Your Guide to Travel Voucher Schemes by State and Territory

There’s never been a better time to be travel in your home state. Use your free travel and tourism vouchers to try new experiences, check off the activities you’ve always wanted to do or revisit the best attractions. Here are some great ideas for where Australians can use Dine & Discover, Regional Travel Vouchers, Cairns Holiday Dollars, Great State Experiences and Territory Tourism Vouchers and information on every scheme by state, with details on how to apply and use your vouchers and when they expire. 

NSW: Dine & Discover

What’s the scheme? 

NSW residents receive two $25 vouchers to use for food at restaurants, bars and clubs (but they can’t be spent on alcohol or takeaway meals) and two $25 vouchers for entertainment and activities at participating COVID-safe venues under the Dine & Discover NSW scheme. 

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

You can apply for vouchers anytime up to 31 July 2021 (this was recently extended from 30 June) by logging into your MyServiceNSW account using the Service NSW app.

How do I use my vouchers? 

If your application is successful and you’ve proved you’re a NSW resident, check the Vouchers section of the app (visible on the main screen). To redeem any of your four vouchers, have the QR code scanned at the venue. You can find a full list of registered venues on their dedicated web page. 

You could use your voucher to...

Get in the water: You may have caught the Manly ferry before but have you ever explored the harbour while paddling on it? Give it a try with Sydney Harbour Kayaks (pictured top) – no experience is required and it’s open to anyone over the age of 13. Go on a private tour (starting at $99 per person) or splash out and get up at sparrow’s for the small-group Sydney or Middle Harbour Sunriser tours (from $135 per person). 

Have a night on the town: Grab a group of eight to 30 friends for a Lounge Bar Experience with the ultimate city views at O Bar and Dining – a revolving venue located on the 47th floor of Australia Square. Once each group member uses their voucher, the cost comes down to just $15 per head. It includes a glass of sparkling, wine or beer, one $85 O Bar Tapas Stand between every four people and a reserved table by the window. 

Go on a real mission: Book an escape room at Mission Sydney – each group member can use their $25 voucher towards the cost of the room. There are two venues, one on Pitt Street and another on George Street, with a total of seven experiences between them, including Vampire Castle, The Sacrifice and Dr. M. Take note of the duration and minimum age of players before you book online – you’ll have to leave a deposit and redeem your voucher once you get to the venue.

Victoria: Regional Travel Voucher Scheme

What’s the scheme?

Victorian households could register for one $200 voucher that could be claimed after spending a minimum of $400 and two nights in regional Victoria, including the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula, on accommodation, experiences, attractions and other tourism-related activities. The vouchers can’t be used for fuel, alcohol or food costs.

Can I still apply for vouchers?

The vouchers made available on 30 March 2021 for the third stage of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme have all been snapped up. 

How do I use my vouchers? 

If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a voucher, you’ll need to prove you spent two nights in paid accommodation and on tourism experiences in one of the eligible areas, totalling at least $400, between 10 May and 14 June 2021 (this is also the date you’ll need to claim your reimbursement by). Refer to the link in the email you receive after you go on your trip and keep and upload your receipts to prove you have spent at least $400. You can expect payment to your nominated bank account, usually within 10 business days. See the vic.gov.au web page for a list of commonly asked questions.

You could use your voucher to…

Spa somewhere different: Instead of Daylesford, head to the Bellarine Peninsula for a serene spa experience at boutique accommodation. Lon Retreat sits on 80 hectares of land with ocean views, has only seven suites and features an indoor mineral pool fed with thermal water and indulgent treatments available at its exclusive onsite spa.

Wine and fly: If you’re planning on heading to the Yarra Valley for the food and wine, splurge on a hot-air balloon trip with Global Ballooning. The hour-long sunrise experience takes in views of the area’s valleys, vineyards and surrounding mountains. The price for two adults is normally $810 – using your voucher towards the total cost is an attractive one-time proposition.

Enjoy avant-ski time: Stay in Mount Hotham before the crowds arrive for the snow season (it kicks off on 12 June) and take the opportunity to do something other than ski. Alpine Nature Experience offers Snowshoe to Fondue – first work up an appetite getting to its eco-village then enjoy a fondue feast (one of three courses) from $109 per person. Choose to stay the night in an igloo or snowdome (this option starts from $269 per person) and you’ll be rewarded with a scenic skimobile ride back to town in the morning, after a filling, hot breakfast.

Queensland: Holiday Dollars

What’s the scheme? 

As the name suggests, the Queensland government’s scheme has been set up to boost the tourism spend in particular areas by offering vouchers to encourage locals to visit. The vouchers are able to be redeemed for up to 50 per cent of the cost of activities, tours and entry at participating venues and attractions but can’t be used for accommodation (except in Brisbane), food and drink or transportation. The Brisbane Holiday Dollars vouchers were valued at $100 and the Cairns and The Whitsundays vouchers are valued at $200. 

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

The Brisbane and Cairns Holiday Dollars schemes have closed for registration but if you’re a Queensland resident over the age of 18, you can apply for one of the 6000 available (with a limit of one voucher per person) Whitsundays Holiday Dollars here. You’ll need to provide proof of your identity and email the address given on the website with your intended travel dates. If successful, the voucher will be emailed to you. 

How do I use my vouchers? 

Anyone who has Brisbane Holiday Dollars vouchers can redeem them for accommodation, tours and attractions listed on its site until 4 June 2021. Cairns Holiday Dollars can be used for experiences listed on its site and taken by 25 June 2021. In addition to being able to claim a voucher online, The Whitsundays Holiday Dollars are being offered to visitors and locals at participating venues (check the website) and The Whitsundays and Bowen visitor information centres from 4 May 2021. Vouchers can only be used in one transaction and are activated when you make an actual booking (as long as the quota hasn’t been exhausted) for travel or experiences completed by 30 June 2021.

You could use your voucher to…

Take a scenic heli-tour: Use your Cairns Holiday Dollars and pay just $154 for two people to take a thrilling 15-minute flight over the Cobbold Gorge in Far North Queensland. The area is protected and a guided tour is the only way to see the gorge from overhead and up close. It’s an extra $152 to combine your flight with a three-hour tour for two if you want to walk across a glass bridge over the gorge and get on a stand-up paddleboard or boat cruise.

Live it up on a yacht for a night: Grab a friend and spend two days sailing on the Whitsunday Islands, exploring pristine beaches and the reef’s underwater life from the boat by day, enjoying on-deck drinks at sunset and falling asleep to the gentle rhythm of the ocean at night. Matador Whitsundays all-inclusive Whitehaven Beach Whitsunday Islands Snorkel Sail is being offered at a special price of $498 for two people – use The Whitsundays Holiday Dollars voucher and it comes down to just $149 per person. 

Take the plunge: Imagine jumping from a plane at 15,000 feet, hurtling through the sky at 220 kilometres an hour for about a minute then spending five minutes floating to the ground as you take in unbeatable aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef. Well, you can do it during the week at Skydive Australia Airlie Beach and get a special rate, which means that adventure-lovers can spend from just $89 per person on the experience after applying The Whitsundays Holiday Dollars voucher.

South Australia: Great State Experiences

What’s the scheme? 

There have been a few releases of the Great State Experiences scheme to date – the first was open to residents over the age of 18 and could be claimed on hotels in regional South Australia ($50 vouchers) and in urban areas ($100 vouchers). A subsequent round was opened up to interstate travellers and the latest iteration offered vouchers for $50, $100 or $200 to be used on tours and experiences at participating companies. The latest release of vouchers cannot be used on accommodation and must be used on experiences or activities of equal or higher value than the value of the voucher.

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

Not at the moment but a fourth round of vouchers that can be used on accommodation is slated to be released in late May – keep an eye out for the launch on the official site.

How do I use my vouchers? 

Vouchers made available in the latest round can be used from 27 April to 23 May 2021 for travel until 31 July 2021 to book applicable experiences, listed here. Simply book via the site set up for the scheme (not with the individual operator) and apply your voucher code. The activities on the site are structured for each voucher denomination – vouchers for $50 experiences can also be used for those listed under $100 experiences and either of those vouchers can be used for activities, tours and attractions listed under $200 experiences.

You could use your voucher to…

Segway to the beach: With a $50 voucher you can take more than 50 per cent off the cost of an hour-long Segway tour of the Glenelg foreshore with Segway Sensation SA. Zoom past the beach and the jetty, by the docks and the marina and take in Moseley Square and Patawalonga Creek. 

Swim with giant cuttlefish: Use a $100 voucher and pay only $9 to snorkel with giant cuttlefish. Offered by non-profit operator Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries, this 90-minute guided tour is run by volunteers and NPWS staff in the waters of Stony Point. You’ll get to observe the colourful displays of these fascinating and intelligent creatures and learn about their biology and habitat.

Try an overnight hike: Big Heart Adventure leads a group of eight on a two-day hike along the Heysen Trail through Mount Crawford and Kuitpo forests. You’ll need to be moderately fit as there are some hilly bits and you’ll be carrying a pack with your belongings but they’ll advise you on what you need to bring, how to pack and cook, as well as teach you how to put up your tent/accommodation for the night. Normally it’s $395 per person but that comes down to $195 once you apply your $200 voucher.

NT: Territory Tourism Voucher

What’s the scheme? 

Residents of the Northern Territory over the age of 18 were able to register for a Territory Tourism Voucher that allowed them to claim up to $200 on the cost of tours, experiences and attractions in addition to car hire and accommodation, on a dollar-for-dollar basis. 

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

The three rounds were conducted on a first-come-first-served basis with all residents being eligible for each round. Although there are no third-round vouchers left, the government has announced an allocation of $5 million towards another round of incentives for residents. 

WA: A Million Reasons to Wander Out Yonder and Stay, Play and Save (inactive)

What’s the scheme? 

While the Wander Out Yonder campaign was designed to encourage tourism experiences within the state, offering $100 off a minimum of $200 spent, the Stay, Play and Save campaign was aimed to encourage midweek bookings at Perth hotels with a $200 voucher that could be used when spending more than $400 on at least two nights of accommodation at participating properties.

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

Both of these schemes have now wrapped up and nothing definitive has been announced about new campaigns but you can sign up to be notified of any news on the Wander Out Yonder website.

Canberra: Choose CBR (inactive)

What’s the scheme? 

The first iteration of this program was a trial meant to support local businesses in the ACT and offered $40 worth of vouchers per day for 13 days at registered Canberra businesses that were eligible for the scheme. Local residents and visitors were able to take advantage of the offer, which was based on receiving a discount activated by a minimum spend. 

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

The trial is now over but the actual scheme is pending launch in 2021. Stay updated by keeping an eye on the Choose CBR site. 

Tasmania: Make Yourself at Home (inactive)

What’s the scheme? 

Two rounds of the Make Yourself at Home scheme offered resident singles, couples and families vouchers of increasing value up to $550 for families, to spend on accommodation or tourism experiences within Tasmania. The vouchers were redeemed after travel, with recipients applying for reimbursement with proof of payment. 

Can I still apply for vouchers? 

Anyone who received vouchers had to redeem them by December 2020. There’s no way to sign up for announcements or any indication that there’ll be another round of vouchers but check the Make Yourself at Home website for developments.

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