New York. Paris. Milan. Sydney? That’s right, the world’s top modelling hubs are no longer exclusively limited to the old-school Meccas of fashion.
Australia boasts a vibrant and diverse modelling industry, with great opportunities for children, from infant modelling to tweens and teens.
If you’re a parent considering child modelling for your little one, finding the right children’s modelling agency is crucial. The best not only offer great opportunities but also prioritise the safety and well-being of their young models.
So, whether you’re in central Sydney or the outskirts of Perth, have a bump, a newborn, a toddler, or a tween, here’s a detailed look at the best child modelling agencies in Australia so you can find the right partner to help put your tot in the spotlight.
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Bubblegum Casting is Australia’s longest-running agency for child models, with over 40 years’ experience in the game. It represents infants of 3 months to 17-year-old kids and is revered for its expertise, industry connections, and nurturing approach. In 2023, it won Talent Agency of the Year in the APAC Insider Awards.
It offers a host of free resources for modelling and acting in the form of online courses, guides, and informative blog posts. There is an upfront, one-time fee of AU$ 795, which includes a professional photography shoot to build up your little one’s portfolio. If you already have suitable images, this fee is reduced to AU$ 420.
Those on its books have appeared in TV shows, films, commercials, and print adverts for clients such as McDonald’s, Oreo, Specsavers, Target, and Huggies. Bubblegum’s head office is located in Melbourne, with permanent offices in Sydney and Brisbane as well.
Founded by “mumpreneur” Hannah Millward in 2009, Bump is one of the main Australian agencies for pregnancy and newborn modelling, with a niche for mother-and-child modelling. It takes children up to the age of 15 and is always on the lookout for twins and triplets.
Its models appear in editorials, advertorials, billboards, front covers, TV shows, and films. It’s based outside Sydney in Long Jetty but takes models from all over Australia. According to its website, Sydney is its busiest market, followed by Melbourne and Brisbane.
There is an annual fee of roughly AU$380 for children (and AU$120 for adults), which varies depending on the type of model you are and decreases if you stay with them for a second year.
Sourcing models for a wide range of advertising and television, Bump is keen to represent a wide variety of looks. It also provides workshops for mums and kids to help develop their talent and confidence.
Some of its clients include Toyota, Target, Dettol, the Department of Education, and Huggies, and it’s worked with Australia’s leading casting, advertising, and production companies, including Ogilvy, M&C Saatchi, Danny Long, and Screen Now.
A slightly newer kid on the block, Unicorn Kids was founded in 2016. It’s free to join, based in Sydney, and takes model babies, children, tweens, and teens up to age 17.
It’s headed up by powerhouse couple Susana Albakri and Fabian Astore, whose combined backgrounds in art and fashion have given them a unique eye for talent in a competitive marketplace.
As a smaller, more boutique agency, Unicorn Kids accepts only models in the Melbourne or Sydney regions. Its work flexes to the quirkier and artistic end of the spectrum. This means it’s not only looking for children with the right disposition for modelling, but also those with a broader range of emotions and attitudes on set.
Its models have been featured in campaigns and editorials for fashion, TV, and film. Its clients include Panadol, Seed Heritage, Huxbaby, Harper’s Bazaar Kids, and Peter Alexander.
With bases in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, Brats represents children from 4 months to 16 years. It aims to have around 250 children on each state book at any one time and strives to have a good mix of ethnicities, backgrounds, and skill sets in every state.
The annual fee of AU$640 covers your initial professional photographs, your portfolio platform, and a year’s worth of marketing.
Founder Michael Spott has worked in fashion and modelling for over 20 years and has connections with some of the biggest companies in Australia, including Kmart, Aldi, Myer, Smiggle, and Bonds.
The work your child could be booked on ranges from photographic advertising and TV commercials to magazines, catalogues, and even Hollywood films.
Bayside is the only specialist kids’ modelling agency in Melbourne. Run by a team of mums with more than 20 years of combined experience, Mardi, Liz, Shaynee, and Gemma aim to create a warm and welcoming environment for kids ages 0 to 15 and their parents.
By being a Melbourne-only kids’ agency, Bayside isn’t split across different divisions or locations, meaning a more bespoke experience. Its focus on questions and open communication makes it a very approachable outfit.
Bayside has three price points for its joining fee, ranging from AU$250 to AU$550, depending on how much involvement you’d like from the agency in your first year.
Clients include Halycon Nights, Smiggle, Target, KaPow Kids, and Woolly Kids. Work tends to be modelling and acting for commercial fashion jobs including print, TV, and social content.
Featured in the Daily Mail Online Australia, Munchkins is one of the most respected child modelling agencies in the country. It’s been around since 1990 and now has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth.
Munchkins represents children of all ages, from newborns to young adults, capping out at 21. They average around 10 to 20 kids per category per state, although quieter markets like Perth and Brisbane have fewer children on their books.
Munchkins charges an annual fee to represent your child, which includes their first photography shoot. The fee ranges from AU$495 to AU$595, depending on which state you live in. It is also able to accept children who live 90 minutes from the central areas of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane.
Clients range from big names like Target and Kmart to smaller boutique outfits, depending on the area. Recent jobs have been with Pure Western, Aster & Oak, Cotton On, and Clarks Australia.
Jobs consist of modelling for commercial work as well as acting opportunities for TV and film. Your child could be involved in photographic campaigns, film and TV, fashion parades, campaigns for local attractions and festivals, and modelling for boutique clothing labels.
In a world of agencies playing it safe, JR dares to be bold. The agency was founded in 2014 to address the lack of representation in the industry, in particular of the LGBTQ+ community as well as people of all ethnicities and abilities. So, if you or your child don’t fit into the traditional mould, this could be the kids’ modelling agency for your family.
There is a monthly fee of AU$30 to be on JR’s books. However, this can be negotiated if your child has previous experience.
Although not a child-only agency, JR works across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, and it has a broad range of clients who need younger talent too. Their clients include Myer, Coles, Target, Bardot Junior, and Moose Toys.
The work at JR ranges from being a face in TV commercials and photographic campaigns to fashion show modelling and projects needing specific skills, like singing and dancing. There’s a whole host of opportunities for your little one to graduate into if they show an interest.
