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All Australia

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Australia

576 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Australia

Updated February 1, 2024

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Acton
  2. Adelaide
  3. Ballandean
  4. Bass
  5. Beechworth
  6. Bicheno
  7. Blinman
  8. Box Hill
  9. Brisbane
  10. Broken Hill
  11. Bundoora
  12. Caiguna
  13. Cairns
  14. Callanna
  15. Canberra
  16. Cervantes
  17. Coffs Harbour
  18. Coober Pedy
  19. Darwin
  20. Davenport
  21. Eaglehawk Neck
  22. Edrom
  23. Fairfield
  24. Fraser Island
  25. Fremantle
  26. Geelong
  27. Ghan
  28. Gumeracha
  29. Hamelin Pool
  30. Hobart
  31. Katoomba
  32. Kiama
  33. Melbourne
  34. Myrtleford
  35. Newcastle
  36. North Coogee
  37. Parkes
  38. Parkville
  39. Perth
  40. Queenscliff
  41. Raymond Island
  42. Sydney
  43. Taroona
  44. Williamstown
  45. Yallabatharra
  46. Young

Unusual Attractions in Australia

See All 576 Things To Do in Australia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Australia

See all 10 Places to Eat in Australia
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Australia

History & Culture 69
Statues 62
Animals 57
Nature 53
Monuments 49
Art 46
Geology 38
Natural Wonders 34

Australia Leaderboard

Recent Australia Activity

Stories About Australia

Which nation can claim the pavlova?

This Christmas Dessert Caused a Decades-Long Rivalry Between Two Countries

Two historians are trying to track down pavlova's origins once and for all.
by Leah Hamilton
Honeypot ants feed on sweet nectar and death.

All Winter, These Ants Make the Ultimate Sweet Sacrifice to Their Colony

Their syrupy death is medicinal for humans, too.
by Shoshi Parks

The Batavia's Tale of Mutiny and Murder Gets a New Chapter

Archaeologists have unearthed new details of the 400-year-old bloodshed on a remote Australian island.
by Chris Baraniuk
A herd of Hereford cattle roam a lush green pasture in Australia, home to several of the world's largest private landholdings.

What Do King Charles III, the Pope, and the Canadian Inuit Have in Common?

Meet the world's largest landowners.
by Frank Jacobs, Big Think
Orca pods can develop their own cultures that result in distinctive behaviors, including cooperation with humans.

The Killer Whales of Eden and the 'Law of the Tongue'

Orcas and humans once hunted together in southeastern Australia, until their millennia-old relationship broke down.
by Roxanne Hoorn
Barbie cakes are a birthday classic.

Before Barbie and Barbie Cakes, There Was Dolly and Dolly Varden Cakes

These toy-filled birthday cakes have an intriguing connection to both Charles Dickens and Australia.
by Cathleen Freedman
The mysterious metal cylinder on the shore of Western Australia.

A Massive, Mysterious Object Washed Up on an Australian Beach

Experts say it’s likely space junk—and there’s plenty more where that came from.
by Roxanne Hoorn
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Generation Gaps

by Alex Bellos

Lists Featuring Australia

'Memory Is Creation Without End'
Justice and Police Museum
The Sirius building in Sydney.
Mrs. Macquarie's Chair In Sydney Botanic Garden

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Sydney Opera House for Curious Travelers

11

Including 'Memory Is Creation Without End', Justice and Police Museum, and Sirius Building

Red Seabeach
The otherworldly landscape of Padar Island.
Black Sand Beach

10 Unique Beaches From Around the World

From bright red grass to stranded shipwrecks, these beaches are anything but ordinary.

10

Including Driftwood Beach, Red Beach , and Padar Island

They were built in 1979.
The Howe Street stair corridor is the longest in Seattle.
Seward Street Slides

When Stairs and Slides Are Hiding in Plain Sight

Play real-life Chutes and Ladders at these obscure thruways.

9

Including Secret Tiled Staircase, Esmeralda Slide Park, and Howe Street Stairs

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