Choose from 889 Fun Things to Do in Australia And The Pacific
Bass & Flinders Centre
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Blue Mountains
Visible on a clear day from Sydney's observation towers, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains region is a popular destination for idyllic day trips away from the urban hustle. Visitors to Sydney who opt to venture outside the city on a mountain day tour are rewarded with outdoor activities, memorable experiences, and the natural beauty found in Blue Mountains National Park, including rugged sandstone outcrops, cavernous valleys, and towering eucalyptus forests. This stunning scenery draws visitors from the U.S., Europe, and the rest of the world.
Blue Mountain Popular Attractions
The best of the Blue Mountains includes the mighty Three Sisters rock formation and expansive Jamison Valley, both of which can be seen from Echo Point Lookout, various hiking trails, and Katoomba Scenic World's cable cars and tramways. Surrounding area tourist attractions include the tea shops and antique stores of Blackheath, Katoomba, and Leura, plus the Zig Zag Railway, the Norman Lindsay Gallery, and the Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to native animals such as kangaroos, wombats, and koalas.
Best Ways to Enjoy the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are most often visited on small-group or private day tours from Sydney, many of which last about 10 hours and include a tour guide, plus roundtrip coach transportation from your Sydney hotel. A typical Blue Mountains tour takes travelers out onto bushwalking trails, with some focusing specifically on day hikes, ATV adventures, or wildlife. It's the perfect destination for active travelers, hikers, and rock climbers.
Tours that include admission to Scenic World allow visitors to glide between clifftops and over the rainforest on the Scenic Skyway tram; descend into the Jamison Valley on the Scenic Railway; or ride the Mountain Devil, the steepest railway in Australia. Explore the tranquil rainforest along the Scenic Walkway and climb back to the top with amazing views and photo opportunities on the cableway. Aside from a visit to Scenic World, a Blue Mountain adventure can also be paired with a Sydney city tour to see the Opera House, a trip to the nearby Jenolan Caves, or a winery visit in the world-class wine-producing region of Hunter Valley. Those who want to get out on the water can opt for an afternoon river cruise on the Parramatta River as a stop on the journey back to Sydney.
How to Get There
Aquascene
It's amazing what a few scraps of bread flung to a mullet can start. That's what a resident of Doctors Gully did in the 1950s, and it didn't take long for the local fish to realize they were onto a good thing. The number of fish turning up for a free meal grew and grew, the word got around, and these days it's turned into Aquascene, a healthy tourist attraction.
Every day at high tide (the tides vary, naturally, so you'll have to check the local paper or contact Aquascene for exact feeding times) a deluge of fish flood into the shallow bay, napkins on, as it were. The original mullet population have been joined by a host of other species including catfish, milkfish and bream.
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The fish are now so tame you can feed them by hand and get a good close-up look at the local marine varieties. If you're squeamish about fishy lips or don't feel like getting in the water, there's seating from which you can watch the feeding frenzy.
Air Force Museum
Blue Baths
- Choose a city sightseeing tour that points out the famous landmark.
- There are two hot-soak pools, which vary between 99°F and 106°F (37°C"“41°C).
- The original Juvenile Pool hovers around 86°F (30°C).
- There is no lifeguard at the Blue Baths pools; all children under 14 years of age require supervised entry to the pool area.
Ripley's Believe It or Not Surfers Paradise
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Bradleys Head
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Clarendon Homestead
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Brickendon Historic Farm and Convict Village
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Albert Park
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Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb
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Zealandia
The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary’s restored forest and wetlands provide a habitat for more than 30 native bird species, as well as frogs, lizards and cute green geckos.
View the exhibition tracing the development of New Zealand’s natural history, take a guided walking tour through the predator-proof, 225-hectare (550-acre) sanctuary, then refuel at the park’s cafe overlooking the lake.
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Buses stop nearby, or it’s 10 minutes by taxi, 20 minutes by bike and around 1 hour on foot via the botanic garden.
Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre
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Central Business District
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360 Bar and Dining at Sydney Tower
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Bluff Knoll
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Cleft Island (Skull Rock)
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Bicentennial Park
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Arthur's Pass National Park
This superbly scenic national park is in Central Canterbury, rising out of the plains. A magnet for wintertime skiers and summertime hikers, Arthur's Pass National Park is also a popular day trip from Christchurch.
Easy day walks fan out from the visitor information center, leading to vantage points affording panoramic views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks.
Providing an instant snapshot of New Zealand's legendary natural beauty, a day trip to the park also reveals glimpses of extensive beech forests, rainforest, mountain passes and soaring peaks.
If you're planning on experiencing a bit of New Zealand 'tramping' (the NZ word for hiking) take note that this is tricky territory, and for experienced hikers only. Tracks are not continuously marked, and they can involve river crossings, plus the weather is notoriously changeable.
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Arthur's Pass National Park is on New Zealand's South Island, two hours northwest of Christchurch.
The town of Arthur's Pass is on the main bus route between Christchurch and Greymouth; the scenic TranzAlpine train also comes through here daily. If you're driving from Christchurch, take Highway 73.
Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Garden
Set among 25 acres of wooded and sculpted gardens you can take a self-guided garden discovery trail, loose yourself in the mazes and enjoy a bite to eat in the fully licensed mud brick Ashcombe cafe.
Ideal for kids (who can join in the Great Ashcombe Gnome Hunt), adults will also enjoy getting lost the maze and lavender gardens. There is also a gift shop and plant nursery on site.
Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Garden is in Shoreham on the eastern side of the Mornington Peninsula, about 75 minutes from the city by car.