Australia Vacation Spots

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Australia Travel Destinations

Most international travelers jet into Sydney, Australia, fly north to Queensland's Great Barrier Reef or Gold Coast, and then jet off home again.

In doing so, they short-change themselves. They miss the amazing diversity of the world's largest island. Of course, Queensland, With regions such as the Gold Coast and Whitsundays, is a must-see on your Australia itinerary, but, if you have the time you really must experience all of Australia. Here's a rundown on the other states and territories of Australia:

New South Wales

Australia's oldest state, New South Wales (or NSW as it is known) is located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland. Sydney is its capital, and popular with tourists, with such attractions as the Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, and the Taronga Zoo. While there be sure to take a sailboat cruise in The Sydney Harbor (technically, Port Jackson), which will offer you stunning views of Sydney. Other cities in NSW you might want to visit include Newcastle, popular for its music scene, and Coffs Harbour, known as a great surfing destination.

See our page on Sydney Australia vacations

Australian Capital Territory

Completely surrounded by New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (or, ACT) is home to the nation's capital, Canberra, also called the "Bush Capital" because it is surrounded by native bush land. There you'll find stylish restaurants, hip bars, boutique shopping and festivals throughout the year, such as the Summernats in January, which is an "ultimate car show" attracting car buffs from around the world. Other places you will want to visit include the Australian National Botanic Gardens on Black Mountain and the National Dinosaur Museum, the southern hemisphere's largest permanent prehistoric collection. could easily miss it on the map as it's far smaller than the state of New South Wales that completely surrounds it.

Victoria

Many feel that Victoria has some of the finest sightseeing in all of Australia. Melbourne is the capital of this small, yet densely populated state, located in the south-eastern corner of Australia. Tourist destinations in Victoria include: Melbourne; the Victorian Alps for great skiing; Shipwreck Coast; the beaches of the Ballarine Peninsula; the wineries of Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley; and Phillip Island, where you can spot Fairy Penguins, which are the smallest species of penguins at 16 inches tall.

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name, located at the far south of the country. Hobart is the capital of Tasmania, located in the foothills of Mount Wellington, and it's here you'll find the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, which is the second-oldest Botanic Gardens in Australia. Hobart is blessed with numerous festivals, including the Tulip Festival in the spring, and the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, held every two years in February. The next festival is scheduled for February 6 - 9, 2009.

South Australia

Love wine? Then South Australia is where you'll want to spend some quality time. south Australia is where you'll find some of the most highly-acclaimed wine regions in Australia, including Barossa, Clare Valley and The Limestone Coast. When you've sampled all the wine in South Australia, then head to the Murraylands for a cruise on the Murray River. Or, perhaps you'd like to rent a houseboat. The Murraylands is just an hour from South Australia's capital, Adelaide, which is called the "Wine and Festival Capital of Australia."

Western Australia

As the name implies, Western Australia is located in the far west of Australia, and is Australia's largest state in area, covering the western third of Australia. Its capital is Perth, located on the Swan River, is a popular tourist destination, with attractions such as the Caversham Wildlife Park, where you will find koalas, kangaroos and wombats. While in Western Australia, be sure to visit Australia's Coral Coast for its great beaches, blue ocean and exotic marine life; then head to Australia's North West for a taste of what true wilderness is like.

Northern Territory

They say the Northern Territory is where "ancient woodlands meet sandy beaches." One of the most sparsely settled environments in the world; it's in the Northern Territory where you'll find wild rainforests, waterfalls, deserts and amazing fishing opportunities. If you're interested in reptiles, be sure to visit the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, located in Alice Springs, which is an outback town from which you can explore Simpsons Gap for a sighting of a wallaby.

Australia Travel Tips

Keep in mind that Australia’s climate is just the exact opposite with that of the Northern Hemisphere. The months of December to February are the hottest and most humid dates of the year. Southern Australia was recorded as having the harshest climate during the summer season and keeping it out of your itinerary during the summer is advisable.

Synonyms: AU, australiatravel and Australia travel are used synonymously.

Ustralia, uastralia, Astralia, Asutralia, Autralia, Autsralia, Ausralia, Ausrtalia, Austalia, Austarlia, Austrlia, Austrlaia, Austraia, Austraila, Australa, Australai, and Australi are typos for the word, "Australia." Tavel, rtavel, tavel, tarvel, trvel, trvael, trael, traevl, travl, travle, and trave are typos for the word, "travel."