ABSTRACT Young carers in Australia are people aged under 25 who undertake a substantial familial caring role. A range of associated disadvantages with this practice have been identified, however, no systematic literature review currently exists to consolidate the Australian research. Articles were included if they used a broadly quantitative methodology, were in English, and published since 2002 using original, contemporary Australian data and specifically discussed the caring role. The following databases were searched: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsychInfo, APA PsycArticles, MEDLINE Complete, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL with Full Text, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, APA PsycTherapy. Fourteen articles were included, and synthesised using a narrative style, capturing detailed information on approximately 8000 young carers, and briefer census-style data on 128,000 young carers. Quality ratings and risk of bias analyses were included. It was found that young carers exhibit a range of disadvantages across academic, social, and mental health domains, particularly when the care recipient is a parent, and even more so if the care needs are related to mental health or substance use. Additional research is required to further explore the relationships between the young caring role and outcomes.