Country guide

Australia

Australia covers 7,688,287 km², sixth largest in the world, and close to 4,000 km separate its east coast from its west. Nearly 28 million people live here, about 80 per cent of them within 25 km of a mainland coastline 35,821 km long — which is the fact that governs any trip taken across it. The cities form a rim around an interior that stays largely empty; Sydney and Melbourne pass five million each, and Canberra, the capital, is neither of them. Six states and ten territories, and a sensible visit chooses two of them rather than the map.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Sydney
Photograph · W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sydney 12,249 places
Melbourne
Photograph · Shkuru Afshar · CC BY-SA 4.0

Melbourne 12,336 places
Brisbane
Photograph · Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0

Brisbane 7,157 places
Perth
Photograph · Samuel Wiki · CC BY 4.0

Perth 5,079 places
Adelaide
Photograph · Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0

Adelaide 2,888 places

Practical information

Language spoken: English is the principal language; no federal official language; National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code: +61; International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD); Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number: 000; Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type: Type I · 230 V; Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water: Safe from treated public supplies; Follow local notices in remote communities and after disruptions

Planning a visit

January: seasonal closure recorded
February: seasonal closure recorded
March: seasonal closure recorded
April: seasonal closure recorded
May: seasonal closure recorded
June: seasonal closure recorded
July: no seasonality data recorded
August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
September: seasonal closure recorded
October: seasonal closure recorded
November: seasonal closure recorded
December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Common questions

How long should a first trip to Australia be?

Ten to fourteen days should cover one coast, one city pair or one city plus a nearby landscape, not the continent. Sydney and Melbourne can share a southeastern route; Perth, the tropical north and the Red Centre each demand separate flights and more time.

What entry documents are needed for Australia?

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs is the authority for Visitor visas and electronic travel permissions. Select the product for the passport and purpose, complete required declarations, and remember that visa approval does not remove Australia’s strict biosecurity obligations.

What is the best way to travel around Australia?

Flights are usually the efficient link between distant states. Rail and coaches serve selected corridors, cars become important outside cities, and urban fare cards are local rather than national; remote drives require fuel, water, communications and realistic distance planning.

When is a practical time to visit Australia?

Australia’s seasons and hazards vary dramatically by latitude. Southern-city summers, tropical dry seasons and Red Centre heat create different windows, so choose dates for the selected region and check official fire, cyclone or flood advice before road travel.

What money and payment basics apply in Australia?

The Australian dollar is the sole recorded currency. Contactless payment is common, but remote roadhouses and small services justify a backup card or cash; check surcharges at the point of sale and budget fuel around long gaps rather than metropolitan prices.

What practical safety details should I save for Australia?

Use 000 for urgent police, fire or ambulance assistance; Australia uses Type I power at 230 V. Treated public tap supplies are recorded as safe, but remote-site notices take precedence, and travellers should save the state emergency service relevant to their route.

🇦🇺Australia

Cities

Practical information

Planning a visit

Top things to see

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Melbourne Athenaeum

National Theatre

State Theatre

La Mama Theatre

Thebarton Theatre

Chapel Off Chapel

Garrick Theatre

Perth Concert Hall

Vault

Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Manly Art Gallery and Museum

2000 Summer Olympics cauldron

Comedy Theatre

Keith Haring mural

Quarry Amphitheatre

Regal Theatre

Sir William Glasgow Memorial

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre

Victoria Hall

Enmore Theatre

McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park

Statue of Queen Victoria

City Recital Hall

Gilgamesh

Hordern Pavilion

Roslyn Packer Theatre

State Theatre

Sydney Lyric

Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery

Australian Tennis Hall of Fame

Belvoir St Theatre

Cremorne Theatre

Eliza

Glen Street Theatre

Hamer Hall

Seymour Centre

S. H. Ervin Gallery

State Theatre Centre of Western Australia

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

Clocktower Centre

Devonshire Street Tunnel

Dingo Flour sign

Fairfield Industrial Dog Object

Federation Bells

Great Petition

Grow Your Own

Halo

HOTEL

Malthouse Theatre

Marian Street Theatre

Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery

MPavilion

Northcote Koori Mural

South African War Memorial

Spanda

The Cheese Stick

The Metro Theatre

Yininmadyemi - Thou didst let fall

Alexander Forrest Statue

Artillery Drill Hall

Fairfield Amphitheatre

Forward Surge

King Neptune Statue

Old Mill Theatre

Statue of Peter Pan

Waugal Monoliths

Springwood Library

1812 Theatre

Alexander Theatre

Australian Outback Spectacular

Interloop

Karralyka Centre

Reed Vessel

Rooftop Cinema

Australia