Guide to Australia

Australia is a vast country about 20 hours flight from the UK and if you can put up with that (and maybe stop over in Singapore, Bangkok or KL on the way over, then you have a great holiday in store.

Welcome to Australia

Australia is a favourite destination for any gap year as there is so much to as the country is sooooo vast. And how beautiful Australia is.

Getting about in Australia

Australia is immense, so your best bet is to stick to a couple of cities. You'll need at least 3/4 weeks just to do Sydney and Melbourne and the surrounding countryside.

The prices are the same as in the UK, but the exchange rate is about 1.6/1, so it's 1.6 times cheaper than the UK!

Why not stop off in Singapore or Hong Kong on the way over to break up your journey?

Sightseeing in Australia

There are many places to see, here are a few of our favourites:

Sydney

The place everyone goes to for many reasons. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which takes three hours, and you see everything of the city from a prominent vantage point. Take the monorail around the city. Go to Bondi or Manley beach via jet-foil. Tour the botanical gardens or sip a beer on the waterfront.

Melbourne

A much more laid back place than Sydney and a climate similar to the southern UK. This city has hundreds of open air cafes and bars and a wonderful bar area running along the river Yarra. Further afield you must explore Yarra Valley vineyards. Here you can taste all the great wine that Victoria has to offer.

Victoria and beyond

Take a trip along the coast road from Melbourne and head west. You'll see the famous 12 apostles, many wild life sanctuaries (Healesville is one of the best) and wonderful countryside.

Weather in Australia

As Australia is in the southern hemisphere, it has opposite seasons to the UK. What that means is our winter is it their summer. It can get extremely hot on the beach in December and January so make sure you take plenty of suncream.

The northern parts of Australia are tropical and are generally warm all year and quite humid.

Australia in Pictures

There's so much to do and see down under and here are a few photographs to whet your appetite. If you have additional photos or experiences you wish to share, then please drop us an email by using our contact page.