Dive the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, scale the heights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, take your seat for the most spectacular show of the cosmos!
With so many must-experience Australian adventures it was hard to whittle them down to the top seven. These adventures are accessible for all; so no matter your age or your adrenaline threshold, add these adventures to your bucket list and enjoy checking each one off, creating memories to be relived forever.
Don’t just watch The Blue Planet on TV, the great thing about Australia is that you can get out there and swim in it!
1. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
Don’t just watch The Blue Planet on TV, the great thing about Australia is that you can get out there and swim in it! One of the seven wonders of the world, the Greater Barrier Reef is an underwater experience quite unlike anything else. Together, it makes up the largest living organism on earth, with thousands of reefs, hundreds of islands and over 600 types of hard and soft coral. You have got to experience this marvel of nature in your lifetime. Water enthusiasts can pick from a myriad of ways of viewing the reef, whether scuba diving on a live-a-board boat, taking a helicopter and diving in a remote spot, or snorkeling the shores of a tropical island. Even those who aren’t comfortable in water can find ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef on a glass-bottom boat or in the shallow water with a snorkel mask.
The Twelve Apostles, one for your Aussie bucket list
2. Ride a camel around Uluru
Imagine tracing the circumference of Australia’s most majestic mountain, Uluru, on the back of a camel as the sun creeps onto the horizon sending a kaleidoscope of colours across the desert. Uluru (also known as Ayres Rock) is an ancient landscape in the centre of Australia, one of the world’ most iconic landmarks and steeped in indigenous culture. Viewing it from the back of a camel is a neat mix of one of Australia’s oldest natural wonders, and one of its newer arrivals! It’s also a serene and respectful way to experience Uluru and an unforgettable voyage on your very own ship of the desert.
Some of these bucket-list options are more adventurous (I think we mean “dangerous”!) than others, so what are your healthcare options in Australia? Read our new guide: Healthcare Abroad 2018.
3. Drive the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road – a 243-kilometre stretch of highway between the states of Victoria and South Australia – is among the most scenic drives in the world. This winding coastal highway follows a stunning coastline including such sites as the Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay and Cape Ottway. Spend a couple of days enjoying the drive by staying at bed and breakfasts along the way and really taking time to savour the views and the experience.
4. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge
If you’ve taken the huge step of emigrating, surely you can conquer any fear of heights too! Everyone should experience the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb. The climb takes 1.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the route. Climbers are harnessed in securely and given a thorough training session before the journey begins. Led by an expert guide, climbers will summit the Sydney Harbour bridge with a range of climbs suitable for people of different adventure levels. What better way to get up close and personal with Sydney’s most impressive icon than experience it first-hand from its very heights?
Led by an expert guide, climbers will summit the Sydney Harbour bridge with a range of climbs suitable for people of different adventure levels.
5. Learn to surf in Queensland
You can’t live in or visit Australia without attempting to surf and Queensland provides an opportune climate and plenty of surf beaches for you to choose from. Whether taking a formal surf lesson or surf camp, hiring a board and having a go at it on your own, or adopting surf as part of your daily ritual, surfing is an Australian rite of passage.
6. View the Aurora Australis
The stunning display of electrically charged protons in the earth’s atmosphere is a breath-taking natural light show that can be experienced at night-time in parts of Tasmania and Victoria. Sometimes the lights are stronger than others and can be predicted by using planetary index or kp numbers, so the timing of this spectacular show must be planned. But if you’re already planning to go half way round the world, why not go this extra mile or two?
7. Visit a world-renowned wine region
Take your pick from Australia’s outstanding wine regions, including The Hunter Valley (NSW), The Barossa Valley (SA), Margaret River (WA) and Mornington Peninsula (VIC). Taste some of the most extraordinary wines on the planet amongst stunning vineyards in Australia’s wine country. Most good wine regions are on gently rolling hills that are perfect for cycling trips and have wonderful restaurants too, so you don’t have to be a wine buff to enjoy these areas. Get a real taste of Australia and add experiencing a wine region to your Australian bucket list.
The Australia Buying Guide takes you through each stage of the property buying process, with practical recommendations from our experts who have been through the process themselves. The guide will help you to:
