Australia is a country, a continent and an island! Australia comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and other islands. Australia was originally inhabited by the indigenous aborigines about 60000 years before the British settlement. Canberra is the capital of Australia and other prominent cities of Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
We don’t see much American’s visiting Australia for two main reasons: 1) The distance between these two countries is very long 2) The flights are long and expensive.
Nevertheless Australia is a nice hang out for experiencing the beaches, reefs, fertile mountains, Tropical rain forests and wine producing regions.
This little guide will walk you through some of the best holiday destinations in Australia.
Sydney
Sydney is one of the best family holiday destinations in the Land Down Under! Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and is world famous for iconic landmarks like Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Sydney has a lot to offer on exotic wildlife, kids can expect to feed baby Kangaroos at Wild Life Sydney Zoo. For that wow-experience of sand and sunshine with your family, visit the Bondi beach and the Coogee beach in Sydney.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the Victorian capital. It cannot match Sydney’s beach life but is popular for its coffee-culture, food and sport. The great Ocean road is a top Melbourne getaway that tourists cannot miss when they visit this city. Just jump behind the wheel of your car and take a road trip along the great ocean road which spans 243 km of the rugged Victorian coast line, located west of Melbourne. On the way explore seaside towns, walk through rainforests and make stopovers to appreciate the limestone stacks of the famous 12 Apostles.
Canberra
Canberra is the capital of Australia but is generally overlooked by most tourists because it doesn’t have much to offer for holiday seekers. Canberra is mainly known for being home to many politicians. The city showcases attractions like Australian War Memorial, the Modern National Arboretum and an array of museums including Questacon and the National Gallery.
Byron Bay
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the state of NSW. It has 9 amazing surfing beaches, collectively referred to as ‘The Pass’, lies very close to the world famous light house (Byron Bay Lighthouse) and is a very popular surf-spot for tourists. This is also the most easterly point of Australia and so the sunrise here is the earliest (a few milliseconds faster!) and is a must-see for all foreign visitors.
Adelaide
Adelaide is known as the City of Churches. Head to Adelaide for both relaxation and adventure, you can experience some delectable food, delicious wine and plenty of wildlife. The Kangaroo Island is the most sought after place in Adelaide for exploring the Australian fauna and Flora. You can get access to 891 species of native plants, wallabies, seals, goannas, koalas, and of course, Kangaroos. Explore the Barossa valley in Adelaide for an amazing experience of superb food, wine and art galleries of the local people.
Rottnest Island
Head to Rottnest Islands by ferrying from Perth, experience the 60 white sand beaches, turquoise water and rich marine life of this Island. The main attraction of this destination is the resident population of the quokkas, an adorable little animal that resembles a miniature Kangaroo and lets you comfortably take a selfie with your mobile camera when you are near it.
Australia’s wild north-west coast
The North-west coast of Australia lies in the wilderness, which has fewer people per square km than anywhere else on the planet. The north-western region is an ancient land with Australian bushland, wild rivers and mountains and is also home to many fresh water and sea water crocodiles.
While you are in the North-western coast
- Watch the tropical sunset at Cable beach in Broom
- Visit Kimberly that many Australians dream to experience its waterways, rugged red mountains and vast wetlands.
- Explore Kununurra to get a stunning view of the rocky red and green landscape that it has to offer. Baz Luhrmann chose Kununurra for filming his epic film, ‘Australia’, starring Nicole Kidman to showcase the countryside of Australia to people from around the globe.
- Visit the Mackerel Islands which showcases the raw beauty of WA, Pilbara
- Visit Newman, the model mining town which is home to the largest iron-ore mine in the world
- Tour Dampier Peninsula to experience the Australian aboriginal culture
The Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote area of Australia. Some of the well known destinations in this region include: Uluru, Alice Springs, Kakadu National Park, Coober Pedy, Devils Marbles and Kings Canyon.
Uluru is the red center of Australia, mainly known for its extraordinary landscape of desert plains mountain ranges and rocky gorges. This place has immense significance to Australia’s Aboriginal people and is considered as the most iconic landmark in Australia. Watch Uluru change color at sunrise and sunset and learn about the Aboriginal culture.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Island state of Australia and Hobart is the capital of the state of Tasmania. The main attraction at Hobart is The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), which showcases one of the world’s most controversial private collections of modern art and antiquities. Other attractions are Port Arthur Heritage site, Mt Wellington and Cataract Gorge. Explore Tasmania’s changing landscape from the alpine wonderland of Cradle Mountain, to the Lavender fields and fertile valleys around Launceston.
Tropical Queensland
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, stretches 2300 km along the Queensland. Put this on top of your list of destinations in Australia for experiencing unforgettable moments at sea. Try either snorkeling or scuba diving to explore this amazing underwater universe filled with tropical fish, turtles and even whales. When you are in Tropical North Queensland you must explore some of the oldest rainforests in the world, the coffee plantations and the pristine waterfalls.
