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Travel Guide — Australia
Sydney, Melbourne & the Queensland coast
12 places
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Australia panorama
Australia rewards picking a few regions rather than trying to do it all. This guide covers the three areas I focused on: Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland — the Great Barrier Reef and the sand island of K'gari.
Distances are enormous: Sydney–Cairns is a 3-hour flight, and reef trips depart mostly from Cairns or Port Douglas. In the cities, public transport plus walking is all you need.
Most international routes land in Sydney. Domestic hops to Melbourne, Cairns and Brisbane are frequent and cheap if booked ahead.
Book outer-reef boats out of Cairns or Port Douglas for the best coral; day trips typically include two snorkel stops.
Ferries leave from Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach. Without your own 4WD, a guided tag-along tour is the standard way to drive the island’s sand tracks.
Everything I visited and would send a friend to. Starred entries are the ones I'd put at the top of the list.
Sydney
Jørn Utzon’s sail-roofed icon on Bennelong Point, opened 1973 — the symbol of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The classic photo is from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair at the end of the Botanic Garden — my saved pin.
Sydney
The 1932 steel arch bridge joining the CBD to the North Shore. Walk the pedestrian path for free harbour views, or climb the arch on a guided tour.
Melbourne
Melbourne’s famous street-art laneway opposite Federation Square — the murals change constantly and the cobbled alley is always busy.
Queensland
The world’s largest coral reef system — a chain of 2,900 reefs stretching 2,300 km along the Queensland coast, best reached by boat from Cairns or Port Douglas.
Four spots pinned on my map along the reef — outer-reef snorkel days are the way to see it.
Queensland
The world’s largest sand island — rainforest growing on pure sand, perched freshwater lakes like Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie), and 4WD-only beaches.
Pinned on my map — do at least two days; the inland sand tracks are half the fun.
Sydney
A 6 km cliff-top path linking Sydney’s eastern beaches — Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee — with ocean pools along the way.
Sydney
A 30-hectare garden wrapping the harbour foreshore east of the Opera House, culminating at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair — the postcard harbour view.
Sydney
The commuter ferry from Circular Quay to Manly — the cheapest harbour cruise in town, ending at a surf beach and the Shelly Beach snorkel walk.
Queensland
74 islands on the southern Great Barrier Reef including Whitehaven Beach — pure white silica sand — and the Hill Inlet lookout.
Melbourne
Melbourne’s beach suburbs — the St Kilda pier little penguin colony at dusk and the row of colourful 1860s bathing boxes at Brighton.
Melbourne
The 19th-century open-air market sprawling over two city blocks — produce, deli halls and the famous hot jam doughnut van.
Sydney
The dense cluster of restaurants and dessert bars along Dixon Street in Haymarket — a reliable late-night food stop.