Over 1.4 million Australians watched the Eurovision Grand Final, according to SBS, despite Australia being knocked out of the competition.
A record number of Australians watched the early morning live shows this year said SBS Head of Unscripted, Joseph Maxwell, in a media release.
“We’re thrilled to see loyal Eurovision-loving audiences continuing to come back for their fix each year, alongside new viewers getting a taste of Eurovision for the first time,” Mr Maxwell said.
615,000 Australians watched the 5am live broadcast on Sunday compared with 508,000 people in 2024.
Although more people watched the 7:30pm prime time replay of the Grand Final giving it a higher average reach, the live broadcast had a higher average audience suggesting early morning audiences stayed engaged for longer.
Audiences weren’t only watching at home, around 500 fans attended the Georges River Council 6th Annual Eurovision Live Broadcast Party in Hurstville.
Georges River Council Business Improvement Officer Leo Chant said the event has been an opportunity for people to celebrate community, culture, creativity and pride.
“It was a phenomenal success and it’s getting bigger and bigger every year. We feel it has grown into one of those signature events,” Mr Chant said.
“We get people from all around Australia that attend.”
Mr Chant attributed much of the increasing interest in Eurovision to word-of-mouth and people seeking a cultural connection.
“There’s something magical about Eurovision. It’s certainly a great inclusive space that brings people together from different languages, culture and communities,” Mr Chant said.
“We knew there was going to be appetite for that cultural expression and celebration.”
While Australian entrant Go-Jo did not perform in the Grand, Mr Chant said the party atmosphere was vibrant and cheerful.
“People just love a party – even if it be at 5am… they just love being together,” he said.
To determine the winner of Eurovision, each participating country was awarded a set of points from a jury of industry professionals and a set of points from the televoting public.
The Australian public, gave the most points to Israel, followed by other fan favourites Finland and Sweden.
Austria won the contest after receiving a total of 436 points, including three points from the Australian public, and will host next year’s competition.
According to Mr Chant, the party is the largest Eurovision event in Australia.
Georges River Council intends to hold the event again next year, Mr Chant also expects Eurovision to continue to be loved by Australian audiences.
Additional reporting: Hannah Scopelitis.
Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett, Eurovision Song Contest
