Sydney Harbour has become the 16th and final National Landscape, the first stage in a marketing push to grow awareness of the city's natural attractions.
It joins other "icons", the Red Centre, the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania's Island Heritage among others in the scheme – a partnership between Tourism Australia and Parks Australia.
Speaking at the launch this morning at Sydney's Chowder Bay, Minister for tourism Martin Ferguson said the addition of the 1000 square kilometre harbour landscape to the program is "fitting".
"With our world famous harbour at its heart, this landscape is the first glimpse that welcomes 42% of international visitors to Australia," he said.
Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said that the scheme aimed to capitalise on Australia's wealth of natural attractions, its key point of difference and a major tourist drawcard.
"People have moved on from the checklist of things to see and do," he said, with tourists instead seeking to "experience and immerse" themselves in places. People and nature, two of Australia's main assets, are therefore more important than ever, he added.
"This is just the beginning," McEvoy said of the program. "We really want to make this sing."
