With its mix of Italianate and Australian Regency architecture, manicured gardens, and antique furnishings, Como House offers a glimpse into aristocratic life in 19th- and 20th-century Melbourne. Dating back to 1847, the lavish home once belonged to the Armytage family and was a popular venue for high society events.
Aussie’s most memorable creatures and critters can be found at Hobart Zoo and Aquarium, along with exotic animals and rare and endangered species from around the globe. The small family-friendly park is popular among animal lovers and provides the opportunity to see Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, and emus, without leaving Hobart.
A bustling, modern entertainment complex, Cockle Bay Wharf sits on the Darling Harbour waterfront in the heart of Sydney. Venues span the gamut from 3-story superclub Home and the Sydney outpost of Ibiza’s Café del Mar brand to cafés, bars, cabaret, a steakhouse, a seafood restaurant, and even a dessert bar.
Cairns visitors don’t need to get out into the bush to see Australian wildlife. The Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome, in the heart of the city, offers the chance to see koalas, cockatoos, snakes, and crocodiles up close, all while enjoying an exhilarating zipline ride or other high-octane adventure.
Located on the Stuart Highway that cuts through the middle of the Northern Territory, Karlu Karlu is a collection of ancient granite boulders in the Outback's stark landscape. Formed over millions of years and strewn across a broad valley, the red-hued boulders are especially spectacular at sunrise and sunset.
Travel back in time to South Australia’s opal boom days at Coober Pedy’s Old Timers Mine and Museum, an underground museum, mine, and cave home complete with eerie waxworks of a 1920s family. See fossils and opals in the mining tunnels, sift through piles of rubble for stray opals, and shop all things opalescent in the underground gift store.
Perched on the edge of Lake Jindabyne in the Australian Alps, Snowy Valley is a popular ski resort near the snowfields of Kosciuszko National Park. When the snow melts, Jindabyne becomes a summertime outdoor resort, offering fishing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and horseback riding.
Built in 1846 for Scottish settlers Patrick and Catherine Leslie, Newstead House is Brisbane's oldest colonial residence and remains one of its most renowned heritage properties. Set on the banks of the Brisbane River, the historic home is now a house museum, beautifully recreated in late Victorian style. Visitors can step back in time as they explore Newstead House, admiring the vast collection of period furnishings and marvelling over unique artefacts like a signal cannon, Sir Thomas Brisbane’s pipe and a model of the HMS Beagle ship sailed by Royal Navy captain John Wickham, a former resident. The house also hosts a number of special events and educational programs including the chance to experience Victorian-style cooking, washing and games.
Tucked into The Rocks, Sydney’s oldest neighborhood, the Susannah Place Museum is a row of four terraced homes that housed working-class families from 1844 to the 1980s. Now a museum, the restored homes—incorporating an original corner shop—let visitors chart the lives of some of Sydney’s earliest and poorest residents.
The South Wharf may be a small area south of downtown Melbourne, but it packs a punch. The area presents as a modern destination, and its roots go back to the time when tall ships filled the harbor. Cargo sheds of yesteryear have new life as hip restaurants and bars, alongside global retailers and the city’s busy convention center.
A low-lying valley in the Flinders Ranges, with gum trees where yellow-footed rock wallabies hop, the Brachina Gorge carries a map of geological time in its striated rock formations. Travelers driving the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail can see the mark of a meteorite impact, fossilized early life forms, and layers of rock from 500–800 million years ago.
Centered on the Star Casino, The Star Sydney is a landmark entertainment complex on the shores of Sydney’s Darling Harbour. A club, a spa, a theater, three hotels, and a wealth of bars and restaurants surround the signature casino—with games from slots to baccarat—and private gaming areas reserved for elite members.
Stretching from Murramarang Beach in the north to Wallaga Lake in the south, the Batemans Marine Park includes a variety of marine, estuarine, lake, and river ecosystems. The park protects the local marine biodiversity and is home to dolphins, seals, and sharks. While most commercial fishing is restricted, recreational fishing is allowed, as well as other water-based activities.
Byron Bay’s reputation as one of Australia’s surf hot spots is in large part thanks to The Pass and surfers flock to the beach from all around the globe. Fringed by white sands, rock pools, and the bush-covered headlands of Cape Byron; it’s a scenic spot for strolling, surfing, and snorkeling.
A warren of shops, cafés, and restaurants, Nurses Walk is a narrow laneway in Sydney’s historic The Rocks neighborhood. Like nearby Surgeons Court, its name honors the people who worked in a hospital on this site. Plaques celebrate pioneers including Lucy Osburn, who was trained by Florence Nightingale and is considered the founder of modern nursing in Australia.
Just inland from the coastal town of Batemans Bay, the Clyde River National Park on New South Wales’ South Coast is a relaxed spot for camping, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. The river widens and meanders as it reaches the ocean, providing about 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) of waterfront area within the national park.
Sitting just north of Perth’s central business district (CBD, Northbridge is the city’s main cultural precinct and one of its top dining and nightlife districts. From the museums and theaters of the Perth Cultural Centre to the many restaurants and bars, not to mention Perth’s tiny Chinatown, Northbridge draws locals and visitors looking for an evening of entertainment.
At the mouth of the Derwent River, the tranquil coastal neighborhood of Sandy Bay is one of Hobart’s most sought-after residential neighborhoods. Sandy beaches, boat-filled piers and a lively arts community offer a change of pace for travelers escaping the bustle of downtown. It’s also a good choice for rented accommodation outside of the central business district.
A tribute to Adelaide’s sister city, Himeji in Japan, the Adelaide Himeji Garden incorporates two classic styles of Japanese garden design. The minimalist rock-and-sand garden is raked daily for maximum serenity. The tranquil lake garden features lush greenery, stepping stones, statues, a traditional bamboo water tube, and more. It's perfect for lunch, reading, or meditation.
If driving along a golden sand highway and wild camping against a backdrop of dunes, rainforest, and ocean sounds like your kind of adventure, then Teewah Beach checks all the boxes. Stretching for more than 25 miles (40 kilometers along the coast, it’s the highlight of the Great Beach Drive and part of the Great Sandy National Park.
At Platypus House, get a close-up look at Tasmanian platypuses and echidnas, two uniquely Australian “monotreme” mammals. Learn about their biology at the center, and watch the animals play in a natural environment set on the Tamar River.
Just south of Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is a large, hollow boab tree known as the Boab Prison Tree. A popular tourist attraction, the tree is said to have been used in the late 19th century as a lockup for Aboriginal Australian prisoners traveling to Derby, although there is no evidence to support this story.
Sweeping dunes, dramatic rocky coastline, and vast stretches of white-sand beaches and karri forests draw outdoor adventurers to D’Entrecasteaux National Park. Named after the 18th-century French explorer of the same name, the remote park in Western Australia remains as wild, unspoiled, and secluded as it must have been when it was first discovered.
Traditionally owned by the Nganguraku and Ngaiawang people, Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park is an important indigenous site on the banks of the Murray River. Yellow ocher cliffs house rock shelters dating back at least 5,000 years; a boardwalk runs along the river; and the rock art here has rich cultural significance.
Whether sightseeing in central Brisbane, strolling along the Southbank, or going out in the West End, the CityCat Ferry is the quickest and most convenient way to avoid traffic and get around Brisbane. The fleet of high-speed catamarans run along the Brisbane River and provide a scenic way to travel between Brisbane’s top attractions.
Located 2.7 miles (4.4 kilometers) north of Richard Branson’s Makepeace Island is Lake Cooroibah. It sits at the heart of Noosa North Shore and is popular with locals thanks to its swimming beach and picnic area.
Located in historic Haymarket, the Capitol Theater began its life in 1892 as the Belmore Markets, which closed in 1916, and later housed a circus and a cinema. It was scheduled to be demolished in the 1980s, but a Heritage Council conservation order saved the theatre transforming it into the world-class theatre that is today.
During the heyday of Broome's pearling industry, the pearlers (many from China, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Europe) would arrive back on shore cashed up and head to the opium dens, billiard halls, and brothels of Chinatown to let loose. The vibrant neighborhood remains the multicultural heart of Broome.
The Living Reef, the star attraction of Daydream Island in the Whitsunday Islands, is home to over 100 species of marine fish, coral, and invertebrates such as starfish, sea cucumbers, and crabs. The artificial reef is a microcosm of the Great Barrier Reef. Visitors can either go snorkeling or stay dry in the underwater observatory.
Located in Victoria’s Great Dividing Range, Mount Macedon is one of the highest peaks in the Macedon Ranges at 3,284 feet (1,001 meters). It forms a part of the 5,878-acre (2,379-hectare) Macedon Regional Park, which offers scenic hikes and drives, wonderful views, a range of wildlife, and both natural and cultural points of interest.
