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Whenever we meet new travelers who are thinking of exploring Down Under, we always get asked the same thing; what are some important things to know before going to Australia? Of course, being Australian, we’re used to hearing this question and have our answers well prepared.
You need to know about the size of the country, how the internet sucks, what foods you should try (hint, it’s not kangaroo), and how to protect yourself against our deadly animals.
As Australians, we were so used to growing with these things, that it wasn’t until we moved away that we realized there are a lot of things to know about Australia for international travelers if they want to see the best of our country.
So we decided to put this guide together to help you make the most of a journey Down Under. Allow us to be your guide to exploring Australia and teach you everything we know about our birth country.
Things To Know About Australia Before You Go
Below are some of the important things we feel travelers should be aware of before they take a trip to Aus.
Just so you know the following are not all facts, there are a few passionate opinions thrown in, too!
1. Australia Has A Vast and Diverse Landscape
Australia is two-thirds desert and is the driest inhabited continent on Earth. It’s also the smallest, lowest and flattest continent. It’s the sixth largest country in the world.
It makes for an amazing site to see – there’s nowhere else in the world quite like the Australian outback or the untamed beauty of Tasmania, for example.
We don’t have what most people call mountains, which signifies our ancientness. Our highest peak is Mount Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains, which strangely enough, is also one of the most dangerous to climb because people aren’t prepared for the icy conditions. (We can put our hands up to that! We had to turn back.)
For the unknowing traveler, it can be a shock to experience just how vast Australia’s landscapes are and how challenging they can sometimes be to cross.
When exploring Australia, particularly on a road trip (which is the best way to get around the country), you need to make sure you are always topped up with gas and have a plan in case you get stuck or stranded.
Make sure you pack a spare tire and you know how to change it!
Driving distances are long and empty, but look closely and you’ll see a lot of life. We have a complete guide on driving tips in Australia to help you prepare for these vast distances.
2. Australia’s Wildlife is So Unique
When people think of Australia, they are often thinking of the animals. It’s world known that Australia has unique wildlife – koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, Dingos, Wombats, Wallabies, Echidnas, and Kookaburras are just a few native animals to Australia that I can think of straight off the bat.
Of the over 800 species we have, about 300 won’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Most of these animals are used to humans and pose no threat, but we also have salt water crocodiles, fresh water crocodiles, and sharks of various species. Not to mention 172 species of snake, in which only 20 species are venomous snakes (including the world’s most venomous snake, the taipan), and 10,000 species of spiders (only 2 species can kill you – those are better odds).
Now this isn’t meant to put you off, but you do need to be mindful of them when out and about exploring, especially if you visit natural areas and national parks.
We have a complete guide to Australia’s dangerous animals if you need some further insight into how to deal with them.
Not all animals are scary though, some are really unique. Most of the world’s marsupials are found in Australia. Kangaroos are macropods (big-footed marsupials) and there are around 60 species of macropods. You’ll get to meet a lot of them when you road trip around Australia, especially in Carnarvon Gorge.
Sadly, many introduced pests have wiped out many of our native animals. The Bilby is the most endangered. You can visit the Bilby Centre in Charleville to learn more and help support programmes to help them thrive again.
The curlew bird is not only captivating to look at, but at night makes this eerie cackling sound like a ghost.
I grew to love it after a few days.
If you stand under the Norfolk pines at the beach at Burleigh or Mooloolaba at twilight you won’t hear the person next to you talking due to the cacophony of the lorikeets (there are probably many other beach towns that are the same).
Fun fact: Kangaroos and emus can’t walk backwards which is why they are on our coat of arms. Here’s where you can see wild kangaroos in Australia.
3. Australia Has A Lot of History
Like America, most people think Australia is a country that lacks history. It’s true that it was colonized by the Dutch and British in 1606, and this is when the country began to industrialize and you see remnants of colonialism all over the country.
However, Australia also has a long, indigenous population, who STILL use traditional practices that date back for thousands of years.
You can see ancient rock art, learn about Aboriginal culture and the ethos that has driven these communities for generations. Aboriginal culture is all about connection to their communities, to the land, to nature.
It’s a kind of ancient history that is long gone for most parts of the world, but still sings true in Aus. Australia is home to the oldest living civilisation in the world – listen closely they have so much to teach us.
Australia also once had dinosaurs, volcanoes, and a great inland sea, which you can see remnants of in the Northern Territories.
4. Australians Are Not Usually Political
Australian people are some of the most laid-back, friendly and easy going people in the world. We’re not big on politics (generally) and tend not to get involved with it.
Our politicians aren’t worth remembering and we beg that you don’t try.
You’ve got low odds of remembering our Prime Minister as they kick each other out all the time.
If you think I’m joking, doctors and nurses had to stop asking the question “Who is our Prime Minister?” for cognitive awareness because no one could work it out! True story.
And, there was that one time we lost a prime minister. Yep. On 17 December 1967, Harold Holt, our 17th prime minister of Australia, went for a swim in the sea near his home in Portsea, Victoria and never returned.
5. Credit Cards May Not Always Work
Carry some cash in your wallet – cards aren’t always accepted and will often carry a surcharge if they are, especially American Express.
6. Domestic Flights Are Not Cheap
Australia is so huge that you will likely need to take a few domestic flights to get around, but unfortunately they are not cheap.
It’s not just the price that is crazy about flying domestically, but the flight times! To travel from East to West, it takes 5 hours to fly the distance, and several hundred dollars.
Jetstar can have Friday Frenzy sales and Virgin Australia have Happy Hour sales sometimes, so sign up to their newsletters and check their websites regularly for cheaper deals.
7. Be Wary Traveling in The Top End
The Top End of Australia is one of our favorite places in the country. It’s where you’ll find Kakadu National Park, the largest national park in Australia, and our favorite beach in the country – Cable Beach.
That being said, you should know that crocs inhabit the entire Top End of the country. Do they freak you out as much as me? (that means don’t swim in the rivers!)
In fact, when visiting the Top End, I would be wary around any body of water. Here are some more tips for traveling the Top End of Australia.
8. Australia’s Nature Is Incredible
I can’t even begin to describe the nature in Australia, it’s just incredible! Australia is home to the oldest rainforest in the world, The Daintree Rainforest – 130 million years of breathtaking beauty. Just listen to the ancient wisdom of the trees. A tree huggers Utopia.
Kakadu National Park and Uluru are timeless, spiritual wonders that are not only deeply connected to the aboriginal communities, but are so beautiful and so unique. Stay awhile, explore deeply, and absorb their ancient wisdom.
Most of Australia’s exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The cane toad is disgusting and cannot be stopped with its mission to destroy our native flora and fauna.
Only the highly intelligent crows have figured out a way to kill and eat them without poisoning themselves. They pick them up and drop them in front of cars, which opens them up in a way that makes them safe to eat. Or so we heard around an Outback campfire.
Wattle is our national flower and has a distinct smell. Whenever I get a whiff of it in the bush, I feel like I’ve returned home.
The gum tree is the lifeblood of our country and forms a huge part of our identity. The sight and smell of them defines Australian life and signifies home for me.
I can’t help but hug them on a regular basis. Eucalypt trees light themselves on fire, which helps the land regenerate. I love seeing a blackened gum tree covered in green, fluffy new growth. The most beautiful gum trees I’ve seen are in the Barossa Valley.
Fun fact: The sight of the blue haze from the eucalyptus oil arising from the bush in the mountain ranges west of Sydney gave the Blue Mountains their name.
9. Australia’s Beaches and Islands Are Pure Paradise
Australia has more than 10,000 beaches and over 8,000 islands. Western Australia has ridiculously beautiful beaches.
You’ll think the colours in the photos you’ve seen can’t be true and must be photoshopped. It’s the real deal peeps.
Whitehaven Beach is world famous for being the cleanest beach in the world, and Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay has actually won the Guinness World Record for having the whitest sand on Earth. And Rottnest Island has stunning beach after beach, best viewed on a bike ride.
The Great Barrier Reef is the planet’s largest living structure. You’ll wonder if it will live up to its hype. It does.
10. Australia Has Amazing Food (And Coffee)
Australia is not short of excellent food. Most of Australia’s produce has been grown in the country, allowing you to eat raw, organic fruit and vegetables, and clean and safe produce that hasn’t traveled far to get to your dinner plate.
The fertile soil and vast amounts of space means Australia can produce A LOT of food, and has some of the world’s best edible oils and honey in the world. It’s estimated that 60% of the world’s organic farmland is in Australia.
Australia also has the BEST coffee in the world, and you can find some of the BEST damper and billy tea experiences in Queensland – it’s a thing here!
Another unique point on food in Australia – the traditional owners of our land were able to take many poisonous plants and put it through a process – sometimes taking many days – to make it edible.
How the hell did they even know what to do and how were the taste testers? If you get a chance, be sure to experience as many Indigenous tours so you can learn about these food processes. You can be amazed and humbled.
Oh and Vegemite is a serious love for Australians. We still love it!
11. Small Towns in Australia Should Not Be Avoided
The small towns of Australia are what give it the reputation of being a hospitable and welcoming place. There is nothing quite like the small town communities you meet when you get off the beaten path.
Queensland Outback is where you’ll find many experiences and stories that connect to Australian folklore and culture.
Some small towns we love are Longreach, the founding home of Qantas, and Winton, the birthplace of Waltzing Matilda – just to name a few. I also think it has Australia’s friendliest people.
There is a ridiculous amount of amazing adventures to be had down gravel and sandy roads only accessible to 4WD’s.
Bright in Victoria and Broome in Western Australia re two of our favorite small towns in Australia.
12. Australian’s Are Friendly and Relaxed People
If there’s one thing I am proud to say about my birth country, is that its people are some of the nicest in the world.
Australians are laid-back, friendly, and kind. It could be down to the fact that more than 80 percent of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the coast, and the sea air instills a layer of calmness in people.
If you thought the surfing culture was a myth about Australia, you’d be wrong. Beach life is important to us and surf lifeguards are revered.
Also, you could be a native English speaker, but have a conversation with an Australian and have no clue what they are saying.
When visiting Australia, you’re going to need to listen carefully when having conversation with Aussies. They tend to shorten most words, have colourful slang terms, and love to use a lot of rhyming slang.
13. Australia’s Climate Is Diverse
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, we have our summer and winter seasons backwards to those in the Northern Hemisphere, which means hot Christmases and cold Julys.
That being said, the climate can be vastly different depending on where you are in Australia. It can get cold in Australia, and it’s even snowed on Christmas Day in some parts of Tasmania, which is Australia’s summer time.
Perth and The Top End, as well as Northern Queensland, are famous for having year-round warm weather, but don’t think you should leave your jackets at home if you plan to visit during the winter season.
It might shock you to know this, but it snows in Queensland! Get out of town. Can you believe it? Bunya Mountains is where you’ll find this rare experience.
14. There’s More To The Outback Than Desert
You haven’t experienced Australia until you’ve been to the Outback. Some of our cattle stations, mostly located in the Outback areas, are bigger than some European countries. In fact, there is a Dingo Fence that’s longer than The Great Wall of China!
The farmers need helicopters to round up the stock!
The Outback is not just desert. It is desert, but it also has an insane amount of water, beautiful gorges, and waterfalls that pepper the dusty red ground with lush green bushes.
The School of the Air was created so that children on remote cattle stations could still learn and attend school. You might be thinking that distance education sprung off after COVID, but it’s been practiced in these remote lands for many years.
In fact, it’s how we educated Kalyra when we travelled around the country. You can visit many School of the Air places in the Outback to learn more about how they educate their pupils.
And let’s not forget the Royal Flying Doctors!! How could we forget after the incredible experience we had with them.
The Royal Flying Doctors are a service provided by the government to help those in remote regions get medical assistance. They fly out to visit you and will fly you to hospitals if you need it. They are amazing and rely a lot on donations so help out if you can.
15. Australian Wine Is Some Of The Best
Australia helped revolutionise wine making around the world because they did not have traditions to adhere to.
Creativity allowed Australian wine makers to grow as one of the best wine producers in the world.
There are 60 designated wine regions in Australia, but our favourites are Margaret River, Barossa Valley, and Mudgee.
16. Australia is Expensive
Australia is expensive, there’s no doubt about it. Everything from accommodation to car hires to dining out, will cost you close to the same as Europe or North America.
That being said, there are ways to keep costs down. We have some other helpful guides on the cost of travel in Australia and how to travel Australia on a budget to help you stick to your budget.
17. Don’t Feed The Birds
Feeding the birds in Australia is a dangerous thing. I can not walk around Circular Quay in Sydney eating without being swooped on by a seagull.
Don’t feed the birds. Let them eat fish!
18. Aussies Love Sports
Australia is a huge sporting nation. Considering our low population, it rocks it on a global scale. The most popular sports in Australia are cricket, football (also Australian Rules Football), rugby and tennis.
Some of the best athletes in these fields come from Australia.
And let’s not forget our surfers! Put an Aussie pro surfer in any surfing competition around the world, and they are guaranteed to make the top spots.
19. The Internet Is Terrible
You might think that because Australia is so well developed that commodities such as strong WiFi are a given, but you’d be wrong. For some reason, internet in Australia is hideously slow, and expensive.
The reason for this is because apparently, when the National Broadband Network was first implemented, they used outdated copper wire.
The use of old tech means it can only handle so much speed, which has resulted in the whole country receiving below average internet speed. Great.
READ MORE: Want to work in Australia? Here are some of the Best Work Opportunities in Australia
Things We Learned on Our Australian Road Trip
Much of the facts and opinions we’ve expressed so far have come from our experience of growing up and living in Australia, but we also spent 18 months road tripping around Australia and explored much of our own backyard, and so we have learned a few things about traveling in our own country too.
Below are some things we learned on our travels in Australia. This is not all experienced by us, we’ve also included some things learned by other people we’ve met on the road and shared their experiences so we didn’t make the same mistakes.
The best resource you have as a traveler, is another traveler, as they say!
You can read more tips in our how to travel around Australia in this guide.
- When driving on dusty Outback roads, the recirculation air position should be used to avoid dust entering your vehicle or for quick cooling of the interior.
- High clearance means your car is higher off the ground and is essential for 4WD (yes I had no idea what this was before this road trip) and can be just as important as 4wd.
- Entertainment systems in cars save your sanity when travelling with kids.
- Cars flying along gravel roads will fling up rocks that crack your windscreen.
- Fill up at every petrol station you drive past in the Outback. It doesn’t matter how full your tank is or how much you think you don’t need it, there can be large distances between stations or they even close at night.
- Digging yourself out of being stuck in sand with the car makes you look like Yahoo Serious and can be a fun story to share. (Just make sure you take a photo!)
- Beach driving is serious but fun. Know what you’re doing and enjoy it.
- You must deflate your tyres when driving on soft sand so they have a wider footprint.
- Stock up on food and water when driving through the Outback. Road houses have horrible food and it’s expensive.
- Do not take any fresh produce over the border into WA or SA. It will be confiscated.
- Head nets can save your sanity in really bad fly areas.
- UGG boots are the best thing to pack on your road trip around the country (it does get cool in some places – I’m looking at you Victoria and Tassie)
More Travel Tips for Australia
If you need more inspiration about traveling to Australia, then these other guides may be useful to you!
- 25 Outstanding National Parks in Australia
- A Visit to Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia
- Things to do on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
- 12 awesome things to do on Fraser Island
- 14 Best Road Trips in Australia
- 50 Stunning and Adventures Things to do in Queensland
- 50 Amazing Things to do in Western Australia
- 20 Places to Put on your Australian Bucket List
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Do you have any fun facts (or opinions) to share about Australia? Anything useful you learned on your road trip down under? Let us know in the comments.
