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Cairns, Australia
It may be a city and quite a decent one at that but Cairns is primarily a base
for exploring some of nature’s great wonders. This is the best spot to check out
the Great Barrier Reef, one of our ten once in a lifetime trips with plenty of
scuba-diving options available for you to get close up to the coral. Thrill
seekers will enjoy the opportunity to bungee-jump or sky-dive while the Wet
Tropics Rainforest is another essential visit.
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Magnetic Island, Australia
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Airlie Beach, Australia
Airlie Beach is another of the best places to backpack in Australia with a very
chilled out vibe in the day but also plenty of nightlife options with parties
going on well into the small hours. The Whitsundays are gorgeous and are made up
of 74 stunning islands. Don’t be surprised if you end up spending longer than
you planned here!
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Whitsunday Islands, Australia
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Agnes Water, Australia
This was the site of the original landing spot of Captain Cook in 1770 which was
effectively year 0 for Australia as we know it today. It’s a nice spot to relax
on the beach and read up on a bit of history at the Agnes Water Museum which
documents the life of Cook and his voyages.
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Hervey Bay, Australia
From late July to early November, Hervey Bay is a fantastic place to spot some
whales. The other main reason to visit is to access Fraser Island and the
southern Great Barrier Reef. Fraser Island is 120 km long and with a mild
year-round climate and lots of beautiful scenery including crystal lakes and
endless beaches, it’s a great place for camping out for a few days. Swimming
isn’t recommended though due to dangerous tides and lots of hungry sharks.
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Fraser Island (K'gari), Australia
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Rainbow Beach, Australia
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Noosa Shire, Australia
Yet more glorious long sandy beaches and nearby national parks make Noosa
another popular stop with backpackers in Australia. Make it to the Glasshouse
Mountains and you will get a terrific panoramic view of the whole Sunshine
Coast.
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Brisbane City, Australia
City lovers rejoice as this is the capital of Australia’s sunshine state and a
good chance to stock up on anything you need at the 700+ stores in the city’s
central shopping mall. It’s a lively city famed for its live music and large
numbers of bars and clubs. With a relaxed riverside location, Australia’s third
largest and fastest growing city generally leaves a positive impression on
visitors and it has been chosen as the host of the 2032 Olympic Games.
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Gold Coast, Australia
Just south of Brisbane is Gold Coast, a city of around 500,000 people based as
the name would suggest on the coast. Surfers Paradise is its touristy hub with
an array of high rise structures, late night venues (some very seedy) and lots
of drunk people. It’s a popular destination with Australian teens celebrating
the end of high school. You’ll either love it or hate it.
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Byron Bay, Australia
A relaxing beach setting and another essential stop for anyone solo backpacking
Australia. Byron Bay is a popular place to learn to surf while you can also
kayak alongside dolphins and even do a bit of skydiving if that’s your thing.
Note that doing lots of these kinds of extra activities will quickly eat into
your budget. Consider allowing a bit more than the suggested figures at the top
of the page if that’s your plan.
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Nimbin, Australia
The next stop on our Australia backpacking route is Nimbin which has gained a
reputation as a bit of a hippy town and it’s a nice inland spot if you’re
getting a bit sick of the whole beach thing. It can be visited on its own or on
a day-trip from Byron Bay. The nearby Nightcap national park is home to an array
of peaks, waterfalls and wildlife.
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Sydney, Australia
One of the most easily recognisable cities in the world thanks to the iconic
Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Its setting is one of the best of any
major city in the world and a boat trip or water-taxi in and around the Darling
Harbour area is a must.
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Melbourne, Australia
With a distinctly different vibe from Sydney, Melbourne is less brash and
maintains a European cultural vibe with plenty of quaint remnants of Britain.
Melbourne is viewed by some as the sports capital of the world, with sports mad
residents and major international events such as the Australian Open Tennis and
Formula 1 taking place in the city as well as numerous teams in Australia’s
sports leagues. There are also enough museums, galleries and theatres to
entertain culture vultures while the multicultural population serves up a range
of different cuisines.
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Perth, Australia
Unless you have a sadistic love of coach journeys that last days then you will
probably need to fly from Alice Springs to Perth but unfortunately there are no
direct connections at the time of writing (September 2022). Therefore it can set
you back as much as 500 AUD to reach the city by air and anyone primarily
focused on an doing an East Coast Australia backpacking route will need to
consider whether it is really worth the cost and effort of heading this far
west. Perth is a large but relaxed place and incredibly isolated from the rest
of the county’s urban areas. Days can be spent on the beach, cycling around the
city or visiting nearby nature reserves. At night, enjoy a drink in one of the
many pubs or delve into the indie or drum and bass music scenes. On a slightly
more positive note, as the westernmost city in Australia, ending in Perth will
probably make your onward journey or trip home a fraction shorter and many major
international airlines do fly in and out of the city. If you are planning on
visiting New Zealand after Australia, it may be more sensible to do this trip in
reverse and start in Perth before ending in Cairns.