All Australia

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Australia

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

Updated October 3, 2023

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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. Cairns
  13. Callanna
  14. Canberra
  15. Cervantes
  16. Coffs Harbour
  17. Coober Pedy
  18. Darwin
  19. Davenport
  20. Eaglehawk Neck
  21. Edrom
  22. Fairfield
  23. Fraser Island
  24. Fremantle
  25. Geelong
  26. Ghan
  27. Gumeracha
  28. Hamelin Pool
  29. Hobart
  30. Katoomba
  31. Kiama
  32. Melbourne
  33. Myrtleford
  34. Newcastle
  35. North Coogee
  36. Parkes
  37. Parkville
  38. Perth
  39. Queenscliff
  40. Raymond Island
  41. Sydney
  42. Taroona
  43. Williamstown
  44. Yallabatharra
  45. Young

Unusual Attractions in Australia

See All 562 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 45
Geology 38
Natural Wonders 34

Australia Leaderboard

Recent Australia Activity

Stories About Australia

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
The Aboriginal people of Western Australia have a long history with the vegetation gaps of the region's inland deserts.

In Australia, Aboriginal Knowledge and the Mystery of Fairy Circles

Building connections between tradition and science.
by Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Get Lost Crossword

by AO Puzzles

Lists Featuring Australia

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

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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