The first Reggae sound system in Australia was Soulmaker, established in 1972 by J.J. Roberts, a Jamaican from Saint Catherine Parish.
Bob Marley & The Wailers toured Australia in 1979, playing Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
The original members of the band came from Trinidad & Tobago, Bruce Mc Clean - guitar and Errol H Renaud - steel pan, lead singer Ras Roni from Barbados, percussionist Jorge Morales from Puerto Rico and Fijians Rupeni Davui - bass, James Purmodh - drums and Joel Knight - keys.
He remixed a couple of tracks, Black or White and Chimutima Chako at AAV studios in Melbourne for a 45 single vinyl which was released in 1986 under his own newly formed independent (Safari Music) label.
In 1987, two years after his arrival from Zambia Larry Maluma released his first album Confusion on his own Safari Music label.
The video clip "Black and White" from the same album was aired on Countdown Revolution and Rock Arena on ABC.
In September 2008, the Sydney-based band King Tide released their debut album To our Dearly Deported on the UK label Urban Sedated.
Desert Reggae is a developing contemporary style possibly originating in Central Australia and featuring lyrics often sung in Australian Aboriginal languages.
The genre first came to prominence when Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee released his most notable single, "Gasolina," to Australian radio in 2006.
Good Love Festival[10] is one of New Zealand's largest and most iconic music events, and made its Australian debut[11] in 2020 headlined by Shaggy and Sean Paul.
[13] Byron Bay Reggaefest[14] started at The Brewery[15] (28°38′42″S 153°36′17″E / 28.64507°S 153.604697°E / -28.64507; 153.604697; previously known as The Buddha Bar) on 4 December 2010 planned a 2-day festival at Missingham Park, Ballina NSW[16] on 17 & 18 September 2011.
[17] The festival was discontinued in 2019. Notable Australian reggae radio programs of the past include Splashdown and The Pounding System.
Australia's longest running reggae radio show is Jamdown Vershun which has been broadcasting on 92.1 FM in Perth with selector General Justice since July 1979.
Every Saturday afternoon, 4ZZZ presents The Yard, a Reggae show from 4-6pm with selecta Basmati (Rhythm Collision Sound) Every Wednesday Morning 12 am −2am Fresh 92.7 a community station based in Adelaide has a reggae dancehall show called Dancehall & Ting which has aired since July 2012 and is hosted by DJ Ragz.