563 Best Sights in Australia

About 3 km (2 miles) northeast of Noosa Heads you'll find the Teewah Coloured Sands, an area of multicolor dunes created in the Ice Age by natural chemicals in the soil. Teewah's sands stretch inland from the beach to a distance of about 17 km (11 miles); some of the 72 distinctly hued sands even form cliffs rising to 600 feet. A four-wheel-drive vehicle and permit are essential for exploring this area and sites to the north, such as Cooloola National Park—home to 1,300-plus species of plants, 700 native animals, and 44% of Australia's bird species—and Great Sandy National Park. Access is by ferry across the Noosa River at Tewantin.

Tour operators run day trips that take in these sights; some include visits to K'gari (Fraser Island), north of Rainbow Beach. You can also explore the area on foot. One of Queensland's Great Walks winds through Cooloola National Park.

With 1,544 acres of natural bushland, this impressive park is dedicated to the Northern Territory's native fauna and flora. In addition to saltwater crocodiles, dingoes, olive pythons, and waterbirds, among other animals, the park also has an underwater viewing area for observing freshwater fish and a nocturnal house kept dark for late-night creatures. The treetop-level walkway through the huge aviary allows you to watch native birds from the swamps and forests at close range. Daily events include feedings, guided walks, and a birds of prey display: see the website for daily schedules. There's also a nifty tram to help you get around.

Tasmania's Aboriginal culture is being revitalised through regular cultural events. On display is artworks and a series of reproduced Aboriginal huts. Among the exhibits are many cultural artifacts including beautiful Aboriginal rock engravings, which were discovered on the nearby Mersey Bluff headland in 1929 and subsequently collected here for protection. Tours must be arranged in advanced.

The small, no-frills tasting room means there is nothing to distract you from discovering why Tim Adams Wines has a big reputation. The standout in an impressive collection of reds and whites, which includes a celebrated Riesling and delicious Fiano, is the purple-red Aberfeldy Shiraz, made from century-old vines. You can buy wine by the glass or bottle to enjoy with a cheese platter on the large deck.

At the base of the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, this park offers many opportunities to learn about indigenous Djabugay people through exhilarating dance performances, hands-on workshops in traditional fire-making, spear and boomerang throwing, arts and crafts, didgeridoo lessons, and talks on bush tucker and natural medicines. You can buy Aboriginal artworks, artifacts, and instruments (including didgeridoos) at the retail gallery on-site; café fare, buffet lunches, and dinners are also available. One of Australia's most informative cultural attractions, it's also one of the few that returns profits to the indigenous community. Ticket options include Tjapukai by Day and Tjapukai by Night, the latter a nightly four-course buffet dinner/performance package.

This reserve—Victoria's largest dormant volcano—is packed with native Australian animals in their natural state. The Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre in the reserve conducts cultural interpretative walks. Take its 90-minute personalized bush and nature walk to learn about Indigenous lifestyles, bush food, and medicine, and hear about the local inhabitants, which include emus, sugar gliders, koalas, kangaroos, birds, and reptiles. The standard tour is A$35; also ask about the availability of other occasional specialist tours, including twilight visits, to experience Aboriginal culture firsthand. Parks Victoria's website also has a map of the reserve and self-guided walking trails.

Spot wallabies, echidnas, dingoes, goannas, and hundreds of bird species at this terrific wetlands conservation park crisscrossed by walking and biking trails, and dotted with bird blinds and a wildlife-viewing tower. You can take the easy, hour-long Forest Walk to see kingfishers and honey-eaters, the Pallarenda to Tegoora Rock circuit for wetlands overviews, or several other walking and biking trails (with estimated walk times ranging from 30 minutes to five hours). The 5-km (3-mile), two-plus-hour-long trail from Bald Rock to Mount Marlowl is worth the uphill trek for the glorious regional panorama at the summit. Most trails start from Bald Rock parking lot, 7 km (4½ miles) from the park entrance on unpaved roads.

Children and adults will enjoy a browse around this store that bills itself as the best antique toy shop in the world.

With a "neat and tidy" dress code geared to securing an upscale clientele, The Treasury is a European-style casino with three levels of gaming beneath a stunning four-story atrium. Beneath a seduction of light and color, the facility comes alive at night with more than 80 gaming tables and more than 1,300 machines, as well as six restaurants and six bars. Open 24 hours.

Surfers and bodyboarders favor this beach, riding the transparent blue waves from Trigg Point and Trigg Island, sometimes crashing into the sandy bottom. Swimmers don masks and paddle to the snorkeling spot of Mettams Pool that is lovely on calm days but should be avoided when the swell is up. The hip, surfer-theme coffee haunt, Yelo, and the ultracool Island Market Trigg offer healthy meals and views for days.  Across the road away from the ocean, the Trigg Bushland Reserve makes for interesting, paved bushwalking—just follow the trail and its interpretive signage. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; surfing.

There is a strong undertow off this beach, and swimmers have struck trouble.

In the wettest zone of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, the mighty Tully River is a magnet for white-water rafters, while the gorge's scenic, often mist-shrouded trails suit walkers of all levels. Access Tully Gorge National Park via the town of Tully, 141 km (88 miles) or about two hours' drive south of Cairns, then continue for 54 km (34 miles)—approximately 40 minutes—along Jarra Creek and Cardstone roads to Kareeya Hydroelectric Station parking lot and viewing platform. Other excellent vantage points are the Tully Falls lookout, 24 km (15 miles) south of Ravenshoe, and the Flip Wilson and Frank Roberts lookouts.

As you approach Twin Falls Gorge, the ravine opens up dramatically to reveal a beautiful sandy beach scattered with palm trees, as well as the crystal waters of the falls spilling onto the end of the beach. This spot is a bit difficult to reach, but the trip is rewarding. Take the four-wheel-drive-only road to Jim Jim Falls, turn off just before the parking lot, and travel 10 km (6 miles) farther to the Twin Falls parking lot. A regular boat shuttle (A$12.50; buy your tickets before you go at Bowali Visitor Centre) operates a return service up the Twin Falls Gorge, and then you need to walk over boulders, sand, and a boardwalk to the falls. Note that saltwater crocodiles may be in the gorge, so visitors are urged not to enter the water. The round-trip journey, including the boat shuttle, takes around two hours.

The interior of this 19th-century sandstone cottage is every bit as surprising as the wines produced here. Polished wood and glass surround the contemporary counter where the excellent staff leads you through the tasting of several "out of the box" reds, whites, and blends. The main event is the Garden Series Shiraz sourced from six wine regions;. compare and contrast Shiraz from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Adelaide Hills, among others. The Search For The Holy Grail (A$150) takes you into the estate vineyard for a behind-the-scenes look at how the wines are made.

Founded in 1858, Tyrrell's Wines is one of the Hunter Valley's oldest family-owned vineyards. This venerable establishment crafts a wide selection of wines, and was the first to produce Chardonnay commercially in Australia. Its famous Vat 47 Chardonnay is still a winner. Enjoy the experience of sampling fine wines in the rustic tasting room, or take a picnic lunch to a site overlooking the valley. Guided tours (A$10) are given daily at 10:30.

Ubirr has an impressive display of Aboriginal paintings scattered through six shelters in the rock. The main gallery contains a 49-foot frieze of X-ray paintings depicting animals, birds, and fish. A 1-km (½-mile) path around the rock leads to all the galleries. It's just a short 820-foot clamber to the top for wonderful views over the surrounding wetlands, particularly at sunset.  Take a flashlight to help you get down after sunset. For lunch or a postsunset Thai dinner, or to peruse arts and crafts for sale, stop by the Border Store and Cafe on your way in, if you're visiting during the dry season May through October.  Beware of wildlife on the roads if driving after dark.

The cultural center is the first thing you'll see after entering the park through a tollgate. The two buildings are built in a serpentine style, reflecting the Kuniya and Liru stories about two ancestral snakes who fought a long-ago battle on the southern side of Uluru. Inside, you can learn about Aboriginal history and the return of the park to its traditional owners on October 26, 1985. There's also an excellent park ranger's station where you can get maps and hiking guides, as well as two art shops, Maruku and Walkatjara, where you'll likely see Indigenous artists at work. Pick up a souvenir or grab refreshments at the Ininti Cafe, or rent a bicycle for another fun way to explore this beautiful Outback landscape (from A$50).

This extraordinary complex on the edge of Undara Volcanic National Park, 275 km (171 miles) or a four-hour scenic drive or rail trip from Cairns, supplies the complete Outback experience: bush breakfasts, campfire activities, lava-tube tours, and guided evening wildlife walks, plus a range of distinctive accommodation. Vintage railway cars have been converted into comfortable (if compact), fan-cooled motel rooms with their own en suites. You can also stay in a modern, air-conditioned "Pioneer Hut" with private veranda, fridge, and bathroom (A$195 per night in high season), in a safari tent; or at a powered or unpowered site with shared amenities. One-night "budget" self-drive packages that incorporate tours, campfire activities, and swag-tent accommodation cost A$217 per person in high season, with meals; or from A$321 per person with swankier accommodation. Two-night packages including meals, rail-carriage or Pioneer Hut accommodation, and tours range cost A$497 per person in high season. Other packages include transfers to and from Cairns via coach or on heritage train The Savannahlander. Drink and dine on-site at Fettler's Iron Pot Bistro; breakfast at the Ringers' Camp.

The restored warehouses and Victorian terrace houses that line this part of George Street make this a charming section of The Rocks. The covered Rocks Market takes place here on weekends and it's a great spot to find Aboriginal art, trinkets, and antiques.

The first vines planted in the region were here at Vasse Felix in 1967. Today, its ground-level cellar door provides free wine samples, while the upstairs restaurant offers fine dining and sweeping views of the vineyards and landscaped grounds. In the winery, Virginia Willcock, who was awarded Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2012, is at the helm, perfecting the region's strong suits of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as developing clean, flavorsome Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Shiraz. As is becoming the norm in Margaret River, a A$10 per person wine tasting fee is redeemable with the purchase of any bottle of wine. 

An on-site art gallery houses regular exhibitions from prominent Australian artists.

The suburb takes its name from the 1803 Vaucluse House, one of Sydney's most illustrious remaining historic mansions. The 15-room Gothic Revival house and its lush gardens, managed by Sydney Living Museums (previously called Historic Houses Trust), are open to the public. The tearooms, built in the style of an Edwardian conservatory, are popular spots for lunch and afternoon tea on weekends.

If you're curious about the Australian military, you'll enjoy the free tours of this Regency-style barracks (built from 1841), which take place every Thursday at 10 am sharp. The tour includes entry to the Army Museum of New South Wales, which has exhibits covering Australia's military history from the days of the Rum Corps to the Malayan conflict of the 1950s.

Known as the "place of the red kangaroo dreaming" to Kaurna traditional owners and designated by William Light as the geographical center of Adelaide, this public space is the city's focal point and a popular meeting spot. The fountain in the square, which is floodlighted at night, celebrates the three rivers that supply Adelaide's water: the Torrens, Onkaparinga, and Murray; each is represented by a stylized man or woman paired with an Australian native bird. The park hosts many events and attracts lunching office workers while shoppers and tourists come and go from the Glenelg-City Tram, which stops here on its way through the city.

One of Melbourne's most popular "eat streets," this 2-km (1-mile) stretch has restaurants ranging from simple canteens to tablecloth-and-candlelight dining spots. The street is packed with Vietnamese grocers, kitchenware stores, several art galleries, and a handful of chichi drinking spots and historic neighborhood hotels. Once a year at Tet, Vietnamese New Year (in January and February but the exact date varies from year to year), the street comes to life with a daylong Lunar Festival, with dragon dances, music, and more food!

At the Thomson Bay settlement, don't miss the Wadjemup Museum, which includes mementos of the island's sometimes turbulent past. Staying true to local history, displays are housed in an old mill and hay store built in 1857, showing local geology, natural and social history, and maritime lore with a bunch of surprising facts. It's open daily from 10 am--3:30 pm.
Other ways to learn all about the island's history include Wadjemup Lighthouse Tour. Find out what goes on within the confines of a working lighthouse and climb to the top of this Heritage structure for fabulous 360-degree views. Volunteers also offer free walking tours that include themes like prisoners and pioneers; reefs, wrecks, and sailors; and even a meet the quokkas walk. Meet at The Salt Store. 

Surrounding the highest sheer-drop waterfall in Australia is glorious Girringun National Park, in which ancient rain forests accessible via scenic walking trails shelter rare plants and animals that include the endangered southern cassowary, platypus, and musky rat-kangaroo. You might also spot eastern water dragons, saw-shelled turtles, and crocodiles here. The park is the start of the Wet Tropics Great Walk, suitable for experienced hikers. For day-trippers, there are two spectacular lookouts and some scenic short walks, such as the 45-minute Banggurru circuit along Stony Creek's bank, or the steeper, two-hour walk to the base of the falls.

A boardwalk heads south from Central Station to Wanggoolba Creek, a favorite spot for photographers. The little stream snakes through a green palm forest, trickling over a bed of white sand between clumps of rare angiopteris fern. The 1 km (½-mile) circuit takes 30 minutes to an hour.

Mixing old Hollywood ambience with live character shows, interactive adventures, and thrill rides for young and old, Warner Bros. offers something for everyone. Rides include the Batman-themed DC Rivals HyperCoaster—the southern hemisphere's longest, fastest and highest. With a large portion of its area now covered by a 43,055-square-foot roof, this park is a smart choice in bad weather. It's adjacent to Australian Outback Spectacular.

About 66 km (41 miles) west of Port Campbell, Warrnambool is Victoria's southern right whale nursery. Platforms at Logan's Beach, about 3 km (2 miles) east of the city, provide views of an amazing marine show from June to September. Whales return to this beach every year to calve, with the females and young staying close to the shore and the males playing about 150 yards out to sea.

Named for a farming family who grew bananas and vegetables in the hinterland (now a residential area) just behind the beach, Wategos is a lovely 2,000-foot strip of golden sand backed by pandanus palms. It's sheltered from the winds and popular with all comers. If you fancy a walk, you can reach the beach from the city center via the 4-km (2½-mile) Cape Byron Track. Otherwise, drive here and look for parking in the lot or on the street (it can be challenging during busy times). Coin-operated barbecues and picnic tables make this a perfect spot for do-it-yourself lunching, all in the shadow of the majestic Cape Byron Lighthouse, which looms over the beach. The upscale boutique hotel, Raes on Wategos, is nearby. Amenities: lifeguards (summer only); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; sunrise.

This museum housed in the old Zeehan School of Mines and Metallurgy (established in 1894) showcases the region's mining history with a remarkable selection of minerals, historical items, and personal records. Some exhibits are in a re-created underground mine or just out of town.