I want to travel around Australia for a year...where should I go?

Question

- How much should I save?

- Should I drive or not?

- What are some places I should def go and see?

Answer 1

Seeing as you have a year which will be long enough to travel right around the country, I would suggest a campervan or a car and camping gear with some nights in hostel accommodation.



The other answerers are correct in saying that flying is easier and it may also be cheaper (though I doubt it if you want to see everything), but it means that you overfly some of the best and most beautiful and interesting places in Australia. There are many hundreds of km between commercial airports and to get to some of the best places you'll need to take a bus or train to backtrack anyway. If you're driving and can find someone to travel with you for some sections, you'll be able to share expenses.



If you're between 18 and 30 and are from a country that has working holiday arrangements with Australia, you'll be able to pick up casual work as you travel to make the finances stretch further. I imagine that's what you have in mind as it's very difficult to get a 12 month tourist visa and you would need a very large amount of money (maybe AUD$35k+) before you would be allowed into the country on a 12 month tourist visa. On a WH visa, you'll get away with around AUD$5500/6000.



The amount of money you'll actually need will depend on how you travel and where and of course, if you're able to work at all. Calculate fuel at around $1.25 per litre if you're coming fairly soon and say, 12 litres per 100km (more if a heavy campervan); the cheapest hostel accommodation is around $25 per night; camping fees around $10 on average; food - pick a figure - say $30; drinks - only you can estimate that; tours and activities etc etc.



Take the coast roads starting at Cairns and progress down the east coast; along the south coast and then to the north of WA; and venture into the outback to Darwin and points south if you have a decent vehicle. There's not much point in being much more specific if you have a full year, but your other answerers have made some excellent suggestions.

Answer 2

Driving gives you a measure of flexibility in being able to set your own timetables, go off the beaten track and find some beautiful, often overlooked places. Flying is expensive in Australia, but it does have the advantage of getting you from one centre of population to the next fairly quickly. Don't overlook train travel either, the train network is more comprehensive than the planes. However, you are then reliant on public transport and taxis to get around once you arrive.



From memory and starting from North Queensland, a list of things that may or may not interest you.



Lawn Hill Gorge

Undara Lava Tubes - fascinating

Islands of the Barrier Reef

Daintree township, Daintree River, Cape Tribulation (watch out for salties)

Catamaran and boat cruises to the reef for snorkelling the coral

Hook Island Underwater Observatory

Hinchinbrook Island National Park

Stockmans Hall of Fame - Longreach

Carnarvon Gorge

Fraser Island - largest sand island in the world with perched lakes and wonderful heavily timbered forest, also home to a pack of pure dingos

Glasshouse Mountains and Buderim Ginger

Stanthorpe Glow Worm Caves

Lamington National Park and O'Reillys Guest House

The Gold Coast

Byron Bay Whale watching

Northern NSW beaches for surfing

Coffs Harbour - beautiful beaches, decent surfing, resort atmosphere

Hunter Valley - wineries and magnificent cheeses and other foodstuffs

Sydney

The Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves

Western Plains Zoo - Dubbo

Merimbula/Eden - deep sea fishing charters, beautiful beaches

The ACT - Canberra - nation's capital, museums, art galleries and don't forget Questacom and Mt Stromlo Observatory

The Coorong

Melbourne

Great Ocean Road

Wilson's Promontory

Penguins at Phillip Island

Tasmania with its rugged, snowy peaks and lakes - the whole island is an adventure and plenty to see and do

Great White Shark cage diving - Port Lincoln

Coober Pedy

Mount Lofty Ranges

Head of the Bight for the Nullabor, Bunda Cliffs and whale watching

Margaret River - wineries, surfing

Perth

Rottnest Island

Pinnacles Desert

Monkey Mia and Shark Bay - semi-tame dolphins and stromatolites

Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef - swimming with the Whale Sharks.

The Hammersly Ranges

Broome and the 3 gorges, Tunnel Creek, Windjana, Geikie - Boab trees - pearl luggers and pearl fishing - return of the migratory wading birds - croc farm - camel rides on the beach

Kununurra and the Ord River and Argyle Diamond Mine and Lake Argyle

The Bungle Bungles

Darwin - so many great things to see and do in Darwin

Bathurst and Melville Island - waterfalls, aboriginal arts and crafts, fishing, island lifestyle

Adelaide River Croc Cruises

Kakadu - waterfalls, saltwater crocs, superb landscape

Arnhem Land - again, magnificent, need permit to get in.

Mataranka Hot Springs

El Questro Station - hot springs, waterfalls, gorges, aboriginal rock art, working cattle station, great place

Devils Marbles

Uluru and Kata Juta, Mt O'Connor and Rainbow Valley

Wolf Creek Meteor Crater

Stanley Chasm, Simpsons Gap and a whole raft of things to see and do in and around Alice Springs.



There ya go and I know a lot of people will have many, many places to add to this.

Answer 3

Get yourself a copy of Lonely Planet's guide to Australia. That will give you an idea of the country, distances, how to travel, where to stay - especially if you're travelling on a budget.



Because of the distances, it's probably cheaper to travel by plane or bus.

Answer 4

If I get back to Australia (hopefull this year) I want to go on the Daintree River Cruise through the rainforest up by Port Douglas.

Merry, Xmas Max.

Answer 5

"I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror - The wide brown land for me!"

- My Country [Australia], Dorothea Mackellar



Look at Lonely Planets guide for pricing. Really very accurate and reliable: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia



There is some fantastic driving & motels are often very comfortable. And when you get sick of driving you can often pick up cheap domestic "discount airfares" from www.virginblue.com.au or http://www.jetstar.com.au (Sign up for their e-newsletters - that is how us Ozzies snap up the deals).



Without knowing what the sorts of things that you like doing, here is a quick summary by State/Territory:



*Australian Capital Territory

In our political capital of Canberra, see the National Art Gallery & National Library.



*New South Wales

In the harbour city of Sydney you can soak up a tan on any of the hundreds of stunning beaches, eat pancakes in the Rocks or catch some Opera in the Sydney Opera House. If you like heights why not do the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb.



*Queensland

The Gold Coast as it is known is miles of beautiful beach. Australians flock there - and not just for the semi-naked meter maids hired by the local government to feed your parking meter. The major city Brisbane is rather dull.



* Tasmania

If you love World Heritage nature hikes, cheese and good wine, go to Tassy. Can sometimes be cold but always beautiful. You may hear Australians joke about 'the map of tasmania' which is of course a reference to the shape of what you might find behind Eves' fig leaf.



* Victoria

In addition to Melbourne - city of cafes and restaurants (where you can tram around in street cars, there are many hospitable country towns.



* Northern Territory

Uluru, the great red rock. There are many small communities of Aboriginal people in Norther Territory. And if you can get to know them they are warm hearted, gentle and full of laughter.



* South Australia

Visit the beach suburb of Glenelg. Visit the Barossa for wine. Visit Maggie Beer's pheasant farm: http://www.maggiebeer.com.au/ Excellent food and wine.



On your way out of South Australia (if you are travelling to the Nortern Territory) do not miss out on Coober Pedy. This strange dusty Opal Mining town is full of life and difference. Expect adventures and to meet folks with stories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coober_Pedy

Answer 6

Melbourne. Best nightlife and Restaurants.

Northern Territory. Ayers Rock and Desert.

Cairns and Brisbane. Best Weather and Beaches.

Tassie. Scenery and relaxation.



Driving would be a hassle I mean unless you had a caravan and a big car. Flying would be more comfy, I think save about ten grand.

Answer 7

How much should I save---lots



Should I drive or not---it beats walking



What are some places I should def go and see---see & do what YOU want to do