The 25 best new things to do in Australia in 2025

The $30 million price tag is just a hint of what to expect at this family-friendly beach resort set to open on Hamilton Island in autumn 2025. Backed by the visionary creators of Qualia, The Sundays is set to bring a new level of luxury to the island with 59 breezy rooms overlooking the bright blue Coral Sea or calming gardens. While planning your stay, you’ll want to reserve a seat at the hotel’s upcoming waterfront restaurant by culinary power duo Josh and Julie Niland of Saint Peter.

Australia’s dusty red desert is set to sparkle more than ever in 2025 thanks to the return of our nation’s biggest light and art spectacular – Parrtjima, A Festival in Light – from April 4 to 13. In 2025, Parrtjima will host its first-ever orchestral performance, set to unfold as an open-air performance during the closing weekend. The captivating 75-minute music and light spectacle will feature the Darwin Symphony Orchestra, alongside celebrated central Australian desert divas Catherine Satour, Casii Williams, Bronwyn Stuart and more.

The game plan here is simple: cruise, sweat, swim, repeat. Having launched in winter 2024, Kuuma Sauna brings the ultimate relaxation experience to southern Tasmania. Each magical journey begins with a 20-minute cruise, where you’ll float along the calm waters of North West Bay, followed by a guided sauna session in an 80-degree Celsius woodfired haven. When things get a bit too steamy, you can dive into the ice-cold open waters or cool down with an ice bucket shower.

Australia, it’s time to get dotty, because NGV International is playing host to the largest collection of Yayoi Kusama’s work ever seen in Australia. The exhibition (aptly named Yayoi Kusama) has taken over the entire ground floor of the gallery, with 180 works from the artist best known for her unique use of dots. Many of the works coming to Melbourne for this impressive exhibition have never been seen locally before, including the Australian debut of 'Dancing Pumpkin', a towering five-metre-tall bronze sculpture that visitors can view by walking underneath. This exhibition also will break the world record for the most infinity rooms ever assembled in the same place, at a whopping total of ten. See it before April 21, 2025. 

The Murray River is the crowning jewel of Australia’s Echuca region – it zig-zags across the border of New South Wales and Victoria, and has sustained land and riverside communities for the last 40,000 years. Excitingly, there’s soon to be a high-energy way to enjoy the river: with a brand-new multisport adventure trail. Stage one will be opening in 2025, and eventually, there’ll be facilities for cyclists, hikers and paddlers, running all the way from Lake Hume to Mildura.

Half a century ago, a devastating category four cyclone tore through Darwin with gusts reaching up to 217 kilometres per hour. It lasted four days, claimed 66 lives, and resulted in the largest evacuation and relief effort in Australian history. To mark its 50-year milestone on December 24, 2024, The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin has redeveloped its much-loved Cyclone Tracy exhibition. Visitors can now step into a classic 1970 Darwin house with surviving objects, monitor the cyclone in the Bureau of Meteorology office, experience an actual recording of Tracy in the new sound booth, and explore never-before-seen artefacts donated by locals.

Museums aren’t confined to four walls, and you’ll find one of Australia’s greatest at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site. From December 2024, you can embark on a luxury 90-minute cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys that takes you beyond Port Arthur, exploring the cliffs, caves, arches and white sand beaches of the Tasman Peninsula. Once you reach Cape Raoul, you'll be mesmerised by the 170-million-year-old dolerite columns that appear to step down into the ocean, with playful Aussie fur seals lounging at their base.

If 2025 is your year for smashing goals, then why not add a marathon to the list? In its 25th year, the Sydney Marathon will make history as Australia’s first-ever World Major Marathon, becoming the seventh marathon to achieve this status globally. While securing an entry to the 42.195-kilometre event is sure to be just as competitive as the actual race, you can still get in on the action by cheering on the 35,000 runners on August 31.

Snap to it! In 2024, Australia Zoo's luxe accommodation, The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, was crowned the World’s Best Nature Hotel. The Irwin family, who still run the Zoo, unveiled four new double-storey Crocodile Cabins in November, adding to their existing collection of one-bedroom and family lodges. True to their name, the new Crocodile Cabins boast expansive windows that offer exclusive views of the state-of-the-art crocodile habitat – so you can reconnect with nature and face your fears at the same time.

If the sweeping ocean views of Perth's Cottesloe Beach haven’t already hooked you, the food and finesse at Gibney surely will. This fancy seaside brasserie and grill ticks all the boxes, with plush banquette seating and a glam bar all softened by a coastal colour palette. Having opened in May, Gibney is the first luxury restaurant to open on Marine Parade in 20 years. The menu is a showcase of Australia’s most premium producers, featuring fresh seafood, sophisticated snacks, premium steaks and Perth’s largest Champagne selection.

Many are familiar with the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, which buried the Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under a thick blanket of volcanic ash and debris. In an Australian first, history buffs can now explore the famous ancient city before its tragic end with the National Museum of Australia’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Pompeii, in Canberra. Running until May 4, 2025, it will bring the city’s streets back to life with large-scale digital projections, evocative soundscapes and more than 90 rare artefacts – many of which have never been seen in Australia before. 

Trust us, once you're on Rottnest Island, you'll find it hard to leave – so do yourself a favour and book at least a night or two. Opening its first stage in early 2025, The Lodge Wadjemup could be the escape you’re dreaming of, featuring new island-inspired Courtyard and Lake Rooms, a Mediterranean-style eatery and a laid-back kiosk for casual bites. If you’re dreaming of a summer stay on Rottnest, you’ll want to lock it in fast.

For many Aussies, a trip to K’gari is the ultimate bucket list adventure. Now, the allure of the world’s largest sand island has become even stronger, with the introduction of Illumina, an all-new light and laser show in October 2024. Brought to life by the mastermind behind Uluru’s famous drone show, Bruce Ramus, Illumina tells the story of the World Heritage-listed island through a symphony of glittering lights, colourful projections and laser beams.

Brave a crisp March morning to witness dozens of hot air balloons float over Lake Burley Griffin during the annual Canberra Balloon Spectacular. In 2025, around 40 balloons will lift off each morning from March 15 to 23, taking flight from the festival’s original home – the John Dunmore Lang Lawns, East, West and North Lawns. Up, up and away!

Arrive at the corner of Flinders Lane and Hosier Lane on pretty much any day of the week and you’ll run into a throng of tourists jostling to get ‘the shot’ of Melbourne’s ever-evolving street art hotspot. No two visits are ever the same, but now there’s a massive free street art exhibition to take in right at this famous corner. Running until May 2025 at 167 Flinders Lane, The Outsiders Melbourne features more than 100 works, including art never before displayed in public. Expect gems from local names like Rone, Adnate, Sofles, Vexta, Fintan Magee, Meggs, Kaff-eine and more. 

The siren call of Australia’s Red Centre just got even louder, with the unveiling of an all-new, immersive Indigenous art experience in August 2024. Sunrise Journeys illuminates the talents of three Anangu artists, who have collaborated on a bespoke dot painting that tells the story of their deep connection to culture and Country. The vast desert landscape of Uluru and Kata Tjuta will become a living canvas, with their artwork recreated on the dusty red sands before sunrise using cutting-edge laser and light projection. Accompanied by natural soundscapes and the artists' narration, this breathtaking display unfolds against the backdrop of Uluru at sunrise. 

From the pool to a floating stage, Cody Simpson is set to make his Australian musical theatre debut in a brand-new production of the award-winning Broadway musical, Guys and Dolls, at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in March 2025. It’s regarded as one of the finest musicals ever written – from its premiere on Broadway in 1950, winning five Tony Awards including Best Musical, the Hollywood film adaptation in 1955, to its most recent smash-hit revival on the West End – and filled to the brim with toe-tapping tunes, high-energy, vibrant dance numbers and plenty of laughs. Guys and Dolls will play on Sydney Harbour from March 21 to April 20, 2025. 

Mountain bikers, this one’s for you. In December 2024, the full 60 kilometres of regional Victoria’s multi-million-dollar Djuwang Baring trails opened to the public. The trail begins at Hammon Park Trailhead and Bike Park, situated next to Creswick Creek, which has a beginner-friendly training ground for bikers to hone their skills so they're ready to ride. The site also has a pump track, a barbecue area, cycling jumps, a bike repair station, e-bike charging facilities and children’s play areas.

Since 2019, Aboriginal-owned and operated Mabu Buru Tours has been taking guests on an authentic journey into the ancient culture of the Yawuru and Karajarri people in and around Broome. In November, they launched a 4WD tag-along foraging tour, Binba Mayi, that navigates the beach town’s breathtaking coastline. Led by a local Yawuru guide, you’ll forage for mud crabs, mangrove snails and stingrays, before wrapping up with a bush barbecue to cook up your catch of the day.

Following the launch of several shiny venues in Sydney’s new Wunderlich Lane precinct (including Olympus, a gorgeous indoor-outdoor Greek restaurant), The Eve Hotel will open its doors on February 13. If you’re keen to be among the first to stay at the lush 102-room boutique hotel, they’re offering a special ‘reveal’ package that includes cocktails on arrival and a bespoke gift. You can learn more and book over here.

Known as a zoo without fences, Kangaroo Island is a destination everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. Now, you can explore the island’s rich cultural and natural heritage with Sealink’s new First Nations tour led by Ngarrindjeri elder Mark Koolmatrie. You’ll journey through the island’s rugged landscapes while uncovering sacred sites, learning about native bush foods, enjoying a local two-course lunch and hearing creation stories passed down through generations. These exclusive tours are currently only running until March 2025.

Ever wondered what it’s like to live in Bluey’s world? Well, you can now find out because a world-first attraction dedicated to the beloved blue heeler and her family has officially opened its doors in Brisbane. Located in the beloved animated character’s very own hometown, Bluey’s World promises a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that will take the youngest and unashamedly oldest fans on an extraordinary journey through life-size recreations of iconic settings from the Emmy Award-winning show. 

North West Tasmania’s famous self-drive food and drink trail, TrailGraze, is serving up a fresh long weekend feast in 2025. It’s basically like a treasure hunt for your taste buds, with 30 farm gates offering up samples of the state’s finest cheese, chocolate, seafood, confectionery, wine, beer, spirits, cider and more. While the trail is self-guided, you can join fellow foodies at the Friday night Gala Dinner, or take part in producer-led tastings, tours and workshops fit for the whole family.

Award-winning Adelaide chef Justin James (ex-Restaurant Botanic) is gearing up to open his first restaurant in early 2025, and it's bound to be one of the year's most exciting culinary events. House in a former Adelaide Hills church that was home to Aptos Cruz Galleries for the past 35 years, Restaurant Aptos will spotlight seasonal produce from local farmers and native Australian ingredients. James' highly anticipated dining experience promises to be unlike any other, with guests set to move through different spaces throughout the degustation.

Explore all the Brisbane gems you won’t find in a guidebook with Local Sauce Tours’ recent Queensland extension. In 2018, the founder of the award-winning tour company, Justin Steele, started hosting small-group cultural experiences that brought locals and tourists together to discover the city from new perspectives. Now, Steele has returned to his hometown to launch two tours showcasing Brisbane’s vibrant nightlife, hidden laneways, public art and untold stories of the city’s past.