We ask people what their fondest memories of Australia are
Until we can safely take to the skies again, reminiscing about the good old times while planning for future travels can be pretty enjoyable. For now, since we cannot go overseas and experience other cultures personally, let’s turn to stories. Stories about the fondest memories one can conjure from the experiences and emotions of travelling. Here, we follow some travel memories to Australia.
Uluru
"Seeing Uluru for the first time was really awesome. We had the very special experience of meeting with Sammy Wilson, a local Anangu Traditional Owner. Listening to the local Indigenous people speaking with us about the cultural and spiritual significance of Uluru was fascinating and inspiring. The kids loved running around the base of the rock and exploring all the little caves and trails." - Chris Hemsworth, Hollywood Actor
Recreate Chris Hemsworth's experience: Fly into Alice Springs airport via direct flights from major Australian airports. From there, you can take a 7-day road trip on the way to Uluru, or take a half day drive to Uluru direct from Alice Springs. Take a tour around the base of Uluru, the massive sandstone monolith sacred to the Aboriginal Anangu people, have plenty of water with you, and discover the cultural beauty, traditional Anangu culture, rock art, diverse plants, animals and geological features.
Perth
"The weather was fantastic, very cool and dry and sunny all 3 days I was in Perth. Everywhere we ate had something to offer us carnivores, such as high-quality steaks at relatively low prices. Cafe/brunch culture is pretty vibrant in Perth; Gordon St Garage is one of the famous/popular joints near town. We drove to Fremantle for lunch at Little Creatures where the beer was good but we were wowed by the Sticky Asian-Inspired Lamb Ribs. We also drove to some random winery which was deserted on a weekday but provided excellent service and semi-fancy food." - Amir Ali, Senior Producer, Yahoo
Recreate Amir's experience: Start from Perth City, where you can get fine cuisine, eclectic bars and unconventional kitchens serving up multicultural food. Take a train, bus, or drive to Fremantle, about 30-50 minutes away from the city centre for a laidback experience in the brewery, or go further, driving 3 hours to reach Margaret River, where you'll be able to indulge in farm-to-table goodness.
Adelaide
"I went to Adelaide with my family when I was younger and my fondest memories were of us picnicking in an open field — a throwback to a stress-free and fun-filled childhood." - Bruce Lim, Host, Yummy! Places
Recreate Bruce's experience: Adelaide was once considered quaint and quiet, but now it has a burgeoning bar, arts and music scene. There are plenty of gardens and national parks with easy hikes to bring the family to, and it's also the starting point to incredible nature parks such as Kangaroo Island.
Ningaloo Reef
"One of my most memorable trips to Australia has got to be a 1250km road trip in a caravan. It was a trip filled with many firsts and my husband and I got to tick many items off our bucket list. We started from Perth to Exmouth with pit stops at Geraldton, Carnarvon, Monkey Mia and the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef. I highly suggest checking out the Shell Beach, formed from billions of shells stretching 60km with deposits as deep as 10 metres. The other ticks on my list were swimming amongst fishes in Ningaloo Marine Reef and sleeping in our caravan under a blanket of sparkling stars in the Ningaloo National Marine Park. These experiences continue to warm my heart as we dream of our next travel destination during the pandemic." - Cadence Loh, Lifestyle Editor, Yahoo
Recreate Cadence's experience: Western Australia is a treasure trove of experiences for road trips junkies, and the one Cadence went on goes through a World Heritage-listed site: Ningaloo Reef. Fly into Perth, and let the road lead you to an unforgettable journey alongside turquoise waters, gentle giants such as the whale sharks and more.
Melbourne
"I was in theatre when I was younger, and I went to Melbourne with a bunch of friends to indulge in the art scene. Theatres, museums, good times and all the drama — we did it all and loved it!" - Dominic Ng, Host, yTech
Recreate Dominic's experience: If you're into arts and culture, Melbourne is known as the creative capital of Australia. There is plenty of art all around, from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art - ACCA, to the street art found abundantly in the streets of Melbourne. Head to the theatres, and you will find international theatre productions such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Frozen, Moulin Rouge and more. Melbourne will let you indulge your inner culture vulture to your heart's content. Check out this link to get a full list of must-visit galleries and museums.
Gold Coast
"As a kid, my memories of Gold Coast were all about an amusement park in Gold Coast. The queue was long but it was really the fun family time that I'll always fondly hold onto. "- Elizabeth Tong, Producer, YahooTV
Recreate Elizabeth's experience: Family time is the name of the game, with Gold Coast offering up plenty in terms of activities, ranging from exciting theme parks with rollercoasters and water slides, to adventure-filled ziplines and incredible wildlife parks such as the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Besides that, make use of the beaches and surfs Gold Coast is known for! Spend a nice day by the beach, surf right into action, or do both. Burleigh Heads, a beautiful little coastal town, is a good place to start.
Canberra
"This old industrial area (Fyshwick) on the outskirts (of Canberra) is now a burgeoning hub of great places to eat and interesting activities. The Dairy Road precinct, in particular, has become very lively. You can feel a kind of new energy starting. There's an indoor snow arena, Vertikal, where my nephew goes to learn to ski; a climbing centre, BlocHaus, which is fabulous; and a chocolate shop called Jasper + Myrtle. As Nature Intended is a really beautiful café, and Capital Brewing Co has a taproom. The whole area seems to be bursting with new life." - Nick Mitzevich, Director, National Gallery of Australia
Recreate Nick's experience: Canberra is a modern capital with a cosy small-town vibe. Expect great museums, breweries, culture, mountains, valleys and everything in-between within easy driving distance to one another. Even Sydney’s just a 3-hour drive away! For foodies, there’s plenty to enjoy in Canberra. NewActon is an edgy district known for its excellent food scene, just five minutes away from the visitor centre. Head to Braddon if you’re looking for a hip neighbourhood that has become popular for its ‘eat street’ Lonsdale Street and boutique shopping. Drive a little further, just seven kilometres south east of Canberra, and you will reach Fyshwick, the burgeoning hub that Nick mentioned. It's also accessible by Taxi or Uber.
Sydney
"It sounds like such a cliche: an afternoon cruise around Sydney Harbour, followed by drinks at the Sydney Opera House. To complete the stereotype, the boatman even took out his ukulele and started warbling some gentle tunes. But when the sun is shining and the weather is just that tad bit chilly and you are surrounded by friends, then the experience becomes, in a word, perfect. And in these pandemic days, the experience from just two years ago, one without masks or fear of the virus, becomes even more precious. When I close my eyes, I can picture it perfectly: standing at the bow, bobbing up and down with the waves, and contemplating everything before me. And when I come back to the present, I am simply grateful for that one warm, sunny day in Sydney Harbour." - Nicholas Yong, Writing Manager, Yahoo
Recreate Nicholas's experience: Sydney Harbour needs no introductions, with plenty of boat rides and cruises to choose from with culinary accompaniment if you choose to. For something more impactful, climb to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a BridgeClimb for stunning panoramic views.
Blue Mountains
"I still remember vividly my first trip to the Three Sisters, gorgeous rock formations that's located over 3,000 feet above sea levels! The air was crisp and the sun was shining upon the rock structures that brought out its magnificent colours. Besides marvelling at the stunning sight, you can ride the railway or cableway at Scenic World as it also offers a picturesque view of the Jamison Valley." - Reta, Editor-In-Chief, Yahoo
Recreate Reta's experience: Get to the Three Sisters from Sydney by driving west to the Blue Mountains for about two hours. It's best explored by car, but you can also get there by train and on a coach tour. The airport is around an hour and 40 minutes east of Katoomba, the main town with access to Blue Mountains.
Tasmania
"I went to Tasmania with two friends to binge on hikes and coastal walks. We first went to Cradle Mountain for a multi-day hike from Launceston. The experience grounded us, as it was just us and the trails and the views and the bushes for miles and miles. We were surprised by a snowfall that blanketed the trail on the second day of the hike, and were lucky enough to spot a wombat making its way through the thick bushes! After the hike, we went to Taroona, Hobart and stayed in an idyllic neighbourhood right in front of River Derwent, and then did a short coastal walk which brought us to Kingston beach. I also did a solo hike up Mount Wellington, with friendly locals pointing me in the right direction on the way up. 11/10 will do it all over again. None of us could drive then, but we managed with public transport and worked out arrangements with the locals." - Stephanie Zheng, Lifestyle Editor, Yahoo.
Recreate Stephanie's experience: Fly into Launceston, which is around 2-3 hours drive to Cradle Mountain. Select walk or hike of choice — there are plenty from the budget to the luxurious, then make your way down the map to Hobart, where fresh seafood, incredible museums such as Mona – Museum of Old and New Art and great bar scenes collide.
What are some of your best Australian travel memories? Indulge in a walk down memory lane while dreaming of things to do on your next trip to Australia here.
This article was produced in partnership with Tourism Australia.
