BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey guys, I've been wanting to travel for ages now and as i'm being made redundant from my job (altho i haven't been there long so i wont get too much money from it!) i figure i should take this opportunity to travel for abit in Australia for the summer. I wanna go mid June after i take my college exam and spend around 2 months out there and i'll have saved around £4000 by then and i'm just wondering would that be enough and what part of Australia would be in the nicest season weatherwise at that time? I'm 22 and i'll be going on my own and as i've never even been abroad before i'm kinda shitting myself, any advice would be greatly received.

Cheers in advance

Brad

That's kind of a big question about a huge country. You might elicit more responses by giving people an idea about what sort of things you like to do and what sights might interest you.

Yeah a very vague question on my part, i have no specific criteria really but somewhere with a great nightlife, beach and decent music scene would suffice, I suppose at this point i'm not too fussed, just wanna see a different part of the world for a while.

Well, you'll be there during winter, so you might want to temper your expectations about the beaches.

The thing about Australia is, it's HUGE. Since there's so much to see, you might want to consider which types of areas are more to your interest. Outback, beaches, cities, etc.

If you want to see the real Australia, I'd avoid Sydney. A nice city, yes, but a city all the same. It's not all that different from Boston or NY or any other place.

Australia is made for backpackers. My mum was just saying the other day how many hostels have primo locations.

As a UK citizen, you will be able to work in Oz too, so don't freak about $ too much.

if you've never travelled before, then aus is one hell of a first step to take. which isn't a bad thing, so don't worry there. i'm assuming you'll be on your own? if so, don't worry about it. it's the best way to travel in my opinion.

the flight is going tobe pretty long haul remember - so there's going to be a stop, and i'd reccomend trying to get a stop over somewhere, and try and see a bit of the city you stop in as well if you want to experience the wider world mroe. and besides, it'll break up the flight and not make the jet lag as bad when you finally get to aus.

i've not ben there myself - headed there this october myself, so i cant really reccomend places.

Don't let us plan this trip for you. Read the guidebooks, decide on where you think you might like to go, then ask our advice. There are plenty out here who'll help you, but the trip will mean a lot more if you can claim ownership to its design.
Australia is an extremely user friendly country for travellers.

umm you have enough money i think...if you are willing to blow it all, don't think you will...umm around that time in june the south of the country will be gettign quite cold, june july august is the winter for like melbourne even sydney will be quite chilly...id say the northern territory and anything above brisbane...the common backpacking route is melbourne to cape tribulation...id recommend that...but you should bring a jacket and some warm clothing if you plan to spend some time in melbourne in july...

places to see: Melbourne, sydney, skip brisbane, byron bay, surfers paradise, airlie beach (can sail to whitsundays), frazier island (longest sand island in the world), magnetic island, cairns (great barrier reef), cape tribulation, port douglas.

Your 22 and just finishing uni, id look in to the oz experience...hop on hop off bus, loads of kids 18-24 they party a lot, but the bus stops in great places, you can get a variety of passes and go in one direction for up to 6 months i believe...

people dont like it because they say people party too much on it...i went on it and met some really cool people and i think for your first time a little weary of traveling could be perfect for you...

australia is not a bad place for a first time traveler. its a good mix of the city and the beach. i'm really partial to sydney as i feel you get a good bit of everything there. You will be going in the winter though, so your beach activities might be limited (unless you don't mind the cold). Sydney has awesome beaches like Bondi and Manly (right in the city) and Wollongong (about an hour away from the city but still a great beach!) good luck and have tons of adventures!

Whils Sydney may have some nice beaches, as you're arriving around June, skip them because it's winter here and too damneed cold there. I'd suggest you start your holiday in Cairns - Port Douglas-Daintree.
Cairns -Darwin - Kimberley to Broome

You could also look at the Alice from Darwin as well. Remember all these areas (except for Alice) are tropical and June - August is the best time to go ther. It is also peak season, so when you know hwere you're going, I'd suggerst you book your hostel accommodation. A good hostel link:

http://www.hostelz.com/

Enjoy Australia.
Cheers.

My advice....go for it. I went to Oz for a year alone and it rocked. North is definately your best bet for Winter, (even there it probably won't be too hot though...sorry there really are seasons in Oz, only 2 - winter/summer, but the temperature does drop!). I did the travelling part of my year throughout winter and I think it might have actually been better. There are still plenty of people but everywhere isn't uncomfortably wedged with them either.
It completely depends on the type of person you are as regards giving you tips on what to do. Oz experience has completley mixed reports and I considered it but the idea of having my hand held around a country didn't appeal so I set off under my own steam. There are hostels galore where u can meet as many people as u like (& if u don't like them you're not stuck on a bus trip wth them!), party as often u like (& u don't have to be up at 6 to get back on the bus) and go wherever the wind takes u (and not where the tour operater says......anybody sensing a pattern!?!)
Serously though, I think what u need to do is take all the advice with a pinch of salt then forget about it and go find your own way depending on the mood you're in at the time! In my opinion,Oz is the easiest country to travel around (in my humble experience....US & Europe prevously explored). I found it hard to believe it was so backpacker oriented until I got there and realized it totally is. And the best way to travel IS alone, I've done both and I won't be going back to compromising
All the best and hope you bring some fantastic memories home with you!

That's a fine lookin' sliotair you got there Gaillimhabu21.

quote:

if you've never travelled before, then aus is one hell of a first step to take.

WHAT? Australia is the easiest place to travel in the world.

As the Aussie, Whistler should know best - and does. It's too freaking cold in the South in winter. The only thing that you have to be aware with her suggestion is: outside of Cairns and Darwin, there is NO nightlife. What.So.Ever. But otherwise, yeah, it's nice and cozy up there in winter.

quote:

received

Firstly, we speak English, & most of us are intelligible, at least up until our 6th beer! Second, I'd reiterate previous comments, that June, July, August in Oz are best spent in Northern Australia. Gold Coast, Qld, & up to Cape York, Darwin & northern WA. Uluru can be frosty in the morning, but the days are warm enough to sightsee by lunchtime.

The classic route is Sydney > Uluru > Cairns > Sydney. Look around for cheap air passes, with Qantas, Jetstar, Tiger Air (through Melbourne), & Virgin Airlines.

It will be winter, so take the good advice if you want to be warm and beachy... stay north...
BUT it will be ski season if you are into that sort of thing, and Canberra is the heading off point for the snow... (in NSW). Seeing gum trees with snow all around is pertty cool. Although skiing is quite expensive...

Apologies for getting back to you so late OP, seeing as you have stated you want somewhere with a great nightlife, beach and decent music, after speaking with a mate, we've come up with this:

Sydney
Byron Bay
Gold coast
Noosa
An island in the Whitsundays,(plenty to choose from)
Magnetic Island
Cairns
You'll get a mix of sounds, sex and sand through that. Should be warm from about Noosa north.

If you're a bit more curious, a few days in Alice Springs then Darwin would round it out.

Enjoy your trip.

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Friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.
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hey raindogs! Whats going on, first off i'd like to say that i think montreal is an incredible city! anyways, i just got back from traveling (my first time as well) i went to fiji, australia (for 2.5mo) and southeast asia. It was a blast, you're gonna have so much fun and meet incredible people.
I was thinking about the oz experience tour and am really glad i did not go with it. Mate, you're going to meet so many awesome people traveling, you don't need a guided tour to hold your hand during this, you'll want your freedom!! Since you're going in the winter everyone has seemed to mention the east coast, but many people said perth was the most incredible place they went in australia, and the weather is always beautiful! I've heard the city is really cool and the beaches are awesome! As far as music and nightlife on the east coast goes i would say brisbane is the best for this! I saw cat power one night and iron and wine the next! Brisbane was the 'hippest' city i went to, melbourne was a close second. Definitely check out brissie for music and nightlife!!

Why not go that step further and get a WHV and stay a year or two.

Yes, it is a long haul flight and can be tiring - I would suggest looking at an Emirates flight, via Singapore - then you have roughly 7hour flight London to Dubai - 7 hours Dubai to Singapore then 7 hours Dubai to Oz. I would also suggest a stopover in Singapore on the way to Oz a good night or two sleep then only 7 hours to your destination. Dubai stopover on the return.

JAL - do give a free night in either Tokyo/Osaka depending on flight times. Not much time to do much, but depends on how much sleep you want.

Stay around Queensland, NSW will be too cold. I love Byron Bay and that are so you must go there but going further south would be too cold for you. Forget the Gold Coast, it's crap, I actually went there from Byron Bay and planned on spending a few days, I literally spent 6 hours there and drove back down to Byron Bay instead. I went north from there but skipped right past Goldie.

North of Brisbane will be warmer but I'd recommend checking out some of the smaller towns.

Have fun!

Many people make the mistake of equating the Gold Coast with Surfers Paradise, the ugly high rise section in the north. Places like Burleigh Heads, Coolangatta, Currumbin etc are fine.



Coolangatta^

The hinterland is also gorgeous. Best of all Lookout, Springbrook:





Natural Arch, Numinbah Valley^