Australia attractions

Cockington Green Gardens offers visitors a trip around the world without leaving Canberra. The outdoor exhibit features meticulously crafted miniature buildings representing numerous landmarks, from Scotland’s Braemer Castle to Peru’s Machu Picchu. It’s a great option for traveling families who will be captivated by the enchanting world.

As an island nation, Australia and its people have a long history with the ocean. At the Queensland Maritime Museum, the shining hull of Ella’s Pink Lady is a testament to the unstoppable willpower of the youngest-ever solo circumnavigator, the Australian Jessica Watson. Explore dozens of boats, exhibits, and incredibly detailed model ships as you delve into the stories of adventurous Australian sailors and seafarers.

No trip to Australia’s capital is complete without a visit to the National Carillon. The 164-foot (50 meter) architectural landmark originally gifted to Australia by the British government is touted for its’ unique design. In addition to its’ towering height, the structure is also a musical instrument! Have a picnic beneath the striking tower and listen to chimining of its’ 55 bronze bells each week at free concerts. The sheer height of the tower allows the musical melodies to drift across Lake Burley Griffin all the way to Kings and Commonwealth Parks. Visit at night when the structure is illuminated for an unforgettable view.

One of the vineyards and cellar door wineries of Perth’s Swan Valley, Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery is both an art gallery and cultural center. Aboriginal-owned and operated, Maalinup pays tribute to the region’s native Wadjuck people and is packed with art and handicrafts designed by local artists and craftsmen, plus Australian herbs, spices, and other specialties.

Erupting from Lake Burley Griffin just off Commonwealth Park, the Captain Cook Memorial jet commemorates the bicentenary of Captain James Cook's first sighting of Australia and landing at Botany Bay in 1770. The jet reaches a maximum height of 499 feet (152 meters), and its design is based on the Jet D'Eau in Geneva, Switzerland.

Just north of Surfers Paradise, Southport is a bustling business, entertainment, and luxury residential hub overlooking the Broadwater and the Pacific Ocean. A fashionable seaside resort destination with plenty of activities for the whole family, Southport also offers easy access to popular theme parks like Sea World and Dreamworld.

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.

The waterfront Geelong Botanic Gardens is home to a beautiful collection of Australian and international plants and flowers. The gardens are easily accessible from many of the city’s other attractions along the foreshore and are free to enter, so you can stroll, take a picnic, and learn about the many plants, whatever your travel budget.

The Kangaroo Sanctuary near Alice Springs shot to fame in 2013 when the Kangaroo Dundee BBC/National Geographic TV documentary series aired in the UK and US. Showing the daily life of sanctuary owner Chris “Brolga” Barnes, the series depicts the ins and outs of running this wildlife sanctuary and rescue center for baby kangaroos.

The entire town of Evandale is a National Trust site—a collection of late-Georgian and early-Victorian architecture that offers a glimpse into what Tasmania was like in centuries past. It’s one of the best-preserved historic towns in all of Australia, with some of the oldest structures dating back to 1809.

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.

From the Sydney Opera House to the Melbourne Arts Centre, the Australian Ballet puts on shows all around the country, performing everything from contemporary ballets to classics such as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. Founded in 1962, it’s Australia’s leading ballet company, based along Melbourne’s Southbank.

Garrison Church isn’t the largest church in Sydney—nor its most popular or famous—but it's significant to the city’s military families. Established back in 1840, Garrison Church (officially known as Holy Trinity Church) was the first military church in Australia. Today, it hosts Sunday services and houses a small museum displaying early Australian military and historical items.

Melbourne’s Carlton Brewhouse is a working brewery and pub serving food and drink, including some of Australia’s best-known and loved beers. Visitors can take tours to learn more about local brewing or hang out in the beer garden with a plate of pub fare washed down by Carlton Draught, Crown Lager, or Victoria Bitter.

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.

Tallavera Grove is a winery in the town of Cessnock, within the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. Vines flourish across the 70 acres (28 hectares) of terra rossa clay loam, providing lovely views across the grove. Visitors can sample wines of the Carillion Wines brand at the cellar door tasting room or enjoy a meal at Molines Bistro.

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.

Beneath the woodlands and bushland trails of the Kelly Hill Conservation Park lies one of the most impressive natural wonders on Kangaroo Island, formed from millions of years of erosion, sea level change, and weather patterns. Venture underground and discover an expanse of ancient limestone caves, where you'll see dramatic rock columns, multicolored shawl formations, and towering stalagmites and stalactites.

Known for its marine life, reefs, and diverse kelp forests, Tinderbox Marine Reserve in southern Tasmania is an off-shore area of protected waters across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel from Bruny Island. The reserve’s diverse marine ecosystem and proximity to shore make it an inviting destination for recreational diving.

Located outside the town of Longford, Tasmania’s Woolmers Estate is an early 19th-century pioneer farm passed down through six generations of the Archer family. The 32-acre (13-hectare) estate was designated an Australian Convict Site in 2010; today, it offers visitors insight into the convict consignment system through its preserved buildings, which include a blacksmith's shop, stable, and bakehouse.

Whether you’re surfing, boogie boarding, stand-up paddleboarding, or kitesurfing, Trigg Beach is the place to catch some waves. Less than a half-hour from Perth, this local favorite is a beach of two halves separated by the rocky headland of Trigg Island, with miles of white sands and access to the reefs and lagoons of Marmion Marine Park.

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.

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.

A remote natural wonderland in Northwestern Australia, Karijini National Park is home to red cliffs, dramatic gorges, and waterfalls that cascade into fern-fringed swimming holes. While reaching Karijini can be an adventure in itself, the epic views, 2.5 billion-year-old landscapes, and majestic night skies are well worth the effort.

From whale-watching cruises and spectacular coastal walks to colonial heritage sites and ANZAC war history, Albany has plenty to tempt travelers to the south coast. Albany Visitor Centre is the first port of call for visitors, offering up-to-date advice and information on the region’s many attractions.

On the site of the shop that launched the R.M. Williams leather goods brand in 1934, the R.M. Williams Outback Heritage Museum is both museum and retail outlet. More than simply a tribute to one of South Australia’s most successful sons, the museum tells the story of bush culture and a defining Outback brand through displays, panels, and machinery.

Visiting Truganini Lookout is a highlight of Bruny Island, whether you’re climbing up the wooden staircase at sunset in hopes of glimpsing the island’s resident penguins, or just enjoying the panoramic views. The top of the island’s tall sand mound (known both as the Neck Lookout and the Truganini Lookout) offers spectacular 360-degree views of the island.

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.

Mount Whitfield Conservation Park is a rainforest surrounded by the urban development of Cairns. Covering 741 acres (300 hectares), it’s a popular place for locals and visitors alike to escape the bustling city. As a forested range completely isolated from other natural vegetation, it’s incredibly delicate, consisting primarily of rainforest, with patches of both eucalyptus forests and grasslands with cycads.

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.