The Ultimate Australian Bucket List: 10 Unforgettable Experiences for First-Time Visitors
With so many incredible places to see and things to do, it can be hard to know what to include on your first visit to Oz. From skydiving to wine tasting, the key to the best holiday is to remember that Australia is vast – really, really vast. With that in mind, your Top 10 will be driven by:
- The amount of time you have.
- Your budget.
- Your style.
For the latter, it means whether you’re driven by wanting to tick off the iconic Aussie landmarks and activities – or, perhaps, you crave more alternative exploration.
Either way, the following 10 classic options will appeal to every type of traveller – and we include options for both the budget-conscious and luxury globetrotter…
- Visit the Red Centre: Australia’s inner sanctum, it won’t take long for you to realise that its nickname is well-earned. The most famous location here is, of course, Uluru – an enormous monolith that rises from the arid desert. A hike around this sacred rock takes about 3 hours. It’s a classic walk and is truly the best way to fully experience its enormity. Other not-to-be-missed natural wonders in the area include King’s Canyon (a 3.5-hour drive away), Kata Tjuta (45 minutes) and the West MacDonnell Ranges (5.5 hrs).
- Sydney New Year fireworks: Far from being simply an impressive 15-minute display to ring in the new year, this is a whole-day event. The best vantage points start filling up early in the morning – and the party vibe lasts all day. When the sun eventually sets, get ready for the kid’s fireworks at 9:00 pm, followed by the main event at midnight.
- Go croc hunting in the Northern Territory or North Queensland: Various operators will take you on a cruise to look for these saltie giants – and it’s truly a wonderful wilderness encounter. Seeing one of the prehistoric monsters in its natural setting is an incredible experience that will stay with you for life…
- Ride the glass-walled cable cab at Scenic World: This family-friendly ride in the Blue Mountains is an iconic way to see the Three Sisters Rocks and marvel at the sheer scale of this wilderness. It’s hard to believe that such an authentic natural environment is just an hour’s drive from the hustle and bustle of Sydney.
- Penguin watch on Phillip Island: A 2-hour jaunt from Melbourne will take you to this incredible wildlife location. Each evening visitors ooh and aah over the star attraction – the nightly parade of penguins heading back home from a hard day’s fishing…
- Take a Dreamtime Walk in the Daintree Rainforest: Get a glimpse into the world of the Ngadiku with a fascinating informative stroll with an Indigenous guide. Tours leave the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre every day at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
- Whale watch in Hervey Bay: The world’s first Whale Heritage Site, a tour from this Fraser Coast town during July and October offers a pretty high chance of seeing Humpbacks and their calves enjoying the calm waters of the bay.
- Walk the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere: Busselton, in WA, is home to the heritage-listed 1.8 km wooden jetty. It’s been around awhile (since 1865), and this fascinating town is also home to an amazing underwater observatory and snorkel park.
- Taste a range of Australian wines: In a country that boasts some of the best wine-growing regions in the world, you’re spoilt for choice. Cellar doors are found in the Hunter Valley NSW, Margaret River Region WA, Yarra Valley VIC, the Adelaide Hills SA and the Barossa Valley SA, to name but a few.
- Skydive over Rottnest Island: If you’re going to leap out of an aircraft, make sure that it’s in the ultimate destination. This jewel of an island in the Indian Ocean is easily accessible from Perth – and the chance to view it from above is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Be sure to grab a quokka selfie after you land – these cute little marsupials are easily found, with many being tame enough to happily laze in the sun while you snap a quick photo for your Insta…
Skydive Geronimo is the only licensed operator for tandem jumps to land on the silky-white beaches of Rottnest. With a highly-qualified team of skydivers who combine the ultimate enjoyment with rigorous safety standards, there’s no better start (or end) to your WA island experience.
Book online now or contact us for more information.
Glenn is a successful Skydive Instructor who’s successfully turned his lifelong passion into an award-winning adventure tourism business. His love for the thrill of the jump began over three decades ago in Matamata, New Zealand. 20,000+ jumps later and with the highest Australian Chief Instructor / Instructor A ratings under his belt, he and his wife, Amy, dedicate their lives to running the Western Australian-based Skydive Geronimo, the only company licensed to provide tandem jumps over one of the pearls of the Indian Ocean, Rottnest Island.
Glenn works tirelessly in all aspects of the business – from student and instructor training through to equipment safety, PR, Australian Parachute Federation (APF) and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) compliance and everything in between. He also delivers education sessions to local pilots about skydiving operations in Perth and the surrounding area.
