The science fiction movie, which stars Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins, made over $3 million in ticket sales.
Last week's number one Project X drops down to second place, followed by Mark Wahlberg's Contraband, which took $727,100 in box office sales.
Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine's love triangle film This Means War slips from third to fourth place after taking $673,397 at the box office, closely followed by romance The Vow.
French silent film The Artist remains firm at number seven in the list, following a boost in sales a week ago after its multiple Oscar wins at last month's Academy Awards.
The Australian box office top ten in full below (figures in Australian dollars):
1. (-) John Carter - $3,092,526
2. (1) Project X - $1,098,478
3. (2) Contraband - $727,100
4. (3) This Means War - $673,397
5. (4) The Vow - $550,206
6. (6) Safe House - $429,402
7. (7) The Artist - $406,205
8. (5) The Devil Inside - $380,884
9. (8) Hugo - $296,163
10. (9) My Week with Marilyn - $228,551
Watch Willem Dafoe discuss John Carter with Digital Spy below:
