Top 10 Places to Visit in Australia

G'day mate heard you are off to Australia and I am very jealous, I wish I was still there.

Australia is such a huge place, I could talk about hundreds of things to do there, but here is a glimpse of some of the insane places that are awaiting you.

Just promise me, you will take me with you?

1) Great Ocean Road

A long road across the coast of between Melbourne and Adelaide with incredible beaches, views, wildlife and more. The main attraction on the route is the Twelve Apostles, these are naturally made limestone stacks formed from coastal erosion and certainly worth a visit.

However as an animal lover my favorite part was the parrots at Kennet River.

At the river you can buy food for the parrots from Kafe Koala. As soon as you have the feed in your hands the parrots swarm on you, so be ready, I had three parrots on me at once (see below).

Here I also saw my first koala bear, even though I saw many more during my time in Oz, this was still by far the best encounter; the koala walked on the floor next to me. This is a rare sight, as 90% of the time all you can see is a big ball of fluff at the top of a tree.

Apart from the wildlife and the Twelve Apostles there are also scenic walks through the Great Otway national park which have stunning waterfalls.

Driving from Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles and back via the Great Ocean Road is roughly 7-8 hours drive so consider doing the trip over a long weekend.

2)Phillip Island

Phillip island is a short journey from Melbourne — about a 2 hour drive. I went there to see the famous Penguin Parade where thousands of penguins come ashore in single file and go to their nesting huts (it is pretty nuts).

However despite heading to Phillip island for this purpose I luckily came across a hidden gem.

Phillip Island Wild Life Park

This is a sixty acre free roaming wild life park and is the best way to get close to Australia's well known animals. I fed so many kangaroos, stroked a wombat, saw a koala and fed an emu (I don't recommend this).

The park is relatively cheap to get into and your entry includes food for the animals. For any animal lover this the perfect stop if you find yourself in Melbourne.

I took the cover photo with the Kangaroos here!

3) Great Barrier Reef

The great barrier reef should be the first stop for any sea loving explorer and is a must see sooner rather than later. Global warming is impacting on the reef and it is slowly dying.

I recommend seeing the reef by going on a smaller boat with only 15-20 people it is a lot more intimate than one of the more industrial larger boats where they are just churning through numbers.

Dependent on budget I would also recommend doing a 3-5 day tour instead of the one day that I did, so you have more time snorkeling and diving. The one day however was still one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

4) Fraser Island

This is the best place in the whole of Australia in my opinion, if you like clear lakes and white sands and hurtling down a beach dodging the waves at 80km/h in a Land rover.

The island offers beautiful natural features such as Lake Mckenzie, Lake Wabby, Eli Creek and more. For avid campers this place is paradise.

We will be releasing a full Fraser Island blog soon. Be sure to come back and check it out.

5) Byron Bay

Byron bay is the place to go for surfing. It is an edgy surfer town where dreadlocks and the smell of marijuana is prominent.

As a backpacker, I spent my days there chilling on the beach all day and surfing, then going out by night. I stayed at Byron Bay Holiday Village in one of their four people dorms which opened onto the pool. At the hostel they also offer free surfboard and bicycle hire for residents which was great for me as I didn't have a board and didn't want to pay to rent one every day. The cycle hire also made it quick and easy to get to Tallow beach which is less busy then the main Byron beach.

Another must do in Byron is watching the sunrise at the lighthouse, the view is beautiful and during whale season you can spot them swimming along the coast too. This is the best way to spend your morning.

In the evenings you can also find acts playing on the green before the beach and buskers litter the streets. The atmosphere at Byron Bay is something you need to experience.

Be sure to take a stop here but don't enjoy it too much or you will end up getting stuck there for months instead of travelling up the coast.

6) Whitsunday Islands

White beautiful beaches like nothing you have ever seen before?

Sign me up.

This is exactly what Whitsundays is like, the sand is so pure and fine you can literally wash your teeth with it and it squeaks whilst you walk on it. The ocean is crystal clear and warm, it truly is the most idyllic place.

When I visited the Whitsundays I chose to do a one day tour. The boat was so loud and I felt like we were rushed through each stop and had to squeeze everything in. I only had one hour on the beach and could have easily been there all day with a BBQ.

I wouldn't recommend what I did, I would do a 3 to 5 day tour. There are plenty available with various options.This way you have time to relax and take in all the surroundings.

7) Sydney Opera House and Bridge

The most iconic landmark of Australia, the Sydney opera house, is a stunning piece of architecture and with views from it across the harbour.

Across from the Opera house you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge where you can pay to climb to the top of it, I didn't do this which I regret as I can imagine the views are breathtaking.

8) Cape Tribulation

This place is the most scenic beach which is hidden away in a jungle like setting. To access the beach you walk along a narrow pathway and when I emerged through the trees and saw the beach I couldn't believe my eyes, it is paradise.

Unfortunately you cannot go swimming due to crocodiles which is a shame as it would make this place even more great.

9) Magnetic Island

One of the many Islands around Australia, Magnetic island is a cool place to visit. There is loads to do from hiking, water sports, snorkeling and much more.

When I visited Magnetic island I took a car over on the ferry but a lot of people rent "Barbie Cars". Can you guess why? Google it and you'll soon see why. They're convertible cars which don't look big enough to be on the road.

Luckily at 6ft 6 in (198cm) tall I didn't opt for the tiny car option.

One of the best walks on the island is to walk up to the old command post on the north east part of the island. I managed to climb up onto the roof of it and get this picture. With 360 degree views of the island, it is the best place to take it all in.

10) Coogee Bondi Walk

Starting at Coogee beach you slowly make your way around the coast. Visiting the various different beaches as you go along the way. It is hard to explain why but each beach seems to have its own characteristics and they are all very unique.

My favorite beach is Clovelly beach which is the smallest of the them but is great for going snorkeling. If you are more of a surfer then head to Bondi for better waves as well as seeing the famous Bondi Icebergs pool.

This walk takes around 2 hours but is well worth it.

And there you have it, my top ten things to do in Australia.

Thanks for reading my blog, I hope you have an amazing time in Australia.

I hope you have booked your trip and if not, then why the hell are you still on this page and not working out how to get yourself there?

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Thanks for reading and happy travels,

Matt