Country guide · Australia
Best places to visit in Australia
6 destinations compared, so you can choose where to spend your time.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Melbpal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first trip to Australia, start with Melbourne: Laneway coffee, free CBD trams, big-ticket sport and serious food. For beaches, look at Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns. Brisbane is the least expensive of the destinations in this guide.
Key facts
- Destinations in this guide
- 6
- Best months overall
- March–April and September–November
- Start with
- Melbourne
- Least expensive here
- Brisbane
6 places to visit in Australia
Best: February–April and October–November · 5 days
Melbourne
Laneway coffee, free CBD trams, big-ticket sport and serious food
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Best: March–April and September–November · 5 days
Sydney
Harbour ferries, ocean beaches and the Opera House on one waterfront
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Best: April–June and August–October · 4 days
Brisbane
Subtropical river city of CityCat ferries, free galleries and koalas
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Best: June–October · 6 days
Cairns
Tropical gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree rainforest
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Best: April–May and September–November · 5 days
Gold Coast
Surf beaches, theme parks and rainforest hinterland on Queensland's southern coast
Best: March–April and September–November · 5 days
Perth
Sunny Indian Ocean city of sunset beaches, Kings Park and Rottnest's quokkas
Compare the destinations
| Destination | Known for | Best time | Ideal stay | Mid-range per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Laneway cafés and Street art | February–April and October–November | 5 days | $180–$320 |
| Sydney | Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge | March–April and September–November | 5 days | $200–$350 |
| Brisbane | Brisbane River and CityCats and South Bank | April–June and August–October | 4 days | $150–$260 |
| Cairns | Great Barrier Reef and Daintree rainforest | June–October | 6 days | $150–$260 |
| Gold Coast | Surfers Paradise and Surf beaches | April–May and September–November | 5 days | $150–$260 |
| Perth | Kings Park and Rottnest Island and quokkas | March–April and September–November | 5 days | $150–$270 |
When to visit Australia
Across these destinations the most reliable months are March–April and September–November. Timing still varies by place: Melbourne is best in February–April and October–November; Sydney is best in March–April and September–November; Brisbane is best in April–June and August–October.
Signature dishes across Australia
| Destination | Try first | Also try |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Specialty coffee and the 'magic' | Melbourne brunch and Dim sim |
| Sydney | Sydney rock oysters | Meat pie and Flat white |
| Brisbane | Moreton Bay bugs | Mud crab and Tropical fruit |
| Cairns | Barramundi | Mud crab and Tiger prawns |
| Gold Coast | Moreton Bay bugs | King prawns and Fish and chips on the beach |
| Perth | Western rock lobster | Chilli mussels and Fish and chips at Fremantle |
Events through the year in Australia
| Month | Events |
|---|---|
| January | Melbourne: Australian Open tennis at Melbourne Park (usually the second half of January); Sydney: Sydney Festival — arts events across the city (usually most of January) |
| February | Melbourne: Midsumma Festival (usually until early February); Sydney: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival (February into early March; parade usually late February or early March) |
| March | Melbourne: Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park (usually March); Sydney: Mardi Gras parade on Oxford Street (some years in early March) |
| April | Melbourne: Melbourne International Comedy Festival (usually until mid or late April); Sydney: Sydney Royal Easter Show (around Easter) |
| May | Melbourne: AFL home-and-away season at the MCG and Marvel Stadium (March to August); Sydney: Sydney Writers' Festival (usually May) |
| June | Melbourne: RISING — arts and live performance festival (usually June); Sydney: Vivid Sydney (usually until mid-June) |
| July | Melbourne: Winter night market at the Queen Victoria Market (usually Wednesday evenings in winter); Cairns: Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (usually July) |
| August | Melbourne: Melbourne International Film Festival (usually August); Sydney: City2Surf — mass fun run from the CBD to Bondi (usually the second Sunday of August) |
| September | Melbourne: AFL Grand Final at the MCG (usually the last Saturday of September); Sydney: Festival of the Winds — kite festival at Bondi Beach (usually September) |
| October | Melbourne: Spring Racing Carnival — Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate (usually October); Sydney: Sculpture by the Sea — outdoor art on the Bondi to Tamarama walk (usually late October to early November) |
| November | Melbourne: Melbourne Cup at Flemington — a public holiday in Melbourne (first Tuesday of November); Sydney: Sculpture by the Sea (usually until early November) |
| December | Melbourne: Boxing Day Test cricket at the MCG (26 December); Sydney: Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race start on the harbour (26 December) |
How far apart they are
| From | To | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Sydney | 713 km |
| Melbourne | Brisbane | 1,374 km |
| Melbourne | Cairns | 2,325 km |
| Melbourne | Gold Coast | 1,343 km |
| Melbourne | Perth | 2,721 km |
| Sydney | Brisbane | 732 km |
| Sydney | Cairns | 1,961 km |
| Sydney | Gold Coast | 683 km |
| Sydney | Perth | 3,290 km |
| Brisbane | Cairns | 1,390 km |
| Brisbane | Gold Coast | 71 km |
| Brisbane | Perth | 3,606 km |
| Cairns | Gold Coast | 1,461 km |
| Cairns | Perth | 3,442 km |
| Gold Coast | Perth | 3,624 km |
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I go on my first trip to Australia?
Melbourne: Melbourne is a grid-planned city on the Yarra River, known less for single landmarks than for laneway cafés, galleries, sport and food. The CBD's Hoddle Grid is covered by a free tram zone, and inner suburbs such as…
+When is the best time to visit Australia?
Generally March–April and September–November, though it varies by region.