Plan Your Trip
Hotspots for…
Beaches
With this much coastline to play with, it’s no surprise that daily life for many Australians involves a trip to the beach. Enjoy!
Sydney’s fab beaches range from surf-strewn bays to sheltered harbour swim-spots: irresistible!
Sydney’s biggest, best and most ‘braggadocious’.
Everyone comes to Byron for the beaches, from wild ocean shores to sheltered sandy nooks.
Chill on the sand at hidden Watego’s Beach.
Along Victoria’s photogenic Great Ocean Road are a string of amazing surf beaches (bring your wetsuit).
Enjoy riding Bells’ epic point break.
Islands
Australia has thousands of islands…8222 of them, in fact! From tropical to windswept, there’s one waiting for every kind of traveller.
Check yourself into a resort or go sailing around this pristine Queensland archipelago.
Reigns supreme in the luxe resort scene here.
The northern Great Barrier Reef gets all the press, but its southern isles are low-key and lovely.
Offers brilliant snorkelling and castaway vibes.
You could argue that ‘Freo’ is an island of culture…but offshore lies a true island gem.
Has cute quokkas and a troubling history.
Indigenous Culture
With artefacts dating back more than 50,000 years, Australia’s Indigenous culture is ancient, rich and varied.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Much more than big boulders: learn about local Aboriginal mythology, laws, customs and religion.
Book an Indigenous guide for the Rock.
Discover ancient Aboriginal rock-art galleries and experience ‘bush tucker’ on an Indigenous-led tour.
Visit Kakadu’s famous rock-art galleries.
Alice is the epicentre for authentic Aboriginal arts from right across central Australia.
Excellent galleries and a performance theatre.
Wildlife
From marine mammals to marsupials, birds and reptiles, Australia overflows with native wildlife. Meeting these locals is worth planning your trip around.
Turtles, dugongs, sharks, manta rays, crabs, eels and unbelievable numbers of tropical fish.
Head to the reef from Cairns or Port Douglas.
Queensland’s tropical Daintree buzzes with birds, frogs, insects, even wandering cassowaries.
Crocodile Express runs Daintree River tours.
Experience Australia’s eccentric wildlife at Sydney’s excellent, accessible zoos and aquariums.
This zoo is worth a visit for the ferry ride alone.