Cities & Regions
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal country comprising world’s smallest continent, Australia, the Island of Tasmania and several other small islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The states and territories that make up the Commonwealth of Australia are:
- New South Wales, capital city: Sydney
- Queensland, capital city: Brisbane
- South Australia, capital city: Adelaide
- Tasmania, capital city: Hobart
- Victoria, capital city: Melbourne
- Western Australia, capital city: Perth
- Australia Capital Territory, capital city: Canberra
- Northern Territory, capital city: Darwin
Major Australian Cities
Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is blessed with Mediterranean climate and the perfect location for vineyards.
Explore the Botanic Garden and the numerous parks, head to the zoo and let the kids feed the animals.
If you like wine, don’t forget to take some of the private tours to the valleys around the city and taste the local wine.
Brisbane, Queensland’s capital city is not particularly a very touristy town. But it doesn’t mean you won’t have fun while visiting Brisbane.
The parks and gardens offer the perfect location for taking long relaxing walks or just admiring the local flora and fauna.
You can take a ferry and enjoy the scenery and the Victory Bridge overlooking the harbor and parks.
In the evening, head to one of the popular night clubs and dance the night away.
Cairns is the hotspot for wildlife watching in Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is only an hour away by boat and the city is surrounded by theme parks and tropical forests.
You can swim in the lagoon, go snorkeling and diving or even take a balloon ride.
The city is very popular among tourists and offers a lot of cheap accommodations and restaurants.
Australia’s capital, Canberra is famous for its parks, beautiful architecture and monuments. During spring, it’s home to Floriade a month long festival of color dedicated to tulips.
An important landmark is Telstra Tower. Head to the top and experience some of the best views in town or enjoy dinner in the revolving restaurant.
The National Botanical Gardens, National Aquarium and Wildlife Park attract both adults and children. The kids can hand feed emus and kangaroos or pet a koala.
Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is a small cosmopolitan city, located in north-central Australia. The city has a dark history of major disasters, due to its tropical climate which offers the perfect conditions for thunderstorms and cyclones.
While visiting Darwin, make sure to check out the East Point reserve, George Brown Botanical Gardens, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Crocodylus Park and Charles Darwin National Park.
Experience the city’s history and culture by visiting the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory’s premier cultural institution.
On Thursday night during the dry season, head to the Mindil Beach Market and check out the local bargains. You might want to look for the local honey – Top End Gold Honey – which has a unique taste every time of the year.
Hobart is a small and intimate city, the capital of Tasmania. Being Australia’s second oldest city, Hobart has quite a long history and many buildings to prove it. The city’s landmarks include Salamanca Market –the Sunday market which attracts both travelers and locals -, Battery Point –an area filled with old and interesting buildings – and Botanical Gardens –located at only 15 minutes from the city center, home to the sub artic garden (one of the highlights!).
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery houses some of the best coin collections in the world. Don’t miss visiting the Maritime Museum of Tasmania as well.
If you like beer, you might want to tour the Cascade Brewery, Australia’s oldest brewery. Of course, you can taste the beer!
Are you a chocoholic? Then don’t forget to tour the Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory. See how the chocolate is made, buy some chocolate for the family back home. Due to health regulations tasting is no longer permitted but pre-packaged chocolate if offered before and after the tour.
Walk to the top of Mount Wellington to experience the best view of the town! Make sure to dress warmly because it is quite cold at the summit even during summer.
One of the icons of Tasmania is Port Arthur Historic Site. You can either drive to the site or take a tour – you are taken to Port Arthur by bus, then you will take a relaxing boat trip around the coastline and once returned to shore, you will visit the historic site.
Australia’s “sporting and cultural capital”, Melbourne is Victoria’s state capital.
Yarra River offers some of the best views in town and flows past a lot of parks and gardens. The river bank is perfect for those who want to take a walk or a bike ride in the nature. You can also take your loved one to a picnic in this beautiful area.
If your kids like amusement parks, head to Luna Park and try some of the old carousels. The Zoo, botanic garden and aquarium are also great places to spend time as a family. Enjoy the butterflies, watch the lions and spend time in the nature.
Perth is the capital of Western Australia and one of the most isolated cities in the world.
The most important landmark is Kings Park which comprises a huge collection of local flora.
Perth Zoo is highly popular both among tourist and locals. Children can ride a zebra.
If you get tired of sightseeing, you can relax on one of the beaches. You must spend some time on Cottesloe beach, the most popular in Perth.
The two landmarks of Sydney are the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Add the vibrant nightlife, great restaurants and incredible sightseeing and you will know why Sydney is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Australia.
If you feel adventurous you should climb the Harbour Bridge. But if you aren’t that gutsy, you can take a walk on the pedestrian way. Don’t forget your camera because the harbor offers some of the best views in town.
The botanical gardens, wildlife park and zoo offer the possibility to see the native animals in their natural environment. Cuddle the koalas or hand feed the kangaroos. It will be one of the experiences to remember for the rest of your life.