Australia

Australia is a vast, sun-soaked land of vibrant cities, ancient landscapes, and unique wildlife, where adventure meets laid-back culture.

Australia's Fast Facts

Language

English

Capital City

Canberra

Currency

Australian Dollar

Budget Range

$$ - $$$

Visa Info (Learn More Here)

Find out what kind of visa you need here. Most people will need to apply for an electronic visa at least 3 days before your trip.

Regions of Australia

Quick Resources to Plan Your Trip to Australia

Itineraries

Know Before You Go to Australia

g'day

hello

arvo

afternoon

avo

avocado

brekky

breakfast

barbie

a barbecue

frothy

beer

maccas

McDonalds

bloke

a man

bogan

uncultured person (an insult)

bloody

absolutely!

thongs

flip flops

bathers

swimsuit

There is a lot of wildlife in Australia that you need to be cautious of. Some of it could really hurt or potentially kill you but there are also a lot of animals that can be affected by or killed by humans as well. Here are a few things to consider to keep you and the amazing wildlife around you safe:

- Stay on paths, especially in areas with low shrubbery or grasses and where they have indicated snakes. Some of these are venemous and staying on clear pathways is the best way to stear clear of these animals
- Read the cautionary signage regarding animals, especially crocodiles in the north and north-eastern parts of Australia and avoid water sources that are unmarked
- Do not approach or attempt to pet koalas, kangaroos, or wallabies, no matter how cute they might be. Disturbing them puts them in danger and kangaroos can be aggressive
- In areas with kangaroos, wallabies, or koalas, drive slowly and cautiously especially around dusk or dawn. This is when they are more active and try to cross the roads. Your car could kill them (unfortunately, you will see the roadkill along the side of the road) but you could also severly damage your car. Hitting these marsupials could also make their joeys (babies) orphans as their pouches can protect the babies from impact but they will not survive on their own. If you do hit an animal, check its pouch for a joey and get help from a local as there are many wildlife rescue centers around

Australia has a big sports culture and there are various sports (both local and professional) that are very important here. To dive deeper into the sports culture, look to attending one of these sporting events while you’re visiting Australia.

Australian Rules Football (Aussie Rules) | season runs March – September | one of the most popular sport in Australia and it is not to be confused with American/Canadian football or soccer (football). Potentially derived from Gaelic football and sports that local indigenous people played in Australia, today it is a very physical contact sport played on an oval field.

Rugby | season runs from April – October | rugby is incredibly popular with both local clubs that play against other clubs in Australia and New Zealand and an international team that competes around the world.

Cricket | season runs from October – March | Cricket is an international sport that is very popular all around Australia, having been introduced to the country when Australia was a British colony. Matches can last for days but you can also catch a Big Bash League (BBL) match that plays Twenty20 cricket, a shortened version of the game and the style of cricket that will be played in the Olympic games.

The Australian Open (Tennis) | early January | the Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the most prestigious of professional tennis tournaments. The ambiance of the tournament is fun and vibrant and going to a day of the tournament could give you access to multiple matches with both top and up-and-coming professional players. Many people travel to Melbourne, Australia just to attend the tournament.

Lawn Bowling or Bowls Australia | this game is similar to bocce bawl (Italy) or pétanque (France) where you have to roll or toss your ball to be the closest to a target. The unique aspect of lawn bowling is that the ball is not a perfect sphere and has some curve to it. You can find lawn bowling clubs throughout the country where you will see friends and families playing against each other.

Tipping is not expected or required. However, for exceptional service, feel free to include a tip. Most service-based interactions will not even mention a tip but you may find tip jars at bars or restaurants as an option if you choose to tip. It is imperative however to tip on any “free” walking tours because these tours are designed for you to pay the value that you deem appropriate. For these free tours, we recommend tipping at least $20 per person.

Australia is a really large country. To give you an idea of the size, it takes 5 hours of flying time to go from Sydney to Perth (east to west) and 4 hours to go from Adelaide to Darwin (south to north). Because of these large expanses between destinations, we recommend focusing on a few areas within Australia during your vacation here rather than trying to see many parts of the country. For a 2 week (15 day) vacation in Australia, we recommend visiting 3 areas within Australia so you do not spend a lot of time in transit and can take advantage of the beauty and uniqueness of each location.