Sydney's Harbour Bridge, Melbourne's laneways, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, and 11,000km of coastline. Twenty-two hours of travel away, but worth every minute.
Around 650,000 Brits visit Australia every year — and many stay. It's the longest regular commercial flight from the UK (22–24 hours including connections), but the cultural shock on arrival is minimal: English, driving on the left, Greggs-level casual food culture, and a UK expat everywhere you go.
Most itineraries cover Sydney (Opera House, Bondi, Blue Mountains), Melbourne (coffee capital, laneway bars, Great Ocean Road), Cairns (Great Barrier Reef gateway), and Uluru. Perth is the gateway to Western Australia's wine country (Margaret River) and the extraordinary Ningaloo Reef.
Australia is not cheap — food, drink and accommodation are similar to London. A pint is £5–7, a coffee £3, mid-range hotel £120/night. But the distances are vast: allow 2.5–3 weeks minimum for a first trip, and consider domestic flights (Jetstar, Virgin Australia) — they're often cheaper than 12-hour bus rides.
Only Qantas London–Perth is fully direct. All other routes connect via Dubai, Doha, Singapore or Hong Kong.
| Visa (UK passport) | ETA required — free online application (cost AUD $20 service fee via the ETA app). Allow a few days; don't leave it to the airport. Visa valid 12 months, 3-month max stay per entry. |
|---|---|
| Currency | Australian Dollar (AUD, $). 1 GBP ≈ 1.95 AUD. Cards accepted everywhere including taxis and markets. |
| Time zone | AEDT (Sydney): UTC+11 (UK winter) = 11h ahead. UTC+10 summer. Perth is UTC+8. Check before you go. |
| Language | English. With some colourful Aussie slang. |
| Best months | Australia has reverse seasons. Best October–April for the south; May–September for Queensland (Great Barrier Reef). |
| Flight times from UK | Perth 17h direct · Sydney 22–24h via 1 stop · Melbourne 23–25h · Cairns via SYD |
| Plug type | Type I (three flat pins, angled). UK adaptor needed. |
| Distances | Sydney to Melbourne = London to Edinburgh, and that's just the east coast. Budget for domestic flights. |
Australia's seasons are flipped. Summer (Dec–Feb) = beach weather in Sydney/Melbourne but monsoon/cyclone season in Queensland. Winter (Jun–Aug) is mild in the south and perfect in Queensland. Spring (Sep–Nov) and autumn (Mar–May) are the sweet spots for most of the country — October and April especially.
Mild weather across country, fewer tourists.
Cool in Melbourne; perfect for Great Barrier Reef.
UK school hols = expensive. North = wet season/cyclones.
Yes — an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is required. It's free to qualify but Australian government charges an AUD $20 service fee via the official ETA app. Most approvals come through within minutes but allow 1–3 days. Valid 12 months, maximum 3-month stay per visit.
The Australian Dollar (AUD, $). 1 GBP ≈ 1.95 AUD. Contactless is universal — cards accepted everywhere including taxis, markets and food trucks. Use Revolut/Starling to avoid conversion fees.
October and April for the whole country — mild, dry, uncrowded. For Sydney/Melbourne beach weather, November–April. For the Great Barrier Reef and northern Queensland, May–September (dry season, no stingers). Avoid December–February school holidays for Queensland (wet season + cyclones + UK holiday premium pricing).
London to Perth is 17 hours direct (Qantas QF9 — the third-longest scheduled flight in the world). Sydney and Melbourne are 22–24 hours via a single stop in Dubai, Doha, Singapore or Hong Kong.
Many UK travellers stop in Singapore, Dubai or Hong Kong for 2–3 nights each way — it helps with the jet lag and breaks up a 24-hour journey. Most airlines allow a free stopover on the outbound or return at no extra cost if you ask when booking.
Yes — very safe. The main risks are sun (wear SPF 50+, seriously) and nature: rip tides at beaches (swim between flags), sharks in some areas, dangerous wildlife in the bush. Don't take tap water for granted in remote outback. Drink-driving laws strict.