My Wishlist
1.800.557.2841or Contact Your Travel Advisor
Twelve Apostles in beautiful low sunlight along the Great Ocean Road
Home/Destinations/Australia & New Zealand/Australia/Travel Guide/Top 5 Australian Bucket List Travel Experiences

Top 5 Australian Bucket List Travel Experiences

Australia is a top bucket list destination for all types of travellers. Blessed with abundant natural beauty, stunning beaches, and unique wildlife, the country beckons nature enthusiasts, honeymooners, and families by the droves. A road trip along the scenic Great Ocean Road, endless walking and cycling trails, and enthralling 4WD safaris ignite the adventurer in you. Australia's major cities offer awe-inspiring architecture, a multicultural vibe, and mouth-watering culinary experiences. With a wide range of accommodations to suit all budgets, Australia is accessible to travellers from all over the world.

When planning your Aussie vacation, you may want to include these travel experiences, which routinely feature on bucket lists.

Woman sitting out in the meadows in Australia feeding wild Kangaroos

1. The Great Barrier Reef

No surprises here! The Great Barrier Reef's breathtaking coral gardens, diverse marine life, and vibrant underwater world make it immensely popular among locals and tourists alike. On a day cruise, you can dive, snorkel, or marvel at the corals in a glass bottom boat. Use Cairns as a convenient base for your reef adventures and for exploring other popular spots like Michaelmas Cay, Mooe Reef, Green Island, and Hastings Reef.

2. Kuranda Scenic Railway

The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a tourist railway service operating along the Cairns to the Kuranda rainforest village via Freshwater. It passes by spectacular rainfalls and into the stunning Barron Gorge. Rising from the sea level to over 1,000 ft (304 m), the journey offers breathtaking views of the lush rainforest and natural beauty. Kuranda station is famous for its tropical gardens and historic charm. It is one of the most photographed railway stations globally.

3. Brisbane

The capital of Queensland offers a wide range of relaxing and exciting activities. Stroll around South Bank Parklands, the city's premier lifestyle and cultural destination, visit the Queensland Museum, walk along the picturesque Brisbane Riverwalk, picnic at New Farm Park, kayak down the Brisbane River, and scale the Story Bridge on an adventure climb. Visit the Australian Zoo, set up by Terri Irwin and the late Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, and feed wild dolphins by hand at Tangalooma Island Resort.

Uluru Dawn Northern Territory

4. Red Centre in the Northern Territory

An Aussie outback experience at the Red Centre, consisting of Alice Springs, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and Kings Canyon region, is not to be missed. Witness the gorgeous outback sunsets, explore ancient Aboriginal culture, take a sunrise camel ride, camp under the stars, marvel at the incredible red rock formations of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and spend a night at the Field of Light with a sunset bush BBQ dinner. 

5. Sydney Icons: The Sydney Harbour Bridge & Sydney Opera House

You can't visit Australia and not see Sydney Harbour. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the iconic landmarks in the city. Make sure to climb to the top for stunning views of the city. Enjoy a drink at a waterfront bar, soaking in the harbour views and electric atmosphere around you. Do what tourists and locals love: take a ferry ride and enjoy the sights along the way. Another Australian icon, the Sydney Opera House, is located to the south side of the harbour, east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. You can join a harbour sightseeing cruise to view the iconic building or take a tour of the building to explore its world-famous design and learn about its history.

Remember, these are just a few of the many activities you can enjoy on a trip to Australia. Explore Goway's Australia vacations to find one that suits your requirements.

What do the experts say?

Erin Hutchinson

Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Tasmania is under the radar for many travelers, but it’s great for hikes, natural landscapes and now modern art!
Erin Hutchinson

Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Sydney and Melbourne are a great combination for first-time visitors to Australia, with Brisbane, Adelaide and/or the Outback added in, depending on how much time you have. Returnees should take in Perth, Darwin and the Kakadu National Park area and/or Tasmania if they can, plus spend some time in the cities they loved the first time around
Erin Hutchinson

Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
It might sound cliche, but you really can visit year-round. Australia is a big country, so there is always somewhere with amazing weather!
Alice Teramoto

Alice Teramoto

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Goway’s trips to Australia are not stock itineraries. We can put together trips of a few weeks or a few months, allowing you to see as much of the land Downunder as you can. And we offer a mix of travel options, from self-drives to train journeys to long stays.
Alice Teramoto

Alice Teramoto

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
Goway has partnerships with many unique inns and hotels in Australia. Among the most memorable are Qualia on Hamilton Island, Longitude 131 at Uluru and Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.

Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.

With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.
Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
Newsletter signup visual
ExcellentBased on 5,210 Reviews
Verified
Everything was planned perfectly. The excursions were so small and personal. Claire
Verified
Goway planned a custom 2 week safari trip for my wife and I which was beyond perfect. Extremely satisfied with the entire process from planning, booking and follow up. Special thanks to my Travel Specialists, Brooke Theron and Angela DonnellyNeil R
Verified
Working with Allan is absolutely a dream. He is one of the most responsive people I’ve had the pleasure of working with and his attention to detail is unmatched. I truly wish I could just use him for every single trip I need to book.Liz Poore
Verified
Kimberly Brown from Goway Travel made my trip to Australia & New Zealand a very memorable and remarkable experience. Every step and detail was fantastic and I will never forget the trip of a lifetime and it was because of the experience of Kimberly. If you are thinking about taking a trip to New Zealand and Australia, I highly recommend contacting Kimberly from Goway travel. David Klein
Verified
We had a blast and felt covered by GoAway throughout. This was our first time using a travel agent and Melissa and her team made it easy. I also appreciated the quick communication while on our trip. I only wish that we got our official itinerary and tickets sooner as we did not receive them until a week prior. But it is busy season so I understand. Courtney McCarthy
Verified
Elise created a fantastic trip to South Africa. Our experience could not have been better. Thank You so Much!!Dave McVay
Verified
Our trip to Japan was great. All our Goway arrangements preformed like clockwork and the guides for the tours were wonderful. Unfortunately, Mt. Fuji was in total fog but at least the lunch was very good and so was the drum solo, also our tour guide kept our spirits up ( she was the best). Taryn picked hotels that were very convenient to the meeting point of our tours which was much appreciated and organized all aspects of our trip perfectly. So from our airport pickup to our last day in Tokyo everything ran very smoothly so we have used Goway before and will certainly use it again and reccommend Goway to others.JW
Verified
We had a great experience with Goaway travel our travel agent,FARNAZ. was very helpful and patient with us in planning our vacation to Greece. She was very thorough and professional and excellent with laying out our flights and our itinerary for our trip would highly recommend her very professional. Thank you again Franaz for your help and for me and my wife to have experienced a wonderful time in Greececustomer
Verified
Farnaz booked Greece and Italy - she is fantastic! She listened to our needs and planned a beautiful itinerary that everyone enjoyed. All transfers went smoothly and I am looking to book more trips with her! Amy
Verified
We have used Goway Travel for previous trips and have been very happy with their excellent service. Our last trip to New Zealand and Australia was no exception. Our agent, Lori Mazzono, got tuned into the sort of trip we were hoping to have immediately. The various booking she provided were, without exception, exceptional and exactly what we envisioned, We really don't think we would have changed anything. tBruce Belshaw
Follow Us On
instagramfacebook
Contact UsCustomer ServiceGeneral Inquiries
Featured in
Travel + LeisureAfarForbesSmithsonian
Accreditations & Memberships
USTOAASTA TOPASTATICOACTA
 
© Copyright 2026. Goway Travel