Where to Visit in Australia
If you’re considering visiting Australia, you’re in for a treat. Read up as much as you can about the area you intend to travel to, and then read Bill Bryson’s ‘Down Under’ for a really funny insider’s guide to the country itself.
The size of Australia is hard for us Brits to grasp: it is so enormous that it is rumoured that the first non-governmental nuclear bomb was tested in the outback and nobody noticed aside from a few truckers who felt the road beneath them rumble a little bit. There are more poisonous and deadly species in Australia than anywhere else in the world and the country has a very interesting and colourful history that is worth reading about.
It obviously takes a long time to travel there, so is it worth the journey? You bet!
So whereabouts in Australia is right for you? With so much country to explore and so little time it is hard to choose where to start. Do you travel around and see as much as possible? Or do you focus on one area and go again in the future to another part?
Here is a summary of what each part of Australia has to offer to help you to decide.
New South Wales: this is where Sydney is located – an ideal location if you want to visit at New Year, for instance as you’ll be one of the first in the world to see in the New Year celebrations. As well as exploring the city and harbour, you could try some tours of Aboriginal heritage sites to see the other side of Australian life.
Queensland: home of Neighbours, of course, and also where you’ll find the famous Gold Coast which encompasses the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, which you can explore with the aid of glass-bottom boat tours or scuba diving.
South Australia: this state is for those who want to see ‘raw’ Australia. Visit the outback on guided tours, see kangaroos hopping around and all the other local wildlife Australia has to offer.
Victoria: Perfect for wine-lovers wanting to sample the best of the New World. You can also visit Phillip Island to see seals and penguins in their natural habitat.
Australian Capital Territory: home of the nation’s capital, Canberra, where city and bush intermingle seamlessly. One minute you’re in the city, the next you’re in an area of bushland – around half of the state is designated as a national park. This is also where you can learn the most about the history of this fascinating country, by visiting Parliament House, the National Museum and National Gallery of Australia and the Australian War Memorial
Northern Territory: this is where you’ll find enormous National Parks that incorporate Ayers Rock. Spot crocodiles and wallabies and take a wander in the outback (not too far…).
If you’re visiting Australia, remember that the seasons are opposite to ours, so if you want sun then go during our Winter.