Side Trips

If you have the time, there’s a lot you can do while you’re in Australia, beyond inner Sydney.

New South Wales

Sydney is the state capital of the state of New South Wales. The state itself has a huge number of interesting places to visit, from Sydney itself and nearbly places such as the Royal National Park, the Blue Mountains, and the wine region of the Hunter Valley to further afield where you’ll find stunning beaches on the South Coast, Central Coast and North Coast, the Outback (which will be very hot in January), and the Snowy Mountains, which offers great hiking in summer.

Melbourne and the Australian Open

The Australian Open runs from January 12 to February 1, in Melbourne. Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and a great place to visit. Melbourne is warm and can often be hot in January. Melbourne has direct flights to/from over 20 countries and dozens of direct flights to Sydney each day (1.5hrs). Most major carriers fly to both destinations, so you could fly into Melbourne, fly up to Sydney for the conference, and then fly out of Sydney, if you wished. Outside of Melbourne you can visit the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley, and sample the state’s excellent wines.

Canberra

Canberra is the national capital. It’s a 35 min flight or a 3hr drive from Sydney. It’s a great place to visit, with stunning natural environment, loads of wildlife, many excellent museums and galleries, and a great local wine industry. If you come to Canberra, be sure to get in touch with colleagues at the Australian National University.

Queensland and Great Barrier Reef

Queensland is a popular tourist destination. Brisbane is the state capital of the state of Queensland, and nearby is the city of Surfer’s Paradise, known for excellent beaches and theme parks. Brisbane has a well-connected international airport and is not far from the tropics; its relative latitude (27.5S) is about the same as Gran Canaria, SP (27.9N), similar to Miami (25.8N) and Orlando (28.5S), so you should expect things to be warm (Brisbane’s January mean daily maximum temperature is 30.4C). The water temperature around Brisbane is a balmy 27C in February. Traveling further north you enter the tropics. Much of the Queensland coast is shadowed by the 2,300km long Great Barrier Reef. Favorite destinations along the Great Barrier Reef include the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns.

Central Australia

Central Australia is spectacular, desolate, and harsh. If you plan a visit in January you need to consider the climate. Average daily maximums in Alice Springs in January are 37.1 (108F).

Far North, Darwin, and Kakadu

Darwin is the capital of the Norther Territory and Australia’s most northerly city. Although small and remote, it is an interesting place to visit. It has a diverse culture and is the place to start a tour of the spectacular Kakadu National Park. January is in the wet season, so expect it to be steamy. Access to some remote areas may be limited.