Things to do in Northern Australia

Rising from the desert in the Northern Territory, the red sandstone monolith of Uluru (Ayers Rock) has been a place of great spiritual importance to the Anangu Aboriginal people for thousands of years. Be awed by the sight of the rock changing colours at sunset, its deep crevices turning from bright orange to an intense purple hue.

Warner Bros. Movie World is a theme park full of thrilling rides, stunts and encounters with movie and comic-book stars. This fantasyland is next door to the Village Roadshow Studios and includes a super-sized water tank for film shoots. Kids will be thrilled to walk among the costumed superheroes and cartoon characters who roam the park and give performances throughout the day.

The Cairns Esplanade is the tree-lined boardwalk along the foreshore in the city of Cairns. It overlooks the Trinity Inlet and the Coral Sea on one side, and is lined with restaurants and gardens on the other. It has bike paths and walking trails, playgrounds, barbecues, exercise areas and a salt-water lagoon.

The Queen Street Mall has been Brisbane’s premier shopping destination for more than three decades and over the years cool little cafés have sprung up down its alleyways and backstreets. There are rows of street-front shops, six large indoor shopping complexes including supermarkets, cheap food courts, classy restaurants and all types of bars. If you don’t need to buy anything, watch artists perform or sit down on a bench or terrace and watch Brisbane go by.

Australia Zoo is a good place to see the iconic wildlife of “Down Under,” such as pouched marsupials and scaly reptiles. What makes the zoo so unique is that the world-famous crocodile wrestler Steve Irwin called it home. Come and see his legacy: a thrilling Australian animal kingdom that also includes species from around the globe.

Noosa has rainforest, cosmopolitan shops and cafés, an internationally renowned dining scene and some of the best beaches on the Sunshine Coast.

Dreamworld features a wide selection of fantastical and diverse Australian attractions all in one place. Exploring this huge theme park takes a whole day and incorporates wildlife observation, movie-themed attractions, and thrilling rides.

Day or night, find exciting events, shopping and dining along Noosa’s Hastings Street, a central hub in one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular destinations. Wander along the pedestrian-friendly street that is lined with an eclectic array of boutique shops, luxury accommodation and diverse restaurants. Hastings Street is very close to the white sand and crystal-clear water of Noosa Beach.