Discerning world travellers lured to Sydney's wild side Tourism Australia is launching a series of short films showcasing Australia's best nature experiences, people and wildlife. It may surprise you to learn that Sydney Harbour has only just been named an iconic national landscape AUSTRALIA'S best nature experiences and unique wildlife will be showcased to the world in a series of short films aimed to entice more tourists Down Under. The 16 films will be rolled out on social media sites such as Facebook as part of Tourism Australia's National Landscapes program, which now includes Sydney Harbour. Other areas to feature include the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria, Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said the national landscapes had been chosen for the natural and cultural experiences they offered. "Nature is the No.1 reason that draws international visitors to our shores," he said. While America has 50 national parks and Canada has 41, Australia has more than 600. This is all too confusing for an international visitor when they are trying to find a nature-based tourism experience in our country. Mr Ferguson said the National Landscapes program made it easier for travellers to Australia to decide what to include in their itinerary. He said Sydney Harbour was "the best of the best." There was nowhere else in the world where you would find so much bushland and such an abundance of wildlife living alongside a cosmopolitan city landscape, with opportunities for whale watching, walking trails and visiting traditional sites featuring Aboriginal rock art. The Sydney Harbour National Landscape stretches across 1000sqkm of beaches and rivers, islands and bushland - from the Royal National Park in the south to Barrenjoey Headland in the north and west to Parramatta Park, taking in the Georges, Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers. Sydney Harbour also has more than 580 species of fish, dolphins, little penguins and sea dragons. "Many people don't realise you can have natural experiences in Sydney," he said. The videos feature wildlife such as kookaburras, water dragons and birdlife as well as interviews with passionate Australian environmentalists, such as park rangers. Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said travellers had moved on from ticking sights off a checklist and wanted to immerse themselves in "real" Australian experiences. "I don't think many countries have preserved their natural experiences quite like us," he said. This environment is tourism's future. Mr McEvoy said people wanted to be inspired and share their experiences on social media. He said Tourism Australia's Facebook page had more than four million fans, making it the largest destination Facebook page in the world. The videos in the Wildiaries National Landscapes Series were produced in partnership with Parks Australia. Kayaking on Sydney Harbour.