The Sydney Observatory is part of the Sydney Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Built in 1858, the observatory is one of the most important places in Australian scientific history. Visitors can check out exhibits related to astronomy, meteorology, and timekeeping, as well as the planetarium and the oldest working telescope in Australia.
Get a glimpse into the lives of early Australian settlers and pioneer farming practices at Churchill Island. Located just off the coast of Phillip Island, Churchill Island was the first European agricultural site in Victoria. Today, it’s home to a historic working farm, the Churchill Island Heritage Farm.
To learn more about the Aboriginal inhabitants of Kakadu, visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre in the heart of the park. It was developed by the traditional owners of Kakadu and shares local stories through multimedia exhibits, artifacts, images, and videos. You can also browse the attached Aboriginal art gallery.
Established in 1951 to provide educational resources for children living in remote areas of Central Australia, the School of the Air broadcasts lessons across an area of half a million square miles (1.3 million square kilometers), allowing students to study in a virtual classroom.
Western Australia’s Kalbarri National Park is an impressive area of cliffs and gorges, not far inland. It’s based around the lower reaches of the Murchison River, which has cut a 50-mile (80-kilometer) gorge through red and white sandstone. Visitors come to hike or to enjoy the views from the Kalbarri Skywalk, which stretches over the gorge.
Open since 2000, Marvel Stadium—traditionally known as Docklands Stadium—is mainly used for Australian Football League (AFL) games, but also hosts other sporting events such as soccer and rugby under its retractable roof. Non-sports fans can catch a concert by major musical acts; past performers have included AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and Taylor Swift.
Since 1991, Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art has showcased the works of today’s Australian artists in a gallery on the Circular Quay. Boundary-pushing solo exhibitions are the focus, while the permanent collection includes work from contemporary Aboriginal artists. The museum’s rooftop cafe boasts a fresh menu and harbor views.
Telling the story of Australia’s whaling industry and the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company—the last of the country’s whaling stations to close its doors, back in 1978— Albany's Historic Whaling Station offers insight into whale hunting, as well as the chance to explore onboard a real whale-chaser ship.
Surrounded by golden beaches, scenic waterways, and mountainous hinterlands, Mooloolaba enjoys a stunning setting along Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Perched at the mouth of Mooloolaba River, the town has a reputation as one of the coolest on the Sunny Coast, known for its great surf, lively markets, and buzzing nightlife.
Indulge in some retail therapy and fine dining with a view at Marina Mirage, a luxury waterfront shopping and dining destination on the Gold Coast. Located on the Southport Spit, Marina Mirage features over 70 designer boutiques and award-winning waterfront restaurants, and also offers a marina and helicopter services.
If you have a question about Australia, you’ll find an answer here. The National Library of Australia holds the world’s largest collection of “Australiana,” with more than 10 million items—from books, photographs, and newspapers to unpublished manuscripts and oral histories—in aid of its mission to document the Australian experience.
Opened in 1826 in Sydney, the State Library of New South Wales is the oldest library in Australia. In addition to holding a huge and diverse collection of books, the building is also home to over 1 million photos, maps, and manuscripts. Though it’s grand and austere on the outside, the library has a modern, bright and attractive interior.
Many people visit Phillip Island to see the penguins, but fewer people know about Churchill Island, just off the northern coast of southeastern Phillip Island. The 140-acre (57-hectare) Churchill Island Heritage Farm is a historic working farm with demonstrations and activities such as sheep shearing, cow milking, blacksmithing, and more.
Bordering the Derwent River just east of downtown Hobart, the historic docklands of Sullivan’s Cove were the site of the original British settlement in Tasmania. Boats from around the globe still dock at the bustling port and the waterfront district offers a cluster of attractions to tempt visitors to the riverside.
Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin is at the heart of the capital, providing the focal point around which much of the city’s official and recreational life revolves. Formed by the damming of the Molonglo River in 1963—about half a century after Canberra’s founding—it’s now difficult to imagine the city without the defining body of water.
Home to some of Sydney’s best shopping, Oxford Street is an edgy thoroughfare that runs east from Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD) toward Bondi Junction. Lined with trendy shops and boutiques, it has become a central hub of Sydney’s late-night club scene, as well as the unofficial center of Sydney’s LGBT community.
Australia’s longest river and a sacred place to indigenous communities, the mighty Murray River winds its way 1,558 miles (2,508 kilometers) through three Australian states. There are multiple ways—both on and off the water—to experience the river that runs through several Victoria towns and past striking South Australia landscapes.
Jagged cliffs tower almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) high over the Lennard River at Windjana Gorge, providing a dramatic backdrop for hikers, campers, and day-trippers. Once part of a Devonian-era reef system, the unique landscapes are the centerpiece of the Bandilngan/Windjana Gorge National Park and a sacred site of the Bunuba people.
Go underground at Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) National Park in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. Compared to other national parks in the area, Dimalurru is small, covering just 225 acres (91 hectares) of the Napier Mountain Range. But it has a popular main attraction: Western Australia’s oldest cave system.
Around 79 miles (137 kilometers) west of Alice Springs, the settlement of Hermannsburg (Ntaria in the local language) is more than just the gateway to Finke Gorge National Park. Historic whitewashed buildings date from the 19th century, artist Albert Namatjira’s home invites visitors, and Hermannsburg potters craft unique terra-cotta.
Concerts, theater, weddings, and more grace Melbourne Town Hall, which has welcomed everyone from the late Queen Elizabeth II to The Beatles. Completed in 1870, this grand neoclassical building is at the heart of Melbourne’s city and cultural life. Although a working town hall, it opens to the public for prebooked tours several days a week.
The Art Gallery of South Australia showcases around 45,000 works of art spanning 2,000 years. Expect to see works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and a diverse array of art from around the world, including Rodin bronzes and contemporary pieces. The museum occupies a landmark neoclassical building in the heart of Adelaide.
One of Perth’s oldest colonial landmarks, the Old Mill dates back to 1835 and operated as a flour mill until 1859. It has gone through many other lives since then, from a wine saloon to a hotel to a poultry farm, and is today a National Trust landmark.
Covering around 114,000 acres (46,000 hectares) of central Australia, Finke Gorge National Park is one of the Red Centre’s most startling wilderness areas. The Finke River formed around 300 million years ago, and some sights, such as Palm Valley with its rare red cabbage palms, seem to re-create the landscapes of that lost world.
Covering much of the southern shores of Bruny Island. South Bruny National Park is a favorite spot for hikers, birdwatchers, and surfers. Located less than an hour's drive from Hobart, the park’s natural landscapes are wild and diverse—rocky coves and deserted beaches line the coast, while dense forests, wildflower fields, and gurgling creeks lie inland.
The Sunshine Coast’s famous The Original Eumundi Markets rank among the biggest arts and crafts markets in Australia. With more than 300 stalls including everything from fashion designers and jewelry makers to local art galleries and interior designers, from artisan foods to homemade beauty products—there’s something to suit all tastes and budgets.
Sydney’s Parliament House is a complex of buildings that has housed the Parliament of New South Wales since 1829. Listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, the site consists of the north wing of the Rum Hospital building (which was built in 1816 as part of the country’s first hospital) flanked by two Neo-gothic buildings.
One of Western Australia’s largest and most luxurious resorts, Crown Perth entertainment complex boasts three hotels, a 24-hour casino, a theater, and a concert arena. Opportunities for fun abound, with a choice of 30 restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, all set in a stunning location on the banks of the Swan River.
Just 45 minutes from Perth, Penguin Island is an engaging ecotourism destination. Home to over 1,000 of the world’s smallest penguins, the island is teeming with animal activity. Attend a penguin feeding presentation, look to the skies for signs of seabirds, or search the seas for a glimpse of dolphins or a rare Australian sea lion.
Founded in 1896, the Broome Japanese Cemetery is the largest Japanese cemetery in Australia and a testament to the close ties between Western Australia and Japan. The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 900 Japanese people who came to Broome to work in the pearling industry, many of whom died while diving or from decompression sickness.
