Australia has held my attention as a bucket list travel destination for years and when I can save up for the trip and get the time off, I’ll be doing it right by hopefully checking off all the bucket list items I’ve written down. Yes, I’m aware how big Australia is but isn’t the saying “go big or go home?”
Australia tends to be a bucket list destination for a lot of travelers, and for good reason. While some stay away because they’re scared everything is going to kill them or it’s too far away, there’s plenty of tempting things to do in Australia that I’ll take the risk of something biting or stinging me.
Since Australia is such a one-of-a-kind place, I found these facts about Australia to be quite fun and a great way to kick off why this such an awesome vacation destination!
10 fun facts about Australia
Most of these facts are courtesy of ExperienceOz.com
- Australia is the only continent that has a single country on it and the only continent to not have an active volcano.
- Australia is huge.
- For a size comparison, traveling from Sydney to Perth is about the same as traveling from New York to Los Angeles. And Western Australia’s capital, Perth, is the most isolated city in the world. In fact, it’s closer to a completely different country than it is to Canberra.
- The Great Barrier Reef has its own mailbox.
- Some of the rock art in Kakadu National Park is more than 20,000 years old, depicting Aboriginal life in the park. Some estimates go up to 40,000 or 50,000 years of occupation by indigenous peoples at this site.
- Kangaroos and emus are on the Australian Coat of Arms. Why? Because they can’t walk backward and symbolize a forward-thinking culture.
- The Australian dingo fence is longer than the Great Wall of China.
- Who drinks 83 litres of beer each year? The average Aussie, that’s who.
- Australia is home to more than 60 designated wine regions and known for shiraz, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir.
- Australia’s first police force was made up of convicts. Though, to be fair, they were deemed to be the most well-behaved convicts.
- Australians are fantastic when it comes to naming places. Some, um, unique names for towns and places in Australia include: Cock Wash, SA, Nowhere Else, TAS, Useless Inlet, WA, and Banana, QLD.
When we finally do get to go Down Under, here are our 13 bucket list items for Australia:
Visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs
I’ve fallen in love with the kangaroos at the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs and I’ll be damned if I won’t visit my friends Roger, Indy, and Bradley – as well as spot the camels, Theo and Cameron, while I’m there. Kangaroos are an Australian icon, there are about 40 million of them, and I want to tour the sanctuary that provides a wonderful and natural home for them.
Have an epic beach day
There’s no shortage of amazing beaches in Australia and we plan on checking as many of them out as we can. Did you know that swimming at a public beach during the day was illegal for 64 years? So thankful that’s not a law anymore! Some of the beaches that are calling our names include Sydney’s Bondi and Manly, Cairns’ Palm Cove and Trinity Beach, and the Gold Coast’s Coolangatta Beach and Surfers Paradise. I really don’t think there’ll be a wrong choice when it comes to finding a beautiful beach in Australia to spend a morning or afternoon at.
Discover Australian beer on a brewery tour
Rick and I love checking out local pubs and bars when we travel but we also like getting expert on advice on what to drink and where to drink it. Since we’ll be trying to maximize our time learning about the cities we’re in and imbibing as much as we can, that’s where a brewery tour comes in. Dave’s offers beer discovery tours in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, and other coastal regions.
Run around the capital, Canberra
Time to check out Australia’s capital, Canberra! From seeing the Parliament House to the Old Parliament House, there’s a lot of political history waiting to be discovered here. There’s also the National Zoo and Aquarium, the National Gallery of Australia, the Australian War Memorial, and tons of fun activities like biking and horseback riding. Canberra also is near some wineries that I wouldn’t touring… leading me to my next Australia bucket list item!
Explore the vineyards and enjoy some wine tasting
Australia has really proven itself as an exceptional New World wine producer and with more than 60 wine regions, it’s the perfect destination for some world-class wine tasting and winery tours! Any one of these Ultimate Winery Experiences in Australia sounds like a great way to spend some time sipping our way through the country!
While in Sydney, we’ll be able to pop into Urban Winery and sample their wines and expertly pair them with some charcuterie and cheese plates! Their specialty is using New South Whales’ cold climate grapes with the A.Retief wine label. They’ve got a great looking rose and shiraz that seem to have my name on it….
Escape to Melbourne
Melbourne is a mecca for coffee enthusiasts and you’ll need an energizing cup or two to fuel your exploration of this Australian city. Besides its coffee, food, and fantastic culture, Melbourne is also known for its street art and graffiti – practically around every corner and in every alley. While there, we’ll probably check out the bike share program to easily get around the city and make room for all the beer and food we plan on consuming as we explore Victoria, Australia.
Helicopter or sailing tour
This is a tough one for me as I can get really bad motion sickness and the thought of being stuck in a tiny little helicopter while trying to just breathe regularly and try to ignore how every tiny shift the helicopter sends my stomach reeling is highly unpleasant, I’ll do everything in my power to overcome that fear and book a helicopter tour.
Rick and I did one in Kauai and the views were so enchanting that it was worth it getting sick. With god as my witness and Bonine as my savior, I’ll take to the skies to enjoy the sprawling views of Australia below us.
Or, if I chicken out….
I can still take my Bonine and climb aboard for a sailing adventure off the Australian coast as Rick loves sailing and boat tours. This also comes with the added bonus that we’ll probably get to snorkel or just enjoy a relaxing catamaran ride too – maybe even with some cocktails!
See Sydney’s iconic sights
While I doubt I’ll find P. Sherman at 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney, I think the plethora of other amazing attractions and landmarks will help me get over it. Whether that’s snapping a photo of the Sydney Opera House or climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge (which I’ve been wanting to do ever since seeing it on Modern Family) or even taking a tour of The Rocks, there’s plenty to keep us busy around Sydney!
Jump around Kangaroo Island
Ha, see what I did there? But seriously, a visit to Kangaroo Island is on the bucket list because I apparently just can’t wait to be surrounded by the little guys – or at least the joeys, the alphas can get over six feet tall! Kangaroo Island isn’t just for the ‘roos, with 24 protected areas and 19 national and conservation parks spread around the island, you’ll also catch sight of sea lions, birds, and even penguins on a nocturnal tour with Kangaroo Hire a Guide. There are also 23 hiking trails to explore, water-based activities like snorkeling and surfing, and kayaking, and some great restaurants and wineries. I hear the sunsets on the island are simply breathtaking, too.
Go hiking
We’re fortunate to live in Colorado, home to some amazing hiking trails, but Tasmania has some hiking trails that we can’t wait to trek. The name alone makes me want to visit Wineglass Bay, but the views of the beach and turquoise waters from the trail are also worth a walk-around. I’d also like to check out the Organ Pipes for a rocky backdrop to the hike.
Ride a camel in the outback
We’ll do our best to watch out for the spit, but I saw another traveler talk about touring the Outback via a camel and it looked awesome so I added it to my bucket list. Strangely enough, Australia has a larger population of these distinctive creatures than Egypt does! While there are many horseback ride tours offered throughout the country, this kind of opportunity doesn’t come up every day and you’ve gotta take it while you can!
Visit the National Parks and rainforest
With so much land, it’s no surprise that a lot of it is protected and open as national parks. Australia is home to more than 500 National Parks. Now, we’d have to become Australian citizens to even have a chance at seeing a quarter of them. Some of our top picks include: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Karijini National Park, Kakadu National Park, Great Otway National Park, Royal National Park, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Blue Mountains National Park, and Murramarang National Park.
Many of these parks are home to sandy beaches, waterfalls, gorgeous rocks, boulders, and changing landscapes, and incredible wildlife. From crossing trails leading to unimaginable vistas to watching snoozing koalas, visiting at least one or two of the National Parks is a must on our dream Australia vacation.
There’s also the Daintree Rainforest, also a national park, near Cairns that would be extremely cool to see. It’s more than 100 million years old and the only place where two World Heritage Sites meet as it’s next to the Great Barrier Reef.
Have a snorkeling adventure
Home to the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef, we won’t pass up the chance to go snorkeling in Australia. Swimming with 500 species of fish, 300 varieties of coral, manta rays, dolphins, and turtles is too good to be true. Humpback whales also migrate past Australia from July – October, which would be an unforgettable experience.
There’s also snorkeling and SUP in the Whitsundays – which looks like my idea of heaven: A white sandy beach with crystal clear tropical waters.
Rick and I have talked about getting scuba certified, and I can’t think of any better motivation to do so than scuba diving in Australia to get even more friendly with Australia’s marine life.
Have you been to Australia? Let me know what I’m missing from our bucket list itinerary of Australia activities in the comments!
