If you’re a Muslim who’s just arrived in Australia (or you’re looking to move to our shores), you might be wondering what it’s like to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan here. How do the fasting hours differ? Does the change in season affect your fasting experience? Where can you find halal food options? Can you access local prayer timetables and mosques?
Each one of these is a valid question given how significant Ramadan is in the Islamic calendar. But knowing the Aussie Muslim population grew by 35% between 2016 and 2021 (from 604,200 to 813,392 people), might help you put those concerns aside. While these figures are still relatively small in a national sense, this growth means there’s a lot more Muslims living here who are excited to celebrate Ramadan together.
In 2025, the Aussie Ramadan dates are approximately from the evening of February 28 to around March 29 or 30, depending on the sighting of the moon to kick off Eid al-Fitr celebrations. And you can be sure there’ll be parties galore right across suburbs with a high density of Muslim residents, like Lakemba in Sydney, and Broadmeadows and Dandenong in Melbourne.
Let’s explore some key aspects of enjoying Ramadan in Australia, including ways of celebrating and tips for fasting in a climate different from where you used to live.
What Ramadan Means for Australian Muslims
Ramadan is an important time of the year for Muslims worldwide, and that doesn’t change whether you’re a local Aussie Muslim, a newly arrived expat or someone looking to relocate here. For all who observe it, it’s a time to focus on fasting, prayer and reflection in an attempt to grow closer to Allah. It’s also a time to engage in charitable acts and strengthen community bonds through shared meals and prayers, while solidifying your cultural identity living in a non-Muslim majority country.
In Australia, many mosques embrace the multicultural nature of Australia by hosting interfaith Iftar dinners. It’s a means of promoting understanding, friendship and increasing dialogue, often including prayers, speeches and opportunities for people of diverse faiths to learn about each other’s traditions and beliefs. This sharing is important as here you’ll encounter Muslims from a wide range of countries, such as Lebanon, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and perhaps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Muslims. While the core principles of Ramadan remain the same, each celebrates in their own way with different foods, traditions and customs.
State governments also hold Iftar dinners during Ramadan attended by politicians, Muslim community leaders, senior clerics of all faiths and consul generals. However, some of these have been cancelled or boycotted in recent times in response to the Gaza conflict. Nevertheless, such events show that Ramadan can play a role in both strengthening internal community bonds and building bridges across cultures.
Things To Know About Celebrating Ramadan in Australia
1. Fasting And Praying In A New Climate
The lunar calendar shifts Ramadan, causing it to be held a tad earlier every year. It’s right in the middle of the Aussie summer and within daylight saving hours. The result has a big impact on your fasting hours – while you may only be used to fasting for 11 hours in your former country, this can extend up to 17 hours here in what can be very warm and trying temperatures.
You’ll want to ensure you’re well hydrated and mindful of managing your energy needs throughout the day. During Suhoor and Iftar, eat well and focus on foods that have a high water content, as well as low glycaemic carbohydrates to help you keep up your energy levels throughout the day. You may even want to adjust your sleep schedule to ensure you get proper rest, starting a week or two leading up to Ramadan.
Working out the right time to pray is also something you’ll need to consider. Luckily, there are a number of online resources available to help you ensure you’re adhering to an accurate schedule. Islamic Relief Australia has a fantastic calendar that publishes Ramadan prayer timetables for all major Australian cities and regional locales.
2. Workplace and School Considerations
When it comes to Australian workplaces and schools, accommodations for those observing Ramadan usually involve individual negotiation with the employer or educational institution (unless you’re a student or have a child at a dedicated Muslim school).
Most places of work and education are open to adjustments to help you when you’re fasting. It comes down to you discussing your needs and working out a compromise that allows you to still perform your role while observing Ramadan requirements. It could be a temporary adjustment to start and finish times, or allowing students to spend lunch breaks away from areas where others are eating.
3. Accessing Halal Food
Thankfully, major Australian cities and bigger suburban hubs have robust halal food networks, alongside the bigger supermarket chains like Coles and Woolworths, who expand their halal selections during the holy month. But if you don’t live near one of these centres, there are plenty of online options that have delivery services.
Ways to Celebrate Ramadan in Australia
1. Prep Tips For Ramadan
As touched on earlier, you probably want to think about gradually shifting your sleep and meal times in the lead up to Ramadan given you’re in a new climate with daylights savings. You can use digital resources, like websites and apps, to ensure you know your local prayer timetable.
Plan out where you’ll shop for halal food, including where to source specific ingredients you might want for traditional dishes. Notable areas for halal food options include Melbourne’s Preston, Coburg and Dandenong markets, shops in Lakemba and Auburn in Sydney, the Brisbane CBD, and Cloverdale and Mirrabooka in Perth.
If you’re not sure where to shop, this online directory is a great starting point. It has a dedicated halal meat directory and general grocery directory.
2. Iftar Gatherings
You have a mountain of options for breaking your fast in a communal way right across Australia. Your local mosque is a good place to start as they’ll either hold Iftar themselves, or be able to point you in the right direction of other options.
If you want to go big, try Lakemba Ramadan Nights in Sydney – it had a record breaking 1.6 million visitors last year. The food bazaar and associated events run from Thursday to Sunday between 27 February to 30 March 2025.
Other options include a special Homeless Street Iftar in Melbourne, Islamic Relief Australia’s annual Iftar in Brisbane, and the Perth MATW Iftar. In smaller Aussie cities, like Adelaide, check with your local community centre, Islamic organisation or mosque.
3. Mosque and Community Events
Ramadan is a time of increased devotion, with additional prayers added into the daily schedule, one of which is Taraweeh. Most major mosques in Australia’s bigger cities run these, however this website has a list of places you can join in taraweeh prayers. A few city examples include:
- Sydney – Lakemba Mosque, Auburn Gallipoli Mosque and Masjid Al-Azhar
- Melbourne – Grand Mosque in Tarneit and Albanian Australian Islamic Society in Carlton Nth
- Perth – Masjid Al Latief in Langford and Masjid Al-Rahmān Gosnells
- Brisbane – Islamic College of Brisbane in Karawatha and Gold Coast Southport Masjid
- Adelaide – Adelaide Mosque and Adelaide Muslim Community (AMC) Masjid in Torrensville
Note: please check timings with the individual mosque or institution before attending as they may be subject to change.
Beside extended prayer schedules, many mosques and Islamic organisation run charity events that support local and international causes to help you meet your zakat obligations. They also hold special Ramadan lecture series and spiritual talks.
It’s a savvy move to join local Facebook or other social media groups for Muslims. These usually have a great list of upcoming events that are not only prayer-related, but also for Iftar and Eid al-Fitr celebrations too, with the bonus of real-time updates.
4. Eid al-Fitr Celebrations
Eid al-Fitr can be looked at as a reward for the month-long effort of fasting and prayer. As such, it’s definitely a time to celebrate. While prayer is of course an important part of the celebrations, the food often takes centre stage, with cultural events a close second.
There is a multitude of ways to celebrate, from a small event of going out for a meal with your family and friends, to attending a large-scale daylong event, like the Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair at Fairfield Showground in Sydney.
Many of these larger celebrations accurately reflect the multicultural nature of Australia, blending traditions found across different Muslim countries and groups of people. As an example, at one event, you’ll be able to enjoy Somali drumming, Bosnian folk dancing and Indonesian gamelan music, alongside edible delicacies such as Middle Eastern seekh kebabs, Lebanese sweets like katayef and Indonesian kolak.
Ramadan Done Your Way
Ramadan in Australia offers you many opportunities to not only deepen your religious connection with family and friends, but celebrate that connection with a much wider Muslim community here in your backyard. From diverse halal food options and accessible mosques to interfaith Iftar dinners, Ramadan in Australia really is a deeply personal and communal experience.
Despite challenges such as longer fasting hours due to daylight savings and the summer heat, there are ways to adapt, focusing on proper hydration, nutrition and rest to conserve your energy. When it comes to Ramadan observances, workplaces and schools are generally accommodating, making it easier for you to balance your religious duties with professional and academic commitments.
The key to a fulfilling Ramadan experience here in Australia lies in working out what is most important to you; a personal, community-based or mixed experience. Once you’ve done that, you can find countless ways to seek that out and enjoy the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar.
