Set minutes from the Gold Coast beaches, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best places in Queensland to see native Australian animals. Founded in 1947, the sanctuary encompasses 27 hectares (66 acres) of rain forest; its resident fauna includes kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and rainbow lorikeets.
Located at the entrance to the South Bank Parklands and towering 197 feet (60 meters) over the river, the Wheel of Brisbane has been part of the skyline since 2008. The giant Ferris wheel is one of Brisbane’s most memorable landmarks as well as a popular attraction and boasts unbeatable views of the city.
Part of Australia’s UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef, the sandy island of Michaelmas Cay—now a bird sanctuary and national park—is a nesting site for thousands of seabirds, from common noddies to sooty terns. Marine creatures such as leopard sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles also call the offshore coral reefs home.
The largest working fish market in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney Fish Market (SFM) rivals some of Japan’s biggest fish markets. Vendors sell approximately 52 tons of seafood per day, and the market is also home to some of the best fish restaurants and retailers in New South Wales.
The Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas provides a chance to see Australia’s native animals—including koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, and cassowaries—in the context of conservation. The animals live in expansive enclosures that mimic their natural environments, and the 8-acre (3-hectare) park comprises five areas: woodlands, wetlands, rain forest, savannah, and nocturnal.
Put yourself in the picture at ArtVo, the first immersive art gallery, or “trick art” gallery, in Australia. Spanning 21,528 square feet (2,000 square meters), the Melbourne gallery displays more than 100 interactive, large-scale paintings on walls and floors that allow you to become part of the art through photos.
Woy Woy, a fishing town on New South Wales’ Central Coast, offers beautiful beaches, great seafood, and a chilled-out seaside vibe. On a peninsula north of Sydney, the inlets of the Brisbane Water National Park and the beaches of the Bouddi National Park are nearby. Woy Woy is an idyllic coastal getaway destination for nature lovers.
Located in the lush surrounds of Whiteman Park, Perth’s Caversham Wildlife Park is home to Western Australia’s largest private collection of native wildlife. The park has more than 200 species of fauna, with a focus on native Australian animals such as koalas, wallabies, possums, Tasmanian devils, and wombats.
The Town of 1770 was renamed in 1970 to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of James Cook and his crew landing in Australia. Today, travelers flock to this destination on Queensland’s Discovery Coast in the Joseph Banks Environmental Park to enjoy its proximity to the Coral Sea, Bustard Bay, and Agnes Water.
When it comes to Kangaroo Island beaches, many visitors head for the South Coast and never look back. One hour west of Kingscote, however, Stokes Bay is a North Coast outpost whose rugged beauty rivals any spots in the south. There's romance to this remote coastline, where a small campground and a handful of holiday homes are the only developments.
Melbourne’s Princess Theatre is considered one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. Established in 1854 and rebuilt in 1886, the interior was refurbished in the 1980s but still retains many of its traditional flourishes, including red velvet curtains and crystal chandeliers. It hosts musical theater and other live performances and can seat up to 1,500 patrons.
With dramatic sandstone escarpments, ancient Aboriginal rock art sites, and crocodile-filled billabongs, the wild landscapes of the Kakadu National Park are beyond photo-worthy. Spread over 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares), Australia’s largest national park offers a thrilling look at the native landscape, wildlife, and culture.
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.
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.
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.
Vast wind-sculpted sand dunes stretch out across the horizon just north of Vivonne Bay on the south coast of Kangaroo Island. Nicknamed “Little Sahara,” the dunes tower up to 250 feet (76 meters) high, affording magnificent views across the Great Australian Bight and serving as a natural playground for sandboarding and tobogganing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Reaching depths of 560 feet (170 meters, Lake St. Clair is the deepest lake in Australia and one of the most beautiful. Set at an elevation of 2,400 feet (732 meters, this cobalt lake and its forest-lined shores are part of Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park.
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.
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.
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.
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.
