“There’s Nothing like Australia” according to Tourism Australia’s newest slogan, but here at SameSame we hate to disagree. For us, There’s nothing like gay Australia.

Welcoming masses of tourists over the sunny season, drawn to our shores by the promise of beautiful landmarks and a thriving gay culture, Australia has asserted its position as a global hotspot.

SameSame takes you on a tour of our major cities, revealing what each has to offer, not only for those making the overseas trek, but for gay locals who want to reconnect with their homeland.

PERTH

We begin our journey in Perth, Australia’s western-most city. It’s one of the most happening of Australia’s capitals, boasting a number of gay-friendly bars and clubs.

Perth’s exclusively gay nightclub Connections not only serves up spinning DJ sets, but resident drag divas who entertain till the wee hours of the morning. With a penchant for throwing themed bashes, Connections’ Wednesday night Lesbian Mud Wrestling event is always a highlight. Perth’s CourtBar, Luxe Bar, are all some of the finest go-to gay venues for a bit of a boogie, delicious drinks and even better company, while events like Bent @ Bar 138 and Disco Incorrecto at Seizan Karaoke Bar encourage patrons to have fun and be fabulous with dance-worthy tunes and an electrifying atmosphere.

When West Australian locals aren’t breaking a sweat on the dancefloor of one of these popular gay joints, they’re celebrating their LGBT pride at WA’s Pride Festival. Every October Perth attracts 80,000 spectators to their Pride Parade and a bunch of families to their Fairday in Russell Square amongst a mass of other popular gay events.

Also check out Perth’s local landmarks – maybe a tour of His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, or the local Zoo is more up your alley. Popular dining venues include Andaduz, Star Anise and Delizioso Café all recommended by locals.

Discover all the details you need about gay Perth here.

ADELAIDE

After traversing the south coast and stopping for a snack at the Great Australian Bight, we recommend exploring Adelaide.

Its location in the Festival State (South Australia) promises oodles of frolicking fun with the ever-popular Fringe and Feast Fests. Adelaide’s Fringe transforms the city into a bursting hub of cultural activity every February/March for the biggest arts festival in the southern hemisphere, while Feast in November is purely for the queers, showcasing everything that the LGBT community in Adelaide love including cabaret, films, parties, bears (with its mini Bearstock festival) and a Pride March to kick it off.

During months when the city is not over-run with cultural events, Mars Bar is the nightclub of choice for gay Adelaidian residents and visitors. Pumping with commercial and retro pop tunes on Wednesday through Sunday nights, enjoy the drag shows, DJs, live performances and most of all, fraternising with fellow partygoers. If you thought that was sleazy, you might want to check out Adelaide’s annual Sleaze Ball. Held at the Old Queen’s Theatre in November last year, the AIDS Council South Australia fundraiser is set to out-do itself in 2011 with more entertainers, DJs and live shows than you can poke a stick at.

If clubs aren’t your scene, venture down to the beach on the Glenelg tram and experience the south coast sand and scenery. Maslins nudist beach is located south of the city and is a popular gay locale.

Find out all about gay Adelaide here.

MELBOURNE

Next stop, Melbourne.

Most lucky folks in the state of Victoria agree that Melbourne’s the cultural centre of Australia, and has been voted ‘the most livable city in the world’ several times in many polls.

Melbourne comes alive early in the year with its Midsumma Festival, featuring a huge number of queer events which paint the city pink, purple, and all the other colours of the rainbow.

There’s a diverse and rich gay scene that is bound to entertain and intrigue you, regardless of what your interest or bent is. Check out the Northside scene with stops at Sircuit, The Peel, the Glasshouse Hotel or Neverwhere. Southside, catch the campness at the Xchange Hotel, Market Hotel, Heaven’s Door Bar and Priscilla’s Bar along Commercial Road.

The city is also home to JOY 94.9, Australia’s only full time queer radio broadcaster. The thriving theatre scene and market sales are also major attractions adding to Melbourne’s many delights.

Experience all you can of this amazing city – check out our comprehensive guide to Melbourne here.

CANBERRA

Taking a quick inland detour we arrive at the Australian Capital Territory, home of 350,000 Canberrans. Beyond the obvious sightseeing attractions like Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial that catch your eye as you head into the heart of Canberra, there lives a flourishing LGBT community.

Get your first taste by tuning into QRadio while on the road. The city’s only same-sex dedicated radio show is a Canberra staple for the gay traveler. Pick up a copy of must-read glossy mag Fuse, the capital’s premiere gay and lesbian bi-monthly lifestyle publication, which, with its ‘What’s On’ information, makes the perfect travel companion.

For the lesbian or bi woman, Canberra’s Tilley Café is ideal. No longer a ‘female-only’ venue, kick back among a mix of friends for an afternoon of chilled bevies.

Another LGBT favourite, is Canberra’s Hush Lounge, a gay-owned restaurant and bar. Combining drag shows with live music, cocktails and karaoke, Hush is the perfect place for a dinner date or pre-drinks.

But as in most cities around Australia, once the sun goes down the queens come out, often taking to the Cube nightclub for a bump and grind. Canberra’s only dedicated gay nightspot, Cube plays host to a number of themed nights and diva shows, really hitting its stride after midnight.

Get the most out of Australia’s capital. Find out more about its gay scene here.

SYDNEY

From the capital, it’s best to veer toward Australia’s east coast to visit our nation’s largest and most populous city, Sydney.

Boasting the country’s best beaches, a harbour to envy and a flamboyant cosmopolitan gay nightlife, there’s no wonder the city is adored by all who visit.

Last year SameSamers voted Sydney’s Mardi Gras Festival as their favourite thing about being gay in Oz. The iconic two-week event, which sees an influx of domestic and international visitors head to the NSW capital in February/March, consists of a Parade down Oxford Street, an official party and tones of cultural events to back it up.

Speaking of Sydney’s ‘Gay Golden Mile’, the Oxford Strip is home to a list of gay-owned and operated venues. On a regular weekend, you can see young queers in their oodles flock to The Stonewall Hotel, one of Sydney’s most enduring gay clubs for its camp drag nights, or the Arq ‘superclub’ in Taylor Square, for its huge dancefloor and numerous themed parties. The ever-fashionable Nevermind, featuring Disgraceland nights with Australia’s golden girl Courtney Act is always packed, along with the long-serving Midnight Shift, which remains a popular destination for gay Asian guys as well as Bear parties and huge drag numbers upstairs.

Newtown has re-established itself as a queer hub, attracting a bunch of eccentric and creative residents with its huge selection of cafes and quirky indie stores. The Imperial Hotel is at the forefront of gay Newtown, where, after a year of closure, the club has exploded once more with drag talent and Tuesday Bingay fundraiser nights. The always popular Bank Hotel doubles as a restaurant/bar and a thriving all-girl spot, with its Wednesday nights in the Velvet room dedicated to women only.

Sydney’s gotta be one of the gay capitals of the world. Get all the info here.

QUEENLAND

Then, continuing up the coast you hit the Sunshine State. Instead of settling for just one of its many fine cities, SameSame suggests you take the time to bask in all the treasures Queensland has to offer, from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and Cairns.

As we write this in January 2011, disaster has struck the city of Brisbane, with flood waters devastating several towns, suburbs and parts of the CBD. Perhaps it will take months or even years to fix all the mess, but Queenslanders are battlers – and they’ll need your visiting tourist dollars more than ever during the cleanup.

Brisbane is traditionally the home of much of the gay nightlife and events in the state, including the huge Brisbane Pride Festival each winter.

Away from the biggest city, if you’re looking to get a tan be sure to keep the clothing optional Alexander Bay in mind. A few hours north of Brisbane it’s just near the beautiful Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast also holds an annual Mardi Gras Recovery week that starts in March, perfect for chilling out after the big event.

Travel south for an hour and you’ll hit The Gold Coast, one of the major tourist destinations in Queensland. It’s the home of Surfers Paradise, three big amusement parks, hot life savers and beautiful beaches. The Gold Coast also offers a huge array of shopping and is home to two gay clubs, The Meeting Place and Escape.

Meanwhile, up in Northern Queensland where the weather is hot and the landscape tropical is a little gay Mecca. Cairns is home to the Tropical Pride festival in August with street parades, community fairs and a dance party. Cairns also has two gay bars, The Out Front Hotel and the Vibe Bar.

With its beautiful weather, gorgeous beaches and friendly people, Queensland might be all your best holidays wrapped into one bundle. See more here.

WELLINGTON

While we’re showing off gay Australia, we must also mention our friends over the Tasman Sea in New Zealand’s capital. Wellington is set to host a huge LGBT event – the 2nd Asia-Pacific Outgames in March 2011.

Wellington residents can expect to be inundated with gay Australians as well as supporters and contestants spanning 15 countries. Kicking off with an opening ceremony on the 12th, the Games celebrate out athletes, whether it’s through sports like tennis, football (which has been newly added) or bridge and dancesport. Also hosting an Outgames Human Rights Conference and Queen of the Whole Universe beauty pageant, a stop-off at the New Zealand capital is well worth the hour’s plane ride.

Recently named one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 cities to visit in 2011, we couldn’t agree more. Lord of the Rings site tour aside, it’s the historical landmarks and natural spaces, like Zealandia (a conservation sanctuary that is home to rare native plant and animal life) that tend to draw the biggest crowd. As well as this haven of wetlands and forest, the Te Papa museum is a NZ highlight. With a five-floor exhibition of New Zealand culture the museum showcases an array of exciting interactive rides and displays.

Wellingtonians recommend night spots S&M’s cocktail lounge and Club Ivy is friendly and fun venues catering to the LGBT population.

Wellington’s a witty little city set for the spotlight in 2011! Get the lowdown here.