We’ve put together this Australian packing list with everything we wish we would have had for our trip down under. Review this Australia checklist as you pack your bags to ensure that you have everything you’ll need.
Australia is one of our favorite places in the world because it has such a variety of animals and habitats. And it is these varying habitats that can make packing for Australia such a challenge. How do you ensure you have what you need for a rainy tropical forest and a dry red rock desert? By using this Australia packing list of course!
Clothes
Daily Clothes: We’re going to leave this list to you. You know how to look up the weather and put together an outfit. A few suggestions we will add: Pack extra underwear, we went swimming at random beaches in the middle of the day a lot and I love some fresh undies when changing into dry clothes. Additionally, Australians are very casual. So unless you have plans to attend a fancy event or restaurant, you can skip the more formal wear.
Shoes: For shoes, we’d recommend at least two pairs for your Australian packing list. First, we like a comfy sandal that is great for walking around cities. Next, we like a nice comfortable trail runner that is good for hiking. We also brought a good water shoe that we wore a lot too, but we know that’s not for everyone.
Swimsuit: We’d pack at least two swimsuits – if not more – for your Australia vacation. We sometimes went swimming multiple times in a day, especially when diving the Great Barrier Reef, so having a dry suit every day was nice.
Beach Cover Up: To protect against that sun, make sure to pack a cover up for the beach to toss on when the sun gets strong.
Hat: Australians really encourage sun protect and hats are a great way to protect you from the sun. Look for a wide brimmed had – like Crocodile Dundee – to maximize your personal shade. You can get this before your trip or buy yourself a souvenir hat on vacation.
Waterproof jacket: If you’re planning on visiting northern Australia, like Cairns, make sure to pack a lightweight rain-proof jacket. Rainforests are rainy, pack accordingly.
Toiletries
Quick Dry Towel: These are our must-pack for every vacation but they are especially crucial for your Australia packing list. These towels dry in just a few hours and take up minimal space so they’re perfect for beach visits.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen: In Australia the sun is strong and skin cancer rates are high, so make sure you remember your sunscreen. Additionally, you’ll need to make sure your sunscreen is reef safe to protect that amazing Great Barrier Reef. A good rule to follow is look at the active ingredients and make sure nothing starts with an O. We like the Blue Lizard brand.
Lip balm with sun protection: Don’t forget to protect your lips from the sun too. Pack a lip balm with SPF in it to keep your lips from cracking and burning.
Bug Repellant: Bugs in the rainforest can be pretty persistent, so having a good quality spay is a must if you are visiting the Red Centre or the rainforests.
Motion Sickness Medication: If you’re planning on setting foot on a boat, it’s a good plan to bring motion sickness medication, even if you “never get motion sick”. The reef tour that we did required us all to take the medication. If you get really motion sick, like me, consider these sweet wristbands that work really well for me, in addition to medication.
Personal Toiletries: You know what you need and like – so pack that. But make sure it is in travel size to save on weight and space in your suitcase.
Tips For Saving Money And Space
Australia has some amazing and affordable skincare/toiletry products. So if you’re short on space in your suitcase, we’d recommend skipping things like sunscreen, lotion and lip balm and buying them at a drug store in Australia. Additionally, if you’re going to be there for multiple weeks, like we were, you’ll likely go through more than a travel size amount.
Lastly, Australia has some great motion sickness medication that I stocked up on when we were there. So that could be something you purchase at your distention as well.
Electronics
Phone: You’ll need a phone that you can swap out SIM cards if you would like cell service in Australia. We brought an old phone (so we weren’t voiding our warranty) and bought a SIM card at the mall on the first day of our trip. Bonus tip: buying SIM cards at actual phone stores tends to be cheaper than buying them at the airport.
When you put a new SIM card in a phone, you’ll loose your number and likely have to reboot your entire phone, which is why we use an old phone that is now our “travel phone”.
If you don’t plan on using cell service in Australia, you can take your personal phone and use downloaded Google maps offline – no cell service required. And then just use WiFi for other phone stuff. We definitely could have done this in Australia with ease and it would have saved some money.
Waterproof Phone Case: We spent tons of time at the beach in Australia so our phones lived in their waterproof phone cases.
Camera: We brought several cameras to Australia. We brought our nice DSLR camera with several lenses, including a wide angle and a larger zoom lens. We also brought our GoPro with accessories for scuba diving and snorkeling. Additionally, we took tons of photos so we always pack an extra battery and an extra SD card.
Power Converter: Australia has different outlets that the US and Europe so you need a converter. We love this cheap universal converter than takes up minimal space in luggage.
Miscellaneous
Passport and Visa: You will need a passport and likely a visa if you are traveling to Australia from another country. Check out visa requirements here.
Collapsible Water Bottles: This is another must-pack for us for every vacation. We love these collapsible water bottles. You can fill them up drink from them and then fold them so small you can stash them in your pocket when empty.
If you plan on doing lots of hiking, consider bringing a small day pack with a water bladder instead. We love this one for hiking.
Sunglasses: Did we mention how strong the sun is already? Don’t forget to add sunglasses to your Australian packing list to protect from that strong sun.
We hope this Australia packing list has helped you to pack for your own perfect Australian vacation. We love Australia and have written about some of our favorite destinations in our Australia travel guide. Check it out to prep yourself for your own vacation.
