Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Acclaimed local artist Brett Whiteley (1939–1992) lived fast and without restraint. Many of his multimillion-dollar paintings were created in this hard-to…
Must-see attractions in Australia & Pacific
Cairns
These gorgeous gardens are an explosion of greenery and rainforest plants. Highlights include a section devoted to Aboriginal plant use, the Gondwana…
Dunedin & Otago
Consisting of only a couple of blocks centred on Harbour and Tyne Sts, this atmospheric enclave has some of NZ’s best-preserved Victorian commercial…
Cairns Esplanade, Boardwalk & Lagoon
Cairns
Sunseekers and fun-lovers flock to Cairns Esplanade's spectacular swimming lagoon on the city’s reclaimed foreshore. The artificial, sandy-edged, 4800-sq…
Adelaide
A tourist sight or a shopping op? Either way, satisfy your deepest culinary cravings at the 250-odd stalls in superb Adelaide Central Market. A sliver of…
Golden Dragon Museum & Gardens
Victoria
Bendigo’s Chinese heritage sets it apart from other goldfields towns, and this fantastic museum is the place to experience it. Walk through a huge wooden…
Wellington
For an imaginative, interactive experience of Wellington’s social and maritime history, head to this bewitching little museum, inside an 1892 bond store…
Christchurch
Strolling through these 30 blissful riverside hectares of arboreal and floral splendour is a consummate Christchurch experience. Gorgeous at any time of…
Darwin
If the tourists won't go out to see the crocs, then bring the crocs to the tourists. Right in the middle of Mitchell St, Crocosaurus Cove is as close as…
Rockhampton
The stories of the local Darumbal people and Torres Straits islanders are well-conveyed here. Self-guide through exhibits such as 'The Vanishing Culture…
Wellington
This groundbreaking ecosanctuary is nooked into a valley in the hills about 2km west of downtown Wellington. Living wild within the fenced, predator-free…
Brisbane
On South Bank, just over Victoria Bridge from the CBD, the Queensland Cultural Centre is the epicentre of Brisbane’s cultural confluence. Surrounded by…
Hobart
Standing in startling, Gothic isolation next to the clean-running Hobart Rivulet, Australia’s oldest brewery (1824) is still pumping out superb beers. The…
Wellington
These hilly, 25-hectare botanic gardens can be effortlessly visited via the Wellington Cable Car (nice bit of planning, eh?), although there are several…
Brisbane
All angular glass, concrete and black metal, must-see GOMA celebrates modern and contemporary art, with a particular emphasis on Australian, Asian and…
Cairns
Cairns' multi-million-dollar aquarium is well worth a visit for its vast and gorgeously presented range of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef in…
Victoria
Housed in a superb art deco building, this gallery (established in 1913) features colonial and contemporary Australian art, including works by such well…
Byron Bay
This photogenic, 32-hectare green oasis outside Byron is shared by Three Blue Ducks restaurant, a produce store, the Bread Social bakery, an ice-creamery…
Noosa
Noosa's unmissable national park delivers spectacular coastal views (expect to see dolphins) and ambrosial beaches like Tea Tree Bay. The most scenic way…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
The guided tour of the Glowworm Cave, which is behind the visitor centre, leads past impressive stalactites and stalagmites into a large cavern known as…
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Perth
Founded in 1895, this excellent gallery houses the state's preeminent art collection as well as regular international exhibitions that, increasingly, have…
Dunedin
Storytelling is the focus of this excellent interactive museum, which traces the history of human settlement i
Fiordland & Southland
Reach one of the South Island's most jaw-dropping coastal lookouts via the 900m Nugget Point (Tokatā) walkway. Wave-thrashed cliffs give way abruptly to…
Northern Territory
One of the prettiest corners of the West MacDonnell Ranges, Simpsons Gap, 22km by road from Alice Springs and 8km off Larapinta Dr along a paved road,…
Western Australian Museum – Geraldton
West Coast Australia
At one of the state's best museums, intelligent multimedia displays relate the area's natural, cultural and Aboriginal history. The Shipwreck Gallery…
Sunshine Coast
This is one of Australia's most atmospheric artisan markets, attracting over 1.6-million visitors a year to its 600-plus stalls. Dive into a leafy,…
Christchurch
Damaged in the earthquakes, Christchurch's fantastic art gallery has reopened brighter and bolder, presenting a stimulating mix of local and international…
Queenstown & Wanaka
Enter past the fence of bras (Bra-drona!) and you'll find the beautiful cellar door of this fledgling single-malt distillery inside a building made of…
Southern WA
In the Valley of the Giants, the spectacular Tree Top Walk consists of a 600m-long ramp rising from the valley, allowing visitors access high into the…
Kangaroo Island
Occupying the western end of Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase National Park is one of SA’s top national parks. Much of the park is mallee scrub, but there…
Art Gallery of South Australia
Adelaide
Spend a few hushed hours in the vaulted, parquetry-floored gallery that represents the big names in Australian art. Permanent exhibitions include…
Christchurch
A must-visit for anyone interested in understanding the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes, this compact museum tells stories through photography, video…
Adelaide
Dig into Australia’s natural history with the museum's special exhibits on whales and Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. Over two levels, the amazing…
Brisbane
On the eastern flank of New Farm Park stands the Powerhouse, a once-derelict power station superbly transformed into a contemporary arts centre. Its…
Airlie Beach
This serene national park encompasses the Conway Peninsula, once the hunting grounds of the Giru Dala and still home to large swaths of lowland tropical…
Townsville
The award-winning Museum of Tropical Queensland provides a snapshot of this diverse region, from World Heritage–listed rainforest and reefs to the story…
Wellington
The city's most impressive viewpoint is atop 196m-high Mt Victoria (Matairangi), east of the city centre. You can take bus 20 most of the way up, but the…
Bay of Islands & Northland
Mangawhai's main claim to fame is the surf beach and its large hilltop car park fills up quickly in peak season. To the south a narrow spit of sand…
Kangaroo Island
'Observation, not interaction' is the mentality here. Guided tours stroll along the beach (or boardwalk on self-guided tours; adult/child/family $16/13/42…
Great Ocean Road
Scale the 136 steps to the top of the beautiful 'White Queen' lighthouse for sensational 360-degree views. Built in 1891, the 34m-high lighthouse is still…
