150 Reasons You Need to Visit Australia Right Now

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Australia is an amazing country, but it’s far. From basically ever other country. A lot of people ask me what’s the point of going that far? I mean, there’s other beaches, right? Of course. But really, Australia has a lot to offer. More than beaches. And no, the animals are not going to kill you.

For those of you who don’t know, my husband and I lived in Australia for 3 years.  I made a “bucket list” before we went and I’ve been reflecting on how much we’ve accomplished. We have done everything on the original list and then some.

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Australia, this is for you. 150 reasons why you need to get there.

150 Reasons to Go to Australia

 Australia is amazing and here are 150 reasons why!

  1. Easily visit each state
  2. Swim with fur seals

    Swim With Fur Seals
    Swim With Fur Seals
  3. Wade with the platypus

    Wade with Platypus
    Wade with the Platypus at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria
  4. Fly over the Whitsundays

    Whitsundays
    The crystal clear waters of the Whitsunday Islands
  5. Snorkel the Reef

    The Great Barrier Reef
    The Great Barrier Reef
  6. Find the quokkas on Rottnest Island

    quokka
    Quokka eating on Rottnest Island
  7. Visit Margaret River
  8. Wine tasting in Barossa Valley
  9. Hold a koala

    Snuggle with Koalas in Queensland
    Snuggle with Koalas in Queensland
  10. Feed the kangaroos

    Feed the Kangaroos
    Cheeky kangaroo in Tasmania
  11. Swim with whale sharks

    whaleshark
    Swimming with whale sharks in Exmouth, WA
  12. Visit Daintree National Park
  13. Spend New Years in Sydney

    Fireworks off the Harbour Bridge in Sydney
  14. Attend White Night in Melbourne

    White Night Art Projections on the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne
    White Night Art Projections on the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne
  15. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

    Sydney Bridge Climb
    Very pricey, but very beautiful way to see the city, NSW
  16. Dive with Crocs in Darwin
  17. Four wheel in Francois Peron National Park

    Francios Peron National Park
    Beautiful colors of Francios Peron National Park in WA
  18. Drive from Broome to Darwin via the Kimberleys
  19. Drive from Cairns to Port Douglas

    The coastal drive from Cairns to Port Douglas
    The coastal drive from Cairns to Port Douglas
  20. Go Canyoning in the Blue Mountains

    Blue Mountains Canyoning
    All levels of canyoning available in the Blue Mountains National Park, NSW
  21. Drive to Cape Tribulation

    Cape Tribulation- where the rainforest meets the reef
    Cape Tribulation- where the rainforest meets the reef
  22. View Cradle Mountain

    Cradle Mountain
    Cradle Mountain National Park, TAS
  23. Tour the Port Arthur Gaol (Jail) on the coast of Tassie

    Port Arthur Gaol
    Port Arthur Gaol
  24. Set foot on Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park

    Wineglass Bay
    Wineglass Bay
  25. View the amazing colors of the Bay of Fires

    Bay of Fires
    Red rocks against the turquoise waters of the Bay of Fires, TAS
  26. Drive from Adelaide to Melbourne

    The Coastal Route outside of Adelaide
    The Coastal Route outside of Adelaide
  27. Do the base walk around Uluru

    Uluru
    Feel the spirit of Uluru
  28. Do the Grand Pacific Highway Coast drive from Sydney to Cairns (or most of it)

    Pelican in Booti-Booti National Park along the East Coast Drive
    Pelican in Booti-Booti National Park along the East Coast Drive
  29. Watch the Sunrise in Byron Bay
  30. Kayak with the dolphins in Byron Bay
  31. View the uniqueness of the Glass Mountains

    Glass House Mtns.
    Glass House Mountains, QLD
  32. Play in the Snow in the Victorian Alps
  33. Drive the 75 Mile Beach Highway on Fraser Island

    75 mile Beach Highway of Fraser Island
    75 mile Beach Highway of Fraser Island
  34. Watch the sunset at the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road

    12 Apostles Sunset
    Watch the colors change at the 12 Apostles, VIC
  35. Visit the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour

    The Big Banana in Coffs Harbour
    The Big Banana in Coffs Harbour
  36. Go crab catching

    Catch a Crab!
    Catch a Crab!
  37. Feel youthful after a swim in Lake Mckenzie on Fraser Island

    Lake McKenzie of Fraser Island
    Lake McKenzie of Fraser Island
  38. Get arrested at the Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail)
  39. Have “brekkie” with the koalas

    Breakfast with Koalas on Hamilton Island
    Breakfast with Koalas on Hamilton Island
  40. Drink Champagne on Whitehaven Beach

    When you fly out to Whitehaven beach from Hamilton Island, the champagne is included!
    When you fly out to Whitehaven beach from Hamilton Island, the champagne is included!
  41. Find wild koalas along the Great Ocean Road

    koala in the wild
    Find wild koalas on the Great Ocean Road, VIC
  42. Kayak through the Melbourne CBD

    Kayak through the Melbourne CBD
    Kayak through the Melbourne CBD
  43. Catch some Tennis at the Australian Open

    Australian Open, VIC
    Australian Open, VIC
  44. Watch some “footy” at the MCG
  45. Hike in the 2nd oldest National Park in the world: Royal National Park

    Royal National Park, NSW
    Royal National Park, NSW
  46. Ride the Kuranda train near Cairns

    Waterfall and train outside of Cairns
    Waterfall and train outside of Cairns
  47. Over eat at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

    Food & Wine Festival
    Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in the heart of the city
  48. See the penguin parade on Phillip Island
  49. Watch a pelican feeding

    pelican feeding
    Pelicans getting fed near Phillip Island
  50. Climb to the top of Kings Canyon

    Kings Canyon in the Outback
    Kings Canyon in the Outback
  51. Ride a camel at Uluru

    camel ride
    Camel rides at Uluru
  52. Find a wild Dingo on Fraser Island
  53. Watch the sunset over Shell Beach

    Shell Beach
    Shell Beach Sunset, WA
  54. Visit Cape Range National Park

    Cape Range National Park
    Cape Range National Park
  55. Eat cake on Acland Street in St. Kilda

    Acland St. Cake
    Eat homemade cake on Acland Street in St. Kilda, VIC
  56. Go searching for Penguins on the St. Kilda Pier

    The view from the St. Kilda Pier at sunset
    The view from the St. Kilda Pier at sunset
  57. Watch the sunset change the colors of Uluru

    Uluru at Sunset
    Uluru at Sunset
  58. Get jealous of the giraffe’s view at the Sydney Zoo

    Giraffes at the Sydney Zoo
    Giraffes at the Sydney Zoo, NSW
  59. Have amazing coffee in Fitzroy, Melbourne

    Fitzroy Street Art
    Fitzroy Street Art
  60. Take a hot air balloon ride over Melbourne

    Hot Air Balloon Ride
    Hot air balloon ride over Melbourne. One of the only places in the world you can float right over the city.
  61. Celebrate Christmas in summer

    Melbourne Christmas Celebrations
    Melbourne Christmas Celebrations
  62. Feed the nocturnal animals at the Moonlit Sanctuary near Melbourne

    Feeding the nocturnal animals at the Moonlight Sanctuary
    Feeding the nocturnal animals at the Moonlight Sanctuary
  63. Taste the whiskey at the Timboon Distillery on the Great Ocean Road
  64. Take in the street art on Hosier Lane

    Hosier Lane Street Art
    Hosier Lane Street Art, VIC
  65. Visit the Myer Christmas windows

    Myer Christmas Decorations
    Myer Christmas Decorations
  66. Sunbathe next to beach houses on Brighton Beach

    Brighton Beach
    Brighton Beach Boxes, VIC
  67. Spend the night in gaol (jail) in Mount Gambier

    Mount Gambier Gaol now made into a Hotel
    Mount Gambier Gaol now made into a Hotel
  68. Take a gander among the lavender fields near Launceston

    Lavender Field
    Lavender Field, TAS
  69. See the prettiest sinkholes in Mount Gambier

    Garden in a sinkhole in Mount Gambier
    Garden in a sinkhole in Mount Gambier
  70. Dig for Opals in Coober Pedy

    Coober Pedy
    Digging for opals in Coober Pedy, sleep underground in this unique town
  71. Give kisses to a baby kangaroo at an orphanage

    Baby Kangaroo in an orphanage
    Baby Kangaroo in an orphanage in Coober Pedy
  72. Get terrified of the clown at Luna Park

    Luna Park, amusement park in St. Kilda
    Luna Park, amusement park in St. Kilda
  73. Have dinner on an iconic Melbourne Tram

    Melbourne Tram
    Melbourne’s Iconic Train Station, Flinder’s Street, and an iconic tram
  74. Hike through Alligator Gorge

    Alligator Gorge, South Australia
    Alligator Gorge, South Australia
  75. Witness the longest mountain range in Australia, Flinders Ranges
  76. Hang out with the lemurs at the Melbourne Zoo

    lemur
    Get up close to lemurs at the Melbourne Zoo
  77. Hike through Kata Tjuta

    Kata Tjuta
    Kata Tjuta
  78. Zip line through the Ottways

    Zip line through Ottway
    Zip line through Ottway National Park
  79. Relax in the Hot Springs on Mornington Peninsula

    Peninsula Hot Springs
    Peninsula Hot Springs
  80. Visit native Australian plants at the Cranbourne Gardens

    Cranbourne Gardens, VIC
    Cranbourne Gardens, VIC
  81. Have cheese, wine, and chocolate in Yarra Valley

    Cheese spread
    Wine, cheese, and chocolate make a perfect day in Yarra Valley
  82. Have a cocktail on the roof
  83. See the Sydney Opera House from the water

    Sydney Opera House from the water
    Sydney Opera House from the water
  84. Jump for joy when you reach the Gibson Steps at the 12 Apostles

    Gibson Steps
    Gibson Steps along the Great Ocean Road, VIC
  85. See the “London Bridge” that has, in fact, fallen down

    London Bridge
    The London Bridge along the Great Ocean Road, the two pieces shown used to connect, until it fell in 1994.
  86. Catch an outdoor movie in the summertime

    Watch a movie under the stars at the moonlight Cinema in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
  87. Hang out with roos on the beach at Pebbly Beach

    Kangaroos on Pebbly Beach
    Kangaroos on Pebbly Beach
  88. Navigate garden mazes on the Peninsula

    Ashcombe Maze
    Navigate the Ashcombe Maze on the Peninsula, VIC
  89. Go night Kayaking on Moreton Island
  90. Watch the monkeys in the (free) park in Launceston

    Monkeys
    Monkeys that live in the City Park in Launceston, TAS
  91. Be amazed at Tassie’s turquoise waters

    Gorgeous beaches of Tasmania
    Gorgeous beaches of Tasmania
  92. Frolic among the tulips at the Spring Festival

    Tulip Festival
    Tulip Festival on Mornington Peninsula
  93. Listen to the sand squeak on Squeaky Beach in Wilson’s Prom

    Squeaky Beach, Wilson's Prom
    Squeaky Beach, Wilson’s Prom
  94. Fly over Phillip Island

    Phillip Island
    Phillip Island from the air, VIC
  95. Learn (or try) to play a didgeridoo

    Learn to play a didgeridoo
    Learn to play a didgeridoo
  96. Ride Puffing Billy through the Dandenongs

    Puffing Billy
    Ride the Puffing Billy Train, in the Dandenongs, VIC
  97. Walk from Brighton Beach to St. Kilda Beach

    Brighton Beach View
    View of Melbourne from just above Brighton Beach, VIC
  98. Get educated at the Melbourne Library

    Lovely Melbourne Library
    Lovely Melbourne Library
  99. Go chasing waterfalls along the Great Ocean Road

    waterfall
    Hopetoun Falls, Great Ocean Road, VIC
  100. See Kakadu National Park
  101. Catch a play in Melbourne
  102. Visit only Aussie animals at Healesville Sanctuary

    Only Aussie animals are found at the Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria
    Only Aussie animals are found at the Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria
  103. Surf on Wave Rock
  104. Feel small at Loch Ard Gorge

    Loch Ard Gorge along the Great Ocean Road, VIC
  105. Hike in Bungle Bungle National Park
  106. Drive from Perth to Exmouth

    The empty road between Perth and Exmouth
    The empty road between Perth and Exmouth
  107. Experience Melbourne at night

    Melbourne at Night
    Melbourne City at Night from Southbank
  108. Try to keep your food away from the kookaburra

    kookaburra
    These cheeky birds, the kookaburra, will steal food straight from your hand without warning.
  109. Fly overtop the rainforest in Kuranda

    Ride the Kuranda Cable Cars
    Ride the Kuranda Cable Cars
  110. Shop the Sunday market in St. Kilda
  111. Find cheap souvenirs at the Queen Victoria Market

    Budget shopping at the Queen Vic Market
    Budget shopping at the Queen Vic Market
  112. Count the tiny shells on Shell Beach

    Shell Beach
    Thousands of tiny shells make up shell beach in Shark Bay area, WA
  113. Visit the Jenolan Caves
  114. Buy fresh fish at the market in Sydney

    fresh fish
    Fresh fish in the Sydney fish market, NSW
  115. Have a “crazy shake” in one of Melbourne’s lane ways
  116. Float down the Yardie Creek Gorge

    Gorge
    Yardie Creek Gorge, WA
  117. Snorkel the crystal clear waters on Turquoise Bay in Cape Range National Park

    Turquoise Bay
    Turquoise Bay
  118. Hold a baby crocodile in Cairns
  119. Catch a St. Kilda Sunset

    St. Kilda Sunset
    Sunset from the Pier in St. Kilda, VIC
  120. Enjoy the peaceful city of Perth

    Lovely city of Perth
    Lovely city of Perth
  121. Visit the following cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Brisbane, or more
  122. Watch the sunset over the Opera House

    Sydney Opera House Sunset
    View the Opera House from the water during sunset
  123. Take a ferry to Manly
  124. Enjoy the beauty of the Sydney Harbour

    The beautiful Sydney Harbour
  125. Feast in Chinatown

    Chinatown
    The gates of Chinatown in Sydney, NSW
  126. Watch the street performers in Sydney or Melbourne

    Melbourne Street performer
    Melbourne Street performer
  127. Marvel at the height of the Ellenborough Falls

    EllenBorough Falls
    Ellenborough Falls, NSW
  128. Learn about the aboriginal culture

    Aboriginal performance
    Aboriginal performance
  129. Explore the rugged waterfalls in the Kimberleys
  130. Explore Shipwrecks

    shipwreck
    Fraser Island Shipwreck, QLD
  131. Go from beach-playing to wine tasting in 15 min on the Mornington Peninsula
  132. Camp in the Grampians

    Grampians National Park
    Grampians National Park
  133. Visit the West MacDonnell Ranges and cool off in the natural water holes

    West MacDonnell Ranges
    One of the West MacDonnell Ranges’ natural water holes.
  134. Ride a tram in Melbourne

    Tram in front of the iconic Flinders Street Station, VIC
    Tram in front of the iconic Flinders Street Station, VIC
  135. See heaps of wild wombats in Wilson’s Prom

    wombat
    Wild Wombat in Wilson’s Prom National Park, VIC
  136. Enjoy at least one Melbourne Festival
  137. Place a bet at the Crown Casino in Melbourne

    Crown Casino
    Crown Casino
  138. See rain on “the rock”

    Rain over Uluru
    Rain over Uluru
  139. Find a dingo in the snow at Mount Buffalo

    Dingo in the Snow, Mt. Buffalo, VIC
  140. See termite mounds as tall as you in Western Australia

    Large Termite Mounds in Western Australia
    Large Termite Mounds in Western Australia
  141. Visit Shark Bay Coastal Reserve
  142. Hang out on Bondi

    Bondi Beach, Sydney
    Bondi Beach, Sydney
  143. Feel like you’re on another planet at the Pinnacles

    Pinnacles
    The Pinnacles, WA
  144. Hike Pt. Nepean National Park

    Pt. Neapan National Park, Peninsula near Melbourne
    Pt. Neapan National Park, Peninsula near Melbourne
  145. Learn about Anzac Day at the Shrine of Remembrance

    Shrine
    Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, VIC
  146. Have a beer the Carlton Brewery
  147. Visit a winery in the fall

    The fall colors of the vineyards
    The fall colors of the vineyards
  148. Witness amazing sand sculpting

    Sand Sculpture in Frankston, VIC
    Sand Sculpture in Frankston, VIC
  149. Go “glamping”
  150. Rent a funky caravan and drive your heart out!

    van camping
    Australians love to camp, so rent a van, and get to camping!

What about you? Have you ever been to Australia or want to go? What would you add?

Be sure to hang around, our next post is about beautiful Aussie sunsets.


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