As much as I love Sydney, it has been great to go out and explore more of Australia in my time off and free weekends. With no Friday classes, it has been easy to maximize this schedule and see a lot of the country in little time. In each of the different cities I have visited, I have seen a little bit of a different side of Australia, both in terms of accents and people, but also in terms of different kinds of tourists and things to do. If you’re looking to do some travel within Australia, I would consider some of these more popular “holiday” destinations Australia has to offer:
Melbourne – City & Great Ocean Road
During our trip to Melbourne over spring break, my friends and I had a great time visiting the city center and road tripping the Great Ocean Road. Before I had come to Australia, some of my friends who had studied in Melbourne previously had told me they would relate Melbourne to “the Boston of Australia”. With an artsy vibe, lots of local music venues, brunch places galore, its location along a central river (the Yara) and proximity to the Tasman Sea, I can see the similarities. We walked around and saw a lot of the street art Melbourne’s well known for, like Hosier Lane, and found lots of trendy cafes. The weekend we visited was the weekend of the Melbourne Cup, which is essentially the super bowl for their rugby league so the town was very high energy. On the first day of our weekend in Melbourne, we rented a car and drove the night in Port Campbell before carrying on to the Great Ocean Road the following day. We woke up at sunrise to see the first light over the 12 Apostles, which I highly recommend. Although it was a super long day, it was definitely worth it to maximize our time in Victoria and see as much as we could. .
Airlie Beach – Whitsundays
Airlie Beach is the perfect place to jet out to see the Whitsundays, a beautiful series of islands located off the coast along the Great Barrier Reef. Due to its proximity to the Whitsundays, it is definitely possible to stay in town and do a day trip out to the most famous locations like White Haven beach and snorkeling on the reef, but I would personally recommend spending a bit more and booking a 1, 2, or 3 night stay on one of large tour boats offered to backpackers, such as New Horizon or The Clipper. During our two night boat tour we were able to visit multiple different islands, snorkel, see dolphins, visit White Haven Beach, with all our meals included. It was definitely worth the price!
Townsville – Magnetic Island
Townsville is a cute little town on the northern part of the east coast. It is a frequent tourist destination, mainly because of its proximity to Magnetic Island. Magnetic Island is located a short ferry away from the main land and is a perfect getaway for a tropical weekend. My friends and I rented a 4×4 and toured around the island the two days we were there, discovering new beaches and off-roading through the forests. The weather was super warm and nice, even in early spring, and the locals were really sweet and helpful. The only downside was how early restaurants close there, so be sure to have food at your hostel or to plan ahead your meals.
Tasmania
In a previous blog post, I talked more at length about my trip to Tasmania. However, as an overview, Tasmania is a beautiful island off the southern coast of Australia that is home to one of Australia’s states’ capital, Hobart, Tasmania. The island is most well-known for its beautiful drives and abundant wildlife. I’d recommend a trip to Tasmania if you are looking for a low key weekend exploring surround hikes and national parks to get a break from the city life.
Cairns
Cairns is one of Australia’s most popular destinations for visiting the Great Barrier Reef. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to make it up there, but from the looks of my friend’s pictures it looks amazing! Located far north, it is pretty hot year round and is also well known for its abundant crocodile population, which is something to look out for. While in Cairns, it is also worth it to check out the surrounding rainforests in the area. I recommend taking a tour of these parts of the forest in order to get the most out of your time there.
Uluru
Uluru is home to Australia’s famous Ayres Rock, or the big orange rock in the middle of a desolate desert that most people tend to associate with Australia. In order to get to Ayres Rock, you must catch a flight either to Uluru, or for a much cheaper option to Alice Springs, then drive the rest of the journey to Uluru. Another alternative to flying to Uluru is to do a tour via Adelaide to the center of the country. These tours leave Adelaide and travel north to Uluru, stopping to camp and tent along the way. The stars you will see out in Uluru will be some of the brightest and clearest you will ever see, as there isn’t any light pollution for hundreds of miles. This is definitely worth a visit.
When you consider how Australia is pretty close to the size of America, it is easier to imagine how difficult it is to see a lot of the country in such a short period of time on the weekends. In order to best maximize your time, I recommend doing your research, finding your favorites spots, and planning accordingly as soon as possible!
