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, abo...
Photograph · Corey Leopold · CC BY 2.0
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
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
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
217 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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.
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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