I'd be interested in knowing what people living in Australia would consider to be the 10 (or less) best places to visit in their country.

If you do not live in Australia but have travelled widely there, your comments would be of interest.

I love Australia but unfortunately don't live there. Been twice and going to live there next summer (US summer). Here are just some of the places I loved and dream about returning to:
Sydney-absolutely my fave place in the world (and I live in NYC but would rather live here)
Melbourne
Noosa
Byron Bay
Fraser Island
Whitsundays-stayed at Long Island, missed trip to Whitehaven Beach but been told it's a not to be missed (something else came up)
Port Douglas

This is pretty general, I can get specific if need be. I just think these are places that if you have the time and money you should not miss. Next visit I hope to visit Hunter Valley and Magnetic Island, plus perhaps the Outback!

Sydney - Kakadu - Bungle Bungle and surrounds - Great Barrier Reef - Tropical areas around the GBR - The Centre where they are about 4 best areas. Tasmania where there are about 10 best areas. Queensland in general where there are about 10 best areas. The north east highland areas of Victoria in the right season. The snow areas of NSW in the right season - The Minindie lakes area in the right season and about 100 other places in the right season.

Okay here are my top 10 ( in no order ):

Port Stephens/Hunter Valley
Sydney
Adelaide/Barossa Valley
Snowy Mountains
GBR
Coffs Harbour
Blue Mountains
Tasmania
Kangaroo Island
Great Ocean Road

Cheers

Paul_S

Here's mine:
GBR and islands/coast in Tropical North Sydney and its northern beaches
Byron Bay and hinterland
Noosa Heads and hinterland
Fraser Island
Lawn Hill National Park (NW Qld)
Bungle Bungles
Kakadu
Broome
Barossa Valley

As most of this list implies I'm not a cold-climate person!

My best:
Sydney
GBR from Cairns & the Daintree
Tassie
Litchfield NP
Windjana Gorge
Exmouth and Coral Bay
West Macs
Uluru
Fraser Is
Lady Musgrave Island

Here's five:

* Byron Bay
* Hamilton Island
* Noosa
* Great Ocean Road
* Binna Burra

Sydney

Pittwater

Blue mountains-blue gum forest walk.

Canberra via cowra.

Byron Bay and hinterland

Lamington national park..O'Reillys and the Stinson crash walk.

Port Arthur

Heron/Wilson Island

Sailing charter Whitsundays.

Broken Hill-Bourke-Dig Tree Loop

You know I just gave this some more thought and I think that there is absolutely no way we can come up with 10 - perhaps 100 or 200 places - but not 10. When I think of the beautiful area around Cradle Mountain in Tassie, Frecinet National Park, the hidden places of the border ranges of Qld/NSW where thousands bell birds sing, taking the canoe into the hidden reaches of the Mary River, watching the annual turtle egg hatching at Mon Repos, swimming at Mataranka Springs, sliding down the fantastic waterfalls in the Northern Territory, the wild-flowers, which have to be the world's greatest display, in Western Australia. All that before we even talk about those places known to some tourists in Australia. We don't have 10 - we have 10,000

Hi Janese,

I can understand your enthusiasm with so many places to visit in Australia. Pity the poor traveller who has to make choices. Your answers have been very interesting. We want to know what Australians think.

So far we lean to Sydney and Tasmania. Are Cairns and Daintree different areas? Daintree gets so many good reviews. Also considering going to Brisbane and take train to Cairns or thereabouts. We are not going to Uluru.

Keep the lists coming; I'm compiling them and will give you writers a list. We are working with a Goway rep and we will be able to make a start.

Thanks.

Hi Michi - Janese is right - there's far too many to narrow it down to 10 especially when the climate ranges from alpine to tropical. What time of year are you thinking of coming? Daintree World Heritage National Park starts about an hour's drive north of Cairns -closer to Cairns (south) is the lovely Wooroonooran National Park with Mt Bellenden Ker. Frankland Islands are nearby and they're lovely, too.

1. Uluru/Kata Tjuta
2. Watarrka National Park
3. Kakadu National Park
4. Great Barrier Reef (off Port Douglas)
5. Whitsunday Islands
6. Cradle Mountain/Lake St. Clair
7. Blue Mountains
8. Great Ocean Road (12 Apostles)
9. Sydney
10. Port Arthur

I worked in Oz for a few months, but have not lived there extensively.

Michi
I have lived in all but 2 States of Australia and there are times that are better than others to visit each one.
Cairns is the arrival destination for the very north GBR and from there you would drive to Port Douglas and the Daintree so yes they are different areas but one would generally stay in one or the other and radiate out from there.
I have just come back from Port Douglas and on reflection I think I would probably stay in Palm Cove next time ( do a search of it on this site) - not that I did not like PD but just that Palm Cove is closer to the southern areas that I like to visit.
Probably one of the loveliest places is the Whitsundays actually so again it would be a toss up as to which area I went to.
Brisbane is not the greatest of cities from an International point of view. It is a very liveable city and is clean and nice but there is not much in the way of tourist places to visit. If wanted to see a bit of the countryside by train I would take the small rail motor ( The Capricornia I think it is called) and take that to Prosepine where I would get off and take the local bus to Shute Harbour ( Airlie Beach) and get over to one of the islands in the Whitsunday group. The train ( if I remember correctly ) goes through some pretty boring countryside en route to Cairns. Alternatively Fly to Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays and then get the train from Prosepine and get off at Cardwell which is about 100 klms north of Townsville. Take a boat over to Hinchinbrook Island, which is a National Park in itself and is absolutely lovely, and stay there for a couple of days then catch the train again to Cairns - or a bus. To do the whole trip does get pretty boring as some of the countryside is tedious.
I would always opt for Tasmania, depending on the time of year that is, as that is such a lovely little place and there is so much to see and do there which is so different from the mainland.
Sydney of course as well.
However if I had the time I would do a detour in Queensland and go out to Lawn Hill National Park which is so different. Do a Google search for it and see for yourself. These areas would give you such a wonderful cross section of Australia whilst still staying on the eastern seaboard in the main. Next trip you will be able to sort out the rest of the country.

Michi

I am an Australian but this Christmas I am making my first trip back home for 18 months so some of my impressions may be out of date. However much of what I am including does not really date.

I enjoy
1. The Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland, nearest mainland town Airlie Beach.
2. Sydney
3. The area around the Hawkesbury River/Broken Bay/Ku-Ring-Gai Chase national park north of Sydney
4. Barossa Valley South Australia
5. Blue Mountains New South Wales
6. Mornington Peninsula, Victoria especially around Sorrento.
7. Great Ocean Road
8. The Coorong National Park, South Australia
9. The Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
10. From the Flinders Ranges area down to Hawker and Quorn, South Australia.

Of course the rest of Australia is fantastic too but these are my top 10. If I were allowed 20 I could talk about tasmania, southern Western Australia, the Snowy Mountains, Victoria around Ballarat etc.!