Best Travel Tips For Enjoying Australia On A Budget

Travellers planning a trip around Australia will little question remember of all the massive points of interest - climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, surfing at Bondi Bea ch, driving the nice Ocean Road, having enjoyable at the theme parks on the Gold Coast and sc uba diving the good Barrier Reef. Chances are high you'll have to have a fats wallet to be able to see and do all of these things.

 

So, we have compiled 101 journey ideas, hacks and shortcuts that will help you get pleasure from travelling round Australia - whilst not burning a gap in your pocket.

 

1. Coastal Walks - You can do the gorgeous stroll between the well-known Bondi round to Tamarama. On the walk along the coastline you may take a look at the colourful Sculptures by the Sea (18 Oct - four Nov 2018). On the northern facet of the town there's also the Manly to Spit walk.

 

2. Kuringai National Park - Depending in fact where you're staying, and providing the weather is co-operative, any of the native parks dotted in and around the cities make for a lovely place to cease, watch the passing scenery and have a bite to eat.

 

3. Hyde Park - Free to stroll round and catch the annual Noodle Markets and art lining the central walkway of the park during October.

 

4. Centennial Park - Free to stroll round however only a small charge to yee-haw it on horseback!

 

5. Sydney's Botanical Gardens - Free to roam around and get a lovely aspect of the harbour, opera house and bridge all in the identical photo. You'll expertise the local fruit bats, ibis and cockatoo's in close proximity to the CBD.

 

6. Homebush - Home to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, this a great place to stroll or cycle.

 

7. Circular Quay - An ideal place for sight-seeing and taking in some native tradition.

 

8. Bondi Beach - In lots of respects Bondi is the epicentre Australian life-style (sun, sand and surf). However, parking at Bondi is infamous and the parking stingers will pounce on any offenders! Ideally park your vehicle at King's Cross or Bondi Junction and catch the bus over to your day at the beach.

 

9. Tap Gallery, Darlinghurst - Free exhibition of "fringe" artwork and low cost drinks.

 

10. Free Pool Tables - Be on the lookout for quite a lot of Sydney CBD bars and resorts provide free use of pool tables together with the Roof Bar, every Tuesday till Saturday after 5pm or the Golden Barley, 167 Edgeware Road, Enmore on Tuesdays after 7pm. Also take a look at Nag's Head Hotel, 162 St Johns Road, Glebe free of charge pool tables all day Sunday.

 

11. Mardi Gras (Sydney) - improbable colourful & lively, it's a yearly spectacle that you can catch early March.

 

12. Luna Park (Sydney) - It's free to get into Luna Park but if you wish to experience one of many rides it'll price round $10.

 

13. Combined Pass or Discovery Triple Pass - Save as much as 20% off full value admission for the Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Tower (including OzTrek) and the Sydney Wildlife World.

 

14. Sydney Opera House - The iconic landmark on Sydney's harbour. You're free to roam round exterior however a 1 hour guided tour inside will set you again $35 for adults. Save as much as $6 when you e-book it on-line.

 

15. Visit the set of Home & Away - That's right, drive up to Palm Beach on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and you'll wander round where the seaside scenes of Home & Away are filmed. Time it right and you can watch the show being filmed too!

 

16. Kincumber Mountain Reserve, Central Coast - Check out the historic Aboriginal carvings and axe-grinding grooves which could be seen at Kincumber Mountain Reserve amongst the 700 ha of undisturbed rainforests.

 

18. Queen Victoria Markets - Melbourne's Queen Victoria's market host an eclectic mix of food, artwork, clothes and home wares (to name but a couple of) price a stroll-by means of.

 

19. Melbourne’s Free City Tram - Melbourne is home to the free metropolis circle tram which you can hop on and hop off anyplace alongside the route. 20. Haigh's Chocolates, Adelaide - Situated in Adelaide, Haigh's offer a free

 

20 minute tour of their chocolate manufacturing unit along with free samples afterward!

 

21. Hobart's Salamanca Markets - To not be missed if you are in Tasmania.

 

23. Floriade, Canberra - Held each September in Canberra it is a beautiful month floral display that it is best to try if you are passing by means of. Entry through the day is free.

 

24. Koala Hospital, Port Macquarie - Port Macquarie is situated half way between Sydney and Brisbane on the NSW Mid North Coast. Rise up near injured koalas and kangaroo's free of charge.

 

25. Byron Bay Lighthouse - Visit the most easterly point in all of Australia and apply your pointing pose. The lighthouse is free to look around as are the walks.

 

26. Minyon Waterfalls, Byron Bay - Surrounded by rainforest. Free entry to the national park with plenty of locations to hike and picnic. 2

 

7. Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast - A lovely place to spend the day shopping, shopping and walking round in the open air.

 

28. Gold Coast Theme Parks - Various theme parks are situated on the southern end of the Gold Coast - Dreamworld, Movieworld, Seaworld, Wet'n'Wild and White Water World. The parks are a real hit with little kids and massive children. Save cash by buying a mixed pass.

 

29. Fraser Island, Queensland - Visiting this world heritage listed vacationer destination is a real must but anticipate to pay round AU$300 for an island tour.

 

30. Great Barrier Reef - There is not any ultra-cheap approach to see the good Barrier Reef due to the sheer dimension of the reef and distance needing to be travelled. However, a couple of hundred dollars will take you on a fishing charter off the reef.

 

31. Federation Walkway - It won't price you a cent to stroll along the 620m Federation Walkway. Open 9 to 5 everyday, the trail weaves via the gray gum canopy and affords you views of the Kings Park botanical gardens, Perth, Western Australia.

 

32. Bibbulmun Track, WA - This is only for hardcore trekkers! The lengthy-distance walk trail is a world-class, 963 kilometre trek that stretches from Kalamunda to Albany.

 

33. Sunset at Cottesloe Beach, Perth - Think about this; most Aussies never get to observe the solar setting into the sea as a result of most Aussies dwell on the japanese facet of the country. Enjoy watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean. Australia is filled with nice wine areas, and while purchasing wines will obviously value cash, sampling them often won't. Do it even cheaper and cycle around vineyard to vineyard.

 

34. The Barossa (South Australia) - Settled 165 years in the past by European immigrants, the Barossa is now house to a thriving wine neighborhood with world famend manufacturers, boutique wine corporations and artisan winemakers.

 

35. Hunter Valley (NSW) - Just a few hours' drive north of Sydney you‟ll find the Hunter Valley famed for its wine, olives and chocolates.

 

36. Mudgee (NSW) - Why not park up and cycle around the boutique vineyards for a picturesque (and energetic) wine tasting tour.

 

37. Yarra Valley (Victoria) - A wine region akin to Bordeaux or Burgundy. Situated closest to Melbourne, this is the place you can pattern yet extra nice wines and port.

 

38. Margaret River (WA) - Three hours drive from Perth, you may arrive at Margaret River, the enthusiastic wine area of the west coast. There are not any less than 110 local wineries to go to. Eating out at eating places, pubs and bars could shortly deplete the traveller's finances.

 

39. Free Water Refills - Refill a water bottle at a public bubbler (water fountain) as a substitute of spending $2.50 per bottle of water. Beware; don't drink from any taps marked as 'bore water' as it‟s not protected for consumption.

 

40. Coffee Culture - Australians love coffee.

 

41. Shopping Malls - To get away with spending little you may hit the meals courts in any of the procuring malls at round closing time and grab a dinner or three for a fraction of the price.

 

42. Do Lunch - When you're on the street it is so tempting to eat out at eating places every night time. So, if you're set on eating out, why not go for lunch as a substitute? Lunch menus are usually a lot cheaper than evening menu's for dinner.

 

43. Shopper dockets - Reap the benefits of 'shopper dockets' and coupons, which see meal and drink affords on the reverse of receipts issued with purchases.

 

44. Hostels - If you are ever staying in hostels be careful for cheap meals on provide. Or you can help with cooking meals for a drastically reduced value - and even free.

 

45. RSL’s - There's hardly a city or suburb in Australia without an area RSL membership (known as the “aarry”). You'll always find low-cost and cheerful meals and low-cost drinks in a truly native venue.

 

46. Shopping Malls - There isn't any shortage of purchasing malls with free and plentiful parking for a certain amount of time (after which you'll need to pay). Many are situated close to train traces and public transport is well-linked.

 

47. Cheap(er) Movie Tickets - What higher to do on an overcast day than go to the cinema? It is also a great solution to get out of the heat on a hot day.

 

48.  Benefit from the movie and the air conditioned cinema watching a good movie. And lots of the big cinema chains offer cheaper tickets on 'cheap Tuesdays'.

 

49. Surf Shops - For the surfers amongst us, you can't go past the various 1,000's of surf outlets (notably on the Gold Coast) the place you may buy a board from the shapers that make them. The Gold Coast at all times has a glut of wonderful, low cost 2nd hand boards on the market. Australia excels at sport and it might virtually be a disgrace to go to Australia and not go to at least one sporting event.

 

50. Quiksilver Gold Coast Pro - Annually the surfing World Tour kicks off at Coolangatta, Queensland. Watch without cost proper on the beach as the highest skilled surfers battle it out in the waves for US$340,000 up prize cash.

 

51. Rip Curl Pro - Iconic Bells Beach, Torquay, Victoria hosts the second event on the browsing WCT. The competition has been working each year since 1973 and is about as core to surfing as you're likely to get.

 

52. Manly Annual Surf Carnival - Manly is 7 miles away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney's CBD and every year the Surf Life Saving Club run the Surfing Festival runs over days in January. It's a variety of enjoyable and also you would possibly choose up some new expertise.

 

53. Noosa Longboard Festival - Grab a spot on the seaside or the Noosa headland and watch the surfers cruise on down the point.

 

54. Cricket - Go to a cricket sport in the course of the Australian summer season. The common ticket worth for a 20/20 cricket sport at one of the 7 venues is round $30-$40. It is best to purchase tickets online.

 

55. Rugby League - No helmets, no padding, actual males. The season runs from March to October and you may get a ticket normally for about $30 off.

 

56. AFL Aussie Rules -The hybrid Aussie sport has its major fan base in the states of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The season runs from March to August. Grab low cost tickets from $19 for a enjoyable night at a sport.

 

57. Rugby Union - Often called 'the sport they play in heaven' rugby union is hottest in NSW. Get low cost tickets from $30 online.

 

58. Horse racing - On the primary Tuesday in November, Melbourne is host to the Melbourne Cup. The Race that Stops a Nation'. And, if you're really into your horses you possibly can go to probably the most well-known racecourses. Keep your eye out for venues such pubs and lodges the place you can watch the reside motion free of charge on massive screens. Australia is a vast country the place wildlife can kill, the sunshine can burn and different dangers lurk.

 

59. Sun Care - The constant sunshine is interesting but it surely also is harmful. Proper care is required with respect to sunburn. A hat, sunglasses, sunblock and adequate clothing is a should.

 

60. Take cover at the seashore - Do your pores and skin a favour, invest a mere $30 and purchase a solar shelter beach tent. It'll provide you with 100% UV proof lining. Go halves with your travel mate and you may spend more time on the seashore without being burnt to toast!

 

61. Wildlife - It's true, Australia is residence to many dangerous creatures, so care is a must when bushwalking, on the seaside or within the bush.

 

62. Don’t wander away - You would possibly suppose that you're Bear Grilles but going into the wild in Australia is fraught with danger. Bush walking is widespread with vacationers but watch out and keep on the bushwalk tracks.

 

63. Emergency Services Numbers - Call 000 for the emergency companies wherever in Australia.

 

64. Protect your wallet - As at all times, watch out for bank card thieves and skimmers. Be vigilant with ATM's as criminal gangs have been identified to arrange dummy ATM card readers coupled with mini-cameras which may read PIN numbers from as far away as one hundred metres.

 

65. The ATM ate my card! Imagine the scene: you‟re 10,000kms away from your local financial institution but the ATM eats your card! If possible strive to keep use of ATM's during enterprise hours at a bank. That method, you‟ll be capable to have it retrieved much simpler.

 

66. Secure your paperwork - Spare yourself some drama by storing your passport and traveller's cheques safely. Also, make digital copies of your passport, traveller’s cheques and emergency numbers then e-mail it to your self or retailer in Google Docs.

 

67. Personal security - If you're not able to drive and want a taxi, stay protected and solely use a registered taxi. Travelling around Australia by highway is fantastic experience and gives you a lot freedom to go wherever you want, everytime you need.

 

68. Free Parking - If you're driving around the cities and towns parking is usually a little bit of a 'head melt'. However, you are allowed to park in clearways between the allotted instances. Take heed of the parking signs.

 

69. Speed Limits - Do not forget that the national velocity limits are KPM not MPH. Road traffic police are usually not prone to let you off the hook if you plead ignorance!

 

70. Avoid Speeding Tickets - In some states speed cameras are very clearly marked. There might be 3 roadside indicators telling you of upcoming speed cameras, in different states there are not any warnings in any respect! Take heed and keep on with the velocity restrict.

 

71. School Zone Speed Limits - Be careful for alternating pace limits and pace cameras around schools. If college is on, the speed restrict will change to a lower restrict within the morning and afternoon when faculty youngsters are coming and going.

 

72. Other Road Traffic Fines - Always put on your seatbelt, it's a legal requirement. On bank holidays, there are double demerit factors & nasty fines for not carrying a seatbelt and fines for mobile phone use whereas driving.

 

73. Road safety - It could be stating the plain, but care needs to be taken when driving - or even walking - in Australia, significantly in case you are accustomed to driving on the right-hand aspect of the highway.

 

74. Tourists are injured (or worse) each year just because they fail to examine traffic appropriately earlier than crossing the highway (remember to look proper first then left).

 

75. Cheapest Day to purchase Petrol - Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to top up on fuel on your campervan (so says MotorMouth). 0.15 for city based areas. Avoid Fri & Sat also wherever potential and avoid the start of Australian holidays/long weekends when costs will probably be unfairly hiked up by as much as 25 cents.

 

76. Another Way to save Money On Petrol - Keep the dockets (receipts) from Coles, Safeway, Woolworths, Big W & a bunch of other stores. Take a look at the underside or back of receipts for gas coupons. 0.08 per litre just by presenting your docket.

 

77. Tourist Maps - Get free vacationer maps at acredited data centres and knowledge stands all on main streets throughout town. These info booths are set up to assist with free info about issues to go and see locally.

 

78. Word of mouth - If you're on a working vacation to Australia probably the greatest locations to seek out work is from your contacts within the hostels and from other backpackers.

 

80. Newspapers - Try the jobs in any of the free local newspapers for entry to local employers who might be concerned with the abilities and expertise of the working holiday maker. The massive national and area each day newspapers are inclined to promote only the career jobs.

 

81. Qualifications - If in case you have a few of the fundamental qualifications (like Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) or experience in the building industry) then it can be easy to seek out non permanent employment to help fund your travels.

 

82. Green Card - Safety rules in Australia are strict. To work on constructing sites and the like you'll want to sit a check and earn a inexperienced card which is able to legally help you work there.

 

83. Freelance Work - Freelance writing, blogging, graphic design, consulting or information entry is an actual risk, the place all you need are expertise within the English language and a laptop will mean you may work out of your hostel or lodge room.

 

84. Flexible hours - Call centre work requires no formal skills, and the hours are flexible with many centres working 'round-the-clock'.

 

85. Free WiFi - Check your e mail, make travel arrangements etc out of your smart telephone or laptop from free WiFi hotspots. Find and use the web using free WiFi at in style espresso outlets and the golden arches.

 

86. Cheap SIM Cards - Whenever you arrive purchase an affordable Vodafone PAYG SIM card and insert it into your mobile phone. This fashion you possibly can keep your phone bill down.

 

87. AroundMe - This free app exhibits you the place you might be (helpful for the traveller who has no sense of bearing!) and what's closest to you, akin to petrol stations, hospitals, banks, grocery stores and the like. Much like a GPS for your cellphone this travel app could be your new best friend for each the primary-time traveller and the experienced jet-setter.

 

88. Places Directory (for Android) - This free locations app lets you browse close by locations in categories like Restaurants, Movie Theatres, Hotels and Banks. Developed by Google engineers for the Android.

 

90. Next Flight App - Handy if you've missed a flight and want to reschedule. With the ability to filter by airline, the following Flight app will enable you to get in your approach with a minimum of fuss and stress.

 

91. Hear Planet - Know where you might be however not what to do? This useful little app will will let you plan your day by informing you about what attractions are close to you.

 

92. World Customs App - Although you may be laborious pressed to offend the locals it's advisable to take a look at World Customs. It'll aid you carry on the proper aspect of the locals and the law.

 

93. Currency Exchange Rates Apps - There are too many free to use forex trade fee apps to record. Such apps will assist you figure out if you‟re buying at bargain costs or not.

 

94. Working Holiday Visa - A working holiday provides you the best of both worlds. You may vacation once you need, however legally work on a short lived or informal foundation to add funds to your bank account when it seems like they're getting a bit low. Just remember you possibly can only work to high up your funds - not make a career.

 

95. Income - Remember you may must pay tax for any work you do in Australia. The percentage can range relying on the kind of labor you do. So remember to register for a TFN and/or ABN. Avoid paying emergency tax just like the plague.

 

96. Student Visa - In case you come to Australia to study you'll have a Student Visa - and you are, of course, free to journey throughout semester breaks.

 

97. Visitors' Visa - allows you to come and go as much or as little as you like, provided no stay is longer than three months. It expires after 12 months, or when your passport does.

 

98. Departure Tax at Sydney Airport - This charge will already be included in the worth of your ticket, however is greater than AU$30 for passengers aged 12 years and over.

 

99. Goods and Services Tax (GST) - Many gadgets bought in Australia incur a G.S.T. 10% of the overall price. G.S.T. shall be refunded on goods over $300 purchased in Australia when departing Australia. Other taxes in place, equivalent to a gasoline surcharge, so ensure the price you are quoted for the ticket is the absolute last price.

 

100. Reclaim your Super - Super is mainly a pension fund that an employer will contribute in direction of for their staff. So, if you've worked in Australia on your working vacation you can rightfully reclaim your super.

 

101. Extend Your Stay - Want your vacation to continue? If you'll be able to handle some back breaking fruit picking or farm labour for work 3 months then the immigration can extend your WHM visa for an extra 12 months.