Australia
Australia runs on big landscapes, coastal cities and a laid-back outdoor culture. In Sydney, harbour views and bridge climbs frame one of the world’s most recognisable skylines, while deep in the Red Centre, Uluru glows beneath vast desert skies. Along the coast, the Great Barrier Reef reveals coral worlds and shipwreck dives, Byron Bay hums with surf culture, and Melbourne’s laneways fill with street art, cafés and late-night food spots. From Outback road trips and wildlife encounters to beach sunsets and island reefs, Australia blends adventure, nature and easygoing city life.
Unmissable Moments
When the mountains become the coast
You wake up on day three still thinking like a skier. The snow gums are still out the window and the air still has that alpine bite to it. Then the road drops east. The snow gives way to farmland, the farmland opens into scrub, and somewhere on the Great Alpine Road, the smell of salt finds you through the window before the ocean even appears.
Uluru at Sunrise
You wake before dawn and the desert is still. The sky lightens slowly and then the colour begins. Deep red switching to burnt orange to a gold that moves across the face of the rock as the sun clears the horizon. Uluru is 348 metres high and 550 million years old. Standing before it, you’ll feel the significance of this living cultural site that has been cared for and understood long before the road was built.
Sleeping Underground in Coober Pedy
Most outback towns have a pub, a servo and a population that peaked in a different decade. Coober Pedy has all of those and also an entire underground city carved into the rock to escape heat that regularly exceeds 50 degrees above the surface. There's nowhere else in Australia quite like it, and you’ll spend the night at Radeka Downunder in an original underground home.
Mateship: Australia’s Social Code
In Australia, “mateship” reflects a cultural value built around loyalty, humour and treating others as equals. A simple “g’day” or bit of friendly banter can quickly turn strangers into mates, whether at the beach, a barbecue or the local pub.
Cheat-Sheet:
MAJOR AIRPORT:
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) & Melbourne Airport (MEL)
CURRENCY:
Australian Dollar ($ / AUD)
HIGH TRAVEL SEASON:
December to February (perfect for summer beaches and reefs)
LOW TRAVEL SEASON:
March to November (mild outback adventures)
TIPPING CULTURE:
Not expected
HOW TO SAY 'THANK YOU':
Thank you
Why we love it
Lucy
Top questions from travellers
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