Australia travel guide

Australia is made up of states and territories, each with its own capital, and some of what a traveller meets changes at a state or territory border: whether the clocks move for daylight saving, and which fruit, vegetables and plants can be carried in. This guide sets out those rules, the seasons, arriving from overseas and getting between states, then links each destination guide with its airport page.

In the tropical north, the wet season and the marine stinger months shape when and where you can swim, and in the Red Centre the distances are long: Parks Australia puts Uluru 465 kilometres by road from Alice Springs, about 5.5 hours of direct driving.

Australia's states and territories

Tourism Australia lists the states as New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, and the territories as the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory (NT). Tourism Australia also says Australia administers External Territories, including Norfolk Island and Christmas Island.

State or territory	Capital	What Tourism Australia points visitors to
New South Wales	Sydney	Wine regions, seaside villages and mountain wilderness, with the Blue Mountains to the west
Victoria	Melbourne	Museums and galleries, Grampians National Park and the Heritage-listed Great Ocean Road
Queensland	Brisbane	Known to Australians as the "Sunshine State"; the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest and the Whitsunday Islands
Western Australia	Perth	The Kimberley region, Rottnest Island and the Margaret River wine and surf region
South Australia	Adelaide	Known as the "Festival State"; a base for the Barossa Valley wineries, the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island
Tasmania	Hobart	An island state separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait, with beaches, mountains, rivers and walks
Northern Territory	Darwin	The outback: Kakadu National Park, King's Canyon, Litchfield National Park and Uluru, and Aboriginal culture
Australian Capital Territory	Canberra	The nation's capital: the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum of Australia and Parliament House

Daylight saving by state and territory

Australia spans more than one time zone, and daylight saving differs by state and territory. According to the New South Wales Government, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory observe daylight saving, while Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.

Seasons in Australia

The southern seasons

The Bureau of Meteorology defines the Australian summer as December to February, autumn as March to May, winter as June to August and spring as September to November. It names Hobart and Melbourne as examples of the temperate zone, "with cold, short days in winter and warm, long days in summer", and says much of Australia's interior is desert.

Tourism Australia's travel seasons put the high season in December to February (except in the northern regions, where it is the wet season), the shoulder seasons in March to May and September to November, and the low season in June to August. It calls June to August the peak season in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef region.

Wet and dry seasons in the northern tropics

For Australia's northern tropics, the Bureau describes the wet season as the months that generally include the heaviest rainfall, October to April, and the dry season as the months that generally see less rain, May to September. Its monsoon page says the wet season extends from about October to April in the far north of the Northern Territory, and generally starts later and ends earlier elsewhere. The Bureau also says the Australian cyclone season officially runs from November to April.

Marine stingers in tropical waters

The Queensland Government says marine stingers are present in tropical Queensland waters all year round, but the risk is higher during the marine stinger season, November to May. The Northern Territory Government says box jellyfish are more likely to be in NT waters from 1 October to 1 June, and that stings have been recorded in all months of the year. Along the Kimberley coast, Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions says box jellyfish and irukandji can be present all year round and are most prevalent from November until April.

The Red Centre

The Bureau says the Red Centre is mainly classified as desert, and Tourism NT gives the Red Centre the same calendar seasons: summer December to February, autumn March to May, winter June to August and spring September to November. Parks Australia calls May to September the best time to visit Uluru, when the daytime maximum is usually between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. From October to March, it says, it can get extremely hot, with daytime temperatures regularly above 35 degrees Celsius.

Arriving in Australia from overseas

Passports and visas

The Department of Home Affairs says you need to show your travel documents or passport when you enter Australia, and that SmartGates use facial recognition and your ePassport to process you through passport control. New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia, and can apply for a Special Category visa (subclass 444) when they enter.

Home Affairs says holders of a passport eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) apply for one through the Australian ETA App, and that European passport holders may be eligible for an eVisitor (subclass 651) visa. Australian citizens cannot apply for an ETA.

The Incoming Passenger Card

The Australian Border Force (ABF) says most passengers must complete and present a passenger card, and that some people are exempt. The Incoming Passenger Card is handed out on board the flight or ship before arrival, or by the ABF in the arrival terminal; it must be completed in English, and it includes declarations on customs and quarantine. The ABF says food brought into Australia needs to be declared on the card if you come by plane, and Home Affairs says your bags will also be checked for prohibited or restricted items; the ABF's Incoming Passenger Card page has the details.

Carrying fruit, vegetables and plants between states

According to the national interstate quarantine website, Australia has rules on the movement of goods between states, or within states, and quarantine zones within each state and territory. Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland each have their own rules on what can be brought in from interstate, set through their own agencies, so check the rules for the place you are flying to before you pack. The interstate quarantine traveller pages have a map search and a hotline.

Tasmania

Biosecurity Tasmania lists fresh fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger and onion, as not permitted entry to Tasmania, and says its officer makes the final decision on any item that needs inspection. Hobart Airport says passengers leaving the aircraft are asked to dispose of or declare goods not permitted in Tasmania, using the biosecurity bins inside the terminal, and that a Biosecurity Tasmania officer and detector dog inspect all hand and checked luggage.

Western Australia

Western Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) says quarantine risk material must be declared to a Quarantine Inspector on arrival in Western Australia, and that anyone in doubt about an item can declare it or put it in one of the bins available at the airport, where bags may be checked by inspectors with sniffer dogs at the baggage carousel. It also lists the fruit and vegetables that are permitted, and says honey is prohibited unless certified on a Health Certificate.

South Australia

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) says some fruit, vegetables, plants, plant products and other items cannot be brought into South Australia from interstate, and that fruit and vegetables at risk from fruit fly must be eaten or disposed of before entering South Australia or the Riverland. The restrictions differ by the state you travel from, and the Fruit Fly Hotline, 1300 666 010, is open 24 hours.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory Government says laws stop some fruits, vegetables and plants from crossing its borders, and that the borders are not patrolled but there are quarantine bins at all airports and the railway station for fruit from interstate. It also says uncertified bananas from North Queensland are not allowed into the NT, and that anyone travelling to Ti Tree, north of Alice Springs, must dispose of fruit brought from interstate.

Queensland

Business Queensland says biosecurity laws restrict the movement of certain plant material, soil and related equipment into Queensland, and that a biosecurity certificate is generally needed to move these items.

Getting between states and territories

Flights

The airport page linked in each destination entry below lists the direct domestic flights the site's schedule data records from that airport, with the airlines recorded on each route. Schedules change, so check with the airline before planning around a route.

Long-distance trains

Journey Beyond describes the Ghan as travel between Darwin and Adelaide through Australia's Red Centre, and the Indian Pacific as a journey between Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. Transport for NSW says its XPT regional trains operate between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Dubbo, Grafton and Casino. Within Queensland, Queensland Rail Travel's Spirit of Queensland runs along the coast between Brisbane and Cairns, and the operator names the Whitsundays and Townsville among the places it reaches.

Coaches

V/Line, whose trains run between Melbourne and regional Victoria, says some of its coach services link Victoria with South Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

The Spirit of Tasmania ferry

The Spirit of Tasmania ferry connects Geelong, in Victoria, and Devonport, in Tasmania, across Bass Strait, and the operator describes taking a vehicle or a bicycle on board. Biosecurity Tasmania says ferry passengers can bring food to eat on board, but must dispose of it in the bins on board or at the Biosecurity Inspection point when leaving the terminal.

Destination guides by state and territory

Each destination below links to its guide and to the airport page for its flights.

New South Wales

Sydney is the capital of New South Wales, on the shores of Port Jackson. For a visitor, the draws are the harbour and the Sydney Opera House, the beaches, and the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage area inland that the city's trains reach. Flights use Sydney Airport (SYD), which the operator places 8 kilometres from the city's central business district.

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra is Australia's national capital and the capital of the Australian Capital Territory, and it holds Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia. Every visitor to Parliament House goes through airport-style security screening at the entrance. Flights use Canberra Airport (CBR), where the operator says domestic and international flights share the terminal building.

Victoria

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, and its draws include sport, museums, markets and gardens, with trips out of town to Phillip Island, the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges. Flights land at Melbourne Airport (MEL) at Tullamarine or at Avalon Airport (AVV), which the operator puts 55 kilometres by road from central Melbourne.

Tasmania

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania, and Tourism Tasmania describes the city as framed by Kunanyi / Mount Wellington and the River Derwent; its list of top places in and around Hobart names Mona, Salamanca Market, Port Arthur and Bruny Island. The City of Hobart says Pinnacle Road, the road to the summit, is closed to cars during snow and icy conditions. Flights use Hobart Airport (HBA), 17 kilometres from the city according to the airport.

South Australia

Adelaide is South Australia's capital, set between the Adelaide Hills and the metropolitan beaches, and the Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide run in February and March 2027. Flights use Adelaide Airport (ADL), with no train or tram services to the airport; Adelaide Metro's J1 and J2 buses connect it with the city centre.

Western Australia

Perth is the capital of Western Australia, and its sights include Kings Park and Fremantle Prison, with day trips to Wadjemup / Rottnest Island, the Swan Valley wine region and the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. Flights use Perth Airport (PER), and Transperth runs trains between the airport and the city on its Airport Line.

Broome is in the north of Western Australia, in the region Tourism Western Australia calls the Kimberley and North West. Tourism Western Australia points visitors to Cable Beach, the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point, which are only visible at low tide, and the Staircase to the Moon, on certain dates from March to October when the full moon coincides with the low tide. Flights use Broome International Airport (BME), which its operator describes as right near the heart of town.

Northern Territory

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, on the Timor Sea, and Tourism NT points to Litchfield National Park and the Tiwi Islands as trips from the city, and to a road trip through Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Litchfield national parks. Parks Australia's access report says Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls gorge and the Karnamarr campground in Kakadu will be closed for 2026. Flights use Darwin International Airport (DRW), where the operator says domestic and international flights leave from the same terminal.

Alice Springs sits between the East and West MacDonnell Ranges in the Red Centre, and within reach of the town by road are the gorges and waterholes of Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and the Larapinta Trail, which starts at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. NT Parks and Wildlife warns that temperatures across the Northern Territory can be very hot between October and April and can exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Flights use Alice Springs Airport (ASP), which Tourism Central Australia puts 15 kilometres from the town.

Uluru, recorded in the NT Place Names Register as Uluru / Ayers Rock, stands in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, with the domes of Kata Tjuta to its west. The Uluru climb closed permanently from 26 October 2019, and for getting around, Parks Australia says there are no taxis or other public transport. Flights use Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) at Yulara, which Parks Australia puts a 10-minute drive from Ayers Rock Resort.

Queensland

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, and a first visit can take in the galleries and museum at South Bank, the lookouts and Botanic Gardens on Mt Coot-tha, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, and a boat out to Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) or Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). Flights use Brisbane Airport (BNE), whose Domestic Terminal and International Terminal are four kilometres apart, and Airtrain runs to Brisbane City and the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast is a city in South East Queensland, 66 kilometres south of Brisbane according to Experience Gold Coast, with surf beaches along its coast, theme parks at its northern end, and Lamington and Springbrook national parks in its hinterland. Flights use Gold Coast Airport (OOL) at Bilinga, which has no train station and is not on the light rail line.

The Sunshine Coast is a stretch of Queensland coast and hinterland north of Brisbane, which Tourism and Events Queensland puts an hour's drive from the capital, and it names Noosa, Maroochydore and Coolum and the volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains. Flights use Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY), within 10 kilometres of the Maroochydore City Centre according to Sunshine Coast Council.

The Whitsundays are an island group off the central Queensland coast, and Airlie Beach on the mainland is the main base for tours, ferries and sailing, according to Tourism Whitsundays, which also says there is no scheduled public ferry direct to Whitehaven Beach. Flights land at Hamilton Island Airport (HTI) on Hamilton Island and at Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) on the mainland near Proserpine.

Cairns is a city in Tropical North Queensland, where boat tours and ferry transfers leave from the marinas, and Green Island, a coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, is 27 kilometres offshore. Tourism Australia says stinger season is generally between November and May in Cairns and Port Douglas. Flights use Cairns Airport (CNS), which has an International Terminal (T1) and a Domestic Terminal (T2) joined by a covered walkway.

Australia travel questions

Which Australian states and territories observe daylight saving?

New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory observe daylight saving, according to the New South Wales Government. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.

Do you need to fill in a passenger card to fly into Australia?

Most passengers do. The Australian Border Force says most passengers are required to complete and present an Incoming Passenger Card, and that some people are exempt.

Do New Zealand citizens need to apply for a visa before visiting Australia?

No. The Department of Home Affairs says New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Australia, and can apply for a Special Category visa (subclass 444) when they enter.

Can you take fruit on a domestic flight in Australia?

It depends on where you land. Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory each publish their own rules: Biosecurity Tasmania lists fresh fruit and vegetables as not permitted entry, and PIRSA says fruit and vegetables at risk from fruit fly must be eaten or disposed of before entering South Australia. Check the rules for the place you are flying to before you pack.

When is the wet season in Australia's northern tropics?

The Bureau of Meteorology describes the wet season in the northern tropics as October to April, the months that generally include the heaviest rainfall, and the dry season as May to September. It says the Australian cyclone season officially runs from November to April.

Is there a train between Adelaide and Darwin?

Yes. Journey Beyond describes the Ghan as travel between Darwin and Adelaide through Australia's Red Centre, and also offers journeys from Adelaide to Alice Springs and from Alice Springs to Darwin.

Is there a ferry between Victoria and Tasmania?

Yes. The Spirit of Tasmania ferry connects Geelong and Devonport across Bass Strait. Biosecurity Tasmania says ferry passengers can bring food to eat on board, but must dispose of it in the bins on board or at the Biosecurity Inspection point when leaving the terminal.