Australia

Holidays by Destination Australasia Australia Types of Holiday 

For more detail, see pointers under each state. Wherever you go you will not be far from natural wonders of one kind or another:

Cities

From laid back tropical Darwin to the Victoriana of Melbourne, or international buzz of Sydney, there's a wide choice. Which you go for may depend in part on which other parts of Australia take your fancy.

Outback

Currently Outback towns are actually shrinking but there seems to be a growth in organised tourism to appreciate what this vast area has to offer. Options include stays on stations (half a million acres is standard), or in country b&bs, and a wide choice of guided explorations of the flora, fauna and landscape. Given its isolation and associated dangers, something with at least an element of backup or support, might be a good idea.

National Parks

Whichever states you visit, the vast, little populated expanses of the country mean that there are national parks and nature reserves of all kinds. The flora and fauna, as well as the landforms of these, range from those of pure desert to humid rain forest. With a human and/or printed guide adults and children can be intrigued by everything from termite mounds to tree kangaroos. For details see these two websites, and .

Beaches

With 7,000 beaches, Australia boasts more than any other country, the types varying markedly. Victoria's for example include some wild, big surf beaches, South Australia's are longer, emptier and even more isolated. Queensland on the other hand includes the Miami-like experience of the Gold Coast, as well as rainforest-fringed beaches to the far north. For the record one self-styled expert who spend 10 years exploring the country's entire coastline,, reported that Vivionne Bay in South Australia was the best.

Outdoor Activities

In all states there is a wide range of activities on offer, from walking (gentle strolls to multi-day hikes), cycling, rafting, quad biking, ballooning, riding, and even camel trekking. Rather than attempt to list all the options here, if interested, contact the appropriate tourist office for whatever state or states you are planning to visit.

Aboriginal Culture and Art

Aborigines can boast what is believed to be the longest lived human culture on earth, with art between 18,000 and 60,000 years old. The best place to see Aboriginal culture is in one of their communities in the Northern Territory where almost half the state is owned by indigenous people. Alternatives are Queensland or Western Australia.

There are some relevant places highlighted in the write-ups for the states, but if you want to see more you should visit the people themselves. You need a permit to visit most Indigenous land in the Northern Territory, available from the relevant land council or community, applying at least a month before you. Even if you don't need a permit it is polite to make contact in advance.