Things to Do in Australia

Bundaberg is most known for its sugar cane fields, rum production and outdoor recreation. Because of its subtropical climate, sugar cane grows in abundance, which creates the bi-product of molasses for their famous Bundaberg Rum. Visitors can tour the distillery to see how the delicious product is made firsthand before sampling some for themselves.

Bundaberg is also the home to The Bundaberg Barrel, one of "Australia's Big Things," and which houses Bundaberg Brewed Drinks known internationally for their ginger beer.

Bundaberg’s subtropical weather also allows for an array of fresh local produce and ingredients, some of which include avocados, macadamia nuts, pineapples, mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, watermelons, citrus and much more. In terms of outdoor recreation the Burnett River is lined with parks, while sting ray-free beaches litter the coast. From August through October Bundaberg is a great place to go whale-watching, while November through March brings Giant Turtles to Mon Repos Beach.

Bundaberg is a great starting point for visiting Fraser Island, as you can take the Bruce Highway south to Torbanlea and follow the sign to Hervey Bay. You can take a ferry to Fraser Island from River Heads, located just south of Hervey Bay. Bundaberg is part of the Fraser Island district, and essentially runs parallel to Fraser Island’s northern tip.

The Broome Courthouse Markets offer an exciting array of local arts and crafts. There are clothes by local designers and many jewelry stores selling unique wares fashioned from local metal and local stones.

The food stalls are great and offer treats from freshly brewed coffee to Thai fish cakes, to frozen mangoes which are a perfect morning tea in the tropics.

Local animal preservation groups also have stalls here so you might have a chance to cuddle a baby koala or nurse a joey (a baby kangaroo).

The market is held in the grounds of the old courthouse which was built to house staff who worked for the telecommunications companies that owned the cable connecting Australia to Indonesia, which came ashore at Cable Beach and ran across town to the Courthouse.

Bruny Island has a reputation as an Australian foodie paradise, and the Bruny Island Berry Farm is part of the reason why. Here on this family-owned berry farm near the shores of Adventure Bay, locally-grown berries are deliciously transformed into ice cream, scones, jams, cheesecakes, and a wide assortment of desserts. If some of the farm’s 7,000 strawberry plants happen to be in season, visitors have the chance to wander the fields and pick their own berries from the vines. Blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, and youngberries all sweeten a visit to the farm, and even if the berries aren’t currently in season, the rural café is a relaxing spot for a coffee, tea, or scone.

Admire historical glamor and civic pride at Brisbane City Hall, which was built between 1920 and 1930 and reopened in 2013 after an extensive $215 million heritage restoration.

Located in the heart of the city, next to King George Square and close to Queen Street Mall, the heritage-listed Brisbane City Hall is Australia’s only city hall and is the home of Brisbane society, culture and governance. As well as hosting community events and civic ceremonies, Brisbane City Hall accommodates the Brisbane Lord Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Brisbane Council chambers and the world-class Museum of Brisbane.

The gem of City Hall is the stunning circular auditorium, with an impressive fluted Corinthian pilasters, overhead dome, an organ built in 1892, restored gallery seating and gilded elegance.  A tour of the marble halls, auditorium and 70 metre tall clock tower is a Brisbane tourism must, followed by an indulgent serve of tea and cake at the locally-loved Shingle Inn café, which is located within City Hall.

Brisbane is a city shaped by the river. It is a city of long walks in the summer dusk and riverside picnics on weekends. Bringing natural life to the urban scape, the Brisbane River is the site of many of Brisbane’s best attractions, events and everyday joys.

Popular activities on the Brisbane River include kayaking through the city at night, exploring the river on a CityCat, taking a dining river cruise or catching a local ferry to reach the opposite shore. Climbing the Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the river’s edge is a popular evening activity, and many residents and visitors alike enjoy climbing the famous Story Bridge, dining at South Bank by the water and relaxing with a drink at Eagle Street Pier.

You can also take a walk through the City Botanical Gardens that follow the northern river’s edge, see a live show at the famous Riverstage, look across the urban night from a Gallery of Modern Art ‘Up Late’ event, or read by the river from a peaceful seat on the State Library Queensland deck.

Suitably named, Byron Bay's Main Beach stretches along the front of the town and is the go-to destination for beach lounging, swimming or catching a wave. On a sunny day in Byron Bay, expect locals and visitors alike to be making the most at Main Beach – the town's closest beach outlet.

Main Beach is known for its beautiful surroundings, with views of the Julian Rocks, Cape Byron Light and grassy hills meeting the horizon line of white sandy beach and enticing water. Besides swimming and beach lounging, a popular activity is to snorkel out to the old shipwreck of the Tassie II just off-shore.

The reliable right and left-hand breaks at Main Beach make it a popular place for beginners to learn to surf. Several surf schools operate directly at Main Beach, but make sure to research this fact before making a booking. Surf schools must be authorized to operate at the beaches of Byron Bay or else they travel several minutes outside of the region for their lessons.

The Surf Club has called Main Beach home since 1906, and you can expect a patrolled beach during the summer month, but always remember to swim between the flags.

Purnululu National Park, or the Bungle Bungles, is one the world’s most beautiful areas to be discovered as recently as it has. Not thirty years since its discovery, this majestic 239,723 hectare range located in Kimberley, Australia, features utterly unique and beautiful layered sandstone domes closely resembling beehives.

Once inhabited by aborigines, in this amazing park you will discover gorges, wallabies, and fan palm trees. In the plains surrounding the sandstone domes you can catch exotic plant-life, such as beautiful bright yellow acacia flowers and grevilleas.

The only way to discover the Bungle Bungles is on foot, but with temperatures averaging more than 30 Celsius (86 F), so make sure you come prepared. Luckily, on your journey you will discover fresh-water rock pools, so refilling bottles and going for a dip is only part of the fun.

Charming and picturesque, Brighton Beach is a cove on Port Phillip Bay that is adored for its rainbow bathing boxes and views of Melbourne city skyline.

There is classic coastal feel to Brighton Beach, with its bayside cafes, boardwalk, yacht club, boutique shopping and two cinemas nearby. The cove is protected from southerly winds and patrolled by Surf Lifesavers, making it a safe place to swim if you can brave the water temperature.

Along Dendy Street beach, the bathing boxes have earned tourism icon status, offering a splash of colour against the white sandy shore, and giving the cove a European feel. There are 82 coveted bathing boxes in total, built to heritage standards with weatherboard and timber, and owned by local residents.

Cairns Cruise Port

One of Australia’s busiest cruise ports, Cairns may be best known for its close access to the Daintree tropical rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Once the site of mangrove swamps and sand ridges, the city today is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia, offering a plethora of water and adventure activities.

How to Get to Cairns

The brand new cruise terminal at Trinity Wharf is located in the heart of the city, so you won’t have far to go to reach the center of Cairns. Larger cruise ships may have to anchor in the harbor, in which case tenders will carry you from the ship to the port.

One Day in Cairns

If you’re like many visitors with just a day to spend in Cairns, chances are you’ll choose to forgo the city itself and instead book an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef.  Over 1,600 miles long and composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. Swimming, snorkeling, diving or riding on a glass bottom boat are all possibilities to explore the incredible biodiversity of what has been called one of the seven great natural wonders of the world.

For those who choose not to visit the Reef, taking the Skyline Rainforest Cableway to the town of Kuranda is another great way to spend a day. In Kuranda, you’ll find a variety of arts and craft shops, as well as the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. After taking a cable car to Kuranda, you can return to Cairns by bus.

Back in the city, head to the Cairns Esplanade to stroll along the Harbour Walk, explore the handicrafts market and enjoy live entertainment and public art displays. Art aficionados may also want to pay a visit to the Cairns Regional Art Gallery, featuring fine art from a variety of Australian artists, including Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

Another option for those who want to see more of the tropical rainforest would be to take a day-long guided tour to the Daintree Rainforest, about two hours north of Cairns.

Port Information

The official language is English and the local currency is the Australian dollar. ATMs are widely available and are the best way to obtain local currency. Most shops and restaurants will also accept credit cards.

A colorful history accompanies Broome's Chinatown. During the heyday of Broome's pearling industry, the pearlers (many from China, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Europe) would arrive back on shore cashed up and head to the opium dens and billiard halls of Chinatown.

Things have changed. You won’t find opium dens; however, you will still find corrugated sheds alongside some fascinating Chinese architecture and delicious food. The area is filled with pearl shops selling pearls and mother-of-pearl products many of which come from local waters.

Stroll around, soak up the atmosphere and learn about Broome's exciting history from the great storyboards on the shops along Johnny Chi Lane.

A brilliant 14 mi (22 km) of unspoiled white sand and turquoise waters, Cable Beach is a sun-lover's paradise.

Even during the busiest time of year (‘the dry’ – May through to November) it is guaranteed that you will find a secluded spot to lay your towel.  

The beach is almost perfectly flat and the water gently laps the shore, making it a perfect place for swimmers of any ability or those that want to walk along the beach soaking up the beauty. From shore you can see the occasional pearling boat still at work in the industry that supported Broome before tourists discovered this unspoilt gem.

Cable Beach is also famous as having one of Australia's most well known nudist beaches. The beach is to the north of the car park just south of Willie Creek.