If you want the inside story on Australia, don't feel obliged to buy a guidebook. Instead, save the cash and look online because, for travellers, the web is no longer just about booking flights and hotels.

Now travellers treat the web as a source of popular wisdom by browsing consumers' reviews of hotels, resorts and tailored trips. This information comes from two types of sources. The first is dedicated websites, such as www.travelpod.com , www.virtualtourist.com and www.tripadvisor.com - just bookmark and explore.

The second source is travel "blogs" (online diaries), which are hard to find via a general Google search but are available in abundance at realtravel.com. Go there and search using the name of a place or attraction you are curious about.

Realtravel.com is not entirely an informal, backroom operation. With plenty of business partners, it also has a corporate dimension.

The same goes for other sites such as tripadvisor.com, which claims to be the largest global travel information and advice destination on the web and is run by the giant travel firm Expedia.

Even so, all the sites flagged offer "real advice from real travellers" and cost nothing to read if you have the patience. A little sifting is necessary because some reviewers drone on bureaucratically about "complimentary alcoholic beverages".

Other reviewers spell badly and state the obvious, telling you that air-con is handy in summer. The more readable reviewers have a lightness of touch summed up by a TripAdvisor headline reading, "Broome with a Boogie Board".

The overall picture people paint of this country is charming (hoons and horrible spiders hardly ever make the frame). Australia comes across as a truly lucky country of sunshine, gourmet food, skyscraper waves and captivating wildlife. Enjoy the buzz.

Murray river
"We head to the Murray River regularly as we are what is known here as river rats. We have our little place, our little boat and lots of ski gear and off we go. The river is alive with speed boats, especially at Easter and Christmas, but luckily not many people have discovered where we go, otherwise this chicken would not be driving that boat at those speeds. The river is also wonderful to be at in the winter time, without the humming of all those petrol heads, but it's not quiet. The white cockatiels are sooooo noisy . . . The night skies when camping on the river are something to see. We have taken visitors from overseas with us and they will lie for hours at night just gazing upwards." Author: "Adelaidean" Website: www.virtualtourist.com . See www.murrayriver.com.au.

Kangaroo Island
"We visited KI this past November and had a wonderful time. Although we booked Adventure Charters to see the sights during the day, they also recommended a nocturnal tour to see the penguins with Alkirna Tours. Our guide picked us up at our hotel and shuttled us along with two other couples over to see the penguins in Penneshaw along with lots of wallabies. We stayed at the Kangaroo Island Lodge, which was nice, but a couple on our tour stayed at the Stranraer Homestead and just raved about it." Author: "downunder05". Website: www.tripadvisor.com Contact: www.kangaroo-island-au.com or www.tourkangarooisland.com.au.

Tasmanian Devil Park
"We were lucky that it was the feeding time of the Tassie devils when we visited the park. The devils are some creatures to watch - they run in circles and run fast. They fiercely fight over food until the last bite, and shortly after getting their fill, they doze off. Hmm, sounds like my weekend habit at home." Author: "Marilent". Website: www.igougo.com. Address: Tasmanian Devil Park, 5990 Port Arthur Highway, Taranna, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. Phone (03) 6250 3230, see www.tasmaniandevilpark.com.

Uluru
"Up close, it really looks like you could be on another planet, with the huge, bright-red crevices and the bare white trees contrasted against the bright blue sky. We decide against climbing the rock because everywhere you go they make a big deal of saying that the Anangu, traditional owners of the land, ask you not to climb. The plea is everywhere, yet throughout the day you see the stream of people slowly making their way up the steep incline towards the top. Fabs is convinced they'll be cursed." Author: "Figs". Website: www.travelblog.org. Information: Tourism NT, phone 136 768, see www.travelnt.com.

Uutram small luxury hotel Perth
"Do not be put off by the exterior appearance, which reminded us of the Tower of Terror at Disney World. The rooms are very modern and comfortable, with a spa bath and two basins and a lovely walk-thru shower." Author: "A TripAdvisor Member, London, UK". Website: www.tripadvisor.com. Address: Outram Small Luxury Hotel, 32 Outram Street, West Perth, 6005, Western Australia, phone (08) 9322 4888.

Tower hill state game reserve Victoria
"We headed straight to a place called the Tower Hill State Game Reserve, which is inside an extinct volcano and is supposedly a haven for wildlife with koalas, emus, kangaroos and many species of waterbirds roaming freely. At first glance, the place didn't impress us, for there was neither the denseness of a forest nor a scenic lookout to admire. We were just reading a signboard when an emu swept past us." Author: Sridhar Chandrasekhar. Website: www.travelpod.com. Information: Parks Victoria, phone 13 19 63, see www.parkweb.vic.gov.au.

Coolum beach
"Coolum Beach is a surf town on Australia's Sunshine Coast, an easy drive from Brisbane. It's just past Mooloolaba and a little ways before Noosa. It's a tiny town, but central to a lot of other places to visit, and it's perfect for a relaxed, beach-going vacation. The surf is too strong to really swim in, but it's great for playing in, whether or not you're comfy on a surfboard . . . The town isn't very big, but the restaurants we tried all had good food. We ordered a wonderful but wacky pizza with pumpkin and squash on it. It was delivered to our hotel room and it was delicious." Author: "Breebop". Website: www.tripconnect.com . See www.coolum.com.au.

Byron bay
"The beaches are brilliant and there's loads of surfers, as the waves are even bigger than at Surfers Paradise. One day I went whale watching, which was amazing. Eight of us went out on a small boat and saw two whales. One was massive and was at least 25 tonnes (so I'm told). I didn't see them jump completely out of the water but saw them swimming above the surface then sticking their tails in the air as they dove down, which was quality." Author: Simon Pridding. Website: www.travelpost.com. Information: Byron Visitor Centre, phone (02) 6680 8558, see www.visitbyronbay.com or www.byron-bay.com.

Dunk island
"We were there around May and there was hardly a breath of wind and the sun greeted us each morning for 28-degree days. The island is one of the very few places I have been where it really is like the pictures in the postcards - which is important for me. Dunk Island's calling card is the spectacular Ulysses butterfly, which has an electric-blue, 14-centimetre wingspan on the larger males. . . I found the staff here eager for a chat (but know when you aren't) and not too 'plastic' - in other words, they are genuinely pleased you are having a good time." Author: Neil Slater. Website: www.reviewcentre.com . Information: Tourist Tropical North Queensland, phone (07) 4031 7676, see www.tropicalaustralia.com.au .

TRIP NOTES See www.ninemsn.com.au/australia for more than 130 pages of information on travel experiences in Australia. Tourism Australia partnered with ninemsn to produce the newly launched website, which showcases little-known corners of the country as well as taking a fresh look at well-known attractions.

Aimed at families, young professional couples and affluent older travellers, the site is themed around experiences from pampering holidays and foodie destinations to nature encounters and adventures. www.australia.com is Australia's official tourism website.

The site contains information on a broad range of Australian destinations and activities, in addition to a range of travel tools including suggested holiday itineraries, holiday deals and interactive maps. A database of Australian product listings is also provided, giving access to accommodation, tours, activities and event listings.