Located on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, Great Otway National Park is a lush area of forests, waterfalls, and windswept coastline. Whether you want to hike for an hour or several days, enjoy panoramic views from an historical lighthouse, bike through fern gullies, gaze at picture-perfect waterfalls, or seek out glowworms, there’s a lot to do here.
Located in the bushlands of Mornington Peninsula, Moonlit Sanctuary is a wildlife conservation park that is home to native Australian wildlife, including koalas, wallabies, kookaburras, and dingos. The sanctuary is most famous for its night tours, which allow visitors to see nocturnal pythons, feathertail gliders, quolls, and more.
The harbor-side amusement park Luna Park Sydney has been entertaining locals and travelers with a lively midway, carnival games, rides, and big top concerts since 1935. More than 20 attractions range from the tame to thrilling, and although it’s small compared to modern amusement parks, Luna Park remains a Sydney family favorite with a nostalgic draw.
Standing sentinel over Hobart, Mt. Wellington is also known as Kunanyi or simply “the Mountain.” The 4,170-foot (1,271-meter) peak offers unbeatable views over the Tasmanian capital, and the surrounding parklands serve as a popular recreational ground for city dwellers.
Less than 30 minutes from Hobart, amid the lush vineyards of the Coal River Valley, historic Richmond village is among the most picturesque in Tasmania. Lined with elegant Georgian buildings and presided over by the much-photographed Richmond Bridge, it’s also an important piece of Tasmania’s colonial heritage.
What is now a popular destination for history buffs once served as a defense facility that kept watch over the bay. Fort Denison Island, located northeast of the Royal Botanic Gardens, was where some of the most gruesome acts against convicted felons took place. Today, travelers can wander the grounds of this recently restored island and see the gibbet where criminals were hanged. Explore the fort built to protect the island from invaders and climb the historic Martello Tower, the only one of its kind in the country. The island is home to an informative museum, as well as a number of landmarks that illustrate its dark and violent past. Please note: Fort Denison is currently closed for maintenance. The reopening is scheduled for late 2021.
Located in the heart of Melbourne, St. Paul’s Cathedral is the only neo-Gothic building among a sea of modern structures in Federation Square. Built between 1880 and 1931 to commemorate the location of Melbourne’s first Christian service back in 1836, St. Paul’s features the 2nd-tallest Anglican spire in the world.
Federation Square, just across from Flinders Street Station, is Melbourne's beating heart and favorite meeting spot. Numerous city events take place here throughout the year, making it a must-visit attraction for all travelers. The square is surrounded by many bars and restaurants, and is home to the Ian Potter Centre, an Australian art museum.
Kings Cross is Sydney’s late-night entertainment hub. Although the area has begun to shed its rakish reputation—thanks to the emergence of many trendy cafés and bars—it’s still considered the red-light district of Australia. Kings Cross is well-policed at night, but visitors are encouraged to shed their inhibitions before visiting.
Despite its name, Mt. Lofty is far from lofty, standing just 2,385 feet (727 meters) high in the Mt. Lofty Ranges, part of the Adelaide Hills. The summit offers views across Adelaide and the ocean, with a café, an information center and shop, and hiking trail access. Mt. Lofty Botanic Garden and Cleland Wildlife Park are on its slopes.
Less than an hour from the Tasmanian capital and yet a world away from the busy streets of Hobart, Bruny Island draws a steady stream of weekenders from the mainland. North and South Bruny, joined by a long narrow isthmus, are a wildlife haven of jagged cliffs and golden beaches swirling with seabirds. Both are dotted with sleepy villages and tranquil guesthouses, and offer activities including hiking, fishing, and slurping fresh-from-the-ocean oysters.
Once forgotten but now an integral part of Melbourne’s cultural scene, Hosier Lane is home to some of the city’s best street art. The laneway, which cuts between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, exhibits regularly changing graffiti alongside a series of light boxes that exhibit the work of up and coming contemporary artists.
Get away from Melbourne’s bustling city center without actually leaving town at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. This 89-acre (36-hectare) park is home to more than 8,500 plant species, tranquil lakes, and lush lawns. Join guided walking tours, workshops, or presentations, or feel free to walk around the flourishing oasis on your own.
A signature Melbourne experience, Melbourne Skydeck is a 360-degree viewing platform set atop the 974-foot (274-meter) Eureka Tower. For the daring there’s the Edge, a cantilevered glass cube that slides out from the building, leaving you suspended above the city streets. Vertigo, a green-screen set-up, simulates falling from the building.
Watson’s Bay is a Sydney suburb that forms the eastern edge of Sydney Harbour. It claims to be Australia’s oldest fishing village, and is still a popular place to dine on seafood. With city views, white-sand beaches, coastal walks, parks, and plenty of restaurants and boutiques, Watsons Bay appeals to all kinds of travelers.
The Sydney suburb of Rose Bay is one of the city's hottest outdoor and nature regions, with many opportunities for water-related activities. Though it's just 4miles (7 kilometers outside the Central Business District, Rose Bay can feel somewhat rural, with a population of around 10,000 people (actor Russel Crow even lives here.
The Southern Highlands are a popular getaway destination for Sydneysiders, and it’s easy to see why. Small towns at a pleasantly cool altitude, wineries, restaurants, waterfalls, forests, and hiking trails are the major drawcards. Whether you visit on a weekend trip or detour on a road trip through New South Wales, the Southern Highlands are worth your time.
The Whitsunday Passage is the waterway that carves through the middle of the Whitsunday Islands, in the heart of northeastern Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The famous islands, perhaps some of Australia's most popular tourist attractions, are named after the passage, which was given its title by the famed explorer Captain James Cook in 1770.
Flinders Street Station is Melbourne’s most historic train station and a major transportation hub. Built in 1854, the station still features remnants of the past like the large clock on the facade, stained glass windows, and old-school flip displays for train departures. The station allows travelers to shuttle between the outer suburbs and the heart of Melbourne with ease.
Between the Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay, south of the Great Barrier Reef, is Fraser Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Queensland’s most popular beach getaways. Stretching 76 miles (122 kilometers) long, it’s the largest sand island in the world, covered with beaches, sweeping dunes, and dense rain forest.
Easily the wildest place in the city, Taronga Zoo Sydney is a sprawling wildlife sanctuary where more than 4,000 animals crawl and chirp just minutes from the heart of downtown. Admire fuzzy-faced koalas, playful lemurs, distinctive Malaysian sun bears, saltwater crocs, and other animals before enjoying tours, keeper talks, animal shows, and activities suitable for kids and adults alike.
Cable Beach encompasses 14 miles (22 kilometers) of unspoiled white sand and turquoise waters. The beach is almost perfectly flat and therefore its calm waters are ideal for swimming. From the shore, you can see the occasional pearling boat—an industry that supported Broome before it was discovered by travelers.
Hailed as one of the finest examples of an English-style Gothic cathedral in the world, St. Mary’s Cathedral wows you with its sandstone exterior, stained glass windows, and ornate crypt, which features a mosaic floor and an exhibition on the first Australian Catholics. Plus, a visit to the cathedral affords great views of the skyscrapers in Sydney CBD.
A gigantic mound of rust-red rock looming over the desert plains of the Australian Outback, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is more than just a postcard icon. Earth’s largest sandstone monolith, it’s the cultural, spiritual, and geographical heart of Australia and one of its most impressive natural wonders. Uluru holds UNESCO World Heritage status and the Anangu people, who have lived here for more than 30,000 years, consider it sacred.
Stark and solemn, the Shrine of Remembrance is Victoria’s memorial to Australians who have served in war or peacemaking operations. Set within the Kings Domain grounds, the shrine combines Athenian and Turkish architectural styles, and also exhibits more than 800 artworks and historical artifacts.
The Gap is a large and attractive cliff on Sydney’s South Head Peninsula, in the Watsons Bay neighborhood, to the east of the central city. There are walking trails along the top of the cliff that offer great views of the ocean and the area’s layered sandstone formations.
Woolloomooloo Wharf was built in 1915 and for the next 70-odd years handled the export of much of Australia’s wool, and served as a disembarking point for new migrants arriving to the country. It has since been converted into a fashionable complex, housing some of Sydney’s finest restaurants and most stylish residential flats.
Located between Echo Point and Scenic World, Katoomba Falls is one of the most popular and accessible waterfalls in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains. A beautiful, segmented waterfall, Katoomba Falls drops about 492 feet (150 meters) in two main stages into Jamison Valley and can be viewed from a number of lookouts in the area.
Some of Australia’s most beloved animals—including kangaroos, koalas, and Tasmanian devils—call the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary home. As one of Tasmania’s most important sanctuaries, Bonorong’s aim is to rescue, rehabilitate, and preserve some of the island’s rarest and most endangered creatures.
Winding through ancient rainforests, dramatic gorges, and the UNESCO-listed landscapes of Queensland’s tropical north, Kuranda Scenic Railway is a dreamy Australian train journey. The route runs from Cairns to the quiet town of Kuranda, with its eco-lodges and artisan shops. Along the way, you’ll relax in comfort in a classic wood-panelled carriage while enjoying the natural scenery.
