Australia's multicultural public broadcaster, SBS, makes free English shows for people learning the language. In the 2021 census, more than 5.5 million people in Australia spoke a language other than English at home. When most of what you hear or read makes sense to you, it's called comprehensible input.
New words stick best when the rest of the sentence is easy. If a farmer in a short clip scatters grain and calls the chooks, you can see that a chook is a chicken. For tutors and courses, see our Australian English guide.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Australian English. You learn from Australian English you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Poppy, your AI tutor, can write you a lesson about packing the tucker, or food, for a camping trip in the Outback. Tap any word to see what it means, or ask her to explain a whole line.
To practice talking, book a tutor from Australia through our Australian English guide.
- Lessons, news, and stories in Australian English, about things you like.
- The voices have an Australian accent.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you read them again in new contexts.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Your favorite Australian podcast won't play in it, but LingQ below can bring it in.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Australian English
Mobile
Listen to SBS Podcasts for Learners
SBS Audio
SBS made its Learn English service to help migrants settle in Australia, and it says its shows feature the many accents you hear across the country. Its learner podcast is labelled for medium to advanced learners, so start with the easy news if you're new.
- SBS News in Easy English tells the news in five minutes of clear, simple English, every weekday.
- The SBS Learn English podcast covers everyday situations, with a transcript and a short practice episode after each lesson.
- Most SBS podcasts play anywhere in the world.
- Teaches Australian English (partly)
MobileWeb
Read and Watch Australian English You Choose
LingQ
Slow English, in the table below, makes a good next step, because each episode has a transcript on its site.
- Its beginner course, Mini Stories - Australian English, has 62 short lessons.
- Import an Australian podcast, a YouTube video, or an e-book.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Australian English (partly)
MobileWeb
Language Reactor
Use Language Reactor with Australian channels on YouTube, like Behind the News or the official Bluey channel.
- Show English subtitles with a translation on YouTube and Netflix.
- Play one line again, as many times as you like.
Browser extension
Kindle
Pick a novel by an Australian writer whose story you already know, maybe from a film, so you can follow it through the hard parts.
- Tap and hold a word to see its meaning.
- Read a free sample before you buy a book.
Mobile
Free Australian Podcasts, Videos, and News
Nothing here costs money. The rows near the top are the easiest.
| What | Why It Helps | Try It When |
|---|---|---|
| PageTurners | Short stories written by teachers for adults learning to read, with free audio for every book | You're just starting |
| SBS Learn English videos | Easy video series about life in Australia, such as Meet the Changs | You know some basics |
| Bluey | A cartoon about a family of dogs, in a setting inspired by Brisbane, with official clips on YouTube | Simple speech feels easy |
| Life Chat | ABC roleplays about everyday life in Australia, like calling the council about your bins | You follow short scenes |
| Slow English | Podcasts about Australia, read slowly by Rob McCormack in Melbourne, with transcripts | You're at an intermediate level |
| Behind the News | ABC news explained for school students, with a transcript for each story | Short news feels easy |
| A Word in Your Ear | ABC radio talk about the odd and wonderful sides of English | Most Australian speech feels easy |
Other Apps We Looked At (6)
- ABC iviewFree Australian TV with closed captions, including Bluey, for viewers in Australia.
- SBS On DemandFree TV from SBS for viewers in Australia. You can use its app in seven languages.
- AMEPOnlineA free Australian Government app for new migrants, with English at five levels.
- ELSA SpeakPractice speaking with an Australian accent, and get feedback on what you say.
- SpeakAussieRecorded dialogues in Australian English, at normal and slow speed. It came out in 2026.
- kikeruListening practice with Australian accents, slow playback, and quizzes. It is new and growing.
Common Questions
Which Australian English app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Australian English, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with PageTurners stories and their free audio.
Is Bluey good for learning Australian English?
Yes, for beginners. A beginner on Reddit (r/ENGLISH) finds it easy to follow with English subtitles, and replies there explain that it is slower and clearer, with shorter sentences, because it's made for small children. Outside Australia, you can watch it on Disney+ or its YouTube channel.
Can I watch Australian TV outside Australia?
You can watch some of it. ABC iview and SBS On Demand are made for viewers in Australia and aren't in the US App Store, but Behind the News and Bluey have YouTube channels you can watch anywhere.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: 2021 Census, nearly half of Australians have a parent born overseas
- Cambridge Dictionary: chook (Australian English, informal)
- Cambridge Dictionary: tucker (Australian English, informal)
- SBS Audio app (most podcasts play anywhere in the world)
- SBS Learn English: about
- SBS Learn English podcast
- SBS News in Easy English
- LingQ: Mini Stories, Australian English (AI audio)
- LingQ: free and premium plans
- Language Reactor on the Chrome Web Store
- Kindle on the App Store
- Bluey: official website (where to watch)
- Wikipedia: Bluey (a family of Blue Heeler dogs; Brisbane inspired the setting)
- English learner discussion: Bluey for Australian English
- PageTurners (Prace): free audio for every book
- SBS Learn English: Watch and learn videos
- ABC Education: Life Chat with Learn English
- Slow English (Rob McCormack)
- Behind the News: about
- A Word in Your Ear (ABC)
- ABC iview on the App Store (Australia)
- Bubblegum
- Language Reactor
Checked on October 15, 2026 against each app's own pages.
