The 20 top tourist attractions in Australia

Escape the hustle and bustle of Australia’s capital cities and journey to the country's red centre, where the skies are clear, the stars are out and the landscapes are spectacular. Uluru recently took out gold for being the best sunset-watching location on Earth and we suggest experiencing the magic for yourself.

Tropical, lush and leafy, the Daintree lives its life in all shades of green. This World Heritage-listed wonder is the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world, with more tree species in one hectare than in the entirety of the United Kingdom. Explore the emerald canopy via a river cruise, rainforest boardwalk, crocodile tour or treetop zipline.

Not to be dramatic, but Rottnest Island may be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. This tiny island an hour off Perth is host to a bunch of fluffy, legitimately smiling marsupials called quokkas (who aren't found anywhere else in the world), pure white sand and numerous tiny, perfect beaches that you can bike ride between in one day.

There’s a very good reason why the epic vistas of the Blue Mountains are World Heritage listed. Several in fact. Firstly, it has some of the most breathtaking geological formations, gorges and waterfalls anywhere in the country. Secondly, it’s one of the largest national parks of its type (the top spot goes to Kosciuszko National Park, also in NSW), covering more than a million hectares. Just imagine all the hikes that await you.

You can live your best Little Mermaid fantasy at the Great Barrier Reef – the largest coral reef in the entire world. Made up of more than 100 islands and 3,000 individual reef systems, this is easily one of Australia’s most sought-after tourist hot spots. You can experience the technicolour marvels of the reef on and off the water, with experiences like snorkelling, scuba diving, glass-bottomed boat viewing, helicopter tours, whale watching and swimming with dolphins. 

You can’t visit Sydney without snapping a picture at one of the world’s most photographed and famous performing arts venues. Along with its spectacular roster of classical and contemporary music, opera, theatre and dance shows, Sydney Opera House offers different tours that allow you to get intimate with the building. If you don't feel like shelling out, it's still free to sit on the steps for a quick lunch by the water and gaze in marvel at those 1,056,000 pearly, self-cleaning Swedish tiles.

Justifiably one of Victoria’s most popular tourist destinations, the Great Ocean Road snakes all along the southwest coast of Victoria, starting in Torquay (1.5 hours from Melbourne’s CBD) and finishing up just before Warrnambool. There are jaw-dropping vistas at every turn on this winding stretch of road, including the 12 Apostles, Loch And Gorge, London Arch, Bells Beach and Erskine Falls. Make sure to stop for a scallop pie at the Apollo Bay Bakery en route. 

K’gari is not only the largest sand island on Earth, but boasts the fourth most crystal-clear waters in Oceania. You would have to run three marathons to get from one end to the other, leaving room for lots of dips in the sparkling waters and a long sun bake on the soft white sands.

This crescent-shaped bay is easily one of Tasmania’s most photographed views, and deservedly so. It’s less than an hour's hike up to Wineglass Bay lookout, where you’ll be rewarded with unparalleled views of the breathtaking blue waters and sparkly white beach (shaped in a wine glass, of course). If you’re lucky, you may even spot whales or dolphins swimming in the bay. 

Just like a strawberry milkshake, this protected pink lake is a delight for the senses. You’ll find Lake Hillier on Middle Island in the pristine wilderness of Western Australia’s Recherche Archipelago. The natural wonder, shaped like a footprint and 600 metres in length, gets its bubblegum colour from a mix of salt-loving bacteria and algae. You can truly appreciate the magical contrast between the pink waters and the dark blue Indian Ocean from the sky.

Canberra gets a bad rap compared to other Australian capital cities, so you might be surprised that it’s home to one of the top ten free tourist attractions in the world. At the Australian War Memorial, you can discover the Australian experiences of war and connect with the stories of people and events that shaped our nation. Place a poppy on the Roll of Honour to remember the sacrifice made by our servicemen and women, and stay for the moving Last Post closing ceremony. 

Take a walk over the most iconic bridge in the world and get a bird's eye view of Sydney that's worth every penny. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, you have to wear an unflattering grey jumpsuit. But, the feeling as you summit the fourth-longest single-span steel arch bridge is one to last a lifetime. 

Standing 1,545 metres above sea level in the heart of Tasmania’s World Heritage Area, Cradle Mountain is easily one of Australia’s most famous peaks. The bushwalkers' paradise comes alive in every season, with snow-covered mountains to hike, crystal-clear lakes to swim in and ancient rainforests to explore. Keep a lookout for hungry echidnas and waddling wombats in the grass.

Covering an incredible 20,000 square kilometres of the Northern Territory, this is Australia's biggest national park and also one of its only UNESCO World Heritage-listed. Along with its tiny yellow butterflies, ancient rock art galleries, immense red gorges and deep blue pools, Kakadu boasts a powerful history, having been a sacred place of living and ceremony for Indigenous people for 65,000 years. This really is the place for an adventure of a lifetime. 

Trust us: there’s more to this hippie beach town than what you saw on Byron Baes. Wake up with the sun and walk along the headland to the old-fashioned Cape Byron Lighthouse (which happens to be Australia’s most easterly point). Keep your eyes out for wallabies, dolphins and even whales, and pack your swimmers for a post-climb dip in the sparkly blue shores at Wategos Beach.

It’s quite likely that you’ll let out an audible gasp after catching your first glimpse of Cable Beach in Broome. This sparkly 22km white sand beach earned bragging rights as the third best in the world, according to TripAdvisor’s 2023 Travellers’ Choice Awards. Rise early and hike the 7.7 kilometres from Cable Beach up to Gantheaume Point, where you can take in the most spectacular vistas in Broome. However, a camel ride or cocktail on the beach does the trick too.

No trip to Tasmania is truly complete without a day trip to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). This transcendent palace of big, bad and mad ideas doesn’t discriminate when it comes to art, so you could see everything from a classical wall of ceramic vaginas to an intricate glass machine that produces legitimate faeces, or a wax head of an Italian man from the 17th century. MONA only opens from Thursday to Monday, so plan your trip wisely.

There are few (if any other) tourist attractions in the world that are heritage-listed, eco-certified and completely carbon neutral. This five-hectare fairytale wonderland ticks all the boxes. Within Paronella Park, you’ll find a Spanish-style castle, a waterfall (with a fully operational 1930s hydroelectric generator), and more than 7,500 tropical plants and trees. 

One of the largest undercover markets in the Southern Hemisphere, this fresh food mecca buzzes with more than 80 traders from over 40 nationalities under the one roof. Eat your way through the stalls, sampling everything from seafood paella and spicy coconut laksa to canelés and chocolate torte. Then fill your tote bags with locally-made brie, green ant gin and pastel-pink macarons for the way home. 

Perhaps the most renowned (and Instagrammable) overnight train journey in Australia, the Ghan is one experience worth splurging on. You can take in the wonders of Australia’s vast outback, with four different routes travelling between Adelaide, Darwin and Alice Springs. The best part? You get all-inclusive dining, beverages and off-train experiences to the likes of Kakadu National Park, Cooper Pedy and Katherine Gorge.