Australia & the Pacific attractions

With its grand colonnaded façade looking out over King George Square, Brisbane City Hall—nicknamed the ‘People’s Place’—is one of Brisbane’s most memorable landmarks and an important part of the city’s history. Inaugurated in 1930 and extensively renovated in 2013, it’s the office of Brisbane’s Lord Mayor, as well as the Museum of Brisbane.

Encircled by a lagoon and barrier reef, the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora is known throughout the world for its marine life. A paradise for snorkelers, the Coral Gardens are a section of the reef with calm, shallow waters ideal for beginners. Look for resident creatures such as parrotfish, Japanese moray eels, and more.

High above the forest and Huon River, visitors walk across the Tahune Forest AirWalk, a metal platform suspended in the air. The wind rustles the treetops, and birds chirp around this canopy walkway in the Huon Valley. The Huon and Picton Rivers meet below, and trails and suspension bridges create walking circuits.

To the east, and within walking distance, of Byron Bay’s town center and main beach, the picturesque, sheltered Wategos Beach is a popular spot for surfing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and making use of the beachside picnic tables and barbecues. Along with a relaxing time and excellent scenery, hiking can be found here as well.

Golden sand, azure waters, coconut palms, and a rugged mountain backdrop greet visitors to Moorea’s Temae Beach (Plage Temae). Locals frequent the beach to play music, while visitors come for the sun, sand, and excellent snorkeling just offshore.

Devoted to telling the story of the more than 40,000 ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers that fought in the First World War, the National Anzac Centre is one of Australia’s most important military museums. It’s housed in a purpose-built building in Albany Heritage Park.

In the south of Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, Lake St. Clair is a quiet outdoor destination in Tasmania’s highlands. While it holds the record as Australia’s deepest lake, that’s not why people visit: Hiking is the focus here, whether it’s climbing the mountain peaks, enjoying views of the placid lake from gentler trails, or finishing the last stretch of the famous multi-day Overland Track.

Located high on a plateau in Springbrook National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Gondwana Rainforests, the Best of All Lookout certainly lives up to its name. It offers expansive and spectacular views of the Gold Coast Hinterland, the Gold Coast coastline, and the Pacific Ocean.

The world’s oldest, still-operating open-air movie theater, Sun Pictures is a major tourist attraction in Broome, Australia. Both locals and travelers visit the picture gardens, where you can relax in a deck chair under the stars and enjoy the latest movies in a historic ambiance.

Follow the journey of pioneer Dr. Douglas Mawson and the Australian Antarctic Expedition, which set sail from Hobart in 1911, at the Mawson's Huts Replica Museum. The museum recreates the huts that’s Mawson and his team lived in during their 2-year adventure and offers insight into life in Antarctica.

Urban cool meets laid-back beach vibes at Takapuna, just 15 minutes from Auckland CBD. Not only does this North Shore suburb have white-sand beaches, a volcanic lake, and ocean views looking out to Rangitoto Island, but the small town center has enough shops, cafés, and restaurants to keep Aucklanders entertained away from the beach.

The golden sands and tranquil waters of Camp Cove make it a popular stop for swimmers and families visiting the Watson’s Bay area. Mostly protected from the wind, the turquoise bay boasts great visibility ideal for snorkeling. Often less crowded than other nearby Sydney beaches, this hidden gem also boasts Aboriginal rock carvings of whales and fish on the rocks lining the beach.

Step inside Sydney Harbour Bridge and climb 200 steps to reach Pylon Lookout, a 285-foot (87-meter) observation deck with panoramic views of the famed Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, and the decorative arches of the world’s largest steel arch bridge.

One of the star attractions of central Australia’s West MacDonnell Ranges, Ormiston Gorge has stark red walls that house an almost permanent waterhole and attractive ghost gum trees. Facilities include a visitor center, a campground, and a kiosk, while the gorge forms the trailhead for sections 9 and 10 of the Larapinta Trail.

This butter-cup yellow building is surrounded by palm trees, a pond, and manicured gardens. The Tahitian flag flies proudly atop Papeete Town Hall, while inside, crystal chandeliers, glass furnishings, historical artifacts, and pink Italian marble give the space an air of grandeur.

Despite its location by the sea, Cairns doesn’t have any natural beaches within the city (the closest are to the north, but you can still enjoy the sun and sand at the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon. This 50,000-square-foot (4,645-square-meter lagoon is the highlight of the Cairns Esplanade. Here you can relax, swim, and sunbathe.

One of around 50 different Shelly Beaches in Australia, Shelly Beach lies in Manly, Sydney. A small sandy cove that’s usually sheltered from Sydney’s notorious swells, it’s one of the city’s top snorkeling and free-diving spots, providing the main access point to the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, which extends to neighboring Manly Beach.

The City Circle Tram is a free tram service that runs in a circular route around Melbourne’s central business district and passes many of the city’s major attractions. Easily spotted thanks to its burgundy, green, and gold exterior, the tram is one of the few remaining heritage trams in operation in the city.

The beauty of the Sawa-i-Lau Caves feels otherworldly, and for good reason. Said to be the home of the Fijian god Ulutini, the spot gives you the chance to swim in the shimmering, cool water of the limestone caves. Natural light filters into the main cave and showcases the limestone formations—you’re sure to see why these caves are known to Fijians as “the heart of Yasawa”.

Perched on Beatrice Hill, the highest point of the lower Adelaide River floodplain, Wetland View Top Centre (formerly Window on the Wetlands) offers 360-degree wetland views from its top floor. Designed to resemble a dancing brolga (a wetland bird), it hosts interpretative displays, a small cinema room, a little café, and a gift store.

Created to celebrate the sister-city partnership of Sydney and China’s city of Guangzhou, the Chinese Garden of Friendship is one of Sydney’s most picturesque spots. Opened in 1988, this tranquil oasis uses trees, plants, water, and ornamental pavilions to create a Chinese-style retreat in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD.

Just south of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, or Broadie as it’s known to locals, offers all the appeal of its more famous neighbor—a great stretch of beach, surf-worthy waves, and extensive dining, shopping, and entertainment options—but in a more manageable size and with fewer crowds.

The home turf of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League, the Queensland Reds Rugby Union, and the Brisbane Roar Soccer Club, Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park is one of Queensland’s largest and most important sports stadiums. With a capacity of more than 50,000; it hosts national and international sporting events, as well as music concerts.

Fiji is full of history—from the traditional fishing boats that fill its waters to the colorful markets full of artwork. There's nowhere where the country's connection to its past is more apparent than at the Fiji Museum in Suva. It’s full of archaeological artifacts and traditional items that give you a glimpse into the country's rich history.

Set in Vaucluse, just east of Sydney, Vaucluse House is an original mid-1800s manor house that’s now a museum. Built by William Charles Wentworth, a leading light in early colonial New South Wales, the Gothic-style house and gardens remain as they were in his day, providing a glimpse into the lives of Sydney’s 19th-century elite.

Just south of the town of Hokitika, the West Coast Treetop Walk & Café offers a fun natural experience for adults and kids. A steel platform allows visitors to walk through the canopy of native rimu and kamahi trees, 65 feet (20 meters) above the ground. A 131-foot-high (40-meter-high) lookout tower offers views of the forest and the surrounding areas.

Get up close and personal to hundreds of native Australian animals—and even have the chance to hand-feed kangaroos—at Ballarat Wildlife Park. The park focuses on conservation and education, and adults, school groups, and individuals all are welcome. Besides kangaroos, you can encounter koalas, emus, Tasmanian devils, wombats, and so many more native species.

A ride on the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola whisks visitors to the 1,030-foot (314-meter) summit of Arthurs Seat—the highest point in the Mornington Peninsula. Spectacular views are guaranteed both during the climb and from the hilltop viewpoint, from which you can see Port Philips Bay and Melbourne on a clear day.

The Strand is Townsville’s 1.3-mile (2.2-kilometer beach, stretching from Kissing Point Fortification in the north to Breakwater Marina in the south. As well as clean golden sands and the warm sea, visitors can enjoy fishing, kids’ playgrounds, open-air pools, a waterpark, dining with a view, walking along the promenade, and more.

The Alice Springs Desert Park showcases the three main desert environments in Australia. Wander through sand, woodland, and river deserts and learn about their different plant and animal inhabitants. Take the short walking route through the park or explore further afield to find kangaroos and birdlife.