Sydney
Art fans curious about Chinese contemporary art should go to White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale (whiterabbitcollection.org), a four-storey private collection that's free to visit. The Art Gallery NSW (artgallery.nsw.gov.au) now also has a superb Asian wing, with a new permanent indigenous collection.
The Sydney Theatre Company (sydneytheatre.com.au) has gone from strength to strength under artistic directors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton. The theatre precinct in Walsh Bay now has great bars and restaurants, so you can dine well before a show and enjoy harbour views while you do so.
Darling Harbour is always evolving and Surry Hills/Darlinghurst is now bar and restaurant central. Kings Cross has been gentrified, although it still has its sleazy side (the old neon strip club signs are heritage-protected!). Bennelong Point, ugly until a decade ago, has an Italian-style colonnade in the walk up to the Opera House. A drink at Opera Bar (operabar.com.au) opposite the Harbour Bridge as the sun sets is an essential experience.
Nick Dent, editor of Time Out Sydney (timeoutsydney.com.au), which is now a magazine, website and iPhone app
For three weeks each January, the Sydney Festival (sydneyfestival.org.au, 8-30 January) has a programme of 500-plus artists from Australia and elsewhere, and three years ago introduced a new opening event, Festival First Night, when 300,000 people take to city streets transformed into free stages and precincts.
The Finders Keepers (thefinders keepers.com) holds a twice-yearly indie craft event in Sydney and Brisbane, featuring emerging designers and their cool and affordable wares, plus live music, cafe and bar.
If you're into fresh produce and meeting growers and producers, Eveleigh Farmer's Market (eveleighmarket.com.au) will appeal. The heritage-listed market is home to more than 80 farmers and artisan food producers every Saturday morning.
Sydneysiders love their caffeine, and Campos Specialty Coffee (camposcoffee.com) has just opened its first Cupping Room – offering a complete theatrical, sensory experience of the humble coffee bean – in Newtown.
Adriano Zumbo (adrianozumbo.com), a contemporary French-inspired patisserie in Balmain, showcases some of the most desirable, inventive cakes this side of the equator (think beetroot and raspberry macaroons).
Carrie Choo, founder of Daily Addict (dailyaddict.com.au), a lifestyle guide to Sydney and Melbourne
Guardian tip Budget travellers can stay in the new Sydney Harbour youth hostel (yha.com.au), with views of the Opera House and the bridge, from £24 a night in a six-bed dorm
Melbourne
Tony Wheeler of Lonely Planet fame is one of many sponsors of The Wheeler Centre (wheelercentre.com), a new cultural hub on Little Lonsdale Street encouraging all things literary, including Lunchbox/Soapbox, an old-fashioned Speakers' Corner. Bring your lunch and listen to writers sounding off.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (acmi.net.au) in Federation Square is worth a visit for its alternative cinema options. Or there's Underground Cinema (undergroundcinema.com.au), monthly cinema experiences that take place in changing secret locations depending on the mystery film shown.
Shop on Gertrude Street for all things quirky and unique. My hit list includes fashion boutique Left (leftmelbourne.blogspot.com), Amor y Locura (amorylocura.com) for antiques and pre-loved treasures, Industria X (industriax.com.au) for ex-industrial furniture and vintage wares, Aesop for beautiful plant-based skincare, Spacecraft (spacecraftaustralia.com) for its vibrant printed homewares and Books for Cooks.
Der Raum (derraum.com.au) has an array of food and drink awards and serves daily hand-pressed juices, old-world elixirs, super-premium spirits and sports one very fine cocktail ice machine (they boast it's the finest in the world). It's a must-visit establishment for cocktail novices and connoisseurs both. Cumulus Inc (cumulusinc.com.au) is a foodie favourite for breakfast, but it is humming at any time of day, churning out Andrew McConnell's well-thought-out informal dishes, ideal for sharing.
Carrie Choo (as before)
Guardian tip Art Aficionado (artaficionadotours.com) is a new walking tour operation. The three-hour Inside The Labyrinth tour visits six contemporary art galleries in the city, plus sites of cultural interest. Tours cost £37pp and start at 2pm on Fridays
Perth
Perth's bar scene has taken off in the past year or so. You'll find plenty of desirable bars in the city centre and Northbridge. Of the central offerings, Helvetica (helveticabar.com), specialising in whiskey, and Andaluz (andaluzbar.com.au), offering modern tapas and a killer wine list, are personal favourites. The crowds are mixed, the settings are in that exposed brick/Chesterfield-lounge-stolen-from-rich-grandma's-house style.
The suburb of Northbridge boasts Ezra Pound (189 William St), a hidden speakeasy-style joint where cocktails are served in old jam jars. On the same street is The Bird (williamstreetbird.com), which has live gigs and fun nights (hip-hop karaoke, anyone?), and 399 (399bar.com), which isn't as vocal in terms of hipster-chic but has some of the best bartenders and spirits in the state. It's worth noting that these small bars are legally allowed a maximum of 120 people, so try to make it there before 8.30pm or you'll be in for a wait. If waiting and small spaces aren't your speed, visit Little Creatures (littlecreatures.com.au), a Fremantle-born brewery and pub right on the harbour which is a must-visit for beer (or Perth) lovers.
Rachael Ciccarelli (twitter.com/rachthething), freelance journalist with the West Australian newspaper
If you're in Perth, you must have dinner at dusk at the Indiana (indiana.com.au) on Cottesloe beach. The balcony and dining room are the perfect spots to sample fresh Western Australia produce while watching the surf and an amazing sunset. A few metres down the road is the OBH (Ocean Beach Hotel if you're new in town, obh.com.au). It also overlooks the sea and has a restaurant but most come here for a liquid lunch, particularly on a Sunday. Sunday sessions are a Perth tradition, something to do with sunny afternoons, closed shops and any number of top breweries in the city.
Shane Osborn, head chef and co-owner of London's Pied à Terre (pied-a-terre.co.uk)
Guardian tip When you fly to Perth (and Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney) with Emirates, the Visit Australia Pass gives you discounted rates on internal flights. See emirates.com for details
Brisbane
Brisbane is without doubt the new kid on the cultural block. The South Bank is the cultural precinct and has recently undergone a dramatic makeover including a new Gallery of Modern Art (qag.qld.gov.au), a refurbished Queensland Performing Arts Centre (qpac.com.au), and the redevelopment of the State Library (slq.qld.gov.au) by Donovan Hill. The precinct is linked to the city centre by Cox Rayner's spidery Kurilpa Bridge, which opened last year and has already become a city landmark.
To the east of the city centre is New Farm, with its vibrant restaurant scene, and the Brisbane Powerhouse (brisbanepowerhouse.org), converted from a 1920s turbine hall into alternative performance spaces.
If you have more time, take a day trip to Stradbroke Island, a design mecca and home to a plethora of dwellings designed by some of Queensland's hottest architects.
Michael Rayner, architect, Cox Rayner (coxarchitecture.com.au)
Guardian tip Tourism Australia's free Go Ashes iPhone app (go to australia.com/ashes to download) features in-depth city guides to all the Ashes cities, plus all the latest cricket news, of course
Adelaide
The Reading Room (thereadingroom-renewadelaide.blogspot.com) is a good starting point for Adelaide culture: it's a library-cum-lounge with gallery and cinema. Magazine Gallery on Clubhouse Lane is a cool little artspace that's only been open for a few months.
Format (format.net.au) is a multi-purpose creative hub in Adelaide, runing exhibitions and gigs, plus arts and community events. A two-week festival in February/March, includes visual art, literature workshops and urban art. You might also want to look at the Five Thousand website (fivethousand.com.au), a sort of What's On in Adelaide for local hipsters.
Ianto Ware, creative director, Format
My favourite restaurants include Mesa Lunga (mesalunga.com) for tapas, the Oyster Bar at Glenelg (oysterbar.com.au) and the Lion Hotel (thelionhotel.com). Waymouth Street is the place for drinks – try Gallery (galleryonwaymouth.com.au) or Georges (georgesonwaymouth.com.au).
Brooke Liebelt, marketing executive and Adelaide local
Guardian tip Qantas Holidays (020-8222 9124, qantasholidays.co.uk) is offering two free nights on a five-night stay at Adelaide's Rockford Hotel, from £232pp for the whole stay. From Adelaide, a one-day trip to Kangaroo Island with Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours (wildernesstours.com.au), including 4WD touring and lunch, costs £243pp
Winelands: Victoria
My favourite wine destination in Australia is the Giant Steps winery (giant-steps.com.au) in the Yarra Valley. In many ways it encapsulates the new Australia. First, it's not in some bucolic vineyard setting but on the (slightly less than bustling) main drag of Healesville in the heart of the Yarra. It is modern, strong, confident and bloody brilliant. There's a wood fire for real pizza, an in-house baker, a cheese room, a football table, unusually cool people behind the bar (wine regions don't normally do cool), and all-pervasive spirit and passion.
And then there is the wine. Almost exclusively single-vineyard, brilliantly made, focused and stylish, chardonnays and pinot noirs really – and I mean really – make a statement here. It's the brainchild of a bloke called Phil Sexton. He flies small planes, builds great businesses, makes great wines, has beautiful children and stays fit in his 50s. I hate him. And his winery.
Stuart Gregor, retired wine author who now runs PR company Liquid Ideas (liquidideas.com.au) and has a small winery in the Yarra Valley
Hamilton Island: Queensland
Hamilton Island (hamiltonisland.com.au), the largest inhabited island of the Whitsunday off Queensland, offers a number of unique experiences. Glenn Bourke, the island's chief executive, recommends a stay on Australia's only permanent-structure marine accommodation.
Fantasea Adventure Cruising, an eco-certified operator, offers a Reefsleep Experience package with nights either side on Hamilton Island (fantasea.com.au, from £285pp). "Spending the night on a floating pontoon, 40 miles offshore on the Great Barrier Reef with only tropical marine life for company, is both magical and unforgettable," he says.
Chef Jane-Therese Mulry (of the Qualia luxury resort) sings the praises of the local food scene: "Hamilton Island's Great Barrier Feast series (hamiltonisland.com.au/feast) is a celebration of Australia's culinary soul. After being Marco Pierre White's first female head chef in London, I developed a passion for using only the freshest ingredients – and it doesn't get better than North Queensland produce."
The arts scene is on the up too, says David McAllister, artistic director of the Australian Ballet. "The Australian Ballet's third annual performance on Hamilton Island in July 2011 (hamiltonisland.com.au/australian-ballet) has become an important event on the calendar for us. It provides patrons with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Australian Ballet in one of Australia's most beautiful locations, culminating in a magical sunset performance with the Whitsundays as a backdrop."
Natural world: Tasmania
Tarkine Forest Adventures (adventure forests.com.au/tarkine) is found at Dismal Swamp near Togari in north-west Tasmania. Dismal Swamp is a natural blackwood forest sinkhole, believed to be the only remaining one of its kind in the world. The floor of the sinkhole is 40m deep, and can be reached by a walking track – or much more quickly by taking the 110m slide from the viewing platform. Two trips down the slide are included in the admission price (£12 per adult).
In December 2007, cruise operator Robert Pennicott expanded operations in southern Tasmania with the launch of Tasman Island Cruises (tasmancruises.com.au). The coastline here is spectacular, and there is a great variety of marine wildlife and seabirds to be seen, from seals, whales, sharks and dolphins to albatrosses, eagles and falcons. Full-day tours include an eco-cruise and an optional visit to the Port Arthur historic convict site, the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park or the Federation Chocolate factory and museum (from £100pp; cheaper three-hour tours are also available).
Donna and Tony Gibbons, local experts on Tasmania for MyDestinationInfo.com (mydestinationinfo.com)
Guardian tip There's a buzz about the opening of Mona (Museum of Old and New Art, mona.net.au) near Hobart in January. Stay in one of the Mona pavilions, featuring artwork from the collection, for £306 a night including breakfast, through Bridge & Wickers (bridgeandwickers.co.uk)
Sea life: Western and South Australia
Ningaloo Reef is the largest fringing coral reef in the country. Temperate and tropical currents meet in Ningaloo, resulting in highly diverse marine life, including spectacular coral reefs and abundant fish, turtles, whale sharks, dugongs, whales and dolphins. The reef is home to more than 500 species of fish, 600 species of mollusc and 200 species of coral alone. It also has diverse marine communities, including mangroves, algae and filter-feeding. The close proximity of the reef to the shore (it is the only large reef located very close to a land mass) means visitors can enjoy a wide variety of activities without the need for lengthy boat trips.
Seasonal aggregations of whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and whales, as well as the annual mass coral spawning, provide unique opportunities for visitors to observe marine fauna and key biological processes. Some of the best places to snorkel are at tourist hot spots such as Turquoise Bay, Oyster Stacks and Coral Bay, but there are other places (many better than those just listed) – they simply require the visitor to do some exploring. Alternatively, jump on a licensed charter boat for a trip out to some incredible places that only local operators know about.
One thing visitors to the area always comment on is that nowhere else in Australia do they see such an abundant display of "iconic" Australian land animals, such as emus, kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas, together in one place. In the town of Exmouth, emus wander the streets – a sight that is quite amazing even for locals who have been living here for years.
• Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.com) has a nine-day Ningaloo Reef sailing holiday on a luxury catamaran from £2,531, excluding flights
Ray De Jong, ranger, Cape Range national park
Swimming with lightning-fast bluefin tuna near the coastal town of Port Lincoln on the Eyre peninsula in South Australia is an unforgettable experience. Other exceptional aquatic experiences include snorkelling with sea lions, whale watching, diving with cuttlefish and cage shark diving. The Eyre peninsula is known as "nature's playground" – getting up close and personal with wildlife is the norm.
Matt Waller, a fourth-generation fisherman and skipper at Adventure Bay Charters (adventurebaycharters.com.au)
Inland Australia
British tourists tend to focus on Australia's coastal cities, but there are some magnificent towns inland. Kyneton in Victoria is a particularly beautiful town that's only two hours' drive from Melbourne. It has a lazy, old world charm: original settlers' houses, a hotel straight out of the wild west, the courthouse where they tried Ned Kelly.
My favourite national park is Mungo in New South Wales, which is home to the oldest human remains outside of East Africa. The landscape is staggering, changing suddenly from rolling green land to sand dunes to rock. In the middle of Australia, Cameron's Corner is quite a sight. It's where the states of Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales meet and the Dingo Fence – the longest fence in the world – passes through. I've cycled around there with four or five dingos running alongside me.
Cairns, in Queensland, is a great party city, with fantastic bars and restaurants and good diving. But go inland and you'll pass through rainforest and come to Atherton. It's a town surrounded by bright green farmland, where an amazing array of fruit and vegetables is grown, including pineapples and guava. You'll also find local cheese and chocolate, so it's a good place to relax at the end of an active holiday.
• Sign up to cycle in a group from Melbourne to Cairns in May next year (Route A is 3,200km, Route B is 2,094km) at transozbikeride.com.
Mike Laird, explorer who cycled solo across the outback this year.
Guardian tip If cycling across Australia sounds too much like hard work, Austravel (0800 988 4834, austravel.com) has a new itinerary, Down the Middle: Darwin to Adelaide, allowing you to cross the country in more comfort. Marking the 150th anniversary of John Mcdouall Stuart's crossing, the trip includes flights, seven nights hotel accommodation (in Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide), a camping safari and train travel on the Ghan. The 12-night trip costs £2,889pp, departing on selected dates in May 2011
Green: Queensland
The Silky Oaks Lodge (+61 7 4098 1666, silkyoakslodge.com.au) in the Daintree, in tropical north Queensland, is a polished eco-lodge in one of the world's oldest rainforests. This year it launched a zero carbon offset plan. The rooms (from £200 per night) come with a private hammock and garden, oversized spa tubs and river views. The restaurant is built on hardwood stilts to see canopy life, and offers a reef and rainforest menu. The spa incorporates organic Australian treatments. Guides share aromatic jungle fruits while demonstrating forest diversity, including the cassowary, a large blue-headed relative of an emu.
Hannah Robinson, author of Australia: An Ecotraveller's Guide
Indigenous: Western Australia
Today there are some wonderful Aboriginal art galleries to visit in and around Perth, such as the Aboriginal Art Gallery in Kings Park (aboriginalgallery.com.au), Creative Native in the city (creativenative.com.au), Maalinup Aboriginal Art Gallery in the Swan Valley (maalinup.com.au) and True Blue Gallery in Fremantle (truebluegallery.com). Western Australia is also home to some of the most talented indigenous dance groups in the country.
These day, many tour operators are trying to educate visitors about the oldest living culture on the planet while developing indigenous employment opportunities. Indigenous tourism is a challenge, but I believe it is a solid step towards reconciliation with the wider community. Good operators include Wula Guda Nyinda - Aboriginal Cultural Tours run by Darren Capewell out of Shark Bay (wulaguda.com.au), Kepa Kurl in Esperance (kepakurl.com.au), and Darngku Heritage Cruises in the Geikie Gorge national park, West Kimberley (darngku.com.au).
Greg Nannup, executive director, Indigenous Tours WA (indigenouswa.com), which runs a tour in Kings Park, Perth
Food: Sydney
In Sydney, the inner east continues to dominate with new arrivals. The coolest and most happening places are following the current Parisienne trend of small, more modest owner-operated places (no big banker boys as backers) that offer great value, innovative food and wine, a relaxed ambience and a terrific design aesthetic. Duke Bistro and Porteno (porteno.com.au) tick all the boxes. Melbourne CBD is jam-packed with dynamic small bars and restaurants. My current favourites are Cutler + Co (the bar snacks are the best in Australia; cutlerandco.com.au), Movida Aqui (movida.com.au) and Den Izakaya (sensational sake list and uber-cool; izakayaden.com.au). Attica (attica.com.au) offers some of the more inventive menus in Australia.
Foraging has sparked a lot of interest and chefs are increasingly out there looking for wild produce. Ethical food and sustainability will continue to make a big impact in the market. Pop-up restaurants/guerilla dining should make a greater impact and should be fully supported and encouraged. It's a brilliant initiative that has been around in other countries for a while - such as Hong Kong's private kitchens - and can provide a wonderful showcase for creative talent without enormous overheads or burdening bureaucracy.
• Christine Manfield, the owner of Universal restaurant in Sydney; universalrestaurant.com
Surfing: Western Australia
Some of the best surfing spots in Australia are in the Margaret River region, Western Australia (margaretriver.com). The Margaret River Main Break is the most consistent wave. It's very powerful – it breaks from 2ft to 20ft – and is where all the locals surf every day. Intermediate surfers can also try Left Handers, or Lefties. This is a very nice wave that breaks on small to medium swell, but can get very crowded. North Point is one of the best right-hander reef breaks WA has to offer. It's a long barrelling wave that people travel from all over the world to surf when the swell is up. The Box is a very heavy right hander that breaks over a very shallow reef. You can expect to end up in hospital if you don't approach this wave with caution – so experienced surfers only. Cow Bombie is a wave that breaks about 2km out to sea. You need a jet ski to ride it as it only starts to break at around 15ft but handles up to 40ft. You have to be a bit crazy to have a go out there ... This wave is deadly and should only be attacked by very experienced surfers.
• Intrepid Travel's Western Wildlife Experience is a 10-day road trip from Adelaide to Perth, including a surfing lesson and a day in Margaret river. Prices start at £850 excluding flights, with camping, hostel and farm accommodation. intrepidtravel.com.
Josh Palmateer, surfing instructor and former champion (mrsurf.com.au)
Adventure
There is no doubt Australia enjoys playing big brother to little brother New Zealand, but when it comes to unique and exhilarating activities it seems the latter makes big bro look a bit of a Jesse. After all, in New Zealand, you can jump from it, swing from it, fly in it, get strapped to it and yes, even run naked through it (the Homer Tunnel annual naked run, if you're wondering). But, although little New Zealand is undoubtedly the master of all things 'Whoahhhh', Australia has its fair share too. If time is short, perhaps the best conglomerate can be accessed on the Gold Coast and at its six state-of-the-art theme parks that include Movie World, Sea World and Wet'n'Wild. And before you groan at the very thought of dodgems and Donald Duck, think again. Times have certainly changed and now you can join in sub-aqua shark feeding; try a rapid 4.5G vertical launch on the 60m 'Batwing'; go 0-100km in two seconds on the 'Superman Escape', or do the 'Kamikaze' and plunge 11m in something akin to a blow-up banana. Splashtacular!
• The theme parks are all operated under the auspices of My Fun Australia and cost about £34/£22 for entry, with cheaper multi-park passes available; myfun.com.au.
• Darroch Donald produces Australasian travel-related iPhone Apps with Sutro Media, sutromedia.com
Cycling: Queensland
The Gold Coast (goldcoast.com.au) has everything: great weather, the best beaches in the world, and challenging mountain biking. France is famous for its fields of sunflowers, but you'll be blown away when you ride through the golden cane fields around Murwillumbah. You'll see some spectacular panoramic views of the coast on rides into the Gold Coast mountains of Binna Burra and Springbrook. One of my favourite rides is down in the Tallebudgera Valley. It's a quiet road with the very best of the Gold Coast: cane fields, rainforests, local farmers and the occasional kangaroo. Cyclists in Australia always schedule a coffee break. One of my top coffee stops is on the ride to Uki. After riding through the quiet roads in the cradle of Mount Warning, an ancient volcano, you come to the quaint Uki Café (ukicafe.com.au). They have some great coffee and even better cakes, to fuel you up for the ride home. Another great coffee stop is Piccolo Espresso Cafe in Miami. During the Australian summer there's always a chance you'll bump into Tour De France legend Robbie McEwen, one of the owners.
Ashley Pettit, cycling guide for Gold Coast Cycling Tours (goldcoastcyclingtours.com.au)
Compiled by Rachel Dixon
