Australia
Oceania · Canberra · AU
Australia is a continent-sized country defined by extremes of landscape and climate that most visitors underestimate until they witness them firsthand. The interior, known as the Outback, is a vast expanse of red earth, spinifex grassland, and ancient rock formations that stretch to every horizon under skies of almost impossible clarity. The Great Barrier Reef, visible from space, runs for 1,400 miles along Queensland's coast as the largest living structure on earth. Along the eastern seaboard, subtropical rainforest meets white-sand beaches, while the western coastline features rugged limestone cliffs and turquoise waters that harbour whale sharks each winter. Australian culture blends Indigenous traditions stretching back over 65,000 years with waves of British, Asian, and Mediterranean immigration, creating a society that is egalitarian in character, irreverent in humour, and deeply attached to outdoor life. The country's isolation produced unique wildlife found nowhere else, from kangaroos to platypuses to trees that shed bark instead of leaves.
Overview
Australia is a country in Oceania. Its capital is Canberra and the international dialling code is +61. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the Australian Dollar (AUD). Our guide covers 5 airports, including Adelaide Airport, Brisbane Airport, Melbourne Airport. We also list 6 cities in Australia: Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane and more.
The Great Barrier Reef's Underwater World
The Great Barrier Reef stretches along Queensland's coast as a mosaic of over 2,900 individual reef systems and nine hundred islands, covering an area roughly the size of Germany. Snorkelling and diving here reveals an ecosystem of staggering complexity — hard and soft corals in every conceivable form provide shelter for over 1,500 species of fish, from tiny clownfish to giant Napoleon wrasse. The outer reef platforms, accessible by day trips from Cairns and Port Douglas, offer visibility that can exceed 100 feet, allowing divers to observe manta rays gliding overhead and reef sharks patrolling the coral walls. The Whitsunday Islands, a group of seventy-four continental islands in the heart of the reef, feature Whitehaven Beach, where the sand is composed of 98 percent pure silica and feels cool underfoot even in midday heat. Seasonal whale migrations from June to September bring humpbacks through the reef passages, adding a dramatic large-scale element to the underwater experience.
Uluru and the Red Centre
Uluru, the enormous sandstone monolith rising 1,142 feet from the flat desert floor of the Northern Territory, is one of the most recognisable natural landmarks on earth and holds profound spiritual significance for the Anangu people, its traditional custodians. The rock changes colour throughout the day, shifting from ochre to deep orange to violet as the sun crosses the desert sky, and the viewing areas at dawn and sunset draw crowds who watch the transformation in near silence. Nearby Kata Tjuta, formerly known as the Olgas, presents a cluster of thirty-six massive domed rock formations that visitors can walk through via the Valley of the Winds trail, a strenuous circuit that passes between towering red walls. The town of Alice Springs, 280 miles to the north, serves as the Outback's commercial centre and hosts a thriving Indigenous art scene where Aboriginal painters translate Dreamtime stories onto canvas using dot-painting techniques that have become internationally recognised.
Tasmania's Wild Southern Island
Tasmania, separated from mainland Australia by the Bass Strait, preserves some of the most pristine wilderness in the southern hemisphere, with roughly forty percent of the island designated as national park or reserve. Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park features jagged dolerite peaks, ancient pencil pine forests, and the Overland Track — a 65-mile multi-day hike that traverses button grass plains, alpine moorland, and rainforest gullies. The island's west coast receives enormous rainfall, sustaining temperate rainforest at places like Russell Falls and the tarkine wilderness, one of the largest tracts of cool temperate rainforest in the world. Port Arthur, on the Tasman Peninsula, preserves the remains of a nineteenth-century convict settlement whose stone buildings and manicured gardens sit eerily amid the surrounding bush. Tasmania's food and drink culture has flourished in recent years, with single malt whiskies, cool-climate pinot noir, and farm-to-table restaurants earning international attention.
The Daintree and Tropical North Queensland
The Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland is the oldest continuously surviving tropical rainforest on earth, estimated at over 180 million years old and containing plant lineages that predate the dinosaurs. Growing where the forest meets the Great Barrier Reef — the only place on the planet where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites intersect — the Daintree shelters species found nowhere else, including the Bennett's tree kangaroo and the golden cpuhtail possum. Guided walks with Indigenous Kuku Yalanji guides reveal traditional plant uses, from medicines to dyes, while night tours spotlight tree frogs, leaf-tail geckos, and giant-winged moths that emerge after dark. The Daintree River itself is home to saltwater crocodiles that bask on muddy banks during morning boat cruises. Further north, the coastal town of Port Douglas and the island of Magnetic Town offer gateway access to both rainforest and reef experiences within a single day.
Sydney Harbour and Coastal Walks
Sydney Harbour is one of the most spectacular natural harbours on earth, its deep blue water surrounded by sandstone headlands, sailboat-dotted bays, and the iconic silhouettes of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, a six-kilometre path carved into sandstone cliffs along the eastern suburbs, passes through Tamarama, Bronte, and Clovelly beaches before reaching Coogee's sheltered cove, with rock pools and public art installations punctuating the route. Manly Beach, reached by a thirty-minute ferry ride across the harbour, preserves a wider stretch of sand and a surfing culture that has operated here since the nineteen-hundreds. In the Royal Botanic Garden, established in eighteen-sixteen, visitors walk among rare palms and cycads with the harbour and bridge forming a backdrop that photographers never tire of capturing. The city's coastal geography ensures that ocean, harbour, and parkland are never more than a short walk from any point in the central business district.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- Canberra
- Currency
- Australian Dollar (AUD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +61
- Internet TLD
- au
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Australia.
Which nationalities can enter Australia?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (5)
All airports →Cities (6)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Australia?
For the origins we track, Australia requires a visa for tourism (Morocco: visa required, United Kingdom: e-visa and United States: e-visa). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Australia?
Canberra is the capital of Australia, and the country sits in Oceania.
What currency is used in Australia?
You pay with Australian Dollar (AUD) in Australia. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Australia?
The languages we list for Australia are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Australia?
The dialling code for Australia is +61 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Australia?
We cover 5 airports for Australia, including Adelaide Airport (ADL), Brisbane Airport (BNE), Melbourne Airport (MEL) — and 2 more.
Which cities in Australia do you cover?
Our guide lists 6 cities for Australia: Canberra (capital), Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, with more on the full list.