I recently studied abroad in Australia and lived in Gold Coast. I was fortunate enough to travel all around the east coast from Sydney all the way up to Cairns. I lived there for 5 1/2 months (Feb-July) and couldn't be happier with my experience there. However, there is ONE thing that I really really wish I could have done but didn't have the money or time-> traveling the outback. I'm hoping that one day in the future I'll have the funds and time to travel back to OZ. Anyone have any recommendations on the cheapest/best way to travel the outback? How long should I allow, where are the best spots, etc...?

The Outback is huge as well as varied so there's plenty to choose from when it comes to making a list of things you should see. I'll start with a couple, then check out 100 Things To Do In Australia Before You Die for more ideas.

* Uluru (just don't climb it) & lesser-known Kata Tjuta
* King's Canyon
* The Daintree
* Kakadu National Park
* Devil's Marbles
* Perth & western coast (not really 'Outback', but worth a visit)

Yes, would say most of Australia is outback and there are so many place worth seeing. Maybe add the Kimberleys to the list, in the northwest of Australia. I did a 9-day camping tour from Broome to Darwin through the Kimberleys and it was just awesome.