Tourism Australia and partners across the country have rolled out a digital welcome mat for visitors who have been thwarted in their plans to travel Down Under due to the coronavirus pandemic, and for those who are planning ahead for the day that travel can resume.
Whether it’s a live stream of baby koalas, cooking experiences with Australia’s top chefs, music from some of the country’s most loved singers and bands, or 360-degree tours from some of Australia’s most iconic natural and cultural destinations, Australia’s top attractions and artists are rising to the challenge and keeping people entertained at home.
“Once it’s safe to travel again, make sure you plan to see their work in real life, but until then, settle in and let your mind travel,” says Tourism Australia.
Here are just a few of the options:
360-degree videos: Tourism Australia’s collection of 360-degree videos on YouTube range from watching the sunset over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House to kayaking and trekking through Katherine Gorge, or snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef – and dozens more experiences besides.
Cultural programs: Culture vultures will find a haul of virtual offerings and programming on the web sites for institutions like the Melbourne Museum, National Gallery of Victoria, Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), and the Sydney Opera House. Among the offerings: Q&As with experts, drawing lessons, virtual exhibit tours, live streams, and much more.
Also, check out Story Spheres for 360-degree videos of the Outback in the Northern Territory, including Uluru; live streams from Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures; and webcamsydney for a beautiful live view of Sydney Harbour (don’t miss sunset).
Entertainment: Brighten up your day with 10 of the biggest Australian comedians (that were booked for Melbourne International Comedy Festival) streaming their stand-up special via Amazon Prime. Two shows are being released every week with the line-up including Aussie comedians Zoë Coombs Marr, Judith Lucy, Celia Pacquola, Anne Edmonds, Tom Walker, Tommy Little, Lano and Woodley, Dilruk Jayasinha, Alice Fraser and Tom Gleeson.
Classical Music: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is hosting live stream performances, while the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has a huge catalogue of live concerts videos. The West Australian Symphony Orchestra is putting on webcast concerts and Australian Ballet has free morning classes and videos on “Ballet TV.” Visit the respective web sites for details.
Zoos: From koalas to kangaroos, and even Elvis the crocodile, wildlife lovers can live stream some of Australia’s most unique animals online, as well as discover additional content such as visiting zookeepers and aquarists. Visit web sites or Facebook for The Australian Reptile Park, SEA LIFE (Melbourne and Sydney), Wild Life Sydney Zoo, CaPTA Group Wildlife Parks, Melbourne Zoo, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef (Reef Tracks), and BirdLife Australia Discovery Centre (Eagle Cam).
Food & Drink: Sydney’s bar and vegetarian diner Golden Gully is providing one-hour classes with bartenders Rachael and Danny via video chat on how to mix up some drinks from whatever you have in your liquor cabinet. Chef Emma Evans is also running one-hour video chat classes that take you through a recipe to teach you how to improve your kitchen skills while cooking up something tasty, even using the most mundane ingredients in your pantry.
