places in OzHave you ticked these Instagram favourites off your bucket list?

The most Instagrammed

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54 volume 51 2017 Australia’s #1 family travel magazine and website

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It’s official: Australia is one of the most Instagrammable places on Earth. From scorching outback deserts to the most beautiful beaches in the world, you could geo-tag yourself practically anywhere in

our sunburnt country and be guaranteed a flood of likes and comments. With more than 80 million posts on Instagram a day, can you guess which family-friendly destinations are the most popular?

Bondi BeachBondi Beach needs no introduction. Of course Australia’s most famous beach was going to make the list! While the ever-changing line-up of restaurants, bars and cafes definitely adds to its social media cred, it’s the sparkling ocean and blue skies that feature most in posts. And that’s not to mention the classic panorama of Bondi Icebergs or shots of the popular coastal walk to Coogee.

Sydney Harbour BridgeFinished in 1932 and known affectionately as ‘The Coathanger’ thanks to its arched design, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is an Australian icon and Instagram favourite. Every year thousands of tourists visit and some even dare to climb a portion of it – reaching heights up to 134 metres – just to take a peek at the city’s best sights (and take a photo of course) from a bird’s-eye view. Just wait to see the bridge in full action during festivities such as New Year’s Eve and Vivid Sydney for amazing pics that will have your account exploding with likes. Not surprisingly, one of the most popular vantage points is from the Opera Bar, directly across the harbour, with drink in hand.

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55@holidayswithkids www.holidayswithkids.com.au volume 51 2017

Sydney Opera HouseIt is impossible not to take a picture every time you see her standing in the middle of the harbour – magnificent and proud – Sydney’s most precious jewel. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II in October 1973 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, the Sydney Opera House is one of the 20th century’s most recognisable architectural landmarks. The famous white sails have hosted some of the greatest artists and performers in the world and are also home to The Grand Organ, the largest mechanical musical instrument the world. So don’t hesitate when spamming your friends’ Instagram feeds because this one looks stunning come rain, hail or shine!

The Grounds of AlexandriaWho would’ve guessed 10 years ago that Sydney’s busiest and trendiest coffee precinct would appear in the former industrial surrounds of Alexandria? To understand the phenomenon that is the Grounds of Alexandria, one has to visit on a Saturday morning to marvel at the hordes of brunch buddies – from couples to families, hipsters to soccer mums – buzzing around and taking photos of the food, the coffee and the farm animals. Remember to use the hashtag #swingbytheshed to receive a printed version of your selfie as a souvenir!

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56 volume 51 2017 Australia’s #1 family travel magazine and website

Surfers ParadiseAn enduring family holiday favourite, Surfers Paradise and its long stretch of beaches just keeps popping up on Instagram feeds year after year. With theme park attractions nearby and high-rise accommodation just metres from the sand, this glitzy gem offers an array of opportunities for that ‘wish you were here’ shot. But nothing beats the quintessential Gold Coast walking-into-the-sunset-surfboard-in-hand beach silhouette.

St Kilda BeachAs any Melburnian knows, summer isn’t summer until you’ve taken the tram to St Kilda and spent the afternoon enjoying the rays at the beach. The foreshore is a hustling hive of walkers, runners, roller skaters, skateboarders and musicians. Don’t forget to walk out to the end of the pier to peer between the rocks and say hello to any resident penguins flapping about and to take a picture with the creepy big-toothed clown at Luna Park.

The National Gallery of VictoriaSurprise, surprise… the oldest and most visited gallery in Australia is also the most Instagrammed! Spread over two magnificent buildings, the National Gallery of Victoria is host to a bit of this and a bit of that, from contemporary art to major international history exhibitions, fashion and design to sound dance, architecture to kids’ workshops. Since the current gallery opened in 1968, the total collection has doubled in size to more 70,000 works, so all ages are bound to get lost among the many hallways and galleries.

Taronga Zoo SydneyJust 12 minutes from the CBD by ferry and boasting breathtaking views of the harbour (and let’s not forget all those cute creatures great and small) it’s little wonder Taronga Zoo Sydney is an Instagram super star. With over 4000 animals to see and over 20 keeper talks and shows a day, little ones will run wild in this animal kingdom. Of course, the obligatory photo of the giraffes standing in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is an absolute must!

The Twelve ApostlesIf you find yourself driving along the Great Ocean Road then it is essential to visit the Twelve Apostles. The erosion that started around 10 to 20 million years ago created a tourist hotspot that hosts hundreds of visitors every day. Changing colour throughout the day, from a brilliant sandy yellow midday to shades of pastel orange and lavender as the sun goes down, it’s not hard to see why this majestic place is an Instagram celeb.

UluruDrawing in 400,000 visitors yearly, rising 318 metres above the ground and over nine kilometres in circumference, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park plays home to the largest sandstone formation in central Australia and one of our most important natural landmarks. Considered to be a sacred place to Australia’s Indigenous population, a picture with the big red rock is definitely a must if you are exploring the country’s most wild and off-the-beaten-track destinations.

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01 Sydney Harbour © @adventurebaby 02 © Kajo Merkert & Destination NSW 03 Surfers Paradise © @alittleatlarge 04 © @boyeatsworld 05 NGV © @adventurebaby 06 Taronga Zoo 07 Surfers © @boyeatsworld 08 Bondi © Destination NSW 09 The Grounds of Alexandria © Destination NSW 10 Uluru © Voyages/Tourism Australia 11 Twelve Apostles © Tourism Australia 12 Gold Coast © @alittleatlarge 13 The Grounds © @dventurebaby

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