This page provides a list of the main things to see in Australia. "++"
identifies the top attractions.
New South Wales (any time):
- ++Sydney
- Echo Point in Katoomba
- ++Mungo National Park/ Great Wall of China (876 km west of Sydney)
- South Coast
- Blue Mountains (50 kilometres west of Sydney)
- Canberra
Queensland (best in April-November):
- Brisbane
- +Carnarvon National Park (593 km northwest of Brisbane)
- +Fraser Island
- +Undara National Park (1,339 km northwest of Brisbane)
- +Great Barrier Reef/ Heron Island (south of Cairns north of Brisbane)
- +Hinchinbrook Island
- Gold Coast
- Noosa (Sunshine Coast)
Victoria (very hot in jan):
- Melbourne
- +Grampians National Park
- Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles
- Phillip Island Nature Park
Tasmania (best in november-april):
- Ross Bridge
- Wineglass Bay
- +Cataract Gorge in Launceston
- +Cradle Mountain National Park
- Lake St Clair
- Freycinet
South Australia (very hot in november-february):
- Adelaide
- +Flinders Chase National Park
- +Flinders Ranges National Park
- +Brachina Gorge
- Adelaide Hills
- Kangaroo Island
- Fleurieu Peninsula
- Coober Pedy
Northern Territory (may-november):
- Darwin
- ++Litchfield National Park (Magnetic Termite Mounds, Lost City)
- +Kakadu National Park
- +Standley Chasm
- +Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park
- ++Uluru/ Ayers Rock
- +Kata Tjuta/ Olgas
- Arnhem Land
- Katherine Gorge
- +Devils Marbles/ Karlukarlu
Western Australia (only reachable may-november):
- ++Pinnacles Desert
- +Valley of the Giants
- ++Wave Rock
- +Karijini National Park
- Kalbarri National Park
- Ningaloo Marine Park
- +Broome
- +The Kimberley
- Devonian Reefs National Parks (Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek, Gelkie Gorge)
- Wolfe Creek Meteor Crater
- ++Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)
- Perth
- Fremantle
- Rottnest Island (quokkas)
New Zealand (south to north):
- ++Fiordland National Park / Milford Sound (southwestern tip of the southern island near Queenstwon, fjords, waterfalls, mountains)
- +Queentown (southwestern tip of south island)
- Westland National Park (western coast of south island, glaciers)
- Mt Cook (western coast of south island, highest mountain)
- Abel Tasman National Park (northern tip of south island, best coastal scenery)
- Kaikoura (northeastern coast of south island)
- Christchurch (east coast of south island)
- Wellington (northern tip of south island)
- The Tongariro (north island near Rotorua, volcanos)
- Rotorua (middle of north island, geothermal sources)
- Bay of Islands (northern tip of north island near Auckland, 150 islands)
- Coromandel Peninsula (north island, near Auckland)
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Links
Notes
- The wet season in Australia is December - March (impossible to travel north of Alice Springs, up the Queensland Cape and in northern Western Australia)
- The warmer months in New Zealand are November to April
- The dry season for Papua New Guinea is May - October.
- As of 2010, Papua New Guinea is one of the few countries that still require a "letter of invitation" in order to issue a visa.
- Papua New Guinea has one of the highest crime rates in the world.
- Bottom line: avoid Papua New Guinea until they change visa regulations
- The dry season for Fiji is May - October.
- Cheap airlines are Jetstar, Pacific Blues and Virgin Blue. Brisbane is the best city to fly in/out to/from other Pacific destinations.
- Air Asia route map
- Cebu Pacific route map (Osaka to Manila and Guangzhou, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia)
- Pacific Blue route map (Australia, Papua, New Zealand, Pacific islands, Phuket, Bali)
- Jetstar route map (Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia, Philippines, China)
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