A longer trip to Australia requires a lot of planning and of course the suitcase has to be packed at some point. But what do you have to think about? And what do you need on the other side of the world that you might have missed in your whole life? I wrote here a packing list with the things you should definitely take with you to Australia.

Of course, these are just tips and maybe you don’t need something at all. You can also take other things that might be important to you but are not on this packing list.

But from my experience I can say that you shouldn’t miss these things:

Clothing

Rain jacket

“It’s always warm in Australia, there’s always sunshine”, I traveled to Australia with this thought. Already in my first week I was taught a better one. It was incredibly cold and it rained continuously. Since you will also use the rainy days in Australia to do something and not sit in the apartment as you know it from home, you should definitely add a rain jacket to your packing list.

Comfortable clothing

When choosing clothes, you should not only limit yourself to the best and most fancy clothes. Also take clothes that are comfortable, can get dirty and can break. Because you can only make the basic settings on the washing machine when washing and drying in the hostel, your clothes will suffer quite a bit while washing and after a few months they will not look as beautiful as they did at the beginning of your trip.

Nice Clothing

Nevertheless, you should pack one or the other chic bodice, as you certainly want to experience the nightlife of Australia. And in a bar or club you probably don’t want to be in your dirty walking clothes.

Warm clothes

Even if you think that in Australia the sun is always shining and that it is always warm, in winter it can be 0 degrees in Australia. (As a small fun fact: In the Australian Alps it snowed more than in Switzerland). Because Australians don’t have heating in their homes and hostels, you shouldn’t miss out on thick sweaters and long trousers.

Bathing clothes

The most important thing is that you add swimwear to your packing list. Because you need them for swimming in the sea, in the river, in the rainforest, surfing or just sunbathing on the beach. In addition, it is sometimes so hot in Australia that you can’t wear anything else without melting in the temperatures.

Cap or headgear

The sunshine in Australia should not be underestimated, which is why you should definitely take a cap with you. You don’t have to wear your cap, when the first rays of sunshine show up in spring but in the outback you should not be out without a cap.

Thrombosis stockings

For long flights and bus rides, you should definitely put on thrombosis stockings. Use the breaks to stretch your legs on bus rides. After all, it would be too bad to ruin your journey because of thrombosis, especially if it is preventable.

Shoes

Flip Flops

As slippers or on the beach, flip flops or simple slippers are best, so you should definitely have some flip flops with you.

Sport shoes

For longer walks and hikes, you should always have shoes with you that are very comfortable and in which you can run well. The shoes should also be allowed to get dirty. Depending on whether you plan many hikes, hiking boots may also be an opportunity.

Cosmetics

You don’t have to worry about cosmetics at the beginning of your trip, as almost everything can be bought locally.

Sunscreen

You should only buy sunscreen in Australia, because the sunscreen sold there has a very different sun protection factor. Since the sun is very strong in Australia, a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 50 is definitely recommended. And don’t worry you will get a tan in Australia even with such a high sun protection factor.

Travel hairdryer

Most hostels don’t provide hair dryers, irons or something like this, so (if you need one) you should bring a travel hair dryer. Of course it can also be bought cheaply in Australia but keep in mind, however, that Australians have different plugs than other countries and maybe you are unable to use the hairdryer again after your trip.

Medicine

If you don’t need certain medications on a regular basis, you don’t have to refill your travel pharmacy before you leave, as you can get a lot of medications in supermarkets or pharmacies. Nevertheless, you should always have painkillers, medicine against colds or plasters with you in case of an emergency, as a pharmacy or a supermarket outside the cities may be a long way away.
Be sure to also add your vaccination card to your packing list.

Purse

In your wallet, you should have your visa, credit card, international driver’s license and passport with you when you enter the country or otherwise. Your foreign ID card is not valid in Australia, so you will need to show your passport to prove your age or similar.

Electronics

Plug adapters

Before you leave, you should definitely get a plug adapter, because the plugs in Oceania are different from the plugs in Europe, for example.

Headphones

Australia is such a big country that you will travel a lot of long distances by bus or plane. Headphones are particularly suitable for multi-hour journeys to pass your time with music, podcasts, series or movies.

Laptop

You don’t necessarily need a laptop, it’s up to you whether you want to take one with you or not. However, to back up the photos you take with your phone or camera to a second store location, you can regularly drag them to your laptop in case your phone breaks down. So all your great photos aren’t lost forever.

Camera

Whether you want to take a camera or not is up to you. Of course, the pictures you take with a good camera are a lot better than those you take with your mobile phone.
But if you take your camera with you, make sure it doesn’t get stolen. Besides, you always carry a heavy burden with you on long journeys.

Other Things

Padlock

In most cases, you will have a small drive at your disposal by storing your valuables. For this you should definitely get a lock and always carry the key with you (a number lock is of course also enough), because nowhere else in Australia is stolen as much as in hostels and without your passport or money you are really lost.

Towels

Very few hostels provide towels, which is why you should definitely bring a towel. A beach towel may also be worthwhile to lie on the beach in the sand and enjoy the sun.

Backpack

For day trips, you should have a backpack with you that has enough room for food and water for a whole day. Since you are likely to run a lot and also a lot up and down, a large bag is hardly suitable for longer tours.

Sunglasses

Just like a cap, you should not go without sunglasses in strong sunshine.

Umbrella

You don’t need an umbrella if you already have a very good rain jacket with you. Nevertheless, it may be worthwhile to have an umbrella with you, especially in case of very heavy rain.

Chewing gum

Depending on whether you have problems with air pressure when flying, you should always carry a packet of chewing gum on flights.