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A photograph of Australia

Country guide

Historic monuments in Australia — page 2

Australia covers 7,688,287 km², sixth largest in the world, and close to 4,000 km separate its east coast from its west. Nearly 28 million people live here, abo...

Photograph · Corey Leopold · CC BY 2.0

50,740 Places
5Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Australia covers 7,688,287 km², sixth largest in the world, and close to 4,000 km separate its east coast from its west. Nearly 28 million people live here, about 80 per cent of them within 25 km of a mainland coastline 35,821 km long — which is the fact that governs any trip taken across it. The cities form a rim around an interior that stays largely empty; Sydney and Melbourne pass five million each, and Canberra, the capital, is neither of them. Six states and ten territories, and a sensible visit chooses two of them rather than the map.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
English is the principal language; no federal official language
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+61
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Australian dollar (AUD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
000
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type I · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from treated public supplies
Follow local notices in remote communities and after disruptions

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

55 places match

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Category

Historic monuments 55 Museums 49 Places of worship 11 Nature sites 110 Viewpoints 5 Food and drink 1 Markets and shopping 11 Entertainment 3 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 15 Art and culture 31 Activities 16

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 53 1 to 2 hours 2

Interests

History 7 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Adelaide Town Hall Adelaide Town Hall
    07 2 hours

    Adelaide Town Hall

    Adelaide Town Hall is a working civic and cultural landmark at 128 King William Street, not a museum with a fixed visitor circuit.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Adelaide
  2. Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House
    08 45 min

    Sydney Opera House

    Sydney Opera House is a performing-arts complex at Bennelong Point, where its white sail-like roof shells project into Sydney Harbour beside Circular Quay.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  3. Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney Harbour Bridge
    09 45 min

    Sydney Harbour Bridge

    The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge spanning Sydney Harbour, connecting the Sydney central business district with the North Shore. Opened in 1932, it carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  4. Royal Exhibition Building Royal Exhibition Building
    10 45 min

    Royal Exhibition Building

    Royal Exhibition Building is a historic exhibition building and one of Melbourne's highest-priority visitor stops in the current curated list.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  5. Federation Square Federation Square
    11 45 min

    Federation Square

    Federation Square is Melbourne’s civic gathering place beside the Yarra River and Flinders Street Station, built around open terraces, angular architecture and a changing programme of cultural activity.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  6. Perth Mint Perth Mint
    12 45 min

    Perth Mint

    The Perth Mint is a heritage precious metals refining facility and tourist attraction in Perth, Western Australia. Established in 1899 as a branch of Britain's Royal Mint, it originally struck gold sovereigns from Western Australian gold rush output.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Perth
  7. Cooks' Cottage Cooks' Cottage
    13 45 min

    Cooks' Cottage

    Cook's Cottage is a historic building in Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens. It was built in 1755 in Great Ayton, Yorkshire, England, then dismantled, shipped to Australia and rebuilt in Melbourne in 1934.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  8. Perth Observatory Perth Observatory
    14 45 min

    Perth Observatory

    Perth Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the Perth metropolitan area. The facility serves as a centre for public astronomy education and stargazing experiences.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Perth
  9. Shrine of Remembrance Shrine of Remembrance
    15 45 min

    Shrine of Remembrance

    The Shrine of Remembrance is Melbourne’s principal war memorial, set on St Kilda Road with a deliberate architectural presence above the surrounding parkland.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  10. Fremantle Prison Fremantle Prison
    16 45 min

    Fremantle Prison

    Fremantle Prison stands as a former Australian convict establishment in Fremantle, the port city of Perth.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Perth
  11. Polly Woodside Polly Woodside
    17 45 min

    Polly Woodside

    Polly Woodside is a historic iron-hulled sailing ship preserved as a maritime heritage attraction in Melbourne. Built in 1885 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the vessel operated as a cargo ship for decades before retirement.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  12. Old Melbourne Gaol Old Melbourne Gaol
    18 45 min

    Old Melbourne Gaol

    Old Melbourne Gaol is a preserved former prison in central Melbourne where the building carries as much meaning as the displays.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  13. Darling Harbour Darling Harbour
    19 45 min

    Darling Harbour

    Darling Harbour is Sydney’s waterfront public precinct around Cockle Bay, where a broad promenade connects working harbour views with pedestrian bridges, Tumbalong Park, Darling Quarter, museums and event venues.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  14. Arts Centre Melbourne Arts Centre Melbourne
    20 45 min

    Arts Centre Melbourne

    Arts Centre Melbourne is a performing arts centre located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria. It serves as a major hub for theatre, music, dance, and cultural events in Australia's second-largest city.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  15. Fort Denison Fort Denison
    21 45 min

    Fort Denison

    Fort Denison is a heritage-listed former penal site and defensive facility located on a small island in Sydney Harbour, New South Wales.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  16. Adelaide Gaol Adelaide Gaol
    22 45 min

    Adelaide Gaol

    Adelaide Gaol is a former prison located within the Adelaide Park Lands. It operated as a correctional facility for more than a century before ceasing operations.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Adelaide
  17. Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts
    23 45 min

    Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts

    Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts is a leading cultural institution in Western Australia dedicated to contemporary art practice. Located in Perth's cultural centre, PICA occupies a distinctive heritage building that has been adapted for modern exhibition purposes.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Perth
  18. Cadmans Cottage Cadmans Cottage
    24 45 min

    Cadmans Cottage

    Cadman's Cottage

    Cadmans Cottage is a historic sandstone building in The Rocks, beside Sydney Cove. Built during Sydney’s early colonial period, it is one of the city’s oldest surviving residential buildings.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  19. Hornby Lighthouse Hornby Lighthouse
    25 45 min

    Hornby Lighthouse

    Hornby Lighthouse is a heritage-listed active lighthouse situated at the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour, on the tip of South Head in Watsons Bay.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  20. Melbourne Town Hall Melbourne Town Hall
    26 45 min

    Melbourne Town Hall

    Melbourne Town Hall is a civic building serving as the seat of the City of Melbourne local government. Located on Swanston Street in the central business district, it occupies a prominent position in the city's civic and cultural landscape.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  21. Old Treasury Building Old Treasury Building
    27 45 min

    Old Treasury Building

    Old Treasury Building is a grand nineteenth-century public building in Melbourne, Victoria. Built during the Victorian gold rush era, it reflects the wealth and administrative ambition that shaped the young city.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  22. Parramatta Park Parramatta Park
    28 45 min

    Parramatta Park

    Parramatta Park is a large public park in Parramatta, western Sydney, beside the Parramatta River. It combines open lawns, mature trees, garden areas, walking paths and colonial heritage associations.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  23. Wheel of Brisbane Wheel of Brisbane
    29 45 min

    Wheel of Brisbane

    The Wheel of Brisbane

    The Wheel of Brisbane is a prominent observation wheel situated in the South Bank Parklands area of Brisbane, Queensland.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Brisbane
  24. Mrs Macquarie's Chair Mrs Macquarie's Chair
    30 45 min

    Mrs Macquarie's Chair

    Mrs Macquarie's Chair is a historic carved sandstone bench located on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand-carved by convicts in 1810 for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who enjoyed sitting and viewing the harbour.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Sydney
  25. Forum Theatre Forum Theatre
    31 45 min

    Forum Theatre

    Forum Melbourne

    Forum Melbourne is a historic entertainment venue located in the central city area. The building features distinctive architectural elements that contribute to its recognition as a significant Melbourne landmark.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
Show 24 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Australia be?

Ten to fourteen days should cover one coast, one city pair or one city plus a nearby landscape, not the continent. Sydney and Melbourne can share a southeastern route; Perth, the tropical north and the Red Centre each demand separate flights and more time.

What entry documents are needed for Australia?

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs is the authority for Visitor visas and electronic travel permissions. Select the product for the passport and purpose, complete required declarations, and remember that visa approval does not remove Australia’s strict biosecurity obligations.

What is the best way to travel around Australia?

Flights are usually the efficient link between distant states. Rail and coaches serve selected corridors, cars become important outside cities, and urban fare cards are local rather than national; remote drives require fuel, water, communications and realistic distance planning.

When is a practical time to visit Australia?

Australia’s seasons and hazards vary dramatically by latitude. Southern-city summers, tropical dry seasons and Red Centre heat create different windows, so choose dates for the selected region and check official fire, cyclone or flood advice before road travel.

What money and payment basics apply in Australia?

The Australian dollar is the sole recorded currency. Contactless payment is common, but remote roadhouses and small services justify a backup card or cash; check surcharges at the point of sale and budget fuel around long gaps rather than metropolitan prices.

What practical safety details should I save for Australia?

Use 000 for urgent police, fire or ambulance assistance; Australia uses Type I power at 230 V. Treated public tap supplies are recorded as safe, but remote-site notices take precedence, and travellers should save the state emergency service relevant to their route.