The 26 best new things to do in Australia in 2026

Almost a decade ago, the NSW government announced plans to relocate the Sydney Fish Market – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere – to a sparkly new waterfront site just around the corner. The $836-million upgrade project was given the green light back in 2020 and will officially open on January 19, 2026. The world-class market is expected to attract 6 million visitors annually, featuring 40 fresh dining and drinking options and a 50-metre public wharf that will support a new ferry route connecting the market to Barangaroo. 

If facing your fears is high on your 2026 bucket list – but jumping out of a plane feels a step too far – we’ve found just the thrill for you. A world-first cliff adventure park is set to open in the Gold Coast Hinterland in January 2026, featuring not one but three of the country’s tallest ziplines. Perched 400 metres above the valley floor, Happitat will boast Australia’s highest zipline at 200 metres, along with a Via Ferrata mountaineering course, an 80-metre suspension bridge, forest trails and swimming holes.

The allure of Australia’s Red Centre is about to become even stronger in 2026, with the debut of an epic, new multi-day hike inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Launching in April, the five-day 'Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk' will be the first experience to allow guests to stay overnight inside the World Heritage-listed national park. Hikers will adventure across 54 kilometres of desert trails, native mulga woodlands and cresting red dunes until they reach the final destination – Uluru. Bookings are already open with the award-winning Tasmanian Walking Company, which developed the trek in close collaboration with the Anangu Traditional Owners.

After years of scheming, building, hoop-jumping and route-mapping, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is almost ready for take-off. Sydney’s second major airport has been in the works since 2014 and is set to become the city’s largest, eventually handling over 80 million passengers annually (a similar size to London’s Heathrow). With the architecturally striking terminal revealed, the airfield, landside and terminal major construction works now complete and the flight paths announced, it’s all on track to open in late 2026. 

It's not every day that Adelaide becomes home to world-famous pieces of priceless art, but come July 2026, things are changing. For the first time ever, Australians will get the chance to see 57 incredible paintings by giants of American and European art in the 19th and 20th centuries on home soil. We're talking the likes of Monet, Matisse, Van Gogh, Degas, Cezanne and Picasso, plus many prolific others, all coming together in one mammoth exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA). Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition will be on display in Adelaide from July 11 to November 8, 2026.

The Sunshine State is gearing up for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, and it’s not just the sports scene getting a glow-up. Queensland’s hotel boom is in full swing, with 30 new hotels already open or under construction for the Olympics. One of the most anticipated is Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel, set to open just 100 metres from the surf and sand on the Sunshine Coast in April 2026. Think 180 ritzy rooms and suites, four distinct restaurants, a rooftop pool bar with 180-degree water views, event spaces, a gym and a kids’ club.

Footy fans, it’s game time! From March 1 to 21, Australia will host the Asia Pacific’s top football teams – including the Matildas – for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. Matches will be staged across major stadiums in Perth, the Gold Coast and Sydney, where you can cheer on the Tillies as they face off against 2022 champions China, past runners-up South Korea and Japan, and newly qualified teams from India, the Philippines and Vietnam. If the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is anything to go by – the single biggest female sporting event in the world – we expect the Asian Cup to be a knockout.

Hikers, this one’s for you. The Whitsundays is set to launch a brand-new multi-day hiking experience in May 2026 – and bookings are already open. Named in honour of the Ngaro People, the Traditional Custodians of the land and sea, the Ngaro Track takes hikers on a journey from rainforest to reef. The 32-kilometre, three-day route starts at the world-famous Whitehaven Beach and ends at one of the region’s most stunning lookouts, Hill Inlet. Limited to just 15 hikers at a time, the trail can be tackled on a guided tour or self-guided, with overnight stays at two brand-new eco-campsites.

When the $915 million Powerhouse Parramatta opens in late 2026, it’ll mark the largest NSW Government investment in cultural architecture since the Sydney Opera House was built more than 50 years ago. Located on the riverside, it’ll also become the first major cultural institution to be established in Western Sydney. The museum is slated to welcome 2 million visitors through its doors in the first year, offering 18,000sqm of exhibition and public space, including a breathtaking rooftop garden. 

Perched atop 30-million-year-old cliffs overlooking the sparkling Southern Ocean, The Cliffs Kangaroo Island is set to become one of the world’s ultimate bucket-list destinations for golfers. The 18-hole links course opens for Preview Play in mid-January, embracing the island’s natural beauty, native wildlife and dramatic coastal vistas. Visitors can stay and play, with a relaxed clubhouse and 20 exclusive lodges – some with saunas and private spas – scheduled to open later in the year.

The Larrakia people are the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters around Darwin, and in 2026, their culture and history will be celebrated and preserved at the Northern Territory’s new Larrakia Cultural Centre. Located on the waterfront near the Stokes Hill sacred site, the $58.6 million building is designed to resemble a bird in flight – a Larrakia ancestral being – and will house exhibition and gallery spaces, landscaped gardens, an outdoor auditorium, a signature restaurant and an arts studio for spear making, weaving and painting workshops.

2025 was a huge year for live shows in Australia – but now, the world’s number one musical is heading back Down Under, with an all-new Australian staging of Disney’s The Lion King set to premiere in Sydney from April 2026. Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King has been seen by more than 112 million people worldwide and continues to ascend as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. It’s been more than a decade since The Lion King’s last Aussie tour, and an exciting chance for loyal fans to reconnect and to spark a new wave of excitement in the next generation.

If you thought the Whitsundays couldn’t get any more dreamy, think again. In 2026, Lindeman Island is making a glamorous comeback after an incredible $583 million transformation. It’s been more than a decade since the beloved island last welcomed guests – but with a brand-new five-star eco-resort coming soon, now’s the perfect time to start dreaming of a getaway. The luxury resort will feature 209 rooms and suites, multiple dining venues, a solar farm, event spaces, a swimming pool, and a luxury spa and gym. The first stage of the project will see a new 50-metre jetty completed in 2026, with the resort opening soon after. 

Three levels, 14 seats, 16 courses. It’s been a long time coming, but award-winning Adelaide chef Justin James (ex-Restaurant Botanic) is gearing up to open his first restaurant in April 2026. Housed in a former Adelaide Hills church that was home to Aptos Cruz Galleries for the past 35 years, Restaurant Aptos will spotlight seasonal produce from local farmers and native Australian ingredients, including green tree ants, lemon myrtle and scarlet red prawns. James' immersive dining experience promises to be unlike any other, with guests set to journey through different spaces as the degustation unfolds. 

Big things are on the horizon for Australia’s most remote luxury lodge, which opens for just four exclusive months each year. After a three-year transformation, Berkeley River Lodge is entering a reimagined era of barefoot luxury, complete with new signature spa treatments, all-inclusive activities and scenic flight transfers. The past two seasons have already unveiled upgraded villas floating atop two coastal sand dunes on the Kimberley Coast. From May 2026, guests can look forward to new hot stone massages, morning movement sessions by the pool, barefoot barbecues under the stars and return scenic flight transfers from Darwin. 

It’s time to warm up those vocal cords: the Broadway smash-hit, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, is making its Aussie debut at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre this August. Celebrating the life and music of the legendary singer, this musical memoir is filled with classics like ‘Sweet Caroline, ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ and ‘Cracklin’ Rosie’ – you’ll have a hard time not singing along. Broadway star Will Swenson will reprise his acclaimed role, dazzling Aussie audiences for the first time.

Want to see rhinos, giraffes and zebras in the wild but can’t quite make it to Africa? Your safari dreams are closer than you think! In the second half of 2026, Australia’s largest African-style savannah resort is set to open at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Spanning 55 hectares, the Serengeti Resort will feature a sleek events space, a café-restaurant and a sparkling infinity-edge pool, all positioned to offer prime views of the roaming animals. Visitors can even wake up in the wild at one of three unique accommodations, ranging from a billabong campsite to all-inclusive luxury lodges.

There’s never really a quiet year for restaurant openings in Australia, and Côte Basque is already shaping up to be one of the hottest of 2026. Brought to us by Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann – the legends behind Gimlet, Marion and Supernormal – this new European bistro will take over the iconic former Becco spot on Crossley Street in the heart of the CBD.  Expect woodfired everything and big Basque coastal energy, spanning flavours from northern Spain to southwest France.

With its vibrant blue water, soft white sands and secluded serenity, Wineglass Bay is one of Australia’s most incredible beaches. Until now, most visitors have only been able to enjoy day trips – due to limited accommodation in the Freycinet Peninsula – but that’s all set to change. In June 2026, Wineglass Bay Estate will open its doors: a secluded, luxury vineyard retreat overlooking the calm waters of Moulting Lagoon. Fresh young vines are being planted across the property this December, laying the foundations for an intimate cellar door experience slated to open the month after. What a duo!

Canberrans, say goodbye to the chilly winter blues – a floating sauna is arriving on Lake Burley Griffin in 2026! Inspired by Tasmania's famous floating sauna in Lake Derby (pictured above), this Canberra version will be set on the shores of Yarralumla Beach East and feature two woodfired sauna rooms, each with floor-to-ceiling windows. Who's ready to take the plunge?

Among the spectacular outdoor events staged for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, The Phantom of the Opera is perhaps the most ambitious and extravagant. Its 2022 premiere was record-breaking, making it the highest-grossing production in the event's decade-long history. Four years later, the tragic tale of the beautiful young singer returns for an exclusive 40th anniversary season from March 2026, directed by Australia’s master of musical theatre, Simon Phillips. With the Sydney Opera House as a backdrop, an enormous floating stage, an exceptional live orchestra, audacious costumes and nightly fireworks, it’s set to be one of the biggest Aussie productions of the year.

Victoria’s renowned Yarra Valley wine region will score its first suite-only luxury hotel, with an ultra-bougie $20 million development set to open in early 2026. Designed to blend naturally with the Yarra Valley’s gorgeous landscape and complement Levantine Hill’s existing winery, the boutique hotel will offer 33 suites overlooking the vineyards or mountains. Guests can also enjoy complimentary breakfast, indoor and outdoor exercise facilities, a sculpture walk and tastings of Levantine’s award-winning wines. Cheers to that!

Less than an hour’s flight from mainland Tasmania or Melbourne, the remote and rugged King Island was named by Condé Nast as one of the best places to travel in 2026. Adding to the appeal, Ocean Dunes Golf Course – regarded as one of the best in the Asia-Pacific – will unveil a new restaurant, clubhouse and 64 on-course hotel rooms in late 2026. Sounds like every golfer’s dream!

You’ll have even more reason to visit Australia’s top tourism town in 2026! By the end of the year, Fremantle’s historic Victoria Quay waterfront will become home to the nation’s first Aboriginal immersive food and art precinct. Led by local Aboriginal-owned native food and event company Gather Hospitality Group, the 1,125sqm precinct will feature a café, retail stores, an Aboriginal art and literature area, and an event space. Visitors can further interact with WA’s Aboriginal heritage via a state-of-the-art immersive digital art experience, bringing 60,000 years of ancient knowledge and culture to life.

Lights, camera, action! After a six-year break, the world’s largest short film festival is returning to Sydney. The Aussie-born summer fest has celebrated homegrown talent for more than three decades and is returning to its roots, challenging filmmakers to create a brand-new short film of seven minutes or less. The finalists will be screened at a free live event on February 22, so grab a picnic blanket and enjoy a night of creativity under the stars.

Did you know you can chase snow and surf in the one day in Victoria? This winter, Wild Adventures Melbourne is launching an epic five-day journey along the Great Alpine Road. You’ll get to ski and snowboard on Mount Hotham, Australia’s highest alpine village, surf along the Gippsland coast, chill in hot springs and eat world-class produce. See you out on the slopes or in the swell!