Australia has been my home for my whole life. Of all the countries that I have travelled to I would definitely say that it is one of the most diverse and interesting countries you can find. From the barren desert of the Red Centre, to tropical rainforests, beach islands, cities, forests, wildlife encounters and coastal drives, Australia has everything you could ever ask for. But there are a few things you should probably know before you visit the Land Down Under...

Sometimes it's hard to believe that the Bay of Fires is located in Tassie, and not in the northern state of Queensland where these views are endless. But these crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches and orange lichen-covered granite boulders is an absolute highlight of Tasmania's East Coast, and one that is not to be missed on your visit. Known as the Bay of Fires, this conservation area extends along the coast from Binalong Bay in the south to Eddystone Point in the north, with countless beaches and bay in between. I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves, Bay of Fires is just so beautiful I could have spent ages here.

Located on Tasmania's stunning East Coast, Freycinet National Park attracts thousands of vistors each year with it's secluded bays, white sandy beaches, dramatic granite peaks and abundant wildlife. Freycinet is also the home of the iconic Wineglass Bay. The National Park occupies the majority of the Freycinet Peninsula, looking out to the Tasman Sea from the Eastern side, and back toward the Tasmanian Coastline on the West.

Close enough to Hobart for a day trip, but far enough for a whole weekend, is the beautiful rugged land of Bruny Island. Made up of a North and South island, held together by the iconic and narrow isthmus called The Neck, Bruny Island feels like a country dream, with long dry grass, tall gumtrees and different wildlife everywhere you turn around. While visiting Tasmania over the Easter long weekend, we made our way out to Bruny Island to experience everything the island had to offer.

What can I say about Hobart? I don't even know where to start! As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the cold or Melbourne's weather, I was reluctant to go further south, preferring to spend my weekends up north chasing the sunshine. But the longer I worked in travel, the more I constantly heard about how amazing, breathtaking and adventurous our little island of Tasmania was. It started to slowly but surely creep up my Australia bucket list. And this Easter I finally got over there to check it out, and BOY did the weather turn it on for us. We got so lucky, it was absolutely outstanding with clear blue skies for the whole weekend!

Ahh Tasmania. The tiny Australian island, separated from the mainland by the Bass Strait, and absolutely brimming with beautiful landscapes, friendly wildlife and more open space than you could image. Affectionately called Tassie by locals, it has quickly become a must see destination in the Australian landscape, with more and more international tourists and Aussie's flocking to the island each year.

Location: Victoria, Australia

Time Zone: Australian Eastern Standard Time UTC +10, with Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time UTC +11  in effect generally from October to April.

Getting There: Melbourne Tullamarine International Airport (MEL) is the main arrivals airport into Melbourne. Tullamarine is located about 30 minutes from Melbourne's CBD. The SkyBus is the easiest way to get into the city, which is a direct airport bus between Melbourne Airport and the city centre offering a ride 24/7. You can also rent a car from the airport or find an abundance of taxis. A taxi ride into the city should cost between $55 and $65AUD.

Some domestic flights will also fly into Avalon Airport (AVV), generally from Sydney, Hobart and the Gold Coast. If you're flying into Avalon you will need to pre-arrange car hire or a transfer, as it is a very small airport and services are limited.

Language: English.

Climate: Melbourne is famous for having 4 seasons in one day. All seasons can be quite unpredictable with scorching hot days in summer, freezing cold days in winter, and a crazy mixture of sunshine, wind and rain inbetween. Always check the weather report for the day before leaving the house.

Getting Around: If you're not leaving the main city of Melbourne you will be able to get around everywhere by tram or train systems, with a free tram available in the city centre. If you're looking to get out of the city and explore a bit of the country a rental car is definitely the best way to go.

The Money Sitch: Australian Dollars. ATMs available and credit cards accepted everywhere.

Internet Access: Can often be difficult to find free wifi. Make sure to book a hotel with a good wifi offer, load up street maps and anything you might need before you leave for the day. It can be rare to find restaurants and cafes offering wifi. If you do come across some free wifi it can often be very poor quality.

Best Time To Go: Summer months, December - March.

Shopping: In the CBD you will find Melbourne Central and Emporiam, sprawling across three blocks with all the shops you could ask for. You can find all the designer stores on Collins Street. Bourke Street, Chapel Street and Swanston Street also offer great options.

Can't Miss: Get out of the city and experience more of Melbourne and Victoria by exploring The Great Ocean Road, The Grampians or The Yarra Valley; or even just explore the surrounding city suburbs of South Yarra, Docklands, Southbank, Prahran and Richmond. Melbourne is also the heart of sport in Australia so make sure to catch an Australian Rules Football (AFL) game at the iconic MCG. For the best views of the city make sure you visit the Eureka Skydeck.

Good To Know: Most of the year Melbourne definitely doesn't live up to that hot Australia reputation. Bring a jacket and warm clothing if you're visiting in or around winter.

Check out all of my Melbourne adventures here.

Happy Australia Day to all my Aussie readers! 

To all my international readers, January 26th is celebrated as Australia Day down under. It's a public holiday (and normally a long weekend) for everyone in Oz to spend the day with their family and friends. This year we're having a big BBQ at home to celebrate Australia Day, as well as Thom's 25th birthday which is on Saturday. It's the first year in a while that we haven't been at the Murray River for this weekend (trying to avoid mosquito bites before the wedding) so it will be fun to celebrate with all our friends. To celebrate Australia Day online and share a piece of my home country's beauty with the rest of the world, here are some of my favourite pictures from my travels around Australia in the last few years.

Over the last few months one of my new favourite things to do is to take an interstate day trip around Australia. It all started when I found my dream wedding dress in Brisbane, and me, my mum and my sister flew up to Brisbane just for the day to have a look (and buy it). We had such a great day, completely different to our normal routine, and then returned back to Melbourne in the evening to make it to work on time the next day. Getting away, even if it's just for one day can make such a big difference to my state of mind and has been such a game changer over the last few months of hectic wedding planning. And with low cost airlines, sometimes interstate flights, especially to close destinations such as Sydney, Adelaide and Tasmania from Melbourne, can cost you less than a night out! So why not?!

About half way between Sydney and Brisbane is the small coastal town of Port Macquarie. A sleepy little town that's growing in popularity and a perfect stop on any road trip of Australia's East Coast. Our our road trips we've found that Port Macquarie has been the perfect place to stop for lunch and have a much needed break from driving, and each time we visited we've tried to see or visit something different around the town. But you could easily make Port Macquarie your main destination and is the perfect place to explore on a long weekend.

Here's my quick guide with everything you need to know about Port Macquarie.

Let's start with a popular destination for all Aussies, The Gold Coast. 

Location: New South Wales, Australia

Time Zone: Australian Eastern Standard Time UTC +10, with Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time UTC +11  in effect generally from October to April.

Getting There: The only airport in Sydney is Sydney Kingford Smith Airport (SYD) which is located about 25 minutes away from the city, depending on the traffic conditions. Sydney offers a regular train service, to and from both the domestic and international airport or a taxi should cost you around $30AUD.

Language: English.

Climate: Mild winters and hot summers.

Getting Around: Sydney has a great train system that can get you around the whole city, as well as out to the wider suburbs such as Bondi Junction. Would definitely recommend renting a car to make your life easier, many of Sydney's attractions are quite spread out and car can be the best way to get around. Just look out for toll roads.

The Money Sitch: ATMs available and credit cards accepted everywhere.

Internet Access: Hotels often offer free wifi in their rooms. Free wifi can often be hard to come by around the city. Keep an eye out for free wifi signs on restaurants and cafes to make your life easier.

The Main Streets: Definitely changes depending on what part of Sydney you're visiting. In the city, George Street and the surrounding streets are considered the city centre. When you move out to the beach suburbs, generally the main streets run towards our parallel with the beach front.

Best Time To Go: October - April.

Can't Miss: Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Toronga Zoo, Manly, The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, The Rocks Historical District, Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour.

Good To Know: Sydney's city centre can be very difficult to drive in, with one way streets all over the place and toll roads that run right through the city. Make sure you're aware of where you're driving before you leave to avoid confusion along the way.

Check out all my posts on my adventures of Sydney here.