17 Sensational Non-Touristy Australian Destinations

Painted Cliffs
Painted Cliffs | © JJ Harrison/Flickr
Monique La Terra

Australia’s vast landscape offers much to see, but many of the most awe-inspiring attractions are also some its best-kept secrets. From novelty rocks shaped like waves and skulls to crystal lakes, gorges and bays, these are 17 of the most spellbinding locations often overlooked or unheard of by the tourist masses.

The Pinnacles

Spearing through the sand dunes of Nambung National Park, Western Australia is a metropolis of limestone pillars known as The Pinnacles. Sculpted by the coastal winds, these jagged stakes appear to be reaching for the sky, with some stretching up to five meters high.

Wave Rock

Wave Rock

Bay of Fires

The contrast of the turquoise water, glistening white sand and enflamed granite boulders makes Tasmania’s Bay of Fires the most striking shoreline on the island. First observed in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux, the Bay acquired its name due to the Aboriginal fires he saw dotted along the coastline.

Bay of Fires

Bungle Bungle

Unnoticed for much of its 350 million year lifespan, the Bungle Bungle Range resembles a congregation of undulating beehives. Now a part of the World Heritage-Listed Purnululu National Park, Bungle Bungle is best observed from an aerial perspective.

Bungle Bungle Range

Wilpena Pound

Neither an impact crater nor the remnants of an ancient volcano, South Australia’s Wilpena Pound is a natural amphitheatre in the Flinders Ranges. Visible from space, Wilpena Pound has an elevation of 1,171 meters and includes St Mary’s Peak (1,189 meters), which is the highest mountain of all in the Flinders Ranges.

Rawnsley Bluff, Wilpena Pound

The Kimberley

The northernmost region of Western Australia is a remote and wild frontier three times the size of England. One of Australia’s earliest settled areas, it is comprised of stunning canyons, freshwater gorges, majestic geological landmarks, 130 million-year-old dinosaur footprints, cascades and outback stations.

Pentecost River on Kimberley Plateau

Katherine Gorge

Located in Nitmiluk National Park in the Northern Territory, Katharine Gorge is a dramatic region where the stories of Aboriginal ancestors echo through rock art and are reflected off the emerald rapids and falls. With 13 gorges this magnificent landscape offers an outback window into the late Miocene era.

Katherine Gorge, NT

Cleft Island

Only five kilometres off the coast of Wilsons Promontory is an isolated island which resembles a human skull and has hosted fewer visitors than the moon. Large enough to fit the Sydney Opera House, the cavern on Cleft Island looks like a prehistoric lair, and it’s said that the cave was once the target for cannonball practice.

Painted Cliffs

Hopground Beach on Maria Island, off Tasmania’s east coast, is a sandstone canvas stained by the mineral rich saltwater of the Tasman Sea. The Painted Cliffs feature breathtaking golden bands and pink rings as well as honeycomb cliffs.

Painted Cliffs

Mount Kosciuszko

The jewel and pinnacle of the Australian Alps is Mount Kosciuszko which stands 2,228 meters above sea level. Blanketed by snow in the winter, the panoramic view from the summit of Mount Kosciuszko takes on a Tolkien-esque appearance.

A spectacular view across the valley on the Kosciuszko

Wineglass Bay

Often named as one of the top 10 beaches in the world, Tasmania’s Wineglass Bay is a secluded crescent coastline in the Freycinet National Park. With luminous white sand and turquoise waters the pristine peninsula is a divine sanctuary for beachgoers.

Wineglass Bay from Lookout Crop

Lucky Bay

Named by Matthew Flinders who first discovered it in 1802, Lucky Bay in Esperance, Western Australia is a secluded beach where sapphire water meets sand dunes imprinted with tire tracks and where friendly kangaroos lounge beside you as you soak in the sun.

Lake McKenzie

Fraser Island’s picturesque Lake McKenzie is a rainwater pool not fed by streams or the ocean, which allows it to preserve its crystal blue clarity. Surrounding the lake are shores of pure white silica sand.

Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island

Barossa Valley

With rolling hills and nostalgic country charm the Barossa Valley in South Australia is a relaxing region where hot air balloons dot the sky. This world-famous wine region was established in the 1880s and is still renowned for its shiraz.

The Barossa Valley

Paronella Park

Although it may look like the ruins of an ancient civilization, Paronella Park was built in the 1930s by José Paronella whose dream it was to recreate the Spanish Catalan Castles. Now surrounded by lush rainforest, Paronella Park looks like a lost temple from an Indiana Jones crusade.

Paronella Park

Horizontal Falls

Described by David Attenborough as ‘one of the greatest wonders of the natural world’ the Horizontal Falls in Western Australia is a natural phenomenon where powerful tides create flat waterfalls, instead of vertical cascades.

Remarkable Rocks

Perched on the cliffs of Kangaroo Island the distorted collection of Remarkable Rocks seem taken from a Martian landscape. In truth, these terrestrial boulders have been slowly eroding for 500 million years.

Remarkable Rocks
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article