You know one of the best things about running a tour company? Getting to join other amazing tours and writing it off as a business expense!
All jokes aside, you don’t get into tourism unless you love travel, and I’ve been lucky to explore over 50 countries across Asia, Europe, South America and North America. But some of the best tours I’ve ever joined have been right here in Australia.
Maybe it is our casual yet friendly style of customer service, or just the amazing locations, wildlife and produce we get to introduce guests to, but Aussie tour guides and companies are some of the best you’ll encounter – in my (totally unbiased) view.
Here’s just a quick post of 5 of my favourite tour companies – other than Local Sauce of course!
Quick reminder: For those of you who have already booked or done a tour with us, we’ve got exclusive discounts with each of these companies, so send us a message via live chat to grab a promo code that you can use when booking direct to get 10% off (and please, don’t forget to always book direct – we operators will love you for it).
1. CoastXP – Newcastle’s Premier Marine Adventure Company
Based in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, NSW, CoastXP specialises in nature-based boat cruises and whale-watching tours. Unlike a lot of other boat cruises, you’ll be in a small group, with their two custom-built boats only accommodating either 12 or 20 passengers.
Their signature Adventure Tour departs from Newcastle and features a 30-kilometre cruise down the Hunter Coast, showcasing Newcastle Harbour, historic World War II forts, world-renowned surfing beaches, and rugged cliffs. Their tours focus on the marine life that inhabits the coastline, local geology, Aboriginal heritage, as well as unique destination landmarks including wrecks, cliffs, islands, sea caves and ships. The Newcastle and Lake Macquarie coastline is home to pods of resident dolphins and local seabirds.
Between May and November, CoastXP operates whale watching tours – with an extremely high success rate! And if whales aren’t spotted on your tour, you can come back on a free return trip.
CoastXP has a score of 4.9 out of 5 on TripAdvisor from over 300 reviews, with guests particularly praising the knowledge and passion of the boat captains, as well as the benefit of being on a smaller boat that offers 360 views.
Hit the live chat button to get our exclusive 10% promo code to use when booking a tour with CoastXP.
2. Depot Adventures – Melbourne’s Most Complete Walking Tours
We offer tours in Sydney and Brisbane – but not Melbourne. Why’s that? Because it is tough to compete with the likes of great companies such as Depot Adventures, Drinking History Tours, Hidden Secrets Tours and Foodie Trails!
If we were to recommend one tour company that runs similar experiences to ours, which combine stories, drinks, street art and food, it would be Depot Adventures. Started by “American John”, the Melbourne tours business is now managed by local Hugo, an exceedingly tall and friendly Aussie guy who just loves everything about the city (a classic Melbourne trait). They offer a daily walking tour called the Complete Melbourne Walking Tour, which goes for around 3 hours, and includes a coffee and beer, covering a good loop of the city. Like our Ultimate Sydney Walking Tour, the tours are capped at 12 guests. Depot Adventures also offers a “Night Bites” tour and a “Hidden Bars” tour.
With over 3,500 reviews on TripAdvisor (4.9-star average), Depot Adventures is one of the most reputable tour companies in Melbourne.
We also have a referral relationship with these guys, so send us a message via live chat if you want a discount.
3. Radelaide Tours – Adelaide’s Award-Winning City Tours
Operating in Adelaide, South Australia, Radelaide Tours offers walking tours of Australia’s fifth-most-populated city.
By the way, South Australia was the only state not to take in convicts, which every single person in South Australia will tell you, so I just wanted to get in first (let’s ignore the fact that this policy was either pretty elitist or contributed to the state’s early lack of development).
Radelaide Tours runs a pretty similar setup to us, specialising in showcasing Adelaide’s sights, lifestyle, culture, food, and drink through interactive and informative experiences. Their signature product is the Ultimate Adelaide Walking Tour (good name!), a 3-hour exploration of the city’s charm and rich history.
Dale (or Dax) is the owner and main guide, and although he’s not from Adelaide, his passion for the city shines through in every review. Since starting the business in early 2024, he’s added a bunch of tours, including a hidden bar tour and street art walk. The company was also awarded the Best New Tourism Business Award in the 2024 South Australian Tourism Awards, so they are off to a great start.
If you make it down to Adelaide, send us a message and we can give you a promo code to take 10% off your booking.
4. Newy Tour Co. – Newcastle’s Boutique Day Tour Specialists
Another company that we love in the Newcastle area is Newy Tour Co., founded by Keira Bourke. With her marketing background, combined with spending her whole life in the Newcastle region, this is a slick-looking outfit, especially considering they only started in 2023!
Keira and her partner Nathan run almost all of the tours, which include trips out to the Hunter Valley wine region, Port Stephens day trips and a 3-hour guided tour of Newcastle, covering an 18km loop of the city’s top highlights.
These guys are doing such an awesome job of promoting Newcastle to the world, and it shows in their reviews. Guests highlight that their tours are stress-free, with varied itineraries that ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy. And with Keira and Nathan hosting, you’re sure to get a personal perspective on what makes Newcastle a special place – and well worth the two-hour trip north from Sydney.
As with all the other companies here, we can give you a discount of 10% through a promo code to use on their site, so send us a message.
5. She Shapes History – Fascinating Female Stories of Canberra, Sydney & Melbourne
If you’re after something truly different in the tour space, She Shapes History is one to check out. Founded by Canberran Sita Sargeant, this company set out to tell the stories that too often get left out of the history books: those of women who shaped Australia’s cities, politics and culture.
They now run walking tours not just in Canberra, but also in Sydney and Melbourne, each designed to uncover the female figures behind the landmarks and institutions you might walk past every day without a second thought. From suffragettes and activists to artists, politicians and community leaders, their tours give you a whole new lens through which to view the development of these cities.
I have joined three She Shapes History tours (two in Canberra and one in Sydney) and love the passion and storytelling style of the guides, who manage to blend historical detail with humour and warmth. It is also super refreshing to learn a side of history that usually goes untold. And even though we both offer historical walking tours in Sydney now, there is very little crossover! If you have time, pairing our Ultimate Sydney Walking Tour with the Badass Women of Sydney tour will give you a really complete picture of the city’s history.
Just like with the others on this list, we can sort you out with a 10% discount code – drop us a message via the Live Chat button.
About Local Sauce Tours
Local Sauce Tours offers Sydney and Brisbane’s “funnest” small-group experiences, bringing together locals and visitors to make friends and discover the city from a different perspective. Launched in 2018, walking tours explore vibrant inner-city pockets including Chinatown, Surry Hills, Newtown, The Rocks and the city centre, along with an annual calendar of special events and exclusive dining experiences. Passionate and entertaining guides host groups of up to 12 guests on tours that blend foodie experiences with stories of the city’s history, culture, nightlife and street art. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop.
