Top Things to Do in Australia

Australia exports exceptional Shiraz and other wines from regions like Barossa Valley and Margaret River, Manuka honey, macadamia nuts, and premium wool. You'll also find Tim Tams (chocolate biscuits), Vegemite, and excellent beef and lamb widely available. Most international visitors stock up on wine and Indigenous art before leaving.

Sydney Harbour (Opera House and Bridge), the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns or Port Douglas, Uluru in the Red Centre, and the Great Ocean Road west of Melbourne are the well-known quartet. Tasmania's wilderness, the Whitsunday Islands, and the Daintree Rainforest are equally impressive if you have more time. Budget at least two weeks to cover the major regions without rushing.

Fly into Sydney or Melbourne, spend 3-4 days in the city, then fly domestically to one or two regions, distances are enormous, and driving Sydney to Cairns takes 30+ hours. Popular routes pair Sydney with the Great Barrier Reef, or Melbourne with Tasmania or Uluru. Book internal flights early. Budget carriers like Jetstar often have sales. But peak season (December-February) fills fast.

Snorkeling or diving the Great Barrier Reef, watching sunrise at Uluru, walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and spotting wildlife on Kangaroo Island or in Tasmania rank highest. In cities, explore Melbourne's laneway cafes, Sydney's coastal walks from Bondi to Coogee, and Brisbane's South Bank. Wildlife encounters, koalas, kangaroos, wombats, are memorable. But go to sanctuaries or national parks, not roadside tourist traps.

Jørn Utzon's 1973 sail-shaped design is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 20th century's most recognizable buildings. You can tour the interior (around AUD 43), attend a performance, or simply photograph it from Mrs Macquarie's Chair or a harbor ferry. The guided tours reveal the ingenious shell construction and troubled construction history.

Australia welcomed about 9.3 million international visitors in 2019 before the pandemic. Numbers are recovering but still below that peak as of 2024. The busiest periods are December-February (Australian summer) and July (winter school holidays in the Northern Hemisphere). Tourism is concentrated in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Cairns, and the Red Centre.

Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Great Ocean Road (Twelve Apostles), Whitsunday Islands, Daintree Rainforest, Kakadu National Park, Fraser Island (K'gari), Blue Mountains, and Tasmania's Cradle Mountain are the classic list. Each requires at least a full day; some, like the reef or Uluru, deserve 2-3 days.

Meat pies, fish and chips, and lamingtons (sponge cake with chocolate and coconut) are traditional. But modern Australian cuisine blends Asian, Mediterranean, and Indigenous ingredients, think kangaroo, barramundi, bush tomatoes, and finger limes. Sydney and Melbourne have excellent dining scenes. Try a Modern Australian tasting menu or a casual beachside cafe for smashed avocado and flat whites.

The park stretches 2,300 km along the Queensland coast from the Torres Strait to just north of Bundaberg. Most visitors access it from Cairns, Port Douglas, or the Whitsundays via day boats or liveaboard trips. Cairns is the budget hub; Port Douglas offers smaller groups and luxury resorts. Book snorkel or dive trips in advance during peak season (June-October).

March is late summer, still warm but less crowded and cheaper than December-January. The Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays, and northern Queensland are excellent (stinger season ends), and Sydney and Melbourne enjoy warm, sunny days good for beaches and outdoor festivals. Tasmania and the Red Centre are also pleasant, though nights can be cool.

Budget travelers can manage on AUD 80-120 per day (hostels, self-catering, buses), mid-range travelers spend AUD 200-350 (hotels, restaurants, tours), and luxury trips easily exceed AUD 500+ per day. Domestic flights are a major expense, Sydney to Cairns runs AUD 150-400 depending on timing. Add at least AUD 300-500 for reef or Uluru tours.

Most tourists need an eVisitor (subclass 651, free for EU passport holders) or an ETA (subclass 601, AUD 20 for US, Canada, Japan, and others). Both allow stays up to three months and are approved online within hours or days. Apply at least a week before departure to avoid last-minute stress.

Domestic flights are essential for covering long distances, Melbourne to Cairns is 3,400 km. Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar connect major cities. Book early for deals. Rent a car for regional areas like the Great Ocean Road or Tasmania. Distances between towns can be huge, so plan fuel stops. Trains (like The Ghan) are scenic but slow and expensive.