Australia & the Pacific attractions

Manta rays, dugongs, sea turtles, and whale sharks all call the Ningaloo Reef home, making it an epic spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. Stretching along the west coast of the Cape Range Peninsula, it’s one of the world’s largest fringing reefs, and the Ningaloo Marine Park protects an area more than three times the size of New York City.

Fringed by ancient king ferns and lush rainforest, and with waters so clear that you can see the silvery sands rippling below; Wanggoolba Creek is one of the many natural wonders of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. Hidden away at the heart of the island, it’s an idyllic spot for strolling and wildlife watching.

Rising up over the sea in the northern Tasmanian village of Stanley, The Nut is a volcanic plug that draws in hikers and wildlife watchers with its 360-degree views over the village and the sea. Grab your binoculars and head to the top for the chance to spot seabirds, seals, and even penguins.

With its powder-white beaches lapped by turquoise water and framed by jagged coastal cliffs, Crowdy Bay National Park is a dramatically beautiful coastal getaway near Port Macquarie. With endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, and wildlife spotting, the park is a New South Wales gem that, despite its name, is typically crowd free.

This market on the Heritage-listed gardens of the old Broome Courthouse brings together an exciting array of local vendors, including designers, jewelry makers, and food stalls serving everything from freshly brewed coffee and local mangoes to international cuisine. Live music provides a soundtrack to the shopping.

Shoalhaven Zoo is home to Australia's most iconic animals and wildlife and an attraction for entire families. You’ll find koalas, dingoes, wallabies, llamas, crocodiles, and more in one accessible area. Learn about animal habits from zookeepers, go on a bush hike, and play with cuddly koalas on your visit to Shoalhaven Zoo.

The Barrington Tops National Park is part of Australia’s UNESCO-listed Gondwana Rainforest area, the largest expanse of subtropical rainforest in the world. Come to hike, camp, fish, or simply enjoy a relaxed picnic in the forested mountains. Covering 205,000 acres (83,000 hectares) of wilderness, Barrington Tops is home to many Australian wildlife species.

Established in 1966, Wolf Blass, with vineyards located in the heart of South Australia’s wine country, has produced some of the most loved—and most awarded—bottles of red and white in the world by combining traditional and modern winemaking techniques. The luxurious estate welcomes travelers from across the globe to participate in tasting tours, including the opportunity to sample straight from the barrel.

Built in 1842, the Pompallier Mission and Printery (Pompallier House) in Russell represents a critical time in New Zealand history: when the British and French vied for dominance. The mission was the heart of Catholic outreach, and the printery produced many thousands of books in Te Reo Maori, prompting literacy and conversion.

A small but perfectly formed and magically secluded beach, Refuge Cove forms part of Wilsons Promontory National Park, an area of wilderness that includes South Point, mainland Australia’s southernmost point. It's a lovely spot to break a hike or camp for the night with golden sands, stripy rocks, shady gum trees, and gin-clear waters.

The Bay of Plenty’s Ōhope Beach is a popular North Island beach destination—and it’s easy to see why. It’s a 6.8-mile (11-kilometer) stretch of white sand with safe swimming, good surf, and abundant sunshine. Come on a day trip from nearby Whakatāne or camp at beachside campgrounds to enjoy some fun in the sun.

Looming large off the tip of Wilsons Promontory—mainland Australia’s southernmost point—this massive skull-shaped rock is reminiscent of a movie villain’s lair. Sheer granite cliffs on all sides make it nearly impossible to access, but intrepid travelers can view its mysterious mass and enormous cave from the water on a day cruise.

Spanning 500 acres (200 hectares), East Point Reserve is Darwin’s biggest park. It offers safe swimming in man-made Lake Alexander, plus beaches, playgrounds, workout stations, picnic and barbecue areas, cycle and walking paths, and sunset views. Ecosystems include monsoon forest, mangroves, and an intertidal boardwalk.

Although the Waipara Valley wine region doesn’t always feature in glossy magazines, New Zealand oenophiles flock to this small slice of Canterbury for some of the country’s best gewürztraminer, as well as its uniquely rich pinot noir and riesling. Best of all, it’s more accessible from Christchurch than the South Island’s other wine destinations.

Originally named Masterson Wines, after the gambler Sky Masterson from the musical “Guys and Dolls,” this mid-size South Australian vineyard was established in the late 1970s, eventually taking on the moniker of its winemaker, who has been credited with helping shape the Barossa winemaking industry. Since then, Peter Lehmann Wines' luscious reds and whites have been celebrated locally and internationally, and its family farm feel has welcomed visitors for generations.

One of four linked trails running through the Mount Whitfield Regional Park, the Red Arrow Walk offers a scenic introduction to Cairns’ lush rainforest and is a popular choice for runners. The 1-mile (1.5-kilometer) circuit runs from the base of Mount Whitfield, behind the Cairns Botanical Gardens, and follows a scenic route through the eucalyptus forest and bamboo groves.

In the northern reaches of the Yarra Valley, Buxton Trout & Salmon Farm is Australia’s first commercial trout farm, dating back to 1958. Sustainable and ecofriendly, the farm not only sells its produce to local markets and restaurants but is a popular family attraction, offering visitors the chance to fish, walk, and barbecue by the lakes.

The Myilly Point Historic Precinct comprises a group of four houses built in the 1930s by B.C.G. Burnett—the only remaining of this pre-WWII housing style in Darwin. Built for top-tier civil servants, the light and breezy homes are raised for ventilation and painted in pale colors to fit the tropical climate.

Sitting on the outskirts of Launceston, Franklin House is the city’s only house museum, built in 1838 in the Georgian style. Constructed for ex-convict and publican Britton Jones, it later hosted one of the Colony of Tasmania’s most prestigious private schools. The need to preserve Franklin House led to the founding of the National Trust in Tasmania.

If you’ve ever wanted to peek inside the cockpit of a Boeing 747, walk the wing of a commercial aircraft, or chat with a former pilot, head to the Qantas Founders Museum. The non-profit museum offers exhibits about the history of Australia’s largest airline as well as fascinating insights into Australia’s aviation industry.

The National Automobile Museum of Tasmania has one of the country’s best collections of classic and historic cars and motorbikes, spanning more than a century of automobile design. Vintage cars are the star attraction here, though the super cars also impress. The 1969 Fiat Spider is a highlight for many visitors.

Located at the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, Port Marlborough (Picton Cruise Port) is wedged between the mountains and the sea of Queen Charlotte Sound, one of four rugged sounds that make up the Marlborough Sounds. Large cruise liners and inter-island ferries crossing the Cook Strait all stop here.

A 63-acre (25.5-hectare) park on the northern shore of Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin, Commonwealth Park has landscaping and play areas that attract everyone from joggers to families to dog walkers. The park hosts Floriade, a major Canberra festival each spring, which sees more than 1 million flowers bloom over a month.

With the popular and developed Bay of Islands just to the south, the Whangaroa Harbour tends to be overlooked by travelers. That’s good news for those who do make it here, because they’re treated to near-deserted beaches, peaceful fishing spots, remote Northland settlements, and some of the most beautiful nature in New Zealand.

Looming over the hinterlands north-west of Byron Bay, the 3,792-foot (1156-meter) peak of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) is not only the region’s highest peak but also, due to its proximity to Australia’s easterly point, the first area of the mainland to receive sunlight. The chance to be the first to see the sunrise has long enticed hikers to scale its summit, and the 5.6-mile (9 km), four-hour round-trip hike is a scenic route, weaving through subtropical rainforest and offering spectacular views out over the coast and the surrounding Wollumbin National Park. Wollumbin (Mount Warning) also has a long historic significance, named by Captain James Cook to warn approaching seamen of the coastal reefs at Point Danger, and boasting a rich Aboriginal heritage, home to the indigenous Bundjalung people.

Devoted to desert flora, the 40-acre (16-hectare) Olive Pink Botanic Garden is home to more than 600 central Australian plant species, a network of walking trails, a visitor center with exhibitions, and the Bean Tree Cafe. It takes its name from its founder, the illustrator, activist, gardener, and anthropologist Olive Pink.

You’ll get 360-degree views and a rush of adrenaline at Auckland Sky Tower, stationed 630 feet (about 192 meters) above the city. Daredevil travelers strap on sturdy harnesses and inch along a narrow walkway during a guided SkyWalk. Another option is to plunge from Auckland’s tallest building as part of the SkyJump Auckland experience.

Once the hideout of “gentleman” bushranger (outlaw) Harry Power, Powers Lookout offers views across the mountains and valleys of Victoria’s High Country. The Powers Lookout Scenic Reserve is home to a range of wildlife, including superb lyrebirds and wedge-tailed eagles, which you can sometimes spot from the lookout.

In northwest Adelaide’s Port Adelaide suburb, the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide pays tribute to all things locomotive. Climb aboard a small train for a ride around the museum; admire steam engines and retro carriages; be immersed in Australia’s rail history; discover a model railway; and stock up on train-related souvenirs at the shop.

Just outside Hobart, Tasmania, Runnymede provides a window into life on the island in the 1840s. This National Trust-run house contains old sailing ephemera, maritime artifacts, period furniture, and historic artwork.