A collector is an individual who acquires items because they are interesting, beautiful, or valuable. This report surveyed almost 2,000 Australians to provide fresh insights on how, why, and what people collect. It found that collecting is now a mainstream hobby for Australians. An estimated 1 in 3 (35%) Australians are collectors, translating to over 7.6 million Australians. Based on this estimate, in 2025 more Australians collect than attend live theatre performances or festivals (7.4 million) or have a Netflix subscription (6.2 million). 

Unlike many other hobbies, the survey found that collecting has a nearly even gender split. While individuals aged 18-24 are the most likely to collect, collecting is also a popular activity among people of all ages.

For many, collecting is an intensive activity. Based on the survey, the median Australian collector has over 50 collectables, worth a total of $2,200. When extrapolated to the broader population, this indicates that Australian collectors possess an estimated total of 380 million individual collectables, collectively worth approximately $16.8 billion.

For one in five (19%) surveyed collectors – or an estimated 1.4 million Australians – collecting is primarily a financial endeavour as opposed to a recreational one. This reflects the potential to realise profits from investing in certain collectable items. Of those surveyed who made a profit from selling collectables, the median reported profit over the past three years was $13,000.