AUSTRALIA TRAVEL GUIDE
Everything you need to know before travelling to Australia.
Make the most of your trip to Australia with expert tips, ideas and recommendations
Australia Travel Guide
Tips to planning a trip to Australia in 2021
A vast land of beautiful landscapes, amazing marine life, and unique animals, Australia has captured the imagination of travellers for decades.
Inhabited for 65,000 years and bigger than all of the European Union countries put together, Australia is one of the least densely populated countries on the planet.
With deserts, cities, mountains ranges, rainforests, and coral reefs, there is so much for any traveller to explore.
In this Australia travel guide, we will set out our top Australia travel tips so you have everything you need to start planning a trip to Australia.
In this Australia travel guide:
- Australia – Country facts
- Australia travel tips – Visas
- Planning a trip to Australia – Money and budget
- Australia travelling tips – When to go and how long to go for
- Australia travel tips – What to pack
- Things to know about Australia – Getting around
- Australia travel tips – Things to see and do on the East Coast
- Australia travel tips – Things to see and do in the Red Centre and West Coast
- Things to know about Australia – Wildlife
- Where is Australia?
Australia is one of the largest countries on the planet and it lies in the Southern Hemisphere between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. - What is the size of Australia?
Australia is the 6th largest country by total area. It is 7,692,024 km2 (2,969,907 sq mi). - How many people live in Australia?
The population of Australia is around 25.7 million people (2020 estimate), it ranks 53rd in the world for its population. - What is the capital of Australia?
While many people assume that Sydney is the capital of Australia, it is actually incorrect as the capital is actually Canberra. - What language is spoken in Australia?
Australia does not have an actual official language but English is widely spoken here. Australian English is a little different than other English languages because of its distinctive accent and different grammar and spelling. - What is the main religion in Australia?
There is no state or official religion in Australia. However, around 52% of the population identifies as Christians, 2.6% as Muslims and 2.4% as Buddhists. It is worth noting than more than 30% do not have any religion. - What is the currency of Australia?
The currency used in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). - What plugs are used in Australia?
The type of plug commonly used in Australia is type I. Australia operates on a 230V/240V supply voltage and 50Hz. - What is the country code of Australia?
The country code for calling Australia is the prefix +61, website domains from Australia usually end with .com.au.
Australia travel tips – Visas
Before you travel, you will need to check the visa requirements for your nationality so that you can gain entry into the country. This is one of our top Australia travel tips.
The cost and method will depend on your passport. UK passport holders, for example, can get an E-visa free of charge which allows entry to the country for up to 3 months at a time.
US and Canadian citizens can get an ETA (or Electronic Travel Authority) for 3 months for a AUD $20 service fee. See the Australian Government’s tourist visa page for up to date information.
One of the most important things to know about Australia is that it is a very expensive destination.
Accommodation, eating out and drinking are all pricey. Even buying groceries to cook yourself can be pretty costly (a weekly grocery shop can range between AUD $80-300).
You should aim to budget at least $100-$200 USD per day for accommodation, food, and activities. If you want to enjoy some more exciting activities be aware that although these are absolutely worth it, they will add a significant amount to your costs.
A one-day scuba diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef, for example, will set you back around AUD $200 whilst a good-value, half-day whale watching trip at Hervey Bay costs AUD $90.
One of our Australia travelling tips is to take advantage of the free barbeques that are in parks all over Australia. Some even have amazing views. I enjoyed a deliciously charred sausage burger whilst overlooking the ocean at Byron Bay.
When you are planning a trip to Australia you should consider the time of year you want to visit. Seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere compared to the north. So while Europe and North America are enjoying long summer days, Australia is in its (mild) winter.
Similarly, when the northern hemisphere is enjoying snow and ice, Australia is baking in the sunshine. Be aware that summertime in parts of Australia can be extremely hot with average temperatures reaching over 35°C and increased risks of bushfires.
See our article ‘The Best Time to Visit Australia’ for the full breakdown of the weather and climate in Australia.
Australia is a huge country, the 6th largest in the world, and travellers should not underestimate the distances between destinations. If you have the time, you could spend 6 months travelling the country and still have more left to explore.
Be aware of your time constraints and do not plan too much if you only have limited time. Try to spend at least 2-3 weeks in Australia (preferably much longer) to allow yourself time to properly experience a number of areas.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! The sun is extremely strong in Australia. The ozone layer has thinned over the country and bringing good sunscreen is the most important of our Australia travel tips.
South Eastern Queensland has the unfortunate boast of being the skin cancer ‘capital’ of the world. Choose a reef-safe sunscreen to cause minimal damage to the environment particularly if you are going to be enjoying some of Australia’s many water-based activities.
See our article, the ‘Best Reef Safe Sunscreens’ to help you pick the best option for you.
The rest of your packing list will depend on the time of year you visit and the kind of holiday you are planning. When I arrived in Melbourne one night in June, it was 2°C but temperatures could easily reach into the 30°Cs if you are travelling in summer.
One of the things to know about Australia, however, is that bringing fruit or vegetables and some other products into the country is not permitted as Australia is aiming to minimise damage by new species or diseases.
With vast distances between many cities and places of interest anyone planning a trip to Australia should think carefully about how to travel between locations. Fortunately, there are several options.
For those on a budget, the Greyhound hop-on, hop-off bus passes offer good value for money. It is also one of the more environmentally friendly ways to get around.
Travellers can also choose to take the train, another affordable option. This is a great way to see the beauty of Australia’s landscape whilst you relax and enjoy the journey. You can see travel options and buy tickets online at journeybeyondrail.com.
Renting a car or campervan is an exciting option if you have the budget, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Ensure you properly plan and are aware of distances when thinking about fuel stops and picking up supplies. To save money, opt to relocate a campervan and you can travel and sleep for as little as AUD $1 a day.
If time is of the essence, taking domestic flights will drastically reduce travel times. A 9-hour drive from Melbourne to Sydney is just a 1-hour flight, but prices can add up unless you find a bargain.
Australia travel tips – Things to see and do on the East Coast
With so much to choose from, those planning a trip to Australia sometimes find it hard to narrow down an itinerary. For those looking for the best beaches, check out our article on the ‘best beaches in Australia’ for everything you need to know.
Many travellers choose to visit the well-trodden East Coast route (from Melbourne or Sydney up to Cairns in the north). If you choose this route you can delight in the spectacular scenery and architecture of Sydney’s Harbour, the Opera House, and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Be sure to check out the perfectly situated Taronga Zoo. A cable car whisks you to the zoo entrance and the bird show features fantastic views over the harbour. The misty Blue Mountains are easily accessible from Sydney and are definitely worth a visit.
In Melbourne the winding and rugged Great Ocean Road is a day trip away. Enjoy the coffee culture in the city but spend your evening admiring the tiny fairy penguins of Phillip Island come back from the sea to their roosts.
Further up the East Coast, the Great Barrier Reef is the big draw for many. Stretching for 2,300 km and the largest coral reef system, travellers can experience a different world during scuba diving and snorkeling trips.
I had an incredible experience staying at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, on a coral cay, reached by a small plane where the small number of visitors can swim straight from the beach to experience an array of marine life including turtles and reef sharks.
Further north still and you can experience the humidity of the tropical Daintree rainforest. One of my absolute highlights was cantering along the beach on horseback at Cape Tribulation.
This important area is where some of the most sacred of Aboriginal Australia’s sites are located including Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The Anangu (Aboriginal) people of Mutitjulu are the Traditional Owners and joint managers of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park where these sites can be found.
Many travellers head to the remote town of Alice Springs and base themselves here for excursions out to explore the area.
On the West Coast, you can try out the cosmopolitan feel of Perth, one of the world’s largest most isolated cities. 1,200km away, Ningaloo is the perfect spot to enjoy swimming with whale sharks and enjoying other marine life on the reef, a World Heritage site.
On land, there are also amazing natural destinations. The spectacular Karijini National Park gives visitors plenty of opportunities to hike through the wilderness and gorges and to finish with a refreshing swim in a clear rock pool.
Occupied by Banyjima, Kurrama, and Innawonga Aboriginal people over 20,000 years ago, the land and plant life were managed to result in the diverse vegetation that shapes nature in the park today. The park can be reached by car.
As anyone planning a trip to Australia will probably know, the country is well-known for its unique and sometimes deadly wildlife. I grew up eagerly consuming anything made by Australia’s famous conservationist, Steve Irwin, and a trip to his Australia Zoo was a great experience.
In terms of safety, whilst there are several species of venomous snakes (including the taipan and death adder) you are unlikely to come across one in the city. When out hiking (or bush-walking) take sensible precautions like wearing solid boots that reach over the ankle and avoid dense patches of foliage.
If you are camping out in the bush (or natural area) check your shoes (and the outdoor toilet seat) for any spider-friends that might have crawled in during the night. Be ‘Croc wise’ and stay at least 5 metres away from the water’s edge in crocodile territory.
Look for ‘marine stinger enclosures’ where you can swim, protected by nets from potentially hazardous marine-life like box jellyfish, and pay attention to any beach closures or warnings.
Australia may seem like it is full of wildlife that is out to get you but in reality, you are unlikely to be at much risk as long as you act safely and follow warnings.
Many travelling to Australia regard a sighting of one of these animals (and some Australia’s furrier inhabitants like koalas, kangaroos, and quokkas) as an amazing part of the experience.
Whether you are planning to go Down-Under for 2 weeks or 6 months if you are planning a trip to Australia use our Australia travel tips to make the most of your experience.