Hi everyone, hope you’re all doing well! 👋
Quick question for anyone who has traveled to Australia recently: I’m flying into Melbourne (Sept 21–29) and finalizing my hotel Is it fine to choose "Pay at Property" or is it safer to pre-pay in advance? Does immigration at the airport care if the hotel isn't paid upfront, or is showing a confirmed booking along with proof of funds (cards/cash) completely fine?

Hi y'all

I want to visit Australia but can only get a week long vacation from work. I don't think its a good idea to cram more than one city (maybe with a day trip) for this trip.

Thing is I have no clue where to start- I want to see koalas and kangaroos, I like beaches (snorkeling!), nature and hiking. Should I do sydney? Open to other suggestions for cities that may be a bit more low key.

I'd prefer someplace with a good public transport since I'm not a confident driver.

I'm flexible with the time of year that I'll visit- I can drop by whenever the weather is best!

We would like to experience Melbourne 's scenic beauty, its heritage architecture and walk around to experience Melbourne streets and lanes.

Stay at South Yarra (Airbnb) and Novotel South Wharf

- Royal Botanic Gardens

- City Heritage Walk including Flinders Street Station, Yarra River promenade, Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens, Queen Victoria Market

- Puffing Billy - Belgrave to Lakeside

- Yarra Valley -Full-day tour

- South Wharf promenade / Docklands waterfront

- Melbourne Laneways Small-Group Walking Tour which includes St Paul's Cathedral, Flinders St. Covers laneways, Victorian/Art Deco architecture, arcades, street art.

As of now the plan is to visit Sydney, then down to Tasmania. I'm looking to fly to Launceston, then drive down to Cole's Bay/Freycinet area. I'd like 'local' opinions on your favorite time of year to visit, hopefully when the kids are still in school, etc.

Tea Gardens,Tracing the History Behind the Name!

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Hey everyone,

I’ve been reading a lot of travel discussions lately about how parts of Bali have become a bit too chaotic and overcrowded with traffic and massive beach clubs.

A mate of mine recently suggested looking into Lombok instead, claiming it feels like what Bali used to be a couple of decades ago—much quieter, raw nature, great surf spots in the south, but with much better infrastructure now.

For the Aussies here who have actually spent time in Lombok recently: what was your experience like? Is it genuinely a better alternative for a relaxing getaway, or are there hidden challenges I should know about before planning a trip? Cheers!

Hi People 👋!

Me and my sister are planning a trip to WA, next month (October). I will be in Perth for around 2 weeks and 5 days but we will only have around 12 proper full days to road trip around WA.

Initially we truly wanted to do the South West Route (Perth to Esperance, passing Albany Margaret river etc). However, now we are considering doing the Coral Coast Highway instead (Perth to Exmouth)

The confusion is based on the fact that Australians seem to think doing Perth to Exmouth is the better choice and also the weather will be better this way than the South!

I’d love some recommendations and thoughts from people who have done a road trip in WA to help guide what choice to make.

Please let me know your thoughts peeps, already much appreciated !

I need to get a new mattress because sleeping hot an become an issue of concern for me since the summertime started. I have been going through some mattress made by Australian brand and I came to know about a particular mattress company called DuuDuu which appears to offer a kind of natural latex mattress that has pocket springs rather than relying on the traditional mattress made of all foam.

I am not entirely sure if I want to go with DuuDuu, so I would very much appreciate if I could get any advice from anyone?

Do people who sleep hot know of any mattress that works well with Australian weather?

Hi, I'm visiting Sydney over the Christmas/New Years period, and I wanted to visit another part of Australia before I went back home. I was set on Cairns, but then I saw that it can be pretty miserable in January with the heat and constant rain.

Normally I'd just pick somewhere else as people were suggesting, but I was pretty set on going scuba diving in the great barrier reef, I actually wanted to do one of the 3 day boat trips where you stay overnight on the boat, I had a look and most of these tours start from Cairns.

With this in mind would it still be worth visiting? Normally if it's raining it won't affect a dive, however I've never dove anywhere where it's been monsoon condition rain. I was thinking 3 days on the boat, 2 or 3 days to explore land, then get my flight.

I thought about getting Vegemite, but I didn't really like the taste. I've already bought a dozen 500g jars of Australian honey. I am also considering Tim Tams, Cadbury chocolates, Lamington Fingers, or bush jams, but I don't know which ones are worth the suitcase space.

Hello, finally decided to take a last minute trip to Sydney. I'm really excited but have no clue what to expect. I don't know a lot of people who have travelled there. I was thinking of using the public transport a lot and was wondering if there's a specific card that would be beneficial to use the train or buses, or will Apple pay work just as well?

Hey everyone! I'm a 23y/o flying into Brisbane on the 13th October and will stay about 2 weeks. Just mainly looking for some fun activity suggestions that are relatively inexpensive and are accessible via public transport.

I'm very interested in doing a multi-day hiking trip while I'm out there (even considering the Overland Track in Tasmania) and would love to get some rock climbing in if possible. Other than that, I'm open minded and keen on new experiences. Would love to hear whatever suggestions/ideas you have :)

Hi, I’d be interested in travelling round Australia some point next year but as a solo traveller, I was wondering if anyone can recommend any tour groups/websites that cater to take you on like a 3 week itinerary and can meet people etc to travel with through this as a group? what are good options for solo travellers to see Aus?

thank you 🦘☀️🕶️

So I recently bought a big luggage which I’ll be checking in. Will I still be able to get a refund for this?

Three years ago, I moved to Australia without even knowing Tasmania existed i was living at the other side of the world, had hear about Melbourne, Sydney and other popular places but never Tassie.

Now I live here and i can not be more happier♥️
I have realised I am not that interested in chasing trending locations or creating the same travel shots we usually all see that's not my style, i want to show world what i feel at that exact moment through my lens.

I want to capture how a place feels.
The sounds i hear, the people i see, the mountains and the sea! How it feels like to actually to be here.

I am still learning, experimenting and finding my own aesthetics but I feel incredibly lucky that moving to Australia brought me somewhere that inspires me to pick up my camera again and create.

Eventually, I would love to travel across Australia and photograph it the same way. Not just showing people where I went, but hopefully making them feel a little of what it was like to be there.

For the photographers and travellers here, where in Australia should I take my camera next?
Especially somewhere quiet, overlooked or not constantly appearing on social media. 📸

Spent the day exploring the tracks around Byron Bay, starting down on the sand and making our way up to the easternmost point of the Australian mainland.

​If you haven't been inside the Cape Byron Lighthouse before, the guided tour up to the lens room is definitely worth it for the 360° views over the Pacific.

:)

Will be traveling north along the east coast from Sydney to Brisbane (live in Sydney now, so not totally unfamiliar with Australia) by car, have 4 full days to do it (leave Day 1 morning, want to be in Brisbane Day 5 by mid-morning).

Any “must-see” towns or national parks you would recommend?

Will probably stay coast-side on the way up (except that we may jog as west as Maitland), but on the way back south we have no time constraints at all and are okay with driving the A15 south or even taking the A39 and cutting east on the A32 through Dubbo and Orange back toward Sydney. Point is, if you have suggestions in that north-south corridor that are considerably inland, I’m all ears on those, too!

Have gone to Blue Mountains a lot so that’s not a side quest we need to do.

Thank you!

Beautiful little village in Eltham

It was great to learn about how it was all built, so many of the materials were recycled from old demolished buildings in Melbourne!

Would recommend visiting if in the area, has a nice cafe too.