Where should I go in Australia?
It depends on how long you have and what you want to look at. The east coast is the easy first trip. Uluru and the Red Centre is the one people remember. Tasmania packs the most into the least distance, and Western Australia is the emptiest and the most spectacular. Here is how long each one needs.
Checked on 5 October 2026.
Australia is the size of Europe with a fraction of the people, so the honest answer to this question is that you pick one or two regions and do them properly rather than skating across the lot. These are the six, with what each one actually asks of you.
The six regions
| Region | What it is | How long |
|---|---|---|
| East coast | Brisbane or Sydney up to Cairns — K'gari, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The classic first trip. | 7 to 21 days |
| Red Centre | Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon. Swags under the stars and the best sunrise in the country. | 2 to 5 days |
| Top End | Kakadu, Litchfield and Arnhem Land out of Darwin. Waterfalls, rock art and crocodiles. | 1 to 5 days |
| Tasmania | Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay, Port Arthur and Bruny Island. The most variety in the least driving. | 1 to 10 days |
| Western Australia | Perth north to Monkey Mia, Ningaloo and Exmouth, or the Pinnacles in a day. Empty and extraordinary. | 1 to 24 days |
| Great Ocean Road | Out of Melbourne — the Twelve Apostles and the coast road. Does as a day or a few. | 1 to 3 days |
Live prices are on each trip's own page — follow any of the links below and they are always current.
If this is your first trip
- Two weeks? The east coast. It is set up for it, the distances are handled for you, and you will meet people doing the same run.
- One week? Pick one: Tasmania if you want variety and short drives, the Red Centre if you want the thing you will still be talking about in ten years.
- A few days between flights? The Red Centre does in three, and Kakadu in three out of Darwin.
- A month or more? East coast plus the Red Centre is the usual pairing, and the two could not be less alike.
When to go where
- The Red Centre and the Top End are best from about April to October — warm days, mild nights, little rain.
- Tasmania and the Great Ocean Road are at their best in the southern summer, December to March.
- The east coast works all year; the far north is warmest and driest from May to October.
- Western Australia north of Perth is best April to October, and the wildflowers are a spring thing.
A good place to start in each
People also ask
- What is the best way to travel the east coast of Australia?
- Where should I go in Tasmania?
- What is Uluru like month by month?
- What are the best backpacker tours in Australia?
Where this comes from. The routes, durations and prices on the trips we sell, as held on their pages here. Prices are the current from price and update on their own.