Known for its distinct wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, Australia often appears on bucket lists of must-see destinations. The ancestral home of kangaroos, koalas and platypuses, it is the a massive landscape, stretching nearly 2,500 miles from Pacific to the Indian Ocean.
Whether you opt for a camping adventure or a metropolitan night at the opera, Australia has what you’re looking for. See for yourself.
Could this kangaroo be carrying a mini-marsupial in its pouch? Gene Hollander, 2019/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/a1/43/a1434e84-90d0-4dfa-8a5d-70abd3c09fae/ef22416f-eb7a-4234-8a92-fa0f1e0cd462.jpg)
The Klochkov family spent eight years living on the ocean on their yacht Lady Mary, setting a new world record in sailing. Here, they enjoy breakfast in Australian waters. Iulia Galushina, 2021/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/53/25/5325cad7-6353-4cde-97d1-caf5f22f7f33/95162835-f0f0-447d-8418-149ab928bec4.jpg)
A koala clings to a tree trunk at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary near Brisbane. Justin Yett, 2010/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/d5/1d/d51d5819-ccd2-43e8-a252-7d969fc05910/faadc23b6030c73d5e80308b6c54840fbf605c90.jpg)
Lightning warns of an upcoming storm over a vast plain with a dilapidated home as shelter. Callie Chee, 2015/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/57/42/574261d8-4288-4c81-80ef-f379e0c21923/952140ca-9088-4d9c-8f5c-632ab2724f2d.jpg)
A girl opts for a natural look over store-bought makeup, paying honor to the beauty of Australia’s Indigenous people. Biljana Jurukovski, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/bc/21/bc21dfa6-11ab-4b79-a2f3-16197dd47f89/21ec65d9-842e-44cb-9036-8412568df3d3.jpg)
A kangaroo leans in, ready for its close-up, at Ballarat Wildlife Park. Jessica Ritchie, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/6b/bd/6bbd8606-8cfc-45b4-b375-031699b474e2/48cd48eb-1a88-48af-9386-6bf32ec8f4f2.jpg)
An emu pair walks through the Australian bush awash in the last rays of sunlight. Christian Spencer, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/e7/01/e701dc1d-d077-406a-84c9-73db55eb6445/05d85dfe-5813-490c-a80e-e9552cab5743.jpg)
A small sailboat floats on the waters of the Sydney Harbor while the sun dims across the North Shore area. Nun Nicer, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/51/89/51890644-7c70-42ba-b4d3-7c37d7d48a9b/067c5728-54c8-4ad3-829b-e3ddba977846.jpg)
A couple offers a public display of affection to a flock of seagulls on Bondi Beach. Edmund (Chung-Yuan) Chang, 2019/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/0f/7d/0f7d69b3-5150-4f09-8648-329aeb530685/03213875-824b-4f25-b8fe-3c87e362cf62.jpg)
A gray-headed flying fox, listed as a vulnerable species by the Australian government, flies low over the water’s surface and wets its belly in a unique manner, then lands on a nearby tree to lick the thirst-quenching water from its fur. Jie Xu, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f1/a8/f1a83afc-f771-4176-b9a2-1db7c1498b4e/088eb4fe-8b30-4bf9-8976-9483c53d5f68.jpg)
A finch, seemingly drawn to the vivid hues of the flowering Grevillea banksii, an Australian native plant, takes an early morning breakfast nectar dip in Currumbin Valley. Mark Abriel, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/77/3b/773bcd37-d791-4fca-a9f4-eaf71f87d7ec/962a47f4-28c0-4e13-b41b-64f311d0ac34.jpg)
The Sydney Opera House, a recognizable landmark around the world, has won several awards for its architecture, design and performances Handi Laksono, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/19/5a/195a4611-5807-416b-a83b-41c32362e095/905cbe23-7bc5-451d-8828-20654369d01e.jpg)
One of the rarest birds in Australia, an endangered painted-snipe spreads its wings in threat display when a cockatoo flies nearby, loudly squawking. Graham Gall, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/30/84/308428c8-cd2d-4970-bc73-11240fc4cbb6/190caf4e-3ab0-4edd-95e1-29752b87b11e.jpg)
A kangaroo seemingly poses for a photo along the cliffs above Windy Harbor in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. Stacy Gessler, 2017/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/d8/7c/d87c45c2-96d5-442d-ac6a-c6fb0c229bcd/f64da6bf-de77-4b2a-8b57-2e1dd1ae348f.jpg)
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