📖 Overview
Lonely Planet Australia serves as a comprehensive travel guidebook covering the entire continent-country of Australia. The guide provides detailed information about destinations, accommodations, transportation, and activities across all states and territories.
The book contains practical travel advice including visa requirements, budgeting tips, and cultural etiquette for visitors to Australia. Maps, photographs, and itinerary suggestions help readers plan their trips across urban and remote areas.
Expert recommendations cover dining, nightlife, outdoor adventures, and cultural experiences from the Great Barrier Reef to the Outback. The guide includes specific sections for major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, as well as regional areas and natural landmarks.
This guide reflects Lonely Planet's focus on independent travel and authentic local experiences, balancing popular tourist attractions with off-the-beaten-path destinations. The content emphasizes responsible tourism and cultural respect while providing the essential information needed to navigate Australia's vast landscapes.
👀 Reviews
Readers find this guidebook provides comprehensive coverage of major Australian destinations and attractions, though some note the information can become outdated quickly.
Likes:
- Detailed maps and transportation information
- Cultural insights and historical context
- Restaurant and accommodation recommendations across price ranges
- Off-the-beaten-path suggestions
- Clear organization by region
Dislikes:
- Heavy to carry while traveling
- Some outdated prices and business listings
- Limited coverage of smaller towns
- Too much emphasis on expensive attractions
- Maps can be hard to read on Kindle version
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (294 ratings)
Amazon: 4.3/5 (168 ratings)
Several reviewers mention the book helped them discover lesser-known sites like swimming holes and hiking trails. Multiple backpackers note the budget tips saved them money. A common complaint is that some recommended restaurants had closed by the time of their visit. Some readers suggest buying the digital version to avoid the weight but warn about navigation issues.
📚 Similar books
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
A travel narrative through Australia's outback, cities, and coastal regions combines historical facts with first-hand experiences and cultural observations.
Down Under: Travels in a Sunburned Land by Tim Bowden This chronicle of traversing Australia focuses on remote locations and encounters with local characters while exploring lesser-known historical events.
The Road to Mount Kosciuszko by Karen Viggers The book traces paths through Australia's alpine regions, national parks, and wilderness areas with details about native wildlife and ecological systems.
The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes A comprehensive examination of Australia's founding as a penal colony provides context for modern Australian culture and development.
Terra Nullius: A Journey Through No One's Land by Sven Lindqvist The text explores Australia's indigenous history and contemporary landscape through a series of connected travel experiences and historical accounts.
Down Under: Travels in a Sunburned Land by Tim Bowden This chronicle of traversing Australia focuses on remote locations and encounters with local characters while exploring lesser-known historical events.
The Road to Mount Kosciuszko by Karen Viggers The book traces paths through Australia's alpine regions, national parks, and wilderness areas with details about native wildlife and ecological systems.
The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes A comprehensive examination of Australia's founding as a penal colony provides context for modern Australian culture and development.
Terra Nullius: A Journey Through No One's Land by Sven Lindqvist The text explores Australia's indigenous history and contemporary landscape through a series of connected travel experiences and historical accounts.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌏 Lonely Planet Australia was first published in 1977 and has been updated regularly for over 40 years, making it one of the longest-running travel guides for the continent
🦘 The guide extensively covers more than 7,000 kilometers of Australia's coastline, including over 10,000 beaches - more than any other country in the world
📚 Lonely Planet's co-founder Tony Wheeler wrote the first edition after doing the "hippie trail" across Asia and arriving in Australia with just 27 cents in his pocket
🗺️ The book features detailed coverage of over 500 indigenous Australian sites and includes information about Aboriginal cultural protocols for visitors
🌿 Each new edition includes updated environmental information about Australia's unique ecosystems, including the Great Barrier Reef - the world's largest living structure, visible from space