies.
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