Australia Travel Itinerary

Which part of Australia to explore?

Australia is a big country with a lot on offer for the traveller. For this reason, many visitors concentrate on parts of Australia such as one or two of the big cities and their surrounds. Unless you are on a six month or year visa, this page offers information on smaller trips that take in the best that Austalia has to offer including the closest city or town of departure. You are then free to combine these trips depending on your budget and time constraints. We have linked these itineraries by state in order to give you the best possible experience of Australia no matter what your budget or time constraints.

The popular eastern seaboard

Many travellers visit one or two cities with some of the surrounding terrain, while others (especially backpackers), venture further a-field often following the popular eastern seaboard route , i.e., the coastal highways that connect Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns. One piece of advice when travelling the Sydney and Brisbane leg is to take the inland highway instead of the coastal highway. It is almost the same length, yet you will see see rugged mountains, canyons, extinct volcanoes, ancient rainforests, exotic bird life, and other native animals. This is the place to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural environment and without much people to bother you. But what about the beaches you might say. Don't worry, you still have the Brisbane to Cairns leg that offers you the best beaches in Australia as well as the Great Barrier Reef. When you get near Brisbane, turn off the Inland Highway early and enter the Gold Coast instead. This way you will see much more of Australia rather than just beaches.

How much time do you have?

Some travellers come to Australia on a one year working holiday. With this time frame, they are able to visit much further afeild and explore the outback and more isolated cities like Adelaide, Perth, Alice Springs, and Darwin. Whatever your time constraint, you need to make your mind up as to what parts you will visit and be realistic with the time you have. If you have two weeks then you could fit in two cities or one city with surrounding terrain and coastline. If you have a month or even a year, then you can rent a car or van and explore areas off the beaten track.

What do you want to see?

Places we recommend in these itineraries are outstanding in some way. It could be the scenery, pristine environment, native fauna, cultural attractions, or Australian lifestyle. Each itinerary has been conveniently bundled to include the nearest city or town as it is likely that you would explore the city that you will be arriving and/or departing from.

Choose a state travel itinerary

New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	Western Australia
South Australia	Tasmania	Capital Territory	North Territory

See our Australian City Travel Guides →