563 Best Sights in Australia

Known as Melbourne's Little Italy, Lygon Street is a perfect example of the city's multiculturalism: where once you'd have seen only Italian restaurants, there are now Thai, Egyptian, Caribbean, and Greek eateries. The city's famous café culture was also born here, with the arrival of one of Melbourne's first espresso machines at one of the street's Italian-owned cafés in the 1950s.

A family-friendly tribute to the purple flower that adorns the hills, Lyndoch Lavender Farm grows more than 80 varieties on 6 lush acres high above Lyndoch. Light café meals are available, and the farm shop sells essential oils, creams, and other products, including wine from the surrounding vineyards. The most spectacular time to visit is during flowering season from August to September. 

When the sun shines, the 15-minute cliff-top stroll along South Head Walkway between The Gap and the Macquarie Lighthouse affords some of Sydney's most inspiring views. Convict-architect Francis Greenway (jailed for forgery) designed the original lighthouse here, Australia's first, in 1818. Visitors climb the 100 stairs to the top of the lighthouse on guided tours (20 minutes duration; A$6) that are run every two months by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. Call or check the website for dates and bookings.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, songstress Kylie Minogue, and Olympic champion Cathy Freeman are among the contingent of Australian wax figures at the Madame Tussauds Sydney, the only version of the well-known museum in Australia. Located between SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour, the museum has nine interactive themed areas where patrons can, for example, jump on a surfboard with world champion female surfer Layne Beachley or sing in the band with legendary Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes. The 70 figures are grouped in themes such as world leaders, cultural icons, and music and film stars.

As the name suggests Main Beach is right in the heart of Byron Bay, across the road from the much-loved Beach Hotel (a popular pub that has good restaurants and accommodation). It stretches southward for some 3 km (2 miles) where its name changes to Clarkes Beach and then The Pass, the latter a legendary surfing spot. Always busy in the summer months, the beach is most easily reached on foot from the town center. There's a sea wall and swimming pool at the northern end, and about 300 feet offshore lies the wreck of the Tassie II, a small ammunition supply boat that sunk around the end of Word War II. Swimmers should always swim beside the flags as rips and currents can make this beach hazardous at times—an average of about nine swimmers annually require rescue. There are barbecues and picnic tables in the leafy park flanking the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (summer only); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Entering through the jaws of a giant crocodile, this huge wildlife park opens up each day from 2 pm to 5 pm to reveal the Kimberley's native species in a variety of habitats. You'll get to see dingoes, cassowaries, barking owls, several types of kangaroo, a litany of bird species, American alligators, and, of course, hundreds of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. Don't miss the famous croc feeding tour at 3 pm daily, a one-hour guided walk through the vast property where you get to watch the guide feed salties, freshies, and American alligators, and meet several problem crocs who were brought to the park after wreaking havoc in some of the surrounding estuaries.

Stop in at the Marble Bar to experience a masterpiece of Victorian extravagance. The 1890 bar was formerly in another building that was constructed on the profits of the horse-racing track, thus establishing the link between gambling and majestic public architecture that has its modern-day parallel in the Sydney Opera House. Threatened with demolition in the 1970s, the whole bar was moved—marble arches, color-glass ceiling, elaborately carved woodwork, paintings of voluptuous nudes, and all—to its present site in the basement of the Hilton Sydney Hotel. There is live music most weekends.

A leading light in the new wave of Hunter winemakers, Margan Family Winegrowers produces some of the valley's best small-volume wines. Try their full-bodied Verdelho, rosé-style Saignée Shiraz, and Certain Views Cabernet Sauvignon. A riper-than-most Sémillon is the flagship. Many items on the fine-dining lunch menu in the restaurant are sourced from the chef's vegetable and herb garden on-site, along with fresh eggs.

The old state library building houses one of the best maritime collections in Australia, including figureheads, whaling implements, models, and photographs dating from as far back as 1804. It's a small museum though, so don't plan on spending more than an hour. Upstairs the Carnegie Gallery has rotating exhibitions in a magnificent space.

Patrolled year-round by one of Queensland's oldest surf lifesaving clubs, rips are common along this strip, so stay in the central area between the red-and-yellow flags. A busy walking and cycling track runs adjacent to the beachfront, connecting visitors to both Cotton Tree and Alexandra Headland. A few minutes north is Maroochy River, a popular fishing spot and water sports activities hub. As with almost all Sunshine Coast beaches, an array of shops, cafés, and eateries line the esplanade. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Sydney's largest pedestrian precinct, flanked by banks, offices, and shopping centers, is the hub of the central business district. There are some grand buildings here—including the beautifully refurbished Commonwealth Bank and the 1870s Venetian Renaissance–style General Post Office building with its 230-foot clock tower (now a Westin hotel). Toward the George Street end of the plaza the simple 1929 cenotaph war memorial commemorates Australians who died in World War I.

Just outside the slate-mining hamlet of Mintaro, 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Sevenhill, wealthy bachelor Edmund Bowman built this gracious 32 room manor house in 1879—as legend has it, to lure his fiancée from England to the colonies. He failed, but continued to spend lavishly. In 1891 a near-bankrupt Bowman sold the grand house to the Mortlock family, who in 1965 willed it—and its contents—to the University of Adelaide. Now privately leased, Martindale Hall is a museum of late-19th- and early-20th-century rural life, filled with the Mortlocks' books, beds, furniture, crockery, glassware, and billiard table, The house, which is open for self-guided tours, was featured in director Peter Weir's first film, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

One of the area's most popular picnic spots, Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is 5 km (3 miles) southeast of Maleny at the intersection of the Landsborough–Maleny Road and Mountain View Road. The 130 acres of subtropical rain forest shelter an array of wildlife that includes bandicoots, goannas, echidnas, wallabies—and even pythons. There are two easy walks and a A$4.7-million Rainforest Discovery Center offers interactive displays, as well as sensory experiences and exhibits. Eat in the café (serving fair-trade coffee and homemade cakes) or at picnic tables for magnificent views of the Glass House Mountains.

Adjoining the Hunter Valley Gardens is the cellar-door complex of McGuigan Wines, one of the most well-known wine labels in the Hunter Valley. Here you can taste and buy wines, such as Vineyard Select and Personal Reserve labels, that are not available in suburban wine shops. Winery tours depart at noon every day. While you're there try some of the superb cheeses at the adjacent Hunter Valley Cheese Company—look out for the washed-rind Hunter Valley Gold and the deliciously marinated soft cows'-milk cheese. You can also see the cheeses being made by hand. 

Sheltered from wind, this soft-sand haven makes for a gorgeous coastal escape. Its aquamarine-blue waters attract visitors and locals alike. You can bring food with you if you like and use the barbecue facilities and picnic tables. Meelup Beach Hire (meelupbeachhire.com) offers heaps of beach and water-play rentals, including stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, bodyboards, umbrellas, and snorkel sets. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

A spectacular, postmodern building (in Carlton Gardens) offers visitors insights into Victoria's histories, cultures and natural environments. Visit such globally recognized exhibitions such as Te Vainui O Pasifika, Bugs Alive!, 600 Million Years, The Mind, and Dinosaur Walk, along with brilliant temporary and touring exhibitions from near and far. In the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Center, First Peoples presents the Koorie experience and hosts three exhibitions a year of works by Koorie artists, while the Melbourne Story tells the history of this city.

Verdant gardens and open-environment animal enclosures are hallmarks of this world-renowned zoo, which is 4 km (2½ miles) north of the city center. A lion park, reptile house, and butterfly pavilion, where more than 1,000 butterflies flutter through the rain-forest setting, are on-site, as is a simulated African rain forest where a group of Western Lowland gorillas lives. The spectacular Trail of the Elephants, home of five Asiatic elephants, has a village, tropical gardens, and a swimming pool. The orangutan sanctuary and baboon outlook are other highlights. It's possible to stay overnight with the Roar 'n' Snore package (A$205 per adult) and enjoy dinner, supper, breakfast, close encounters with animals, and a behind-the-scenes look at the zoo's operations.

Except for the yachts moored in the sandy coves, the upper reaches of Middle Harbour are almost exactly as they were when the first Europeans set eyes on Port Jackson more than 200 years ago. Tucked away in idyllic bushland are tranquil suburbs just a short drive from the city.

Despite its benign appearance today, Sydney Harbour once bristled with armaments. In the mid-19th century, faced with expansionist European powers hungry for new colonies, the authorities erected artillery positions on the headlands to guard harbor approaches. One of Sydney's newest open spaces, Headland Park, has opened on a former military base. A walking track winds past fortifications, tunnels, and heritage buildings, several of which are now used as cafés, including the Tea Room Gunners' Barracks.

One of South Australia's most popular beaches for beginner and intermediate surfers, Middleton is known for waves that roll in gently rather than breaking violently. As a result it’s perfect for those still honing their technique, and several companies offer surf lessons here year-round. The entire beach is composed of fine sand that slopes very gently resulting in predictable, even sets that also suit bodyboarding. Thanks to the very wide surf zone, it is moderately safe to swim in the inner surf zone on the bar, but swimmers are advised not to venture beyond the first line of breakers as strong currents occupy the trough between the sand bars. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

Chronicled in this converted 19th-century Destitute Asylum, which later in the 19th century served as a school where Aboriginal children were forced to train as servants to the British, are the origins, hopes, and fates of some of the millions of immigrants who settled in Australia during the past two centuries. The museum is starkly realistic, and the bleak welcome that awaited many migrants is graphically illustrated, while temporary exhibitions point to a more hopeful future.

Above the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, a path winds past a series of mineral springs in this 74-acre reserve, created in 1865. Each spring has a slightly different chemical composition—and a significantly different taste. You can bring empty bottles and fill them for free with the mineral water of your choice. The reserve includes walking trails, playgrounds, and a café.

At this estate chief winemaker Jim Chatto (only the fourth since the winery was founded in 1921) continues the tradition of producing classic Hunter wines. The flagship Maurice O'Shea Shiraz and Chardonnay, and the celebrated Elizabeth Sémillon, are among the wines that can be sampled in the huge cellar door.

This is the cool-climate branch of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens (30 km [19 miles] northeast of Mount Victoria). The garden is 3,280 feet above sea level, and is a spectacular setting for native and imported plants. You'll find beautiful rhododendrons and European deciduous trees, as well as plants that evolved in isolation for millions of years in the Gondwana Forest. The famous Wollemi Pine (once thought to be extinct) is also here. There are picnic grounds, a café with views of the ranges, and a daily guided tour at 11:30 am. Admission is free.

The inspiring views from this point, to the east of Bennelong Point (site of the Opera House), combine with the shady lawns to make this a popular place for picnics. The views are best at dusk, when the setting sun silhouettes the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

A perfect day trip from Bright, the park is full of fascinating granite formations, waterfalls, and animal and plant life. There are many more miles of walking tracks than you're likely to cover. The 2½-km (1½-mile) Gorge Walk is particularly scenic. Lake Cantani has swimming and a camping area in summer, while in winter, the snow-covered park becomes a playground for skiers and tobogganers.

With its rhododendrons, magnolias, ferns, and native and exotic trees, these gardens are glorious in fall and spring; free guided walks leave the lower parking lot on Thursday at 10:30 am year-round except on extreme fire danger days when the forecast is above 35°C (95°F).

This museum is inside the Old Parliament House. Curators use stories of real people and events to trace the history of democracy both in Australia and abroad. The museum features five exhibits, as well as the opportunity to see the original chambers and prime minister's office. There are free 45-minute guided tours every day starting at 9:45 am, with the last at 3:45 pm. While you're in the area, take a stroll through the delightful Rose Gardens on both sides of the Old Parliament House building. Across the road from the entrance, visit the controversial Aboriginal Tent Embassy, established in 1972 to proclaim the Aboriginal people as Australia's "first people" and to promote recognition of their fight for land rights.

This ponderous art deco building houses one of Australia's most important collections of modern art, as well as two significant collections of Aboriginal art, a sculpture garden, and continually changing temporary exhibits. Free tours, talks, and hands-on art workshops are conducted regularly.

This museum built on the site of the original Government House documents Sydney's early period of European colonization. Aboriginal culture, convict society, and the gradual transformation of the settlement at Sydney Cove are woven into an evocative portrayal of life in the country's early days. A glass floor in the lobby reveals the foundations of the original structure. One of the most intriguing exhibits, however, is outside (and free): the striking Edge of the Trees sculpture, where Koori (Aboriginal) voices recite Sydney place-names as you walk around and through the collection of 29 wood, iron, and sandstone pillars.