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.

Share This Article

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 5,159 Reviews
Verified
Everything was expertly planned, from the drivers to the hotels to the tours to the flights. We particularly enjoyed Hobart and the animal sanctuary, Adelaide and the trip to Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and the evening tour with dinner and drinks, and Sydney with the private boat cruise of the Harbour. We will definitely use Goway again.SARA Wiebe
Verified
There were 4 travelers on this trip. All of us were in our late 70's. We started planning this trip 6 months prior to our travel date and had a lot of questions regarding this trip. Our Goway Travel Specialist, Karen Larrota, always answered our questions in a timely and complete manner. We traveled to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru. Not only were the destinations and accommodations excellent, but every tour guide and driver were beyond excellent. The entire trip went smoothly every step of the way, which was amazing given the fact that there were numerous flights and hotels included in our package. We found out that the tour company that Goway used, Condor Travel, checked on us with our guide to make sure we were doing OK which we thought was very nice but also amusing as we are fairly fit older adults. Would also like to mention that we did a cruise thru the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend which was arranged thru Go Galapagos - Kleintouurs. This portion of our tour was also excellent as were the wildlife guides and staff. We continue to discuss how wonderful this trip was with our family and friends and how wonderful this experience was. Would definately use Goway for our travel needs in the future.Dianne
Verified
After spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce Belshaw
Verified
Aylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACC
Verified
Mahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya Laguatan
Verified
Maria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy Warren
Verified
My daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us. We want to thank Goway Travel for their hard work and patience with us in planning this trip. Any changes that needed to be made were communicated timely. We also want to thank you for the beautiful weather during the entire 2 weeks it was perfect every day 😀. It was a memorable trip that we will never forget and we will think of Goway when we plan our next adventure. Because it was not just a vacation; it was an adventure!Connie Wenhardt
Verified
We had a great travelling experience with GoWay ! Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!Maia
Verified
Brigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn Walker
Verified
My clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts. Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea Kardas
Follow Us On
instagramfacebook
Contact UsCustomer ServiceGeneral Inquiries
Featured in
Travel + LeisureAfarForbesSmithsonian
Accreditations & Memberships
USTOAASTA TOPASTATICOACTA
 
© Copyright 2026. Goway Travel