Backpacking Overseas Tips for the Australians

You’ve checked your passport is valid, booked your tickets and packed your bags. Ready to go? Not quite. Whether you are first time or seasoned traveller, there are a few more things you should do to make your trip as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible.This information is provided for backpackers to help you prepare for a safe and healthy journey.

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Top 10 Things to See and Do in Melbourne

Melbourne is often described as the most ‘European’ of all the cities in Australia, and it’s not difficult to see why. Melbourne is an edgy multicultural city, known for producing talented artists, musicians and fashion designers. It may not be the capital of Australia, but it’s certainly the capital of culture, known for its shopping, fine food, festivals, museums and lively bar scene. Trams run through streets lined with Victorian buildings and the outdoor café culture adds to the ‘European’ vibe. The city lies on the estuary of the Yarra river, and bridges connect the main city centre with the Southbank and St.Kilda. Melbourne is also the ideal base from which to explore the rest of Victoria, including The Yarra Wine Valley, Phillip Island, and the Great Ocean Road. With many airlines offering cheap flights to Melbourne, it is a great place to begin your trip in Australia.

Things to Do

1. Federation Square 

If you arrive into Melbourne by train at Flinders St. Station, you’ll see a large public square opposite. The concrete square lies in the middle of the city between the business district and the Yarra river and can hold thousands of people. It is the ideal meeting place for city workers, Melburnians and tourists to sit outside with a drink and watch live sports on the big screen. Fed Square also hosts many events including festivals, exhibitions and event launches.

2. Ride on the City Circle Tram 

This is a free tram service that takes you round the central business district in the city and you can hop on/hop off at places of interest. It’s the best way to see the main attractions and familiarise yourself with the city without spending any money. The historic tram takes you to sights such as the Immigration Museum, Federation Square and the Docklands area and is a novel way to travel around. The vintage trams also have audio commentary so you can learn all about the city as you ride around. It can get a little crowded sometimes, but did I mention it’s free? The tram runs from 10 am till 6pm, or 9pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

3. Botanical Gardens 

These landscaped gardens provide an oasis of greenery in the middle of the urban landscape. You can stroll through the gardens, take a picnic and make a day of it, and best of all, entry is completely free of charge. The Botanical Gardens cover over 35 hectares of land and contain over 50,000 plants. The gardens are open 7:30am till sunset every day of the year, whilst the Visitor Centre is open from 9am until 5pm on weekdays, and 9.30am till 5pm on weekends and public holidays.

4. Queen Victoria Markets

Queen Victoria Market is a large open-air market that has been around for over 130 years. Here you can buy fresh produce such as fruit, veg, meet, chicken, fish and delicatessen products as well as speciality items such as clothing and DVDs. The busy market attracts millions of visitors per year.

5. Melbourne Cricket Ground

The Melbourne Cricket ground was founded in 1838 and is one of the best cricket venues in the world. You can take a behind-the-scenes tour to learn about the history of the cricket ground and stand on the hallowed turf. It is not only used for cricket, but also for the AFL (Aussie Rules Football)- a sport which Melburnians are particularly passionate about.

6. National Gallery of Victoria 

The National Gallery is Australia’s oldest public art gallery and celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2011. It is free to enter the gallery but you must buy tickets for the special exhibitions. Items of note in the art gallery collections include works by Constable, Auguste Rodin, George Stubbs, J.M.W Turner and Camille Pissaro. The gallery has two locations; one in Federation Square and one on St.Kilda Road. ‘The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia’ is in Federation Square and is the home of Australian art, including indigenous and non-indigenous art from the colonial period to the present day. The ‘NGV International Gallery’ on St.Kilda Road houses works from Europe, Asia, America and Oceania.

7. Southbank 

If you cross the river via the bridge to the Southbank you’ll find the Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct, which is Melbourne’s main entertainment precinct. It offers waterfront shopping, dining and an entertainment complex complete with Crown casino. Spend an afternoon strolling alongside the river and stop for something to eat or drink in one of the bars and restaurants. It’s a perfect spot for enjoying the sunshine and taking photos of the Yarra River and the Melbourne skyline.

8. Flinders St. Station

Flinders St. Station is probably the most well-known landmark in Melbourne because of its central location. It is Melbourne’s central railway station and you’ll probably use it if you catch a train to the suburbs in Victoria. This iconic building has a row of clocks above the main entrance showing the departure time of the next train on each line. The flight of steps outside the main entrance is a popular meeting place and a perfect spot to watch the trams trundling by.

9. The Melbourne Grand Prix 

If the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix happens to be taking place when you’re visiting Melbourne, this is a great day out, even if you’re not into cars. It is usually held every year in March at Albert Park, and runs over four days. Enjoy live music in the opening and closing concerts, try to grab an autograph from one of the drivers on the autograph stage and enjoy the buzz from the crowd as the cars whizz around the track. As well as the main Formula 1 race, there are other car races including Formula 5000, the Lexus celebrity challenge, the Porsche Carrera cup, the V8 supercars and the Ultimate Speed Comparison. You can also take a look at the vintage cars and race cars on display, or simply relax in the sun with a pint of beer and a burger.

10. Relax on the beach in St.Kilda

St.Kilda is Melbourne’s closest beach town so if you’re in need of your Vitamin D fix and you want to top up your tan, St. Kilda is just a tram ride away from the city centre. Take a walk along the pier, sunbathe on the beach, or take your pick of the lively bars and restaurants on Fitzroy street. This lively suburb also has a number of backpacker hostels and in the summer months attracts thousands of city dwellers and tourists looking to escape the city heat. An attraction worth visiting is Luna Park, and old amusement park featuring a retro wooden roller coaster.

Getting There

If you’re coming from Europe you can get great deals on flights from Melbourne to London. If you’re on a budget, the best way to get from the airport to the city is by taking the Skybus which operates 24/7, including on public holidays. Tickets cost $16 one way, and $26 return. The bus departs every 10 minutes and arrives at Southern Cross Station. You can purchase a ticket at the bus stop or online.

- By Victoria from Pommie Travel -

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Australia - When to travel ?

Weather

Australia’s size means there’s a lot of climatic variation, but without severe extremes. The southern third of the country has cold (though generally not freezing) winters (June to August). Tasmania and the alpine country in Victoria and NSW get particularly chilly. Summers (December to February) are pleasant and warm, sometimes quite hot. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are transition months, much the same as in Europe and North America.

 

As you head north, the climate changes dramatically. Seasonal variations become fewer until, in the far north, around Darwin and Cairns, you’re in the monsoon belt with just two seasons: hot and wet, and hot and dry. The Dry lasts roughly from April to September, and the Wet from October to March; the build-up to the Wet (from early October) is when the humidity is at its highest and when the locals confess to being at their most irritable. The centre of the country is arid – hot and dry during the day, but often bitterly cold at night.

When to go

Truth be told, any time is a good time to be somewhere in Australia. When it’s cold down south, it’s magnificent in the north and the Centre; when it’s too hot and sweaty up north, the southern states are at their natural finest. There are also the numerous festivals and other public spectacles that are on show every month, from the summertime food-and-wine banquets and large-scale concerts, through mid-year arts celebrations, to end-of-year footy finals, horse races and yachting contests.

 

The seasons in Australia are the antithesis of those in Europe and North America. Summer is December to February; the weather and longer daylight hours are tailor-made for swimming and other outdoor activities across much of the country. Summer is also school holiday period and consequently high season for most places. Unless you want to compete with hordes of grimly determined local holiday-makers in ‘Are we there yet?’ mode for road space, places on tours, seats on transport, hotel rooms, camp sites, restaurant tables and the best vantage points at major attractions, you should try to avoid Australia’s prime destinations during the peak of school (January) and public holidays. During these times, you’re also likely to encounter spontaneous rises in the price of everything from accommodation to petrol.

Winter is June to August, when temperatures drop with the latitude. This is officially designated the tourism low season for most of the country, but not the Northern Territory, Queensland and top of Western Australia. Winter in this northern stretch offers respite from the humidity of the wet season (which runs roughly from October to March, with the heaviest rain falling from January onwards; the Dry lasts from April to September) and the temperatures are highly agreeable. It’s also when roads and tracks are most accessible up north. Autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November) both enjoy a lack of climatic extremes everywhere.

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…

A willingness to use 'mate', 'no worries' and 'she’ll be right' liberally

An appetite for seafood, steak, beer (other than Fosters), barbecues and fresh fruit

A travel insurance policy covering skydiving, bungee jumping, diving, skiing, abseiling and white water rafting

Warm clothes because winter does actually occur in Australia…well, down south anyway

Extra-strength insect repellent to fend off merciless flies and mosquitoes

Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat to deflect fierce UV rays

A towel and bathers/togs/swimmers/swimming costume/cossie/trunks/Speedos/budgie smugglers…for the beach

Good maps for outback meanders and binoculars for the wildlife while you’re there

- Lonely Planet -

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