Things to Do in Australia

A tour of the historic Cascades Female Factory and a couple of beers at Cascade Brewery, Australia's oldest brewery, top the list of attractions in this southern suburb of Hobart. But visitors willing to wander the streets will enjoy views of some of the most beautiful homes in the city, including the famous Ashleigh and Milton residences, as well as quaint cottages and historic townhouses.

The heritage site, All Saints Anglican Church, is also worth a stop. Afterwards, rent a bicycle and ride the path along the Rivulet, or wander the foothills of Mount Wellington via the trails behind Cascade Brewery, the oldest brewery in Australia.

Lofted above the metropolitan skyline atop the 1,014-foot (309-meter) Sydney Tower, the Sydney Tower Buffet is one of the Southern Hemisphere's highest revolving restaurants. Soak in 360-degree views of nearby landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, and (on a clear day) the Blue Mountains while enjoying lunch or dinner as the restaurant slowly rotates high above the city.

 

The Sydney Tower Buffet offers a casual self-select dining experience, sans dress code, with more than 60 dishes covering both local and international cuisines. Try fresh seafood from Australia's shores, a variety of fresh meats and veggies, and national specialties such as crocodile or kangaroo. Book ahead to get the time slot that best fits your needs for lunch or dinner.

 

 

Located at Pitt and Market Streets, Sydney Tower is about a 10-minute walk from Circular Quay. The closest train stations are St. James and Town Hall, while city buses stop at Elizabeth Street, Castlereagh Street, and the Queen Victoria Building. Enter the Westfield Sydney shopping mall on Market St; the restaurant reception is on Level 4.

Sydney Tower Restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, with booking windows running from 11:30am to 2pm for lunch and 5 to 11pm for dinner. Book ahead to make sure you get a table. To see the city in daylight, at sunset, and after dark, book your visit just before twilight.

 

Turning at the rate of one full revolution every 80 minutes, the Sydney Tower Buffet offers different perspectives on Sydney throughout the meal. Every table is placed next to floor-to-ceiling picture windows.

Sullivan's Cove, a waterfront district on the western shore of the Derwent River, was the original settlement of the British in Tanzania. Boats from around the globe, including some traveling from as far as Antarctica, dock at this nautical site, which retains much of its original charm because of its historic architecture.

Visitors can explore the docks before heading to MONA"”the Museum of Old and New Art, or spend a Saturday afternoon leisurely strolling through the stalls of nearby Salamanca Market. Travelers can also cruise along the River Derwent or wander through the historic villages of nearby Richmond, Pontville and Kempton, or catch a show at the Theatre Royal.

Constructed back in 1868, the Brisbane Parliament House is the active seat of Queensland's ruling Parliament. It was Australia's first Parliament House to be wired with electricity, and remains an architectural gem in Queensland's bustling capital. For a detailed look at inside the building, join an afternoon public tour through the building's exquisite interior, where you'll pass the foyer and grand staircase and see the building's verandah, and view the curious "wind yarn," or Parliament's didgeridoo. When Parliament is in session, you can sit and watch as the laws are made and Queensland's elect are at work, and there are even those who say the building is haunted with political ghosts. Aside from the architecture, regal surroundings, and dose of Australian history, a visit to Brisbane's Parliament house is a way to view the political process that rules the northeastern state.

Launched in Belfast in 1885 at a time when sailing for commercial shipping was starting to come to an end, the three-masted Polly Woodside would go on to sail nearly a million miles across all corners of the globe. She rounded Cape Horn 16 different times, and carried everything from nitrate to wheat across the seven seas. During World War II, she served in New Guinea as a supply ship before returning back to Australia, with her owners eventually choosing to scuttle the ship in the early 1960s. Thankfully, a group of local maritime enthusiasts saw the historic and educational value in preserving the crumbling ship, and worked out a deal where it was sold to the National Trust for only a single cent. When visiting the Polly Woodside today, which has been masterfully and expertly restored, visitors will walk the wooden decks and go below in the holds"”experiencing life as it would have been while sailing out on the seas. Hear the rations allotted to sailors while harnessing wind between ports, and try your hand at maritime skills like sewing or cutting cloth. It's amazing to think that early Australians arrived on ships just like these, and it's a classic dose of Australian history in the heart of Melbourne's downtown.

At the foot of Sydney's Harbour Bridge lies the city's historic birthplace, the Rocks: a quarter of winding streets, small sandstone houses and some of the oldest pubs in town. It was here that the colonists from the First Fleet settled, and the site soon became home to the strong community network of Sydney's working class. 

The Susannah Place Museum, a small complex dating back to 1844, tells the story of these former residents. It consists of four terrace houses and a mom-and-pop shop that sells historical artifacts and typical Australian souvenirs. The museum gives fascinating insight into the hard urban life of the working class during colonial times, with workers' stories reconstructed through oral histories. Visitors are shown a documentary about those who lived here and are then given a tour through the buildings, which are all preserved in their original condition. Only essential repairs were carried out on the houses, with their low ceilings, worn-out steps and old furniture from different epochs.

Only 90 minutes from the teeming streets of modern, fast-paced Melbourne, Phillip Island is known for its wildlife and scenic, rural shores. The fact that the island has remained so wild is in large part due to the Phillip Island Nature Parks that preserve, protect"”and importantly, promote"”the island's wildlife wealth. Though the parks are commercial enterprises that charge admission fees to visit, all of the money goes directly back into wildlife conservation. 

The Phillip Island Nature Parks cover 4,460 acres and include the Koala Conservation Center, The Nobbies Center, Churchill Island Heritage Farm and the famous Penguin Parade. The organization also manages conservation areas such as Pyramid Walk and Cape Woolamai, where the rugged nature of the island's coastline impresses with every turn. The parks are by far the most popular activities when visiting Phillip Island, and over the course of a single day you can watch as seals stretch out on the rocks, hang with furry koalas in the treetops, enjoy craggy rock formations and white sand beaches, and watch as thousands of Little Penguins come scurrying ashore at sunset.

Situated right at the end of Victoria's Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles are a set of eight rock formations"”there used to be twelve"”jutting out of the Southern Ocean. These limestone pillars were once connected to the nearby cliffs but have been eroded away into caves, pillars, and arches from the harsh conditions of the ocean.

A majority of the tours to the Twelve Apostles are full-day tours leaving from Melbourne in the early morning. There are many stops and photo opportunities along the way as you drive down the Great Ocean Road, such as Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, and Port Campbell. Discover the native wildlife, such as koalas and kangaroos, and learn about the local indigenous culture. For those who want a bird's-eye view, take a helicopter tour over the Victorian coast.

For those who would like to road trip on their own, drive along the coastal B100 highway to reach the Twelve Apostles. Visitors can also rent a bike or book a cycling tour to explore the Great Ocean Road at their own pace. For the truly adventurous, the 65-mile (104-kilometer) Great Ocean Walk from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles may be of interest.

The Twelve Apostles is one of Australia's most popular attractions. Avoid the large crowds from tourist buses by getting to the rock formations in the early morning or late afternoon. Alternately, if you drive inland to get to the sight, and then take the Great Ocean Road back to Melbourne, it's generally a less crowded route.

The Bass Strait was once a very busy shipping route, bringing supplies and immigrants to Melbourne from all over the world. But the waters were quite treacherous during bad weather. This resulted in upwards of 700 ships meeting a bitter end along this coastline, some of which can still be seen today between Port Fairy and Cape Otway.

Tumbling 122 meters from the steep cliffs of the Steavenson River valley, the Steavenson Falls make an impressive sight, with the river cascading over 5 tiers. Despite being among the areas damaged in Victoria's 2009 bushfires, the area remains one of the region's most scenic natural reserves, surrounded by the looming peaks of the Yarra Ranges, ancient woodlands and lush pockets of rainforest. 

Most visitors to the falls follow the short trail to the viewing platform beneath the falls, but there are also ample options for hiking and bird watching in the surrounding countryside. The most atmospheric time to visit is in the evening hours before midnight, when the falls are dramatically floodlit.

Australia's newest parliament house was built in Darwin in 1994, and has been the seat of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since then. It was designed in a postmodern style and built to suit the tropical climate of Darwin. The entrance features a Northern Territory coat of arms placed at the top of its ceremonial doors. 

The building overlooks Darwin Harbor, sitting on the site of the former Post Office and Telegraph Station which were bombed during a raid in 1942. There is a state library, portrait gallery, and a massive Main Hall indoors, and the Speakers Green outdoor. The areas function both as parliamentary and government receptions and public exhibitions. Unique tributes to the symbols of the Northern Territory, such as a desert rose in the reception foyer, are present throughout.

Located in Tasmania, not far from Hobart, the Tinderbox Marine Nature Reserve is ideal for snorkelers and scuba divers. The site is home to more than 30 species of seaweeds, and its abundant plant life provides habitats for a large assortment of marine life.

Swimming and boating are allowed in the reserve, and along with numerous types of fish, visitors may catch sight of sea dragons, urchins and sea-stars. Octopus, squid, shrimp and crabs also call the Tinderbox Marine Reserve home, so visitors are asked to leave the wildlife as is and to use care to protect the environment.

Originally, when this Georgian-style, 19th-century building was built near Sullivan's Cove, it was destined to be a custom's house for Hobart's developing trade. As the politics of the island increased, however, and "Van Diemen's Land""”as it was then known, grew as an independent colony, the building was chosen to house the customs, as well as the city's Parliament. Today, Hobart's Parliament House has been a hub of politics since 1841, and is still the site where Parliament and lawmakers gather to govern the state.

 

On a guided tour of the Parliament House, learn the fascinating history of the building and all of its renovations, as well as tour the underground basement full of history, legends, and lore. On the outside of the buildings, the surrounding Parliament House gardens are a relaxing place to either go for a stroll or rest in the shade of an oak, before venturing over to Constitution Dock or nearby Salamanca Market.

This chapel, nicknamed "The Trench", designated for male convicts in Hobart Town was a less than holy place. With poor ventilation, 36 solitary confinement rooms and separate punishment chambers hidden beneath the chapel floor, it was truly a spot for torture and despair. The dark cells, referred to as "dust holes" were deemed inhumane and closed in 1849, but visitors can still catch a glimpse of the horrid conditions on a Penitentiary tour, where guides remind guests about the terrible sounds that could be heard coming from convicts chained beneath the floors.

The grounds include a prison yard, barracks, punishment chambers and an execution yard, as well as the chapel, which was partially transformed into courtrooms in 1859. Visitors who opt for the ghost tour can wander the tunnels and gallows by lamplight while hearing stories of the more than 30 individuals who were executed here.