The 2026 Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair has delivered one of the clearest signals yet that the Australian toy and licensing industry is back in growth mode.
Held from 1 to 4 March at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, this year’s Fair brought together retailers, buyers, licensors, licensees, manufacturers, and agents for four days of meetings, product discovery, celebration, and industry connection. For Licensing International members, the message coming out of Melbourne was unmistakable, licensing was not just part of the conversation, it was at the centre of it. The Australian Toy Association describes the Fair as a major trade marketplace for the sector, connecting exhibitors with thousands of retailers and industry professionals.
Importantly, the 2026 event also carried a milestone beyond the show floor. According to Alice Sanderson, Executive Manager of the ATA, this was the first time since COVID that the Fair had been a sell out, and it was exciting to see the industry once again on a growth trajectory. That insight gives this year’s event broader significance. It was not simply a successful trade fair, it was a marker of renewed confidence for the whole category.
That confidence was visible everywhere. ATA communications during the Fair described strong feedback from exhibitors and attendees, vibrant energy across the hall, and a week full of meaningful conversations and fresh inspiration. The Association also highlighted the special buzz that comes from having the full Australian toy industry together in one place, a reminder that this event remains as much about relationships and momentum as it is about product. Mainstream media attention, including coverage from major Australian television outlets, only added to the sense that the industry had something worth noticing.
Licensing was a major part of that story. Public commentary from attendees and partners repeatedly pointed to the strength and visibility of licensed properties across the Fair, with brands woven through displays, awards, and commercial conversations. In many ways, Toy Fair 2026 reflected the growing reality that licensing is no longer a side category in the toy business, it is one of the key growth engines shaping retail strategy and consumer demand.
The 2026 ATA Awards reinforced that point. Bluey again emerged as the dominant licensed property, winning Infant/Pre School License of the Year and Overall License of the Year, while Heather Somers of BBC Studios was named Rising Star. Those results underline the continuing power of Bluey as both a cultural phenomenon and a retail force. The wider licensing winners also showed the breadth of the category. Minecraft won Children’s License of the Year, Hello Kitty and Friends took out Kidult License of the Year, and Peter Rabbit won Boutique License of the Year. Together, those winners reflect a market with strength across preschool, children’s, kidult, and heritage driven segments.
Bluey’s presence went beyond the awards. BBC Studios used the Fair to continue building excitement around the brand’s consumer products momentum, with public posts highlighting a strong partner summit and a Bluey movie themed activation on the concourse. It was a reminder that the most successful licensing programs are not standing still, they are continually expanding across categories, experiences, and touchpoints.
Another standout moment came through the Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment breakfast, which drew 200 attendees and featured Anni Atkinson, Belinda Gruebner, Kerryn McCormack, Danielle Lowe, and Brea Brand. The scale of that breakfast says something important about where the sector is heading. Alongside product innovation and commercial performance, leadership, visibility, and community are becoming an increasingly important part of the industry’s future.
The Gala Dinner added to that sense of celebration, recognising finalists and winners across the toy, hobby, and licensing sectors and reminding the industry of its shared strength. More than an awards night, it was a reflection of a sector proud of its creativity, resilience, and ambition.
For Licensing International members, Toy Fair 2026 offered a timely lesson. The brands and businesses that stood out were those backed by strong partnerships, clear activation, and a sharp understanding of where consumer demand is moving next. Whether the focus was Bluey, Minecraft, Hello Kitty and Friends, or newer properties like KPop Demon Hunters, building momentum, the message was the same, success in licensing comes from timing, collaboration, and the ability to turn cultural relevance into retail action.
This year’s Fair did more than fill an exhibition hall. It showed an industry regaining momentum, attracting attention, and putting licensing firmly at the heart of its next phase of growth.