Australia Things To Do

Things To Do

When it comes to things to do, Australia is jam-packed with “musts” – some are expected (the Great Barrier Reef requires no introduction), others are more surprising (not everyone realizes, for example, that South Australia is speckled with world-class vineyards). Mother nature is far more and away the star of this nation, with people coming from far and wide to trek the flourishing rainforests, journey across the deserts, surf the waves, and explore the underwater riches of the world’s most famous coral jungle. To overlook the country’s cultural, historical, and artistic accomplishments, however, would be to do yourself a disservice. From Sydney’s happening beaches and iconic opera house to Melbourne’s thriving art scene, the urban landscape is nearly as diverse as the natural one. Add thousands of years of indigenous history to this mix and you have a collection of things to see and do that will keep you busy on this trip, and the next, and the next . . .

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Beaches
With warm blue waters, golden sand, and an average of 300 sunny days a year, the beach is a way life on the Gold Coast. The most popular beaches are Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, and Broadbeach, where world-class surfing conditions draw in the crowds. With its 2-mile-long strip of golden sand, however, Surfers Paradise is definitely where you’ll find most of the action.
Surfers Paradise; www.surfersparadise.com
Tags: beach | family | outdoors
Theme Parks
Australia’s theme park capital boasts the fastest, longest, highest and most exciting thrill rides in the country. This site includes information about Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, and Wet ’n’ Wild Water World.
Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, and Wet ’n’ Wild Water World; Northern Gold Coast; Coomera; www.gold-coast-theme-parks.com.au
Tags: family | theme park
Aboriginal Culture
Learn about the existence of the region’s indigenous occupants at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, a combined museum and art gallery. Guided tours include a performance by the Minjungbal Dance Troup and a bush tucker (aboriginal food) talk.
Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Centre; corner Kirkwood Rd. and Duffy St.; South Gold Coast; Tweed Heads; 011-61-7-5524-2109
Tags: family | culture | museum | history
Shopping
For avid shoppers, Cavil Mall, in the heart of Surfers Paradise (www.surfersparadise.com), is the place for surf clothing and street wear, Sanctuary Cove (www.sanctuarycove.com) in the Northern Gold Coast is where you’ll find designer labels and creative handicrafts, and Pacific Fair (www.pacificfair.com.au) in Broadbeach is the home of department stores and specialty shops.
Cavil Mall, Sanctuary Cove, and Pacific FairGold Coast
Tags: international travel | shopping | eclectic
Mount Lamington National Park
Following one of more than 20 trails, you’ll discover ancient rainforests, see amazing flora and fauna (like hoop pine forests and the eastern bristlebird), and stare in awe at the incredible mountain vistas of this World Heritage-listed national park.
Gold Coast Hinterland; 011-61-7-5533-3584; www.epa.qld.gov.au
Tags: family | hiking | outdoors
Head for the hills
Nestled high on the Great Dividing Range, Mount Tamborine is a haven for talented artists whose sculptures, paintings, and photographs capture the beauty of the area. Stroll along Gallery Walk and be enthralled by the eclectic range of galleries and craft shops.
Long Road; Mount Tamborine; www.tamborinemtncc.org.au
Tags: family | art | shopping | handicrafts
Dive In
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most popular and most reasonable places in the world to learn to dive. The Cairns Dive Center offers day cruises out onto the reef for snorkelers and divers as well as a range of courses, from open-water to instructor-led.
The Cairns Dive Center; The Tropical North; 121 Abbott St.; Cairns; 011-61-7-4051-0294; www.cairnsdive.com.au
Tags: international travel | diving | outdoors | adventure
Rainforests and Reefs
The Tropical North is the only place on earth where two World Heritage-listed areas – the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforests of Daintree and Cape Tribulation – exist side by side. You can spend endless hours spying Ulysses butterflies flitting around towering canopies, diving and snorkeling the reef, or sailing through the waterways.
Tropical Horizons Tours; 65 Greenbank Rd.; Cairns; 011-61-7-4058-1244; www.tropicalhorizonstours.com.au
Tags: family | diving | hiking | outdoors | world heritage
Reef HQ Townsville
Tour a turtle rehabilitation center or watch sharks being fed at the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium. Located in Townsville, it’s also the only public aquarium in the world where corals have spawned.
The Tropical North; 2-68 Flinders St.; Townsville; 011-61-7-4750-0800; www.reefhq.com.au
Tags: family | aquarium | wildlife
Reefsleep
Experience the reef at night with an overnight stay at Reefworld – a pontoon anchored at Hardy Reef just off Airlie Beach. Under a veil of stars, you can dive and snorkel on the reef and be mesmerized by the nocturnal activities of the colorful reef fish and sensational coral formations.
Reefworld; The Whitsundays; 11 Shute Harbour Rd.; Airlie Beach; 011-61-7-4946-5111; www.fantasea.com.au
Tags: family | diving | outdoors
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