Here’s a practical, category-by-category list of top tools Australian content creators commonly use — with a short note on why each is useful and any Australia-specific considerations.

Video creation & editing

• Adobe Premiere Pro — industry-standard nonlinear editor (best for professional workflows).
• Final Cut Pro — fast, Mac-optimized editor (great for Mac users).
• DaVinci Resolve — powerful free option with best-in-class color grading.
• CapCut — quick mobile/desktop editor for short-form social video.
• Runway — AI-assisted video editing, background removal and generative tools.

Audio & podcasting

• Adobe Audition — pro audio editing and cleanup.
• Audacity — free, lightweight audio editor.
• Reaper — affordable, powerful DAW.
• Descript — transcription-led audio editing, overdub and filler-word removal.
• Alitu, Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Anchor — podcast hosting & publishing platforms.

Graphics, thumbnails & design

• Canva — fast templates for thumbnails, social posts and reels.
• Affinity Photo/Designer — one-time-purchase pro alternatives to Adobe.
• Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator — pro-level image and vector tools.
• Midjourney, DALL·E, Stability AI — AI image generation for concept art/visuals.

Social scheduling, growth & analytics

• Hootsuite, Buffer, Later — scheduling across Instagram/Facebook/X/LinkedIn.
• TubeBuddy, vidIQ — YouTube SEO, keyword research and optimization.
• Sprout Social — advanced social analytics and team tools.
• Google Analytics / Google Search Console — website performance & SEO.

Short-form & streaming

• OBS Studio — free live-streaming and screen-recording.
• Streamlabs / Restream — streaming tools and multi-platform broadcasting.
• Streamyard — browser-based live streaming (easy to use for interviews).

Transcription, captions & accessibility

• Descript, Otter.ai, Trint — accurate transcriptions and editing workflows.
• Rev, Happy Scribe — captioning and human transcription services.

Monetisation & ecommerce

• Patreon, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee — fan subscriptions and micro-donations.
• Stripe, PayPal — payment processing (commonly used in Australia; check fees and GST rules).
• Shopify — e-commerce store builder widely used by Australian creators.
• Gumroad, SendOwl — digital product sales and licenses.

Stock assets & music (licensing)

• Envato Elements, Storyblocks, Shutterstock — stock footage, graphics and templates.
• Epidemic Sound, Artlist, AudioJungle — music licensing for creators (check APRA/AMCOS implications in Australia).
• Note: For public performance or broadcast in Australia, understand APRA AMCOS licensing and copyright obligations.

AI & productivity

• ChatGPT / Claude / Bard — scriptwriting, ideation and content research.
• Jasper — marketing copy and content templates.
• Notion, Airtable — content planning, editorial calendars and asset databases.
• Trello, Asana — task/project management for teams.

Podcast & video hosting / distribution

• YouTube, Vimeo (Pro) — long-form video distribution and monetization.
• TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels — short-form discoverability.
• Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts — podcast distribution hubs.

Legal, tax & Australia-specific resources

• Australian Taxation Office (ATO) tools — GST, income reporting, ABN/sole trader guidance.
• Screen Australia — funding/grants for screen projects (if you create film/TV content).
• APRA AMCOS & Copyright Agency — music/rights licensing and payments in Australia.
• Consider consulting an Australian small-business accountant for GST, PAYG, and ABN structure.

Hardware (basic recommendations)

• Camera: Sony a7-series, Canon R-series or Fujifilm X-series — good hybrid photo/video bodies.
• Microphone: Shure SM7B (podcasts), Rode NT-USB, or Rode wireless for mobile shoots.
• Lighting: Aputure LEDs or affordable LED panels / ring lights.
• Stabilization: DJI gimbals, small tripods, and GorillaPods for compact setups.

Quick tips specific to Australian creators

• Register an ABN and understand GST thresholds if you’re earning regularly — ATO guidance is essential.
• Check local licensing (APRA AMCOS) before using copyrighted music in monetized videos.
• Consider local grants (Screen Australia, state film bodies) if making longer-form screen content.
• Factor international payment fees and currency conversion when using Patreon/Stripe for Aussie audiences.

If you want, I can:

• Narrow this to tools for a specific platform (YouTube, TikTok, podcasting).
• Recommend an exact tech stack (camera + mic + editing + hosting) for your budget.
• Help you set up a simple content calendar template in Notion or Airtable.