Where is Alice Springs?

~1,500 km south of Darwin & ~1,500 km north of Adelaide

Top 5 things to see and do in Alice Springs

1. Experience the Desert Mob cultural festival from 10th September to 25th October.  
2. Witness the Outback “Desert Bloom” following the winter months, there’s a brief window where native desert wildflowers, shrubs, and wattles dramatically burst into bloom across the red sands. 
3. Trek portions of the Larapinta trail to view ancient rock formations. Spring is that short sweet spot where you can still hit the tracks before extreme summer temperatures soar. 
4. Cool down at MacDonnell Ranges Waterholes. The icy chill of winter has finally left the shaded outback plunge pools, yet the summer temperature haven’t set! Meaning still safe to take a leisurely outdoor hike. 
5. Head to the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, which is home to more than 100 reptiles in their natural environment. Rising spring temperatures provide the perfect warmth for these cold-blooded reptiles to wake up, hunt, and become highly active and visible. 

Where is the Uluru?

~1,600 km North of Adelaide 

Top 5 things to see and do in Uluru

1. Complete the Full 10.5km Base Walk, while the full base loop is open year round, summer temperatures regularly skyrocket past 40°C, causing park rangers to close sections of the track by 11:00 AM for safety. 
2. Stroll past 50,000 glowing glass spheres at Field of Light Exhibition.
3. Just 45 minutes from Uluru, Kata Tjuta consists of 36 massive red rock domes. It is just as spectacular as Uluru but offers a completely different landscape to explore. 
4. Join a dot painting workshop hosted by the Mutitjulu community. Sit down with a local Aṉangu artist and interpreter to learn about ancient symbols, traditional tools for hunting and gathering and more. 
5. Dine under the stunning outback skies with native bush ingredients and a selection of Australian wines and beers at the sounds of silence experience. Listen to as Uluru’s resident astrologist decode the southern night sky. 

Where is Yarra Valley?

~50 km east of Melbourne 

Top 5 things to see and do in the region

1. Attend the CherryHill Orchards Blossom Festival from mid-September to early October to wander through row after row of stunning white petals while enjoying live acoustic music and local food trucks. 
2. Photograph the Blue Hills Berries & Cherries fruit trees during a brief spring window as orchards burst into bloom, offering a rare look at the flowering fields right before the summer harvest season begins. 
3. Enjoy the Tesselaar Tulip Festival, with over a million flowers, themed weekend markets, live performances, and traditional food stalls. 
4. Witness the landscapes of Budburst across Yarra Valley Wineries as the winter dormancy ends and the region’s 90+ vineyards come alive with bright green leaves, completely transforming the rolling hillsides. 
5. Catch the short-lived window of Wisteria and Estate flowers where beautiful purple and white flowers frame the historic regional properties for just a few weeks. 

Where is Hervey Bay?

~283km of Brisbane

Top 5 things to see and do in the Darling Downs

1. Visit Stanthorpe’s boutique wineries, known for their cool-climate varietals and intimate cellar door experiences.  
2. Explore orchards and farm gates offering seasonal produce straight from the source.  
3. Take a hike through Giraween National Park in the Granite Belt, home to The Pyramid and the Granite Arch. 
4. Spend weekends discovering country markets, cosy cafes and hidden local gems.  
5. Take scenic drives through rolling farmland that stretches as far as the eye can see. 

Where is Toowoomba?

~127km west of Brisbane 

Top 5 things to see and do in Toowoomba

1. Experience the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, running from 18 September to 5 October 2026. One of Queensland’s biggest spring events, the Carnival brings together spectacular garden displays, the Grand Central Floral Parade, live music, local food and events across Toowoomba. 
2. Stroll through Queens Park and Botanic Gardens, one of Toowoomba’s must-see spring attractions. During the Carnival of Flowers, its landscaped gardens become one of the city’s major floral showcases. 
3. Take in the views from Picnic Point Lookout, perched on the crest of the Great Dividing Range. Look out across the Lockyer Valley, explore the surrounding walking tracks or stop at the café for a bite with a view. 
4. Visit Spring Bluff Railway Station, a heritage-listed station known for its colourful hillside gardens. It’s particularly popular in spring, when the historic station and surrounding gardens become part of the Carnival of Flowers experience. 
5. Explore Laurel Bank Park, famous for its manicured gardens, topiary and scented garden. During spring, it becomes another of Toowoomba’s major Carnival showcases, with elaborate seasonal displays throughout the park. 

Where is Esperance?

~720 km south-east of Perth 

Top 5 things to see and do in Esperance

1. Explore Cape Le Grand National Park, around 45 minutes from Esperance. Spring’s milder conditions are ideal for hiking the coastal trails, exploring granite peaks and stopping at beaches like Hellfire Bay and Lucky Bay. 
2. Visit Lucky Bay, famous for its brilliant white sand, turquoise water and kangaroos often spotted along the beach. 
3. Take on the Great Ocean Drive, a scenic coastal loop showcasing Esperance’s beaches, lookouts and striking coastline. Stop at favourites including West Beach, Twilight Beach and Eleven Mile Beach along the way. Plan your Esperance coastal drive. 
4. Spot migrating whales along the Esperance coast in early spring. Whales can be seen from coastal lookouts through to October, with West Beach and the Tagon Coastal Trail offering opportunities to keep watch from shore. Explore Esperance’s beaches and coastal trails. 
5. Hike Frenchman Peak (Mandooboornup) for panoramic views across Cape Le Grand National Park, the coastline and Recherche Archipelago. The challenging climb takes around one to three hours and is best tackled in dry conditions. See the Esperance Holiday Guide. 

Where is Kangaroo Island?

~107 km south-west of Adelaide (+ 45 minute ferry crossing) 

Top 5 things to see and do on Kangaroo Island

• Spot Kangaroo Island kangaroos and Tammar wallabies in there natural habitat. 
• Look out for koalas and their young in the island’s eucalyptus trees, with Flinders Chase National Park one of the areas where koalas can be spotted. 
• Explore Flinders Chase National Park, home to some of Kangaroo Island’s most famous natural attractions, including Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. 
• Visit Seal Bay to see endangered Australian sea lions in their natural coastal habitat and take in the views from the boardwalk. 
• Spend time at Vivonne Bay or Stokes Bay, where spring’s mild weather makes it ideal for beach walks, picnics and relaxed days by the coast. 

Where is Tasmania

Island located of mainland Australia

Top 5 things to see and do in Tasmania

1. Explore Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, where spring brings longer daylight hours, active wildlife and plenty of walking options around Dove Lake and the surrounding alpine landscape. 
2. Head to Freycinet National Park and walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout for one of Tasmania’s most iconic coastal views. 
3. Spot Tasmania’s spring wildlife, from migrating whales along the coast to little penguins returning to shore at dusk. 
4. Time an east-coast road trip with Great Eastern Wine Week from 22–25 October 2026, bringing together cellar-door tastings, local food, live music and vineyard events from St Helens to Orford. 
5. Head north-west for the Wynyard Tulip Festival on 10 October 2026, with live music, local produce, Tasmanian makers and festivities along the Inglis River. 

Where is the Granite Belt?

~ 220 km south-west of Brisbane 

Top 5 things to see and do in the Granite Belt

1. Taste your way through the Grazing the Granite Belt food and wine festival on 7–8 November 2026. The weekend brings together local wineries, cellar doors and regional produce, with hop-on-hop-off transport between participating venues. 
2. Spend a Saturday afternoon at Balancing Heart Vineyard, where Saturday Sounds and Sips pairs award-winning Granite Belt wines with live acoustic music, vineyard views and locally inspired food.  
3. Hike through Girraween National Park, known for its enormous granite boulders, rugged peaks and scenic walking trails. Spring’s milder temperatures make it a great time to explore the park on foot. 
4. Settle in beside the fire at Heritage Estate Wines for a Fireside Friday experience, pairing premium museum wines with a gourmet menu in one of the Granite Belt’s cool-climate cellar doors. 
5. Make the most of Stanthorpe’s berry season, with pick-your-own strawberries available from October at local farms, or time your visit for the Stanthorpe Berry Festival on 14 November 2026, celebrating local berries, food, wine and regional produce. 

Where is the Grampians?

~300 km northwest of Melbourne

Top 5 things to see and do in the Grampians

1. Explore Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park and Halls Gap, where spring is ideal for getting outdoors. Hike to The Pinnacle or take in panoramic views over Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield from Boroka Lookout. 
2. Visit MacKenzie Falls, one of the Grampians’ most iconic natural attractions. Walk to the lookout or tackle the steep trail to the base for a closer view of the falls. 
3. Discover Ballarat, where gold rush history, food and arts are joined by a packed spring events calendar. In 2026, highlights include Fringe Encore: Ballarat from 22–25 October and SpringFest Ballarat later in the season. 
4. Catch some live music while you’re in the region, with Strummingbird coming to Ballarat on 10 October and the Red Hot Summer Tour on 7 November. See Ballarat’s full spring events calendar. 
5. Spend an afternoon at Lake Bellfield, just outside Halls Gap. Spring is a great time for paddling, fishing, picnics or simply taking in the mountain views from the water’s edge. 

The best spring contract locations depend on what you’re looking for. If you’re chasing beaches and coastal adventures, Esperance and Hervey Bay are hard to beat. For wildlife, Kangaroo Island offers joeys, koalas and rugged national parks, while the Granite Belt, Yarra Valley and Tasmania bring food, wine, scenic drives and seasonal events.

Yes. With agencies like Affinity Nursing, you can share your locations preference and lifestyle goals with your recruitment specialist. Whether that’s tropical climates, coastal towns, or rural outback placements, Affinity will help match you to suitable opportunities. 

Whilst the winter bed period is over, Affinity being tendered across all states and territories means there are still plenty of nursing and midwifery contract opportunities available throughout spring. Demand continues across regional, rural and remote locations, with facilities also starting to plan ahead for summer and Christmas leave.

Spring contracts can offer a unique mix of career growth and lifestyle perks, including:  

• Higher demand and strong pay rates 
• Travel opportunities across Australia 
• Exposure to diverse healthcare settings 
• The chance to align work with events and festivals 

In your travel nursing contract, you may receive accommodation free of charge or subsidised as well as travel allowances or reimbursements. Exact inclusions will vary depending on the agency, region, and role. Affinity Nursing ensure clear contract details upfront for nurses and midwives. 

Getting started is simple:  

1. Join a trusted recruitment agency such as Affinity Nursing  
2. Speak with a contract specialist about your preferences  
3. Submit all required documentation 
4. Get matched with suitable available contracts