Across our wide, brown land, there is no shortage of landmarks in Australia to add to your bucket list. Calling Australia home, we’ve been lucky to have explored many of the most well-known landmarks in Australia. Certainly not all of them, but a good many.
Whether you’re a local, or a visitor, Australia is packed with impressive landmarks and areas to explore. We’ve compiled our list of our favourite landmarks in Australia that we’ve had the good fortune to visit. And for those on our bucket list we’re yet to visit, we’ve thrown some of those in for good measure too.
In compiling this list, the concept of a landmark has been something that has plagued us. What is in and what is out? We’ve landed on a range of man made, natural and pure novelty attractions we think are worth a visit. Some might not be worth a special trip just to see and are better visited as part of a wider trip. Here’s our list of some of favourite Australian landmarks.
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30+ of our favourite famous landmarks in Australia
#1 Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is an obvious choice and leads our list as possibly the most magnificent natural landmark. Not just in Australia, but across the globe. Stretching over 2,300 kilometres (that’s over 1,400 miles for our American friends) the reef is huge. With a vast array of stunning coral and sea life, this natural beauty is the pearl of Australia’s landmarks.
Viewing of the reef is most popular between the Whitsundays and Cairns where you can have the opportunity to snorkel, scuba and see this magnificent marine sight up close and personal.
#2 Gold Coast
A surfer’s haven, a visit to Queensland is never complete without a trip to the Gold Coast. Whilst a Saturday night at Surfer’s Paradise might not be for the faint hearted, the long stretches of wide beaches, dreamy sunsets and views from the towering skyscrapers make the ‘Goldie’ an important landmark in Australia to visit at least once. Avoid schoolies week in November, unless of course you’re indeed a Schoolie!
#3 The Whitsundays
Something of a change of pace to the Goldie, the Whitsundays are the idyllic Queensland set of islands most people conjure when they think of Australian paradise. Zoom around Hamilton Island on your golf buggy. Live it up in premium luxury on Hayman Island. Play some golf on an island that has nothing but a golf course. Or walk the ‘whitest’ sand in the world on Whitehaven Beach.
The Whitsundays are a stunning part of Australia and well worth a dedicated visit. Or three.
#4 Daintree Rainforest
Like the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree rainforest is another enormous ecosystem that runs for around 1,200 kilometres. It’s known as Australia’s largest area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent. The World Heritage listed Daintree is also the oldest surviving rainforest in the world. It’s estimated to be over 180 million years old and is home to thousands of different species of wildlife.
Stepping into the Daintree is a little like stepping back into an unspoilt time and is easily paired with a Great Barrier Reef visit.
The Daintree rainforest is easily paired with a tour to the stunning Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation for a perfect day trip.
#5 Brighton Bathing Boxes
The well heeled beachside suburb in Melbourne is known for premium properties and its colourful array of old school bathing boxes. For those who seek a dash of colour even on the bleakest of Melbourne days, the Brighton bathing boxes will do that job!
Stretching along the beach, each and every box is uniquely painted, including a version with the Australian flag. A must see landmark in Australia when visiting Victoria’s capital.
#6 Hosier Lane
Maybe there is something about colour and Melbourne? Hosier Lane, tucked away in a laneway just opposite Federation Square, you’ll find a magical variety of graffiti art. The art takes inspiration from all angles. Sometimes political, humanitarian, or simply a creative interpretation.
Those that know return here often, those that don’t often come within metres of seeing everything and miss out. Make sure you make time for a visit before trying some of Melbourne’s finest cocktails and dining around the area.
#7 Great Ocean Road
Pack up your vehicle and head on the open road. Hugging the southern coastline of Australia, the Great Ocean Road is one of the absolute must see Australian landmarks. Dotted with cute little towns including Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay, the pinnacle of this stretch of road are the Twelve Apostles.
The Twelve Apostles refers to the limestone stacks that exist just out to sea from the beach. Confusingly, there are not twelve stacks. There were originally eight, however one eroded and collapsed in 2005. A reminder as good as any that some of these landmarks won’t be around forever and are worthwhile prioritising on your list of famous landmarks in Australia to visit.
#8 The Pinnacles
Western Australia’s enormity is home to many a wonderful range of natural landmarks. The Pinnacles, located around three hours north of Perth, are somewhat otherworldly. Like the Twelve Apostles, the desert is scattered with limestone formations in all shapes and sizes.
Visitors can drive a loop around the Pinnacles, with stops along the way allowing you to grab a photo alongside one of the most famous landmarks in Australia.
#9 Lancelin
If you’re ticking off famous landmarks of Australia, The Pinnacles can easily be paired up with the sand dunes of Lancelin on the same visit. A small town around an hour’s drive north of Perth, Lancelin is home to some impressive sand dunes.
These sand dunes make for an excellent hike up – bring water and lots of deep breaths! From the top, the wind forms wavy, almost too perfect natural patterns in the sand. There are also great views out to sea. And for the more adventurous, why not try some sandboarding? The Lancelin sand dunes are an easy pit stop, or half a day of fun depending on how you choose to experience them!
#10 Margaret River
Perhaps more of a landmark region than a landmark itself! However, the Margaret River is a must visit destination for visitors to Western Australia. With immaculate beaches, Australian red-earth and some of the best wines in the country, there’s a lot to love about Margaret River.
The wineries here really are the hallmark with Vasse Felix, Cape Mentelle and Voyager Estate amongst the better known vineyards. Stay for a day or a week, there’s no chance of boredom sneaking in.
#11 Kings Park Botanic Garden
Perched on Mount Eliza and overlooking the city of Perth and the Swan River, the Kings Park Botanic Garden is Western Australia’s most visited destination. The gardens are home to many local and imported fauna. If you could bottle the scent of the park it would be called ‘Pure Australiana’.
A visit in the afternoon on a warm day will see you amongst many other visitors, but is a lovely way to spend some time strolling and taking in the views. There’s also a nice bird’s eye view of the Swan Brewery too.
#12 Uluru
Is Uluru the most famous landmark in Australia? We think so. This striking rock is a must do bucket list item for anyone from or visiting Australia. In fairness, it is located in the middle of Australia and not always a convenient trip to make. It is a trip well rewarded however.
A UNESCO world heritage site, Uluru-Ayers Rock takes turns throughout the day changing colours. Depending on the position of the sun, it’ll be orange, brown, red and everything in between. A sunrise and sunset viewing of Uluru is a must. This was you get to enjoy the colour change spectrum in its rapid glory.
Uluru represents a stunning view from a distance, but up close and personal, you can take in an entirely different aspect. In 2019, climbing Uluru was banned in respect of the local indigenous community, however wandering the base is an enjoyable experience.
There are many wonderful things to do in Uluru, but a dinner under the stars would have to be the most ethereal experience. An experience heavy on the wallet, but not soon forgotten.
#13 Kata Tjuta
A visit to Uluru is complemented best with an excursion to visit Kata Tjuta. Also known as the Olgas, Kata Tjuta feels like a melted, warped version of Uluru. It is the second of the major landmarks in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park.
Kata Tjuta has its own stunning colour shades and a wander through on foot is a special experience.
#14 Adelaide Oval
As a sports lover, I was conflicted about how many, if any, sports grounds to include on this list. The MCG and SCG are certainly stand outs. However Adelaide Oval makes the list of famous Australian landmarks, perhaps mostly because of its disproportionate impact on the city it lives in itself.
The Adelaide Oval has recently been upgraded with a range of new stands. It’s old school scoreboard still holds its position, so there is a wonderful mix of old and new. And for extra marks, you can also climb the rooftop of the Oval. A similar activity to climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
If you’re in South Australia and want to take in some sport, you have to add the Adelaide Oval to your list.
#15 Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens
Located in the Adelaide Hills, this stunning garden includes a whole host of Australian flora native to the area. An easy pathway winds itself around the gardens to explore the variety of stunning plants and trees.
A visit in different seasons will illicit different responses. Even the depths of winter find pockets of colour and stunning fragrances.
#16 Barossa Valley
Another of Australia’s landmark wine regions, the Barossa is often touted as Australia’s best. Wine lovers will be well familiar with the Penfolds Grange which calls the Barossa home.
Visitors can also pop along to the weekly Farmer’s market to supplement their wine purchases. At the end of the autumn vintage, the Barossa Vintage Festival is a fantastic spectacle with a range of events, competitions and tastings. One for the wine connoisseur’s bucket list for sure.
#17 Australian War Memorial
In the nation’s capital, the Australian War Memorial stands proudly as a testament to those who have served Australia in war time. For us, visits here are important to remember family members who have served. Kristen’s Great Grandfather is memorialised here on the walls of the memorial. He lost his life in WW1 in Turkey.
Even for visitors who have no linkage to the armed forces, the memorial is a moving place. A recently opened museum component provides a fantastic experience to better understand Australia’s involvement in conflict over the years.
#18 Australian Parliament
Standing at the opposite end of the Australian War Memorial is Australia’s parliament. ‘New Parliament House’ was opened in 1988, replacing the ‘old Parliament House’. There is no other building quite like Australia’s Parliament.
Federal Parliament meets here between the two houses of the Senate and House of Representatives. Entry is free and you can enjoy watching the politicians spare during Question Time if that’s your thing. Certainly no visit to Canberra is complete without a trip to see where Australia’s lawmakers thrash out the future of the country.
#19 Bondi to Bronte
In our opinion there are better beaches in Australia, however Bondi Beach has to be the most famous landmark in Australia when it comes to assessing where the sand meets the sea!
There’s no doubt that Bondi is a must visit location for visitors, but the hot tip would be to not stop at Bondi. Start at the most famous beach and continue the famous walk around the cliffs and edges on the walk to Bronte. A walk in the morning will be bathed in sunshine. The Bondi Icebergs pools, Tamarama beach and Waverley cemetery are key highlights along this walk.
#20 Three Sisters
Australia is packed with odd shaped rocks, and the Three Sisters meets this brief too. Located west of Sydney in the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters draws regular crowds. In winter, the Three Sisters can be hard to see behind a thick sheet of fog. No visit to the Blue Mountains is complete however without a period of gazing at this unique natural formation.
#21 Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House
The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House probably deserve their own independent entry on this list. However, their proximity and view points make them synonymous as a couple.
The enormous ‘coat hanger’ can’t be missed from many places around Sydney Harbour. In fact, from many higher vantage points around the city, the bridge is visible in the skyline. The Bridge can be enjoyed from land, sea and air, but perhaps the best place to enjoy the bridge is walking upon it. The Bridgeclimb is an activity for anyone wanting to have a real Sydney Harbour Bridge experience. And it beats a walk across it, which whilst free, has obstructed views along the way.
The Sydney Opera House might be smaller, but is no less a famous landmark in Australia. The unique white tailed sails make this building a special destination for locals and visitors alike. Enjoying a drink at Opera Bar as the sun goes down is about the best thing you can do to fully maximise your Opera House experience. Followed by a theatre or musical performance inside of course!
Visit during the famous Vivid festival to see the white sails illuminated in a variety of mesmerising colours, patterns and art.
#22 Hyam’s Beach
A couple of hours south of Sydney, and you’ll find the stunning area of Jervis Bay. Long a favourite of Sydneysiders heading south for a holiday break, it’s also home to Hyam’s Beach. We might have already covered Whitehaven Beach, but Hyam’s Beach also lays claim to having the whitest sand in the world at any beach.
The desktop Google research on this topic is both amusing and confusing. But one thing is for sure, Hyam’s Beach is a stunning stretch of sand. The sand is indeed incredibly pure and white. And the water a stunning shade of turquoise. A visit at least once to this landmark beach is a must.
Jervis Bay is an easy stop on a southern road trip, and a popular one of the Sydney to Eden route too.
Are you a Sydneysider looking for a weekend getaway? Check out our favourite weekend trips from Sydney here with a few lesser known landmarks in Australia too!
#23 Dog on the Tucker Box
On a Sydney to Melbourne road trip or vice versa, a stop at the Dog on the Tucker Box is a must see. Immortalised in songs and poems, this landmark is uniquely Australian. Standing since the early 1930s, the statue was inspired by an early Australian poem.
Small in stature, it’s a great site to break up a road trip and grab yourself a souvenir from the nearby gift shop.
#24 Parkes radio telescope
This famous Australian landmark even has a movie dedicated to it. Colloquially referred to as ‘The Dish’, the Parkes radio telescope played an integral role in the 1969 moon landing.
Beyond the moon landing, the radio telescope has continued to play a major role in astronomic research, surveying the Milky Way and capturing sounds of the universe around us.
Added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2020, the 64 metre high dish would have to be the most popular of all landmarks in Australia for science lovers.
#25 Lord Howe Island
A landmark island of Australia, Lord Howe Island takes only 400 visitors at any one point in time. This small land mass located around 500kms off the NSW coast is packed with its own selection of landmarks. Mount Gower, Ball’s Pyramid and Ned’s Beach provide a microcosm of rare, stunning biodiversity. Exploring this island from a variety of vantage points will give visitors varying and new perspectives. A destination for the real explorer.
Read up more on what to do on Lord Howe Island.
#26 Mount Wellington/Kunanyi
Overlooking Hobart, Mount Wellington/Kunanyi is an unmissable landmark of Australia for those visiting our southern-most state, Tasmania. Mount Wellington/Kunanyi can’t be missed from the state capital, which has its own climate. Sunny and warm down by the docks? Don’t expect it to be the same up top.
Even in the summer months you can expect some very cold weather, dotted with snow. The views from atop however are unparalleled. The ‘fresh’ weather makes it an energising spot to visit.
#27 Wineglass Bay
Located in Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park, this stunning bay is worth a visit. A gentle, upwards hike within the national park will get you to the famous vantage point where you can see the almost perfect, curved shape of the beach. Stunning turquoise waters lap at the perfectly formed beach.
A steeper descent will get you down to the beach. As nice as that spot is, the full perspective is best viewed from above. For the more well-heeled, a flyover might just be the best way to take in this particular landmark.
#28 Mona
A list of famous landmarks in Australia is not complete without a museum. Whilst Australia is packed with a fantastic range of museums, the Mona is the only one that makes our list.
Unlike any other museum, this is a forward thinking, future-oriented museum. The exhibits are thought provoking and ‘push the boat out’. You won’t be seeing centuries old paintings here, but you will see a mixture of art, science and modernity.
A trip to the Mona is best done via the Mona ferry along the Derwent for a quintessential Tasmanian experience.
#29 Big Banana
A list of landmarks in Australia needs to include the cheesiest of landmarks too. Australians used to the Sydney to Queensland road trip have always made the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour a mandatory pit stop. Stop for nothing more than the Australian novelty of an enormous banana. You can even visit inside the banana if you like!
#30 Big Merino
The Big Merino is hard to miss through Goulburn. I’m not sure which of these ‘big’ landmarks came first, but they do help break up a long road trip. The Merino is another quintessential pit stop heading south from Sydney to Victoria. Aside from a photo opportunity, there’s a petrol station nearby as well as the wonderful Trapper’s Bakery.
#31 Big Ned Kelly
Glenrowan is best known as the town of Ned Kelly’s last stand. Australia’s most famous bushranger was killed here along with a few of his gang. We won’t play into the oddities of Australian culture that celebrates a murderous outlaw, but Kelly’s story is well known by most Australians.
A six metre statue stands outside Glenrowan’s post office. Unsurprisingly, there is a range of Kelly paraphernalia and sights to be seen in and around Glenrowan as well. An easy stop on a Sydney to Melbourne road trip.
Other famous Australian landmarks we’re yet to visit
Rottnest Island
A few trips to Perth, and we still haven’t made it to Rottnest Island. Perth locals will tell us that we’re missing out. Rest assured on our next trip we’ll be making some time to explore this stunning island and get familiar with their famous quokkas who love a selfie!
Kakadu
This enormous national park is nearly half the size of Switzerland! A national park of this size, it’s unsurprising that there is a phenomenal range of animal and plant species, together with four major river systems.
A UNESCO World Heritage List site, around 500 hundred indigenous Australians call the park home. It is managed jointly by the traditional owners and Parks Australia.
Litchfield National Park
Most famous for its stunning waterfalls, Litchfield National Park is a popular day trip destination from Darwin. An array of stunning walks await, as well as refreshing dips in designated swimming areas. Swimming in other areas are likely not to be refreshing, and potentially life threatening thanks to some of the local crocodiles!
Broome
Located in the north of Western Australia, Broome is a stunning part of Australia. Many overseas visitors will be familiar with seeing camel rides on the beach at sunset – these are at Cable Beach in Broome.
Broome is a popular winter escape, offering warmth and beauty. The aquamarine waters are the stuff of legend, and are a place we can’t wait to get to at some point.
Coober Pedy
I wonder if there is anywhere quite as Australian as Coober Pedy. A town in the middle of nowhere in South Australia, it’s most well known as being opal country. These precious stones are plentiful in this part of the world.
Aside from the mining of opals, Coober Pedy is famous for its underground residences. With extreme temperatures in the summer, these underground residences serve to keep locals cool and are a novelty that we hope to be able to experience at some point in the future.
How did you go with this list? Have you experienced many of these famous Australian landmarks? Any advice for what else we should add for our own future travels? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
