Australia attractions

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.

Western Australia isn’t short of remote settlements, and the Aboriginal community of One Arm Point (Ardyaloon) is another beautiful spot to add to your off-the-beaten-path travel itinerary. On the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome, the village rewards intrepid travelers with great views of the Indian Ocean and the Buccaneer Archipelago, and an interesting hatchery.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

With vast swathes of natural bushland and Banksia woodland stretching over an area larger than New York’s Central Park—some 9,000 acres (3,700 hectares)—Whiteman Park is worth leaving the city for. About a half-hour drive from Perth, the public park provides scenic bushwalks and fun family attractions on the cusp of the Swan Valley.

Less than a 2-hour drive south of Hobart will take you to Bruny Island Berry Farm, where you can pick your own berries or purchase pre-picked berries, berry ice cream, berry jam, and other berry-infused treats. The farm is also a beautiful spot to relax while taking in countryside views.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Perched at the top of Sydney Tower, 88 stories above the streets of the Central Business District (CBD), the rotating restaurant 360 Bar and Dining ensures that every corner of the city is visible right from your table. It takes exceptional food to draw your attention away from the view, but the chefs have mastered the challenge.

Stretching almost 22 miles (35 kilometers) across the Bellarine Peninsula, the Bellarine Rail Trail takes cyclists on a scenic ride from Geelong through quiet countryside to the bayside town of Queenscliff. This bike trail follows the region’s historic train line, providing a cycling route that’s suitable for all levels of riders, including beginners and families looking to avoid riding on roads.

With a second branch in Darwin, Mbantua Fine Art Gallery and Cultural Museum (Mbantua Aboriginal Art Gallery) is a privately owned gallery in the heart of Alice Springs specializing in Aboriginal artworks. Buy everything from affordable souvenirs to investment-grade pieces by noted artists, via bark paintings, boomerangs, and gifts, or browse their permanent collection.

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.

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.

Perched on a hilltop looking out over Battery Point and the River Derwent, St. George's Anglican Church is one of the neighborhood’s most prominent historic landmarks. Dating back to 1838, it’s among the oldest churches in Hobart and still holds regular services.

A short walk from the Hobart waterfront, the elegant Parliament House houses Tasmania’s Parliament. It was built in the Georgian style using locally quarried sandstone and was initially designed as a customs house. It’s one of many Hobart buildings designed by John Lee Archer and is worth visiting for its architecture alone.

While you may need to jostle for space among other tourists at many of the Blue Mountains National Park’s lookouts, Pulpit Rock Lookout is not one of those places. The multi-tiered lookout perched on a blade of rock will test your tolerance for heights, but it offers almost 360-degree views across the forest-covered Grose Valley and Govetts Leap.

With a land area similar to Switzerland, the triangular Eyre Peninsula juts out into the Southern Ocean, with Port Lincoln, its adventure capital, near the tip. The east coast is known for oysters; whales, dolphins, sea lions, and great white sharks draw travelers to the west. On land, enjoy pristine national parks and Indigenous culture.