2 Best Sights in Glass House Mountains Area, Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Made famous by the late Steve Irwin, this popular, 110-acre park is home to all manner of Australian animals: koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, snakes, wombats, lizards—and, naturally, crocodiles. There are also otters, lemurs, tigers, red pandas, and a giant rain forest aviary. Daily shows feature crocs, birds of prey, koalas, and more. There are also plenty of extras that let you get up close and personal with the residents, including petting and hand-feeding red pandas (A$99), getting cozy with cheetahs (A$69) and rhinos (A$99), or cuddling a koala (A$49). Get around the park on foot or try the free hop-on, hop-off mini-trains. Private guided tours and Segway adventures (A$60) are also available.

The Sunshine Coast's colorful Aussie World amusement park features several games rooms, a hall for "Funnybone Flicks," and a bustling fairground with 30-plus rides, including bumper cars, a retro merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, log ride, minigolf—even a sideshow alley. Admission is cheap, the "old school" carnival vibe is fun and friendly, and the park is far less crowded than its Gold Coast equivalents. An eclectic range of specialty stores are also housed within the complex, as well as the iconic Banana Bender Pub: a quirky, much-photographed watering hole full of kitsch Australiana and classic Aussie pub meals.