Fodor's Essential Australia
Ready to experience Australia? The experts at Fodor's are here to help. Fodor's Essential...
A vast island continent, Australia teems with natural and cultural treasures. Relax on gorgeous beaches along the sprawling coastline, or plunge below the water in Queensland to explore the Great Barrier Reef. Nature enthusiasts revel in exciting adventures in the interior, from trekking around majestic Uluru to spotting wildlife in tropical rain forests. But there's more to life down under than outdoor activities. Cosmopolitan cities like Sydney and Melbourne entice with thriving dining and arts scenes, while world-class vineyards abound.
Fodor's Essential Australia
Ready to experience Australia? The experts at Fodor's are here to help. Fodor's Essential...
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Queensland
A fusion of Florida, Las Vegas, and the Caribbean, southern Queensland attracts crowd-lovers and escapists alike. Whether you want to surf or...
New South Wales
For many travelers Sydney is New South Wales, and they look to the other, less-populous states for Australia's famous wilderness experiences...
Victoria
Separated from New South Wales by the mighty Murray River and fronted by a beautiful coastline, Victoria boasts terrain as varied as any in...
Great Barrier Reef
A maze of 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 km (1,616 miles), the Great Barrier Reef is among the world's most spectacular...
Sydney
Sydney belongs to the exclusive club of cities that generate excitement. At the end of a marathon flight there's renewed vitality in the cabin...
South Australia
Renowned for its celebrations of the arts, its multiple cultures, and its bountiful harvests from vines, land, and sea, South Australia is both...
Melbourne
Consistently rated among the "world's most livable cities" in quality-of-life surveys, Melbourne is built on a coastal plain at the top of the...
Western Australia
Western Australia is a stunningly diverse place, with rugged interior deserts, endless, untrammeled white-sand beaches, a northern tropical...
Tasmania
Wild and dramatic landscapes, empty white beaches, heavenly food and wine—Tasmania's charms have been overlooked for too long by international...
Perth
Buoyed by a history of mineral wealth and foreign investment, Perth has high-rise buildings dotting the skyline, and an influx of immigrants...
Adelaide
Australians think of Adelaide as a city of churches, but Adelaide has outgrown its reputation as a sleepy country town dotted with cathedrals...
North of Cairns
The Captain Cook Highway runs from Cairns to Mossman, a relatively civilized stretch known mostly for the resort towns of Palm Cove and Port...
Brisbane
Founded in 1824 on the banks of the wide, meandering Brisbane River, the former penal colony of Brisbane was for many years regarded as just...
The Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands situated within 161 km (100 miles) of each other and around 50 km (31 miles) from Shute Harbour, the...
North Coast
The North Coast is one of the most glorious and seductive stretches of terrain in Australia, stretching almost 680 km (422 miles) from Newcastle...
Red Centre
The light in the Red Centre—named for the deep color of its desert soils—has a purity and vitality that photographs only begin to approach....
Australian Capital Territory
The Australia Capital Territory encompasses the country's capital city, Canberra, along with several excellent parks. Canberra has excellent...
Canberra
As the nation's capital, Canberra is sometimes maligned by outsiders, who see the city as lacking the hipness of Melbourne or the glamour of...
Hobart
Straddling the Derwent River at the foot of Mt. Wellington's forested slopes, Hobart was founded as a penal settlement in 1803. It's the second...
Cairns
Tourism is the lifeblood of Cairns (pronounced Caans ). The city makes a good base for exploring the wild top half of Queensland, and tens...
The South West Wine Region
The South West—Western Australia's most popular destination, with 2.4 million visitors annually—should not be missed if you are coming to this...
The Gold Coast
Resorts, theme parks, and 300 days of sunshine a year ensure the Gold Coast, the most developed tourist destination and one of the fastest-growing...
The Blue Mountains
Sydneysiders have been doubly blessed by nature. Not only do they have a magnificent coastline right at their front door, but a 90-minute drive...
Darwin
Darwin is Australia's most colorful, and exotic, capital city. Surrounded on three sides by the turquoise waters of the Timor Sea, the streets...
The Kimberley
Perched on the northwestern hump of the loneliest Australian state, only half as far from Indonesia as it is from Sydney, the Kimberley remains...
The Gold Country
Victoria was changed forever in the early 1850s by the discovery of gold in the center of the state. News of fantastic gold deposits caused...
Fremantle
The port city of Fremantle is a jewel in Western Australia's crown, largely because of its colonial architectural heritage and hippy vibe. Freo...
Murray River Region
From its birthplace in the folds of the Great Dividing Range in southern New South Wales, the Mighty Murray winds 2,574 km (1,596 miles) northwest...
Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is a 60-km (37-mile) stretch of white-sand beaches, inlets, lakes, and mountains that begins at the Glass House Mountains...
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road, which snakes along Victoria's rugged and windswept southwestern coast, is arguably Australia's most spectacular coastal...
The Hunter Valley Wine Region
To almost everyone in Sydney, the Hunter Valley conjures up visions of one thing: wine. The Hunter is the largest grape-growing area in the...
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest (after Tasmania and Melville), is barely 16 km (10 miles) from the Australian mainland. Yet the island...
Alice Springs
Once a ramshackle collection of buildings on dusty streets, Alice Springs—known colloquially as "the Alice" or just "Alice"—is today an incongruously...
Uluru and Kata Tjuta
It's easy to see why the Aborigines attach spiritual significance to Uluru (Ayers Rock). It rises magnificently above the plain and dramatically...
The Barossa Wine Region
Some of Australia's most famous vineyards are in the Barossa, just over an hour's drive northeast of Adelaide. More than 200 wineries across...
Launceston
Nestled in a fertile agricultural basin where the South Esk and North Esk rivers join to form the Tamar, the city of Launceston (pronounced...
Broome
Broome is the holiday capital of the Kimberley. It's the only town in the region with sandy beaches, and is the base from which most strike...
Byron Bay
Byron Bay is the easternmost point on the Australian mainland, and perhaps earns Australia its nickname the "Lucky Country." Fabulous beaches...
Townsville
This coastal city has little in the way of sandy beaches or surf, but it does have shady parks, charming colonial buildings, and a boardwalk...
Margaret River
The lovely town of Margaret River is considered the center of the South West's wine region, though vineyards and wineries stretch well beyond...
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula circles the southeastern half of Port Phillip Bay. A much larger piece of land than it first appears, the peninsula...
Katoomba
The largest and busiest town in the Blue Mountains, Katoomba developed in the early 1840s as a coal-mining settlement, turning its attention...
Yarra Valley and Healesville
The Yarra Valley spreads eastward from Melbourne's suburban fringe, and is a popular area with both locals and international visitors. Because...
Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu has traditionally been seen as Adelaide's backyard. Generations of local families have vacationed in the string of beachside resorts...
North Coast Islands
...
Fraser Island
Fraser Island, at 1,014 square km (391 square miles), is the largest of Queensland's islands and the most unusual. Fraser is the world's largest...
Mackay–Capricorn Islands
Despite its name, this group of islands lying offshore between Bundaberg and Rockhampton is closer to the southern half of Queensland than it...
Coober Pedy
Known as much for the way most of its 1,700 inhabitants live—underground in dugouts gouged into the hills to escape the relentless heat—as for...
Dunsborough
The attractive and fashionable seaside town of Dunsborough is perfect for a few days of swimming, sunning, and fishing—which is why it's become...
Phillip Island
South of Melbourne and just off the Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island has long been a playground for Victorians. Both the coast and the interior...
Sunshine Coast Hinterland
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland, extending from the Glass House Mountains just northwest of Brisbane to Eumundi and Yandina, west of the northern...
Kakadu National Park
This national park is a jewel among the Top End parks, and many visitors come to the region just to experience this tropical wilderness. Beginning...
Bendigo
Gold was discovered in the Bendigo district in 1851, and its boom lasted well into the 1880s. The city's magnificent public buildings bear witness...
Rottnest Island
An easy 30-minute cruise from Fremantle, or about one hour down the Swan River from Perth, sunny, quirky Rottnest Island makes an ideal day...
The Dandenong Ranges
Melburnians come to the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, also known simply as the Dandenongs, for a breath of fresh air, especially in fall when...
Newcastle
Once known as the Steel City, today Newcastle is one of Australia’s hippest cities. It’s flanked by the Pacific Ocean and six beaches on its...
East-Coast Resorts
From Hobart, the east-coast Tasman Highway travels cross country to Orford, then passes through beautiful coastal scenery with spectacular white...
Echuca
The name Echuca comes from a local Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters," a reference to the town's location at the confluence of...
The Grampians
About 93 km (79 miles) north of Port Fairy are the Grampians, sometimes referred to by their Aboriginal name Gariwerd. This 415,000-acre region...
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie was founded as a convict settlement in 1821 and is the third-oldest settlement in Australia. Set at the mouth of the Hastings...
The Clare Valley
Smaller and less well known than the Barossa, the Clare Valley nonetheless holds its own among Australia's wine-producing regions. Its robust...
Kununurra
Kununurra is the eastern gateway to the Kimberley. With a population of around 6,000, it's a modern, planned town developed in the 1960s for...
Ballarat
In the local Aboriginal language, the name Ballarat means "resting place." In pre-gold-rush days, nearby Lake Wendouree provided the area with...
Leeuwin–Naturaliste National Park
The 74.5-mile-long coast-hugging Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park faces the cobalt Indian Ocean with honey-hued sands and people-free swimming...
Lord Howe Island
Fringed by the world’s southernmost coral reef as well as gorgeous, sheltered beaches, dominated by two dramatic peaks, and inhabited by just...
Strahan
This lovely, lazy fishing port, once a major stop for mining companies, has one of the deepest harbors in the world. The brown color that sometimes...
Magnetic Island
More than half of Magnetic Island's 52 square km (20 square miles) is national parkland, laced with miles of walking trails and rising to 1...
Gold Coast Hinterland
No visit to the Gold Coast would be complete without an excursion to the region's verdant hinterland. The natural grandeur of the area lies...
Noosa
Set along the calm waters of Laguna Bay at the northern tip of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa is one of Australia's most stylish resort areas. Until...
Coffs Harbour
The area surrounding Coffs Harbour is the state's "banana belt," where long, neat rows of banana palms cover the hillsides. Set at the foot...
West MacDonnell Ranges
The West MacDonnell Ranges—stretching westward from just a few kilometers outside Alice Springs for around 200 km (125 miles)—are a spectacular...
Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park
This expansive, remote park contains some of the most spectacular alpine scenery and mountain trails in Australia. Popular with hikers of all...
Rutherglen
The surrounding red-loam soil signifies the beginning of the Rutherglen wine district, the source of Australia's finest fortified wines. If...
Victor Harbor
As famous for its natural beauty and wildlife as for its resorts, Victor Harbor is South Australia's favorite seaside getaway. In 1802 English...
Southern Downs
If the Brisbane cityscape has given you a thirst for pastoral rolling hills—and fabulous wine—you're in luck, because some of Queensland's best...
Port Fairy
Port Fairy is widely considered to be the state's prettiest village. The second-oldest town in Victoria, it was originally known as Belfast...
Stanley
Stanley is one of the prettiest villages in Tasmania, and a must for anyone traveling in the northwest. A gathering of historic cottages at...
The Adelaide Hills
With their secluded green slopes and flowery gardens, the Adelaide Hills are a pastoral vision in this desert state. The patchwork quilt of...
Tanunda
The cultural heart of the Barossa, Tanunda is its most German settlement. The four Lutheran churches in the town testify to its heritage, and...
Broadbeach
With clean beaches, great cafés, and trendy nightspots, Broadbeach is one of the most popular areas on the Gold Coast, especially with locals...
Great Keppel Island
Positioned at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef near the Tropic of Capricorn, idyllic Great Keppel Island boasts crystal clear waters...
Devonport and Nearby
In the middle of the North Coast, Devonport is the Tasmanian port where ferries from Melbourne dock. Visitors often dash off to other parts...
Blackheath
Magnificent easterly views over the Grose Valley—which has outstanding hiking trails—delightful gardens, good restaurants, and antiques shops...
The Huon Valley
En route to the vast wilderness of South West National Park is the tranquil Huon Valley. Sheltered coasts and sandy beaches are pocketed with...
Southport and Main Beach
South of Southport, look for the turnoff to the Spit, a natural peninsula that stretches 4 km (2½ miles) north, almost to the tip of South Stradbroke...
Flinders Chase National Park
Some of Australia's most beautiful coastal scenery is in Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island. ...
Bellingen
In a river valley a few miles off the Pacific Highway, artsy Bellingen is one of the prettiest towns along the coast. Many of Bellingen's buildings...
Beechworth
One of the prettiest towns in Victoria, Beechworth flourished during the gold rush. When gold ran out, the town of 30,000 was left with all...
McLaren Vale
The nearest wine region to Adelaide, this area has a distinctly modern, upscale look, even though many of the more than 80 wineries in and around...
Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park is popular year-round, attracting campers and hikers in the warm months and skiers in the winter time. The High Country...
Leura
Leura, the prettiest and chicest of the mountain towns, is bordered by bush and lined with excellent cafés, restaurants, and gift shops. From...
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs
Nestled in the slopes of the Great Dividing Range, Daylesford and its nearby twin, Hepburn Springs, are a spa-lover's paradise. The water table...
Port Campbell National Park
It is possible to visit Port Campbell National Park on an organized day trip from Melbourne, but a better alternative is to stay overnight at...
Maroochydore
Maroochydore, at the mouth of the Maroochy River, has been a popular beach resort town for years, and has its fair share of high-rise towers...
Coomera and Oxenford
The biggest draws of these two northern Gold Coast suburbs are their family-oriented theme parks—Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet ...
Sevenhill
Sevenhill is the Clare Valley's geographic center, and the location of the region's first winery, established by Jesuit priests in 1851 to produce...
Lorne
Located between sweeping Loutit Bay and the Otway Mountain Range, Lorne is one of the main towns on the Great Ocean Road, with a definite surf...
Mount Victoria
The settlement of Mount Victoria is the highest point in the Blue Mountains, and there's a Rip Van Winkle air about it—drowsy and only just...
Montville
This charming mountain village, settled in 1887, is known as the creative heart of the Sunshine Coast, as many artists live here. There are...
Kingscote
Kangaroo Island's largest town, Kingscote is a good base for exploring. Reeves Point, at the town's northern end, is where South Australia's...
Heron Island
Most resort islands lie well inside the shelter of the distant reef, but Heron Island, some 72 km (45 miles) northeast of the mainland port...
Freycinet National Park
The road onto the Freycinet Peninsula ends just past the township of Coles Bay; from that point the Freycinet National Park begins and covers...
Penneshaw
This tiny ferry port once had a huge population of penguins—locals would complain about the birds burrowing in their gardens and you'd often...
Clare
The bustling town of Clare is the Clare Valley's commercial center. Unusual for ultra-English South Australia, many of its early settlers were...
Caloundra
This unassuming southern seaside town has nine beaches of its own, which include everything from placid wading beaches (King's Beach and Bulcock...
Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula
When Governor George Arthur, lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), was looking for a site to dump his worst convict offenders...
Lyndoch
This pleasant little town surrounded by vineyards was established in 1840 and is the Barossa's oldest settlement site. It owes the spelling...
Bridgewater
Bridgewater came into existence in 1841 as a refreshment stop for bullock teams fording Cock's Creek. More English than German, with its flowing...
Mt. Lofty
There are splendid views of Adelaide from the lookout atop 2,300-foot Mt. Lofty, the coldest location in Adelaide, where snow is not uncommon...
Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba stretches along a lovely beach and riverbank, both an easy walk from town. The Esplanade has many casual cafés, upscale restaurants...
Peregian and Coolum
At the center of the Sunshine Coast, Coolum makes an ideal base for exploring the countryside. It has one of the finest beaches in the region...
Queenscliff
In the late 19th century Queenscliff was a favorite weekend destination for well-to-do Melburnians, who traveled by paddle steamer or train...
Yandina, Eumundi, and Cooroy
Yandina and Eumundi, just 12 km (7½ miles) apart, are home to some of the most iconic attractions in the area. Don’t miss the Ginger Factory...
Marananga
The tiny hamlet of Marananga inhabits one of the prettiest corners of the Barossa. This area's original name was Gnadenfrei, which means "freed...
Seal Bay Conservation Park
There are no seals in Seal Bay, but a visit to Seal Bay is a highlight of most people's time on Kangaroo Island—it's one of the only places...
Apollo Bay
A small attractive town on a wide curving bay, Apollo Bay is a quieter alternative to busy Great Ocean Road towns like Lorne. There's enough...
Lady Musgrave Island
This island sits at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Lady Elliot Island and 96 km (60...
Richmond
Twenty minutes' drive from Hobart and a century behind the big city, this colonial village in the Coal River valley is a major tourist magnet...
Maleny
The Hinterland village of Maleny is a lively mix of rural life, the arts, wineries, cafés, and cooperative ventures. First settled around 1880...
Wentworth Falls
This attractive township is home to the Blue Mountains' most stunning natural waterfalls and bush walking trails. The Falls themselves straddle...
Angaston
Named after George Fife Angas, the Englishman who founded the town and sponsored many of the German and British immigrants who came here, Angaston...
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Extending north from Spencer Gulf, the Flinders Ranges mountain chain includes one of Australia's most impressive Outback parks. These dry,...
Nuriootpa
Long before it was the Barossa's commercial center, Nuriootpa was used as a bartering place by local Aboriginal tribes, hence its name: Nuriootpa...
Lady Elliot Island
The closest Great Barrier Reef island to Brisbane, Lady Elliot Island is a highly protected coral cay approximately 85 km (53 miles) northeast...
Glass House Mountains Area
More than 20 million years old, the Glass House Mountains consist of nine conical outcrops—the eroded remnants of volcanoes—that rise dramatically...
Goolwa
Beautifully situated near the mouth of the mighty Murray River, which travels some 2,415 km (1,594 miles) from its source in New South Wales...
Geikie Gorge National Park
Halfway between Purnululu and Broome, Geikie Gorge, an ancient flooded reef, is one of the highlights of a trip through the Kimberley. ...
The West Coast
The wildest and least explored countryside in Australia lies on Tasmania's west coast. Due to the region's remoteness from the major centers...
Katherine Gorge
Officially called Nitmiluk, the Aboriginal or Jawoyn name for the cicadas associated with the creation stories of the area, this stunning canyon...
Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park
This park covers nearly 3,120 square km (1,200 square miles) in the southeast corner of the Kimberley. Australians of European descent first...
South Stradbroke Island
White-sand beaches, diverse flora and fauna, and a peaceful interior draw visitors to South Stradbroke Island, which is just 22 km (12 miles...
Norfolk Island
...
Thredbo Village
...
The Snowy Mountains
...
Perisher
...
Jindabyne
...
Sunshine Beach
...
Sydney
Sydney belongs to the exclusive club of cities that generate excitement. At the end of a marathon flight there's renewed vitality in the cabin...
Melbourne
Consistently rated among the "world's most livable cities" in quality-of-life surveys, Melbourne is built on a coastal plain at the top of the...
Perth
Buoyed by a history of mineral wealth and foreign investment, Perth has high-rise buildings dotting the skyline, and an influx of immigrants...
Adelaide
Australians think of Adelaide as a city of churches, but Adelaide has outgrown its reputation as a sleepy country town dotted with cathedrals...
Brisbane
Founded in 1824 on the banks of the wide, meandering Brisbane River, the former penal colony of Brisbane was for many years regarded as just...
Canberra
As the nation's capital, Canberra is sometimes maligned by outsiders, who see the city as lacking the hipness of Melbourne or the glamour of...
Hobart
Straddling the Derwent River at the foot of Mt. Wellington's forested slopes, Hobart was founded as a penal settlement in 1803. It's the second...
Cairns
Tourism is the lifeblood of Cairns (pronounced Caans ). The city makes a good base for exploring the wild top half of Queensland, and tens...
Darwin
Darwin is Australia's most colorful, and exotic, capital city. Surrounded on three sides by the turquoise waters of the Timor Sea, the streets...
Fremantle
The port city of Fremantle is a jewel in Western Australia's crown, largely because of its colonial architectural heritage and hippy vibe. Freo...
Alice Springs
Once a ramshackle collection of buildings on dusty streets, Alice Springs—known colloquially as "the Alice" or just "Alice"—is today an incongruously...
Launceston
Nestled in a fertile agricultural basin where the South Esk and North Esk rivers join to form the Tamar, the city of Launceston (pronounced...
Broome
Broome is the holiday capital of the Kimberley. It's the only town in the region with sandy beaches, and is the base from which most strike...
Byron Bay
Byron Bay is the easternmost point on the Australian mainland, and perhaps earns Australia its nickname the "Lucky Country." Fabulous beaches...
Margaret River
The lovely town of Margaret River is considered the center of the South West's wine region, though vineyards and wineries stretch well beyond...
Townsville
This coastal city has little in the way of sandy beaches or surf, but it does have shady parks, charming colonial buildings, and a boardwalk...
Katoomba
The largest and busiest town in the Blue Mountains, Katoomba developed in the early 1840s as a coal-mining settlement, turning its attention...
Coober Pedy
Known as much for the way most of its 1,700 inhabitants live—underground in dugouts gouged into the hills to escape the relentless heat—as for...
Dunsborough
The attractive and fashionable seaside town of Dunsborough is perfect for a few days of swimming, sunning, and fishing—which is why it's become...
Bendigo
Gold was discovered in the Bendigo district in 1851, and its boom lasted well into the 1880s. The city's magnificent public buildings bear witness...
Echuca
The name Echuca comes from a local Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters," a reference to the town's location at the confluence of...
Newcastle
Once known as the Steel City, today Newcastle is one of Australia’s hippest cities. It’s flanked by the Pacific Ocean and six beaches on its...
Kununurra
Kununurra is the eastern gateway to the Kimberley. With a population of around 6,000, it's a modern, planned town developed in the 1960s for...
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie was founded as a convict settlement in 1821 and is the third-oldest settlement in Australia. Set at the mouth of the Hastings...
Ballarat
In the local Aboriginal language, the name Ballarat means "resting place." In pre-gold-rush days, nearby Lake Wendouree provided the area with...
Strahan
This lovely, lazy fishing port, once a major stop for mining companies, has one of the deepest harbors in the world. The brown color that sometimes...
Noosa
Set along the calm waters of Laguna Bay at the northern tip of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa is one of Australia's most stylish resort areas. Until...
Rutherglen
The surrounding red-loam soil signifies the beginning of the Rutherglen wine district, the source of Australia's finest fortified wines. If...
Victor Harbor
As famous for its natural beauty and wildlife as for its resorts, Victor Harbor is South Australia's favorite seaside getaway. In 1802 English...
Stanley
Stanley is one of the prettiest villages in Tasmania, and a must for anyone traveling in the northwest. A gathering of historic cottages at...
Port Fairy
Port Fairy is widely considered to be the state's prettiest village. The second-oldest town in Victoria, it was originally known as Belfast...
Devonport and Nearby
In the middle of the North Coast, Devonport is the Tasmanian port where ferries from Melbourne dock. Visitors often dash off to other parts...
Tanunda
The cultural heart of the Barossa, Tanunda is its most German settlement. The four Lutheran churches in the town testify to its heritage, and...
Blackheath
Magnificent easterly views over the Grose Valley—which has outstanding hiking trails—delightful gardens, good restaurants, and antiques shops...
Broadbeach
With clean beaches, great cafés, and trendy nightspots, Broadbeach is one of the most popular areas on the Gold Coast, especially with locals...
Bellingen
In a river valley a few miles off the Pacific Highway, artsy Bellingen is one of the prettiest towns along the coast. Many of Bellingen's buildings...
McLaren Vale
The nearest wine region to Adelaide, this area has a distinctly modern, upscale look, even though many of the more than 80 wineries in and around...
Beechworth
One of the prettiest towns in Victoria, Beechworth flourished during the gold rush. When gold ran out, the town of 30,000 was left with all...
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs
Nestled in the slopes of the Great Dividing Range, Daylesford and its nearby twin, Hepburn Springs, are a spa-lover's paradise. The water table...
Leura
Leura, the prettiest and chicest of the mountain towns, is bordered by bush and lined with excellent cafés, restaurants, and gift shops. From...
Mount Victoria
The settlement of Mount Victoria is the highest point in the Blue Mountains, and there's a Rip Van Winkle air about it—drowsy and only just...
Montville
This charming mountain village, settled in 1887, is known as the creative heart of the Sunshine Coast, as many artists live here. There are...
Maroochydore
Maroochydore, at the mouth of the Maroochy River, has been a popular beach resort town for years, and has its fair share of high-rise towers...
Sevenhill
Sevenhill is the Clare Valley's geographic center, and the location of the region's first winery, established by Jesuit priests in 1851 to produce...
Coomera and Oxenford
The biggest draws of these two northern Gold Coast suburbs are their family-oriented theme parks—Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet ...
Lorne
Located between sweeping Loutit Bay and the Otway Mountain Range, Lorne is one of the main towns on the Great Ocean Road, with a definite surf...
Kingscote
Kangaroo Island's largest town, Kingscote is a good base for exploring. Reeves Point, at the town's northern end, is where South Australia's...
Penneshaw
This tiny ferry port once had a huge population of penguins—locals would complain about the birds burrowing in their gardens and you'd often...
Caloundra
This unassuming southern seaside town has nine beaches of its own, which include everything from placid wading beaches (King's Beach and Bulcock...
Bridgewater
Bridgewater came into existence in 1841 as a refreshment stop for bullock teams fording Cock's Creek. More English than German, with its flowing...
Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba stretches along a lovely beach and riverbank, both an easy walk from town. The Esplanade has many casual cafés, upscale restaurants...
Peregian and Coolum
At the center of the Sunshine Coast, Coolum makes an ideal base for exploring the countryside. It has one of the finest beaches in the region...
Queenscliff
In the late 19th century Queenscliff was a favorite weekend destination for well-to-do Melburnians, who traveled by paddle steamer or train...
Mt. Lofty
There are splendid views of Adelaide from the lookout atop 2,300-foot Mt. Lofty, the coldest location in Adelaide, where snow is not uncommon...
Lyndoch
This pleasant little town surrounded by vineyards was established in 1840 and is the Barossa's oldest settlement site. It owes the spelling...
Clare
The bustling town of Clare is the Clare Valley's commercial center. Unusual for ultra-English South Australia, many of its early settlers were...
Maleny
The Hinterland village of Maleny is a lively mix of rural life, the arts, wineries, cafés, and cooperative ventures. First settled around 1880...
Angaston
Named after George Fife Angas, the Englishman who founded the town and sponsored many of the German and British immigrants who came here, Angaston...
Yandina, Eumundi, and Cooroy
Yandina and Eumundi, just 12 km (7½ miles) apart, are home to some of the most iconic attractions in the area. Don’t miss the Ginger Factory...
Marananga
The tiny hamlet of Marananga inhabits one of the prettiest corners of the Barossa. This area's original name was Gnadenfrei, which means "freed...
Wentworth Falls
This attractive township is home to the Blue Mountains' most stunning natural waterfalls and bush walking trails. The Falls themselves straddle...
Richmond
Twenty minutes' drive from Hobart and a century behind the big city, this colonial village in the Coal River valley is a major tourist magnet...
Apollo Bay
A small attractive town on a wide curving bay, Apollo Bay is a quieter alternative to busy Great Ocean Road towns like Lorne. There's enough...
Nuriootpa
Long before it was the Barossa's commercial center, Nuriootpa was used as a bartering place by local Aboriginal tribes, hence its name: Nuriootpa...
Goolwa
Beautifully situated near the mouth of the mighty Murray River, which travels some 2,415 km (1,594 miles) from its source in New South Wales...
Thredbo Village
...
Sunshine Beach
...
Perisher
...
Jindabyne
...
Great Barrier Reef
A maze of 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 km (1,616 miles), the Great Barrier Reef is among the world's most spectacular...
The Outback
Few visitors who explore Australia's remote Red Centre and wild Top End are left unmoved by the stark, expansive beauty of the landscape. The...
North of Cairns
The Captain Cook Highway runs from Cairns to Mossman, a relatively civilized stretch known mostly for the resort towns of Palm Cove and Port...
North Coast
The North Coast is one of the most glorious and seductive stretches of terrain in Australia, stretching almost 680 km (422 miles) from Newcastle...
Red Centre
The light in the Red Centre—named for the deep color of its desert soils—has a purity and vitality that photographs only begin to approach....
The South West Wine Region
The South West—Western Australia's most popular destination, with 2.4 million visitors annually—should not be missed if you are coming to this...
The Gold Coast
Resorts, theme parks, and 300 days of sunshine a year ensure the Gold Coast, the most developed tourist destination and one of the fastest-growing...
The Blue Mountains
Sydneysiders have been doubly blessed by nature. Not only do they have a magnificent coastline right at their front door, but a 90-minute drive...
The Kimberley
Perched on the northwestern hump of the loneliest Australian state, only half as far from Indonesia as it is from Sydney, the Kimberley remains...
The Gold Country
Victoria was changed forever in the early 1850s by the discovery of gold in the center of the state. News of fantastic gold deposits caused...
Murray River Region
From its birthplace in the folds of the Great Dividing Range in southern New South Wales, the Mighty Murray winds 2,574 km (1,596 miles) northwest...
Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is a 60-km (37-mile) stretch of white-sand beaches, inlets, lakes, and mountains that begins at the Glass House Mountains...
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road, which snakes along Victoria's rugged and windswept southwestern coast, is arguably Australia's most spectacular coastal...
The Hunter Valley Wine Region
To almost everyone in Sydney, the Hunter Valley conjures up visions of one thing: wine. The Hunter is the largest grape-growing area in the...
The Barossa Wine Region
Some of Australia's most famous vineyards are in the Barossa, just over an hour's drive northeast of Adelaide. More than 200 wineries across...
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula circles the southeastern half of Port Phillip Bay. A much larger piece of land than it first appears, the peninsula...
Yarra Valley and Healesville
The Yarra Valley spreads eastward from Melbourne's suburban fringe, and is a popular area with both locals and international visitors. Because...
Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu has traditionally been seen as Adelaide's backyard. Generations of local families have vacationed in the string of beachside resorts...
Sunshine Coast Hinterland
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland, extending from the Glass House Mountains just northwest of Brisbane to Eumundi and Yandina, west of the northern...
The Dandenong Ranges
Melburnians come to the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, also known simply as the Dandenongs, for a breath of fresh air, especially in fall when...
East-Coast Resorts
From Hobart, the east-coast Tasman Highway travels cross country to Orford, then passes through beautiful coastal scenery with spectacular white...
The Clare Valley
Smaller and less well known than the Barossa, the Clare Valley nonetheless holds its own among Australia's wine-producing regions. Its robust...
Gold Coast Hinterland
No visit to the Gold Coast would be complete without an excursion to the region's verdant hinterland. The natural grandeur of the area lies...
Coffs Harbour
The area surrounding Coffs Harbour is the state's "banana belt," where long, neat rows of banana palms cover the hillsides. Set at the foot...
West MacDonnell Ranges
The West MacDonnell Ranges—stretching westward from just a few kilometers outside Alice Springs for around 200 km (125 miles)—are a spectacular...
Southern Downs
If the Brisbane cityscape has given you a thirst for pastoral rolling hills—and fabulous wine—you're in luck, because some of Queensland's best...
The Adelaide Hills
With their secluded green slopes and flowery gardens, the Adelaide Hills are a pastoral vision in this desert state. The patchwork quilt of...
The Huon Valley
En route to the vast wilderness of South West National Park is the tranquil Huon Valley. Sheltered coasts and sandy beaches are pocketed with...
Southport and Main Beach
South of Southport, look for the turnoff to the Spit, a natural peninsula that stretches 4 km (2½ miles) north, almost to the tip of South Stradbroke...
Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula
When Governor George Arthur, lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), was looking for a site to dump his worst convict offenders...
Glass House Mountains Area
More than 20 million years old, the Glass House Mountains consist of nine conical outcrops—the eroded remnants of volcanoes—that rise dramatically...
The West Coast
The wildest and least explored countryside in Australia lies on Tasmania's west coast. Due to the region's remoteness from the major centers...
Katherine Gorge
Officially called Nitmiluk, the Aboriginal or Jawoyn name for the cicadas associated with the creation stories of the area, this stunning canyon...
Norfolk Island
...
The Snowy Mountains
...
Uluru and Kata Tjuta
It's easy to see why the Aborigines attach spiritual significance to Uluru (Ayers Rock). It rises magnificently above the plain and dramatically...
Kakadu National Park
This national park is a jewel among the Top End parks, and many visitors come to the region just to experience this tropical wilderness. Beginning...
The Grampians
About 93 km (79 miles) north of Port Fairy are the Grampians, sometimes referred to by their Aboriginal name Gariwerd. This 415,000-acre region...
Leeuwin–Naturaliste National Park
The 74.5-mile-long coast-hugging Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park faces the cobalt Indian Ocean with honey-hued sands and people-free swimming...
Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park
This expansive, remote park contains some of the most spectacular alpine scenery and mountain trails in Australia. Popular with hikers of all...
Flinders Chase National Park
Some of Australia's most beautiful coastal scenery is in Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island. ...
Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park is popular year-round, attracting campers and hikers in the warm months and skiers in the winter time. The High Country...
Port Campbell National Park
It is possible to visit Port Campbell National Park on an organized day trip from Melbourne, but a better alternative is to stay overnight at...
Freycinet National Park
The road onto the Freycinet Peninsula ends just past the township of Coles Bay; from that point the Freycinet National Park begins and covers...
Seal Bay Conservation Park
There are no seals in Seal Bay, but a visit to Seal Bay is a highlight of most people's time on Kangaroo Island—it's one of the only places...
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Extending north from Spencer Gulf, the Flinders Ranges mountain chain includes one of Australia's most impressive Outback parks. These dry,...
Geikie Gorge National Park
Halfway between Purnululu and Broome, Geikie Gorge, an ancient flooded reef, is one of the highlights of a trip through the Kimberley. ...
Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park
This park covers nearly 3,120 square km (1,200 square miles) in the southeast corner of the Kimberley. Australians of European descent first...
The Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands situated within 161 km (100 miles) of each other and around 50 km (31 miles) from Shute Harbour, the...
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest (after Tasmania and Melville), is barely 16 km (10 miles) from the Australian mainland. Yet the island...
North Coast Islands
...
Fraser Island
Fraser Island, at 1,014 square km (391 square miles), is the largest of Queensland's islands and the most unusual. Fraser is the world's largest...
Mackay–Capricorn Islands
Despite its name, this group of islands lying offshore between Bundaberg and Rockhampton is closer to the southern half of Queensland than it...
Phillip Island
South of Melbourne and just off the Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island has long been a playground for Victorians. Both the coast and the interior...
Rottnest Island
An easy 30-minute cruise from Fremantle, or about one hour down the Swan River from Perth, sunny, quirky Rottnest Island makes an ideal day...
Lord Howe Island
Fringed by the world’s southernmost coral reef as well as gorgeous, sheltered beaches, dominated by two dramatic peaks, and inhabited by just...
Magnetic Island
More than half of Magnetic Island's 52 square km (20 square miles) is national parkland, laced with miles of walking trails and rising to 1...
Great Keppel Island
Positioned at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef near the Tropic of Capricorn, idyllic Great Keppel Island boasts crystal clear waters...
Heron Island
Most resort islands lie well inside the shelter of the distant reef, but Heron Island, some 72 km (45 miles) northeast of the mainland port...
Lady Musgrave Island
This island sits at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Lady Elliot Island and 96 km (60...
Lady Elliot Island
The closest Great Barrier Reef island to Brisbane, Lady Elliot Island is a highly protected coral cay approximately 85 km (53 miles) northeast...
South Stradbroke Island
White-sand beaches, diverse flora and fauna, and a peaceful interior draw visitors to South Stradbroke Island, which is just 22 km (12 miles...
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Guidebooks
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Shop NowFodor's Essential Australia
Ready to experience Australia? The experts at Fodor's are here to help. Fodor's Essential...
Fodor's Melbourne 25 Best
This book identifies and explores in depth the top 25 sights in Melbourne in a compact,...
Fodor's Vancouver & Victoria
Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes...
Fodor's Sydney 25 Best
Compact and affordable, Fodor's 25 Best Sydney is a great travel guide for those who want...
