Roavina
Plan a trip
A photograph of Australia

Country guide

Nature sites 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

110 places match

Clear all filters

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 109 1 to 2 hours 1

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 7 Sea and beach 7 Viewpoints 0
  1. Carlton Gardens Carlton Gardens
    07 1 hour

    Carlton Gardens

    Carlton Gardens is a heritage-listed public garden located in the inner-city suburb of Carlton, adjacent to the Melbourne central business district.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Melbourne
  2. Royal National Park Royal National Park
    08 1 hour

    Royal National Park

    Royal National Park is a large protected landscape on Sydney’s southern edge, stretching between eucalyptus forest, sandstone country, coastal heath and the Pacific shoreline. Established in 1879, it is recognised as one of the world’s oldest national parks.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
    09 1 hour

    Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

    Royal Botanic Garden

    The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is a major botanical garden occupying a prominent harbourside position in the Sydney central business district.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  4. Hyde Park Hyde Park
    10 1 hour

    Hyde Park

    Hyde Park is a 16-hectare public park in the centre of Sydney, stretching between the city’s museum and civic precincts. Governor Macquarie proclaimed and named it in 1810, and the City of Sydney identifies it as Australia’s oldest park.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  5. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
    11 1 hour

    Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

    Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a protected national park located north of Sydney. It encompasses significant natural landscapes including bushland, waterways, and Aboriginal heritage sites.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  6. City Botanic Gardens City Botanic Gardens
    12 1 hour

    City Botanic Gardens

    Brisbane City Botanic Gardens

    City Botanic Gardens is a historic riverside botanic garden in Brisbane. The current curated ranking identifies the exact production place and prioritises it for garden paths, mature planting, lawns, and a river-edge setting beside central Brisbane.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Brisbane
  7. Kamay Botany Bay National Park Kamay Botany Bay National Park
    13 1 hour

    Kamay Botany Bay National Park

    Kamay Botany Bay National Park protects coastal landscapes and culturally significant places around Botany Bay in Sydney. Its two principal visitor areas are Kurnell and La Perouse.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  8. John Forrest National Park John Forrest National Park
    14 1 hour

    John Forrest National Park

    John Forrest National Park is a protected bushland area in Perth’s Darling Range, offering a close-to-the-city escape into jarrah and marri forest. Established in 1900, it is one of Western Australia’s oldest national parks.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Perth
  9. Chinese Garden of Friendship Chinese Garden of Friendship
    15 1 hour

    Chinese Garden of Friendship

    The Chinese Garden of Friendship is a traditional Chinese garden located in Sydney. It was established as a symbol of friendship between Sydney and its sister city in China, Guangzhou.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  10. Fitzroy Gardens Fitzroy Gardens
    16 1 hour

    Fitzroy Gardens

    Fitzroy Gardens is a historic public garden in Melbourne, Victoria, situated on the city's eastern fringe near the central business district.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Melbourne
  11. ANZAC Square ANZAC Square
    17 1 hour

    ANZAC Square

    Anzac Square

    ANZAC Square is a war memorial and public park in central Brisbane, Queensland. It commemorates Australian and New Zealand Army Corps personnel who served in conflicts.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Brisbane
  12. Manly Beach Manly Beach
    18 1 hour

    Manly Beach

    Manly Beach is a broad ocean beach reached through the Manly peninsula, combining surf frontage with a harbour-to-ocean visitor route.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  13. Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mount Coot-tha Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mount Coot-tha
    19 1 hour

    Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mount Coot-tha

    Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

    Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha is a major botanical garden located in the western suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland. It serves as Brisbane's premier botanical collection and is distinct from the city's other green spaces.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Brisbane
  14. Bondi Beach Bondi Beach
    20 1 hour

    Bondi Beach

    Bondi Beach is Sydney’s broad, crescent-shaped Pacific shoreline, where a long sweep of sand meets surf, sandstone headlands and the busy Bondi promenade.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Sydney
  15. Stirling Gardens Stirling Gardens
    21 1 hour

    Stirling Gardens

    Stirling Gardens is a public garden and recognised heritage landmark in central Perth, Western Australia. It contributes to the city’s network of green spaces and offers a quieter setting within the metropolitan centre.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Perth
  16. Treasury Gardens Treasury Gardens
    22 1 hour

    Treasury Gardens

    Treasury Gardens is a public park in Melbourne, Victoria. It sits adjacent to the Treasury Building on Spring Street, near the eastern edge of the central business district.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Melbourne
  17. Fort Lytton National Park Fort Lytton National Park
    23 1 hour

    Fort Lytton National Park

    Fort Lytton National Park is a heritage-listed military precinct located at the mouth of the Brisbane River. Established in 1881, the site served as Brisbane's principal coastal defence fortification until the end of World War II.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Brisbane
  18. Adelaide Himeji Garden Adelaide Himeji Garden
    24 1 hour

    Adelaide Himeji Garden

    Adelaide Himeji Japanese Garden

    Adelaide Himeji Garden is a Japanese-style garden in Adelaide, South Australia. It was established as a symbol of the sister-city relationship between Adelaide and Himeji, Japan.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  19. Araluen Botanic Park Araluen Botanic Park
    25 1 hour

    Araluen Botanic Park

    Araluen Botanic Park is a botanic garden in a sheltered Darling Range valley east of Perth. Its terraced gardens, heritage character and cooler microclimate create a garden experience distinct from the warmer coastal plain.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Perth
  20. Cottesloe Beach Cottesloe Beach
    26 1 hour

    Cottesloe Beach

    Cottesloe Beach is a coastal beach located in the western suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. It sits along the Indian Ocean shoreline and forms part of the metropolitan area's beach network.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Perth
  21. Fort Glanville Conservation Park Fort Glanville Conservation Park
    27 1 hour

    Fort Glanville Conservation Park

    Fort Glanville Conservation Park is a heritage-listed site in Adelaide, South Australia, preserving a 19th-century coastal fortification. The park contains the remains of Fort Glanville, constructed as part of colonial Australia's defensive network against potential maritime threats.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  22. New Farm Park New Farm Park
    28 1 hour

    New Farm Park

    New Farm Park is a public park in Brisbane, situated in the inner suburb of New Farm. The park occupies a prominent riverside position along the Brisbane River, making it one of the city's more notable green spaces.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Brisbane
  23. Rippon Lea Estate Rippon Lea Estate
    29 1 hour

    Rippon Lea Estate

    Rippon Lea Estate is a heritage property in Melbourne’s Ripponlea suburb, combining a nineteenth-century mansion with extensive pleasure gardens.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Melbourne
  24. Adelaide Botanic Garden Adelaide Botanic Garden
    30 1 hour

    Adelaide Botanic Garden

    Adelaide Botanic Gardens

    Adelaide Botanic Garden is a major public garden in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1855, it occupies a significant site on the edge of the city centre.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  25. Belair National Park Belair National Park
    31 1 hour

    Belair National Park

    Belair National Park is a protected area within the greater Adelaide metropolitan region, managed by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water. Established in 1891, it holds distinction as one of Australia's oldest national parks.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
Show 25 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.