Backpacking in Australia

• Backpacking in Australia
• Budget
• Routen

Backpacking in Australia means adventure, Aussie lifestyle, endless expanses, deserts, mountains, sea and freedom. These, at least, are some of the terms that come with a backpack.

trip through Australia can be linked. Maybe you could also associate dangerous animals, Aborigines, sheep, beer and some others with Down Under, as Australia is also called. Backpacking through the 5th continent, which also means having to cover gigantic distances. From east to west or from north to south, there can be 2000 to 4000 km and more.

But if you want to discover Australia’s highlights like Cairns and the tropical north, Queensland including Fraser Island or the cultural metropolis Melbourne and surroundings as well as the lively Sydney and New South Wales and last but not least the seemingly endless Northern Territory, you should take your time. Maybe even plan his trip.

However, plan if you only have a certain amount of time available. If you’re tramping through Aussie Land for a long time, you should just let yourself drift to absorb the peculiarities of every corner of the country. Explore the different national parks or travel the Summerland Way and Lions Road. You’ll get to know the country from many different cultural and geographical angles.

If you need an Australia backpacker checklist, you need to know for yourself. If you only travel to the Australian cities, you certainly don’t need them. Nobody can tell you whether it’s worth making a tour of Australia in two months, because there are travelers who stay where they please and are just as happy as those who must have seen it all.

The best way to get around is by train, hitchhike, with your own locally bought or rented car or by intercity bus. An alternative to quickly bridging long distances are domestic flights, which are quite affordable.

Traveling down under, you’ll enjoy a variety of Australian delicacies, which often have their origins in immigrant cuisine. You will certainly drink Foster beer and Billy Tea. Also enjoy an extensive nightlife offer in the metropolises if required. Australians love to celebrate.

The cost of living and travel are not without it. Remember that you can only work as a long-term traveler in Australia with a Working Holiday Visa. You travel to a usually safe country, at least as far as crime is concerned. Be prepared for the fact that the climate is roughly the opposite than in Europe. And then there is another strong difference between the North and the South.

You don’t have to worry about the supply of cash unless you’re going to the desert. But you don’t need one there either. There are plenty of cash dispensers. Your European mobile phones should work in almost all cases in every region of the country. An exception is the deepest interior of the country. Then you need a satellite telephone. If you are longer in the country, get an Australian prepaid card. This will reduce your costs.

Culture in Australia

Although a partly unique flora and fauna has formed on the Australian continent due to the separation of the land mass, this can only be said to a limited extent of human culture. From the original Australia culture, as it is lived by the Aborigines since primeval times, there is only little left. Those who are interested in the life and misery of the aborigines need only enter the term “Terra Nullius” (no man’s land). Under this phrase the indigenous people lost all their rights.

European and American commercial culture dominates everywhere else. Not exactly the best, says a saying, have founded Australia. Because the country was once only a prison colony. 92% of the population are of European descent, with strong British origins. But also German roots are often to be found among the Australians. It is also striking that 92 percent of the inhabitants live in cities.

But otherwise look forward to a friendly people who know how to give to their guests.

More Backpacker Information about Australia

Australia is the ultimate backpacker country when it comes to adventure. However, you will need some small change in order to do an Australia Backpacker Tour over a longer period of time. During the Australian peak season, the overnight and supply prices in certain regions can increase strongly. Between 50 and 80 Euros per day should be enough to see the most interesting Australian highlights including admissions and to make ends meet. Take advantage of discounts on national Australia travel and transport sites. Avoid the tourist spots in the high season.

Australia has a lot of adventure and cultural programmes in store for backpackers. Whether by train, plane, rental car or bike, you can visit mega-modern cities, endless beaches and the almost untouched outback inland. Depending on the season and location, take the right backpacker gear with you.

Australia has never been a cheap travel destination. Those who travel during the main travel season have to dig deep into their pockets. But also otherwise the Traveln in Down Under is quite cost-intensive. Stay away from the absolute tourist highlights in summer and stay overnight on free or very cheap campsites, especially in the middle of the country…

Australia is not a gourmet country, but it also has a lot to offer in terms of culinary delights, which are not available elsewhere. Bush Food is the food of the Aborigines, which gains more and more importance in the local cuisine. You can choose between strong wines and good beers.

During your backpacker adventure trip through Australia you can expect ancient tribes, challenging dirt roads, a seemingly endless country, fantastic beaches and many adventures, which you can experience on the so-called tracks. What you should have seen, plus some worthwhile Australian secret tips you’ll find below…

As a German citizen you have to apply for a visa before the Australia Backpacker trip. This can also be done virtually. Make sure that your identity documents are valid. Problems with tropical infectious diseases can occur, as well as the risk of coming into contact with dangerous animals. In Australia you will find first class medical care.

Backpacker Budget in Australia

If you want to backpack through Australia, you should have a strong financial backing ready depending on the duration of your trip, because neither the travel nor the cost of living are cheap. When it comes to the cost of living, you can roughly apply Western European standards.

A beer costs the same as in a German pub. That also applies to a coffee or soft drinks – cut mind you. For a bus ticket in the city you simply pay around 2 – 3 Euro. This also applies to the start of a taxi, after which you have to pay 1.5 euros per kilometre driven. The travel costs for longer distances can, however, be reduced considerably. Look for flight passports, bus passports and train passports on the websites of the local transport companies.

An alternative is the rental car. Small, economical rental cars cost between 40 and 50 euros a day. This means you are free and independent of time schedules. Staying overnight is cheapest in the backpacker hostels. From 10 Euro there’s a bed in a dorm. But also in Australia you have to expect a high and a low season at certain places. The prices for a bed can be much higher during the high season.

Basically, when planning your budget you have to assume that you will need at least 1500 Euros per month as a saver. If you want to get a bit more, also in terms of comfort and cuisine, and want to see more from time to time, then you should better plan on 2500 to 3000 Euros for your backpacker tour through Australia.

Costs for the bus

The transport costs you have to pay for are covered by the various passports. If you concentrate on the bus when backpacking through Australia, then check out the websites of the bus companies Firefly Express, greyhound.com.au, Murrays and Australia Wide Coaches for bus passes.

Costs for domestic flights

Flying in Australia is quite cheap. This is because the Down Under is one of the countries with the densest flight network in the world. There are airports everywhere. From an estimated 400 airports you can fly across the country. Cheap domestic flights can be found on the websites of airlines such as Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Tiger Airways Australia, Qantaslink, Regional Express, Skywest, Airnorth, Skytrans Airlines, Sharp Airlines or Northern Territory Air Services.

Rail costs

Apart from Tasmania, where there are no railway lines, you can also travel Australia by train. However, there are cheap all-Australia rail passes rarely or not at all. But you will find regional train passes. Look for the East Coast Discovery Pass, the Rail Explorer Pass, the Trans Australia GSR + NS Pass or the Ausrail Pass. For one month you have to calculate about 400 – 600 Euro. Here is a selection of other railway passes in Australia statravel.co.uk.

Backpacker Route in Australia

When backpacking through Australia you have to think in different dimensions. You traverse an entire continent. Distances between the most important cities from 2000 to 4000 kilometers are in it. That is as far as from Athens to Lisbon. Some cattle and sheep ranches alone have dimensions of German federal states. Apart from strange cattle and breeding animals, you rarely meet a human being.

Australian cowboys drive the herds with helicopters and cross machines because of the dimensions. But there is also a lot to see, because the geography and the flora and fauna are multi-faceted. As far as architecture is concerned, Australia also has some highlights to offer. In order to see as much as possible, you either have to bring a lot of time for your backpacker adventure or fly.

Route 1: The Classic

Spend a few days in each of Australia’s largest cities. Choose from Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, Melbourne – the capital of Victoria, Canberra – the provincial capital, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Perth.

• 1-3 days bathing, snorkelling or diving at the Great Barrier Reef
• 1-2 days exploring Fraser Island
• Dive into the Outback for 3 days
• 2 days exploring the Blue Mountains with the Three Sisters
• 1 day Ayers Rock – a must visit in Australia
• 1 day natural spectacle Wave Rock
• A few days each in one of the national parks Broadwater National Park, Bundjalung National Park or Guy Fawkes River National Park.
• Translate 2 days shortly after Tasmania
• 1 day Kangaroo Island

Route 2: Backpacker Intensive Trip (up to 40 days and more)

Spend a few days in each of Australia’s largest cities. Choose from Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, Melbourne – the capital of Victoria, Canberra – the provincial capital, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Perth.

• 1-3 days bathing, snorkelling or diving at the Great Barrier Reef
• 1-2 days exploring Fraser Island
• Dive into the Outback for 3 days
• 2 days exploring the Blue Mountains with the Three Sisters
• 1 day Ayers Rock – a must visit in Australia
• 1 day natural spectacle Wave Rock
• A few days each in one of the national parks Broadwater National Park, Bundjalung National Park or Guy Fawkes River National Park.
• Translate 2 days shortly after Tasmania
• 1 day Kangaroo Island
• 2 – 4 days Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park
• A few weeks riding the Summerland Way and the Lions Road
• One week to explore the Great Ocean Walk
• 1 day 12 Apostles visit rock formation

Travel Times in Australia

Because of the large dimensions it is not easy to give a detailed overview of the Australian climate in a few sentences. In any case, everything from the base is reversed than in Europe. If it is summer in Europe, it is winter in Australia. Which does not mean that it snows there. There is no optimal travel time for the backpacking adventure in Australia.

You will always find warm and dry regions. In the north the rainy season is at the beginning of the year. Basically you travel according to desire and weather the different climate zones. On the east coast and in eastern Australia it is quite nice in April, the south and Tasmania you travel better from October to March. October and November are recommended for the tropical regions in the north.

Backpacker accommodations in Australia

A part of your backpacker budget will certainly go for the accommodation costs. It’s really worth thinking about whether renting a car (depending on your budget and the number of people you have) is not the cheaper option. A bed in a hostel of the middle price range costs between 17 and 30 Euros depending on the season. In Sydney you can certainly get close to the price. In the summer time, the price can be much higher. Which does not mean that there are not also cheaper hostels.

Nevertheless, if you rent a car for 40 Euro, you have a roof over your head and are flexible. Put your tent in the trunk or squeeze into the back seat. Sleep next to the car? Why not? That makes you free. That makes you free and independent. You can also look around for bed and breakfasts or hotels. Hotels, however, are not always the same as hotels that you know from Europe. So it’s better to look around for motels. The prices, however, are not exactly a piece of cake. You can certainly also search for cheap private accommodation on the well-known apartment brokerage sites. Whether you will find them remains to be doubted – in relation to a tight backpacker budget.

Camping in Australia

Camping is definitely an alternative for backpacking through Australia. You will definitely find campsites close to the most important highlights. So also in the Blue Mountains, at the Capricorn Coast, at the Coral Coast, at the Fraser Coast and the Gold Coast, along the Great Ocean Road, in the Hunter Valley and in the Snowy Mountains and along the Sunshine Coast. But camping in Australia isn’t that cheap either.

You have to calculate between 20 and 30 Euro for the easy places. This is not a cardboard stick to be allowed to pitch a small tent. The cheapest alternative is certainly couchsurfing. You have to look around for a bed in time when you are heading for the big cities. Here is a list of cheap campsites all over Australia australiancampsites.com.au

Backpacker Trips, Tips & Highlights in Australia

Backpacking on the 5th continent has a lot to experience and discover. Just because of the different time, climate and geography zones and the vastness of the country, backpackers have adventures waiting for you that you won’t be able to experience again. The usual Aussi Travel highlights belong on every visitor agenda, including a detour to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra or Cairns.

Then the Gold Coast has to be ripped off, a snorkeling or divetrip at the Great Barrier Reef has to be planned and a trip to Ayers Rock and the Outback has to be made. It is best to approach these destinations with the so-called tracks. These are tours that run over seemingly endless highways. For this you need a rental car. Here are some of the best tracks through Australia:

• Eyre Highway from Port Augusta to Norseman.
• Gibb River Road
• Oodnadatta Track from Marla to Coward Springs & Marree
• Great Ocean Road in the south of Victoria
• Lake Eyre National Park, which can be reached via Birdsville and Oodnadatta Track.

Backpacker Highlights

One of the absolute backpacker adventures might be a tour through the interior of Australia. You’ll have to penetrate deep into the Northern Territory. Then travel the distance from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek and let the Australian desert with its unique flora and fauna affect you. But be careful when planning the trip. Seemingly endless kilometres await you. Be prepared for it. A section leads through the Tanami Desert. Almost 40 000 km² hardly anything wait for you. You should use banks, Wifi, gas stations and food restocking in Alice Springs.

Also a backpacker trip with the East Coast Discovery Pass has its charms. There are other rail passes like the Rail Explorer Pass and the Ausrail Pass that you can use. You can also load the rental car onto a train for a section of the route on so-called motorcycles.

You should try surfing on the Gold Coast or plan a riding tour through sections.

Backpacker insider tips

Those who like it adventurous will leave the Kalumburu Road. It goes fully over dirt roads on the most remote routes of Australia. Almost 300 km of off-road roads also lead past the Mitchell River National Park. However, you need a permit from either the Department of Indigenous Affairs or the Department of Environment and Conservation.

At your destination, in Kalumburu, you will encounter the original Australia. But there is not much going on in the 350 soul nest. You can stay overnight partially free of charge on simple camping sites, which lie on the route. If you want to stay longer in Australia and are looking for work (on a voluntary basis), you can take a look at the websites of Australian Volunteers, World Wildlife Fund and WWOOF Australia.

Food & Drinks in Australia

Australia is certainly not a gourmet country. As in almost all major recent immigrant countries, local cuisine is determined by the influences of immigrant groups. Even the modern Australian cuisine promoted by the Aussis is only a collection of well-known recipes that are newly packaged. Basis of the Down Under kitchen is the English kitchen. Yes and what to say about that. This is also not exactly known as skin cuisine. This does not mean that there are no local delicacies to enjoy during the Australian backpacking adventure.

What a pity that the really indigenous Aborigines cooking art can be tried almost nowhere. If you are looking for it, you have to look out for Bush Food or Bush Tucker recipes. The well-known fast food chains with their monotonous dishes, on the other hand, are available in every city. In addition there are a few local chains like the chicken chain Red Rooster.

All about food

The Pavlova dessert, by the way, is considered a national dish. The Aussis also make a lot with kiwi. But neither in the neighbouring country New Zealand nor in Australia itself is the kiwi fruit endemic, because it comes from China. Much meat is consumed and this in different recipes like Meat pie and Sausage roll. While the first one is pâté, the Rolls are small and medium sausages in puff pastry.

If you want to try something completely Australian, you should look around for the Vegemite spread, which is made from yeast extracts. However, it takes some getting used to for European palates. When it comes to enjoying meat, you can choose from low-fat kangaroo, emu, crocodile and ostrich dishes in a variety of ways. The offer compensates for many things. Macadamia nut is a delicious nut that is often used in desserts.

What to drink there

Wine and beer are abundant in Australia. But the country is not only convincing with mass, Down Under can also inspire with class in this respect. Australian wines are among the best on the world market. Australians are also known as beer cows. Hardly anyone is averse to a cool blonde. You should know that in restaurants marked “BYO”, which stands for “Bring your own”, you can bring your own drinks with you. More than a small cork fee will not be charged for this. If you see an establishment with the inscription “fully licensed”, then it offers alcoholic beverages itself.

 

Backpacker Visa and Vaccinations in Australia

As a German citizen you need a Work and Travel Visa Australia, which you can also apply for online. The Australian visa fees are about 230 AU$. Take your time, as the application can take between 2 days and 4 weeks. During your backpacker trip in Australia make sure that your identity papers are complete and up to date. According to the German Foreign Office, you will need the following entry documents in order to enter Australia without any problems. German citizens can enter Australia with the following documents:

• Passport: Yes
• Provisional Passport: Yes
• Identity card: No
• Temporary identity card: No
• Child passport: Yes
• Comments: Each child needs their own ID document.

Visa

As a German citizen, you need a special visa for Australia, which must be obtained before departure.

Medical Information & Vaccinations

Due to its geographical location, Australia has to contend with tropical diseases and viruses. In addition, it can come to momentous contacts with poisonous and aggressive animals, including sharks, snakes, spiders, jellyfish, marine animals, crocodiles, etc.. Japanese encephalitis is as well known as dengue. In the event of an illness or travel accident during your backpacker trip, you can hope for good medical care throughout Australia. Remember that your vaccination pass is complete and up to date.