How much of Australia have you seen?

Pisco Sour

Chatting to a lot of Aussies, and generally, the vast majority of them have seen very little of their own country. Many of them have never even heard of some of their most beautiful landmarks, such as Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle. I found it fascinating that so many people here don't even leave their state.

So it got me thinking, what about people here on 457s, PRs or Citizenship? How much of the country have you seen? Have you explored at all since emigrating here? Where do you most want to go? With regards seeing Australia, have you fallen into the Australian attitude towards seeing the place, or being a foreigner, do you have that extra curiosity and desire to travel this continent?

JimmyCrackCorn

On a 457

Blue mountains and parts of Sydney in six weeks.

Need to hold on to holidays to visit the family at some stage and taking loads of time off from work to see OZ is not a good way to remain employed.

Honestly I didn't come here for a holiday. I came here to Surf badly and start a new life.

NothingMan

I did come here to travel and see this side of the world but ended up waiting for one of those stupid female types that snared me just before I left. So been here 4 months. Spent 2 weeks in Sydney which I was glad to leave and been in Melbourne since. I love it here and have done loads of stuff but the only other place I've been was a overnight about half way down the Great Ocean Road.

The girl will be here in 1 week though and I'll be back in Sydney, maybe a few nights in the blue mountains then travel up the east coast. Will be doing regional work at some point and Perth. Plan on seeing New Zealand within the year and Asia on the way home maybe.

It is a crazy mentality here. Several people I work with have barely been outside Victoria and don't particularly intend to. I know we have it easy in Europe with so many countries and cultures on our door step but even Tasmania etc... they have no interest in.

6ix

04072511 wrote: »

I found it fascinating that so many people here don't even leave their state.

In fairness, very few Irish people use their leave to explore their own country either. I know you can't compare Ireland to Aus, but you can imagine that when the Aussies save up their annual leave and money they like to use it to go somewhere 'different' too. It's probably almost as expensive for them to holiday at home as it is to go abroad, especially with the strong Aussie dollar. It was the same with Ireland a few years ago (maybe still?!!). Four of my Aussie colleagues are going to either the US or Europe over the next 2 months or so, for example.

04072511 wrote: »

So it got me thinking, what about people here on 457s, PRs or Citizenship? How much of the country have you seen?

I'm on a 457. Travelling around Australia was one of my goals before I arrived here on a WHV (and it still is), but I got a decent job and sponsorship which was too good to refuse. I travelled for a few months on the way here, but haven't gone anywhere outside of the Greater Sydney area since I arrived in December due to work/saving my annual leave for a trip home this Christmas.

However, I have no intention of staying here long-term and I want to see as much of the place as I can while I am here so I'm planning to spend around 10 weeks travelling between Aus/NZ next year before heading further afield.

Pisco Sour

6ix wrote: »

In fairness, very few Irish people use their leave to explore their own country either. I know you can't compare Ireland to Aus, but you can imagine that when the Aussies save up their annual leave and money they like to use it to go somewhere 'different' too. It's probably almost as expensive for them to holiday at home as it is to go abroad, especially with the strong Aussie dollar. It was the same with Ireland a few years ago (maybe still?!!). Four of my Aussie colleagues are going to either the US or Europe over the next 2 months or so, for example.

Yeh that's true, though I'm more referring to those people who don't go abroad OR bother leaving their state, of which there are many. I wouldn't go so far to say Australians are as bad as Americans as you do see a lot of Aussies travelling around the world. I always thought they were a nation that loves their travel, but since coming here I've been amazed by how so many people are just not bothered to go anywhere new at all, and their holidays usually are down at their beach houses a couple of hours down the road, or a fishing or camping trip an hour away. Not that any of that is a bad thing. Different cultures maybe. I just find it a bit strange that people here dont seem to have any urge to see some of the amazing wonders of the world that Australia posess.

dave3004

I'm on 457 and ain't seen much.

Lived in Port Douglas for 2 months before travelling down the East Coast.

I live in Melbourne now. Have done a few weekends in Sydney & G.O.R

Would like to see more but very expensive to get anywhere decent.

jank

I concur with the above points. It is easy for Irish people to travel as Europe is on the door step yet many of us never venture there. E.g. I have never been to Italy for example or any of the Scandanavian countries, Never been in the North either but have been in over 30 other countries. Just the way things pan out.
I came here on a 457 visa intially. Arrived on the Sunday, started work on the Monday. So travel wasnt on my mind initally. It is very differernt here than to NZ where I have travelled extensively. Been pretty much everywhere in NZ apart from Stewart Island and the Caitlins. NZ is much more accessable than Australia due to distances. Also, costs. Very very very expensive to travel around Australia.

However, saying that I have been to Melbourne a fair few times, Perth, Down the south Coast of NSW, little bit of North Coast of Sydney (up to Forestor) and all over Tasmania but I feel I have done feck all because the country is do big, yet I have probably done more than 80% of Aussies.

Anyway, now that I have PR, I can relax a little and plan out some travelling next year maybe, it all goes towards the passport anyway!

catbear

I would like to see some of the australia sights mentioned here in posts but the thoughts of driving for days just fills me with meh. Which is why I'd rather save my time off for trip to NZ where the scenery is far more varied in shorter distances.
Actually my original plan was to move to NZ but I've only made as far as Perth.

zweton

Saving at the moment to do some travelling, thinking of basing myself in Brisbane around July whem my contract is up. Use that to explore some parts of the east coast, fraser islands etc. Is this a good idea or would i be better off exploring from another city?

Xavi6

Citizen (born here, grew up in Ireland, moved back)

Live in Perth, have done a lot of WA - Margaret River, Dunsborough, Busselton, Bunbury to the south, Jurien Bay, Pinnacles, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Monkey Mia, Exmouth, Broome to the north.

Have also done the Great Ocean and have driven from Sydney to Brisbane to Gold Coast then back to Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide and back to Melbourne in 11 days. Have been to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast a number of other times as well. Also scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef when I went to Hayman Island, and I've done Fraser too.

I consider myself well enough travelled but there's plenty more to do and that's why I love it here.

Cooperspale

I have seen quite a bit of Australia considering it is the size of Europe. I wonder how many irish people would have travelled to all 32 counties ??? I think I've been to 30.
Former backpacker and now citizen.
Being a backpacker gives you a whole lot more freedom to go and see stuff; work 3 months, travel 6+ weeks etc. These days you get a long weekend or a week or 2 and as others have said its not cheap. Friends of mine holiday in Bali SE Asia over winter rather than heading to TNQ, works out a lot cheaper.
Would be silly to list everywhere so a brief outline to give an idea...

WA: north to Exmouth, south to Albany, SE to Esperance (beautiful!) and east to Kalgoorlie (the original frontier experience). Yet to visit Broome, bungle bungles

NT: Uluru and usual sights, Alice north to Darwin, worked in Tennant Creek and Katherine, through work visited Aboriginal camps on Crown land (a different world) Darwin and surrounds though missed Kakadu because of the wet. Instead went fishing in Shady Camp, serious barra, some crocs and lots of leeches.
Yet to see Kakadu

QLD: Port Douglas south to Coolangatta. Worked in Cairns 3 month, went out on reef, local islands a fair bit. Been to Fraser and missed whale watching at Hervey bay twice. Rainbow beach for camping and 4wd is great. Driven the inland road from Stanthorpe to Sunshine coast, relatives have a vineyard in granite belt. Curious about Cooktown,Birdsville and Mt Isa

NSW: Byron to Sydney, coast road to Melbourne (worth a go) relatives in Dubbo, Wagga so have driven a lot of back country to vary each visit both from Sydney and Melb. Yet to see broken hill and funnily enough the hunter valley and follow the Murray river west of yarrawonga to Murray Bridge

ACT : great war museum in Canberra. Yet to ski there

TAS: driven it twice but yet to go south to huonville. Area around Strahan is pretty and Cradle mountain is awesome. Try pricing bay of fires walk and accom!!!

Vic: worked in Nhill (truck stop in the wheat belt) been to most wine areas (king valley I do like), love the bakery in Glenrowan (far better than fuel stops on Hume hwy) Grampians are great for hiking as is around Bright, the drive over Alpine NP in summer is cool. Lakes entrance. Check out the pies in Bairnsdale bakery. The coast around Wilson's prom is nice. Yet to see the NW and Port Fairy

SA: Adelaide and surrounds and Kangaroo island (fantastic place) Yet to see the Coorong

And would like to visit some islands: king, Lord Howe, Norfolk, Cocos Keeling
So still lots to see just need some $$$$

Traq

I came over here on a WHV with the intention to travel around the country and I reckon I've made a decent stab at it. I've driven a full loop of the country, starting and ensuing in Melbourne, over the course of six months. I've also done a trip through the centre taking in the usual sites there. The only place that remains to be seen is Tassie, for some reason I've never made it down there, which is strange given the fact that it's pretty easy to get to from Melbourne!

I've got PR now so I'll be sticking around here a bit longer so I may get to Tasmania yet.

Edit: Forgot to add, I've also lived all over the country, both Sydney and Perth for three months, Brisbane for a year, and Melbourne for approx three years.

jackbhoy

Drove from Darwin to Kalgoorlie via Broome, Perth, MR, Esperance etc, then on to Adelaide and Melbourne. Spent 6 weeks driving around Victoria in 2009 as well. WA is still my favourite part of Aus so far for travel but can't beat Melbourne for living.

This is my second spell in Aus and haven't been on east coast at all yet, although have wedding coming up in Brissie and hoping to get to Sydney for Bledisloe cup this year.

Tasmania is where I really wanna go next, wanna do the overland track with gf and hoping to cycle the GOR from Warnambool to Melbourne in spring.

mandrake04

I have been here over 7 years and travel a lot with work...and I mean a lot.

With the exceptions of NT and some country parts of Victoria I reckon I have been to places that most people here have not even heard of never mind visited, any reasonable town you can think of that has any kind of emergency hospital or Medical centre chances are I have probably been there mostly NSW & ACT but I do the Annual leave and training cover for the guys in WA, SA, TAS & QLD. I also tend to arrange my own travel and work schedule, I use this to my advantage.

Outside of work have travelled heaps have done most the usual big trips and attractions already mentioned in my first few years and done some again with wife and visiting family over the last few years, pretty much the usual done it and got the T-Shirt... next lady for a shave.

Pisco Sour

Good to hear of people's adventures and experiences.

For me this is my 2nd time in Australia, Was here for a month in 2009 when I did Sydney, and an Outbacl trip from Adelaide to Alice.

WA: Did an Adventure Tours 21 day tour from Perth to Darwin, with the majority of it being in WA. Went through the Pinnacles, Kalbarri National Park, Shark Bay (Shell Beach, Hamelin Pool, Moneky Mian), some amazing blowholes that dont even have a name, Ningaloo Reef at Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay, Exmouth, camping in Kairijini National Park (stunning!), then onto Broome, and amazing Cable Beach. Then up through the Kimberley, along the Gibb River Road, and on to the Bungle Bungles (sensational!), then Lake Argyle, and Kunannara, before entering NT. Lots of random towns and roadhouses along the way.

NT: The usual suspects back in 2009 in the Red Centre as part of an Adventure Tours trip from Adelaide to Alice: Uluru, Kata-Tjuta, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs. Also did a day trip into the West MacDonnell Ranges. This time around spent a night in Katherine, but we were all gorged out at this stage so didn't spend much time at Katherine Gorge. Stayed in Darwin for a few days and did a trip through Mary River (to see lots of crocs in the wild up close) and Kakadu National Park. We stopped briefly in Litchfield, but didn't see much.

SA: Spent a day in Adelaide and ventured out to Glenelg, a pretty seaside suburb. Spent 2 nights in Quorn, and explored the Flinders Ranges, which included Wilpena Pound and Dutchman's Stern. Then up to the crazy town of Coober Pedy, where everybody lives underground. Lot of stunning wilderness through each of these 3 states.

NSW: Spent 2 weeks in Sydney in 2009. My mates were on a WHV there at the time so stayed with them. Got the whole goon crap out of my system in the first week, and have never touched the stuff since. Saw all the best bits of Sydney: Harbour Bridge Climb, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Darling Harbour, Wildlife World and Aquarian, Bondi Beach (spent 1 hour there, don't understand the fuss), and a nice day out in Manly. Did a great tour of Sydney Cricket Ground, and went to a Swans game there (back when I was intrigued about the idea of AFL!). Thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sydney. It's a super holiday destination. Also took a trip out to Blue Mountains, and ventured north to Gosford for the Reptile Park, and on to Port Stephens for dolphin watching, and Sandboarding. Haven't seen any of the rest of NSW.

VIC: Have lived in Melbourne for quite awhile now. 6 months at the start of 2011, and now for the last 5 months since finishing Regional Work. Have done a good bit of travel in VIC also: Grampians, Great Ocean Road, Point Nepean National Park, Wilson's Prom. Did my regional work in Dunkeld, Alexandra, Broadford and Glenrowan, which I didn't enjoy, but got to see a lot of those local areas and went camping with an Aussie family which was nice. Glenrowan is an awful dive though!

ACT: Haven't been yet

QLD: Haven't been yet

TAS: Haven't been yet but have a 3 day trip to Hobart planned for the end of May (a city break )

markymark21

Wow I'm dizzy after reading all the places you folks have been. I lived in melbourne for six months and did the great ocean road and tasi. On holidays now and so far we've been to Fiji, Sydney port Macquarie, coffs ($hit)and soon to be Byron, surfers and then Bali.. Then on to the Margaret river to do our regional!

The missus is more keen then me to go travelling. Personally im happy Workin in a city makin decent money then just takin a weekend off or what ever. We've been on holidays for 3 and a half weeks and I'm ****ing sick of carrying around this poxy suitcase

Zambia

I went to the shops today...

The Aussie

Well someone on a long Holiday is naturally going to see more places than someone with permanent ties and commitments, a Mortgage and Children sap time and money faster than any known thing in the history of mankind.

Jimoslimos

A lot done, a lot more to do!

Whilst backpacking circumnavigated the entire country in my trusty 4wd, taking in all the mainland states (never got to Tassie, would love to someday!)

Sydney --- Cairns --- Uluru --- Darwin --- Broome --- Perth ---Adelaide --- Melbourne --- Sydney

and a lot inbetween, but that was the overview of the route for a year, a few extended stops in some places.

ellaq

Most Australians I know simply cannot afford to travel. Once you add children and a mortgage you chances of taking the kids to the Bungle Bungles are remote.

I saw most of the country when I was on my WHV. We have only taken the kids interstate once. It is just too expensive.

irishmover

457. FIFO or DIDO mostly so I get to see a lot. Been here 6 months and seen strzelecki desert, Simpson desert, just outside coober pedy a mine at a DOD facility and am currently working on an access track which follows the trans Australian train line east of kalgoorlie.

Got paid to drive the nullabor. Seen a lot of central Australia to be honest. So many towns I've seen already... The most ridiculous one was coober pedy though. Flying over it is just drill holes everywhere. House built into hills. Underground hotels. Was a strange one.

Seen some amazing storms. Best storms to see are in the deserts. Can see a couple 100k into the distance and lightning everywhere. Amazing stuff at night.

Tigerandahalf

When I was there I did Tas, Adelaide and Darwin in week breaks. All were great places to see and travel around. Also did the whole East coast. Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also. I wanted to work to travel while there and I was v happy that I managed to do as much as I did even though I was hoping to do West coast, Uluru and onto NZ and Asia. You would want at least 2 years to do all these and have flexible work arrangements, at least not career tied.
I found a lot of the Aussies hadn't travelled for various reasons. Many like the Americans simply have everything they need in their own state. If the Irish had the weather in summer how many of us would travel? Since I have come back I realised how little of Ireland I had seen given how tiny it is. I'm now trying to see a different part whenever I can. And Ireland is fantastic. Just a little bit of nice weather and it is hard to beat. The tourism chiefs should have some fancy ad with various people saying how many counties they have visited...it is something that you don't see a lot of in tourism advertising here.
Once you have kids and mortgage though your time and money to travel are in short supply, so enjoy it while you can and get out and see the place.

CiaranC

04072511 wrote: »

Chatting to a lot of Aussies, and generally, the vast majority of them have seen very little of their own country.

This is pretty normal. If it wasnt for my parents taking me round Ireland when I was a kid, I would have seen more of Oz than of Ireland at this point. If its gonna cost you a couple of grand to fly the family off somewhere you would propbably go somewhere a bit exotic.

Pisco Sour

CiaranC wrote: »

This is pretty normal. If it wasnt for my parents taking me round Ireland when I was a kid, I would have seen more of Oz than of Ireland at this point. If its gonna cost you a couple of grand to fly the family off somewhere you would propbably go somewhere a bit exotic.

Yes but my point is (probably didnt make it clear enough) is that so many Australian people who haven't seen much of their own country, also have never been overseas either. It's a mindset I just cant understand. And we're not just talking people with mortgages here. Plenty of young, single people with no responsibilities have rarely ventured out anywhere either, from my experiences of people that I have met anyway.

CiaranC

Yeah lots of Aussies dont travel. But then again they live far, far away.

That said, the Aussies I met while travelling the rest of the world were among my favourite people ever. They were one of the reasons I went to live there.

Bogwarryor

Everywhere, been here 8 years of the last 14. Broome, Cairns, Nimbin & great ocean rd would be up there for me!