This blog post was updated on October 9, 2018.
Australia is a land that contains many islands – about 8,222 to be exact. Heck, Australia is both a continent and an island in itself!
You could spend months (er… years) island hopping in the land down under, but most of us simply don’t have that sort of time.
Here are five of the most popular islands around Australia that any traveler will be happy getting the chance to visit.
So have a read and be sure to add them to your itinerary for your upcoming Australia travels, if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity!
Rottnest Island: Rottnest Island is about a 25 minute ferry ride off the coast of Perth in Western Australia. It makes for a day trip or long-weekend getaway for both tourists and locals who want to get away from it all and encounter a more primitive beachy experience (there are no cars allowed on the roads). On Rottnest, you can laze the days away at the white sand beaches, ride a bike around the island or pet some quokkas, a cute little marsupial that inhabits the area.
Magnetic Island : Magnetic Island is a good 20 minute ferry ride off the coast of Townsville in Queensland. Unlike Rottnest, you can bring your vehicle over, but the main mode of transport is the golf cart like cars you can rent once there. Magnetic Island is a tropical paradise: not over-run with construction, quiet and serene. You can swim at the beach, fish, spot koalas in the wild or feed the adorable rock wallabies.
Kangaroo Island: Like the name suggests, Kangaroo Island has a heavy population of kangaroos, one of the national animals of Australia. Kangaroo Island is a 45 minute ferry ride off South Australia from Cape Jervis. It is here that you can sand board on the sand dunes, explore the bays, drink wine and encounter wild animals, such as the platypus.
Hamilton Island: Hamilton Island now has worldwide fame ever since the Best Job in the World helped one lucky winner take over the caretaker role. This island is located in the Whitsundays, just 16 kilometers from the mainland of Australia, and is reachable by a short ferry ride (or driving or flying). It is here that you can enjoy resort life, take part in water sports, golf and sail.
Fraser Island: Fraser Island is located off the coast of the southern section of Queensland, and it can be reached on the south from Rainbow Beach or by taking a ferry from Hervey Bay. Fraser Island is a unique location – basically a giant sand dune – with an interesting history and some of the most picture-perfect landscapes, beaches and waters in the world. You can only get around this sand bank by using a 4WD vehicle, but all the preparation is worth a serene getaway here. You can even spot wild dingoes running about!
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Flickr: Navin75
What are your favorite islands in Australia?
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