Australia is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area.
Australia is generally a very safe and welcoming place to live and study, consistently ranking among the safest countries in the world. Australia is famous for its natural wonders and wide-open spaces, its beaches, deserts, bush, and the Outback. Australia is one of the world’s most highly urbanized countries as it is well known for the attractions of its large cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Below is a list of the best cities in Australia.
1. Sydney
Sydney is one of Australia’s largest cities and it is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower’s outdoor platform, the Skywalk, offers 360-
degree views of the city and suburbs.
2. Melbourne
Melbourne is the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. At the city’s center is the modern Federation Square development, with plazas, bars, and restaurants by the Yarra River. In the Southbank area, the Melbourne Arts Precinct is the site of Arts Centre Melbourne which is a performing arts complex and the National Gallery of Victoria, with Australian and indigenous art.
3. Cairns
Cairns is considered the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is a city in tropical Far North Queensland. Its Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park tells the stories of indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with music and dance. Cairns Esplanade, lined with bars and restaurants, has a swimming lagoon. Northwest of the city, Daintree National Park spans mountainous rainforest, gorges, and beaches.
4. Adelaide
Adelaide is South Australia’s cosmopolitan coastal capital. Its ring of parkland on the River Torrens is home to renowned museums such as the Art Gallery of South Australia, displaying expansive collections including noted Indigenous art, and the South Australian Museum, devoted to natural history. The city’s Adelaide Festival is an annual international art gathering with spin-offs including fringe and film events.
5. Brisbane
This is the capital of Queensland and it is a large city on the Brisbane River. Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are the Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, with noted interactive exhibitions. Another South Bank cultural institution is the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums. Looming over the city is Mt. Coot-tha, the site of Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
6. Perth
This is the capital of Western Australia, which sits where the Swan River meets the southwest coast. Sandy beaches line its suburbs, and the huge, riverside Kings Park and Botanic Garden on Mount Eliza offer sweeping views of the city.
The Perth Cultural Centre houses the state ballet and opera companies and occupies its own central precinct, including a theatre, library, and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. It is famous for being the most isolated city in the world, completely surrounded by Australian nature: the Indian Ocean on one side and the Australian outback on the other.
