When one thinks of Australia, the cities of Sydney or Melbourne immediately come to mind. However, did you know there are many other amazing places in Australia to visit?
Australia is an enormous country with 80% of the population living on or near a coastline.
In this part two of the series, I’ll share some lesser known places in Australia to visit which have a lot to offer the traveller.
Let’s go explore Perth, Brisbane, the Great Australian Bight, Darwin and Kalgoorlie.
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Perth
Perth has endless sunshine and a relaxed outdoor lifestyle. It boasts one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines with 19 pristine white sandy beaches. It receives the most sunlight out of all of the Australian cities and has been named one of the world’s most liveable cities. Perth is a popular base for travellers doing day trips.
Rottnest Island
One of the most sought-after day trips from Perth is Rottnest Island. Rottnest is a 90 minute ferry trip from Perth and home of the Quokka. Quokkas are short-tailed bush wallabies, about the size of a domestic cat. These cute little animals are famous for having permanent smiley faces who are happy to pose for the perfect selfie!
Yanchep
If you want to see more Australian animals up close, visit Yanchep. 56 kilometres (35 miles) north of Perth, the Yanchep National Park is home to Australia’s largest koala colony and features other native animals. While in Yanchep, check out Yanchep Lagoon a well liked swimming and snorkelling beach.
How to get there:
You can get to Perth from most Australian capital cities. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane are the popular entry points.
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Brisbane
Brisbane, Queensland is known for its charming vibe and sunny climate. In fact, Brisbane has 280 days of sun every year which means outdoor activities are favoured. Brisbane is also the third most populated city in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne.
Gold Coast
A lot of travellers go to the Gold Coast which is 77 kilometres (48 miles) south of Brisbane. The Gold Coast is world famous for its beaches, surf, nightlife, theme parks and shopping.
How to get there:
To get to Brisbane, you can fly from most Australian capital cities. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin and Perth are the main hubs.
Need to book cheap accommodation? Book with Booking.com here
Great Australian Bight
The Great Australian Bight is a large, open bay in the Indian Ocean which extends across part of South and Western Australia. Some areas of the bight are quite remote. It covers 46,000 square kilometres with ocean depths of 15 to approx. 6,000 metres.
From the Great Australian Bight, the nearest land mass in a southerly direction is Antarctica. Marine animals such as the Southern Right Whale and the Australian Sea Lion live here.
How to get there:
From the South Australian side, the town of Ceduna is an ideal vantage point. Alternatively, for the ultimate road trip across the Nullarbor Plains, travel from Port Augusta in South Australia to Norseman in Western Australia to witness the best views you’ll ever see of the Great Australian Bight.
Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory is known for mining, offshore oil, gas production and tourism. Due to its northerly location, its also a hub for travellers going to Asia.
Kakadu
Many who visit Darwin make a road trip to the Kakadu National Park. Kakadu National Park is 250 kilometres (155 miles) south east of Darwin and is the perfect place to get up close and personal with the Australian crocodile. Other native wildlife here include snakes, wallabies, wallaroos, flying foxes, turtles, bandicoots, river sharks and more.
How to get there:
You can get to Darwin from many Australian capital cities. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Alice Springs are the main ports.
Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia is 593 kilometres (368 miles) east of Perth and is famous for gold mining. In 1893, a 100 ounce gold nugget was found. In today’s money its would be worth approx. $190,000 US dollars. This find sparked the start of the West Australian Gold rush and unearthed the richest goldfield “The Golden Mile”.
Since the 1800s, The Golden Mile has produced over 58 million ounces of gold making it the world’s fifth largest gold producing region. The possibility of striking gold brings many to this exciting West Australian town.
How to get there:
The best way to get to Kalgoorlie is to fly from Perth.
Suggested post: Spotlight on Australian destinations that are worth visiting
Have you visited these Australian destinations? Comment below ⬇️
Linda is an Amazon author, writer and travel blogger. Her website The Smart Travelista offers travel resources and tips via her blog, books, videos and more.
