Opera House, New South Wales,Sydney, Australia

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most-photographed buildings in the world, known for its unique use of a series of gleaming white sail-shaped shells as its roof structure. The iconic performing arts facility is Sydney's best-known landmark.Mention "Sydney, Australia" and most people think of the Opera House. Shaped like huge shells or billowing sails, this famous building on Sydney's Bennelong Point graces the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is one of the world's great architectural icons.The location is stunning. Water surrounds the structure on three sides, and the Royal Botanic Gardens border it to the south.Danish architect, Jørn Utzon won an international competition for its design but withdrew from the project after technical and financing problems. Construction was finally completed in 1973 at a cost 10 times the original budget. By this time, Utzon had left the country, never returning to see his magnificent creation.Touring the interior of the Sydney Opera House is rewarding, but its striking architecture is perhaps best appreciated from a distance. One of the best sites to photograph this top Sydney tourist attraction is Mrs Macquarie's Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens, or you can hop aboard a harbor cruise or ferry and capture a photo from the water as you glide past.Currently, the Sydney Opera House is undergoing a 10-year, $275-million upgrade, but it will continue to operate during the restoration.

Kangaroo Island, Australia

Kangaroo Island is a nature lover's paradise, with prolific native wildlife, dramatic coastal sightseeing and bountiful farmlands. Kangaroo Island, 13km (8mi) off the coast of South Australia, is one of the best places in Australia to see wild animals like koalas, kangaroos, sea lions and seals.Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest Island (145×55 kilometres or 90×35 miles) covering over 4,500 square kilometres (3,400 square miles) and to the surprise of many, is of similar size to Long Island (New York) or Bali.The largest town on Kangaroo Island, Kingscote is also the island's commercial and business hub. It is situated on the northeast corner of the island on the coast of Nepean Bay and has an extensive selection of cafés, restaurants and shopping facilities.Over a third of the island is protected in nature reserves, and is home to a menagerie of native wildlife - from kangaroos and wallabies to echidna, goannas, platypus and koalas - just to name a few! Take a guided beach walk amongst Sea Lions on Seal Bay, jump on a nocturnal tour to see penguins parading the beach or take a swim with wild dolphins.Enjoy regional award-winning wines or relish in an array of local produce from organic honey to locally made chutneys, olives, free-range eggs and fresh seafood. Activities on the island are as exciting and diverse as its wildlife and produce. There’s boating, swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, surfing, caving, bushwalking, quad-biking, sandboarding and so much more.

Bondi Beach, New South Wales,Sydney, Australia

Bondi Beach is one of Sydney's largest beaches and it's the closest ocean beach to the city centre. It is easily accessible by public transport, and the area is very popular for locals and tourists alike both for the beach and for the trendy cafes, bars and shops that run through Bondi.Bronzed bodies, blond sand, backpackers, and surf – throw it all together and you get one of the world's most famous beaches. Only 15 minutes by car from Sydney's city center, Bondi Beach is a great spot for a taste of Sydney's beach culture. Bask on the golden sands, surf the breaks, or take a cool dip on a hot summer's day (but stay between the flags).Away from the shore, you'll find plenty of things to do in Bondi. Take a stroll along the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk. It begins at the southern end of the beach and follows the coastline for six scenic kilometers along sandstone cliffs. And if you work up an appetite, you'll find plenty of cafés and restaurants nearby. You can also hunt for bargains at the Sunday markets or swim some laps in the ocean pool.Bondi also has a wild side. Crowds of tourists and locals gather here to celebrate Christmas, and ring in the New Year. It's a favorite spot for travelers.A word to the wise: If you're taking a dip at Bondi, make sure you swim between the red and yellow flags. Strong rip tides often sweep unsuspecting swimmers out to sea, especially at the southern end of this kilometer-long strand. There's a reason the Aussies made a reality TV show called Bondi Rescue.

K'Gari (Fraser Island), Queensland, Australia

K'gari (Fraser Island) is the largest sand island in the world. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of its outstanding natural universal values.World Heritage-listed K'Gari (Fraser Island) is one of the most unique places to visit in Australia. Sitting between Bundaberg and Brisbane off Australia's east coast, this is the largest sand island in the world. Here, you'll find seemingly endless stretches of sand and sea, turquoise lakes, emerald rainforests, rippling dunes, and fascinating wildlife.Looking for an adrenaline rush? A 4WD trip along its surf-thrashed shores is one of Australia's top outdoor adventures. Along windswept Seventy Five Mile Beach, you can see the rusted hulls of shipwrecks, the colored sandstone cliffs of The Cathedrals, and the bubbling fish-filled rock pools called Champagne Pools.enturing inland is just as exciting. Highlights include crystal-clear freshwater creeks and lakes, some fed by springs, others perched amid towering sand dunes; and ancient rainforests filled with an amazing diversity of plants and animals.K'gari (Fraser Island) lies just off the east coast of Australia. At 122 km long, it is the largest sand island in the world. Majestic remnants of tall rainforest growing on sand and half the world's perched freshwater dune lakes are found inland from the beach.

Gold Coast south of Brisbane, Australia

Gold Coast is located in South-East Queensland, just one hour south of Brisbane and is one of Australia's premier holiday destinations.The Gold Coast is a metropolitan region south of Brisbane on Australia’s east coast. It's famed for its long sandy beaches, surfing spots and elaborate system of inland canals and waterways. It’s also home to theme parks such as Dreamworld, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild. Inland, hiking trails crisscross Lamington National Park’s mountain ridges and valleys, home to rare birds and rainforest.Cruise on into the Southern Gold Coast, stretching from Palm Beach to Currumbin, Kirra, Snapper, and Coolangatta on the state's border. Within arm's reach of lively Surfers Paradise, this thriving sprawl of sand and surf on the region's southern tip offers a far more peaceful existence than its northern neighbours.Blessed with year-round warm weather and sunny skies, Australia’s glimmering Gold Coast lies just to the south of Brisbane on Queensland’s southeastern coastline. The coastal city is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country thanks to its lively yet laid-back vibe and alluring sun, sea, and surf.Surfers Paradise is the area most people flock to. ‘The capital of the Gold Coast’ is home to large shopping malls and pounding nightclubs as well as countless restaurants, bars, and accommodation options. Glittering high rises tower above its expansive beach, which is great for sunbathing, swimming and watersports.While it is often called a tacky tourist-trap, the Gold Coast has loads going for it, with beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets a given. In addition, it also boasts exhilarating amusement parks, water parks, and nature reserves, while its surf breaks are out of this world.

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