All 100 Aussie Wonders

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Discover all the top 100 Aussie Wonders.

Wild coastlines, cultural institutions, gourmet delights, epic road trips… Australia is full of wonders, from icons to the lesser-known. Here, we’ve curated 100 Aussie Wonders to discover across the nation. Get ready to explore all the things that make Australia the extraordinary place it is (like the epic shot above taken by Salty Wings of Roebuck Bay in Broome, WA).

Here is the complete list to inspire your own travels this year and beyond.

Iconic wonders

See Australia’s iconic wonders here.

1. Uluru, Northern Territory

2. Murray River, New South Wales and Victoria

3. Sydney Harbour, New South Wales

4. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

5. Hunter Valley, New South Wales

6. Quokkas of Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), Western Australia

7. Australia’s Big Things, across Australia

8. Parliament House, Australian Capital Territory

9. Luxury Lodges of Australia, across Australia

10. Aussie pubs, across Australia

Natural wonders

See Australia’s natural wonders here.

11. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Tasmania

12. Aurora australis, Tasmania

13. Gorgeous gorges across Australia, across Australia

14. Kiama Blowhole, New South Wales

15. Australia’s wonderous waterfalls, across Australia

16. Remarkable rocks, across Australia

17. Cassowaries of Mission Beach, Queensland

18. Daintree Rainforest, Queensland

19. Christmas Island

20. Ningaloo/Nyinggulu, Western Australia

Outback wonders

See Australia’s outback wonders here.

21. Flinders Ranges, South Australia

22. Lake Argyle, Western Australia

23. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory

24. Mungo National Park, New South Wales

25. Undara lava tubes, Queensland

26. Outback wildflowers of Western Australia

27. Qantas Founders Museum, Queensland

28. The Ghan, multi-state journey

29. Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, South Australia

30. Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory

Cultural wonders

See Australia’s cultural wonders here.

31. Tiwi Islands art, Northern Territory

32. Garma Festival, Northern Territory

33. Tamworth Country Music Festival, New South Wales

34. Australian Music Vault, Victoria

35. Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, Northern Territory

36. Mad Max 2 Museum, New South Wales

37. Indigenous art fairs, across Australia

38. Australian Open, Victoria

39. Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Victoria

40. Norfolk Island

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Urban wonders

See Australia’s urban wonders here.

41. WA Museum Boola Bardip, Western Australia

42. Bendigo’s art scene, Victoria

43. Adelaide Oval, South Australia

44. Flinders Street Photo Booth, Victoria

45. Melbourne’s laneways, Victoria

46. The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, New South Wales

47. Newcastle’s food scene, New South Wales

48. Balumbul/Umpherston Sinkhole, Mt Gambier, South Australia

49. Mona, Tasmania

50. National Arboretum, Australian Capital Territory

Foodie wonders

See Australia’s foodie wonders here.

51. Aboriginal Bush Traders cafe, Northern Territory

52. Aussie oysters, across Australia

53. Tokyo Lamington, New South Wales

54. Australian coffee culture, across Australia

55. Bilpin cider, New South Wales

56. The Agrarian Kitchen, Tasmania

57. LANGTONS Classification of Australian Wine

58. The Aussie sausage sizzle

59. Aussie spirits

60. Sydney Fish Market, New South Wales

Coastal wonders

See Australia’s coastal wonders here.

61. Kimberley Coast, Western Australia

62. Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, New South Wales

63. Australia’s waves

64. Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

65. Ocean pools of New South Wales

66. Cod Hole Dive Site, Queensland

67. Cable Beach, Western Australia

68. Esperance from the air, Western Australia

69. Orcas of Bremer Bay, Western Australia

70. wukalina Walk, Tasmania

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Island wonders

See Australia’s island wonders here.

71. Climbing Lord Howe Island’s Mt Gower, New South Wales

72. Torres Strait in a day

73. Little penguins of Phillip Island, Victoria

74. Whitehaven Beach, Queensland

75. Cocos (Keeling) Islands

76. Brisbane’s islands, Queensland

77. Kangaroo Island’s Ligurian honey bees, South Australia

78. K’gari, Queensland

79. Lizard Island, Queensland

80. Maria Island, Tasmania

Hidden wonders

See Australia’s hidden wonders here.

81. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

82. Hawkesbury River, New South Wales

83. Swan River Trails, Western Australia

84. Litchfield’s swimming holes, Northern Territory

85. Australia’s hot springs, across Australia

86. Bundanon, New South Wales

87. Noosa Everglades, Queensland

88. Bungle Bungle Range, Western Australia

89. Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade, Victoria

90. Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Road trip wonders

See Australia’s road trip wonders here.

91. Adelaide to Birdsville (and beyond)

92. Great Ocean Road, Victoria

93. Waterfall Way, New South Wales

94. Silo Art Trail, Victoria

95. Great Beach Drive, Queensland

96. Prosecco Road, Victoria

97. Cairns to Cape York, Queensland

98. Tassie’s Tasting Trail, Tasmania

99. Savannah Way, multi-state journey

100. Gibb River Road, Western Australia

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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Elizabeth Whitehead Elizabeth Whitehead
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    From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

    Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

    Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
    Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

    The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

    The Riverina

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
    Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

    The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

    North Coast

    Forest Sky Pier
    Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

    Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

    Golden West

    winery experience in new south wales
    Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

    Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

    Special event journeys

    meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
    Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

    For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

    Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.

     

    All 100 Aussie Wonders - Australian Traveller