Three Aussie tourist attractions were ranked among the world's most underrated (and overrated) spots

Have you ever travelled halfway across the globe to a bucket-list destination, only to find yourself surrounded by throngs of people? Then braved hour-long queues at what turned out to be just another tourist trap? It’s hard knowing what attractions are and aren’t worth the hype when exploring new destinations. At Time Out, we’re here to point you in the right direction for the best tourist attractions in Australia, but we rely on recommendations from fellow experts (aka you guys) too. 

A recent study by flight booking site Wingie ranked the ten most underrated and overrated landmarks and attractions around the world, with three Australian spots making the cut. They analysed thousands of TripAdvisor reviews for the top 50 tourist experiences in every country, scanning for 40 keywords and phrases that signified if a place was ‘overrated’ (eg: overpriced, disappointing, let down) or ‘underrated’ (eg: impressive, highly recommended, must-do). Each landmark and attraction was then given an overall score to determine the top ten most underrated and overrated attractions globally. 

According to the data, Newcastle Memorial Walk in NSW is the most underrated tourist spot in Australia, ranking eighth worldwide. Most commonly praised for its ‘great view’, the 450-metre long clifftop walkway boasts sweeping ocean vistas from Strzelecki Lookout to Bar Beach and Merewether Ocean Baths. The ANZAC memorial walk was officially opened in 2015 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing in Gallipoli, and we’d say it’s the perfect balance of history and scenery, with a big dose of nature and salty ocean air.

Closely following as the nation’s second and the world’s ninth most underrated tourist attraction is SkyPoint Climb on the Gold Coast. At 270 metres above street level, this is one of Australia's highest external building walks and begins on level 77 of Surfers Paradise’s Q1 building. Trust us, it’s worth facing your fears and ascending to the highest point to admire the stunning 360-degree views of the Gold Coast region, including its golden beaches, city skyline and lush green hinterland. 

Down the other end of the table, the most overrated Australian attraction on Wingie’s list is Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, Victoria. Ranking eighth globally, this ten-hectare, outdoor Gold Rush museum tallied almost 1,500 ‘disappointed’ reviews, which was more than a third of the attraction's 3,823 reviews. While Sovereign Hill’s recreations of 1850s experiences – like gold panning, candle dipping and underground mining – delight some, many visitors rated the experience as too expensive. 

Here are the full top ten most underrated tourist attractions in the world, according to the study:

1. Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden, Jamaica
2. Irish National Stud and Gardens, Ireland
3. Al Noor Island, United Arab Emirates
4. Cabot Trail, Canada
5. Stone Hall Castle, Canada
6. Stetson Mansion, USA
7. Kiambethu Farm, Kenya
8. Newcastle Memorial Walk, Australia
9. SkyPoint Climb, Australia
10. The Rooms, Canada

And here are the most overrated destinations:

1. Warwick Castle, UK
2. Kampong Phluk, Cambodia
3. Stonehenge, UK
4. Besakih Temple, Indonesia
5. Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, Switzerland
6. Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park, Puerto Rico
7. Graceland, US
8. Sovereign Hill, Australia
9. Bletchley Park, UK
10. Ngong Ping 360, China

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