22 Reasons Australia Is The Number One Gap Year Destination

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Last Update: May 27, 2024

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It always comes top of the list, but why is Australia the number one gap year destination? Here are 22 reasons.

1. It’s really, really, really, really big

At 2.97 million square miles, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.

2. It’s so big, the north is in peak summer when the south is in winter

When southern cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are in winter between June and August, the Northern Territory city of Darwin is at its hottest.

3. Even winter in the south isn’t that cold

The minimum temperature of Sydney during winter is 8 degree Celsius, while the maximum can reach 17. That’s like London in spring.

4. There are animals here you won’t find anywhere else in the world

Kangaroos, koalas, dingoes, Tasmanian Devils, wombats and wallabies are all in the wild in Australia and nowhere else on earth.

5. And some of them even smile for the camera

The cute Quokka can be found on Rottnest Island, and while they are nocturnal marsupials, they have become a tourist attraction and considered the world’s happiest animal.

6. You can swim with the largest fish in the ocean

From April – July, whale sharks inhabit the coast of Western Australia, and while they may look intimidating, are very pleasant to swim with!

7. And then visit a really big rock in the middle of a desert

Uluru stands proudly in the Red Centre of Australia, and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to walk around the 10km base.

8. Where you can actually see the stars when the sun sets

Without any light pollution, the night sky over the outback of Australia is one of the clearest in the world.

9. And find little drops of oasis that you can have all to yourself

Gorges, rock pools, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and more are in abundance in national parks like Kakadu and Karijini.

10. It’s home to the largest island in the world made entirely of sand

The adventure island of Australia, Fraser Island is home to over 100 freshwater lakes and a sprawling rainforest that grows entirely on sand.
Related Posts; Fraser Island 4WD Tours

11. Which itself is home to a beach that travels for 75 miles

75 Mile Beach is Fraser Island’s highway and airstrip, making for a wild ride in a 4WD.

12. It’s basically an island itself

While it’s the smallest continental land mass, it is the world’s largest island, which is why it takes so goddamn long to get to!

13. With a coastline more than 35,000km in length

From the east to the west, Australia is blessed with a gorgeous coastline including Bondi Beach in Sydney, 4 Mile Beach in Port Douglas, Shell Beach in Shark Bay and Cottesloe Beach in Perth.

14. Of which 85% of the country’s population live within 50km

With all of the major cities located on the coast, and the outback of Australia far less developed, the coastline is buzzing with human life.

15. So every major city has a beach

Who fancies heading to the beach after work?

16. And amazing food

The geography and history of Australia means that it has amazing seafood fresh from the ocean, as well influences from Asia, Europe and America.

17. But is within an hour of wilderness

The Blue Mountains in New South Wales is just an hour’s drive from the Sydney CBD, but feels a million miles away.

18. From ocean drives

You can take on the Great Ocean in just one day from Melbourne, visiting the famous Twelve Apostles along the way.

19. To national parks

The Pinnacles Desert in Western Australia is the first stop on many Coral Coast tours from Perth, and features these astounding limestone rock formations!

20. And tropical rainforest

You can step back in time in the tropics of North Queensland by treading beneath towering trees, flying through the canopy and bumping into wildlife such as the endangered Cassowary.

21. Not to mention the world’s largest coral reef

Ahh, the Great Barrier Reef. An underwater world of coral, fish, turtles, whales and more to be discovered.

22. All on offer in one spectacular place

Can you find all of this anywhere else on Earth? We didn’t think so.

And that’s why Australia is the number one gap year destination in the world.

Travel to Western Australia

22 Reasons Australia Is The Number One Gap Year Destination

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