My Top Experiences in Australia – 5 Perfect Places

Fourteen months, four states, one territory, approximately 25,000km travelled. While I would never say I’m an expert, or that I’ve seen everything there is to see in Australia, I feel like I’ve covered a fair amount of it. More than many travellers, and certainly more than any Australian I ever met! I’ll be the first to admit that before heading there, my idea of Australia was based around surf beaches and outback. But there’s so much more to this ginormous island than that. The diversity of landscapes, wildlife and people is incredible and I highly recommend seeing as much of this diversity as possible. Reflecting this diversity, my top experiences in Australia couldn’t be more varied. So here’s a short list of my favourite experiences I had while Down Under.

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1. Favourite City

Without a doubt, this has to be Melbourne, Victoria. I’m a sucker for history, architecture and art, and no other city in Australia does those three things quite like Melbourne. The street art here is world-famous, narrow alleys filled with tiny cafes pull you in, and history abounds with UNESCO World Heritage Sites and different cultures around every corner. Other experiences that made my five days here memorable include being the only Caucasian in an Asian nightclub, seeing Les Miserables on Melbourne’s version of Broadway and hiking through narrow rock fissures a bit outside the city.

Where I’ve Been: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

2. Favourite Beach

Australia has over TEN THOUSAND beaches. That is a lot. So it’s kind of hard to pick a favourite. But if you put a gun to my head it would have to be Monkey Mia, Western Australia. Located in another UNESCO Site – Shark Bay – this is a popular tourist destination for one main reason. For several decades, bottlenose dolphins have been coming to the beach several times a day looking for food. Now, the process is heavily supervised by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, with the welfare of the dolphins foremost. Aside from the stunning sunsets, turquoise waters and amazing wildlife, my love for this place may be a little biased by the fact that I spent a week volunteering with the dolphin project, and got to interact with the dolphins every day. Is it any wonder this was one of my top experiences in Australia.

Why You Need To Volunteer With The Dolphins Of Monkey Mia

3. Favourite Hike

Although the iconic Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is only an hour away, in terms of sheer grin-inducing exercise, I preferred the King’s Canyon Rim Walk in the Northern Territory. Three hours in intense heat, this hike wasn’t the easiest one I’ve ever done, but once you get past the first steep climb, it’s magnificent. Otherworldly is one way to describe the landscape; I actually felt like I’d stepped on to the surface of Mars. The strange rock formations, combined with the drop to the canyon below and views stretching for miles provide one stunning backdrop.

Wandering King’s Canyon in the Australian Outback

4. Favourite Forest

Probably the most famous forest in Australia, Daintree, Queensland, sees a lot of visitors. And for good reason. It’s not often you see thick jungle stretch down to the ocean, with only golden sand between. True to its name, it rained a lot while I was there, but oddly that made me like it even more. The colours of the landscape became even more vibrant, and a brief respite gave me the chance to stroll along the beach before ducking back to the trees (which, let’s be fair, really didn’t provide all that much shelter). I may have gotten soaked, but I loved it all the same. For being so memorable, even without perfect weather, Daintree is one my top experiences in Australia.

Visit Cape Tribulation: From The Rainforest To The Ocean

5. Favourite Sunset

I saw a lot of sunsets during my time in Australia. But none were quite a memorable as the one I watched (twice) at Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia. Again, you’ll find a lot of tourists here due to the renowned camel rides, but I never let crowds put me off seeing an amazing place. And the camel trains, while odd, really add to the feel of the place. They certainly give you a sunset photo unlike any other! I came down twice to see it (I may have forgotten my camera battery the first time, oops), and got a very different sunset both times. The first was one of the most vibrant sunsets I’d ever seen, while the second was full of pastel pinks and purples. I loved both.

3 Reasons Broome is a Must-See

Australia Sunsets Runners-up:

I couldn’t leave out Mindil Beach in Darwin, no matter how hard I tried. And like I said above, Monkey Mia also had stunning sunsets while I was there.

Bonus: Favourite Animal Encounter

While working with the dolphins in Monkey Mia was amazing, as were finding the platypus in Eungella National Park, the cassowaries in Queensland, the wallabies in the Blue Mountains, the emus in Exmouth, the….sorry, what was I saying? Right, well the most memorable to me (and that’s saying a lot) has to be meeting the quokka on Rottnest Island. What’s a quokka, you ask? If you’ve been living under a rock and have never heard of these selfie-loving creatures then you absolutely need to read my full post for more cute critters than you could shake a stick at (or a camera). Rottnest’s quokkas definitely lived up to their hype, and walking around the small island was a really lovely day trip from Perth.

The Rottnest Island Quokkas – Australia’s cutest animal

Australian Wildlife – the Most Unique Animals You’ll Ever See

Have you ever been to Down Under? What would you say were your top experiences in Australia? Or, if you have yet to make it to the land of surfers and outback, what’s on your bucket list? Tell me in the comments below!

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