Australia & the Pacific attractions

Just outside busy Darwin, Charles Darwin National Park is a natural treasure. The park includes part of the Port Darwin wetlands and is home to 36 distinct mangrove species. Walk by shimmering waterfalls and bask in eucalyptus-scented shade. It’s the perfect getaway from the city, whether you want to picnic, hike, or mountain bike.

Built around the remains of Australia’s first Government House, the Museum of Sydney offers a journey through Sydney’s history and culture. Through a changing program of exhibitions and events, the museum celebrates the people who have shaped the city, especially its First Nations custodians.

The colored sand cliffs known as the Pinnacles are a spectacular site on the east coast of Fraser Island and are one of the reasons why the island has a UNESCO World Heritage listing. Formed over hundreds of thousands of years as minerals leached through the sand, experts have identified 72 different colors in the Pinnacles, mostly reds and oranges.

In the heart of the historic town of Richmond, Tasmania, the Richmond Gaol provides plenty of insight into what life was like for imprisoned people in the 19th century. Features include a model jail, a flogging yard, solitary confinement, punishment cells, and even a cookhouse with an old-fashioned oven.

One of the most striking features of the West MacDonnell National Park, Simpsons Gap is a cliff-lined red-rock gorge where tropical birds flicker in the gum trees and black-footed rock wallabies leap and play at dawn and dusk. It’s the starting point for a range of hikes and an important spiritual site for the aboriginal Arrernte people.

One of the principal attractions of Adelaide’s Cultural Precinct, the South Australian Museum is devoted to the region’s natural and cultural history. The museum is best known for its impressive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural items: the largest collection of its kind in the world.

Home to the Parliament of the state of South Australia, Parliament House is a landmark of downtown Adelaide. Behind grand columns it houses the state’s two legislative chambers: the House of Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house). Designed as early as 1872, it wasn’t completed until 1939.

Wattamolla Beach is a scenic picnic area within Sydney’s Royal National Park. It’s a popular spot with families in summer, thanks to the calm lagoon ideal for snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on an inflatable sun lounger. Wattamolla Beach is also a good starting point for fishing and bushwalking adventures with the park.

Set on North Terrace, the grand boulevard that forms Adelaide’s cultural heart, the State Library of South Australia (SLSA) occupies three spectacular buildings from different eras. Besides the architectural splendor of the Mortlock Wing, the library offers the full range of reference library resources, as well as exhibitions, free Wi-Fi, and a café.

Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) reside in the heart of South Bank, overlooking the Brisbane River. Housed in two separate buildings, each with its own distinct character, the two galleries display an extensive collection focusing on contemporary art from Australia, Asia, and the Pacific.

Mainland Australia’s most easterly point, Cape Byron juts out into the Pacific Ocean above the seaside town of Byron Bay, topped with the historic Cape Byron Lighthouse. A walking loop delivers sweeping views of the bay and beaches, while the headland and life-filled waters below it form the Cape Byron State Conservation Area.

Founded in 1897, a good 70 years before New Zealand’s winemaking boom of the 1970s, Church Road Winery is one of the oldest in the country. It was established by winemakers from Luxembourg and has since become famous for its French-style red wines. The winery is a popular spot for wine tasting, fine dining, and outdoor summer concerts.

The Queensland Culture Centre on the South Bank comprises four main cultural attractions, the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and the State Library of Queensland. A host of cafés, shops, and grassy areas make this a hub of activity in Brisbane.

On the north shore of Sydney Harbour, Milsons Point may be one of Sydney’s smallest suburbs but it packs a punch when it comes to stellar views, with some of the city’s best of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. It’s also home to the iconic Luna Park, Bradfield Park, and the North Sydney Olympic Pool.

Whale Beach is a lovely crescent of golden sand in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, located between the better-known Palm Beach and Avalon Beach. As well as a beach, it’s also a suburb. Situated on a narrow Peninsula, the beach faces the Pacific Ocean, while some of the suburb’s buildings face the calm Pittwater inlet.

Just a short drive from the city, Garigal National Park is a favored escape for Sydneysiders, who explore the landscape on foot, canoe, horseback, and bike. The park is also rich in wildlife and cultural heritage—it’s home to more than one hundred Aboriginal sites, including cave art, rock engravings, and shelters.

Laidback Sunshine Beach attracts surfers and locals with its white-sand beaches, hip bars and cafes, and relaxed village vibe. Set between Noosa and Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, the town serves as a gateway to the coastal trails of Noosa National Park.

Telling the stories of the migrants who came from all over the world to make South Australia their home, the Migration Museum provides fascinating insight into Adelaide’s rich history and cultural heritage. With respect for the indigenous people of this region, the museum also illustrates the impact of immigration on native Australians.

The Perth Cultural Centre is the city’s main destination for arts and culture. The museums, theaters, outdoor spaces, and other venues that make up the Perth Cultural Centre feature exhibits and events throughout the year, including Aboriginal and European artworks, modern art installations, film screenings, live theater, and much more.

Proving that size isn’t everything, the tree-lined lawns of the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth are a popular spot for locals to escape the crowds. Renovated in 2015, this small urban park is tucked away in the heart of the Central Business District, just a short stroll from the park-fringed Swan River and the lively Elizabeth Quay precinct.

Former rubbish tip turned family-owned wildlife sanctuary—the Kiwi Park Queenstown is a force for good in downtown Queensland that helps conserve over 20 native species of birds and reptiles. Visitors come here for guided tours, conservation shows, and to see New Zealand’s iconic kiwi birds up close in the Nocturnal House.

White Island (Whakaari) is an active volcanic island in northern New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty. It’s New Zealand’s most active volcano—believed to have been continuously erupting for 150,000 years—and can only be visited on a guided tour. Prior to the 2019 eruption, walking tours were conducted on White Island where travelers could explore the active volcano by foot. Today, White Island is best accessed by helicopter where you can circle the steaming vent.

The first thing you notice when you arrive in Rotorua isn’t the natural beauty; it’s the smell. A note of Sulphur is evident all across town, and it is strongest at the sands of Sulphur Point. This constantly shifting geothermal wetland is home to 60 species of birds, which somehow survive the warm waters and boiling, earthy minerals.

Established in 1821 during Australia’s period of colonization, Sarah Island was used as a penal settlement where convicts were sent and forced to do the harsh labor of felling Huon pine used for shipbuilding. Surrounded by the Southern Ocean, the island is Australia’s oldest penal colony and the most isolated.

The Pegasus Bay Winery is one of the most highly respected wineries in New Zealand. Located in the Waipara Valley region north of Christchurch, this family-run winery has been producing wine for several decades. It’s an easy place to visit from Christchurch for some wine tasting and a delicious meal.

Opened in 1981 under the Rotui Brand in response to a pineapple surplus, Fruit Juices of Moorea has expanded to sell a variety of juices. Here you can take your pick of grapefruit, lemon, mango, noni, papaw and guava juice. The company also makes liquors, brandies, jams, fruit candy, and chocolates.

Mindil Beach is Darwin’s flagship beach. With golden sands and palm-fringed shores looking out over the Beagle Gulf, it’s an idyllic spot for sun-seekers and swimmers. It’s also renowned for its tropical sunsets, and crowds turn out at sundown to watch the spectacle and browse the seasonal night markets.

Following dusty desert paths around the north-western edge of Ayers Rock (Uluru, the Mala Walk offers a chance to see the mighty landmark up close. The short and accessible trail runs to the Kantju Gorge, passing beneath the towering red rock walls of Uluru and dotted with ancient Aboriginal rock art sites.

Under the sun-baked soil of Queensland’s outback is a labyrinth of caves waiting to be discovered. The Chillagoe-Mungana Caves, a national park, were created 400 million years ago deep underground. Hike the scenic trails that follow routes overground among high limestone cliffs and wander into the cave network to find Aboriginal art.

This remote stretch of waterway is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and boasts approximately 117 miles (188 kilometers of the unobstructed river completely devoid of inhabitants and civilizations. Cruise along the Gordon River for a peaceful glimpse of the banks of one of the last temperate rainforests in the world.