This itinerary for one month in Australia, from Cairns to Melbourne, covers some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and charming cities, from the Great Barrier Reef in the north to the Great Ocean Road in the south. This travel itinerary covers Australia‘s three largest cities, four state capital cities and five states. There is so much more to see in Australia, but these are the parts of the country I know best, and are accessible to each other in a short amount of time – Australia is an enormous country, around the same size as the USA and 32x the size of the UK!

If you have one month to visit Australia, you’ll get the most out of your time travelling by sticking mostly to the east coast, to reduce time spent in transit. In one month in Australia, you can visit the Great Barrier Reef, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, the Barossa Valley, Hobart, Freycinet National Park & the Great Ocean Road.

Dreaming of a trip to Australia? Read my Australia Travel Guide for more ideas!

Itinerary: One Month in Australia

• Brisbane (3 Nights)
• Cairns OR The Whitsundays (3 Nights)
• Gold Coast (3 Nights)
• Sydney (4 Nights)
• Adelaide & Barossa Valley (4 Nights)
• Melbourne (4 Nights)
• Tasmania (3-5 Nights)
• Great Ocean Road (3 Nights)

This is a pretty tight itinerary, to give you an idea of what is possible if you have one month in Australia. Australia is a long way to come for many international travellers, so I totally understand wanting to see as much as possible while you’re in this part of the world!

Inspo: The Most Beautiful Beaches in Australia

Brisbane (3 Nights)

Start your one month in Australia by flying into Brisbane, for a few days of exploring this pretty subtropical river city. Brisbane is the third-largest city in Australia, and also my hometown! Stay at the Calile Hotel in New Farm or Hotel X in Fortitude Valley.

Howard Smith Wharves

Brisbane makes the most of being a river city at Howard Smith Wharves, a precinct of restaurants, bars and a brewery underneath the Story Bridge. Go for a casual dinner and drinks at Felons Brewing, or for Greek at Greca.

James Street, New Farm

Leafy James Street is one of Brisbane’s loveliest precincts, perfect for a stroll, shopping and a long lunch. SK Steak & Oyster is one of my favourite restaurants in Brisbane, or for something a little more casual, head to Bianca for Italian.

Brisbane CBD & South Bank

Southbank parklands is one of the most popular parts of Brisbane for visitors. Across the Brisbane River from the Brisbane CBD, Southbank is a pretty urban parkland that’s worth a wander. Stop in at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), which has free entry, before exploring the pretty parklands. There are footbridges from Southbank, across the river to Brisbane CBD for a spot of shopping.

Cairns vs The Whitsundays (3 Nights)

Decide whether you want to spend 3 days in Cairns or in The Whitsundays. Cairns is a great base for visiting the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. If tropical island bliss is more your style, spend a few days relaxing at a resort in the Whitsundays. Note that there are no direct flights between Cairns and The Whitsundays, which is why I recommend picking one or the other.

Cairns & The Great Barrier Reef

Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

Australia’s most famous natural treasure, the Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest coral reef in the world. You can arrange a day trip to a station in the Outer Reef, which you can snorkel and dive from, or you can do a day trip on a boat, or do as I did and take a day trip to gorgeous Green Island, and snorkel the reef straight from the beach.

Explore the Daintree Rainforest

Make sure to stop at Cape Tribulation, which is the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sites collide – at the point where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef.

Ride the Kuranda Skyrail & Scenic Railway

The journey along the Kuranda Skyrail & Scenic Railway are as much of a reason to visit mountaintop village of Kuranda as the village itself. On the journey up, glide over the treetops on the Kuranda Skyrail and on the return journey, weave your way down the mountain aboard the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway. While you’re in Kuranda, take a rainforestation tour or visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary.

Read more: Itinerary for one week in Cairns & the Whitsundays.

The Whitsundays (3 Nights)

Get on island time in the Whitsundays, Australia’s most beautiful island archipelago. Stay on Hamilton Island, Hayman Island or Daydream Island. You’ll find a range of accommodation on Hamilton & Daydream, whereas Hayman Island is home to only one luxury resort.

If you’re on a tight budget, also consider Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach is a backpacker town, and the closet town on the mainland to the Whitsundays islands. Despite the name, there isn’t much of a beach to swim at, so save your swimming for the Whitsundays by taking a day trip with Cruise Whitsundays from Airlie.

Visit Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach is the most beautiful beach in Australia, if not the world. It’s blindingly white sand is composed of silica, and it’s the only beach in the region like this. Freak tidal patterns millions of years ago crushed silica on the shore, to create a brilliantly white beach. You can’t stay on Whitsunday Island, which keeps the beach clean and pristine. If you have a full day here, make sure your tour includes the hike up to Hill Inlet for the famous view of the white sand swirling between the turquoise water.

Visit Hamilton Island

Hamilton Island is one of a handful of inhabited islands in the Whitsundays, and so the atmosphere is very different to isolated Whitsunday Island. Stay on the island to enjoy a relaxed few days.

Gold Coast (3 Nights)

Spend three nights on the Gold Coast, Australia’s most famous beach city. Once a sleepy beach town, the Gold Coast is now a thriving city, but it’s still lovely and laidback. Stay in Broadbeach or Burleigh Heads, for some of the best beaches, as well as proximity to some of the best restaurants and cafes on the Gold Coast. If you’ve hired a car, consider driving to Byron Bay for a day (60 min drive), to check out one of Australia’s most famous beach towns.

Explore more: Gold Coast Travel Guide

Sydney (4 Nights)

No trip to Australia would be complete without visiting Sydney, Australia’s biggest and most famous city. Sydney can be challenging for travellers because it is a sprawling city with poor public transport. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing all over the city, stay centrally in the city or in Surry Hills, near a train station. Last time I stayed in Sydney, I stayed in Bondi, which I much prefer – but be warned, the public transport from Bondi is not very good, and I spent most of the weekend in Ubers!

See the Opera House

Circular Quay, where the Opera House is located, is probably the least charming part of Sydney and yet also the most striking at the same time. Circular Quay itself always has an undercurrent of chaos and confusion, and it’s basically just full of tourists all the time, yet the setting of the Opera House and Darling Harbour is undeniably beautiful. Be blinded by the white shells of the Opera House, and grab a drink at Opera Bar to spend a bit more time enjoying the view.

Catch the Manly Ferry

If the weather is clear and calm, jump aboard the Manly Ferry to enjoy the stunning ride across Darling Harbour and then spend an afternoon in Manly. Manly is one of my favourite parts of Sydney, check out Manly Wine Bar and nearby Shelly Beach.

Do the Bondi to Coogee Walk

This is my favourite thing I’ve ever done in Sydney. The Bondi to Coogee Walk, also sometimes known as the Bondi to Bronte walk which is the shorter version, is a six km (3.7 mi) walk with million dollar views over the ocean and Sydney’s renowned beaches. We started at Coogee, and walked north so we ended in Bondi. Try The Bucket List for lunch in Bondi, or make a reservation at Icebergs (you’ll want to freshen up first).

Adelaide & McLaren Vale (2 Nights)

Fly from Sydney to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. South Australia is famous for its world class wine regions, and charming capital city, Adelaide. Use the full day to make a day trip to McLaren Vale, which is one of Australia’s best wine regions – and only 40 minutes’ drive from the Adelaide CBD!

Adelaide Central Market

Have a roaming breakfast from Adelaide Central Market, a charming and historic covered market crammed with food stalls and vendors. I loved spending a morning wandering through here, and filling up on so much delicious food!

Leigh Street & Peel Street

For dinner & drinks, head to Leigh Street and Peel Street in Adelaide’s CBD. There are dozens of excellent restaurants and bars in Adelaide, and most of them can be found on these two streets.

Day Trip to McLaren Vale

Book a half day or full day tour to the McLaren Vale, or hire a car and assign a designated driver. The McLaren Vale is a gorgeous and award-winning wine region on Adelaide’s door step, and is an easy day trip from the city. McLaren Vale has beautiful rolling hills, and more than 80 wineries and cellar doors. The best wineries to visit are Coriole, which feels like it’s been plucked from the hillsides of Tuscany, D’Arenberg, which attracts visitors for it’s famous D’Arenberg Cube and Salivor Dali sculptures, and Down the Rabbit Hole, for a mellow, picnic party vibe. Get lunch or dinner at Pizzatecca.

Barossa Valley (2 Nights)

The Barossa Valley is the most famous wine region in Australia, and is well worth a visit. It’s only an hour’s drive from Adelaide, which makes it perfect for a quick two-night stay. Whether you choose to self drive or book onto tours, it’s hard to go wrong in the Barossa Valley – the standard of food and wine is sky high. I love Seppeltsfield, Yalumba & Henschke, but check out this list of the best Barossa Valley wineries for all of my favourites. My favourite restaurants in the Barossa Valley are Vintners Bar & Grill and The Farm Eatery, by one of Australia’s most beloved chefs, Maggie Beer.

Melbourne (4 Nights)

Drive back to Adelaide, and take the short flight to Melbourne, Australia’s capital of food, culture and sport. I’ve lived in Melbourne since 2015 (excluding two years spent in New York) and count myself very lucky to live in a city that was named the Most Liveable City in the World for seven years running. Four days allows you catch your breath, while exploring some of the Melbourne’s best neighbourhoods. Take a day trip to the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, to experience some of Victoria’s best wine regions.

Street art

Melbourne is famous for it’s street art, which can be found all over the city. The most popular spots are Hosier Lane, and other laneways branching of Flinders Lane, Little Collins Street & Little Bourke Street. You’ll also find a high concentration of street art in Fitzroy, Richmond, Windsor & Brunswick.

Culture

Melbourne is Australia’s cultural capital, and there is always something on. Go to a musical, play, opera or ballet at one of Melbourne’s major theatres like the Arts Centre, the Princess Theatre,  Regent Theatre or the beautiful Palais Theatre in St Kilda, or time your visit with a festival like the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival or the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Don’t miss the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), which has two outposts – one for international art on St Kilda Road and one for Australian art in Fed Square. It’s a short and pleasant walk between them, across the Princes Bridge.

Bars & Restaurants

Melbourne is the most food obsessed city in Australia – Melburnians dine out more regularly than anyone else, and the city is home to Australia’s best restaurant, Attica. Even if fine dining isn’t on the cards, make sure you go beyond the familiar chains and try something new. Melbourne has a strong cafe culture, so it’s very hard to go wrong for breakfast, and every high street of each neighbourhood is lined with more fantastic restaurants than you could ever get around to trying. Don’t know where to start? Try one of my favourite restaurants in the Melbourne CBD.

South Melbourne Market

South Melbourne Market is one of Melbourne’s many excellent covered food markets. Most tourists head to Queen Victoria Markets, but South Melbourne is hands down the best. Come in the morning, so you can find breakfast at the market. I love the paella and the fish sandwiches from the stalls outside the market, and the gozleme shop near Proper & Sons Cafe. The best coffee is from Code Black Coffee, just across the street.

Yarra Valley (Day Trip)

The Yarra Valley is the most popular wine region in Victoria, and amongst the best in Australia. You can reach the Yarra Valley within around an hour’s drive from Melbourne and there are plenty of operators offering day tours of the wineries. My favourite wineries are De Bortoli, Dominique Portet and St Huberts.

Mornington Peninsula (Day Trip)

There’s plenty to see & do in Melbourne, but if you’ve got wheels are are hungry for more to explore, spend a day on the Mornington Peninsula. Fringed by beaches, and filled with wineries, it’s a beautiful spot! The best wineries on the Mornington Peninsula include Point Leo Estate, which has a phenomenal setting and sculpture park on the property, and Port Philip Estate which is gorgeous – and has a spectacular onsite restaurant, if you’re interested in something special. Merrick’s General Store and the Portsea Hotel are both great for lunch, and if you don’t mind an extra drive to the southern tip of the peninsula, take the short but steep hike to Cape Schanck for beautiful coastline. If you want to stay overnight, I recommend Jackalope or the Intercontinental in Sorrento.

Hobart (2 Nights)

Fly from Melbourne to Tasmania, Australia’s pristine island state. You could spend two nights in Hobart, and spend two nights in Freycinet National Park, or you could cut your Tassie trip a bit shorter and stick to 2-3 nights in Hobart.

Hobart is the charming capital of Australia’s tiny island state, Tasmania. Hobart is one of my favourite small towns in the world. People are friendly, the tiny city centre is very walkable and it’s historic buildings are carefully preserved and the food, wine & spirits in Hobart are first rate. Hobart is particularly known for it’s seafood and distilleries, so make sure you try some salmon, oysters and locally-made whiskey from Lark Distillery (in the city centre) while you’re there. If you go to MoNA, make time to visit the Moorilla Winery cellar door behind the museum, before you hop back on the ferry.

MoNA

The Museum of Old & New Art (MoNA) put Hobart on the map. Opened by eccentric and generous billionaire David Walsh, MoNA is a privately owned art gallery/museum, so it’s programming always errs on the wild side. There are several ways to get to MoNA from Hobart, but make sure you take the MoNA ferry. The trip down the Derwent River is stunning, and the perfect start and end to your day.

Freycinet National Park (2 Nights)

Hire a car & drive to Freycinet National Park, approximately 5 hours drive from Hobart. It’s a long drive, and if you’re only interested in Freycinet, you could fly into Launceston instead, spend the night in Launceston and then drive 3 hours to Freycinet. However, most visitors won’t want to miss lovely Hobart, which is why I’ve included this option.

Stay at Freycinet Lodge for two nights, to soak up the beauty of the national park. On your full day, either hike to Wineglass Bay, or if you’re not an active hiker, book a boat cruise into Wineglass Bay. The hike has two main attractions, the first is the lookout over Wineglass Bay, and the second is Wineglass Bay itself. The return hike from the beach is very steep, and feels very long, so make sure you’re up for it before heading down. Alternatively, there are wildlife and scenic cruises which enter Wineglass Bay from the water, you just won’t be able to disembark onto the beach.

To return to the mainland, I recommend driving to Launceston (3 hours) and flying from there to Melbourne.

Explore More: Two Nights in Freycinet National Park & Wineglass Bay

Great Ocean Road (3 Nights)

Assuming you’re not road tripped out, spend your last few nights in Australia on the Great Ocean Road, Australia’s most scenic drive. The star attraction is the Twelve Apostles, which are pillar-like rock formations crumbling into the ocean (spoiler alert: there are less than twelve left). There are several beach towns along the Great Ocean Road. My favourite is Lorne, which I’ve stayed in twice, and will happily return to again! Apollo Bay is also popular, and is closer to the Twelve Apostles. Beyond the Twelve Apostles, spot koalas in Kennett River, explore more of the beautiful rock formations along the coast in Port Phillip National Park, and chase waterfalls in Great Otway National Park in the hinterland.

There ARE day tours from Melbourne that take you to the Twelve Apostles, but it will be a very long day and you’ll spend most of it on a tour bus.

At the end of your Australian odyssey, fly home from Melbourne International Airport.

Have you been to Australia, or are you planning a trip here? Let me know what you loved the most or are most excited to see in the comments. If you have any questions about travelling in Australia, comment below or email me.

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