TOURISM AUSTRALIA'S TOP 10 SOCIAL POSTS OF 2020

Tourism Australia's Top 10 Social Posts of 2020 

Tourism Australia's list of the year's top Instagram posts is here. Following on from an incredibly challenging year there are prominent undertones of love, connection, and mateship.

An image of the Sydney Opera House sails illuminated with a moving tribute to Australian firefighters, who at the time were battling bushfires across the country, was the most popular post this year. In a year where staying connected with loved ones was so important, the list also featured many 'awww' moments: a quokka mum together with her joey, little penguins standing flipper in the flipper, and a koala tightly hugging her baby joey. Reinforcing Australia's animals are the stars of the show, there was also a kangaroo having a belly scratch and a whale breaching. 

These are Tourism Australia's top 10 Instagram Posts of 2020

1. Thank You, Firefighters - Sydney Opera House, New South Wales / Credit: @sydneyoperahouse
2. Kangaroo Scratch - Coffs Coast, New South Wales / Credit: @wavestowildernessexperiences
3. Quokka & Joey - Rottnest Island, Western Australia / Credit: @cruzysuzy / @meiji_nguyen_photography
4. Hemsworth Holiday - Lord Howe Island, New South Wales / Credit: @chrishemsworth
5. Bioluminescence - Jervis Bay, New South Wales / Credit: @jordan_robins
6. Penguin Hug - St Kilda, Victoria / Credit: @tobiasvisuals
7. Koala & Joey Cuddle - WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, New South Wales / Credit: @reneehowell18 / @wildlifesydneyzoo
8. Rockpool Chills - Macquarie Pass National Park, New South Wales / Credit: @_aswewander
9. Friendly Kangaroo - North Stradbroke Island, Queensland / Credit: @_markfitz
10. Whale Breach - Gold Coast, Queensland / Credit: @seaworldcruises

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Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison said, "This year has been incredibly challenging for so many people and communities and with travel plans largely on hold for much of 2020, keeping travellers connected with Australia's tourism offering through our marketing has been key,” said Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison.

“A particular focus this year has been to stay active across our social media channels to remind people of all the incredible tourism experiences across Australia that are available and ready for travellers to include in their future travel plans.

“Interestingly, over the last 12 months, we've seen the dreaming content that we've been posting across our social media channels resonating strongly among our audiences, with our accounts recording a significant increase in followers and engagement, highlighting the sense of escape that people have understandably been seeking this year.”

Tourism Australia's Instagram Channel

With 4.5 million followers, and up to 100 million impressions each month, Tourism Australia's official Instagram account is the world's most popular global tourism brand on Instagram. Each day up to 4,000 pieces of content are submitted on Instagram through the hashtag #SeeAustralia with over 5.1 million posts currently featuring on the hashtag. To have their content featured on the @australia account, travellers can tag #SeeAustralia or #HolidayHereThisYear to give permission to repost.

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Thank You, Firefighters - Sydney Opera House, New South Wales /  Credit: @sydneyoperahouse

This image of the Sydney Opera House sails illuminated with a moving tribute to Australian firefighters, who at the time were battling bushfires across the country, was the most popular post this year. Capture your own striking image at Badu Gili, a seven-minute animated projection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art that graces the sails of the Opera House nightly. Badu Gili, which means 'water light', celebrates the ancient stories and rich contemporary culture of Australia's First Nations.

 

Kangaroo Scratch - Coffs Coast, New South Wales / Credit: @wavestowildernessexperiences

It's about as Aussie as you can get – kangaroos by the beach. Snap your own pic of a beach-going eastern grey kangaroo on the South Coast and Central Coast of New South Wales. You'll see them in large numbers on the grass and sand and many don't mind posing for photographs as they love to relax and soak up the sunshine. In Western Australia, head to Lucky Bay (just a 40-minute drive from Esperance) to see them lounging on the white sands, while in Queensland you're guaranteed to spot 'roos and wallabies on the beach at Cape Hillsborough, near Mackay.

 

Quokka & Joey - Rottnest Island, Western Australia / Credit: @cruzysuzy / @meiji_nguyen_photography

Australia is known as the home to some of the world's cutest animals. But none are more photogenic than the quokka. Apart from a small colony on the mainland, they are only found on Rottnest Island in Western Australia. Quokkas are naturally curious, so you do not need to approach them or offer them food to get close enough for a photograph. Simply get down to their level and wait for them to come to you. Remember that it is illegal to touch or feed quokkas, so keep a respectful distance and use a selfie stick for the best photo. 

 

Hemsworth Holiday - Lord Howe Island, New South Wales / Credit: @chrishemsworth

Early this year, Tourism Australia's Global Ambassador, Chris Hemsworth, and his extended family, including brothers Liam and Luke, enjoyed a family getaway to the lush island paradise that is Lord Howe Island, located off the coast of New South Wales, Australia. Highlights of the trip shared on social channels revealed an island itinerary packed with surfing, fishing, and beach activities. With only 400 visitors allowed on the island at any time, Lord Howe Island is one of Australia's best-kept secrets. Fringed with coral reefs and turquoise lagoons, and topped with mountain valleys and sea cliffs, you can fly to this secret island paradise from Sydney or Brisbane. 

 

Bioluminescence - Jervis Bay, New South Wales / Credit: @jordan_robins

Jervis Bay is renowned for its white sandy beaches, however, the beaches in the area are even more wondrous at night. Due to a natural chemical reaction within plankton, the plankton becomes luminescent and emanates a blue glow. This unusual natural phenomenon, which can only be seen at night, can happen at any time of the year but is more common in spring and summer months when the water is warmer. While the magical display is difficult to predict, the presence of red algae during the day may indicate a higher chance of bioluminescence in the evening. Jervis Bay is not the only place in Australia you can see this occur, with it being reported in the Whitsundays - Queensland, Port Lincoln - South Australia, and Lauderdale Tasmania.

 

Penguin Hug - St Kilda, Victoria / Credit: @tobiasvisuals

Phillip Island is famous for its daily sunset penguin parade on Summerland Beach when fairy penguins come ashore in groups, but it's also home to a large colony of Australian fur seals which can be viewed from the quaintly named nobbies headland. Little Penguins can also be seen on St Kilda breakwater which is located at the end of St Kilda pier. To capture these little bundles, the best viewing spots are on the boardwalk and they can usually be spotted around sunset.

 

Koala & Joey Cuddle - WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, New South Wales / Credit: @reneehowell18 / @wildlifesydneyzoo

There are plenty of places to spot a koala in Australia. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world's first and largest koala sanctuary is located just outside of Brisbane and is home to more than 130 koalas - the best part: you can hold one any day of the week. Other places you can cuddle a koala include Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park in South Australia, and Cohunu Koala Park in Western Australia. Alternatively, pop in to have breakfast with a koala at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo.  

 

Rockpool Chills - Macquarie Pass National Park, New South Wales / Credit: @_aswewander

Travellers looking to soak in a spa bath will be pleased to know that a spectacular range of natural spas, hot springs, and fresh watering holes can be found all over Australia – and most won't cost you a cent! At Macquarie Pass National Park in New South Wales, a natural swimming hole can be found at the bottom of Macquarie Pass. The perfect spot for a photo, soak in the fresh cool water with the sounds of a waterfall in the background. Other rock pools popular with photographers include the Fairy Pools at Granite Bay in Noosa National Park and Cardwell Spa Pool in Girringun National Park, south of Cairns in Queensland's tropical north.

 

Friendly Kangaroo - North Stradbroke Island, Queensland / Credit: @_markfitz

A visit to North Stradbroke Island ('Straddie' to locals) charms with its retro, laid-back vibe. Make like a local and hit the beach or delve into the Queensland sand island's fascinating history. And did we mention there are kangaroos just hopping about, ready for their close-up? Also keep a keen eye out for resident kangaroos, kookaburras, and koalas, and in late May and early November spot whales migrating up the famed humpback highway. 

 

Whale Breach - Gold Coast, Queensland / Credit: @seaworldcruises 

Ok, so you've been whale watching, and you're thinking 'what's the big deal?'. The big deal is the sheer number of whales that migrate along Australia's east and west coasts – we're talking tens of thousands of humpbacks, not to mention a solid smattering of southern right and blue whales. The whales head north to the warmer waters of Tropical North Queensland and the Kimberley to calve then back down the coast, resulting in the longest whale watching season in the world. Hotspots on the east coast include the Whitsundays, Hervey Bay, the Gold Coast, Sydney, and the Sunshine Coast, where you can even swim with humpback whales. Over in Western Australia, your best whale-watching spots are the coastal towns of Albany, Augusta, Busselton, Fremantle, and Broome.