The Australian Bucket List: 7 Things You Must Do!

We've surpassed 5 years of living in the beautiful country of Australia! Throughout my time in this marvellous country, I’ve come to learn that it’s one of the most unique countries on the planet. No matter where you go, there’s something special lurking around the corner in all four corners of this great country. 

Funnily enough, this is both excellent and bad! Well, it’s only bad because it makes it super hard to come up with a travel itinerary during your trip to Australia. With so many incredible things to do, how do you decide which ones take priority? 

I thought about this for a long time, and I’ve finally come up with the ultimate Australia bucket list! Below, you’ll see a list of things to do/see that are unique to this country and simply can’t be missed:

Check Out the Great Barrier Reef

What better place to start than at one of the world’s most famous and treasured natural sights?! The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest coral reef on the planet - it spans for miles and miles. Just looking at this thing is incredible enough, but you can go one step further and get closer to it. Slap on your swimming gear, rent a snorkel and dive down below the surface. Snorkelling is so fun and easy - and it gives you a phenomenal view of the coral reef and wildlife around it. 

Or, go one step further and scuba dive instead. This requires some extra equipment, and you’ll need a guide to take you down deeper into the reef. It’s well worth it; the sight of the Great Barrier Reef as you dive deeper into the water is quite breathtaking!

Visit the Ancient Uluru

One thing I’ve learned about Australia is that it’s a place with such a deep history. Indigenous Australians are extremely proud of their heritage, and you see a lot of Indigenous culture throughout the land. But, Uluru is the most significant part of this ancient culture. Uluru is a huge sandstone monolith in the Northern Territory, sitting close to Alice Springs. People come from far and wide just to gaze at this massive rock, and you can climb it too. The red sandstone colour is unique, and it’s believed to be over 550 million years old. 

In general, journeying to this part of Australia is well worth it for all the red sand, vast natural spaces, and indigenous culture. But, if you could only do one thing while you’re near the Northern Territory, then visit Uluru and watch the sunrise from behind it. These days, with companies like Austrack Campers selling off-road campervans, you can even camp out in this neck of the woods, spending a night in a place that’s sacred to a lot of Australians. This way, you could see the sunset and the sunrise!

Please note, whilst it may be tempting to climb Uluru, this is seen as an extreme sign of disrespect to the Indigenous people. Uluru is sacred so please be respectful of the traditional landowners and DO NOT CLIMB ULURU!!

Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney boasts a variety of ‘bucket-list-worthy’ things for you to see or do. But, how can I make a list of unique attractions in Australia without including the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge? This bridge is known all over the world, and it remains a legendary part of the Sydney landscape. Some believe it’s almost the logo for the city, and you can see why. 

This bridge is massive, and it’s a work of architectural art. Be sure to get some photos of it for your Instagram page, but don’t stop there. You can actually climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and get outstanding views from the top. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing to do, and you’ll be glad you did it when you reach the top. I won’t lie, the nerves will be there at the start, but you quickly realize that everything’s safe and you’ll be fine. 

Witness the Southern Lights

Wait, what? The Southern Lights are actually a thing? No doubt this was most of your reactions upon reading that heading! I, like you, had never ever heard of the Southern Lights in my life. I’d heard of the Northern Lights - or the Aurora Borealis - but assumed that was just a unique occurrence. Well, it turns out that the South Pole has its own version - the Aurora Australis!

Similarly to its northern brother, the Southern Lights are a beauty to behold. It’s like watching a magical light show in the sky, and Australia boasts one of the best places to view it. Take a trip out to Tasmania, and you can see this magical work of art during the winter. Technically, you can see it at other points in the year - all you really need is a dark, clear night. However, wintertime (between March - September in Australia) is the best time to sneak a peak. Here, there are more dark hours, the skies can be very clear, and you get a longer look at one of the most beautiful sights in the world!

Be One with the Local Wildlife

Many people are quite scared of the animals here, mainly because they have huge spiders, crocodiles, sharks in the sea, and a lot of other dangerous critters! If you haven't read my post Is Australia Really That Deadly? make sure you give it a read. It will help you get over some of your Aussie animal fears. 

But, Australia is also home to some interesting and adorable animals as well. Take the Quokka, for example, a native inhabitant on Rottnest Island. There’s no way of describing this animal other than that they’re extremely cute. This kind of look like tiny bears mixed with another sort of animal - it’s hard to explain! All I know is that they have innocent little eyes and a permanent smile on their faces. They like humans too, so you can take plenty of selfies. 

Then, there are kangaroos - how can you forget about them?! These critters are icons of the Australian country, and you will find them pretty much everywhere you go. All it takes is a bit of research, and you’ll find a lovely place to journey to and watch the kangaroos in their natural habitat. Plus, if you go on a tour with an expert handler, they can help you feed the kangaroos too! 

As if that wasn’t enough, you’ve got koala’s too! These adorable bears are just so soft and cute - it’s unreal. The best part is, you can hug them! Again, like kangaroos, they can be found in loads of places and parks throughout the land. 

Drive Along the Great Ocean Road

Australia is packed full of scenic routes that will show you some of the natural wonders of the country. But, no route is as famous as the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Here, you have around 413 miles of road to take you from Torquay all the way to Port Fairy. The amount of views you’ll see during the 9.5-hour drive is insane. You’ll be driving around cliff tops looking out across the ocean, be close to a volcanic crater, and even see some of the lovely wildlife I mentioned above.  

Technically, you could do the drive in a day. However, I don’t recommend it. Driving for that long will make you tired, and you’ll lose some of the joy. Also, the best part of this drive is stopping at the various little places along the way. There’s a zip-line that takes you across a treetop canopy, restaurants on top of cliffs, and a fair few surfing hotspots as well. My advice is to look at the various Great Ocean Road touring routes online and find one that lets you see as much as possible. It’s the ideal excuse for an Australian road trip!

Scale Australia’s Biggest Mountain

Fancy a bit of a physical and mental challenge? Right, I suggest scaling the Kosciuszko mountain in New South Wales. It’s the biggest mountain in Australia, but there are walking routes that make it easier. So, you don’t have to worry about clinging to the side of a giant rock, like some mental mountain climber! You get stunning views of the surrounding landscape, and it’s a rewarding experience too. 

If you don’t like the sound of all that walking - it’s about 6-8 hours in total - then there’s a cheat for you too. Nearby, you’ll find a chairlift that takes you all the way to the top of the mountain. Not quite as rewarding, granted, but an excellent option if you’re strapped for time. Some of you may not have many days in Australia, so you need a little cheat like this to help you tick as many things off this list as possible. 

The incredible thing about this list is that I’ve still had to leave off a few absolute gems that Australia can offer. Seriously, if you manage to tick off all the things from this list, then you’ve done an incredible job! They all offer up special experiences that show you the uniqueness of this beautiful country. Those of you that are in Australia for an extended stay should make it your mission to complete this bucket list. If you’re only travelling for a week or so, then it might be harder to do. In which case, pick your favourite ideas and get them ticked off!

Have you ever travelled to Australia? What were your favourite sights? Tell us about them in the comments below. 

And until next time...

Stay Curious