Backpacking

If the universe ever needs a backpackers’ heaven, Australia is well qualified for the title. In the eyes of young independent travellers (and a lot of other people as well), the country has a lot in its favour. After all, there are may bargain accommodation options in Australia. A favourable exchange rate and good value package tours, many of the country’s attractions are free or can be enjoyed at minimal cost. Backpackers and single travellers visiting Australia enjoy plenty of choice when it comes to getting around the country. Hostels can usually provide you with information on what's available.

Australia is backpacker friendly with a refreshing attitude towards the growing numbers - young and old from around the world - who arrive each year. The budget-conscious backpacker can find good, low-cost accommodation and discounted travel. If you are looking for a great deal and want to stretch your travel funds, there are plenty of good value package tours and many of the country’s attractions are free or can be enjoyed at minimal cost. The value of the Australian dollar against major overseas currencies, gives visitors great value for money. 

While Australian cuisine is among the most innovative and exciting in the world, you probably won’t be eating out in a five star restaurant every night. Fear not: there’s a wide range of cheap and healthy eating options available, from pubs and delis to food halls and barbecues. Working means you’ll meet more of the locals, have fun with fellow travellers, and get to see parts of Australia that you might not normally visit.  From mustering on an Outback cattle station to crewing a yacht down the Queensland coast, the possibilities are endless.

Best Australian Hotels helps you find the best places to stay in Sydney!

If you want to get away from it all – really get away – Australia is your sort of place. Many of the country’s lesser-known natural wonders are well off the beaten track, yet just as amazing as the better-known ones. Nature was inspired when it created Australia. Animals you'll see nowhere else, plants that will amaze you - and scenery you'll never forget. Rainforest, outback, mountains and savannah paint a colourful palette of magical sights against an azure sky.

Australia’s Aboriginal people are heirs to one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures. For at least 40,000 years they have lived in Australia’s challenging natural environment in ways that sustained their societies while conserving resources, protecting fragile soils and leaving a light footprint. The outback is a special part of Australia.

At the heart of the continent, eons of sun and rain have sculpted an ancient, biblical landscape where the cattle stations are measured in square kilometres and where the land, sky and even the silence exert an almost mystical force. From glistening beaches to rainforests and outback plains, Australia's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer stunning natural beauty and rich Aboriginal culture.

Australia offers some of the world's best walks. Stand on top of a Tasmanian mountain and gaze upon magnificent wilderness; stroll pristine beaches without a soul in sight; surprise grazing kangaroos. There are plenty of opportunities to leave the bitumen and discover Australia’s natural wonders. From the central deserts, to the Top End, Australia’s adventure routes are a paradise for explorers.

Best Australian Hotels helps you find the best places to stay in Sydney!

Working means you’ll meet more of the locals, have fun with fellow travellers, and get to see parts of Australia that you might not normally visit.  From mustering on an Outback cattle station to crewing a yacht down the Queensland coast, the possibilities are endless. In order to work in Australia, you need to have the necessary entry documents in place before you get started.  From waiter to web designer, nanny to nurse, fruit picker to filing clerk: there are lots of jobs out there, if you just know where to look.

You haven’t seen Australia until you’ve seen the Outback. As in the big cities, there are plenty of jobs on offer in rural areas, from rounding up sheep or cattle on a sprawling station  to seasonal fruit picking -- top up your tan and earn cash quickly! There’s no better way of becoming familiar with a city than working there, and Australian cities are worth getting to know more than most.  

Once you have a job - even if it’s just for three months - you stop being a tourist and start becoming a local. Australia’s reasonable prices for goods and services make it a desirable holiday destination. We’ve gathered a list that gives an approximate example of costs you and your family will typically incur. From the far reaches of Cape Tribulation and the World Heritage listed Kakadu to the relaxed surrounds of Byron Bay, Australia presents an endless diversity of scenes, outlooks, cultures and landscapes. Australia's fruit industry depends on seasonal pickers who can help with the harvest, and for those with appropriate visas, this is a great way to experience rural life, with a cash bonus at the end.

Best Australian Hotels helps you find the best places to stay in Sydney!

Whether you’re into a laid-back drink on a shaded terrace, or a full-on, party-‘til-you-drop night out on the town, Australia has something to suit every taste.          
Watering holes in Australia range from dusty Outback pubs where buffalo heads and crocodile skins adorn the walls, to sleek, sophisticated cocktail lounges complete with acres of chrome and glass and the latest in designer furniture.

Nightlife in Australia’s smaller towns and remoter areas can be loads of fun.  If you doubt it, just turn up to an Outback bush dance and get into the action! Nightlife in larger cities is limited only by your imagination and your preference.  Chill out in an all-night pub, play pool with some mates or dance until sunrise without missing a beat.

If you’re hoping to take in a big concert while you’re in Australia, you won’t be disappointed. Australia has a thriving music scene, with internationally recognised bands as well as many international gigs. Australians are a nation of festival-goers, always keen to celebrate the nation's comedy and arts, food and wine, music and culture, sport and heritage. Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra each boast major arts festivals which spotlight the best in dance, jazz, theatre, opera and more.

Australia's growing reputation as a haven for foodies is due to a mix of Indigenous and multicultural influences. In any restaurant, the label 'Modern Australian Cuisine' is a promise that you'll be tantalised, delighted and surprised.

Best Australian Hotels helps you find the best places to stay in Sydney!

Source: Tourism Australia 2006