The land below is huge and the list of things to see and do is HUGE! Whether you come to play on the beach, climb a mountain, explore a city, hike in a rainforest, camp in the jungle, or get lost in the outback, Australia is both exciting and unique!

The 16 best places to see…

Great Barrier Reef

One of the seven wonders of the natural world and one of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world’s largest coral reef. The reef contains a wealth of marine life and is made up of more than 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the most beautiful sun-kissed golden beaches in the world.

Uluru

Uluru is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. It has a length of 3.4 km, a maximum width of 2 km, a circumference of 9 km and most of its volume is underground. The peak rises majestically to a height of more than 350 m above the surrounding plain. Uluru is notable for appearing to change color as different light hits it at different times of the day and year, and the sunset is a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red.

Sydney Opera House

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most recognizable images of the modern world, along with the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building, it is one of the most photographed and has come to represent ‘Australia’. It is a multi-venue performing arts center and was largely designed and built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who, in 2003, received the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest honor.

The great ocean road

One of Australia’s most famous drives is a 243-kilometre (151-mile) stretch of road along the southeast coast between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. Discover scenic attractions, wildlife and nature. See an incredible variety of wildlife, the spectacular 12 Apostles, beautiful beaches, stunning rainforests, waterfalls, and more.

Fraser Island, Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef begins a few hours north of Brisbane. It is the largest sand island in the world and a World Heritage Site. You can only get to the unspoiled island by eco tours or your own 4×4, as there are no paved roads. There are limited places to stay on the island, so make sure you book in advance. Drive and play on its long white sand beaches, witness some of the clearest freshwater in the world, hike through its ancient rainforests and get up close and personal with wild dingoes.

Kakadu, Northern Territory

It is one of the few sites declared a World Heritage Site for its cultural and natural values. Kakadu is a place of outstanding beauty and unique biodiversity. It is jointly owned by its Aboriginal owners and the Director of National Parks. Kakadu experiences 6 seasons and has a large number of unique wildlife and plant species.

In addition to the wetlands, there are many beautiful gorges and waterfalls in the park and many people come to visit not only for this, but also to learn more about the Aboriginal people who have inhabited the area for tens of thousands of years. It is best to visit the park on a guided tour or with your own car. Large saltwater crocodiles can be found everywhere here, so don’t ignore the no swimming signs.

The Kimberlys

While in Broome you can rent a 4×4 and explore the beautiful Kimberly region. Your best trail is Gibb River Rd, a 400-mile dirt track through the heart of the Kimberly region. Driving along the Gibb will take you through spectacular scenery of red dirt, boab trees, vividly colored ridges, gorges, rock pools and waterfalls for which this region is best known.

The most popular falls and gorges to visit are Windjana Gorge, Galvans Gorge and the most popular Bells Gorge.

Climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge

The Sydney Harbor Bridge is a steel arch bridge that spans Sydney Harbor and carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD) and the North Shore. The spectacular view of the bridge, harbor and nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is locally nicknamed “The Coat Rack” due to its arch-shaped design.

The Bridge Climb is the ultimate Sydney experience. Choose from three guided climbs that will take you to the top of this world-famous bridge, 134 meters above Sydney Harbour.

Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, Western Australia

Imagine visiting the Great Barrier Reef fifty years ago, before the tourists came and slaughtered them. Well, you have that opportunity when you visit Ningaloo, one of Australia’s greatest unspoiled treasures. Exmouth offers you a ‘range to reef’ experience with rugged ridges and gorges on one side and the spectacular Ningaloo Reef on the other.

Ningaloo is one of those rare places on earth where you can walk from the white sand beaches straight to the coral reefs and start exploring the underwater world, even if you stand in knee deep water you will be surrounded by hundreds of curious fish swimming. around your legs. Ningaloo is a great place to snorkel or, better yet, swim with the gentle whale sharks.

Visit to Winery.

Australia makes great wine and plenty of it. There are several wine regions throughout the country that you can visit and enjoy. A day trip to the wineries is an experience never to be forgotten. You can usually join a tour and spend the day moving from vineyard to vineyard, tasting various wines and delicious cheeses. The most notable are the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney; the Barossa Valley in South Australia; and Margaret River in Western Australia.

coober pedy

In the middle of the South Australian desert, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius, you may be wondering why I would recommend a visit to this outback city. Coober Pedy produces most of the world’s opals; hence the only reason there is a city there and why it attracts its 4,000 residents from over 40 countries.

It’s so hot in Coober Pedy that the townspeople live underground. Houses, shops, restaurants and pubs can be found below cool sandstone caves. Coober Pedy is a fascinating place to visit to learn about its history, drink beer in caves, play golf on a course that has not a blade of grass on it, and pick up some precious opals.

Broome, Western Australia.

Broome is located at the northern end of the Western Australian coast. It is a paradise for backpackers and pearl growers. Backpackers run most of the shops in this small town and can be found lighting up the bar scene at night. Broome is one of Australia’s most unique cities with its ‘country/outback feel’ right on the ocean.

Cable Beach is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the world, and you can spend a day here playing cricket on the beach or swimming with crocodiles and jellyfish (be careful and read the signs) In the evening, have a cocktail at sunset from the Cable Beach resort or even take a casual ride down the beach on a camel. You may even decide to stay for a while, work on a pearl farm and earn some money to finance your adventure in Broome.

Explore Tasmania

Poor Tasmania is largely ignored by many of Australia’s backpackers and mainland dwellers. Taking the time to come to Tasmania will give you an unforgettable travel experience. Travelers who make the trip to Tasmania rave about its unspoiled beauty.

Tasmania is the most mountainous state in Australia and has some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world. Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain National Park is a World Heritage Site and is a fantastic place to hike and explore its beautiful lakes, rainforests and waterfalls.

Karijini National Park, Washington

Karijini is the second largest national park in Western Australia and one of the most spectacular sights in the Pilbara. It has stunning gorges, crystal clear rock pools, waterfalls and stunning scenery. There is a system of excellent walking trails of different levels that will take you deep into underground gorges and through waterfalls where you can plunge into pools of sparkling rocks. There are excellent picnic areas as well as designated camping sites within the park. One of the great benefits of the Park is that its landscape is very accessible. Once you park, you can literally walk 50 meters and look down into the canyons for waterfalls and emerald rock pools.

Aboriginal Cultural Tours

Why not spend some time in Australia learning about Aboriginal culture? Australian Aboriginal culture is the oldest living civilization on Earth. Aborigines survived for 50,000 years as nomadic inhabitants, never suffering from ailments such as the common cold. They lived off the land and know many secrets about the power of the Earth for health, healing and spiritual connection.

The most intact area is Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. You must apply for permits before you arrive as this is a highly protected area, Aboriginal owned and controlled, and visits are limited.

Join in the fun of the festival

Australians love a good party. Wherever you are in the country, you are sure to find a festival to join, especially in the summer months. Some of the most popular festivals are Australia Day which is celebrated on the 26th of January or my favorite ANZAC Day which is celebrated on the 25th of April. Make sure you head to your local pub at some point of the day to play Two Up- the only day this gambling game is legal.