Wild Australia: what to know and how to plan your trip

Leggi in italiano

Do you ever dream of Australia? Here’s some useful info before leaving to a different time zone, climate, temperature and places that especially the wild souls can’t miss.

“If you’re dreaming of Australia, wake up and make your dream come true”.

Not just because this land is nice, an adjective that sounds quite silly and belittling for such a wide and varied territory, but mainly because even a short period in Australia will turn your traveller’s imagination upside down.

Read also Why should all Europeans go to Australia to give their lives a fresh new start

I’ve written something about the city of Melbourne and the state of Victoria, but now I’d like to give some small but useful suggestions to those who dream of the wildest side of the endless and breathtaking Australia.

wild australia: what to know before planning your trip

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Useful info before leaving: visas, insurance, passport, how to take animals with you…

Let’s proceed in order and talk about small (not that much) technical and bureaucratic aspects. If you don’t own an Australian or New-Zealand passport, you need to get a visa.

(Note: I advise you choose a passport with the electronic chip because you’re going to pass through several security checks at your arrival and the latest generation passports help speed up things significantly).

Australia is an incredibly advanced country and you can apply for a visa in a very quick way and exclusively on the web, by logging on the site of the Department of Home Affairs (www.border.gov.au).

There are different types of visa depending on how long you’ve planned to stay in Australia and the reason of your visit: whether you’re going there as a tourist, to find yourself or to check if surfers are actually so cool as shown in the movies, you can apply for a free tourist visa (eVisitor). Yet, you’re gonna have to make do with 90 days stay at the longest.

There are also temporary visas such as the Student Visa and the Working and Holiday Visa that cost $560 and $440 respectively.

viaggio nell'Australia selvaggia

Consider taking out an insurance policy against theft, losses, accidents and health related issues. This is actually something I suggest for all trips to the countries that do not have that wonderful and subversive thing called national health system.

Be aware that no special vaccine is required to travel to Australia, unless you’ve spent the week before leaving in a country hit by the yellow fever.

Carrying fresh and packaged food, along with plants and seeds, is forbidden.

Therefore, no brawn allowed nor marijuana grown on your house terrace or balcony. Sorry girls, dura lex, sed lex.

Even the guidelines for animal and pet transport are precise but clear.

If you don’t want to part from your beloved pet, you’ll be happy to know that there are specialized services that take care of animal transport to Australia, such as Blisspets for example. By choosing to rely on professionals, you can rest assured that everything is ok and your animals can travel safe.

You will be given a form on the plane for you to fill in, indicating whether you are bringing any of this stuff with you, or recently used trekking shoes and other weird things. Give straight answers. Unless you state that you’re carrying human organs you won’t be arrested or sent back to your country. At the most, they could ask you to leave the forbidden stuff at the airport in appropriate areas.

Read also “How to find a job in Australia”

Climate, temperatures and different time zone

sabrina in Australia spiaggia St Kilda

Australia is quite huge and the climate reflects that: warm and tropical in the North, mild and even cooler during certain periods in the South.

In the immense centre of the country, there are desert areas full of hostile charm.

The Australian seasons are reversed compared to ours: down there, summer is between December and February, with average temperatures of 29 degrees, whereas the rain season rages throughout the tropical North.  Winter is between June and August: mild up North (13 degrees on average), typically cold in the South.

Calculating the different time zone between Italy and Australia can seem complicated; besides the longitude, Australia is divided into three separate time zones according to the latitude: Eastern Standard Time (EST) for the northern states, Central Standard Time (CST) for central states and Western Standard Time (WST) for the western part of the country. Moreover, there are different daylight saving times. Depending on your destination and the period you choose, you’ll be from 6 to 10 hours ahead of Italy.

Yet, thanks to our smartphones that automatically change time zone if the geolocalization is on, it won’t be a problem for you to manage the time difference, apart from the issues related to jet lag.

Locations for wild travellers

ocean - australia - travel - sabrinabarbante.com

 

Not just super modern cities but very interesting historical traits too: Australia mainly means wild and unspoiled nature, with beaches that are too big to see the horizon, and the ocean that is more ocean than all other oceans.

The diving and snorkeling enthusiasts can’t miss a stop in Queensland to dive into the Great Barrier Reef, one of the biggest coral barriers on earth, that hosts coloured fish, dolphins, turtles, glowing jellyfish and sharks.

If you love surfing and on the road vacations are exactly your speed, get ready to travel on the legendary B100 or Great Ocean Road, in the state of Victoria. Located about 100 kms south of Melbourne, it’s a scenic road among the longest and most evocative in the world: it runs along beaches, reefs, stone arches and stacks plunging into the sea.

Wilsons Promontory National Park, Wilsons Promontory, Australia

The Twelve Apostles, a huge group of limestone cliffs carved by the ocean, are located at the Port Campbell National Park.

Do you like camping? Choose Tasmania, visit the Freycinet National Park and camp at the Friendly Beaches Reserve: cool weather, wild nature, eucalyptus and gum trees.

From here you can get to the top of Mount Amos and appreciate the view of the whole pearl white stretch of sand at Wineglass Bay.

Do you love tropical paradises? Whitsundays Islands: two (magical) words and 74 islands with crystal clear sand and water in the Coral Sea.

Australia is among the destinations that, as already said, are able to turn your imagination upside down.

I would like all of you to experience the wildest side of Australia to understand how precious and fragile our planet is.

18 Comments

  • Mayuri Saxena

    Australia is on my bucket list. This post is so detailed and relevant…I am not much into adventure but I am interested in experiencing the culture, history and the urban style.

  • Kusum

    Australia was definitely a dream trip for us! Loved going snorkeling in the land down under. Nice tips.

  • Rose

    I have never been to Australia but, it is on my list of places to visit for sure. Considering how far it is and how long it takes to get there I would want to stay for a long period of time. I dont own a passport so that proves how much I travel. So needless to say the chip is unfamiliar to me but I like the tip for my future travels.

  • Eloise

    thank you for such an informative post on planning a trip Australia, I feel less anxious when I know more a head of time (you’ve eased my nerves). I think it’s great that people can get a visa pretty quick because Australia is advanced (organized) I’d like to see what that’s like.

  • London Mumma

    Australia is certainly on my bucket list, to travel too with my daughter. It’s beauty and culture is what I am dying to see and roaming the outback.

  • Kweni

    Australia is indeed very beautiful. I am thinking of moving there since it is much closer to the Philippines than from here in London. Plus, the weather is better too.

  • Celestial B Purposed

    Well, I am sold. Australia is on my list of places to go and have stamped in my passport book. I will truly be checking out the beaches. Thanks for sharing your experience.

    FB name” Addie Cotoure

  • Jennifer Prince

    Someday I will get to Australia. It’s a beautiful place for sure! 🙂

  • Sharon Koenig

    Australia currently sits at the very top of my traveling bucket list. Thanks for the informative and helpful post! I’ll be sure to check these spots out. To be able to stay long enough to see New Zealand, too… That would be incredible!!

  • Erica Ardali

    I’m actually planning an Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji whirlwind trip for my 40th so this is post is right up my alley

  • oyibo

    i think having to go to Australia on a tour one of this days will not be a bad idea, just to have an experience of the wild and unspoiled nature of their ocean,super modern cities and very interesting historical traits.

  • stephanie

    Australia is sucha mysterious place to me. I would love to go visit someday even though it is super far from Canada. The wildlife alone is amazing! I never thought about camping there. That would be the coolest!

  • Komal

    So many amazing places! I love the coast and paper Mcquire. (Spelling?) beach and wine! What’s not to LLC!

  • Ken

    Well written Sabrina. Several years ago I spent a month in QLD and it was a life-altering experience. A beautiful environment coupled with caring people and a rich history makes Australia a must see for anyone who loves meaningful travel!

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