So you’re wondering, is Australia safe to travel to? The answer is yes for so many different types of travelers, including women traveling solo or those looking to camp throughout entire country. The culture of the country is welcoming and adventure-oriented, with a large emphasis on an active lifestyle and overall enjoyment of life. Here are a few statistics regarding personal safety within Australia:
- According to the Global Peace Index 2025, Australia is considered the 18th safest country in the world
- Travel advisories from the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom consider Australia as a Level 1 (low-risk) destination. This is the lowest risk designation.
Emergency Number: 000
Use this number when in Australia to contact police, fire, or ambulance in an emergency
Using Travel Advisory Sites to Determine Is Australia Safe for You
Prior to traveling to a destination, it is best to look at your country’s travel advisory page. The United States Travel Advisory page for Australia is a good place to start. These pages also have important information regarding necessary visas, health and vaccine requirements (if any), and embassy and consulate contact information if needed for larger emergencies. With regards to visas, make sure you are verifying the requirements for the particular passport that you are using to travel into Australia.
Is Australia Safe: Personal Crime
Is Australia safe regarding personal crime? Yes, but that does not mean that you can ignore common sense. The majority of crime that you want to be vigilant for is petty crime and theft. This crime does not necessarily target tourists. Crime in these cases are often crimes of opportunity. Make sure that you do not leave your car or accommodation door unlocked when not around, make sure that you keep an eye on your belongings 0r valuable items, don’t walk through dark and empty places, etc.
The Northern Territory
If you are heading to the Northern Territory during your time in Australia (Alice Springs or Darwin are the main cities here), you may hear from people to be extra careful and that the Aboriginal people are dangerous. However, while being aware of your surroundings is important (and it should always be important when in any city that you aren’t familiar). In the Northern Territory, there is more petty crime and car thefts than in other parts of Australia. Make sure that you do not leave anything valuable in your vehicle and try to park your car in private and closed parking areas where possible.
You may observe more people milling around in the streets of Alice Springs and Darwin than you would find in Melbourne or Sydney, many of whom are Aboriginal people of Australia. These people have occupied Australia for over 50,000 years and are the original owners of the land. Their culture and mindset runs incredibly deep. This goes beyond the food and religious practice; it includes their understanding and ideas regarding money and ownership of property, which are inherently European ideas that have been introduced to these people only 200-300 years ago. It is important to remember that they have not been able to or wanted to integrate themselves into a society that did not originally occupy the region. There are so many more nuances to the Aboriginal culture in Australia that you can learn more about when visiting, especially the Northern Territory.
With the introduction of Europeans in Australia came the introduction of alcohol to the Aboriginal people. Genetically, the Aboriginal people cannot process alcohol in the same way as Europeans and are genetically inclined to feel the effects of alcohol with a lot less consumption and a lot faster than most people. As a result, there is a problem of alcoholism in the Aboriginal communities, something that you will see in cities in the Northern Territory. While the majority of Aboriginal people live within their own communities and lands in the Northern Territory, there are some who have fallen into this addiction and may be forced to live in the cities outside of their communities. However, Aboriginal people are not dangerous! They are part of a community that is more secluded than what you might be accustomed to and that desired isolation is something that you should respect and appreciate while traveling.
Australia: Driving
Is Australia safe with regards to driving? Unlike the narrow, windy roads of New Zealand, Australia’s roads are wider and less challenging to navigate. However, driving on the left side of the road can pose a challenge. If this is your first time driving on the left side of the road, take the drive slowly to get used to the change. Overall, local drivers are patient with tourist drivers in Australia and it is always worth it to take a drive slowly and avoid a head-on collision. This is especially important for smaller road trips, such as driving on the Great Ocean Road, where the road is more windy. You can always pull over into different viewpoints and safety lanes to allow faster drivers to pass you.
A tip to make sure you are driving on the correct side of the road: you, the driver, needs to stay closest to the median / middle of the road. Always think about the lane that you need to turn into when making a left or right hand turn or pulling out of a parking lot. Driving on the wrong side of the road is a dangerous reason for many accidents in tourist destinations of Australia.
Melbourne's Hook Turns
The city of Melbourne has a particularly unique driving circumstance called a hook turn. This turn scenario requires you to make a right hand turn from the left most lane. While there are signs and lights that will help guide you through this situation, the diagram below describes it to help you be prepared if you are driving within Melbourne.
Driving and Wildlife
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 severely 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
Is Australia Safe: the Wilderness, Hiking and Camping
Is Australia safe to go hiking and camping? Hiking and camping are a major activity that people do within Australia and the wildlife all around is worth visiting and exploring. However, that requires additional caution, especially with regards to animals. Australia is known for having a variety of wildlife that could kill or severely injure humans, including crocodiles, snakes, spiders, kangaroos, etc.
When it comes to hiking, make sure you remain on the trails designated. This would help eliminate potential interactions with dangerous animals as the trails throughout Australia are well maintained. If you walk off the trail, you may not see the snakes and spiders that inhabit the different brush in Australia. Consider downloading all your hikes on AllTrails because your phone can continue to track your movement on trails even without service or on airplane mode so you can make sure that you stay on the right track. And always tell someone who is not with you where you are hiking and your expected time of return, especially if you are traveling alone.
For animal safety in general, especially around crocodiles near Darwin and Cairns, make sure to follow the signage around bodies of water carefully and avoid getting too close to the edge of different bodies of water (including flooded areas) because crocodiles can be lurking even in small bodies of water. It could be best to visit national parks and sites with a local guide who can help keep you safe, especially during the shoulder and wet seasons.
When it comes to camping, make sure to camp in campsites that are maintained to eliminate the risks of encountering dangerous animals. Try to lock up all food, clothes, and shoes so dingos and birds don’t try to steal them. And if you have any questions, ask the local Australians who are much more aware of and accustomed to the wildlife in the various regions.
Overall, Australia is an incredibly friendly place for tourists. Most of the caution that you will need to have comes down to common sense and reading signs.
