A Backpacker’s Guide to Australia

Backpacking through Australia is probably one of the most difficult things to do – not because Australia itself is troubling as a country, but quite the opposite – it’s too wonderful and HUGE! Plus, apart from being overwhelmingly ginormous, Australia has a few dangerous areas that aren’t too human-friendly (or are best to be explored with an experienced supervision). For you to actually manage to see as many sights as possible, you can’t really adopt that European hiking style called I’ll-just-head-ahead-and-see-where-the-road-takes-me. Instead, the best option is to have a proper backpacking plan that will make sense for both your wallet and your adventurous expectations. Taking into consideration all the main aspects of traveling across Australia, we’ve put together a backpacker’s guide to the Down Under hoping to help you experience this gorgeous country the best way possible.

Here we go…

Roughly plan your itinerary

When it comes to Australia, spontaneity is NOT the answer. To make the best of your backpacking adventure in this part of the world, an itinerary (at least a rough one) is the best way to go. Spending longer than planned at any part of this vast country means you’ll mess up your schedule for later. We totally understand that you’ll want to spend more time around South Australia’s wine country than checking out nature. However, remember that there are other things to see, such as the extraordinary Uluru, the broad beaches of Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, the billabongs of Kakadu, not to mention the spectacular Fraser Island, only the largest sand island in the world! If you are a fan of sea activities, diving at the Great Barrier Reef and sailing the gorgeous Whitsundays should be included in your itinerary, too.

FYI: Three weeks is the absolute minimum to spend at the East Coast in order to take in just half of its gorgeousness.

Take care of safety

Unlike Europe or the US, Australia is very specific when it comes to its climate. It is not unusual for exaggerated summer heat waves to hit the land during summer days and cause forest fires and overall danger and panic. This is usually problematic for the drivers as the dry interior is a hostile environment, so take the necessary precautions. Let those close to you know where you are going so they can help you in case – knock on wood – something happens.

Pack the essentials

Like with all the other big cities in the world, you’ll most probably be able to buy pretty much anything on the road. However, it can happen that the things you need aren’t possible to obtain when you need them – whether you are traveling to Sydney per se or anywhere in Australia, really. So, having your personal essentials close by is key. Apart from, understandably, having your personal hygiene kit ready, having something like a Go Travel money belt or a passport pouch can be a wise choice.

Go west

If you’ve ever had anyone come to Australia, they probably raved about the East Coast and insisted you must visit it. They were totally right. However, East Coast should make the top of your itinerary only if you’ve got plenty of time (and money) to explore it. We’d always suggest starting with the remote West Coast and its breathtaking Ningaloo Reef and the turquoise water Coral Bay. Enjoy the white beach and splendid nature around.

Find good places to eat beforehand

Cheap and quality eats are pretty easy to find in Australia. Apart from most Aussie hotels and hostels that include a super tasty bar/restaurants, there are a lot of local bite shops you can check out. Aussies are famed for their BBQs, which explains why you’ll find publicly available BBQ’s all over the place. Jokes aside, try their awesome barbeque as soon as you get the chance – it’s delicious! A total thrill is going with a group of friends to the beach and cooking up some ‘sangas.’ Asian food markets are pretty popular in Australia, too, so maybe explore some of those for a yummy cheap lunch/dinner option. If you are into preparing food yourself, explore some of the Night Markets which are a HUGE deal in the big cities like Sydney. You’ll find a range of inexpensive, international eats from food stalls and probably a few souvenirs along the way, as well. We strongly advise you do a little browsing on the net and make a list of potential places to eat before you actually go on your trip.

Sort out your banking

A universal trip for all travelers is to sort out their banking stuff before they embark on a trip. Try using your card for most of the purchases. However, if you’re not really comfortable with putting all of your eggs in one basket, i.e. relying on a single piece of plastic that can be easily stolen, consider transferring as much money as possible to an Australian bank account. The reason these types of transfers are great is that they save you about $50 or more per transaction, each time you make a transfer and use the ATM.

There – those are the tips we think you will find useful. Good luck on your trip and don’t forget to take some pics!

Bio: Cooper Klein is an entrepreneur with a degree in Marketing, based in Sydney. He’s interested in real estate and home decor. In order to spend more time with his family, Cooper decided to take a break, and he’s currently working as a blogger for SmoothDecorator and several other sites.