Touring Australia: Out and about in Oz

This article was originally published in our Summer 2022 issue. Click here to subscribe to our quarterly print magazine and be the first to read our January issue features.

Of the many contrasts between Australia and our Spring issue’s touring destination, Malta, perhaps most pertinent to anyone planning a tour Down Under is the difference in scale: the world’s sixth-largest country is nearly 3 million square miles in area, meaning that almost all internal travel between Australia’s major population centres is by air.

However, the separation between each of the Australian state capitals has also meant that they have developed their own musical scenes and traditions; each has its own symphony orchestra with a modern concert hall as its home – the Adelaide Festival Theatre, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane, Federation Concert Hall in Hobart, Hamer Hall in Melbourne, the Perth Concert Hall, and the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall – and most also play host to international festivals.

Away from the state capitals, Australia is sparsely populated, meaning that regional and rural locations host far fewer events; one exception is the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, which takes place in Townsville in Queensland.

In contrast, it can be difficult to find venues more suitable to smaller groups; the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall at the Melbourne Recital Centre is one of the world’s leading chamber-music performance spaces, while some of the rehearsal halls of the aforementioned concert halls are often used for smaller concerts, such as Grainger Hall in Adelaide, Ferry Road Studio in Brisbane, and the Iwaki Auditorium in Melbourne. Another option in some cities is the auditorium of the state university music faculty, such as Elder Hall in Adelaide, Melba Hall in Melbourne, and Verbrugghen Hall in Sydney.

As in Europe, cathedrals and churches are also popular venues for chamber and choral music, most notably St George’s Cathedral in Perth, St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane, and Melbourne’s two cathedrals, St Paul’s (Anglican) and St Patrick’s (Catholic).

Prices can be noticeably higher in Australia than in the UK, owing to high import costs. A takeaway coffee costs around $5–$7 (£2.80–£4.00), while a local beer in a bar is around $8 (£4.50), with foreign brands more like $11 (£6.20); a meal at a fastfood joint can also cost around $11, while a restaurant will cost upwards of $40 (£22.50).

Choosing the right time of year to tour Australia is important, especially given the variance in temperature and humidity between different regions – in the height of summer temperatures can remain above 30°C for weeks on end, which may be great for holidaymakers but is less appealing for instrumentalists and school groups. Spring (September–November) and autumn (March–May) are perhaps the best periods, as average temperatures tend to stay between 20°C and 32°C.

Australia’s national carrier Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways are the main airlines operating between the UK and Australia. Currently, the only direct flights available from the UK to Australia are with Qantas to Perth, taking just under 17 hours (although direct flights between London and Sydney will be launched in 2025); other destinations require a changeover, with Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Singapore popular options.

A free eVisitor visa is required for British citizens staying for less than three months; this can be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs or via a travel agent or airline. Given the many complexities of travel to and within Australia, it is advisable to enlist the services of an experienced tour company to help with organising a tour. As a popular destination it will be catered for by most UK-based companies; larger firms that have their own dedicated representatives in Australia include ACFEA Tour Consultants and Club Europe. Alternatively, Hayllar Music Tours is a Sydney-based tour company led by Elizabeth Hayllar, formerly of London’s Intermusica artists’ agency.