Official Language
English
Number of People
24.13 million (2016)
Currency
Australian
Electricity
Plug type I
220-240V Current
Australia is an amazing, diverse country that you really need to explore. Our first trip there was for 3 weeks and although we covered a fair amount of ground, we barely scratched the surface. We returned for another 4.5 weeks but didn’t travel as far that time so there is still so much for us to explore.
Getting to/from
On our first trip, we arrived in Australia after visiting New Zealand. Our flight was from Wellington to Brisbane (3h 50m) and Brisbane to Cairns (2h 20m).
I have a strong aversion to flying any longer than 10 hours at a time so I just use that as an excuse to explore a new destination. Our return trip was from Sydney to Honolulu (9h 40m) and Honolulu to Vancouver (5h 44m). It’s a nice way to break up the flight and keep the trip going just a little longer.
For our second trip, we flew Vancouver to Honolulu (6h 39m) and Honolulu to Sydney (10h 20m). On the return we flew from Sydney to Nadi, Fiji (4h 10m) then Nadi to Los Angeles (8h 55m) and Los Angeles to Vancouver (2h 54m).
There are several options for direct flights between Australia and the US or Canada and the first ever Australia to Europe direct flight took place in March of 2018 with Qantas.
Entry Requirements
Canadian Citizens need to arrange an Electronic Travel Authority before going to Australia
We used EasyETA.com and it cost $19.90US for two people
This applies for American and UK citizens as well.
DID YOU KNOW? – Some countries require you to show proof of onward travel before you enter their country. This is often left up to the airlines to enforce and you will not be allowed to board the plane unless you show them proof you are leaving.
Australia Posts
Into the mountains we go
The Blue Mountains are only a 90-minute drive or 2-hour train ride from Sydney but a vastly different landscape. Cliffs, caves, sandstone rock formations, waterfalls and never-ending Eucalyptus forests make…
Secrets and suburbs of Sydney
It’s no secret that I really enjoy visiting Sydney. There are so many little communities tucked away in bays and coves, separate but connected by the vast network of ferries…
A wander through Parramatta Park
Over the Christmas holidays, we slowed our travel down and spent just over two weeks in Parramatta. We were dog sitting and couldn’t wander too far, but that also meant…
Street art of Sydney
One Sunday, while we were dog sitting, we decided to go on an adventure to the inner western suburbs of Sydney looking for interesting street art. We weren’t disappointed. Bushfire…
Cockatoo Island – Sydney Harbour
One of my favourite things about Sydney is the public transit system. I’m sure the novelty of it plays a big part in that, having grown up in a small…
Sydney to Melbourne in a spaceship – Wilson’s Promontory and Phillip Island
Post #3 – This is the final post in the series Sydney to Melbourne in a Spaceship recounting our one-week adventure with a Spaceships Australia (affiliate link) van named Arthur Dent. Already…
Sydney to Melbourne in a spaceship – The Sapphire Coast and beyond
POST #2 – This post is the second in the series Sydney to Melbourne in a Spaceship recounting our one-week adventure with a Spaceships Australia van named Arthur Dent. Missed the…
Sydney to Melbourne in a spaceship – First stop Booderee National Park
Post #1 – This post is the first in the series Sydney to Melbourne in a Spaceship recounting our one-week adventure with a Spaceships Australia (affiliate link) van named Arthur Dent. Already…
Not nearly enough time spent in Australia
Melbourne We were only in Melbourne for two full days so there wasn’t a whole lot of time for sightseeing. Having splurged on a hotel room overlooking the city we…
The best attraction in Cairns wasn’t an attraction at all
When you think of Australia, the image that comes to most people’s mind is the expansive red dirt of the outback. Our introduction to this country was the complete opposite….
Five Favourite Images from Australia
