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A photograph of Australia

Country guide

Places to visit in Australia — page 6

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

307 places match

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 217 1 to 2 hours 90

Interests

History 16 Art 4 Museums 5 Nature 8 Sea and beach 7 Viewpoints 1
  1. Carrick Hill Carrick Hill
    107 1 hr 30 min

    Carrick Hill

    Carrick Hill is a historic house and garden estate located in Adelaide, South Australia.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Adelaide
  2. Experiment Farm Cottage Experiment Farm Cottage
    108 1 hr 30 min

    Experiment Farm Cottage

    Experiment Farm Cottage is a heritage property in Parramatta, western Sydney, connected with Australia’s early colonial agricultural history. The cottage represents the period when European settlers experimented with farming and food production around the developing colony.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Sydney
  3. Stirling Gardens Stirling Gardens
    109 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
  4. Treasury Gardens Treasury Gardens
    110 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
  5. Australian Centre for Contemporary Art Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
    111 1 hour

    Australian Centre for Contemporary Art

    The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art is a leading Melbourne institution dedicated to exhibiting and promoting contemporary art from Australia and around the world.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Melbourne
  6. Forum Theatre Forum Theatre
    112 45 min

    Forum Theatre

    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.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Melbourne
  7. Newstead House Board of Trustees Newstead House Board of Trustees
    113 45 min

    Newstead House Board of Trustees

    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.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Brisbane
  8. Princess Theatre Princess Theatre
    114 1 hour

    Princess Theatre

    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.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Melbourne
  9. Regent Theatre Regent Theatre
    115 1 hour

    Regent Theatre

    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.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Melbourne
  10. St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral
    116 30 min

    St Paul's Cathedral

    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.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Melbourne
  11. Fort Lytton National Park Fort Lytton National Park
    117 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
  12. Scienceworks Scienceworks
    118 1 hr 30 min

    Scienceworks

    Scienceworks is a science museum and technology centre in Spotswood, Melbourne, operated as part of Museums Victoria. It is designed for active learning, with exhibitions that turn scientific principles, technology and industrial history into experiences visitors can explore.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Melbourne
  13. Western Australian Museum Western Australian Museum
    119 1 hr 30 min

    Western Australian Museum

    Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip

    WA Museum Boola Bardip is the state museum of Western Australia, located within the Perth Cultural Centre. Its name, from the Noongar language, means many stories.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Perth
  14. Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo
    120 1 hr 30 min

    Taronga Zoo

    Taronga Zoo Sydney is a major zoological garden located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman. Established in 1916, it occupies a prominent harbourside position offering views toward the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

    • High
    • Family attraction
    • Sydney
  15. Queensland Art Gallery Queensland Art Gallery
    121 1 hour

    Queensland Art Gallery

    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.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Brisbane
  16. Adelaide Himeji Garden Adelaide Himeji Garden
    122 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
  17. Hellenic Museum Hellenic Museum
    123 1 hr 30 min

    Hellenic Museum

    The Hellenic Museum is a cultural institution in Melbourne dedicated to preserving and showcasing Greek history, art, and culture. Located in the city, it serves as a bridge between Australia's Greek community heritage and broader public engagement.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Melbourne
  18. Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium
    124 45 min

    Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium

    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.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Brisbane
  19. Araluen Botanic Park Araluen Botanic Park
    125 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
    126 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
    127 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
    128 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
    129 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
    130 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
    131 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.