I think you need to watch a video about the best places to visit from an Australian perspective rather than from an American. If you’re landing in Sydney it’s definitely worth seeing the spectacular Harbour and the tourist sites but the city itself isn’t as interesting. So instead I’d opt for traveling to The Blue Mountains just out of Sydney as it’s a world heritage site with breathtaking scenery. As you’re more interested in beaches and nightlife I’d spend more time staying on the ‘Gold Coast’ as it has the best of both worlds and it’s more suitable for someone your age. Then travel up north to see The Great Barrier Reef and then further to the Daintree Rainforest. Another time it would definitely be worth visiting Melbourne for the food, art and music scene but also the city itself as it’s surrounded by Port Phillip Bay, as well it has interesting seaside towns and beautiful beaches along the coast, the great ocean road with the 12 Apostles is amazing.
The vid you watched was pretty average. Pretty much just named the iconic places that always get advertised when in reality there are so many better places to visit. Fraser Island in north of the Sunshine Coast, Broome in the north west of Western Australia,, Jervis Bay on the South Coast of NSW and many more
Melbourne and Sydney are very different. I think Sydney is where a tourist your age should visit, but Melbourne is where you would end up wanting to live, if you decided to stay. My brothers and some nieces and nephews went east (from Perth) at a young age and all of them have ended up in Melbourne and have no intention of leaving. Also, Uluṟu is not just a rock, you have to see it to understand. But it is a long way to go and expensive to get there.
I live in the Northern Territory home to the Kakadu National Park, and Uluru, you can also visit the Tiwi Islands and learn about indigenous people and culture, the Katherine region is also full of natural springs and gorges, the Cutta Cutta caves and it's a perfect camping ground and in the Northern Territory we also have a lot of festivals, and multicultural events as well
Australia is an extremely large country, the distances between places is imense. For example, the distance from Sydney to Cairns is over 1500 miles. I suggest you choose a few places that really interest you and explore them. Trying to see all of Australia in one visit is almost impossible, I've lived here all my 64 years and still have much to see. Uluru (the rock) is definitely a long way from anywhere and there is no public transport. If you do decide to visit Australia, I hope you have a wonderful experience!
The thing with Uluru is that it's WAY more complex and stunning up close than it looks in the photos. It's as though it's standing guard over the land for miles and miles around. It's not just 'a rock'. When you're there, you feel that you understand why the Aboriginal ppl regard it as sacred. You can fly there from several Australian capitals. As for Sydney and Melbourne, they're quite different cities. Yes, they're both big and multicultural - but visiting Sydney is all about the Harbour. Visiting Melbourne is about night spots, cafès, parks, live bands and a whole lot of culture. As for Cairns, it's on the north-east coast of Australia, not the north-west like the narrator said. It has a genuinely tropical climate and is incredibly humid, so the best time to visit is in your summer (our winter), when the weather is mild and it's not as rainy.
Just remember, Brisbane that she pronounces Bris BAYne is pronounced Bris-Bin..And The Gold Coast is amazing, Port Douglas, the Daintree Forest and the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney is Awesome. Bondi beach in particular. And Darling Harbour. Go to Melbourne just to visit their rainforests....and the Puffing Billy, an old style coal train that goes through the rainforest. And I love living in Canberra. We have Old Parliament House, New Parliament House, And a whole lot of lovely buildings and lakes. Enjoy!!
dont forget the stunning grounds of governer generals place overlooking parliament house also if your up the top end and love the views wave rock and the devils marbles are beautiful
My top 10 things to visit in Australia do not include any capital city. Sure they are nice, but they are cities and I’ll put them somewhere between 10-20. Blue Mountains before Sydney, Great Ocean Road before Melbourne, Flinders Ranges before Adelaide, Rottnest Island before Perth, Kakadu & Litchfield before Darwin, Cape Tribulation before Cairns, K’gari before Brisbane. You transit through the cities anyways….
The Australian outback is so much more than just ‘a rock’ and absolutely no comparison to Stone Henge. It’s definitely worth a trip - although maybe not on your first visit. I’ve travelled all around the world and Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the other natural wonders around Alice Springs in the desert were a real highlight.
I wasn't referring to the outback in its entirety when I made that comment, more so the rock structure that the video was highlighting, but good point and thanks for watching!
Base yourself In Sydney there are heaps of bars nightlife and beaches, also within striking distance to the beautiful Blue Mountains. I agree about Uluṟu it’s in the middle of nowhere The Great Barrier Reef is a must see.
Another thing Melbourne has to offer is sport, stadiums like the MCG, Marvel Stadium, AAMI park and Melbourne Arena are just some of the places to view sport in Melbourne.
Can we just give you a visa to come here already? You seem to love this country more than a lot of people that live here and show us so much love. Also, I was born in Sydney, lived in Brisbane for a number of years, and made my home in Melbourne. It is the best city in Australia hands down if you ask me. There's something for everyone regardless of what you are into and it really is the cultural capital of Australia. We even have penguins in Melbourne!
If I had the means, I would so pay for him to come over. So many of his videos are about Australia. Like other say, he seems to like us more than we like ourselves.
I'm amazed that they never mentioned the Daintree Rainforest. At 135+ million years old, it is the oldest rainforest in the world. Also while Sydney is the city with a Bridge and The Opera House, it is also (because of these things) absolutely full of tourists. It caters to tourists and it does it quite well. Melbourne however is regarded as the culture capitol of Australia, as well as sport, music, nightlife, food, coffee, etc. In fact Melbourne is so much a sporting city that it is regarded as the backup for any of the Olympics (citation need). If for whatever reason a country fails to be ready for its Olympic commitment, then it goes to Melbourne as it can handle it. It also has the highest Greek population outside of Greece, and when combined with its high Italian and Turkish populations it easily has some of, if not the best coffee in the country.
Melbourne actually has a lot of natural beauty that surrounds it as well. The closest snowy mountain is only an hour drive away in Warburton. You have the Dandenongs which is awesome for mountain hiking. It also sits in front of Yarra Valley with amazing scenery and beyond that even better snowfields. You also have the Mornington Peninsula with the hot springs and amazing beaches. Even scuba diving down there you see so much wildlife. On the west side you have the great ocean road which is a must and offers stunning beach views. Wilson’s prom is also an amazing beach destination on the south west coast of Victoria.
The mountain behind Cairns houses an untouched rainforest and a boat trip can take you to the Great Barrier Reef. Adelaide is a planned city with an easy to navigate grid CBD. It is surrounded on 4 sides with lavish parklands.
When I travelled Australia a decade ago, I flew into Melbourne and travelled up the east coast on the greyhound bus and ended my trip in Cairns. It's a very popular backpacker route, so you can find many travellers to ride share up the east coast, but the greyhound buses are affordable too!
I love Melbourne, it's definitely not like Sydney at all and is well worth a visit. The state of Victoria has beautiful natural scenery, hot springs, beaches and mountains. The city of Melbourne itself has the best night life, food and live music. In my experience, Melbourne is the only city in Aus that is just up all night. It doesn't get quiet in Melbourne, there's always people in the streets enjoying the city.
Exactly. In Melbourne, at any time of the night, any day of the week, you can always find something fun going on. No other city in Australia can make that claim.
Certainly, the places on this list are each awesome, with great strengths as places to visit. As I have family in Australia, I have visited a number of times. My personal favourites, perhaps because I'm an outdoors person, are Queensland's Sunshine Coast and the hills inland of that district, and the Margaret River area of Western Australia. Truly, though, Joel, the country being so big and diverse, the best way for you to see the place (and have time for neighbouring countries such as NZ and Papua-NG) is for you and a friend to seek a year's working visa after graduation. Young people gain work experience, and get to see the place more fully.
Along the east coast in Queensland there is Fraser Island (K'Gari). A World Heritage listed, largest sand Island in the World. Beautiful turqouse freshwater lakes surrounded by white sand, rainforest, wild Dingoes and an interesting Aboriginal and European History. Camping, 4WD and one day tours of the island all feesable. Will be a guaranteed highlight of your trip.
To answer your question about Melbourne and Sydney, they are very similar and honestly not great tourist spots. As an Australian citizen I can say that I don't go to either city unless I need to see some kind of medical specialist or catching a flight to another location (because the Sydney and Melbourne airports go everywhere).
I live on the Sunshine Coast, Qld. It's where Steve Irwin's Australia zoo is located. If you like the outdoor lifestyle and some of the best beaches and walking tracks in the world, it's a great place to visit!
I live in Perth. I've found that a lot of tourists skip Perth when they decide to visit Australia, and although I can sort of understand why (it has never had the "prestige" of Sydney or Melbourne), it has its own attractions as a considerably smaller city than either Sydney or Melbourne, and I would argue that its beaches are just as good if not better. Also, I'm not sure that Perth alone is worth a detour for a few days, it'll be better to go touring around the rural south-west of Western Australia as well, because there are some very scenic places on the south-west coast. One place I'd love to visit is Tasmania. I'd love to go on a driving tour around Tasmania, and spend a couple of weeks there just exploring the island. I've never been, but I love the cooler weather and I hear good things about the scenic views all over the state. Finally, yes, there are penguins in some parts of Australia. I've been to see them on Phillip Island.
I think the best way to go for you is (assuming you have 2 weeks). Start in Melbourne (Victoria), plenty to see and do there, great night life and food, then head north of the city for beautiful country side and nature, (say 3 or 4 days there). Then hop on a plane or train to Sydney (New South Wales) you've seen videos on Sydney so you know what to expect, bridge, opera house, ferries, food, pubs/clubs etc. head north, south or west out of the city for great beaches, national parks, feed a Roo pat a Koala (another 3 or 4 days). Then head north to Brisbane/Gold Coast/Surfers Paradise plenty of beaches, night life, food, national parks etc. (yet another 3 or 4 days) then top it off with the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns. If you limit it to 3 days per city you can squeeze in Tasmania or Adelaide as well. Sydney and Melbourne are expensive (Sydney a bit more so), the Gold Coast (in Queensland) is a tourist magnet so expect higher prices there. If you come in June/July/August (our winter) Melbourne will likely be cold so bring some warm cloths, Sydney similar (less cold but) and Brisbane/Gold Coast/Cairns etc. is their dry season so mid 20's c and above. Hope that helps, regardless of where you go I know you will have a great time while your here. Cheers.
I emigrated to Oz from US in '74 & I get what you were asking about Syd Vs. Melb! Both have international flights into their airports, but the majority of those are into Sydney. However, Melbourne has thriving cafe, bar & restaurant scenes & vibrant arts culture, both in the main city area & it's outlying suburbs, all on easy tram routes. Melbourne's also the gateway to some pretty Spectacular scenery, including some Amazing national parks areas, with bushwalking & top rock climbing. There's also Phillip Island, which hosts the MotoGP each year, but is also home to the largest Little Penguin Colony in the World - So you might want to check it out! Plus, with Syd-Melb Flights Times only 1 Hr 35 Mins, it's not too difficult. Or you can take the 11 Hr Overnight Train from Syd-Melb & Fly back - Not Too Shabby! Don't get me started on the rest of Oz 🤠 ... We'd be here all day!
If you're looking for a coastal town that focuses on underwater wildlife and history, Exmouth and Coral Bay are two close-by towns at the North end of Western Australia. They're both urban towns, pretty much dotted in the middle of nowhere, and you have to travel through a lot of desert from any direction to get there, but it's worth it if you're into that kind of thing. In Coral Bay there is a kilometer walk to a shark nursing beach from the main beach, and its really interesting to see. But also be weary of stingrays. In Coral Bay, you can also go swimming with all kinds of animals. There are Whaleshark tours, Manta Ray tours, Snorkeling tours and Scuba Diving tours. We went on a Manta Ray tour a few years ago, but a Whaleshark popped up past the reef so our guides got most of us to upgrade to the Whaleshark tour, so we swam with Whale sharks as well, which was pretty special to see.
She forgot to mention here in western Australia 25 KMs South of Perth ,suburb called Rockingham home to penguins dolphins and seals absolutely beautiful place It's seal island and penguin island
And rottnest island with its quokkas and Fremantle for olde world colonial charm. Both close to perth and off course monkey mia and shark bay for great beaches, the pinnacles about 2 hours up the coast with exmouth and coral bay for magical reefs and sea life.
I have lived in Brisbane my whole life and visited many places in Australia. Melbourne is the best city to visit and Tasmania is just so beautiful. The Gold Coast is a pretty cool place to stay and Cairns - the helicopter ride to the reef and scuba diving is amazing. Just some highlights anyway. You definitely need to see for yourself.
Sydney is a great place for a tourist. Lots to see. Outside that, it’s not really a great place. Melbourne is very different, and as a visitor, it is my favourite of the two. (I’m from Brisbane)
Have you travelled the Northshore, the south, east and west of Sydney. I did and there are lots of scenic view in the outer suburbs as well like the Bondi in the East, Manly and Palm beach, Wollongong for sky diving, Blue mountains in the west, Cronulla in the Sutherland shire.
Both Melbourne and Sydney are great places but they are at the base just cities! If you want to experience Australia I’d recommend from Brisbane up. There are many places to stop and see all up the coast. If you had unlimited time and money there are many fantastic places to see, but they are a huge distance from each other. Seems to me you’d be happier on the beaches, and the reef.
Penguins, yes! The Little Penguin, Eudyptula minor, is native and found in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, right along the southern coastline. Macquarie Island, which is part of Tasmania but well south of it, has King, Gentoo, Royal and Rockhopper penguins. Occasionally you will find Rockhopper, Magellanic, Fjordland, Snares, King, Gentoo, Chinstrap, Adelie, Erect crested and Macaroni penguins. All have been recorded in Tasmania and sometimes, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. We're in the southern hemisphere, we have penguins. Enjoy them!
The images of Sydney are before 2013 as the monorail is still working. It was taken down in 2013 and the new tram system was installed (called the light rail). You do not need a car in any capital city in Australia (with the possible exception of Canberra) as public transport is excellent and will get you wherever you want to go. If you are in Australia for just a couple of weeks, use public transport in cities and fly between them. Driving from Sydney to Cairns is about 2500km. That's 500km more than New York to Miami. That will take you at least three days to drive without any sightseeing on the way, just overnight stops.
Sydney is about the harbour, Beaches and the Blue a mountains. Melbourne is about foodie, coffee, art and music culture, fairy penguins, snow. Also, United and Qantas do direct flight to Melbourne from various cities in the USA. But I would suggest flying Air anew Zealand to either Melbourne, Sydney Good Coast or Brisbane via Auckland. On your first visit I would suggest traveling the east coast, you will need 4 weeks to have time to relax.
Hey Joel. SYDNEY. The beaches, the harbour, The Opera house, The historic Rocks area. The historical connection to the past. The food. The drinks. Sydney has it all and I have never ever talked to anyone who didn't love their visit to Sydney. MELBOURNE. Sports capital of Australia. The food, the culture, Coffee, Trams, The yarra River. The bay side area. The Arts centre. The Parks. Melbourne is amazing and it really is the cultural centre of Australia and is a must see for any visitor. In summary. They are both totally different aspects of Australian life and culture. You simply can't visit without spending time in both
Little penguins forage for food throughout Sydney Harbour and along the Sydney coast, with frequent sightings around Bondi, Botany Bay, Mosman, Narrabeen and Vaucluse. Some of our penguins have even travelled as far as South Australia. Little penguins come back to Manly each year to breed between May and February. So, inside Sydney Harbour - one of our little secrets!
For a tourist your age I would recommend you fly into Sydney and see the iconic locations such Harbour bridge (the giant coat hanger), Opera house, Bondi beach and have a wander around the local bars, clubs and restaurants and then head North and make your way up through Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane ( pronounced Brisbin) see all the beautiful beaches in these locations, enjoy all the free pools, free skateboarding parks if that’s your thing, tropical national parks. Then head further North to beautiful Port Douglas where you will find amazing white sandy beaches, turquoise water, snorkeling and fantastic surf. Keep on heading North again and head for Cairns where your mind will explode at the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef. You will find it’s beauty difficult to comprehend the first time you see it, it’s like a Disney movie. It will be everything you expected, everything you ever wanted and so much more.
Sydney and melbourne are as different as New York and LA. Very different vibes and looks and feels. Melbourne is definitely the prime one for sport art music food and cafe culture it has something for everyone. Sydney also great but after visiting both more than once I’d be back to Melbourne each time
Remember when you come to Australia it can be expensive, but if you look around you can find some great deals on accommodation and airfares. Yha are great cheap places to stay in Australia and are in great locations, and they can give you great deals on any tours, travel that you want to do. Also if you want to save a little extra money, then avoid school holidays in Australia and special events or days. As the prices of accommodation and airfares can go up. So anytime between these times are ideal. And don't forget to pick your season. Our winter, your summer, or your winter our summer, this will determine the cost of your travel. And remember it's a long way, so be prepared for that and the horrible jet lag. I hope this helps you
Sydney has the harbour, which is absolutely beautiful and iconic. However I find the city itself to be quite dry and business focused. Yes it has beaches, but so does the rest of Australia, so it's not really a big deal, and plus they tend to be way touristy. Melbourne is a fun place. If you like your music or sport then it's awesome. Overall they are both lovely and worth visiting. Also it's worth mentioning that there is so much more to Australia then it's cities. Victoria alone has everything including desert, rainforests, snowy mountains and pristine beaches all in an area approximately the size of England.
Yeah. There is the "big end" of town, mostly office buildings. There are shopping plazas, food courts, bars and restaurants in that area though. But the southern end of the CBD is much more human friendly, and then just walk (or light rail) down George St, Pitt St or go via Darling Harbour/Barangaroo. Plenty of shopping, cafes and restaurants. With regards to Darling Harbour, Harbourside is closed for demolition and redevelopment, although Darling Square (an extension of China Town) is open.
Uluru is far more than just a rock. It's something that has to be seen to be fully appreciated, you can't appreciate its majesty from a photo in the same way something like the Grand Canyon can only be fully appreciated when you see it. That said it's a long way from anywhere but there is an airport not too far away. You also get some idea of what it's like to live in the outback. I preferred Melbourne to Sydney and found the cities very different.
As someone who grew up in sydney and moved to melbourne i would say they are different and worth seeing both cities. Sydney is the centre of business so not much going on in the city. A lot to see around the city and outside the city like the blue mountains where i was born. Melbourne has alot going on within the city as well as outside the city. Victoria is also a festival state. Literally a festival is happening somewhere in victoria or Melbourne nearly every week! It's also foodie central as well as unique shopping, music venues and artistic districts. In terms of expenditure, sydney would be a little more expensive than Melbourne although both will be costly and you need at least a week each. Touring Tasmania for 2weeks would be cheaper and it's an incredible experience on it's own if you can hire a car. Kakadu national park will also be nearly a week to explore what you can. Perth only has a nightlife. You really need to get out to Rottnest island, monkey mia and the waveform rock. Adelaide is a yawn all year round except for the Adelaide Fringe festival which rivals the Edinburgh comedy festival. Definitely put great barrier reef on your bucket list .
If you're planning to rent a car, make sure to organise an international license and remember we drive on the other side to the road from you. Also maybe check the Australian rental companies terms and conditions as they may have higher excesses for younger drivers
Adelaide is beautiful, it has lots of site seeing , the south of Adelaide beaches are beautiful, whale watching, penguins on granite island and then there's kangaroo island
Start at Adelaide has nearest wineries to a major city, fly to Canberra, out national capital, has many museums, big country town feel then , train to Sydney to see some of Australian countryside go bye, Sydney obvious for a tourist, try Sydney Northern beaches not Bondi, or to the south Cronulla. Then book a trip to stay on one of the many island resorts on great barrier reef. Then onto Cairns, it has rainforest as well as beaches whilst there visit Green island, Kuranda and possibly Daintree forest.
Im from Adelaide but travel constantly. Both city's are a must see for very different reasons...Sydney being the first place in Australia most tourists visit due to it being the main entry point it's a must for most to see the harbour bridge at circular quey but may I suggest first seeing that at night,Bondi beach is always mentioned but on the way you may want to stop at notorious king's Cross...it's a famous club strip that saw a period of famous criminal underbelly activity ..Bondi is a must but in the cbd in Martin place there is the channel 7 sunrise studio that people mostly interstate tourists stand outside a window that the cameras point towards,so people wave and hold up signs,Sydney is a business city and everything costs...and more expensive than elsewhere,Melbourne's a completely different city and the busiest in Australia,Sydney gets slightly quiet after dark where as Melbourne never sleeps,the alleyways of Melbourne especially hosier lane are famous for amazing street art which most alleys with the best art run off Flinders st but art is Melbourne wide,the tram network and frequency of trams is more than amazing,there is a 7/11 on every corner,from funky Fitzroy to the beach at st Kilda and new York style alleyways Melbourne is the country's nightclub..but don't count out Adelaide...the longest pedestrian mall with those giant silver balls you see in this video...that's Rundle mall..Adelaide isn't tall or big but it's flat..we have the world's only o-bahn busway which most tourists are amazed by as the driver can take his hands off the wheel and the buses is steered by guide wheels..the nightlife is not like the other city's it's only certain parts of the city that remain open...our beaches stretch from north to south in one long stretch and Glenelg is a beach never mentioned but just as beautiful as Surfers Paradise minus the waves ..
An AFL game at the MCG in Melbourne is a must! You can see games in every state, but a big crowd at the MCG is next level, closest atmosphere you’ll get to a premiership game.
Uluṟu is not just a rock, it is the worlds biggest rock that is nearly as tall as the Empire State Building and 1.5 times as long as the Golden Gate Bridge, it is incredible to go and see
I’d spend a day in Sydney and just do the bridge opera house cliche tourist city thing- then I’d head to Melbourne. I’d also go and spend a couple of days at Wilson’s promontory - In Feb ( when school holidays it’s over ) you can camp there and it has gorgeous variety of beaches - interesting geology. You WILL see a wombat. One may try to break into your tent. If you want somewhere with lots of shops and nightlife- this isn’t the place for you. But if you want the “feels” in an amazing place- it’s a must! It has mountains rivers beaches bush and wombats all in a reasonably small area. And there are some great day hikes to little beaches with the amazing blue water. Out of Victoria- Melbourne to Wilson’s Prom is my go to tour trip along the coast and u can also stop along the way at Phillip island and see the penguin parade. Then the dinosaur coast- inverloch - then down to the prom. All sorts of beaches along the way. Then fly to Brisbane to see Byron bay if you want to see the hippy stuff and warmer bush and different beaches. Up to cairns into the heat and Great Barrier Reef. And you also of course have to go to either the Kimberley or Kakadu- Uluṟu maybe? But it’s a long way to go for one big amazing rock. But if you can manage to get time off to come here- and buy a camper van- and spend 4 months or something ? U could have a hoot doing festivals while travelling And doing TH-cam’s of your trip. Then u could do Perth and the Rock- and Coober Pedy ( opals ) It’s so hard to pick And u only asked Melb vs Sydney 😂
If you are interested in beaches, Gold Coast for sure. And it is about an hour an a half by public transport to my home town - BRISBANE. If you are into sport, (AFL) certainly a trip to Melbourne the sporting capital of Australia is a must. Footy season AFL and Rugby League from March to September. I'm visiting Sydney at the moment and there is nowhere in the world that beats Sydney New Years eve Fireworks, breathtaking.
Depends on whether or not you like crowded beaches or miles of beach to yourself. Victoria has the 90 Mile beach. Of course, you need to be very careful when swimming in the sea or ocean, especially if it isn't a patrolled beach (by lifesavers), rip currents are killers.
Reccommend you visit Exmouth, Shark Bay/Monkey Mia and Broome in Western Australia if you like beaches and sealife. Exmouth is close to Ningaloo Reef which is just about as good as the great barrier reef but easier to access as its on the beach. Cable Beach in Broome is also amazing as it has the best sunsets in Aus and you can ride a camel along the beach. If you do go to Broome make sure its during the dry season (May-October) as thats the best time to visit.
Cairns is very humid and touristy, and has many bugs and Crocodiles! (Most cities have public pools!) Adelaide is perfect for family holidays, pubs and wine tasting! Tasmania, so much history, so friendly, and so clean, many outdoor adventures! Perth is very clicky, far and expensive! Brisbane (Brisvegas) is very touristy, busy and humid! Kakadu, absolutely unique and vast, but you need a group and car to go there! Melbourne is very diverse and interesting, if you appreciate art, AFL, and European cuisine! Outside Melbourne is historically interesting! Great Barrier Reef is also hot and isolated, unless you love water sports! Uluru also requires transport and a couple of friends to share a camp! Sydney, the harbour and sights are amazing and beautiful but it is very expensive the stay long - there are better beaches than Bondi on the North Shore (ferry ride), and animal sanctuary's and mountain views an hour away! NSW has a very diverse selection of beach towns and farming towns, etc, outside Sydney worth exploring, many sports events, and a mass of Historical Streets and interesting buildings inner City, good shopping and many cultural events/communities!! 🤔 Canberra for politics, military history, national film archives! 😊
I agree. Bondi is the worst beach in Sydney with no shade. Manly beach is a 30 minute scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay and has many trees and seating areas for families to enjoy.
I would actually recommend Port Douglas then Cairns as the best boat tours to the reef are from there. But people often miss or forget about the other draw cards along the QLD coast - Lady Elliot Island and Bundaberg especially during turtle hatching season, a few places like Hervey Bay you can snorkel with the humpback whales and there aren’t many places in the world you can do that or Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays. QLD is popular with the tourists for a reason but you need to know where to go instead of the default of Cairns or Brisbane which although I love my city I do not see it as a touristy or a draw card in anyway.
I'm an Australian of an age where Ayer's Rock (Uluru) was used in many many ads in magazines, tv, newpapers, it was everywhere and I definitely suffered from overexposure. Thankfully now the traditional owners have stopped that from happening so much. I didn't expect when my travels took me 'past' there all those years ago, at age 25, to be as moved by the sight of it as I was. Viewing both Uluru and Kata Tjuta stirred something deeply spiritual within me, 25 year old party girl I was at the time and is something I've never forgotten. I understand if you are travelling from the US on a 2 week vacation you may not want to 'waste time' by going all that way, but if you're going to come here and have a working holiday for a year or more, or plan on touring anywhere, I strongly urge you to reconsider visiting the rock.
I am a Cairns local. That pool you see is a saltwater lagoon that is free for the public to swim in. Cairns has many World Heritage Areas such the Daintree which is the oldest Tropical rainforest in the world. And of course the great barrier reef. The best time to come is in our Winter, so August/September the weather is glorious! Our Summer which is now, is our monsoon time so our Wet Season, so very hot and humid and wet :)
I've travelled most of Australia 🇦🇺. Cairns is the best city and holiday spot. I have lost count how many times I have travelled Cairns and Mission Beach.
Another Cairns local here! If we just can get the youth crimes under control it's a pretty nice place. And @MoreJps, it's not pronounced Cairns, it's Cans (like tin cans). "Did you hear about the two tomatoes that went on vacation? They ended up in Cairns!"
Hi Joel, you’ll no doubt be on a tight schedule with limited time, and as you’re aware, it’s a big place. So some will be a little upset at what follows. Sydney is iconic and a must see, good place to fly into. Then head north (sorry Melbourne, Perth and rest of Au), to the Gold Coast and South East Queensland. This is Australia’s holiday destination for a good reason. Attractions in the area are some of the best we have to offer. Beaches, mountains, wildlife, Australia Zoo, etc etc. then hire a car and drive north to Cairns, and the Reef, lots to see on the way and a good 2 days drive north of Brisbane. Finally, depending on time. Darwin offers Kakadu and a very different outlook to most other Australian cities. A lot of back packers make this their last stop before heading to Asia or home. You’ll have a great time anywhere you visit, it’ll all depend on how long you’re here.
The drive from Brisbane to Cairns is pushing it really hard to do in two days unless you want to spend all your time in a car. The highway is undergoing a lot of work so the speed limit is reduced for much of the time. I've just returned from a drive to Townsville. To be honest the drive was a nightmare so much that I drove back to Brisbane in four days rather than the two I took to get to Townsville. Unlike the plethora of freeways in the US, the Bruce Highway is not a dual carriageway except the relatively short distance from Brisbane to around Gympie. I would fly and rent the car in Cairns. Visit Port Douglas, the Tableland area and possibly Cooktown - as well as the Reef, of course.
The mountains you see near Cairns is actually Kuranda Mareeba and Atherton Tablelands. Rainforest meets the Outback. The pool you saw is on the esplanade in Cairns and its a saltwater pool called the Lagoons.
We’ve done a lap of Australia and visited all major cities and hundred and hundreds of stunning towns, beaches, national parks and stations… reach out for any tips or check out a few of our vids 👌 Btw there are a lot of great places in this video, but honestly, it doesn’t scratch the surface of what you can see in Australia!!
Sydney and Melbourne are very different. I was born and grew up in Melbourne and have lived 2 hours from Sydney for the past two decades. As an analogy, Sydney is like that super popular vivacious girl you have a crush on in your youth. She’s fun, she’s fast, she’s modern and exciting. Melbourne is like that slightly mysterious woman you’re attracted to in your 30s, she’s stately, stylish, cultured, and is constantly surprising you with her hidden depths and class. They’re both great cities with their own personality and feel. Hit up Melbourne for the classic fine dining, museums, markets, galleries and live plays, hit up Sydney for the live shows, trendy restaurants, Harbour bridge and promenades, events and Opera House.
Uluru Kata-Juta national park is in the centre of Australia in the southern end of the Northern Territory and is, admittedly, nowhere near anywhere else; but you can fly directly into it from most capital cities. It’s not just “a rock”; to say so is like saying the Grand Canyon is just “a valley”. It is truly a sacred place - the spirit of the place slams into you the moment you arrive. It is definitely worth a visit, but it depends on the time you have. You could visit it on the way to Kakadu which is in the north of the Northern Territory (a day trip from Darwin to Kakadu is one possibility).
If you go to kakadu please dont do a day trip its a three hour car ride each way Also near uluru is kings canyon and kata juta and alice springs is the nearest major town like 3 hours away
I married a British Backpacker and what seemed to be the best route for many early 20's guys was flying into Sydney and making your way North along the Coast all the way to Cairns. So most start at Sydney, then head to Byron Bay, then head to Gold Coast/ Brisbane/ Sunshine Coast which is all within 2 hours of each other. Then from there head up to Airlie beach which is known as the Whitsundays and stay there then head to Cairns. .You will find and meet lots of other young people in all those destinations with lots of accommodation options like Backpackers which can be really good quality and they're all accessible by bus/ train also! I really think for a first time young person traveller to Australia that that route is tried and tested and is really popular amongst young backpackers for a reason!
I would suggest Cairns and from there going to the reef and one or more of the Whitsunday islands -unless you are after theme parks then yes the Gold Coast.
Joel, if you are coming to Australia as a tourist, yes, Sydney is great, but in all honesty, after that, Queensland offers all that you could want to see and do in Australia. 1. Go to the Gold Coast on the border with New South Wales. 2. One hour drive north to Brisbane and Lone Pine koala sanctuary, where you can also see kangaroos. 3. Another hour north to the Sunshine Coast fabulous beaches and Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. 4. Three hours north to Bundaberg, (of the famous rum), where you can travel two hours by boat to the Great Barrier Reef on the beautiful coral cays of Lady Musgrave Island or Lady Elliot Island. Here the reef is closer to the mainland than anywhere else, (except for Cairns, which is 1,350 kilometres further north), and they offer much better snorkelling and scuba diving than many of the more famous reef tourist destinations. Believe me, as we have sailed and holidayed all up and down the Great Barrier Reef for decades. 5. If you want to see the outback, dinosaur tracks and fossils, the oldest rainforest in the world, and huge waterfalls, you will have to travel hundreds of kilometres further west or north. But Queensland has it all. I hope this is helpful.
You cannot appreciate Uluru from a photo or video, it's like seeing a whale while snorkeling vs a picture, it's colossal and has a frankly immense physical presence. Yes, it's just a rock, but it's the biggest one in the world, and the native culture you can learn about there is priceless. It is barely out of the way if you also plan on visiting Alice Springs, so it's honestly very worth it IMO. I would go Great Barrier Reef Number 1, Uluru Number 2, Sydney, Visit the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Aquarium, Taronga Zoo, Jenolan Caves.
I believe it isn't so much a rock but what is left of a stone plateau that has worn away to leave Uluru like an island, while below the surface the stone layer continues. Am I correct about this? The other stone rocks such as the Bungle Bungles would be part of this rock plateau. And latest data on the indigenous people has it that they have been here for 60,000 years, give or take. That makes everything else, and the pyramids of Egypt, rather new in comparison. Australia is also the oldest continent; we have the oldest rocks. We never had time to build pyramids ... too busy surfing and enjoying the sun.
Current theory being that it was once similar to Mount Augustus, made of multiple rock types however all but the hardest mineral have worn away leaving one singular monolith.
Melbourne has heaps to see and do. The key thing is that you can drive 3 hours in any direction and do everything from snow skiing to water skiing and everything in-between. Great coffee culture and loads of pubs/hotels/night clubs
Sydney is a nice place to visit but if you want a more diverse experience, I’d be including Melbourne. Melbourne’s grid design and positioning makes it easier to get around and more practical to explore the outer suburbs and tourist destinations. Melbourne is also a bit more chilled and feels like it has bit more of a soul.
My favourite is Uluru-Kata Tjuta. It is nothing like Stonehenge. For a start, it’s not fenced off. There is so much to see in the Uluru base walk, which is about 10 km. There are shallow caves around and they were used as rooms. The kitchen, the old mens room, the school room full of rock art. So many fascinating stories. And then Kata-Tjuta with its amazing walks, beauty and stories. Easy to spend 3 days in this area. Penguins can also be seen in Phillip Island in Victoria and Victor Harbour in South Australia. The best wine in the world can be found in the Barossa Valley just out of Adelaide. Anyway, we all have our preferences, which is good. One thing I would suggest though, is to google pronunciations of cities and place names. I’ve done that before going to Europe. The locals really appreciate it. We are not city or beach people, but love the countryside. I know you would love the cities and beaches. Sydney and Melbourne have completely different personalities and vibes. Adelaide is different again. I’m sure it’s like that in America too. One week is definitely not enough time to visit any foreign country.
To give you an analogy... Sydney is the super attractive girl with zero substance that you get bored of pretty soon. Melbourne is the slightly understated girl, who becomes your best friend and you want to spend the rest of your life with.
That is Spot on!!!! the Best analogy ever!!! Sydney is the beautiful stunning chick that's a bit of a soulless, rude, pretentious cow with no real personality. Melbourne is the Plane Jane, that you wouldn't normally go for but is super friendly cultured and has a kind of presence you just can't help but wanna hang out with.
There’s the lagoon on the esplanade. It’s beautiful ... we lived there. Yes I’m Australian and we (my family) live in Canada ... Ben home recently after 10 years and realized even more how much I miss home 😩🥰
Melbourne is far superior than Sydney. I move there from Brisbane. It’s similar as far a big city goes but is just better with parks, free city train , restaurants, bars and sporting events. I like Sydney but Melbourne has been voted most liveable city many years in a row for many reasons.
Go to Perth. 80 miles of beach. Friendly and a massive bar scene. Anything you can do with the ocean we have. And some of the best wine in Australia. (comment argument) . And the bush goes for 1600 by 2030 miles.
Cairns and Port Douglas to the north are gateways to huge ancient rainforests parts of the barrier reef, and huge crocodile filled rivers. My home city of Sydney is a mix of Hong Kong Honolulu LA and New York so no 1 to visit. Melbourne is more European like a cool edgy London mixed with Rome and Athens but with a grunge intellectual vibe. With your large number of followers you should contact Tourism Australia thru the embassy in DC to see if they’ll sponsor part of your travel costs. US tourism has yet to rebound so your videos could help.
Fly to Cairns but stay north of it (not in it). The coastal areas north of Cairns up to Cape Tribulation have to be seen to be believed. Just beautiful. Great access to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest from Port Douglas, too. The reef is much closer to there then Cairns.
Sydney has terrible traffic jams and getting around it is not easy. There is a big difference between Melbourne and Sydney. Yes they are both cosmopolitan cities - but Melbourne has an excellent public transport system, including trams, trains, buses and boats, that will take you anywhere you want to go. It also has areas not far out of the city that are so diverse, including the beautiful Dandenong Ranges - a temperate rainforest area. It has Healesville Sanctuary where you can see our native animals. You can see the penguin parade at Phillip Island, and amazing white sandy beaches, including Squeaky Beach at Wilson's Promontory - that actually squeaks when you walk on it! Victoria is a small state and has a lot packed into it to see and do, including the snowfields there in Winter. Yes, it is well worth going to Melbourne - you'll love it. Best time to travel there is Oct-Nov for the best weather in Spring. Be there for the Melbourne Cup - a big day celebrated on the first Tuesday in November, when Melbourne has a public holiday to watch a horse race! Seriously! :) Or if you like the heat to hit the gorgeous beaches - summer in Dec-Feb. There's 90 Mile Beach, and the Great Ocean Road scenic drive along the beach down along the surf coast that's gorgeous!
I have a lot to say about this as an Aussie. You ask “is it worth going out of my way to visit this/that place?” - short answer is yes to all of them. Sydney is beautiful but if you’re flying over from the other side of the world, I’d only be staying there for 3-4 days as there’s not a whole lot to do. Spend more time in Melbourne (where I live), as there are more places to do tours an hour or so out of the city ie. Phillip island, great ocean road, the Dandenongs to name a few. Also when you ask about Uluru and Kata-Tjuta National park. Is it worth it? 100% yes. It’s completely different when you’re actually there and it’s amazing in person. Also there are things to do in the area that really enhance the visit. Things like a sunrise breakfast in the desert, 5 star dinner under the stars and an astronomer talking about the constellations, free lessons on native plants, Segway tours (a bit stupid and very touristy), the field of lights in Uluru (Google that). Anyway I’ve travelled around a lot and seen most of Aus so if you need any help, hit me up!
One unique thing about Melbourne is that it has a massive amount of street art just hanging out in alleys, I'm also pretty sure you can get tours that take you through the art as well.
When you come to visit, make sure you come in spring or summer. The good weather makes all the difference to your experience. It's probably at the opposite time of your summer.
It's worth going to Melbourne to catch an AFL game at the MCG. A big match has unbelievable atmosphere. Also just go for a walk around Flinders St at 1am in the morning on a weekend. Culture and vibrance. It's incredible.
Just keep in mind we’re just headed into our summer now where’s as you’re just into your winter. So by the time your summer rolls round we’ll be into our winter. Also our taxes/gst is inclusive in our prices so you won’t need to work out how much tax an item will be, plus you won’t need to “tip” as it’s just not a thing here as our minimum wage is still fairly good compared to our countries. Also also being a Perth native we also have Rottnest Island where you can see the quokkas in person and probably get an awesome selfie with one
Kakadu is in the Northern Territory as is Uluru and if you walked around Stone Henge it's probably about 100 metres (110 yds) where as a stroll around Uluru is about 9 kms (5.6 miles) and if your lucky enough to be there after some rain it is spectacular, it changes colour depending on the time of day sunrise - midday - sunset, I'm Australian and it blew me away and the best thing is there are no flies.
We're planning to visit the states Christmas 2023. Our house in Perth is close to the beach. House is available for house sitting if you want to experience Xmas down under. Love the reactions.
You could always try a a working visa and work outback to see the country. Cattle station work is usually available from February to October. Not much in the wet season in the north.
No matter how significant Uluṟu is to me and my people, it’s fair enough that you don’t want to go out into the middle of the Australian outback singularly to see Uluṟu. That said however, visiting Uluru and exploring the Aussie outback is definitely a trip in itself, one that takes significant planning, dedication and thought. Personally, I haven’t been to see it yet, but when I do, I’ll explore the rest of the outback along the way as well. Maybe that’s something you’d consider doing, though no pressure at all. Don’t feel obligated to go all the way into dangerous territory to only see a rock.
The lagoon in Cairns in the NE is a nice spot to cool off in the tropical sun. The bay in Tasmania is not! The water is cold off the Tasmanian coast. Won't be diving in there without a wetsuit on. Kakadu NP is in the far north. 3 hours east of tropical Darwin. Ubirr just outside the park in Arnhem land has great indigenous rock art. For a 1st trip, go to the iconic attractions. Cairns for trips to the Great Barrier reef. Spring is a great time for viewing the reef. Uluru, The Olgas and King's Canyon in central Australia (3 days). Uluru looks completely different up close with lots of formations.. The Irwins's Australia Zoo in the Sunshine coast hinterland an hour and half north of Brisbane. Bondi Beach is iconic but not in summer. Absolutely packed. There's plenty of others with lots of space for swimming. Litchfield NP and Katherine Gorge south of Darwin are worth seeing. A few rock pools free of crocs too. Climb the Sydney Harbour bridge gives a great view over the CBD and harbour at sunset. Music and Fringe art and comedy festivals in Adelaide in February and March. Autumn (fall) is a good time to visit overall (your spring). Start in the south and work your way north.
For 5.5 years I traveled around and up through the center of Australia and when I think about Uluru I thought like you nothing much. When I went there I could not believe the size of it. I was shocked! When you come over, do your self a favour and visit Uluru. I have been to the Canadian Rockies and they are both amazing. I was lucky enough to have climbed it when it was still aloud.
Melbourne is worth going to, especially for day trips down the great Ocean road, Yarra Valley Dandenong Ranges. Or for an event like AFL grandfinal, Australian Open tennis, Australian F1s etc. Melbourne city has a lot to do to fill up 3-5 days
They undersold Tasmania (Tassie) a bit. Great place to visit for hiking and seeing native animals in the wild. And seafood! And yes, penguins nest around Australia's coast. Look up the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. Sydney and Melbourne are quite different. Sydney has the magnificent Harbour and Opera House, generally warmer weather and great surf beaches close to the city. Melbourne has the best sports stadium (possibly in the world), fantastic food and nightlife, and access to unique experiences within an hour or so of the city (eg. wine districts, great ocean road, Phillip island, ski fields, calm water beaches, etc).
I spent 28 years in Sydney and only 8 in Melbourne. Sydney has a stunning harbour and beautiful landmarks. Melbourne has sports, art, food and a better nightlife. I think both deserve a visit. But don’t just stop at the cities. When in Sydney, head south to my home in Jervis Bay. Also visit the Blue Mountains. When in Melbourne, visit The Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and Grampians.
Pools and water parks usually have a fee to enter. It’s only seaside and tourist places that have free pools. Queensland set out to provide free pools and lagoons as part of its tourist strategy. A pretty good idea.
I live in Tasmania, and in my town there are penguin tours every other day when it gets dark where you can watch the fairy penguins go out to sea and come back to their little dens the local schools made for them. It’s really cool!
Where you go obviously depends on your interests, there were mainly cities shown in this video. As far as public transport goes, Sydney has a fairly extensive rail network, Melbourne has a good tram network, Perth has free CAT buses in the city centre, Fremantle and Joondalup, I haven’t experienced public transport in the other cities, .I’ve only visited them by car. There is rail transport up and down the east coast between Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.and from both Melbourne and Sydney to Adelaide. The Indian Pacific train travels from Sydney to Perth via Adelaide but it is expensive and takes 4 days, you will get to see the out back and the desert from the comfort of a train but it’s cheaper and much quicker to fly. Interesting things to see she didn’t mention include the Bunda Cliffs in South Australia, pink lakes which can be found in WA, SA and Victoria, a beach made entirely of tiny shells instead of sand in WA, you can see the Aurora Australis, the southern lights, from various parts of the southern coastline and particularly from Tasmania, the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, the Blue Mountains 2 hours west of Sydney which several travelling TH-camrs have described as the Grand Canyon with trees, swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.
Kakadu Park lies south east of Darwin, and covers a LARGE area, taking in lots of km (miles) of travel from site to sight, thus time. More popular to Darwin people is a park south west, covering a smaller space, but with much the same sights as Kakadu, with long history, possibly longer, but by smaller distances possibly a better tourist visit, on time and car rental constrained travel. As well other near Darwin, park areas, fishing tours, crocodile farms. About 300km south, Kathrine offers its magnificent Kathrine gorge, with half day 6 (frem memory) or all day tours 13 gorges. Both need some climbing over rock bars and sandy sections, between barge boats. The all day needing considerable more fitness. But the gorges are magnificent. The 13 gorge tour almost reaches into far south east of the Kakadu Park.
Hi Joel, as an Aussie living in Adelaide my best recommendation would be to visit the Brisbane to Goldcoast area right thru to Cairns. Sydney and Melb are ok but just big cities... well big for Australia... that Queensland coast also has the Great Barrier Reef.... to visit Ayers Rock/Uluru its a few days travel in the remote out back in a car, no public transport there, thats an area you have to take enough supplies in case of an emergency. There are other signifigant things to see out near Ayers rock like Kingd Canyon, that place is amazing, and some other large rock formations, but its the adventure of such a remote trip thats part of the lure...
there are over 100 beaches just in the Sydney metropolitan area and yes Melbourne and Sydney are completely different..allow 1 to 2 weeks just for Sydney in our summer.
Melbourne is a must if you love SPORT, its the sporting capital, from the Grand Prix, Australian Open Tennis, to Australian Rules Football (AFL) where the average crowd is 55k to 60k, the Grand Final (our Superbowl) had 100k + for consecutive years.
I think you need to watch a video about the best places to visit from an Australian perspective rather than from an American.
If you’re landing in Sydney it’s definitely worth seeing the spectacular Harbour and the tourist sites but the city itself isn’t as interesting. So instead I’d opt for traveling to The Blue Mountains just out of Sydney as it’s a world heritage site with breathtaking scenery.
As you’re more interested in beaches and nightlife I’d spend more time staying on the ‘Gold Coast’ as it has the best of both worlds and it’s more suitable for someone your age. Then travel up north to see The Great Barrier Reef and then further to the Daintree Rainforest.
Another time it would definitely be worth visiting Melbourne for the food, art and music scene but also the city itself as it’s surrounded by Port Phillip Bay, as well it has interesting seaside towns and beautiful beaches along the coast, the great ocean road with the 12 Apostles is amazing.
Hundred Percent. Sydney is boring but the South Coast, Blue Mountains, Hunter Region, and Port Mac are awesome
The vid you watched was pretty average. Pretty much just named the iconic places that always get advertised when in reality there are so many better places to visit. Fraser Island in north of the Sunshine Coast, Broome in the north west of Western Australia,, Jervis Bay on the South Coast of NSW and many more
I agree, the Blue Mountains are a must visit. If you are into art, visiting the Norman Lindsay Gallery is a wonderful stop
Don't forget Fraser Island. You can also do day trips from Cairns onto the great barrier reef where you can snorkel or scuba drive the reef.
Melbourne and Sydney are very different. I think Sydney is where a tourist your age should visit, but Melbourne is where you would end up wanting to live, if you decided to stay. My brothers and some nieces and nephews went east (from Perth) at a young age and all of them have ended up in Melbourne and have no intention of leaving. Also, Uluṟu is not just a rock, you have to see it to understand. But it is a long way to go and expensive to get there.
Sydney for short term visits and holidays. Melbourne for long term living, and also many attractions and a more stable lifestyle. Definitely!
@@quieteducatee9063 I did the reverse. Each has something to offer, just depends what you’re looking for.
Well said
Not while Deadly Dan is in charge!!!!!!
I live in the Northern Territory home to the Kakadu National Park, and Uluru, you can also visit the Tiwi Islands and learn about indigenous people and culture, the Katherine region is also full of natural springs and gorges, the Cutta Cutta caves and it's a perfect camping ground and in the Northern Territory we also have a lot of festivals, and multicultural events as well
Australia is an extremely large country, the distances between places is imense. For example, the distance from Sydney to Cairns is over 1500 miles. I suggest you choose a few places that really interest you and explore them. Trying to see all of Australia in one visit is almost impossible, I've lived here all my 64 years and still have much to see. Uluru (the rock) is definitely a long way from anywhere and there is no public transport. If you do decide to visit Australia, I hope you have a wonderful experience!
kakadu is in the middle of the northern territory. It is also where you find most of the deadly wildlife you always hear about
The thing with Uluru is that it's WAY more complex and stunning up close than it looks in the photos. It's as though it's standing guard over the land for miles and miles around. It's not just 'a rock'. When you're there, you feel that you understand why the Aboriginal ppl regard it as sacred. You can fly there from several Australian capitals. As for Sydney and Melbourne, they're quite different cities. Yes, they're both big and multicultural - but visiting Sydney is all about the Harbour. Visiting Melbourne is about night spots, cafès, parks, live bands and a whole lot of culture. As for Cairns, it's on the north-east coast of Australia, not the north-west like the narrator said. It has a genuinely tropical climate and is incredibly humid, so the best time to visit is in your summer (our winter), when the weather is mild and it's not as rainy.
OzGeographics channel has a great video about how Uluru was formed and how it is the remnants of a mountain that used to be kilometres high.
Just remember, Brisbane that she pronounces Bris BAYne is pronounced Bris-Bin..And The Gold Coast is amazing, Port Douglas, the Daintree Forest and the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney is Awesome. Bondi beach in particular. And Darling Harbour. Go to Melbourne just to visit their rainforests....and the Puffing Billy, an old style coal train that goes through the rainforest. And I love living in Canberra. We have Old Parliament House, New Parliament House, And a whole lot of lovely buildings and lakes. Enjoy!!
Anthea, thank goodness another Canberran! This place is amazing!
also cairns should be pronounced 'cans'
dont forget the stunning grounds of governer generals place overlooking parliament house also if your up the top end and love the views wave rock and the devils marbles are beautiful
My top 10 things to visit in Australia do not include any capital city. Sure they are nice, but they are cities and I’ll put them somewhere between 10-20.
Blue Mountains before Sydney, Great Ocean Road before Melbourne, Flinders Ranges before Adelaide, Rottnest Island before Perth, Kakadu & Litchfield before Darwin, Cape Tribulation before Cairns, K’gari before Brisbane. You transit through the cities anyways….
I agree with this comment I live in the Whitsunday region and to do this area you need at least 2 ro 3 weeks of sites to visit.
The Australian outback is so much more than just ‘a rock’ and absolutely no comparison to Stone Henge. It’s definitely worth a trip - although maybe not on your first visit. I’ve travelled all around the world and Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the other natural wonders around Alice Springs in the desert were a real highlight.
I wasn't referring to the outback in its entirety when I made that comment, more so the rock structure that the video was highlighting, but good point and thanks for watching!
Base yourself In Sydney there are heaps of bars nightlife and beaches, also within striking distance to the beautiful Blue Mountains.
I agree about Uluṟu it’s in the middle of nowhere
The Great Barrier Reef is a must see.
@@scouseaussie1638 Sydney you have to visit. The outback covers enormous area.
Another thing Melbourne has to offer is sport, stadiums like the MCG, Marvel Stadium, AAMI park and Melbourne Arena are just some of the places to view sport in Melbourne.
Can we just give you a visa to come here already? You seem to love this country more than a lot of people that live here and show us so much love. Also, I was born in Sydney, lived in Brisbane for a number of years, and made my home in Melbourne. It is the best city in Australia hands down if you ask me. There's something for everyone regardless of what you are into and it really is the cultural capital of Australia. We even have penguins in Melbourne!
Was going to say the same thing. Melbourne is the city to live.
If I had the means, I would so pay for him to come over. So many of his videos are about Australia. Like other say, he seems to like us more than we like ourselves.
@@bella95 we have them in St Kilda here in Melbourne too
@@bella95 and St.Kilda.
Cairns is on the east coast and they have pools because for six months you can't swim in the water because of the stingers, aka box jellyfish.
I'm amazed that they never mentioned the Daintree Rainforest. At 135+ million years old, it is the oldest rainforest in the world.
Also while Sydney is the city with a Bridge and The Opera House, it is also (because of these things) absolutely full of tourists. It caters to tourists and it does it quite well.
Melbourne however is regarded as the culture capitol of Australia, as well as sport, music, nightlife, food, coffee, etc. In fact Melbourne is so much a sporting city that it is regarded as the backup for any of the Olympics (citation need). If for whatever reason a country fails to be ready for its Olympic commitment, then it goes to Melbourne as it can handle it.
It also has the highest Greek population outside of Greece, and when combined with its high Italian and Turkish populations it easily has some of, if not the best coffee in the country.
Absolutely well said🙂🇦🇺
Melbourne actually has a lot of natural beauty that surrounds it as well. The closest snowy mountain is only an hour drive away in Warburton. You have the Dandenongs which is awesome for mountain hiking. It also sits in front of Yarra Valley with amazing scenery and beyond that even better snowfields. You also have the Mornington Peninsula with the hot springs and amazing beaches. Even scuba diving down there you see so much wildlife. On the west side you have the great ocean road which is a must and offers stunning beach views. Wilson’s prom is also an amazing beach destination on the south west coast of Victoria.
Don’t forget nice scenery out in Gippsland!
The mountain behind Cairns houses an untouched rainforest and a boat trip can take you to the Great Barrier Reef. Adelaide is a planned city with an easy to navigate grid CBD. It is surrounded on 4 sides with lavish parklands.
When I travelled Australia a decade ago, I flew into Melbourne and travelled up the east coast on the greyhound bus and ended my trip in Cairns. It's a very popular backpacker route, so you can find many travellers to ride share up the east coast, but the greyhound buses are affordable too!
I love Melbourne, it's definitely not like Sydney at all and is well worth a visit. The state of Victoria has beautiful natural scenery, hot springs, beaches and mountains. The city of Melbourne itself has the best night life, food and live music.
In my experience, Melbourne is the only city in Aus that is just up all night. It doesn't get quiet in Melbourne, there's always people in the streets enjoying the city.
Exactly. In Melbourne, at any time of the night, any day of the week, you can always find something fun going on. No other city in Australia can make that claim.
Certainly, the places on this list are each awesome, with great strengths as places to visit. As I have family in Australia, I have visited a number of times. My personal favourites, perhaps because I'm an outdoors person, are Queensland's Sunshine Coast and the hills inland of that district, and the Margaret River area of Western Australia. Truly, though, Joel, the country being so big and diverse, the best way for you to see the place (and have time for neighbouring countries such as NZ and Papua-NG) is for you and a friend to seek a year's working visa after graduation. Young people gain work experience, and get to see the place more fully.
Haha I live on the Sunshine Coast, great place isn't it!
Yes!! Glad to hear someone mentioning the lesser known areas of WA. It's not just all Perth hehe
Along the east coast in Queensland there is Fraser Island (K'Gari). A World Heritage listed, largest sand Island in the World. Beautiful turqouse freshwater lakes surrounded by white sand, rainforest, wild Dingoes and an interesting Aboriginal and European History. Camping, 4WD and one day tours of the island all feesable. Will be a guaranteed highlight of your trip.
To answer your question about Melbourne and Sydney, they are very similar and honestly not great tourist spots. As an Australian citizen I can say that I don't go to either city unless I need to see some kind of medical specialist or catching a flight to another location (because the Sydney and Melbourne airports go everywhere).
Amen to that haha
As a young person I would stick to Sydney and Queensland coast for your first visit. Especially the reef.
I live on the Sunshine Coast, Qld. It's where Steve Irwin's Australia zoo is located. If you like the outdoor lifestyle and some of the best beaches and walking tracks in the world, it's a great place to visit!
I live in Cairns it is a must, if for no other reason it is the closest to the Reef and you could not go to Australia without a visit to the Reef.
I live in Perth. I've found that a lot of tourists skip Perth when they decide to visit Australia, and although I can sort of understand why (it has never had the "prestige" of Sydney or Melbourne), it has its own attractions as a considerably smaller city than either Sydney or Melbourne, and I would argue that its beaches are just as good if not better. Also, I'm not sure that Perth alone is worth a detour for a few days, it'll be better to go touring around the rural south-west of Western Australia as well, because there are some very scenic places on the south-west coast.
One place I'd love to visit is Tasmania. I'd love to go on a driving tour around Tasmania, and spend a couple of weeks there just exploring the island. I've never been, but I love the cooler weather and I hear good things about the scenic views all over the state.
Finally, yes, there are penguins in some parts of Australia. I've been to see them on Phillip Island.
As someone from Perth that no longer lives there, Quokkas alone are enough reason to visit Perth!
Been to Tasmania for a holiday it's so good over there and so much to see and do
I think the best way to go for you is (assuming you have 2 weeks). Start in Melbourne (Victoria), plenty to see and do there, great night life and food, then head north of the city for beautiful country side and nature, (say 3 or 4 days there).
Then hop on a plane or train to Sydney (New South Wales) you've seen videos on Sydney so you know what to expect, bridge, opera house, ferries, food, pubs/clubs etc. head north, south or west out of the city for great beaches, national parks, feed a Roo pat a Koala (another 3 or 4 days).
Then head north to Brisbane/Gold Coast/Surfers Paradise plenty of beaches, night life, food, national parks etc. (yet another 3 or 4 days) then top it off with the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns. If you limit it to 3 days per city you can squeeze in Tasmania or Adelaide as well.
Sydney and Melbourne are expensive (Sydney a bit more so), the Gold Coast (in Queensland) is a tourist magnet so expect higher prices there. If you come in June/July/August (our winter) Melbourne will likely be cold so bring some warm cloths, Sydney similar (less cold but) and Brisbane/Gold Coast/Cairns etc. is their dry season so mid 20's c and above.
Hope that helps, regardless of where you go I know you will have a great time while your here. Cheers.
I emigrated to Oz from US in '74 & I get what you were asking about Syd Vs. Melb! Both have international flights into their airports, but the majority of those are into Sydney. However, Melbourne has thriving cafe, bar & restaurant scenes & vibrant arts culture, both in the main city area & it's outlying suburbs, all on easy tram routes.
Melbourne's also the gateway to some pretty Spectacular scenery, including some Amazing national parks areas, with bushwalking & top rock climbing. There's also Phillip Island, which hosts the MotoGP each year, but is also home to the largest Little Penguin Colony in the World - So you might want to check it out!
Plus, with Syd-Melb Flights Times only 1 Hr 35 Mins, it's not too difficult. Or you can take the 11 Hr Overnight Train from Syd-Melb & Fly back - Not Too Shabby! Don't get me started on the rest of Oz 🤠 ... We'd be here all day!
Melbourne based around art culture. Sydney based around the rocks where Australia was founded 👌
If you're looking for a coastal town that focuses on underwater wildlife and history, Exmouth and Coral Bay are two close-by towns at the North end of Western Australia. They're both urban towns, pretty much dotted in the middle of nowhere, and you have to travel through a lot of desert from any direction to get there, but it's worth it if you're into that kind of thing. In Coral Bay there is a kilometer walk to a shark nursing beach from the main beach, and its really interesting to see. But also be weary of stingrays. In Coral Bay, you can also go swimming with all kinds of animals. There are Whaleshark tours, Manta Ray tours, Snorkeling tours and Scuba Diving tours. We went on a Manta Ray tour a few years ago, but a Whaleshark popped up past the reef so our guides got most of us to upgrade to the Whaleshark tour, so we swam with Whale sharks as well, which was pretty special to see.
She forgot to mention here in western Australia 25 KMs South of Perth ,suburb called Rockingham home to penguins dolphins and seals absolutely beautiful place
It's seal island and penguin island
And rottnest island with its quokkas and Fremantle for olde world colonial charm. Both close to perth and off course monkey mia and shark bay for great beaches, the pinnacles about 2 hours up the coast with exmouth and coral bay for magical reefs and sea life.
I have lived in Brisbane my whole life and visited many places in Australia. Melbourne is the best city to visit and Tasmania is just so beautiful. The Gold Coast is a pretty cool place to stay and Cairns - the helicopter ride to the reef and scuba diving is amazing. Just some highlights anyway. You definitely need to see for yourself.
Sydney is a great place for a tourist. Lots to see. Outside that, it’s not really a great place. Melbourne is very different, and as a visitor, it is my favourite of the two. (I’m from Brisbane)
What? Sydney is a fantastic place if you want to take the time to get around. I have lived in Melbourne and Sydney and I like them both.
Have you travelled the Northshore, the south, east and west of Sydney. I did and there are lots of scenic view in the outer suburbs as well like the Bondi in the East, Manly and Palm beach, Wollongong for sky diving, Blue mountains in the west, Cronulla in the Sutherland shire.
Both Melbourne and Sydney are great places but they are at the base just cities! If you want to experience Australia I’d recommend from Brisbane up. There are many places to stop and see all up the coast. If you had unlimited time and money there are many fantastic places to see, but they are a huge distance from each other. Seems to me you’d be happier on the beaches, and the reef.
Penguins, yes! The Little Penguin, Eudyptula minor, is native and found in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, right along the southern coastline. Macquarie Island, which is part of Tasmania but well south of it, has King, Gentoo, Royal and Rockhopper penguins. Occasionally you will find Rockhopper, Magellanic, Fjordland, Snares, King, Gentoo, Chinstrap, Adelie, Erect crested and Macaroni penguins. All have been recorded in Tasmania and sometimes, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. We're in the southern hemisphere, we have penguins. Enjoy them!
Yes, Fairy Penguins in Tasmania. I camped near a beach with friends there and they invaded the tent, so cute but no boundaries! 🤗
We rescued an injured fairy penguin at Ulladulla one year. Tended it and took it to Taronga Zoo.
@@Bellas1717 That's fantastic! 👏
The images of Sydney are before 2013 as the monorail is still working. It was taken down in 2013 and the new tram system was installed (called the light rail). You do not need a car in any capital city in Australia (with the possible exception of Canberra) as public transport is excellent and will get you wherever you want to go. If you are in Australia for just a couple of weeks, use public transport in cities and fly between them. Driving from Sydney to Cairns is about 2500km. That's 500km more than New York to Miami. That will take you at least three days to drive without any sightseeing on the way, just overnight stops.
Sydney is about the harbour, Beaches and the Blue a mountains. Melbourne is about foodie, coffee, art and music culture, fairy penguins, snow.
Also, United and Qantas do direct flight to Melbourne from various cities in the USA. But I would suggest flying Air anew Zealand to either Melbourne, Sydney Good Coast or Brisbane via Auckland. On your first visit I would suggest traveling the east coast, you will need 4 weeks to have time to relax.
It's always about the east coast.
@@geofftottenperthcoys9944 Not really, to discover WA you need to spend 3 - 4 weeks, its along way to go just to visit Perth!
Well said :)
You can get way better beaches up the coast from Sydney.
@@xXSinForLifeXx for sure, but everyone from overseas wants to say they have been to Bindi Beach.
Hey Joel.
SYDNEY. The beaches, the harbour, The Opera house, The historic Rocks area. The historical connection to the past. The food. The drinks. Sydney has it all and I have never ever talked to anyone who didn't love their visit to Sydney.
MELBOURNE. Sports capital of Australia. The food, the culture, Coffee, Trams, The yarra River. The bay side area. The Arts centre. The Parks. Melbourne is amazing and it really is the cultural centre of Australia and is a must see for any visitor.
In summary. They are both totally different aspects of Australian life and culture. You simply can't visit without spending time in both
Little penguins forage for food throughout Sydney Harbour and along the Sydney coast, with frequent sightings around Bondi, Botany Bay, Mosman, Narrabeen and Vaucluse. Some of our penguins have even travelled as far as South Australia. Little penguins come back to Manly each year to breed between May and February. So, inside Sydney Harbour - one of our little secrets!
For a tourist your age I would recommend you fly into Sydney and see the iconic locations such Harbour bridge (the giant coat hanger), Opera house, Bondi beach and have a wander around the local bars, clubs and restaurants and then head North and make your way up through Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane ( pronounced Brisbin) see all the beautiful beaches in these locations, enjoy all the free pools, free skateboarding parks if that’s your thing, tropical national parks. Then head further North to beautiful Port Douglas where you will find amazing white sandy beaches, turquoise water, snorkeling and fantastic surf. Keep on heading North again and head for Cairns where your mind will explode at the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef. You will find it’s beauty difficult to comprehend the first time you see it, it’s like a Disney movie. It will be everything you expected, everything you ever wanted and so much more.
Sydney and melbourne are as different as New York and LA. Very different vibes and looks and feels. Melbourne is definitely the prime one for sport art music food and cafe culture it has something for everyone. Sydney also great but after visiting both more than once I’d be back to Melbourne each time
Remember when you come to Australia it can be expensive, but if you look around you can find some great deals on accommodation and airfares. Yha are great cheap places to stay in Australia and are in great locations, and they can give you great deals on any tours, travel that you want to do. Also if you want to save a little extra money, then avoid school holidays in Australia and special events or days. As the prices of accommodation and airfares can go up. So anytime between these times are ideal. And don't forget to pick your season. Our winter, your summer, or your winter our summer, this will determine the cost of your travel. And remember it's a long way, so be prepared for that and the horrible jet lag. I hope this helps you
Sydney has the harbour, which is absolutely beautiful and iconic. However I find the city itself to be quite dry and business focused. Yes it has beaches, but so does the rest of Australia, so it's not really a big deal, and plus they tend to be way touristy. Melbourne is a fun place. If you like your music or sport then it's awesome. Overall they are both lovely and worth visiting. Also it's worth mentioning that there is so much more to Australia then it's cities. Victoria alone has everything including desert, rainforests, snowy mountains and pristine beaches all in an area approximately the size of England.
Yeah. There is the "big end" of town, mostly office buildings. There are shopping plazas, food courts, bars and restaurants in that area though. But the southern end of the CBD is much more human friendly, and then just walk (or light rail) down George St, Pitt St or go via Darling Harbour/Barangaroo. Plenty of shopping, cafes and restaurants. With regards to Darling Harbour, Harbourside is closed for demolition and redevelopment, although Darling Square (an extension of China Town) is open.
Uluru has lagoons to swim in , waterfalls & so much more , it's more than just a rock !
Uluru is far more than just a rock. It's something that has to be seen to be fully appreciated, you can't appreciate its majesty from a photo in the same way something like the Grand Canyon can only be fully appreciated when you see it. That said it's a long way from anywhere but there is an airport not too far away. You also get some idea of what it's like to live in the outback. I preferred Melbourne to Sydney and found the cities very different.
I'm surprised that they didn't mention the Gold Coast cause that's a really big holiday destination with all the theme parks and whatnot
As someone who grew up in sydney and moved to melbourne i would say they are different and worth seeing both cities. Sydney is the centre of business so not much going on in the city. A lot to see around the city and outside the city like the blue mountains where i was born. Melbourne has alot going on within the city as well as outside the city. Victoria is also a festival state. Literally a festival is happening somewhere in victoria or Melbourne nearly every week! It's also foodie central as well as unique shopping, music venues and artistic districts. In terms of expenditure, sydney would be a little more expensive than Melbourne although both will be costly and you need at least a week each. Touring Tasmania for 2weeks would be cheaper and it's an incredible experience on it's own if you can hire a car. Kakadu national park will also be nearly a week to explore what you can. Perth only has a nightlife. You really need to get out to Rottnest island, monkey mia and the waveform rock. Adelaide is a yawn all year round except for the Adelaide Fringe festival which rivals the Edinburgh comedy festival. Definitely put great barrier reef on your bucket list .
If you're planning to rent a car, make sure to organise an international license and remember we drive on the other side to the road from you. Also maybe check the Australian rental companies terms and conditions as they may have higher excesses for younger drivers
dont bother with wave rock, very dispending.
and you'd have to add that Melbourne is the sporting capital
Adelaide is beautiful, it has lots of site seeing , the south of Adelaide beaches are beautiful, whale watching, penguins on granite island and then there's kangaroo island
Start at Adelaide has nearest wineries to a major city, fly to Canberra, out national capital, has many museums, big country town feel then , train to Sydney to see some of Australian countryside go bye, Sydney obvious for a tourist, try Sydney Northern beaches not Bondi, or to the south Cronulla. Then book a trip to stay on one of the many island resorts on great barrier reef. Then onto Cairns, it has rainforest as well as beaches whilst there visit Green island, Kuranda and possibly Daintree forest.
Im from Adelaide but travel constantly. Both city's are a must see for very different reasons...Sydney being the first place in Australia most tourists visit due to it being the main entry point it's a must for most to see the harbour bridge at circular quey but may I suggest first seeing that at night,Bondi beach is always mentioned but on the way you may want to stop at notorious king's Cross...it's a famous club strip that saw a period of famous criminal underbelly activity ..Bondi is a must but in the cbd in Martin place there is the channel 7 sunrise studio that people mostly interstate tourists stand outside a window that the cameras point towards,so people wave and hold up signs,Sydney is a business city and everything costs...and more expensive than elsewhere,Melbourne's a completely different city and the busiest in Australia,Sydney gets slightly quiet after dark where as Melbourne never sleeps,the alleyways of Melbourne especially hosier lane are famous for amazing street art which most alleys with the best art run off Flinders st but art is Melbourne wide,the tram network and frequency of trams is more than amazing,there is a 7/11 on every corner,from funky Fitzroy to the beach at st Kilda and new York style alleyways Melbourne is the country's nightclub..but don't count out Adelaide...the longest pedestrian mall with those giant silver balls you see in this video...that's Rundle mall..Adelaide isn't tall or big but it's flat..we have the world's only o-bahn busway which most tourists are amazed by as the driver can take his hands off the wheel and the buses is steered by guide wheels..the nightlife is not like the other city's it's only certain parts of the city that remain open...our beaches stretch from north to south in one long stretch and Glenelg is a beach never mentioned but just as beautiful as Surfers Paradise minus the waves ..
Before I retired (September) I drove the O-Bahn
An AFL game at the MCG in Melbourne is a must!
You can see games in every state, but a big crowd at the MCG is next level, closest atmosphere you’ll get to a premiership game.
Uluṟu is not just a rock, it is the worlds biggest rock that is nearly as tall as the Empire State Building and 1.5 times as long as the Golden Gate Bridge, it is incredible to go and see
It’s taller then the American chrysler building
But just shorter then the Empire State Building
I’d spend a day in Sydney and just do the bridge opera house cliche tourist city thing- then I’d head to Melbourne.
I’d also go and spend a couple of days at Wilson’s promontory -
In Feb ( when school holidays it’s over ) you can camp there and it has gorgeous variety of beaches - interesting geology. You WILL see a wombat. One may try to break into your tent.
If you want somewhere with lots of shops and nightlife- this isn’t the place for you. But if you want the “feels” in an amazing place- it’s a must! It has mountains rivers beaches bush and wombats all in a reasonably small area.
And there are some great day hikes to little beaches with the amazing blue water.
Out of Victoria- Melbourne to Wilson’s Prom is my go to tour trip along the coast and u can also stop along the way at Phillip island and see the penguin parade.
Then the dinosaur coast- inverloch - then down to the prom.
All sorts of beaches along the way.
Then fly to Brisbane to see Byron bay if you want to see the hippy stuff and warmer bush and different beaches. Up to cairns into the heat and Great Barrier Reef.
And you also of course have to go to either the Kimberley or Kakadu- Uluṟu maybe? But it’s a long way to go for one big amazing rock.
But if you can manage to get time off to come here- and buy a camper van- and spend 4 months or something ? U could have a hoot doing festivals while travelling
And doing TH-cam’s of your trip.
Then u could do Perth and the Rock- and Coober Pedy ( opals )
It’s so hard to pick
And u only asked Melb vs Sydney 😂
If you are interested in beaches, Gold Coast for sure. And it is about an hour an a half by public transport to my home town - BRISBANE.
If you are into sport, (AFL) certainly a trip to Melbourne the sporting capital of Australia is a must. Footy season AFL and Rugby League from March to September.
I'm visiting Sydney at the moment and there is nowhere in the world that beats Sydney New Years eve Fireworks, breathtaking.
Depends on whether or not you like crowded beaches or miles of beach to yourself. Victoria has the 90 Mile beach. Of course, you need to be very careful when swimming in the sea or ocean, especially if it isn't a patrolled beach (by lifesavers), rip currents are killers.
@@DD-wd7ku crowded beaches depends what part of Gold Coast. There is a lot of beach from Southport to Coolangatta.
Reccommend you visit Exmouth, Shark Bay/Monkey Mia and Broome in Western Australia if you like beaches and sealife. Exmouth is close to Ningaloo Reef which is just about as good as the great barrier reef but easier to access as its on the beach. Cable Beach in Broome is also amazing as it has the best sunsets in Aus and you can ride a camel along the beach. If you do go to Broome make sure its during the dry season (May-October) as thats the best time to visit.
Cairns is very humid and touristy, and has many bugs and Crocodiles! (Most cities have public pools!) Adelaide is perfect for family holidays, pubs and wine tasting! Tasmania, so much history, so friendly, and so clean, many outdoor adventures! Perth is very clicky, far and expensive! Brisbane (Brisvegas) is very touristy, busy and humid! Kakadu, absolutely unique and vast, but you need a group and car to go there! Melbourne is very diverse and interesting, if you appreciate art, AFL, and European cuisine! Outside Melbourne is historically interesting! Great Barrier Reef is also hot and isolated, unless you love water sports! Uluru also requires transport and a couple of friends to share a camp! Sydney, the harbour and sights are amazing and beautiful but it is very expensive the stay long - there are better beaches than Bondi on the North Shore (ferry ride), and animal sanctuary's and mountain views an hour away! NSW has a very diverse selection of beach towns and farming towns, etc, outside Sydney worth exploring, many sports events, and a mass of Historical Streets and interesting buildings inner City, good shopping and many cultural events/communities!! 🤔 Canberra for politics, military history, national film archives! 😊
I agree. Bondi is the worst beach in Sydney with no shade. Manly beach is a 30 minute scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay and has many trees and seating areas for families to enjoy.
@@aussiejohn5835 Yes the Ferry Ride is also a great experience - many many trips with my mum exploring, fish & chips, and icecreams after! 👍
@Jennifer Harrison Fish & Chips from Manly Seafood and then sit by the beach under the trees followed by Danish ice-cream opposite Manly Wharf.
@@aussiejohn5835 😁👏
I would actually recommend Port Douglas then Cairns as the best boat tours to the reef are from there. But people often miss or forget about the other draw cards along the QLD coast - Lady Elliot Island and Bundaberg especially during turtle hatching season, a few places like Hervey Bay you can snorkel with the humpback whales and there aren’t many places in the world you can do that or Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays. QLD is popular with the tourists for a reason but you need to know where to go instead of the default of Cairns or Brisbane which although I love my city I do not see it as a touristy or a draw card in anyway.
I'm an Australian of an age where Ayer's Rock (Uluru) was used in many many ads in magazines, tv, newpapers, it was everywhere and I definitely suffered from overexposure. Thankfully now the traditional owners have stopped that from happening so much. I didn't expect when my travels took me 'past' there all those years ago, at age 25, to be as moved by the sight of it as I was. Viewing both Uluru and Kata Tjuta stirred something deeply spiritual within me, 25 year old party girl I was at the time and is something I've never forgotten. I understand if you are travelling from the US on a 2 week vacation you may not want to 'waste time' by going all that way, but if you're going to come here and have a working holiday for a year or more, or plan on touring anywhere, I strongly urge you to reconsider visiting the rock.
I am a Cairns local. That pool you see is a saltwater lagoon that is free for the public to swim in. Cairns has many World Heritage Areas such the Daintree which is the oldest Tropical rainforest in the world. And of course the great barrier reef. The best time to come is in our Winter, so August/September the weather is glorious! Our Summer which is now, is our monsoon time so our Wet Season, so very hot and humid and wet :)
I've travelled most of Australia 🇦🇺. Cairns is the best city and holiday spot. I have lost count how many times I have travelled Cairns and Mission Beach.
Wait what, go back, NW corner? is there another Cairns in WA? 2:20
@@goannaj3243 😆You know, they think everything is upside down and back to front here!
Another Cairns local here! If we just can get the youth crimes under control it's a pretty nice place.
And @MoreJps, it's not pronounced Cairns, it's Cans (like tin cans). "Did you hear about the two tomatoes that went on vacation? They ended up in Cairns!"
Melbourne has the Dandenong ranges, the great dividing ranges, Sherbrooke forest, puffing billy, coffee culture, so much more to enjoy
Hi Joel, you’ll no doubt be on a tight schedule with limited time, and as you’re aware, it’s a big place. So some will be a little upset at what follows. Sydney is iconic and a must see, good place to fly into. Then head north (sorry Melbourne, Perth and rest of Au), to the Gold Coast and South East Queensland. This is Australia’s holiday destination for a good reason. Attractions in the area are some of the best we have to offer. Beaches, mountains, wildlife, Australia Zoo, etc etc. then hire a car and drive north to Cairns, and the Reef, lots to see on the way and a good 2 days drive north of Brisbane. Finally, depending on time. Darwin offers Kakadu and a very different outlook to most other Australian cities. A lot of back packers make this their last stop before heading to Asia or home. You’ll have a great time anywhere you visit, it’ll all depend on how long you’re here.
The drive from Brisbane to Cairns is pushing it really hard to do in two days unless you want to spend all your time in a car. The highway is undergoing a lot of work so the speed limit is reduced for much of the time. I've just returned from a drive to Townsville. To be honest the drive was a nightmare so much that I drove back to Brisbane in four days rather than the two I took to get to Townsville. Unlike the plethora of freeways in the US, the Bruce Highway is not a dual carriageway except the relatively short distance from Brisbane to around Gympie. I would fly and rent the car in Cairns. Visit Port Douglas, the Tableland area and possibly Cooktown - as well as the Reef, of course.
Agreed. Flying into Sydney best to head north from there.
The mountains you see near Cairns is actually Kuranda Mareeba and Atherton Tablelands. Rainforest meets the Outback. The pool you saw is on the esplanade in Cairns and its a saltwater pool called the Lagoons.
We’ve done a lap of Australia and visited all major cities and hundred and hundreds of stunning towns, beaches, national parks and stations… reach out for any tips or check out a few of our vids 👌
Btw there are a lot of great places in this video, but honestly, it doesn’t scratch the surface of what you can see in Australia!!
Sydney and Melbourne are very different. I was born and grew up in Melbourne and have lived 2 hours from Sydney for the past two decades. As an analogy, Sydney is like that super popular vivacious girl you have a crush on in your youth. She’s fun, she’s fast, she’s modern and exciting. Melbourne is like that slightly mysterious woman you’re attracted to in your 30s, she’s stately, stylish, cultured, and is constantly surprising you with her hidden depths and class. They’re both great cities with their own personality and feel. Hit up Melbourne for the classic fine dining, museums, markets, galleries and live plays, hit up Sydney for the live shows, trendy restaurants, Harbour bridge and promenades, events and Opera House.
Uluru Kata-Juta national park is in the centre of Australia in the southern end of the Northern Territory and is, admittedly, nowhere near anywhere else; but you can fly directly into it from most capital cities. It’s not just “a rock”; to say so is like saying the Grand Canyon is just “a valley”. It is truly a sacred place - the spirit of the place slams into you the moment you arrive. It is definitely worth a visit, but it depends on the time you have. You could visit it on the way to Kakadu which is in the north of the Northern Territory (a day trip from Darwin to Kakadu is one possibility).
If you go to kakadu please dont do a day trip its a three hour car ride each way
Also near uluru is kings canyon and kata juta and alice springs is the nearest major town like 3 hours away
Well Said 👍👍
I married a British Backpacker and what seemed to be the best route for many early 20's guys was flying into Sydney and making your way North along the Coast all the way to Cairns.
So most start at Sydney, then head to Byron Bay, then head to Gold Coast/ Brisbane/ Sunshine Coast which is all within 2 hours of each other.
Then from there head up to Airlie beach which is known as the Whitsundays and stay there then head to Cairns. .You will find and meet lots of other young people in all those destinations with lots of accommodation options like Backpackers which can be really good quality and they're all accessible by bus/ train also!
I really think for a first time young person traveller to Australia that that route is tried and tested and is really popular amongst young backpackers for a reason!
Been to Australia 3 times, and gotta say nothing beats the Gold Coast just a absolutely beautiful place! Also, first comment 🙃
*Second I mean lol
I would suggest Cairns and from there going to the reef and one or more of the Whitsunday islands -unless you are after theme parks then yes the Gold Coast.
@@joandsarah77 Cool. Also love Melbourne
@@joandsarah77 Arlie beach 🙏
@@joandsarah77 Gold Coast is more then theme parks. I've been to GC 12 times and skipped them every time.
Joel, if you are coming to Australia as a tourist, yes, Sydney is great, but in all honesty, after that, Queensland offers all that you could want to see and do in Australia.
1. Go to the Gold Coast on the border with New South Wales.
2. One hour drive north to Brisbane and Lone Pine koala sanctuary, where you can also see kangaroos.
3. Another hour north to the Sunshine Coast fabulous beaches and Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo.
4. Three hours north to Bundaberg, (of the famous rum), where you can travel two hours by boat to the Great Barrier Reef on the beautiful coral cays of Lady Musgrave Island or Lady Elliot Island. Here the reef is closer to the mainland than anywhere else, (except for Cairns, which is 1,350 kilometres further north), and they offer much better snorkelling and scuba diving than many of the more famous reef tourist destinations. Believe me, as we have sailed and holidayed all up and down the Great Barrier Reef for decades.
5. If you want to see the outback, dinosaur tracks and fossils, the oldest rainforest in the world, and huge waterfalls, you will have to travel hundreds of kilometres further west or north. But Queensland has it all.
I hope this is helpful.
You cannot appreciate Uluru from a photo or video, it's like seeing a whale while snorkeling vs a picture, it's colossal and has a frankly immense physical presence.
Yes, it's just a rock, but it's the biggest one in the world, and the native culture you can learn about there is priceless.
It is barely out of the way if you also plan on visiting Alice Springs, so it's honestly very worth it IMO.
I would go Great Barrier Reef Number 1, Uluru Number 2, Sydney, Visit the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Aquarium, Taronga Zoo, Jenolan Caves.
I believe it isn't so much a rock but what is left of a stone plateau that has worn away to leave Uluru like an island, while below the surface the stone layer continues. Am I correct about this? The other stone rocks such as the Bungle Bungles would be part of this rock plateau. And latest data on the indigenous people has it that they have been here for 60,000 years, give or take. That makes everything else, and the pyramids of Egypt, rather new in comparison. Australia is also the oldest continent; we have the oldest rocks. We never had time to build pyramids ... too busy surfing and enjoying the sun.
But I'd want to climb it.... and well... you can't anymore.... so, no thanks!
@@MegaPeedee It's very much a rock, it's the worlds largest single rock monolith.
As in it's the largest single piece of one type of rock.
Current theory being that it was once similar to Mount Augustus, made of multiple rock types however all but the hardest mineral have worn away leaving one singular monolith.
@@serenepeacefulrelaxingmusi3874 Not a single rock monolith though, I even mentioned it above. :)
Melbourne has heaps to see and do. The key thing is that you can drive 3 hours in any direction and do everything from snow skiing to water skiing and everything in-between. Great coffee culture and loads of pubs/hotels/night clubs
Sydney is a nice place to visit but if you want a more diverse experience, I’d be including Melbourne.
Melbourne’s grid design and positioning makes it easier to get around and more practical to explore the outer suburbs and tourist destinations.
Melbourne is also a bit more chilled and feels like it has bit more of a soul.
My favourite is Uluru-Kata Tjuta. It is nothing like Stonehenge. For a start, it’s not fenced off. There is so much to see in the Uluru base walk, which is about 10 km. There are shallow caves around and they were used as rooms. The kitchen, the old mens room, the school room full of rock art. So many fascinating stories. And then Kata-Tjuta with its amazing walks, beauty and stories. Easy to spend 3 days in this area.
Penguins can also be seen in Phillip Island in Victoria and Victor Harbour in South Australia. The best wine in the world can be found in the Barossa Valley just out of Adelaide.
Anyway, we all have our preferences, which is good.
One thing I would suggest though, is to google pronunciations of cities and place names. I’ve done that before going to Europe. The locals really appreciate it.
We are not city or beach people, but love the countryside. I know you would love the cities and beaches. Sydney and Melbourne have completely different personalities and vibes. Adelaide is different again. I’m sure it’s like that in America too. One week is definitely not enough time to visit any foreign country.
To give you an analogy... Sydney is the super attractive girl with zero substance that you get bored of pretty soon. Melbourne is the slightly understated girl, who becomes your best friend and you want to spend the rest of your life with.
That is Spot on!!!! the Best analogy ever!!! Sydney is the beautiful stunning chick that's a bit of a soulless, rude, pretentious cow with no real personality. Melbourne is the Plane Jane, that you wouldn't normally go for but is super friendly cultured and has a kind of presence you just can't help but wanna hang out with.
This is very accurate. I would argue also that Melbourne has more links to other more historical towns like Ballarat and such
this is so accurate!
Melbourne is a goth slut , Sydney a hot surfing chick.
@@boonnathan lol.....Melbourne is Euro Girl and Sydney is Kardashian.
Melbourne is an amazing place, we have so much to offer, beaches, vineyards, mountains the whole package
Cairns is North east of Australia not north west lol
Guess they looked at Broome on the map and read it as Cairns!
lol
You must visit Cairns.
@@robertmurray8763 yep cairns is awesome as is Millaa millaa pub lol
There’s the lagoon on the esplanade. It’s beautiful ... we lived there. Yes I’m Australian and we (my family) live in Canada ... Ben home recently after 10 years and realized even more how much I miss home 😩🥰
A trip to Australia this summer? 😮 I thought you were coming to the UK? 😢
Summer in Australia is not the same time as summer in the UK. He can do both...
@@listey Indeed, but I don't think he can do two expensive trips within six months.
Uluru was Amaizing! The energy was breathtaking, it's massive!
Melbourne is far superior than Sydney. I move there from Brisbane. It’s similar as far a big city goes but is just better with parks, free city train , restaurants, bars and sporting events. I like Sydney but Melbourne has been voted most liveable city many years in a row for many reasons.
The only downside is that Melbourne City is quite dirty sadly. I wish they cleaned it up and would be better.
Most definitely
Sydney is far prettier.
Hate to break it to you, Sydney and Melbourne are both awful,
@@AndyAussie I agree. Melbourne is a very dirty disappointing place really. The only thing I find Melbourne has going for it are the roads out of it.
Go to Perth. 80 miles of beach. Friendly and a massive bar scene. Anything you can do with the ocean we have. And some of the best wine in Australia. (comment argument) . And the bush goes for 1600 by 2030 miles.
Bris-bane? More like bris-bun.
More like Bris-Burn.... Bah dum tish
Nah... Bris-bin!
@@KittykatOz Was about to write this, exactly how it is pronounced.
Cairns and Port Douglas to the north are gateways to huge ancient rainforests parts of the barrier reef, and huge crocodile filled rivers. My home city of Sydney is a mix of Hong Kong Honolulu LA and New York so no 1 to visit. Melbourne is more European like a cool edgy London mixed with Rome and Athens but with a grunge intellectual vibe.
With your large number of followers you should contact Tourism Australia thru the embassy in DC to see if they’ll sponsor part of your travel costs. US tourism has yet to rebound so your videos could help.
Fly to Cairns but stay north of it (not in it).
The coastal areas north of Cairns up to Cape Tribulation have to be seen to be believed. Just beautiful.
Great access to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest from Port Douglas, too. The reef is much closer to there then Cairns.
Sydney has terrible traffic jams and getting around it is not easy. There is a big difference between Melbourne and Sydney. Yes they are both cosmopolitan cities - but Melbourne has an excellent public transport system, including trams, trains, buses and boats, that will take you anywhere you want to go. It also has areas not far out of the city that are so diverse, including the beautiful Dandenong Ranges - a temperate rainforest area. It has Healesville Sanctuary where you can see our native animals. You can see the penguin parade at Phillip Island, and amazing white sandy beaches, including Squeaky Beach at Wilson's Promontory - that actually squeaks when you walk on it! Victoria is a small state and has a lot packed into it to see and do, including the snowfields there in Winter. Yes, it is well worth going to Melbourne - you'll love it. Best time to travel there is Oct-Nov for the best weather in Spring. Be there for the Melbourne Cup - a big day celebrated on the first Tuesday in November, when Melbourne has a public holiday to watch a horse race! Seriously! :) Or if you like the heat to hit the gorgeous beaches - summer in Dec-Feb. There's 90 Mile Beach, and the Great Ocean Road scenic drive along the beach down along the surf coast that's gorgeous!
I have a lot to say about this as an Aussie. You ask “is it worth going out of my way to visit this/that place?” - short answer is yes to all of them. Sydney is beautiful but if you’re flying over from the other side of the world, I’d only be staying there for 3-4 days as there’s not a whole lot to do. Spend more time in Melbourne (where I live), as there are more places to do tours an hour or so out of the city ie. Phillip island, great ocean road, the Dandenongs to name a few.
Also when you ask about Uluru and Kata-Tjuta National park. Is it worth it? 100% yes. It’s completely different when you’re actually there and it’s amazing in person. Also there are things to do in the area that really enhance the visit. Things like a sunrise breakfast in the desert, 5 star dinner under the stars and an astronomer talking about the constellations, free lessons on native plants, Segway tours (a bit stupid and very touristy), the field of lights in Uluru (Google that).
Anyway I’ve travelled around a lot and seen most of Aus so if you need any help, hit me up!
You must react to the Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks. It’s considered one of the biggest fireworks shows in the world
One unique thing about Melbourne is that it has a massive amount of street art just hanging out in alleys, I'm also pretty sure you can get tours that take you through the art as well.
When you come to visit, make sure you come in spring or summer. The good weather makes all the difference to your experience. It's probably at the opposite time of your summer.
It's worth going to Melbourne to catch an AFL game at the MCG. A big match has unbelievable atmosphere. Also just go for a walk around Flinders St at 1am in the morning on a weekend. Culture and vibrance. It's incredible.
Just keep in mind we’re just headed into our summer now where’s as you’re just into your winter. So by the time your summer rolls round we’ll be into our winter.
Also our taxes/gst is inclusive in our prices so you won’t need to work out how much tax an item will be, plus you won’t need to “tip” as it’s just not a thing here as our minimum wage is still fairly good compared to our countries.
Also also being a Perth native we also have Rottnest Island where you can see the quokkas in person and probably get an awesome selfie with one
Kakadu is in the Northern Territory as is Uluru and if you walked around Stone Henge it's probably about 100 metres (110 yds) where as a stroll around Uluru is about 9 kms (5.6 miles) and if your lucky enough to be there after some rain it is spectacular, it changes colour depending on the time of day sunrise - midday - sunset, I'm Australian and it blew me away and the best thing is there are no flies.
We're planning to visit the states Christmas 2023. Our house in Perth is close to the beach. House is available for house sitting if you want to experience Xmas down under. Love the reactions.
You could always try a a working visa and work outback to see the country. Cattle station work is usually available from February to October. Not much in the wet season in the north.
No matter how significant Uluṟu is to me and my people, it’s fair enough that you don’t want to go out into the middle of the Australian outback singularly to see Uluṟu. That said however, visiting Uluru and exploring the Aussie outback is definitely a trip in itself, one that takes significant planning, dedication and thought. Personally, I haven’t been to see it yet, but when I do, I’ll explore the rest of the outback along the way as well. Maybe that’s something you’d consider doing, though no pressure at all. Don’t feel obligated to go all the way into dangerous territory to only see a rock.
The lagoon in Cairns in the NE is a nice spot to cool off in the tropical sun. The bay in Tasmania is not! The water is cold off the Tasmanian coast. Won't be diving in there without a wetsuit on. Kakadu NP is in the far north. 3 hours east of tropical Darwin. Ubirr just outside the park in Arnhem land has great indigenous rock art.
For a 1st trip, go to the iconic attractions. Cairns for trips to the Great Barrier reef. Spring is a great time for viewing the reef. Uluru, The Olgas and King's Canyon in central Australia (3 days). Uluru looks completely different up close with lots of formations..
The Irwins's Australia Zoo in the Sunshine coast hinterland an hour and half north of Brisbane.
Bondi Beach is iconic but not in summer. Absolutely packed. There's plenty of others with lots of space for swimming.
Litchfield NP and Katherine Gorge south of Darwin are worth seeing. A few rock pools free of crocs too.
Climb the Sydney Harbour bridge gives a great view over the CBD and harbour at sunset.
Music and Fringe art and comedy festivals in Adelaide in February and March. Autumn (fall) is a good time to visit overall (your spring).
Start in the south and work your way north.
For 5.5 years I traveled around and up through the center of Australia and when I think about Uluru I thought like you nothing much. When I went there I could not believe the size of it. I was shocked! When you come over, do your self a favour and visit Uluru. I have been to the Canadian Rockies and they are both amazing. I was lucky enough to have climbed it when it was still aloud.
Melbourne is worth going to, especially for day trips down the great Ocean road, Yarra Valley Dandenong Ranges. Or for an event like AFL grandfinal, Australian Open tennis, Australian F1s etc. Melbourne city has a lot to do to fill up 3-5 days
They undersold Tasmania (Tassie) a bit. Great place to visit for hiking and seeing native animals in the wild. And seafood! And yes, penguins nest around Australia's coast. Look up the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island.
Sydney and Melbourne are quite different. Sydney has the magnificent Harbour and Opera House, generally warmer weather and great surf beaches close to the city. Melbourne has the best sports stadium (possibly in the world), fantastic food and nightlife, and access to unique experiences within an hour or so of the city (eg. wine districts, great ocean road, Phillip island, ski fields, calm water beaches, etc).
I spent 28 years in Sydney and only 8 in Melbourne. Sydney has a stunning harbour and beautiful landmarks. Melbourne has sports, art, food and a better nightlife. I think both deserve a visit. But don’t just stop at the cities. When in Sydney, head south to my home in Jervis Bay. Also visit the Blue Mountains. When in Melbourne, visit The Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and Grampians.
Pools and water parks usually have a fee to enter. It’s only seaside and tourist places that have free pools. Queensland set out to provide free pools and lagoons as part of its tourist strategy. A pretty good idea.
I live in Tasmania, and in my town there are penguin tours every other day when it gets dark where you can watch the fairy penguins go out to sea and come back to their little dens the local schools made for them. It’s really cool!
Where you go obviously depends on your interests, there were mainly cities shown in this video. As far as public transport goes, Sydney has a fairly extensive rail network, Melbourne has a good tram network, Perth has free CAT buses in the city centre, Fremantle and Joondalup, I haven’t experienced public transport in the other cities, .I’ve only visited them by car. There is rail transport up and down the east coast between Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.and from both Melbourne and Sydney to Adelaide. The Indian Pacific train travels from Sydney to Perth via Adelaide but it is expensive and takes 4 days, you will get to see the out back and the desert from the comfort of a train but it’s cheaper and much quicker to fly.
Interesting things to see she didn’t mention include the Bunda Cliffs in South Australia, pink lakes which can be found in WA, SA and Victoria, a beach made entirely of tiny shells instead of sand in WA, you can see the Aurora Australis, the southern lights, from various parts of the southern coastline and particularly from Tasmania, the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, the Blue Mountains 2 hours west of Sydney which several travelling TH-camrs have described as the Grand Canyon with trees, swimming with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.
Kakadu Park lies south east of Darwin, and covers a LARGE area, taking in lots of km (miles) of travel from site to sight, thus time. More popular to Darwin people is a park south west, covering a smaller space, but with much the same sights as Kakadu, with long history, possibly longer, but by smaller distances possibly a better tourist visit, on time and car rental constrained travel.
As well other near Darwin, park areas, fishing tours, crocodile farms. About 300km south, Kathrine offers its magnificent Kathrine gorge, with half day 6 (frem memory) or all day tours 13 gorges. Both need some climbing over rock bars and sandy sections, between barge boats. The all day needing considerable more fitness. But the gorges are magnificent. The 13 gorge tour almost reaches into far south east of the Kakadu Park.
Hi Joel, as an Aussie living in Adelaide my best recommendation would be to visit the Brisbane to Goldcoast area right thru to Cairns. Sydney and Melb are ok but just big cities... well big for Australia... that Queensland coast also has the Great Barrier Reef.... to visit Ayers Rock/Uluru its a few days travel in the remote out back in a car, no public transport there, thats an area you have to take enough supplies in case of an emergency. There are other signifigant things to see out near Ayers rock like Kingd Canyon, that place is amazing, and some other large rock formations, but its the adventure of such a remote trip thats part of the lure...
there are over 100 beaches just in the Sydney metropolitan area and yes Melbourne and Sydney are completely different..allow 1 to 2 weeks just for Sydney in our summer.
Melbourne is a must if you love SPORT, its the sporting capital, from the Grand Prix, Australian Open Tennis, to Australian Rules Football (AFL) where the average crowd is 55k to 60k, the Grand Final (our Superbowl) had 100k + for consecutive years.