Things I Still Need To Do In Australia

With the warmer weather and bright blue skies, I have been thinking a lot about a country I spent some time in 5 years ago – Australia. As you may or may not know, I lived there for 6 months as a nanny and had the opportunity to travel and experience a lot of fun things. But let’s be real, 6 months is really not a lot of time to properly explore a country as big as Australia. There are so many things I still need to do in Australia.

Most people don’t realize how big of a country Australia is. In fact, it is about the same size as America. If you only get to travel on weekends, that doesn’t leave a ton of time to explore the whole country. Quick trips were had, but there is always more to see.

Before going home to Canada I knew I wanted to travel a bit more. I was weighing my options on cheap flights (because Australia to Canada is NOT cheap!) and how I could extend the money I had to travel for as long as possible.

I had wanted to travel to Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock, the desert, The Alice Springs Region, and central Australia) since before I had even set foot in the country. For me to fly there from Melbourne, spend a few days, then fly home was much too expensive. So instead I spent a week in Cairns and then a week in New Zealand. That was the best decision I could have made, as I had so much fun, made lots of friends, and explored places I didn’t expect to.

Even though I had the best experience I could have ever imagined, there are still things I need to do in Australia.

Here’s what I still dream of.

1. Uluru. Still the very top of my list, I dream of flying into Alice Springs and spending a day there before heading to Uluru. I’ve seen so many photos of sleeping under the stars and waking up to a bright red sunrise over Ayers Rock itself. I have read a lot about the history and spirituality of the place, and would love to experience it for myself. It is VERY expensive though, so my best bet would be taking a tour and sleeping under the stars, as opposed to the campground or hotel I think.
2. Darwin. I wanted to get myself to Darwin so badly! Ever since seeing the Crocosaurus Cove, I knew Darwin was the place for me. Going into the Cage of Death to get up close with crocs seems so cool to me, especially as they are one of my favorite animals. I want to experience that and learn as much about the crocs as I can.
3. Litchfield National Park. Near Darwin, this is a favorite hiking spot of locals to find waterfalls, camp, hike, or just relax in nature.
4. More time in Brisbane. I got to spend two nights in Brisbane and loved it. Before choosing Melbourne I had actually hoped to move to Brisbane due to the close proximity to easy weekend trips. Next time I am in the country I really hope to spend some more time in Brisbane to check out more of the place I nearly called home.
5. Perth. While living in Melbourne, Perth wasn’t really on my radar. I had seen friends photos of their time in the city but nothing jumped out to me. Researching Perth now though, I think checking out Kings Park is a must do (this park is one of the largest in the world, larger than Central Park in NYC), as is spending a day on Rottnest Island to swim and watch the native Quokkas smile at the people. Please Google Chris Hemsworth and Quokka. You won’t regret it.
6. The Island of Tasmania. I nearly went to Tasmania with a friend, then out of nowhere she decided Tasmania was lame and cancelled that trip. I think Tasmania looks beautiful! An island off the coast of Southern Australia, Tasmania has so much natural beauty. I want to drive the whole island and check out the parks there. The photos I’ve seen are all so beautiful, I don’t see why anyone would find it “lame”.
7. Spend a few days Camping on Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island is well known for it’s wildlife. Everything I’ve read about Kangaroo Island gives me the vibe that it is quite rural still, and the perfect place to relax in nature.
8. Go to Coober Pedy. This is a bit random for me as I’m not huge on the heat, but this is a town that is underground! It is too hot for the residents, so the town is mostly underground, and they come up to the surface at night or in winter when it’s much cooler. Looking at photos of the town above ground, it looks abandoned. In reality, everyone is underground. How unique is that?!
9. And in general just travel more of Queensland. Cairns and Brisbane were incredible, so seeing more of the state is a must. Most desired? Byron Bay for more time, the Whitsunday’s, Townsville, Hervey Bay, Cooktown, Town of 1770, and any place in between!

And if able, I would absolutely love to go back to Melbourne to see my old favorite places, and see what’s new. That would be so cool!

Don’t I still have so much to do? I cannot wait until the day I land back in Australia. Until then, I’ll just keep dreaming.

Need some more ideas for yourself? Your RV Lifestyle has a great list of the 100 Best Things To Do In Australia, check it out!

Have you ever been to Australia?
Where do you most want to check out?