My Australia Tourist Visa Experience

Speaking from my personal experience, my Australia tourist visa application process was relatively smooth. My cover letter was concise and limited to just one page, and I also did not have an Income Tax Return (ITR), which was one of the reasons I included a cover letter to explain my circumstances. The application process was straightforward, although it took approximately 20 working days before I officially received an email from the Australian immigration authorities confirming that my tourist visa had been granted. I was granted a multiple-entry tourist visa valid for one year, with each stay allowing a maximum of 90 days per entry.

Below is the itinerary I submitted as part of my application. I hope it can serve as a useful reference if you're planning your own trip to Australia.

Please keep in mind that every visa application is different. Your processing time, visa validity, permitted stay, and application outcome may differ depending on your individual circumstances and the assessment of your application.

20-Day Sample Itinerary | Melbourne & Sydney

Travel Dates: September 9–28

Duration: 20 days / 19 nights

Destinations: Melbourne & Sydney, Australia

✈️ Arrival in Melbourne

September 9 | Late-Night Arrival

Accommodation: HarbourView Apartment Hotel (now Arrow on Spencer)

Plan:

• Arrive in Melbourne late at night
• Check in to accommodation
• Settle in and rest

🇦🇺 Melbourne

September 10–23

September 10 | Melbourne City

• Federation Square
• Yarra River
• Flinders Street Station
• Hosier Lane
• Degraves Street
• Block Arcade

September 11 | Fitzroy & Melbourne Museum

• Fitzroy Town Hall
• Edinburgh Gardens
• Centre for Contemporary Photography
• Fitzroy Market
• Brunswick Street
• Melbourne Museum

September 12 | Arts & City Views

• State Library of Victoria
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Eureka Skydeck at sunset

September 13 | Great Ocean Road

• Full-day Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne

September 14 | Yarra Bend Park

• Yarra Bend Park Loop
• Relaxed outdoor day

September 15 | St Kilda

• St Kilda Beach
• Beach and leisure activities

September 16 | Gardens & History

• Royal Botanic Gardens
• Shrine of Remembrance

September 17 | Healesville

• Healesville Sanctuary
• Wildlife and nature activities

September 18 | History & Culture

• Immigration Museum
• Old Melbourne Gaol

September 19 | Chinatown & Little Italy

• Chinatown
• Little Italy

September 20 | Outdoor Day

• Main Yarra Trail
• Walking and recreational activities

September 21 | Sunday Markets

• Camberwell Sunday Market
• South Melbourne Market

September 22 | Day Tour

• Puffing Billy Steam Train
• Penguin Parade

September 23 | Shopping

• Melbourne Central
• The Strand Melbourne
• The Block Arcade

🇦🇺 Sydney

September 24–27

September 24 | Melbourne → Sydney

• Flight from Melbourne to Sydney
• Check in at Lord Wolseley Hotel
• Circular Quay
• Sydney Opera House
• Sydney Harbour Bridge
• The Rocks

September 25 | Bondi & Sydney Harbour

• Bondi Beach
• Sydney Harbour sightseeing cruise
• Taronga Zoo

September 26 | Gardens, Art & Harbour

• Royal Botanic Garden
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Darling Harbour

September 27 | Blue Mountains

• Blue Mountains adventure day tour
• Last full day in Sydney

✈️ Departure

September 28 | Sydney → Manila

• Check out from accommodation
• Flight back to Manila
• End of Australia trip

💡 Planning Note

This itinerary is provided as a sample travel plan and can be customized based on your preferred destinations, travel dates, budget, interests, and length of stay. You do not need to follow this itinerary exactly. Use it as a starting point when planning your own trip to Australia.