204 Best Sights in Australia

A stunning historic townsite, Kingston's beautiful Georgian colonial architectural gems belie its tragic past. The capital of Norfolk Island and the seat of government, Kingston was settled in March 1788, just weeks after Sydney was established on the Australian mainland. The second settlement from 1825 to 1855 saw the beautiful island turned into the "Hell of the Pacific," when some 1,200 convicted toiled here in a labor camp and received the harshest of treatments. They built many of the beautiful buildings standing today. The 194 Pitcairn Islanders, who arrived in 1856, make up the third settlement—these folk (all descendants of the Bounty mutineers) are the ancestors of today's Norfolk Islanders. More than a dozen buildings and ruins (dating from the 1790s to the 1850s) flank the main street of Quality Row and nearby Bay Street, including the Marine Barracks, Piper's Boat Shed, the Old Military Barracks (now used as the island's legislative assembly), the Officers' Bath, and the Royal Engineers' Office. It's a treat to walk along the streets, visiting the museum and crossing over the small stone bridges. Not far away on Dove's Plot hill is the beautiful Governor's House, built in 1804 and rebuilt in 1828—it's the oldest remaining and functioning vice-regal building in Australia. A sound-and-light show takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights (A$52). Kingston was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010 as one of 11 significant convict sites in Australia.

This beautiful park lies just 120 km (75 miles) southwest of Darwin off the Stuart Highway. Its 1,500 square km (579 square miles) are an untouched wilderness of monsoonal rain forests, rivers, and striking rock formations. The highlights include four separate, spectacular waterfalls—Florence, Tjaynera (Sandy Creek), Wangi, and Tolmer Falls—all of which have secluded plunge pools.  The pools are suitable for swimming but occasionally there are crocs here, so observe any "no swimming" signs.

There is also a dramatic group of large, freestanding sandstone pillars known as the Lost City (accessible only by four-wheel-drive track), and Magnetic Termite Mounds, which have an eerie resemblance to eroded grave markers, which dot the black-soiled plains of the park's northern area. You'll need to camp if you want to stay in the park; campgrounds and RV sites are located near several of the major sights (call the Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory at 08/8976–0282 for more information on the facilities, as they vary by campsite). There are also a few restaurants and modest hotels in the nearby town of Batchelor, though most folks just visit Litchfield as a day trip from Darwin, about a 90-minute drive away.

Little Creatures has got a lot going for it—including its harborside location and fun-loving, artsy vibe. Regarded as the founders of craft beer in WA, a tour of this iconic brewery is a must. The tour includes a beer-making 101 session, a jaunt around the brewery, and a sample of the current brews and ciders on tap with one of their informative Hop Heads. If you like what you see and taste, stay on in the Brewhouse, where you'll find contemporary pub grub on the menu or book a table in the lively Great Hall for dinner overlooking the harbor. 

Make sure you pack your snorkeling gear for this one—due to Rottnest's warmer waters, created by the passing Leeuwin Current, there's a fascinating mix of tropical and temperate fish species in the clear waters. Aim to go at low tide and look out for bream, red-lipped morwong, zebrafish, and king wrasse, plus plenty of little colored fish. There are underwater plaques that guide you along a great snorkel trail and the waters are calm so you can enjoy flipping about. Coral reefs are about 330 feet out but worth checking out if you're a confident swimmer. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

If it's overcrowded, head to the next, bigger beach, Salmon Bay.

Founded in 1927, Queensland's most famous fauna park is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. As well as more than 130 koalas, you'll find emus, wombats, crocodiles, bats, platypuses, and lorikeets. You can hand-feed baby kangaroos, have a snake wrapped around you, or have your photo taken next to a koala . There are sheepdog shows, regular bird feedings, and animal presentations. Intimate encounters and behind-the-scenes tours can also be arranged for small groups. For an extra-special visit, book a combo ticket (from A$85) via Mirimar Cruises (www.mirimarcruises.com.au) and travel to Lone Pine along the Brisbane River.

This 12-hour, 600-km (372-mile) tour through the Outback (A$340) is one of the most unusual experiences anywhere, with stops at outback cattle stations, bush pubs, and the world's longest man-made structure, the Dingo Fence. Tours (maximum of four people per tour; price is per person) depart Monday and Thursday at 8:45 am.

Collections at this excellent—and free—museum and art gallery encompass Aboriginal art and culture, maritime archaeology, Northern Territory history, and natural sciences. One gallery is devoted to Cyclone Tracy, where you can listen to a terrifying recording of the howling winds. You can also see "Sweetheart," a 16-foot, 10-inch stuffed saltwater crocodile that was known for attacking fishing boats on the Finniss River in the 1970s.

Australia's largest privately funded museum is home to a diverse array of exhibits from Tasmanian millionaire David Walsh's private collection. The unusual collection contains more than 400 often provocative pieces, including Sidney Nolan's Snake—an impressive mural made of more than 1,500 individual paintings—and Wim Delvoye's Cloaca Professional, an interesting contraption that transforms food into excrement. Each year, the museum also hosts the Mona Foma Festival, Tasmania's largest contemporary music festival. MONA's two-week winter festival, Dark Mofo, celebrates the dark through large-scale public art, food, music, and light. Sometimes compared with Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, MONA has an eclectic mix of antiquities and contemporary art. The unusual building itself is set into cliffs on the Berriedale peninsula, and visitors to the museum use touch-screen devices to learn about the exhibits as they wander around. There is often music on the lawns with large-scale public art throughout the site. To reach MONA, it's a 15-minute drive, or you can take the MONA-ROMA minibus from the Hobart waterfront or airport. There is also the MONA fast catamaran from the Hobart waterfront.

Imagine an eerie moonscape where pale yellow limestone formations loom as high as 15 feet. Now see the image in your head displayed before you at Nambung National Park, set on the Swan coastal plain 200 km (125 miles) north of Perth, along the scenic Indian Ocean Drive. At the park you can walk among those otherworldly formations in the Pinnacles Desert, home to one of the world's most spectacular karst landscapes. Geologists believe the pinnacles were created by the dissolving action of water on exposed limestone beds that formed under wind-blown sand dunes. Only a tiny proportion of them have been uncovered. The 1.2-km (0.7-mile) return walk starts at the parking area. There's also a 4-km (2½-mile) one-way Pinnacles Desert Loop scenic drive (not suitable for large RVs or buses). Stop in to the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre to see interpretative displays focused on the region's unique geology, flora, and fauna. August through October the heath blazes with wildflowers. Note the rules: no pinnacle climbing, no dogs, no littering (no receptacles are provided, so take your trash with you), and no camping. There is no drinking water available throughout the park, although water is available to purchase at the interpretative center and gift shop.

Indian Ocean Drive is a frequent crash zone; please take care and avoid driving at dawn, dusk, and dark.

The most comprehensive collection of Australian art in the country is on exhibit in the nation's premier art gallery, including superlative works of Aboriginal art and paintings by such famous native sons as Arthur Streeton, Sidney Nolan, and Arthur Boyd. The gallery also contains a sprinkling of works by European and American masters, including Rodin, Picasso, Pollock, and Warhol, as well as art and artifacts from closer to home, Southeast Asia. Free guided tours on a variety of topics with excellent guides begin in the foyer each day—check the website for details. A new wing, containing 13 galleries, is dedicated to indigenous art. The gallery extends outside into the Sculpture Garden, and the innovative Fog Sculpture takes place (outdoors) from 12:30 to 2 pm daily.

This unstuffy museum is spectacularly set on Acton Peninsula, thrust out over the calm waters of Lake Burley Griffin. The museum highlights the stories of Australia and Australians by exploring the key people, events, and issues that shaped and influenced the nation. Memorabilia include a carcass of the extinct Tasmanian tiger, the old Bentley beloved by former Prime Minister Robert Menzies, and the black baby garments worn by dingo victim Azaria Chamberlain (whose story was made famous in the Meryl Streep film A Cry in the Dark). Circa, a 12-minute movie, gives a fascinating snapshot of Australian history and should be your first port of call. Children love the KSpace display, an exhibit where they can use computers and 3-D technology to design a space-age city of the future. You can also take a guided tour—the First Australians tours cost A$15 as does the Building and Architecture tour. 

Much of this vast futuristic structure is submerged, covered by a domed glass roof that follows the contours of Capital Hill. You approach the building across a vast courtyard with a central mosaic titled Meeting Place, designed by Aboriginal artist Nelson Tjakamarra. Native timber has been used almost exclusively throughout the building, and the work of some of Australia's finest contemporary artists hangs on the walls.

Parliament generally sits Monday to Thursday mid-February to late June and mid-August to mid-December. Both chambers have public galleries, but the debates in the House of Representatives, where the prime minister sits, are livelier and more newsworthy than those in the Senate. Free 40-minute guided tours take place at 9:30, 11, 1, 2, and 3 daily.

Phillip Island's main draw is the nightly parade of little penguins, also called fairy penguins, waddling from the sea to their burrows in nearby dunes. The parade of miniature penguins attracts onlookers year-round and crowds on summer weekends and holidays. There are several ways to view the Penguin Parade: general admission, with viewing from concrete bleachers; the Penguin Plus experience, which puts you on a smaller viewing platform that is closer to the action. There's even a small underground section to watch the penguins as they go to their nests. The Guided Ranger tour puts you on an intimate beachfront viewing stand with a ranger, while the VIP Tour gets you into a private, elevated "Skybox" overlooking the beach. The Ultimate Adventure Tour, for private groups, includes headphones and night-vision equipment and a secluded spot on a separate beach. The spectacle begins at around sunset each night; booking ahead is essential in summer and during public holidays. Wear closed shoes and warm clothing—even in summer—and rain protection gear. Make sure to arrive an hour before the tour begins.

This favorite among gourmands is 25 minutes from Canberra. Here you'll find a tasting room offering good examples of Pinot Noir and Shiraz, and fabulous food and smoked goods offered by Poachers Pantry and the award-winning Smokehouse Cafe. Stock up on picnic-style smoked meats, poultry, and vegetables at the Pantry, or visit the café for a memorable countryside dining experience in a historic cottage. Poachers Panty is one of the 25 operators who make up the Poacher's Way (), a collective of food emporiums, wineries, restaurants, galleries, and experiences that are loosely linked by a trail and that provide memorable regional experiences.

The once private estate of one of the wealthiest men in Australia, Point Leo Estate opened to the public in late 2017 with a fine dining restaurant and winery experience set against dramatic coastal views and enhanced by an ambitious collection of more than 50 large-scale contemporary international and local works dotted along winding paths. Download the audio walk app from Point Leo's website before you visit and plan to spend an entire afternoon exploring. If all that sculpture gets you thirsty, take a break for a wine tasting at the cellar door (or take a glass on your walk). If you can plan ahead, make a reservation at Laura, considered one of Victoria's top restaurants, at the bistro next door, Pt. Leo Restaurant, or outside on the Wine Terrace, which often has live music and always has glorious views of the vineyard, sculptures, and the bay.

This property, formerly the grounds of the Port Arthur Penal Settlement, is now a lovely—and quite large—historical park with a fascinating convict past central to Tasmania's history. Be prepared to do some walking between widely scattered sites. Begin at the excellent visitor center, which introduces you to the experience by "sentencing, transporting, and assigning" you before you set foot in the colony. Most of the original buildings were damaged by bushfires in 1895 and 1897, shortly after the settlement was abandoned, but you can still see the beautiful church, round guardhouse, commandant's residence, model prison, hospital, and government cottages.

The old lunatic asylum is now an excellent museum, with a scale model of the Port Arthur settlement, a video history, and a collection of tools, leg irons, and chains. Along with a walking tour of the grounds and entrance to the museum, admission includes a harbor cruise, of which there are eight scheduled daily in summer. There's a separate twice-daily cruise to and tour of the Isle of the Dead, which sits in the middle of the bay. It's estimated that 1,769 convicts and 180 others are buried here, mostly in communal pits. Ghost tours (reservations are essential) leave the visitor center at dusk and last about 90 minutes. Buy your tickets at the site, or at the Brooke Street Pier, at Franklin Wharf in Hobart.

On the southern bank of the Brisbane River, you'll find a variety of world-class facilities nestled together among landscaped lawns and cafés. The world-famous Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) with its ever-changing exhibitions and events is a must-visit, as is the equally impressive Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum, and Sciencentre. The State Library of Queensland has a host of free, interactive children's activities and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) bustles with concerts and stage shows. There's also a host of restaurants, cafés, gift and book shops, a ticketing agent (in QPAC), public-access computer terminals, and various public spaces. Regular special events and festivals are also held in front of the Cultural Centre, particularly on weekends. Green Cabs (modern rickshaws) are a fun and unique way to get around and sightsee in this area. Starting at the Wheel of Brisbane adjacent QPAC, they'll ferry passengers anywhere between West End and Fortitude Valley.

This interactive science facility is the city's most entertaining museum, especially for kids. About 200 hands-on exhibits in seven galleries use high-tech computer gadgetry and everything from pendulums to feathers to illustrate principles of mathematics, physics, and human perception. There are daily stage shows (about such things as rockets and natural disasters), puppet shows, and talks. Staff members explain the scientific principles behind the exhibits. The free-fall slide (with a drop of 20 feet) and the 360-degree swing are huge hits with all ages. It's pricey, but kids (and their parents) love it.

Many of the sandstone warehouses once used by whalers and traders from ships docking at Salamanca Place have been converted into delightful craft shops, art galleries, and restaurants. At the boisterous Saturday market, which attracts all elements of Tasmanian society, from hippies to the well-heeled, dealers in Tasmanian arts and crafts, fresh produce, clothing, rare books, and much more display their wares between 8:30 and 3. Keep an eye open for items made from beautiful Tasmanian timber, particularly Huon pine.

This vibrant community space on the banks of the Brisbane River includes parklands, shops, hotels, a maritime museum, walking and cycling paths, a sprawling man-made beach, a stunning Nepalese pagoda, and excellent city views. The weekend Collective Markets is the place to discover handmade goods, live entertainers, buskers, artists, and emerging designers. Almost every week you'll find a new festival or event lighting up the Cultural Forecourt. Nearby Grey Street is lined with trendy shops and cafés, as well as contemporary international restaurants, bars, and a cinema. The Wheel of Brisbane (A$19), a giant Ferris wheel at the northern entrance of South Bank, has some of the most spectacular views of the city. South Bank Parklands stretches along the riverbank south of the Queensland Cultural Centre.

Home to the peninsula's first Pinot Grigio vines, this popular Italian-theme winery also contains a restaurant. T'Gallant produces excellent Pinot Noir, Prosecco, and Pinot Gris. If you're an art lover as well as a wine fan, you'll also admire the beautiful artwork on its bottle labels. The on-site pizza bar is always buzzing and the food is exceptional, with dishes made from local ingredients, including items from the house herb garden. Tuck into a signature Italian wood-fired pizza or a chocolate ganache brownie paired with its pink Moscato. Open seven days a week, there's live music every weekend at lunchtime. Their annual winter Mushrooms in May festival is very popular and bookings are essential.

Along both sides of the Tamar River north of Launceston, the soil and cool weather are perfect for grape growing. Here in the Tamar Valley wine region, some of the outstanding varieties grown include Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio; the sparkling wines produced here are world-leading. A map of the route, available for download at their website, will help you to plan your visit. Noteworthy stops along the route are Pipers Brook Vineyard, Joseph Cromy, Holm Oak, Holyman wines at Stoney Rise, Clover Hill, and The Jansz Wine Room.

Housed in a series of colonial-era buildings overlooking Constitution Dock, this art and artifact gallery is a good starting point for uncovering Tasmania's rich history. With one of Australia's largest and most diverse collections it's a great place in Hobart to learn about the island's Aboriginal culture, European history, and unique wildlife. There are free guided tours Wednesday to Sunday at 11 am, 1 pm, and 2 pm and a great café and gift shop.

On the harbor side of Esplanade Park sits the gigantic Tourist Wheel, a 24-enclosed-car Ferris wheel offering spectacular views of the port city, Indian Ocean, and Rottnest Island on a clear day. Each gondola holds six people and spins for about 10 minutes per ticket. Be sure to have your camera ready when you stop at the top, 40 meters above the grounds. 

This is an enormous underground complex with an original mine, a noteworthy video on the history of opal mining, exhibits examining the Indigenous and European history of the region, and examples of underground bunk camping and cooking facilities. Learn about the story of opal, different types and qualities of opal, examples of hand-dug and modern dugouts, and the experience of living underground. Guided tours of the mine (A$13) are available at 10, 2, and 4 daily. There is also an opal shop and museum with noteworthy opals and fossils that are free to view.

A former rack-and-pinion train line carrying ore now carries sightseers on the scenic 35-km (22-mile) journey between Queenstown and Strahan. The line passes through one of the world's last pristine wilderness areas, as well as through historic settlements and abandoned camps, across 40 bridges and wild rivers, and up and down steep gradients. There are half-day and full-day journeys available, leaving from Strahan or Queenstown.

Resembling an upside-down boat, the Western Australian Maritime Museum sits at the edge of Fremantle Harbour. It houses Australia II, winner of the 1983 America's Cup, and has hands-on, rotating exhibits that are great fun for children. You can also take guided tours of the Ovens, a former Royal Australian Navy World War II submarine. Another attraction is the Welcome Walls, a record of all those who immigrated to WA via ship during the major postwar migration. A five-minute walk away on Cliff Street in a separate, heritage building, is the Shipwreck Galleries, home to more fascinating maritime history.

Fern gardens, moss-covered rocks, waterfalls, towering mountain ash, and 92 kiln-fired sculptures of Indigenous Australians and Australian native animals fill this 4-acre property on Mt. Dandenong. William Ricketts, who established the sanctuary in the 1930s, meant it to stand as an embodiment of his philosophy: that people must act as custodians of the natural environment as Australia's Indigenous people have for many millennia. Take an audio tour around the gardens (A$5) or download the podcast (free).

En route to Huonville, this museum, cider house, and café showcases the best of the local product. It's housed in a former apple-packing shed and is a remarkable time capsule, depicting the lives of the early Huon Valley settlers. Over the years this venue has evolved to offer regular events, great food, and even better cider. The Sunday Session is a great way to end a weekend in the valley.