A photograph of Australia

Country guide

Up to 1 hour 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.

  1. Rundle Mall Rundle Mall
    07 45 min

    Rundle Mall

    Rundle Mall is Adelaide's premier pedestrian shopping street and public thoroughfare in the South Australian capital. It functions as the city's commercial and social heart, stretching east from King William Street through the central business district.

    • Must see
    • Market
    • Adelaide
  2. River Torrens Linear Park River Torrens Linear Park
    08 1 hour

    River Torrens Linear Park

    River Torrens Linear Park is a public open space corridor following the River Torrens through Adelaide. It forms part of the broader Adelaide Park Lands system, which encircles the city centre.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  3. Southbank Promenade Southbank Promenade
    09 1 hour

    Southbank Promenade

    Southbank Promenade is a pedestrianised riverside walkway along the southern bank of the Yarra River in central Melbourne. It forms the spine of the Southbank precinct, connecting the central business district to the Crown Entertainment Complex and beyond.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Melbourne
  4. Chinatown Melbourne Chinatown Melbourne
    10 1 hour

    Chinatown Melbourne

    Chinatown Melbourne is an ethnic enclave in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  5. Elder Park Elder Park
    11 1 hour

    Elder Park

    Elder Park is a public park situated on the southern bank of the River Torrens in Adelaide, South Australia. It forms part of the linear parklands that characterise the city's layout.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  6. St John's Cathedral St John's Cathedral
    12 1 hour

    St John's Cathedral

    St John's Cathedral is a Gothic Revival cathedral in Brisbane, Queensland. It serves as the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and stands as a prominent religious and architectural landmark in the city.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Brisbane
  7. Parliament House Queensland Parliament House Queensland
    13 1 hour

    Parliament House Queensland

    Parliament House Queensland is the meeting place of the Parliament of Queensland, located in Brisbane. The building occupies a prominent position on the corner of George and Alice Streets in the CBD, overlooking the Brisbane River.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Brisbane
  8. Royal Arcade Royal Arcade
    14 30 min

    Royal Arcade

    Royal Arcade is a working nineteenth-century shopping passage in central Melbourne, opened in 1870 and still linking the city’s retail streets.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  9. Parliament House South Australia Parliament House South Australia
    15 1 hour

    Parliament House South Australia

    Parliament House South Australia is the seat of the bicameral Parliament of South Australia, comprising the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Adelaide
  10. Waterfall Gully Waterfall Gully
    16 1 hour

    Waterfall Gully

    Waterfall Gully is a valley and recreational area located in the Adelaide Hills face zone, within the Greater Adelaide metropolitan area.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Adelaide
  11. Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House
    17 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
  12. Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney Harbour Bridge
    18 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
  13. Royal Exhibition Building Royal Exhibition Building
    19 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
  14. Carlton Gardens Carlton Gardens
    20 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
  15. Federation Square Federation Square
    21 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
  16. National Gallery of Victoria National Gallery of Victoria
    22 1 hour

    National Gallery of Victoria

    National Gallery of Victoria is an art museum and one of Melbourne's highest-priority visitor stops in the current curated list.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Melbourne
  17. Perth Mint Perth Mint
    23 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
  18. Royal National Park Royal National Park
    24 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
  19. Cooks' Cottage Cooks' Cottage
    25 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
  20. Perth Observatory Perth Observatory
    26 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
  21. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
    27 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
  22. Shrine of Remembrance Shrine of Remembrance
    28 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
  23. Fremantle Prison Fremantle Prison
    29 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
  24. Hyde Park Hyde Park
    30 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
  25. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
    31 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

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.