Travel Tips for Your Semester in Australia

Part of the reason I chose Australia as my study abroad destination is because it is so far away. There is so much in the country to see & do, and incredible surrounding countries and islands as well. I have always wanted to travel this part of the world, and I knew I would need to be here for an extended period of time to see everything I want to. Living here for three and a half months, with Bond University as my “base”, I had an ideal opportunity to travel the country and region.

Prior to my departure, I had written in my Notes app everywhere in and around Australia that I wanted to see. It was a daunting list with an even more daunting price tag, and I came into the experience hoping to hit two-thirds of my list. As my semester abroad has winded down, I looked back at my notes and, to my surprise, I managed to hit every single destination on my list – with some money to spare! In this blog, I’ll explain how I did it and the key to making the best of your semester in Australia.

Planning Your Travels

Before anything, it is important to know your budget. With this number in mind, break down your “travel list” into where you most want to go down to where you’re okay missing out on. After arranging this, figure out the general expenses of the trips – flights, lodging, and an allocation for food, drinks, and activities. This is best done before you arrive in Australia because it takes a lot of time! Flight prices will change, but at this point it is important to just have a range of how much you expect it to cost. This will help you further break down your list into what destinations are most realistic.

After arriving in Australia, book your trips as soon as possible! At Bond University, the first three weeks – O Week thru Week 2 – were filled with University-sponsored events and spent getting to meet new people. By the end of Week 2, you will have friends, the due dates for all of your assignments, and a general feel for your classes & schedule. This is the perfect time to begin making reservations, selecting activities, and booking your transport and lodging. 

The further out you book your trips, the cheaper the flights will be. Prices can easily double if you book one week in advance compared to one month in advance. Figure out what long weekends you have free, when you won’t be spending time on assessments & assignments, and highlight these dates on your calendar. Show your friends what dates & trips you have in mind and see if they can join you. If no one can / wants to join you, book the trip anyway!

This is extremely important – make your experience what you want from it, not what other people want / can or can't do. There is a huge backpacker / solo-traveler culture in Australia. I went on most of my trips solo, and met amazing people from all over the world on each one of them. Stay in a hostel – you will be forced to meet new people in your room and they often hold social events every night. On top of this, book group activities & tours, everyone is always friendly and will want to talk.

Domestic Travel in Australia

Australia is a huge country, but don’t let that intimidate you – it has less than 10% of the population of the USA and all of its major cities are on the coast. It is possible to see many of Australia’s major cities and sights in three months.

The Big Cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Of these three capital cities, the easiest one to take a trip to is Brisbane – it is less than a 2 hour bus / train ride from Bond University. I almost skipped Brisbane, but I decided to spend my last weekend here and I am glad that I did. I arrived Friday afternoon and left Sunday afternoon, and 48 hours was enough time to see this small but eclectic city.

Near the city center, you can enjoy the stark contrast of the historical and ultra-modern architecture standing right next to each other, explore the bustling outdoor Queen Street Mall, and visit the Museum of Brisbane. Take a walk over the Victoria Bridge and you will arrive in South Bank, one of the newer developments of the city. Take a dip in the man-made beach overlooking the river & cityscape, and when you’re done explore the wide variety of restaurants and adjacent weekend markets. From there, head over to Kangaroo Point Cliff to get the best sunset view the city has to offer.

It might be just because I spent the most time in this next city out of any other city in mainland Australia, but Melbourne was my favorite. I stayed in St. Kilda, a lively beachside suburb just a 20-minute tram ride away from the city center. The hostel was vibrant and social, the restaurants, beach bars, and clubs were energetic every night, and you can catch an absolutely beautiful sunset on the beach. The pier was under construction when I visited, but when it is reopened you can see penguins return to their homes at sunset every night. The CBD has a uniqueness from any other city I have ever been to.

There are hundreds of “laneways”, which are alleyways that have been repurposed. The majority of them are filled with street art, cafes, and live music venues. I had my best meal in Melbourne, a kangaroo steak, in a restaurant in one of these laneways. The ones that aren’t filled with restaurants are called “arcades”, and have dozens of shops, almost like a mini mall. The main city was beautiful, had plenty of surrounding upbeat precincts, the best public transportation system I have ever used in a city, and more nature than you would expect within the main city. If I had to pick somewhere to live inside Australia, Melbourne would be it.

The third, and most well-known city, Sydney, was explored with my CIS Abroad group upon arrival. We got to explore the Rocks markets, venture into the CBD, tour the Opera House, and go on ferry rides in the Sydney Harbour. When you visit, be sure to take a tour of the Opera House. If you are lucky, as my group was, you will get to watch the Sydney Orchestra practicing live.

After your tour, have lunch or dinner at Opera Bar, a beautiful restaurant at the base of the Opera House overlooking the harbour with live music. Having dinner there was one of my most surreal moments, and one that I will remember for the rest of my life. On top of this, we managed to fit in a day trip to Manly Beach. Even though we were able to do all this in two days, it still did not feel like enough. If you have the chance to do an extended trip in Sydney, check out Bondi Beach, fully explore the city, and if you’re keen on hiking take a day trip to the Blue Mountains! These are all things I would have loved to do if I had more time.

Experiences: Great Barrier Reef, Outback

The top two things on my Australian bucket list before arriving were scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and taking a trip out to the Outback. My first trip was to Cairns, the gateway to the reef, and an easy two-hour flight from the Gold Coast Airport.

I had never been scuba diving before, and my expectations for the reef were quite high, yet it managed to exceed those expectations. Diving 40 meters underwater in three different locations, you get to experience an entirely different kind of life. You are surrounded by mountains of coral in every direction, and there are different species of fish everywhere you look.

Depending on the season, the species you see may vary, but I was lucky enough to see a reef shark and stingray live in action. This full-day trip was one of the top highlights of my time in Australia, and I would recommend it to anyone who is here, regardless of diving experience. It has even inspired me to get PADI certified when I go back home. Aside from the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns had more to offer than I expected! Cairns is definitely worth a visit for a 3-day weekend.

For my trip to the Outback, I did a 4 day / 3 night hosted camping tour. You can fly directly into and be picked up directly from Ayers Rock Airport just a short distance from the famous Uluru. The nearest city, Alice Springs, is a five-hour drive north. This was one of the most unique locations I have ever been in my life, and was one of the highlights of my semester abroad. With a small group of less than twenty people, all within the 18-35 age range, I hiked Kata-Tjuta’s Valley of the Wind’s, King Canyon’s Rim Walk, and the base of Uluru. Pictures cannot do justice to how stunning these places are in person. In addition to the hikes, our tour guide shared a ton of her knowledge about the culture behind these sacred sites and why they are so important to the aboriginal people. At night, we slept in classic Australian swags underneath the stars around a campfire.

Conclusion

Australia and the surrounding region has limitless landscapes and opportunities to travel. Bond University is a fantastic “hub” to base your travels from – it is a close to two major international airports and driving distance from some beautiful national parks and beaches. Make sure to take advantage of your time in Australia by traveling, and do this by planning and booking your trips early – this will allow you to secure cheap prices and potentially travel more with your savings.

Story by Josh Grossman
Coastal Carolina University student & Semester on the Gold Coast alum