Microsoft · Reviewed by Simblitz · Published 2026-05-07
Based on a review by Simblitz (accessed 2026-05-07).
Based on this review alone: worth considering for adds 40 new areas of interest, 6 handcrafted airports, and dozens of landmarks across australia, but major graphical glitches along coastlines, with hard edges and abrupt transitions between land and water, sometimes appearing as brown mud is a real trade-off.
The reviewer concludes that the Australia world update is potentially the biggest and best world update ever released for FlightSim, offering phenomenal detail and being entirely free. However, it's also highly frustrating due to significant issues like broken coastlines, inconsistent handcrafted airports, and widespread compatibility problems with third-party add-ons, which for many, might outweigh the positives until fixed.
This review covers the Flight Sim 2024 Australia world update, detailing its new features like expanded photogrammetry, handcrafted landmarks, and improved terrain data across various Australian locations. It also investigates significant issues introduced by the update, including visual inconsistencies along coastlines and at airports, as well as widespread compatibility problems with third-party add-ons.
The Australia World Update offers a visually stunning enhancement to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's virtual Australia, yet significant graphical glitches and addon compatibility issues detract from its otherwise impressive scope. The update adds 2,500 square kilometers of photogrammetry to Melbourne alone and introduces new TIN surface data for accurate elevation, making cities feel remarkably real. However, it suffers from major visual flaws where land meets water, creating jarring hard edges and literal lines, often turning coastal waters into brown mud. If you are an Australian player eager for unparalleled city detail and regional landmarks and are patient for potential fixes, this free update is worthwhile. If you heavily rely on existing third-party Australian airport addons or expect flawless coastal rendering, its current state might prove frustrating.
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The Australia world update is described as one of the biggest, adding 40 new areas of interest, six handcrafted airports, and dozens of landmarks across the country.
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Approximately 2,500 square kilometers of photogrammetry have been added to Melbourne, allowing the reviewer to see their own house in the simulator.
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Flying low over Melbourne reveals the Yarra River winding through the skyline, the CBD with real depth, and instantly recognizable landmarks like the MCG and Marvel Stadium, which even feature electric billboards.
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The update includes new TIN surface data, providing more accurate elevation, sharper terrain details, and improved blending between surfaces compared to flat terrain with stretched textures.
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The update extends beyond Melbourne to major cities like Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and Darwin, all receiving photogrammetry and improved terrain data, including regional areas which previous updates often neglected.
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Over 30 handcrafted landmarks, including roadside attractions, coastal landmarks, and regional points of interest, have been added across Australia.
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The update introduces new activities such as discovery flights, precision landings, bush trips, and low-altitude challenges, all set in Australian locations.
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The reviewer observes hard edges and literal lines where land abruptly stops and water begins along coastlines, with no smooth blending or shallow water transitions.
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Areas with new photogrammetry or TIN data are significantly affected, showing brown mud instead of water in marinas and coastal landmarks, and even completely vanished lakes or rivers.
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The photogrammetry is inconsistent where it ends, leading to jarring transitions where aerial imaging from adjacent areas looks completely different.
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At Bathurst Airport, the interior shows fences clipping through structures and arrival/departure displays incorrectly listing international flights for a General Aviation airport, suggesting a rushed design.
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Broome Airport's terrain doesn't match its surroundings; the airport perimeter appears very green, contrasting jarringly with the surrounding red soil of the broader Broome area.
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The world update has broken many Australian add-on airports and landmarks due to the new content added, rendering them unusable or messed up.
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Core update features like terrain data, photogrammetry, and landmarks cannot be disabled, preventing users from turning them off to resolve conflicts with broken add-ons.
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The Australia world update is completely free, making it accessible to all users without additional cost.
The Australia World Update is a substantial addition, introducing roughly 2,500 square kilometers of photogrammetry to Melbourne alone, with similar upgrades to other major cities like Sydney and Brisbane, and even regional areas. It also features over 30 new handcrafted landmarks and 6 handcrafted airports, along with new activities such as discovery flights, precision landings, and bush trips tailored to Australian locations.
The update dramatically enhances graphical fidelity, especially in major cities like Melbourne, where extensive photogrammetry and new TIN surface data create more accurate elevation, sharper terrain details, and better-looking urban environments with recognizable landmarks. This gives the cities a greater sense of depth and scale, making them feel more like real places.
The update introduces several noticeable visual glitches. Coastlines exhibit hard, abrupt transitions between land and water, with no smooth blending, and some water bodies even appear as brown mud or have vanished entirely. There's also inconsistent blending where new photogrammetry ends, creating jarring visual changes. Additionally, the new handcrafted airports show inconsistencies, such as clipping fences or incorrect flight displays, or mismatched terrain with their surroundings.
The update causes significant compatibility issues with existing third-party add-ons for Australia. Many add-on airports and landmarks are no longer functional or appear corrupted due to the new terrain data and other additions. This is a major drawback for simmers who rely on community-created content.
While individual add-on airports can sometimes be disabled, the core new features of the update, specifically the terrain data, photogrammetry, and landmarks, cannot be turned off. This limitation means users are stuck with potential visual glitches and add-on incompatibilities that are difficult to resolve.
The reviewer explicitly states that the Australia World Update is "completely free," offering significant new content and graphical improvements without any additional cost.
75/100 source quality
The Australia world update for FlightSim 2024 introduces significant graphical enhancements, including 2,500 square kilometers of new photogrammetry in Melbourne alone, updated terrain data for major cities and regional areas, and over 30 new handcrafted landmarks. While it brings a next-generation feel to the simulator, the update also presents substantial problems. These include visually broken coastlines with harsh land-water transitions, inconsistent photogrammetry blending, and quality issues with some handcrafted airports. Crucially, the update has broken compatibility with many existing third-party add-on airports and scenery, which cannot be easily disabled. Despite these drawbacks, the reviewer considers it a phenomenal, free update.
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