Language · 11 published
Country guide
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.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Shkuru Afshar · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Samuel Wiki · CC BY 4.0
Photograph · Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
217 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
The Bell Tower
The Bell Tower is a landmark structure in Perth, Western Australia. It houses the Swan Bells, a set of eighteen bells from St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London.
Davies Park is a public park in Brisbane, Queensland, managed by Brisbane City Council. It serves as recreational green space within the metropolitan area and is included in curated visitor rankings for the city.
Queen Victoria Market is Melbourne's historic working market on the northern edge of the central business district.
White Rabbit Gallery is a contemporary art museum in Chippendale, Sydney, founded by Judith Neilson to present her collection of twenty-first-century Chinese art. The gallery occupies a converted four-storey knitting factory, giving the visit an industrial architectural setting.
Birrarung Marr is a public park in Melbourne situated along the Yarra River. Its name derives from Woiwurrung language, with Birrarung meaning river of mists and Marr referring to the side of the river.
Black Hill Conservation Park is a protected natural area within the Adelaide metropolitan region. The park forms part of the Mount Lofty Ranges and serves as a significant conservation reserve preserving native vegetation and providing habitat for local wildlife.
Brownhill Creek Recreation Park is a public park situated within the Adelaide Park Lands system. It occupies a portion of the extensive Park Lands that encircle the central business district of Adelaide, South Australia.
Hallett Cove Conservation Park is a protected coastal reserve in the Adelaide metropolitan area, South Australia. The park preserves significant geological formations and Aboriginal cultural heritage along the shoreline of Gulf St Vincent.
Marino Conservation Park is a compact coastal reserve in metropolitan Adelaide, 18 km south of the city. It protects native vegetation while remaining accessible from surrounding streets and the Seaford railway corridor.
Morialta Conservation Park protects a steep gorge landscape in the Adelaide Hills, about 10 kilometres northeast of central Adelaide. Fourth Creek, rocky cliffs, eucalypt woodland and seasonal waterfalls create a substantial bushland destination close to the city.
Roma Street Parklands
Roma Street Parklands is a landscaped urban parkland in central Brisbane, immediately beside Roma Street station and the Brisbane Coach Terminal. Its character comes from connected planted areas, lawns, paths, hillside levels, the Spectacle Garden and the Rainforest Walk.
Supreme Court Gardens is a public garden in central Perth, Western Australia, beside the Supreme Court of Western Australia. The garden forms part of a significant civic and heritage precinct within the city’s central business district.
Williamstown Botanic Gardens is a historic public garden in Melbourne's western suburb of Williamstown. Its nineteenth-century origins and Victorian landscape character make it a calm counterpoint to the waterfront's maritime attractions.
The National Wine Centre of Australia is a visitor attraction in Adelaide dedicated to showcasing Australian wine culture and industry.
Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial located in Brisbane, Queensland. It stands as a commemorative structure dedicated to honoring military personnel who served and sacrificed in armed conflicts.
Brickpit Ring Walk
Brickpit Ring Walk is an elevated circular walkway over a former industrial brickpit in Sydney. The route lets visitors look down into the excavated landscape while remaining on a maintained structure above it.
Streets Beach is an artificial swimming beach in South Bank Parklands, a rare city-centre lagoon where sand, water and Brisbane’s urban skyline meet.
Werribee Park Mansion is an Italianate-style nineteenth-century mansion in the western part of Greater Melbourne. Built in the 1870s, it reflects the wealth of Victoria’s pastoral era and stands at the center of the wider Werribee Park precinct.
Woodbridge House
Woodbridge House is a heritage property in the Perth metropolitan area, representing nineteenth-century domestic architecture and the region's colonial settlement history.
The Block Arcade is a historic shopping arcade in Melbourne, Victoria. It opened in 1892 and represents a significant example of late Victorian architecture in Australia.
Bicton Baths is a riverside swimming facility in Bicton, on Perth's Swan River. It belongs to the tradition of enclosed river swimming places that make the metropolitan foreshore distinctive.
Coogee Beach is a sandy ocean beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, facing the Tasman Sea. It is a straightforward place for swimming, sunbathing, shoreline walks and relaxed coastal views.
Edinburgh Gardens is a public park in Fitzroy North, in Melbourne’s inner north. The gardens form a large recreational green space within the City of Yarra and offer a distinctly local way to experience the suburb.
Esplanade Park
Esplanade Park Fremantle is a public park in Fremantle, the historic port city within the Perth metropolitan area of Western Australia. It sits near the waterfront and forms part of the recreational landscape around Fremantle’s maritime district.
Point Cook Coastal Park is a coastal park located in the south-western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. The park encompasses significant areas of remnant native grassland, wetland habitats, and coastline along Port Phillip Bay.
Rocks Riverside Park is a public park in Brisbane, Queensland. The park sits along the Brisbane River and provides open space for recreation and leisure.
Tamarama Beach is a compact crescent on Sydney’s eastern suburbs coast, positioned between Bondi Beach and Bronte Beach. Steep sandstone headlands press close around the sand, making the Pacific feel immediate and powerful.
Veale Gardens is a public garden space located in Adelaide, South Australia. It forms part of the broader Adelaide Park Lands system that encircles the city centre.
Moort-ak Waadiny / Wellington Square
Wellington Square is a public urban green space in Perth, Western Australia. It offers a simple pause within the city, with open outdoor space suited to a short walk, quiet rest, or a meeting point between central destinations.
Westgate Park is an open space in western Melbourne beside the West Gate Bridge. Its setting combines riverside and estuarine landscape with the immense scale of major transport infrastructure overhead.
Catani Gardens is a public garden space located in the St Kilda area of Melbourne, Victoria.
Melbourne Recital Centre is a dedicated live-performance venue in Melbourne's arts precinct, focused on chamber music and recital programming. Its purpose-built architecture and acoustic design place the listening experience at the centre of the visit.
Angel Place Birdcages, also known as Forgotten Songs, is an outdoor artwork in Sydney’s central business district. Suspended cages fill the pedestrian laneway overhead, while recorded birdcalls recall species that once lived around the Tank Stream valley before European settlement.
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a historic performing arts venue located in Adelaide, South Australia. The theatre serves as a significant cultural institution within the metropolitan area, hosting a diverse range of live entertainment productions.
Fremantle Markets is a historic public market in Fremantle, a port city within the Perth metropolitan area of Western Australia. The markets occupy a Victorian-era building constructed in 1897, representing one of the few surviving nineteenth-century market structures in Australia.
Brett Whiteley Studio is a gallery and studio museum in Sydney dedicated to the life and work of Australian artist Brett Whiteley. The preserved working environment offers a more intimate encounter than a large museum collection.
Rottnest Island, also known as Wadjemup, is a Class A Reserve off the Western Australian coast.
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is a major parkland in Perth, Western Australia. It occupies a prominent position on the western edge of the central business district, overlooking the Swan River.
William Ricketts Sanctuary is a cultural and spiritual attraction in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne. It preserves the sculptural work of William Ricketts, an Australian potter and sculptor who created clay figures integrated into the natural forest environment.
Reabold Hill is a natural elevation in Perth’s metropolitan west and a destination for travellers who enjoy open landscapes and higher viewpoints.
Barangaroo Reserve
Barangaroo Reserve is a landscaped harbour headland built around sandstone terraces, foreshore paths, and views across western Sydney Harbour.
Blaxland Riverside Park is a public park situated along the Parramatta River in Sydney. It forms part of the broader Sydney Olympic Park precinct, developed from the site of the 2000 Olympic Games.
Clovelly Beach is a compact coastal inlet in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Its narrow, channel-like shape differs from a broad surf beach: concrete platforms and promenades follow rocky edges around the water.
Elwood Beach is a sandy coastal area located within the broader Melbourne metropolitan region. Positioned on Port Phillip Bay, it forms part of the continuous shoreline that serves both recreational and residential functions for the city.
Nudgee Beach is a coastal locality and beach area within the greater Brisbane metropolitan region in Queensland, Australia. It sits on the shores of Moreton Bay, forming part of the city's north-eastern coastline.
Scarborough Beach is a prominent coastal destination within the Perth metropolitan area, located along the Indian Ocean shoreline. The beach forms part of the broader Scarborough precinct, which has undergone significant redevelopment in recent decades.
Trigg Beach is a northern Perth beach on the Indian Ocean, known for its sandy shore, exposed reef and surf breaks. It suits travellers seeking an active metropolitan coast: swimming, surfing, walking and watching waves all belong naturally here.
Victorian State Rose Garden
Victoria State Rose Garden is a horticultural attraction in the Melbourne area, centred on curated rose plantings maintained for public appreciation and botanical interest.
Adelaide Central Markets
Adelaide Central Market is a covered public market in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1869, it stands as one of the oldest continuously operating markets in Australia.
Adelaide Central Plaza is a multi-level retail complex in Adelaide’s central business district, positioned within the city’s main pedestrian shopping area.
Dandenong Market is a public market located in the Greater Dandenong area of Melbourne. It serves as a trading place where vendors sell goods including fresh produce, specialty foods, and various merchandise.
South Melbourne Market
South Melbourne Market is a covered market in the inner-city suburb of South Melbourne, Victoria. Established in 1867, it is one of Melbourne’s oldest continuing markets and remains a trading place for fresh food, specialty goods and everyday shopping.
SkyHigh Mount Dandenong is a scenic lookout in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne. Its elevated position turns the visit into a broad landscape experience, with views across the metropolitan area and, on clear days, toward Port Phillip Bay.
Prahran Market is a historic food market in Prahran, an inner Melbourne suburb. It serves the local community while also giving visitors a way to experience the city's fresh-food culture beyond the central business district.
The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is a protected marine area located in the Port River and Barker Inlet region north of Adelaide's central business district.
Albert Park Lake is a large artificial lake situated within Albert Park, approximately three kilometres south of Melbourne's central business district. The lake forms the centrepiece of a broader parkland area that serves multiple recreational and sporting functions.
Bare Island Fort is a preserved coastal defence structure on a rocky island in Botany Bay, reached from La Perouse by a narrow causeway. Built in the late nineteenth century, it forms part of Sydney’s military and maritime heritage.
Bold Park is a large urban bushland reserve in Perth’s western suburbs, preserving remnant vegetation on the Swan Coastal Plain. It gives visitors a chance to exchange city streets for native bushland, varied ground, birds and other wildlife.
Bunyaville Conservation Park is a protected natural area located within the Greater Brisbane metropolitan region. The park preserves remnant bushland and provides habitat for native flora and fauna.
Centre Place is a narrow pedestrian laneway in central Melbourne, running between Flinders Lane and Collins Street.
The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide is a historic sailing vessel and museum ship located in Port Adelaide, South Australia.
Como House and Garden
Como House and Garden is a heritage estate in Melbourne, combining a historic house with landscaped grounds.
Coogee Beach is a coastal beach located in the Perth metropolitan area of Western Australia. It sits within the broader Cockburn region south-west of Perth's central business district.
Cylinder Beach is a coastal locality on North Stradbroke Island, part of the Moreton Bay region associated with Brisbane. The beach lies within a recognised natural coastal environment that forms part of the broader Stradbroke Island landscape.
D'Aguilar National Park is a protected natural area situated in the vicinity of Brisbane, Queensland.
Dandenong Ranges National Park is a protected mountain landscape east of Melbourne, known for cool temperate rainforest, mountain ash forest and dense fern gullies.
Enoggera Reservoir is a heritage-listed water supply reservoir located in Brisbane's north-western suburbs. Constructed in the 1860s, it represents one of Queensland's earliest major public water infrastructure projects.
Freshwater Beach is a sandy coastal cove in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, set between two headlands. Its sheltered shape makes it a natural place for swimming, surfing, sunbathing and a relaxed seaside walk.
Goolugatup Heathcote is a cultural precinct and heritage site in the Perth metropolitan area. Its name, Goolugatup, reflects the place’s significance to Noongar people, the Traditional Owners of the land.
Grange Beach is a coastal beach located within the Adelaide metropolitan area in South Australia. It forms part of the shoreline fronting the suburb of Grange, positioned north-west of Adelaide's central business district.
Henley Beach is a coastal suburb and beach located in Adelaide's western suburbs, approximately 10 kilometres west of the central business district. The area forms part of the Adelaide metropolitan coastline along Gulf St Vincent.
Hosier Lane is Melbourne’s celebrated open-air street-art corridor, a public laneway whose identity is made by walls layered with changing murals, tags and painted interventions.
The Institute of Modern Art is a contemporary art institution located in Brisbane. It serves as a venue for the exhibition and promotion of modern and contemporary art practices.
Ipswich Art Gallery is a public art museum in the centre of Ipswich, about 40 kilometres west of Brisbane's central business district.
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary is a protected marine area located in Melbourne's vicinity. The sanctuary preserves coastal waters and marine ecosystems, offering visitors a chance to observe natural underwater environments.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs is Brisbane’s distinctive river-edge recreation landscape: a band of red-brown cliffs rising beside the Brisbane River, with the city centre spread across the water.
Kingston Park Coastal Reserve is a coastal open space within the Adelaide metropolitan area, situated along the shoreline of southern Adelaide. The reserve forms part of the continuous coastal belt that characterises this section of the Gulf St Vincent coastline.
Lesmurdie Falls National Park is a Perth Hills nature destination centred on a waterfall descending the Darling Scarp. The escarpment setting creates a strong contrast between elevated bushland and views toward the coastal plain.
Melbourne Park is Melbourne's major sports and entertainment precinct and the principal home of the Australian Open tennis tournament. The site brings together stadiums, tennis courts, event spaces, and public movement routes beside the Yarra River.
Eureka Skydeck, locally known as Melbourne Skydeck, is a prominent observation deck and visitor destination in Melbourne. It offers elevated city views from one of Australia's tallest buildings.
Mettams Pool is a natural swimming spot on Perth’s coast, formed by rocky reef that creates a partially sheltered pool beside the open ocean.
Minnippi Parklands is a public park area in Brisbane, included in curated metropolitan visitor rankings as a notable green space. The parklands form part of Brisbane's broader network of recreational areas accessible to residents and visitors.
Montefiore Hill is an elevated open-space viewpoint within Adelaide’s Park Lands, close to the central city. The hill is a landscape stop for visitors who want a broad city view and an outdoor setting.
Mount George Conservation Park is a protected natural area situated within the greater Adelaide region of South Australia. The park forms part of the Mount Lofty Ranges and preserves significant bushland habitat characteristic of the Adelaide Hills environment.
Mount Lofty Summit is a public lookout in the Adelaide Hills, about 15 kilometres east of central Adelaide. At more than 710 metres above sea level, it provides a broad view over Adelaide’s metropolitan plain toward Gulf St Vincent.
Nerima Gardens is a Japanese-style garden located in Brisbane, Queensland. It forms part of the broader network of parks and gardens across the Brisbane metropolitan area.
Newport Lakes Reserve is a public park and nature reserve in the inner-western Melbourne suburb of Newport. The site occupies a former bluestone quarry that operated from the mid-1800s until 1978.
Nielsen Park is a heritage-listed public park situated within Sydney Harbour National Park in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The park occupies a prominent harbour foreland position in Vaucluse, offering sheltered swimming beaches and picnic grounds.
North Head Sanctuary is a protected coastal headland area located at the northern entrance to Sydney Harbour. The site forms part of the traditional lands of the Gayamagal people and holds significant Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Northshore Riverside Park is a public riverside green space located along the Brisbane River in Brisbane, Queensland.
Old Petrie Town is a heritage precinct in Brisbane's northern suburbs, preserving historical buildings and rural Queensland character. The site functions as an open-air museum and community gathering place, showcasing relocated and restored structures from the region's pioneering era.
Orleigh Park is a public park situated in the inner-western suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland. It occupies a riverside position along the Brisbane River within the West End locality.
Palm Beach is a coastal suburb and beach at the northern end of Sydney's Northern Beaches peninsula. A narrow isthmus places the Pacific Ocean on one side and Pittwater on the other, giving the area two contrasting waterfronts.
Point Walter Reserve is a broad riverside recreation area in Bicton, on the southern bank of the Swan River in Perth.
Port Melbourne Beach is a broad Port Phillip Bay shoreline where sand, palms, suburban streets and working maritime infrastructure meet. Its setting is shaped by Station Pier, Beach Street, heritage buildings and the active Port Melbourne waterfront.
QUT Art Museum is a contemporary art museum located in Brisbane, Queensland. It forms part of the Queensland University of Technology's cultural precinct at Gardens Point campus.
Rose Bay Beach is a harbour beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, facing the waters of Port Jackson. It offers a coastal pause within the metropolitan city, with space for swimming, walking, and relaxing beside the harbour.
The Round House is the oldest surviving public building in Western Australia, constructed in 1830-1831 shortly after the Swan River Colony was established.
Scarborough Beach Park is a coastal parkland in the Brisbane metropolitan area, situated within the Moreton Bay Region. The park takes its name from Scarborough Beach, a sandy foreshore on the Redcliffe Peninsula facing Moreton Bay.
Seven Hills Bushland Reserve is a protected natural area within the Brisbane metropolitan region. It forms part of the city's network of bushland reserves managed for conservation and passive recreation.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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