Ruqayyah Snyder
Witchcraft has been a topic of interest for sociologists and specialists, with diverse conclusions. While there has never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in Australia, criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in some Australian territories, with some laws still on the books. Australia's Pagan population may be higher than recorded due to the optional declaration of religion in the census and the perception of believers as Satan worshippers. The modern Pagan movement began in Britain during the 1940s and has since spread worldwide, with nature-based spiritual pathways resonating in today's climate-conscious society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Criminal offences against witchcraft in Australia | Yes, some still on the books |
| Witchcraft convictions in Australia | None recorded |
| Pagan population in Australia | Unknown, may be higher than recorded |
| Belief in witchcraft | Stigma remains |
| Witchcraft and fortune-telling offences in NSW | Can amount to fraud |
| Fortune-telling offences in South Australia | Maximum penalty of $10,000 or two years imprisonment |
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What You'll Learn
- Witchcraft was illegal in some Australian territories 10 years ago
- There has never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in Australia
- Criminal offences against witchcraft are still on the books in Australia
- Fortune-telling is the most commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in Australia
- Australia's Pagan population may be higher than figures show due to the optional Census declaration
Witchcraft was illegal in some Australian territories 10 years ago
Witchcraft was illegal in some Australian territories just 10 years ago. While Australia is a notably secular country, Christianity has historically dominated the country's religious landscape. Criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in Australia, with some still on the books today.
In the past, fortune-telling was the most commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in Australia. Between 1900 and 1918, there were at least 247 prosecutions for this act. Although New South Wales (NSW) repealed laws against fortune-telling in 1979, similar laws remain in South Australia. While there are no discrete offences against witchcraft or fortune-telling in NSW, such conduct can amount to the offence of fraud under the Crimes Act 1900.
The history of witchcraft laws in Australia is not limited to the country's mainland. In its colonial territories of Papua and New Guinea, common law dealt with accusations of sorcery and violent crimes arising from beliefs in sorcery. In 2013, Papua New Guinea repealed its Sorcery Act, which dated back to 1971. This repeal aimed to address the pervasive belief in sorcery and the resulting violence in the country.
Today, nature-based religions are growing in Australia, including Paganism and its various forms such as Wicca. According to the latest census, around 6,000 Australians identify as Wiccans, and Queensland has the largest number of Pagans. However, many Pagans remain cautious about practising their faith openly due to perceptions of believers as Satan worshippers. As such, the Pagan population in Australia may be higher than recorded.
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There has never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in Australia
While criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in Australia, with some still on the books, there has never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in the country. However, many Pagans remain cautious about practising their faith openly due to the perception of believers as Satan worshippers. This perception may be influenced by historical events such as the Satanic panics of the 1980s in the UK and America, and the appropriation of Pagan symbols by far-right movements.
The lack of recorded convictions for witchcraft in Australia may be due to the secular nature of the country, with only around 10% of the population attending religious services of any kind. Additionally, Christianity has played a significant role in shaping public discourse and dominant religious institutions in Australia since White settlement in 1788.
It is worth noting that the modern Pagan movement, which includes practices such as Wicca and Shamanism, began in Britain during the 1940s and reached Australia through the US and Scandinavia. Paganism draws its traditions from various sources, including the ceremonial magic of ancient cultures, Freemasonry, and earlier Pagan societies. While there is no single set of beliefs, practices, or sacred texts, Pagans share a reverence for and spiritual connection with the natural world.
Although there have been no recorded convictions for witchcraft in Australia, fortune-telling was once a commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in the country. Between 1900 and 1918, there were at least 247 prosecutions for fortune-telling, and while NSW has repealed laws against it, these laws remain in South Australia. As of 2025, Queensland recorded the largest number of Pagans in the last two censuses, followed by New South Wales and Victoria. However, Tasmania has the biggest population of Pagans per capita.
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Criminal offences against witchcraft are still on the books in Australia
While Australia is a notably secular country, with only around 10% of its population attending religious services, Christianity has dominated the country's religious discourse since its colonisation in 1788. Christian institutions are prominent in public life, and Christian doctrines and practices are taught in schools. However, nature religions are growing in Australia, and witchcraft was illegal in some territories as recently as 10 years ago. Criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in Australia, with some still on the books.
In the past, many purported witches were put on trial across the globe, including in Australia. From 1900 to 1918, there were at least 247 prosecutions for fortune-telling, the most commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in Australia. Although New South Wales (NSW) repealed laws against fortune-telling in its Vagrancy Act in 1979, these laws remain in South Australia. Section 40 of the South Australian Summary Offences Act 1953 states that:
> A person who, with intent to defraud, purports to act as a spiritualist or medium, or to exercise powers of telepathy or clairvoyance or other similar powers, is guilty of an offence.
This offence carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 or two years' imprisonment. While there are no discrete offences against witchcraft or fortune-telling in NSW, such conduct can amount to the offence of fraud, which is a crime under the Crimes Act 1900.
The belief in witchcraft has been studied by sociologists and other specialists, and their conclusions are diverse. Some specialists focus on the traditional and formal courts' differing attitudes towards witch beliefs, while others examine the responses of colonial administrators to accusations of sorcery and violent crime arising from beliefs in witchcraft.
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Fortune-telling is the most commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in Australia
While there has never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in Australia, criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in the country, with some still on the books. However, it is important to note that these laws are rarely enforced, and the modern Pagan movement in Australia, which began in the 1990s, is growing.
Among the offences related to witchcraft, fortune-telling stands out as the most commonly enforced in Australia's history. Between 1900 and 1918, there were at least 247 prosecutions for fortune-telling, according to one estimate. The focus of these offences was on individuals who pretended to tell fortunes with the intent to deceive and defraud others.
Although New South Wales (NSW) repealed laws against fortune-telling in its Vagrancy Act in 1979, similar laws remain in South Australia. Specifically, Section 40 of the South Australian Summary Offences Act 1953 states that individuals who pretend to act as spiritualists or mediums with the intent to defraud are guilty of an offence. This offence carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 or two years imprisonment.
In NSW, while there are no discrete offences against witchcraft or fortune-telling, such conduct can still be considered fraud under the Crimes Act 1900. This reflects a shift in criminal law regarding witchcraft, where the focus is on fraudulent individuals who pretend to be witches rather than on witchcraft itself.
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Australia's Pagan population may be higher than figures show due to the optional Census declaration
The practice of witchcraft and paganism in Australia has an interesting history. While there is no evidence of any recorded convictions for witchcraft in the country, it was considered illegal in some territories as recently as 10 years ago. The perception of pagans as Satan worshippers has likely contributed to this stigma.
The modern Pagan movement began in Britain during the 1940s, influenced by Romanticism and Victorian-era spiritualism. It then spread to other countries, including the United States and Scandinavia. Similarly, in Australia, the arrival of the Freemasons during the colonization period preceded the development of a significant occult and esoteric subculture. In the late 1960s and 1970s, small, secretive groups influenced by Western magical traditions and British occultism, such as Aleister Crowley, emerged in Melbourne and Sydney. It is believed that Alexandrian Wiccans and Gardnerian Wiccans arrived in Australia from England and the United States during this period.
The number of individuals identifying with paganism or witchcraft in Australia may be higher than official figures suggest. In the 2021 census, 18,630 people identified as pagans, while 7,785 people identified with Wicca or Neopagan witchcraft. However, the optional nature of the census's religion question may result in an underrepresentation of certain groups, especially those facing stigma or seeking privacy. For example, Professor Douglas Ezzy suspects that the 2001 census underestimated the number of pagans, particularly among teenagers whose parents may not have reported their beliefs due to the negative associations with the term "witch."
Additionally, the term "pagan" encompasses a diverse range of nature-based spiritual pathways, and individuals may have varying levels of participation in religious activities. Some Australian pagans incorporate the practices of First Nations peoples, further contributing to the unique nature of paganism in the country. The growth of nature-based religions in Australia may be influenced by various factors, including the popularity of media representations of witchcraft and magic, such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the "Harry Potter" franchise.
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Frequently asked questions
While there's never been a recorded conviction for witchcraft in Australia, criminal offences against witchcraft have been implemented in the country, with some still on the books.
Witchcraft is part of a nature-centred religion focused on reviving lost rituals and beliefs from the past.
Paganism in Australia was preceded by a significant occult and esoteric subculture, the first of which – the Freemasons – arrived with colonisation.
Fortune-telling was the most commonly enforced offence related to witchcraft in Australia between 1900 and 1918, with at least 247 prosecutions for the act. While NSW repealed laws against fortune-telling in 1979, these laws remain on the books in South Australia.
The modern Pagan movement began in Britain during the 1940s. It was influenced by Romanticism and Victorian-era spiritualism, and its followers perceived contemporary society as a corrupting influence and recognised nature as a source of ancient wisdom.
