When it comes to the Land Down Under, some of us can have a pretty ill-informed idea of the country’s size. I visited Australia for the first time last December, & felt I had a better idea than most Americans did, however I quickly learned I had no idea just how massive this place actually is.
So let’s break down the Geography of the great Oz..
The first thought many people have when planning a trip to Australia, is to see “the outback.” Often times, one assumes that the entire continent resembles the outback we have seen on TV or read about. In reality, this scenery can primarily be found in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Home to less than a quarter million people, the Northern Territory is known for it’s iconic sights such as Uluru, as well as it’s wild life expeditions & the city of Darwin. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit this part of Australia on my trip, but it is high on my travels list for my next trip down under.
Another iconic sight that comes to mind when planning a trip to Australia, is the Great Barrier Reef! If you are looking to scuba dive here & explore some tropical rain forests, you want to head to Queensland.
Queensland is home to beautiful beaches that stretch from the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, all the way up to North Queensland. During my travels, I was able to spend a weekend in Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast. This was a 10 hour road trip from the Sydney area of NSW, yet is still another 20 hour drive from Cairns which is where tourists usually travel to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.
Speaking of New South Wales, this is where you’ll find the city of Sydney! Yano, P Sherman Wallaby Way Sydney? Where Martin had to find Nemo? Yes, that Sydney is located in the most populated state of NSW.
Travelers from all over come there to see the iconic Sydney Bridge + Opera House down at the Harbour, or catch a ferry to Manly or Bondi Beach. There is a good mix between city life & beaches in this area.
My travels brought me to Sydney & the Central Coast, about 1 hour drive north. My good friend lives/is from the Central Coast so I spent a great deal of time exploring this less touristy part of NSW. I can’t recommend the Central Coast enough! Beautiful beaches & a bit more homey feeling than the city life in Sydney.
Now that we’ve touched on Sydney, there is another major city travelers often think of, Melbourne! The sports capitol of the world city is located in Victoria. This state is also known for its coffee, shopping, & Australia’s legendary road trip of the Great Ocean Road.
I booked a spontaneous 1.5 hour flight down to Melbourne from Sydney during my travels Down Under. I was fortunate enough to have a friend travel in from Bendigo to give me a local’s tour of the sports history & culture followed by an obligatory pot & a parmi to end the day. You can’t miss this city on your trip down under!
Next to Victoria you will find South Australia, home to it’s capitol city of Adelaide. I didn’t make it to SA during my travels, but I plan to one day to indulge in a ton of wine & explore the Eyre Peninsula.
Below this region you’ll find the small island of Tasmania. This part of Australia is often overlooked, but has plenty of beautifal sights to offer tourists. This is also a destination on my list for my next trip down under.
Last but absolutely not least is another overlooked part of Australia, covering a third of the country’s land, Western Australia. WA landscape includes outback, beaches, farmland, & the awesome city of Perth.
Traveling to Perth was about a 5 hour plane ride from Sydney but I did not regret it. From the bustling city nightlife, the Caversham Wildlife Park, to the beautiful beaches at Rottnest Island, WA was a favorite of mine. I can’t recommend enough incorporating this side into your travels! You can even add parts of southeast Asia into your trip, destinations such as Bali are only a 3-4 hour flight from Perth.
I am in no way, shape, or form an expert on all things Australia. Each of the territories I mentioned above have much more to offer than the few attractions I was able to note. But I do hope this breakdown is able to help those with no prior Australia knowledge begin planning their ultimate Land Down Under tour!
