Choose from 889 Fun Things to Do in Australia And The Pacific
Blue Mountains National Park
- Parking at the national park costs A$7 per car.
- There are entrance fees for each of the attractions at Scenic World.
- Scenic World is open daily from 9am–5pm.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes if you plan on walking any of the the many trails in the park.
- Wet weather in winter months and bushfires in the summers can impede visitation.
- There are a number of campgrounds in the national park, which need to be booked ahead of time.
- The surrounding villages of Katoomba and Laura have plenty of dining options for lunch.
Cockington Green Gardens
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Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach may be two-horse small, but it's the main point of departure for many Whitsunday cruises so it's always got the lively feel of constant movement. In the day, the pace is laid back and mainly revolves around the town's artificial lagoon. This is a giant swimming pool (and we mean giant - more than the equivalent of six full-size pools) built by the council to give the town's inhabitants and visitors somewhere to swim when jellyfish season closes the beach.
The lagoon is surrounded by landscaped gardens and everything you'll need for a lazy day spent between the water and the picnic basket - BBQs, showers and toilets are all on tap.
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At night, the town sparks up and the backpacker population join the locals on Shute Harbour Road, the main center, to do the rounds of its bars, pubs and clubs. Shute Harbour Road is where you'll find most of the accommodation and eating options, which are reasonable to good. If you're taking a cruise out to the Barrier Reef or the Whitsunday Islands, you'll probably be leaving from Shute Harbour, about 10 minutes drive away from Airlie Beach itself.
Alice Springs Desert Park
The Alice Springs Desert Park offers the opportunity to experience the main desert environments in Australia. Wander through sand, woodland and river deserts and learn about their different plant and animal inhabitants. You will also learn about the traditional owners of the land, the Arrernte.
Animals rarely seen in the wild are on display in the nocturnal house which mimics the night desert offering a peek at rare and endangered animals that only come out in the dark like bilbies and carnivorous ghost bats.
The aquarium offers you a look at the animals you might find in a waterhole including fish, yabbies, burrowing frogs and turtles.
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Guided audio tours are available. You can take the short route through the park or explore further afield to find kangaroos and birdlife.
The park is 10 minutes by car from the center of Alice Springs. Alternatively, the Larapinta bike track will take you to the entrance.
Albert Park
Only three kilometers from the city center, Albert Park is crown land that stretches more than 188 hectares into the south of Melbourne, making it a popular place for runners, dog-walkers and those in need of some fresh, green space.
There are three main picnic areas to enjoy in Albert Park, all with picnic shelters, electric barbecues, shady trees, toilets and tables. From Aquatic Drive, you can take a stroll along the lakeside boardwalk, enjoy fine service and a steak at The Point restaurant, and watch sail boats tack across the lake.
Sports lovers can enjoy the public golf course within Albert Park, try their hand at sailing from the boat shed or take a dip at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. For those less energetic, perhaps try a coffee from the kiosk and relaxing to the sound of song birds in the parkland wilderness.
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Churchill Island Heritage Farm
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Cleland Wildlife Park
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Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
One of the twelve stops along the overland telegraph route the Alice Spring Telegraph Station Historical Reserve is a great place for a picnic. The reserve has walking tracks, swimming holes, a cycle path and shady spots to rest. There are also free electric barbeques. Several colonies of rock wallabies share the reserve with plenty of other native wildlife and some pet camels.
Many of the buildings in the old Telegraph station have been restored and offer a look at how messages were sent across Australia in the days when the trip took weeks by horse. In the Post and Telegraph Room you can still post a letter and send a telegram (email) to a friend. In the cooler months (May - Oct) the wood-fired oven is lit and damper ('outback bread') and scones are served.
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Access to the reserve is free but there is a cost to visit the historic buildings. There are free 45-minute tours through the Telegraph Station or you can self-guide with the map provided.
The park is about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of Alice Springs. You can drive, catch a cab or walk or cycle the path from Wills Terrace and Undoolya Road.
Bondi Beach
- Changing rooms, restrooms, and showers are available, but bring your own umbrella, sunscreen, and beach towel.
- Travelers should swim only in designated areas and when the lifeguards are present, as the waves can be strong.
- Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Bondi Beach and Bondi Park.
- Bondi Beach is wheelchair accessible, and beach wheelchairs are available at the Lifeguard Tower.
Boab Prison Tree
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Bondi to Coogee Beach Coastal Walk
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City Botanic Gardens
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Clifford's Honey Farm
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Alice Springs Reptile Centre
City Beach
City Beach is one of the two major beaches in the suburb of City Beach, about a twenty minute drive from the city center. City Beach is the people-pleaser of Perth’s beaches. Clean and uncrowded, the beach attracts surfers, families and backpackers.
City Beach is relatively small compared to other beaches around Perth, giving it an intimate feel. The sand is white and soft, and often the site of impromptu beach volleyball games and beach cricket. A surf life club runs regular training and competitions for its members. Green lawns behind the beach provide the perfect place for picnics.
It’s really all about the water at a beach though, and City Beach doesn’t disappoint. The surf is calm enough for swimmers (and the surf lifesavers ensure it’s safe). The shore break is often populated by surfers, and the waves are highly suited to those just starting out, though surfers of an intermediate level won’t be disappointed. Kitesurfing, and the slightly less intense windsurfing are also popular water-bound activities.
As well as the surf lifesaving club, facilities include a playground, kiosk, toilets, showers and a boardwalk to the neighboring Floreat Beach. Extensive dunes along the coast are closed to visitors, but home to hawks, mice and rabbits. City Beach is also the scenic end to the Perth City to Surf marathon each August.
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Akaroa Harbour
- Akaroa Harbour is a marine mammal sanctuary where encounters with wildlife are regulated.
- No touching or harassment of wildlife is allowed, and in events such as mother animals seen swimming with babies, or dolphins appearing to be feeding, guests can view the wildlife from the boat as opposed to getting in the water.
- Boat crews brief passengers on how to safely observe the world’s smallest and rarest (and endangered) dolphins.
- If getting on—or in—the water isn’t your preference, it’s easy to meander around the charming village, browsing shops, bistros, bakeries, and cafés.
Collins Street
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Bonnet Island
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Circular Quay
Sydney’s transport and scenic heart, Circular Quay is also the city’s birthplace, flanking the waters of Sydney Cove where the First Fleet settlers landed on Australian soil in 1788. The rectangular stretch of water is lined with attractive pedestrian walkways running from the Sydney Opera House, past the Circular Quay ferry terminals, around to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The historic laneways, interesting shops, old pubs and stylish restaurants of The Rocks precinct, one of Sydney’s most popular tourist areas, run behind the Museum of Contemporary Art. Circular Quay is one of the major vantage points for Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks.
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Circular Quay is one of Sydney’s major transport hubs. Sydney’s iconic green and yellow ferries run from Circular Quay to Manly, Balmain, Taronga Zoo and Watsons Bay. A train station overlooks the harbor and ferry terminals, and most of Sydney’s buses terminate outside the station.