9 Best Downtowns In Australia
Nobody wants to spend a vacation stuck in the car, driving for hours between stops. That is why these nine downtowns in Australia are worth a look. In Beechworth, you can visit museums about figures like the outlaw Ned Kelly without leaving the main street. In New South Wales, Byron Bay puts the beach right downtown. These downtowns are likely to have whatever you are after on your next trip.
Port Fairy, Victoria
Port Fairy is a quirky little town in Victoria with a pretty downtown and a beach close by. The main event is the annual Port Fairy Folk Festival, held in March over the Labour Day weekend, when some of Australia's premier folk musicians play the town's streets and concert halls.
If you cannot make the festival, there is still plenty to do. Start the day with breakfast and coffee at Rebecca's Café, then head down Bank Street and up James Street to the deep shelves of Blarney Books and Art. The warm room and the endless selection mean you can lose hours finding your next novel.
Beechworth, Victoria
Elsewhere in Victoria is Beechworth, a small town that wears its history on its sleeve. Many of its buildings date to the gold rush of the 1850s. You can dig into that past at the town's museums. The Old Beechworth Gaol is a prison-turned-museum with exhibits on its famous residents, including the Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, while the Burke Museum holds a deep collection of artifacts covering Beechworth before and after settlement.
After the museums, walk the downtown to Bridge Road Brewers, one of the better examples of the town's growing drinks scene. The brewpub fills a vintage hotel and serves housemade craft beers alongside pizza.
Berry, New South Wales
Like Beechworth, Berry is a downtown where you feel the history as you arrive. This New South Wales town about 150 kilometers from Sydney has dozens of historic buildings on the state Heritage Register. Many line Queen Street, the main drag, including the Berry Museum, set in a former bank, with exhibits and photographs on the area's timber and farming past.
Berry is also the place for a sweet tooth. Down Queen Street, the Berry Donut Van serves homemade donuts and coffee, and on the edge of downtown the Treat Factory stocks more candy than seems reasonable.
Byron Bay, New South Wales
New South Wales has some of the best beaches in all of Australia, and few beat Byron Bay. Best of all, Main Beach is right downtown, with room to enjoy the bay without big crowds. When you have had enough sun, head to the end of the beach for a meal at Fishheads, which serves seafood with a view of the water.
When you need a break from the sand, Railway Park and its children's playground is a shaded spot with plenty of equipment, good for a picnic.
Airlie Beach, Queensland
For another downtown beach, try Airlie Beach in Queensland, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The main road, Shute Harbour Road, runs along the coast, so wherever you stay the beach is a short walk. Airlie Beach itself has plenty of sand and a view across Airlie Bay, and right beside it the Airlie Beach Lagoon is a large public pool with a children's area and deeper lanes for laps.
After a day in the bay or the pool, dry off at Paradiso Airlie Beach for a meal by the water, with fish and chips and pork ribs among the options.
Montville, Queensland
Montville, Queensland, is built around a walkable downtown and a love of art. On Main Street, the Montville Art Gallery has a relaxed feel and a wide range of work, and up the road the Collie Crawford Art Gallery shows the paintings of the local artist it is named for.
For a different kind of keepsake, the Clock Shop on Main Street carries table clocks, grandfather clocks, and plenty in between, all finely made.
Albany, Western Australia
The past comes alive in Albany, the oldest colonial settlement in Western Australia. In the heart of downtown is a cluster of museums on the port town's history. The Museum of the Great Southern covers the area's geography and how its culture developed over the years, and right next door the Albany Convict Gaol, a former prison, is open to explore.
Make a reservation for the end of the day at Liberté, a bar with some of the best cocktails in Western Australia and a good place to meet the locals.
Margaret River, Western Australia
Elsewhere in Western Australia is Margaret River, in the heart of its namesake wine region. The wineries are spread through the countryside around town rather than along the main street, each with its own style. Sons & Daughters Winery and Distillery pours its range on a dog-friendly outdoor terrace, and Dormilona offers wine and art for sale.
There is more than wine here, too. Memorial Park in the center of town has a play area and a picnic spot, and Rucola Pizzeria & Italian Delicacies is a good place to end the day over pizza.
Hahndorf, South Australia
Hahndorf is a singular community in South Australia, one of the best places to see German culture and heritage alive in the country. About 28 kilometers from Adelaide, it is popular for its German architecture and food. The Hahndorf Inn sits on the main strip, Mount Barker Road, serving hearty German fare, and next door the Haus Restaurant adds a patio, breakfast, and a long wine list.
To catch the town at its friendliest, visit in August for the Hahndorf Immersed Festival, two weeks of hands-on workshops in cooking, sculpture, and more.
Enjoy a Relaxing Vacation in These Australian Downtowns
Some of the best vacations are the ones where everything you want to do is a short walk from your lodging. So whether your trip is about the beach, local culture, or art, these Australian downtowns are some of the best places to point yourself.
