Lonely Planet Australia is part of the successful Lonely Planet Experience Guide series. Photo: Supplied.
Inspiration for holiday itineraries and Lonely Planet – the travel guidebook publisher – are synonymous with wonderful memories of fabulous vacations for many families.
The digital media company has had a strong hand in guiding this sector for five decades. Now it’s redefining the Australian leisure industry with a range of completely reimagined travel guides. The publisher continues to revolutionise its input with the innovative Australian guide series.
Lonely Planet has not just updated existing books, but has introduced a suite of new titles, guides, pocket guides and planning maps. These guides represent a bold and modern evolution, offering a fresh and immersive journey reflecting the needs of today’s travellers.
Of the nine titles, these four are among the top-selling Lonely Planet books:
- Australia
- Tasmania
- Experience Australia
- Best Road Trips Australia.
It’s Lonely Planet Australia that further highlights the refreshed guide format that aligns with contemporary travelling options and features even more perceptions from local experts. Each guide features a unique feel and profile, filled with innovative experiences, insider secrets, new voices, and diverse perspectives on travel within Australia.
Now you can build a trip to remember with the most comprehensive level of information for planning multi-week trips, and an updated design and structure to enable you to navigate Australia and connect experiences with ease. Design a picture-perfect excursion with thrilling itineraries for extended journeys mixed with walking tours and optional day outings, incorporating activities to match your individual desire for novel adventures.
The contents are wide-sweeping: Sydney & Surrounds; North Coast New South Wales; South Coast New South Wales; Canberra & Country New South Wales; Southeast Queensland & the Fraser Coast; Central & Tropical North Queensland; Melbourne & Surrounds; Greater Victoria; Tasmania; Adelaide & South Australia; Darwin & the Northern Territory; Perth & Surrounds; and Greater Western Australia.
Connect with Australian culture through stories that delve deep into local life, history, and traditions. There is even more focus on cultural diversity, accessibility, and responsible and LGBTQI+ travel.
An essential information toolkit contains tips on arriving, transport, making the most of your time and money, accessibility, and responsible travel.
A new essay and storybook section enriches the books with short features that provide awareness of the pulse of the location and spark discussion about Australian ethos and history. Topics range from women in sport to the controversial commercialisation of bush tucker, and, more whimsically, Australia’s fascination with “giant things”.
Vibrant colour photographs and maps, including a pull-out one of Australia, encourage wanderlust!
Some fundamental things, however, have not changed, with the writers still hitting the road, visiting every single place featured in the guidebook, to provide unbiased advice and guidance to the country. This is genuine, on-the-ground journalism, not AI or Google-generated content.
As Lonely Planet’s global marketing and sales director Chris Zeiher says: “With a renewed thirst for travel and knowledge, people are still avidly purchasing travel guides. We’ve conducted extensive research to understand what travellers seek in this new era of travel. These new editions are an evolutionary response to those insights while keeping the essence of the much-loved Lonely Planet brand.
“They’re expanding our definition of travel and we’re proud to showcase Australia with this fresh approach. We look forward to seeing more people exploring our own backyard.”
Get an original viewpoint on must-visit sights. Delve through special features on wine regions, bush tucker and the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Discover popular and off-the-beaten-track experiences, from surfing at Byron Bay’s iconic beaches to watching little penguins waddle ashore at the famous Penguin Parade. Go with an Aboriginal guide to tour the fascinating rock art sites of Kakadu National Park.
As part of the successful Lonely Planet Experience Guide series, many of these publications are exciting first editions, including Experience Australia. The Pocket Sydney and Pocket Melbourne guides are among the first of the newly designed pocket guides, providing travellers with a concise and engaging journey through these iconic cities.
Specialists offer insider knowledge and intuitions with their own distinctive perspectives on food, heritage and destinations that are beyond the normal tourist map. Let Lonely Planet Australia help create the trip of a lifetime that’s exclusively yours as you get to the heart of this extraordinary country.
Think of all the fun that lies ahead as you identify recommendations on when to go, where to shop, drink, find accommodation, be entertained, seek out adventurous activities, learn about festivals, and a lot more. In fact, there are 928 pages of invaluable information.
Lonely Planet Australia, $39.99
