Mackay is on the coast of central Queensland and is highly sought after for its beach area on the Pacific Ocean, which offers opportunities for surfing and swimming. Day cruises are available to the nearby Whitsunday and Brampton islands, which offer walking paths and beaches. The Mackay Regional Botanical Gardens features garden exhibitions throughout the year and the park is free to enter.
The garden also features the Lagoon Cafe, with breakfast and lunch entrees ranging form $10 to $15, as of fall 2010. The city offers hotels with inexpensive room rates, including the Gecko's Rest Budget Accommodation which has rooms at $40 per night, and the Miner's Lodge Motor Inn, $99 per night.
Kangaroo Island is less than 20 miles off the coast of the state of South Australia , and is accessible via an hour-long ferry from Adelaide to the island's port city, Kingscote. This island is home to Flinders Chase National Park, a recreation area is on the western end of the island that is is home to kangaroos, wallabies and koalas. Inexpensive guided tours are available for this park.
Other recreation areas on the island include Seal Bay Conservation Park, which offer chances to see fur seals and dolphins. Ficifolia Lodge, located at the center of the island offers cheap room rates in apartment-style units starting at $115 per night, as of fall 201. The units have kitchens and living rooms and breakfast is included in the room rate.
Tour companies offer packages for travelers who want to drive their own car through Australia. These drives allow visitors to see rural "Down Under" attractions on their own schedule, such as beachfront Great Ocean Road, Namadji National Park in New South Wales and Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory. Some packages include a seven-day trip from Sydney to Melbourne for $676, as of fall 2010.This tour package include car rental and six nights accommodation.
The largest city in Western Australia is Perth and it offers chances for surfing and swimming in the Indian Ocean. Backpackers hotels and hostels in Perth's central business district include Old Swans Barracks, which offers room rates at $23 per night for a shared room and $79 per night for a private room. These hostels are within walking distance of downtown Perth's museums, art galleries and parks. Most of the admission prices for Perth's cultural museums and parks are low-cost to free. A possible day trip from Perth is a one-hour drive to John Forrest National Park, which features waterfalls and hiking trails.
