Top 3 Australia UNESCO World Heritage Sites

From bright red deserts and rugged canyons to iconic cityscapes and a thriving dining scene, the land Down Under offers so much to experience, not to mention a bevy of natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage sites. Whether you’re in need of some travel inspiration or are already planning your dream Australia voyage, get our Destination Specialists’ take on the top UNESCO sites to explore in this vast and wild continent.

Sydney Opera House
This architectural wonder has been known as one of the best performing arts center in the world and, even though it’s been open since 1973, it was only declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

The distinctive structure was designed by Jørn Utzon, a virtually unknown Danish architect at the time, after he won the Opera House International Design competition in 1956. More than 200 designs were submitted and he took away ₤5000 for his marvelous and unusual design.

Learn about the history, design and current role of the Sydney Opera House on our Sydney Sights, Opera House & Bondi shore excursion.

Great Barrier Reef
Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef is so immense, it can be seen from outer space? To give you a better idea, the entire system, which is the largest coral reef system in the world, would cover about half of Texas, and is more extensive than the Great Wall of China.

These colorful and lively coral reefs include an enormous variety of sea life, from fish – approximately 10% of the world’s total fish species live here – to sharks and all types of marine life in between.

Known as one of the seven wonders of the natural world, don’t miss this UNESCO World Heritage site on our Great Barrier Reef Adventure or Great Barrier Reef & Rainforest Overflight excursion, available from Cairns.

Kakadu National Park
This astounding cultural and natural landscape has been home to the Aboriginal Australians for approximately 65,000 years, according to archaeological findings which have discovered human relics confirming this. These findings confirm, to date, that the Aboriginals are the oldest living culture in the world. In fact, the Aboriginals who still live today manage the park in partnership with the Australian government, which means they have a say in the way the park – their land – is cared for.

This beautiful park is also home to about 280 different bird species, 10,000 crocodiles, and 2,000 different types of plants.

From adventurous walks and majestic waterfalls to learning about Kakadu’s rock art, discover all that Kakadu National Park has to offer by reserving our Executive Collection Full-Day Car or Van for when you visit Darwin.

See you Down Under in 2018!