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
St Mary's Cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral is a significant ecclesiastical structure in Sydney, recognised as a meaningful visitor destination within the documented city scope. The cathedral represents an important example of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia.
Fitzroy Gardens is a historic public garden in Melbourne, Victoria, situated on the city's eastern fringe near the central business district.
His Majesty's Theatre is a historic performing-arts venue in central Perth, Western Australia. It is a destination for theatrical productions, musicals, and live entertainment, as well as a notable heritage building within the city.
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.
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.
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.
Manly Beach is a broad ocean beach reached through the Manly peninsula, combining surf frontage with a harbour-to-ocean visitor route.
The Wheel of Brisbane
The Wheel of Brisbane is a prominent observation wheel situated in the South Bank Parklands area of Brisbane, Queensland.
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.
Gallery of Modern Art, known as GOMA, is Brisbane's modern and contemporary art museum within the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art complex.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art is a leading Melbourne institution dedicated to exhibiting and promoting contemporary art from Australia and around the world.
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.
Newstead House
Newstead House is a heritage property situated in the Brisbane suburb of Newstead. It stands as one of Queensland's surviving nineteenth-century residences, positioned on the Brisbane River with grounds that form part of the broader riverside parkland.
Princess Theatre is a historic theatre in Melbourne, Victoria. It stands as a significant performing arts venue within the city's cultural landscape. The building contributes to Melbourne's reputation as a major centre for theatre and live entertainment in Australia.
Regent Theatre is a historic Melbourne theatre and a destination for visitors interested in the city's entertainment heritage. It continues to function as a performance venue, bringing contemporary audiences into a building whose architectural character is part of the experience.
Saint Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is a major Anglican cathedral located in the heart of Melbourne, near the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets.
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.
Queensland Art Gallery is a public art gallery in Brisbane. The current curated ranking identifies the exact production place and prioritises it for art collections and exhibitions within Brisbane's South Bank cultural precinct.
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.
Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is a public astronomy education facility located within the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha. Named after the astronomer governor of New South Wales, it serves as a cultural and scientific institution for the metropolitan area.
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.
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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