If you’re from Australia or planning a visit it’s easy to get overwhelmed when deciding which activities to choose from. Australia is known for its beach culture, wildlife, desert road trips, diving the Great Barrier Reef and alot more!
These Australia Bucket list ideas are a starting point for backpackers and travelers who are searching for incredible experiences. The hidden gems while absorbing the real culture of Australia are a must to add to your Australia bucket list!
Great Barrier Reef
While it is still with us (see further regarding the reef disintegration) one of the best things to do in Cairns, Australia is to visit the Great Barrier Reef.
There are many ways to discover the Great Barrier Reef. By boat, snorkeling or scuba diving, depending on your price range and whether you prefer to observe marine wildlife.
All the towns from Cairns including Port Douglas and Palm Cove, have daily tours to discover the natural marine life of the reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef system across 2300 kilometres and located in the coral sea off the coast of Queensland.
The incredible beauty of the reef area is a natural gift as well as a very popular tourist destination. The perfect addition to a bucket list for families, couples and groups searching for adventure.
There are more than 100 islands on the Great Barrier Reef, including the Whitsunday’s and Northern Islands, making this incredible destination for families.
If you’re feeling extravagant, there are also options to view the reef by air.
Visit The Desert
Whether it be driving across the Nullabour or discovering the desert areas of northern Australia, seeing the desert should be on your Australia bucket list.
You can sleep under the stars or discover indigenous culture and learn to live off the land. It is possible to create your own road trip, or take one of the various guided tours.
The Nullabour road is 90 miles straight and is one of the worlds longest roads. The terrain is remote, dramatic and sparse, with many sightings of emus, kangaroos and camels. Observatories, the world’s longest golf course and incredible cliffs are some of the draw cards to this very long trip. Note: Take PLENTY of water and supplies.
Some of Indigenous Australia’s sacred sites on this road trip include Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Observing the rock of Uluru change colours at dawn and dusk is of course an “only in Australia” experience.
Beachside Camping
One of the best things to do in Australia is camping. When the weather is on your side, many families spend their summers at a campground, usually close to the beach, among friends.
Our family always camped at Tidal River campground, in Wilson’s Promontory National park in Victoria. Growing up visiting stunning beaches and natural wildlife has made us feel lucky to camp in this semi remote location.
Connecting with the same friends, year after year and living simply from a tent has created an affinity with nature.
For all interested campers, ensure to book early. Campsites get booked in advance, sometimes more than 6 months for holiday periods, unless they are in very remote areas.
Camping options have majorly expanded over the last ten years to glamping, eco camping, lodges, camper trailers and swags in selected areas.
Learn To Surf
Many travelers have ‘learn to surf’ on their bucket list.
There are plenty of safe beaches in Australia for surf lessons. Daily surf schools, board hire and friendly and experienced instructors can guide you in riding your first wave.
Byron Bay in NSW is a particularly fun place to learn to surf, and a location where you see 3 year old’s tearing up the waves to people in their 70s and beyond. The calm waves at The Pass at the eastern end of Clarkes Beach is the perfect location to learn to surf in Byron.
Sydney, NSW: There are surf schools in the northern beaches of Sydney, as well as the popular Manly surf school, which is easily accessible from Sydney Harbour.
Gold Coast, QLD: Many surf schools on the Gold Coast such as Gold Coast Surf Academy- Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
Coastal Victoria, VIC: Go Ride A Wave in Lorne, or Offshore Surf School at Wilson’s Promontory are couple of learn to surf spots, particularly over the summer months as winter is very cold.
Wildlife Discovery
Whether you’ve always wanted to see a koala or kangaroo or pat a wombat, there are plenty of national parks and rural and country locations to see Australian wildlife in their natural habitat.
One place where the wildlife pops up is outback country roads, be careful! But with research you will notice that with camping or visiting outer suburbs and towns it is very easy to see kangaroos, emus, koalas, penguins and many more. Here’s some tips:
Kangaroos and koalas are sighted in Victoria (Lorne golf course, Great Ocean Road, most national Parks, country areas such as the Mornington Peninsula).
Emus are often spotted in grasslands, and one of the best places to see them in Victoria is the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve in Warrnambool on the Great Ocean Road. This national park is also ideal for seeing kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and echidnas.
In short- yes you are able to view Australian wildlife in their natural habitat, out of cities and with the right information. No, kangaroos don’t generally jump through our back yards (unless our back yard is joined to a national park or nature reserve!)
Attend A Festival Or Major Event
Australian Open Tennis (Melbourne)
The Australian Open major tennis tournament is growing year by year, now hosting live music, food trucks and other entertainment in addition to the tennis matches, every January.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
This is another festival which takes over Melbourne every April. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the three top largest comedy festivals in the world, along with Edinburgh Festival and Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival. Every year the festival takes over Melbourne as the days grow cooler in Autumn with the massive program of stand up, cabaret theatre, film, street performers.
Melbourne And Sydney Film Festivals
MIFF
MIFF is the Melbourne International Film Festival, held in August every year. With huge opening and closing gala nights, and thousands of films shown across the city in the days and nights in between. MIFF offers festival passes to single tickets for access to the extensive program. MIFF is the biggest film festival in the Southern Hemisphere,
Sydney Film Festival
The Sydney Film Festival is held over 12 days every June at the State Theatre in Sydney and the cinemas in the CBD, Cremorne, Western Sydney and Newtown. There are over 200 films shown, from which 12 are chosen from for the final competition.
Discover Indigenous Culture
Discovering Indigenous Culture is an incredible part of travelling in Australia. Learning customs and land rights, the very real and affecting history and the ongoing political struggles is essential to gaining an understanding of Australia, and the land we live on.
Beer Or Cider?
Of course beer drinking goes with the Australian cliche and to an extent it’s true. The reason could be generally due to the hotter climate and the increase of beer and cider breweries popping up in cities and country towns.
Breweries with views, tours and historic information should be added to your Australia bucket list if you’re keen for an educated drink. All city pubs have wide selections of beer on tap.
Visit The Wine Regions
The wine regions of the Yarra Valley in Victoria, Hunter Valley in NSW, South Australia’s Borossa Valley, Tasmania’s Derwent Valley or Margaret River in Western Australia all host world class wineries and experiences.
If wine tasting is your thing to do, you should definitely add some of these incredible winery destinations to your Australia bucket list.
Yarra Valley, Victoria
Visit The Mountain Ranges
Whether skiing, hiking or relaxing, Australia has some incredible mountain ranges for an alternative to the beach or desert lifestyle.
Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountians are 50 kms west of Sydney, with waterfalls, cliffs and forests of eucalyptus trees, and is ideal for hiking and exploring native bush land, impressive rock formations and underground caves. Local indigenous guides explain Dreamtime stories. A perfect option for day trips or longer.
Grampians, Victoria
Grampians National Park is part of the Gariwerd Aboriginal cultural landscape.
Hiking, waterfalls and wildlife are also highlights of the Grampians, as wel as art galleries, local wines and award winning restaurants. You might even see some kangaroos, wallabies, emus and native birds.
The Grampians region is home to the biggest number of ancient Aboriginal rock paintings in southern Australia. Aside from hiking there are other activities such as canoeing, fishing and kayaking in streams or creeks.
Snowy Mountains, NSW
The Snowy Mountains are the highest mountain range of mainland Australia, with Mount Kosciusko 2228 meters above sea level.
The best time to visit for skiing is July and August. Spring and summer time are better for fishing, horse riding, camping, and mountain bike riding.
Wineries produce wines from a cooler climate and local restaurants provide freshly caught fish and local produce. You could take one of the scenic guided tours or the Kosciusko express chair lift for epic views!
Victorian Alps, Victoria
Visiting the Victorian Alps, some of Australia’s premium snow resorts, is one of the best things to do in Victoria, Australia.
The snow fields from Mt Buller through to Falls Creek are perfect for skiing and snowboarding in the winter months, ranging from 2 to 5 hour drive from Melbourne.
Great Dividing Range
The Great Diving Range covers the entire mountains and ranges listed above and more. The worlds third longest land based mountain range at 3500 km long, running through Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
The Ranges thick forests keep our air clean. The water catchments provide drinking water for 11 million people Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.
Attend A Football Game
One of the fun things to do in Melbourne is attend a football game.
Whether it be Aussie Rules (Victoria) or NRL (New South Wales), attending a game and understanding the rules is a perfect way to discover Australian culture.
Victoria has had a huge increase in attendees to the AFLW (Womens AFL league) in the past 4 years, proving this is a major pastime for sports goers in Victoria.
The atmosphere at the MCG (iconic stadium the Melbourne Cricket Ground) in Richmond, Melbourne during footy season is worth the visit alone.
See Art Or Music
The East Coast of Australia, particularly Melbourne and Sydney have incredible bands and music acts on every night of the week. Additionally, art galleries in major cities house some of the most incredible historic, modern and indigenous art works.
Check out Time Out Melbourne or BEAT for music gig guides, and as a starting place for art exhibitions, in Melbourne and Sydney.
Conclusion
It will depend on your own preferences and budget on deciding which activities to undertake while travelling Australia, and deciding your priorities for your Australia bucket list.
The country is vast and spectacular, while the cities offer diverse cultures, offering plenty of options for your travels in Australia.
Whether it be the Red Centre, the Great Barrier Reef, a luxury stay, or visiting one of the many hidden gems in each city, Australia hosts some of those once in a lifetime experiences that you are guaranteed to carry with you!
