25 AMAZING AUSTRALIAN LANDMARKS

25 AMAZING AUSTRALIAN LANDMARKS, Ask Utmost people to name the top milestones in Australia and the answer is likely to include the Sydney Opera House, Uluru and Great Barrier Reef. But there are so numerous further. Australia is a land of unique and distinctive natural Australian milestones that are as spectacular as the mainland itself when viewed from space.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a corner is “ a structure or place that’s fluently recognised, especially one that you can use to judge where you are ”. The Merriam- Webster Dictionary takes a broader approach to defining the meaning of “ corner ” and describes a corner as “ an object( similar as a gravestone or tree) that marks the boundary of land ”.

Well, Australia has plenty of really impressive stones and lots of trees! So, choosing 20 landmarks wasn’t an easy task and the criteria I’ve used to compile this Australian landmarks list:

• A distinctive feature of a landscape easily seen and recognised from a distance, especially if it helps identify the location.
• A recognisable natural or human-made feature used for navigation
• Some landmarks may not necessarily be classified as famous Australian landmarks or be on the UNESCO world heritage but may qualify as a landmark on the points above.

FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN LANDMARKS

1- SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

One of the most iconic Australian landmarks in Australia would have to be the Sydney Opera House.

As soon as you see it you know exactly where you are.

Not only is the famous opera house one of the most architecturally stunning Australian landmarks in a city, but it’s also one of the most well-known buildings in the world.

Experts recognise the Sydney Opera House as one of the great architectural works of the 20th century.

Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, this Australian landmark is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its creativity, innovation and structural design.

Visiting Sydney soon? Put aside at least an entire day to thoroughly explore the Sydney Opera House by taking a backstage tour, seeing a show and having a drink at the Opera House bar.

2- ULURU

The craggy sweeping mountain ranges and sweeping plains around Uluru hides a treasure trove of spectacular gorges, canyons, craters and waterholes.

Although Central Australia’s hidden gems are a lost world of amazing natural treasures, the one that stands out as an iconic Australian landmark as Uluru.

As soon as you set eyes on Uluru, you’ll understand why it’s often referred to as the heart of Australia.

Previously known as Ayers Rock, this World Heritage site rises 348m from the desert floor and is an impressive Australian landmark that dominates the landscape.

Uluru is more than 550 million years old and is a sacred site to the Anangu people.

For its location in the centre of Australia, Uluru is often called the heart of Australia.

Even though the nearest town, Alice Springs, is 450 km away, thousands of tourists visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site each year.

 

 

3- GREAT BARRIER REEF

Anyone can tell you that the term Great Barrier Reef identifies with Australia, but the most apparent indication you’re looking at the Australian Great Barrier Reef is that eye-catching heart-shaped reef.

If you’re looking for one of those Australian landmarks to help with navigation (or a romantic spot to propose), Heart Reef stands out as the spot.

The World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef stretches 2300 km along the Queensland coast and has a remarkable assortment of marine life.

From whales, dugongs, dolphins and sharks to millions of fish, coral and turtles, call this national treasure home.

 

HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN LANDMARKS

4- PORT ARTHUR

Between 1788 and 1868, around 164,000 convicts were shipped to the Australian colonies on board 806 ships.

It was an episode in history that steered the direction of two nations – Australia and Great Britain.

In 2010, the Australian Convict Sites became Australia’s 18th World Heritage-listed property.

Eleven places scattered around the country made this list, including Cockatoo Island, Norfolk Island and Hyde Park Barracks, but the historic penal settlement that stands out from the rest is Port Arthur in Tasmania.

From a small timber station in 1830, Port Arthur has emerged as the most famous convict site and one of the historic Australian landmarks of note.

 

5- AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

A blend of shrine and museum, the Australian War Memorial in Canberra pays homage to the sacrifice of Australians who died at war.

Voted as the number one Australian landmark on TripAdvisor, the Byzantine architecture of the monument has a grandeur that puts it high on the list of the world’s great national monuments.

Exhibitions at the Australian War Memorial are impressive and you could easily spend an entire day in the museum.

 

6- CAPTAIN COOK STATUE 

Anyone who has visited Cooktown only needs to see the statue of Captain James Cook to know that it marks a spot on the Esplanade in Bicentennial Park in Cooktown.

Although Cooktown was named after the British explorer who charted Australia’s east coast while sailing aboard HMB Endeavour, Cooktown was not where he first set foot on land (it was where he got stranded).

You can travel to Cooktown by land and the trip from Cairns to Cooktown is quite an adventure.

Lt (he wasn’t a captain back then) Cook landed in Botany Bay in Sydney on April 29 1770, paving the way for colonisation.

There’s a modest Captain Cook statue in Sydney’s Hyde Park, a monument on Norfolk Island and a substantial Captain Cook monument to commemorate the 250th anniversary of this historic landing is expected to be built by 2020.

Meanwhile, the little-known statue in Cooktown does dominate the small town with its presence, making it our pick of Australian landmarks to remember this period in Australia’s history.

 

AUSTRALIAN LANDMARKS IN A CITY

7- MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND

The home of Australian football since 1859 was the birthplace of Test cricket in 1877 and one-day international cricket in 1971.

However, the MCG is more than just a sports venue – it’s the sporting heart of Melbourne.

Prebook your tickets for the tour of the MCG here.

8- EUREKA SKYDECK

Towering above the Melbourne city landscape, 285 metres above ground, the Eureka Skydeck is a Melbourne landmark you can’t miss.

As far as Australian landmarks go, it epitomises the character of a fast-growing city, and has one of the best 360-degree views of Melbourne through floor-to-ceiling glass.

It’s not just a landmark, viewing platform, or a place to face your fear of heights but an entertainment and dining hub.

 

9- QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING

Any Sydneysider dropped in front of the Queen Victoria statue at the Queen Victoria Building (or QVB) will instantly know where they are.

If you’re wondering why a shopping centre is on our list of Australian landmarks, it’s because the QVB’s elaborate Romanesque architecture was planned so that the Government could employ out-of-work stonemasons, plasterers and stained window artists to construct a building that would stand the test of time.

Designed by George McRae and completed in 1898, the QVB has been a concert hall, city library and offices for the Sydney City Council in the past.

Fun fact: A letter from Queen Elizabeth II to the Citizens of Sydney is sealed in a time capsule to be opened and read by the Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2085.

How old will you be when it’s opened?

10- Q1

Look at a photo of the Gold Coast and you’ll see that the Q1 building soars above the Surfers Paradise skyline.

Although the Gold Coast has some of Australia’s best surf beaches, Q1 is an Australian landmark that identifies Surfers Paradise from the numerous other beach communities along this stretch of Queensland paradise.

What to do? Head to the SkyPoint Deck for twinkling views or sign up for the SkyPoint Climb 270 m high and Australia’s highest external building climb.

11- BONDI BEACH

How do you distinguish Bondi Beach from the plethora of amazing Australian beaches across the country? Is it the bronze bodies tanning in the sun? Or is it the wave of surfer dudes riding the crests?

Perhaps it’s the Bondi Icebergs swimming pool on the ocean’s edge?

All of these things could describe any of Australia’s beautiful beaches, but the one thing that separates Bondi Beach from the others and places it on the list of one of the prominent Australian landmarks is its name.

Bondi Beach.

Yes, it’s famous.

 

12- STORY BRIDGE

Most people outside of Brisbane have probably never heard of the Story Bridge, but if you kidnap a Brisbanite, blindfold them and dump them within view of the Story Bridge, they’ll instantly know where they are.

Yes, you can climb the Story Bridge!

The Story Bridge was conceived in 1925 but wasn’t completed until 1940.

 

13- SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

The engineer who built the Story Bridge also constructed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is featured every New Year’s Eve in a fireworks display that gets more spectacular each year.

Opened in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the most recognisable Australian landmarks, not just because it’s positioned across Australia’s most stunning harbour.

Sydney Harbour Bridge is a popular tourist attraction for its bridge climbs and a spot to take souvenir photographs of Sydney.

Here’s where to stay in Sydney around the city and harbour.

 

14- SYDNEY TOWER EYE

Ask any Australian where to find the tallest tower in the country, and the answer is most likely to be Sydney Tower.

A contemporary Australian landmark that attracts visitors from around the globe, the Sydney Tower Eye (often referred to by Sydneysiders as Sydney Tower, Centrepoint Tower, AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower or Sydney Skytower) is one of those iconic Australian landmarks that has been part of the Sydney skyline for 30 years.