Sharing the best Australia travel tips that everyone should know before they go to the land down under for the first time! Make sure you learn from my experiences so you don’t have to repeat the same mistakes.
Australia is one of my favorite countries I’ve ever visited. I felt really safe there, even as a solo female traveler, and there was so much to see and do.
I already cannot wait to go back. There are so many other places and cities I didn’t get to visit on my first trip that I am dying to go see!
Although there were a lot of similarities between Australia and the United States, there were definitely a few things that really surprised me. Here are my 10 most essential Australia travel tips you need to know before you go!
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Regardless of the type of travel you’re doing to Australia, you will need a visa unless you have an Australian passport! And note that you will need to apply for a visa from outside of Australia!
For more information on Australian visas and how to apply, check out the ultimate Australia travel guide.
2. Australians drive and walk on the left side.
Remember to walk on the left side of the sidewalk when you’re exploring Australian cities! Otherwise you might get some strange looks from people, and even run the risk of bumping into someone.
If you’re planning on renting a car, I recommend practicing in the parking lot before you head out onto the roads. A friend gave me a good tip too – to chant “left, left, left” every time you make a turn to condition yourself to stay on the correct side!
Renting a car and driving on the left side for the first time is not as challenging as you think it would be.
I was nervous to rent a car, but ended up doing so in Cairns for 4 days and didn’t get into any accidents or hit any mailboxes.
3. Tipping is not expected in Australia.
Compared to the United States, where tipping has gotten a bit out of hand in my opinion, Australia has one of the highest minimum wages in the world and tips are not expected or usual. There is rarely even a place to write in a tip on a credit card bill.
However, if your service was above and beyond outstanding and you feel really inclined to leave a tip, you can do so and it won’t be considered rude.
You may notice a 10% – 15% surcharge at restaurants, especially in the big cities, added to your bill on weekends and public holidays. This surcharge is to cover the additional pay for the staff working those days.
4. Majority of restaurants, shops and other places take credit card.
It is rare that you will go to a place in Australia that is cash-only. I personally never ended up using cash in Australia, or needing to convert my US Dollars to Australian Dollars.
Make sure you have a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees! You will always get a better exchange rate by paying in the local currency.
5. Waiters don't automatically bring your check to the table at restaurants.
Unlike the United States, Australian waiters and waitresses will not automatically bring your check over to the table. Instead, you will go up to the register to pay once you are done eating your meal and are ready to leave the restaurant.
Some nicer restaurants may bring the bill over to your table upon request.
If you’re unsure what to do at the restaurant you’re at, I suggest looking around and observing to see what another table does.
It is also typical for restaurants not to allow you to split the bill.
6. Stinger season typically runs from November to May, during the warmer months.
Stingers are a type of jellyfish that are found in the waters of Australia and can be dangerous or even lethal. They are typically more present during the warmer months from November through May, but can be in the water year round.
Many beaches in Australia where stingers are present will have stinger nets. Stinger nets are barriers that protect swimmers from jellyfish and other marine wildlife.
You are safest swimming within the net when a lifeguard is present.
To prevent getting stung, you can also buy or rent a stinger suit, which is a wetsuit that will cover you from head to toe.
At the beaches in the north around Cairns, there were bottles of vinegar every so often that you can use to treat a jellyfish sting. Vinegar is a weak acid that can help deactivate the stingers of some jellyfish, preventing further venom release.
Make sure you check the signs posted at the beach you’re swimming at, and stay out of the water where stingers are present.
7. Look out for cars when crossing the street as a pedestrian.
Cars are only required to stop at a zebra crossing. Zebra crossings are pedestrian crossings in Australia that are marked by white parallel stripes on the road.
I noticed that cars are not likely to stop for pedestrians crossing the street outside of these designated zebra crossings, so you need to be vigilant and pay extra attention.
In the United States, I feel like pedestrians will cross the road whenever and wherever they feel like and expect cars to stop for them. This is not the case in Australia.
Additionally with cars driving on the opposite side, make sure you look left and right multiple times before crossing the street. You should probably always be doing this, but I definitely had some close calls with cars coming from the right when I was looking left to cross.
8. It is common to see kangaroos out and about.
Kangaroos in Australia are as common as deer in the United States. Which is to say, if you are in less populated, more rural areas you are likely to run into a bunch.
On Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, we saw lots of kangaroos grazing on the sidewalk grass.
P.S. I got the above photo at the Kuranda Koala Gardens, where there is a kangaroo enclosure and you can feed the kangaroos.
I don’t recommend attempting this with the wild kangaroos you see on the streets.
9. Pay attention to the current weather conditions and warning signs posted at the beaches.
Australia beaches are so, so beautiful but can be surprisingly dangerous. Not all beaches are patrolled by lifeguards, and swimming is generally not recommended without lifeguards present.
Beach hazards can include strong rip currents, large waves, and marine wildlife like crocodiles and stingers, just to name a few.
On the shores of beaches there will be safety signs posted. Make sure to look for these and read them before going into the water!
10. The sun is hotter in Australia than most other countries.
You may not know this, but Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world! This is not to scare you, but to show you how important it is to stay out of the sun when possible, and to wear sunscreen when you are outdoors.
There are so many things to do outside, and sometimes with the coastal breeze you won’t even realize how hot it is.
One day, the UV index hit 12. My eyeballs almost popped out of my head! I genuinely have not ever seen the index that high, nor did I know it was even possible!
11. Australians speak English, but it can sometimes sound like a different language.
Sometimes an Australian accent can make it sound like they are speaking another language. Especially if you are in more rural areas, I found that the accents are thicker and slang is more common.
People in Australia are so friendly and chatty, but I caught myself asking Australians to repeat themselves from time to time as I literally couldn’t understand what they were saying!
Let me know what surprised you the most the first time you visited Australia in the comments below! And be sure to follow me on Instagram for more Australia travel content.
mariss
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