Directory
Photo via Wikimediabeach
Australia
Australia 4.7
“A continent-nation spanning 7.7 million km² where ancient Aboriginal culture meets cosmopolitan cities, otherworldly reefs, and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.”
- 1Sydney Opera HouselandmarkJørn Utzon's 1973 sail-roofed concert hall hosts 1,500 performances yearly across six auditoriums.
- 2Great Barrier ReefnatureSpanning 2,300 kilometres off Queensland, this living structure shelters 1,500 fish species and 400 coral types.
- 3UlurulandmarkRising 348 metres in the Northern Territory, this sandstone monolith shifts red at sunset due to iron oxidation.
- 4Twelve ApostlesviewpointLimestone stacks along Great Ocean Road, Victoria, erode 2cm annually from Southern Ocean waves since 10,000 BCE.
- 5National Gallery of AustraliamuseumCanberra's flagship holds 166,000 works including Aboriginal bark paintings and Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles (1973).
- 6Port Arthur Historic SitehistoricTasmania's 1830s convict settlement features 30 restored buildings where 12,500 prisoners served time until 1877.
Traveller tips
Know before you go
- Distances are massive—Sydney to Cairns is 2,400 km; budget flights beat driving time.
- Sun protection is non-negotiable: Australia has the world's highest skin cancer rate.
- Book reef tours from Cairns or Port Douglas at least 48 hours ahead in shoulder season.
- Supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths offer cheaper meals than cafés (AU$8–12 vs $20+).