Anna Krome
Autumn 2024 Study Abroad student from Colorado School of Mines
Golden, United States of America
Australia is a massive country with so many different areas to explore! The great thing about studying at UTS is it is located right in the heart of Sydney. It provides easy access to public transportation which allows you to explore around NSW! Some of my favorite trips were exploring the Blue Mountains and going beach camping! The Blue Mountains are a beautiful national park and is easy to access via the train. It is the perfect day trip and there are countless hikes and waterfalls waiting to be explored! If you don’t mind roughing it a bit, spend the weekend off the grid camping with some friends. Beach camping is a great way to see some new areas and there are several options that are accessible via public transportation! Don’t forget sunscreen!
There are so many areas around NSW you could probably spend every week exploring a new area! Don't be afraid to venture a little outside the city! The trains and buses are amazing and easy to navigate! Go explore!
Local Sydney Trips:
There are also so many things to explore and see right in the city of Sydney! There are countless museums and activities that are also free to the public! For example, the museums! My favorite museum I visited was the Art Gallery of New South Wales. While some exhibits within the museums cost money to access, entrance is free! There are a total of 32 free museums and attractions to explore, meaning you always have something to do in Sydney even when you’re on a budget. Some larger attractions are ticketed, such as the Sydney Tower Eye, Sydney Observatory, Harbour Bridge Climb, Opera House, and the zoo. While I highly recommend doing the Harbour Bridge climb or seeing a show at the Opera House, those can be a little bit on the pricier side. The zoo, however, is a reasonable price and makes for a great day trip! To access the zoo you take a short ferry
ride from Circular Quay. Once at the zoo, you are met
with an amazing view of the skyline. The zoo has all
sorts of animals including the staple kangaroos and koalas! Stop by some of the scheduled animal talks and feedings for some added information about the animals!
Australian Cities:
While Sydney is absolutely beautiful and you could spend your entire study abroad exploring the city, many other areas in Australia are worth a trip! Melbourne was one city that I made the trip to via train and loved! It is a very vibrant city with a lot of fun art and architecture. If you make it out for the weekend check to see if the Fitzroy Markets are happening and stop by! I enjoyed my time in Melbourne by strolling around and stopping by some of the museums/attractions! I suggest going to the Melbourne Museum as well as the National Gallery of Victoria. The nightlife is amazing as well with lots of different bars. My friends and I found a comedy club to spend our Saturday night which was a hit! Some of the other large cities include Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane! Each of these cities offers a different experience and are all equally as fun to explore!
Great Barrier Reef:
One trip that I absolutely recommend taking during your time in Australia is to visit the Great Barrier Reef! One of the natural wonders of the world, this is a trip that must be on your bucket list. To get to the reef, my friends and I decided to catch a flight to Cairns. Cairns is a beautiful beach town which offers access to the reef. For a special experience, I suggest booking snorkel tours. I participated in a tour to Green Island which included a ferry ride to the island and snorkel equipment. We spent the day on the island swimming with the fish. You can also opt in for some other cool activities such as a glass bottom boat tour or a helicopter ride! I also suggest doing the day trip to the Kuranda Rainforest. You can take a scenic railway which offers incredible views!
A trip to New Zealand:
UTS offers a study vacation during your semesterwhich is about one week. This is the perfect timeto plan a larger trip if interested! For my break, I flew over to the south island of New Zealand where I fell in love with the beautiful scenery. I suggest flying to the south island and renting a car. For those coming from countries that drive onthe right side of the road, remember it is flipped! Renting a car allows you to explore better and gives you the freedom to stop wherever for a photo op, bushwalk, or just a break from driving! One of the highlights from my trip wasQueenstown. It is a smaller town nestled in the mountains and overlooking a beautiful lake. If in 20 years you can’t find me, look for me first there! If you are looking to explore outside of Australia, New Zealand is a must. Australia is huge and has so much to offer! Don’t be afraid to explore outside of NSW!
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