All 100 Greatest Getaways

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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Discover all the top 100 Greatest Getaways.

Ancient rainforests, dramatic waterways, craggy coastlines and glittering cityscapes. Epic road trips, food festivals and outback gatherings under star-strewn skies. These diverse landscapes and experiences set the scene for our ultimate rundown of Australia’s 100 Greatest Getaways.

Here is the complete list to inspire your travels this year and beyond. Follow the links to read the stories that inspired each experience on the list.

Weekend Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest weekend getaways

1. The Limestone Coast, SA
2. Pumphouse Point, Tas
3. The Hunter Valley, NSW
4. Trentham, Vic
5. The EVE Hotel in Sydney, NSW
6. A weekend cruise along Australia’s coastline
7. The Blue Mountains, NSW
8. Explore Fitzroy in Melbourne, Vic
9. The Lodge Wadjemup, Rottnest Island, WA

City Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest city getaways

10. A midwinter dalliance at Dark Mofo, Tas
11. Choose your own cultural adventure in Canberra, ACT
12. Hike a 100-km loop around Adelaide, SA
13. Experience the all-new Melbourne Place, Vic
14. Test your fitness in Brisbane, Qld
15. Find out why Perth is topping global must-visit lists, WA
16. Embrace nocturnal tourism in Sydney, NSW
17. Tick off Darwin’s coolest openings, NT

Food & Wine Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest food & wine getaways

18. Treat yourself at Pair’d in the Margaret River, WA
19. Hop between two of SA’s top wine regions
20. Wild feasts in Kakadu National Park, NT
21. Dive into the Sunshine Coast’s Curated Plate, Qld
22. Silversea’s S.A.L.T. program
23. National Wine Festival of Australia, ACT
24. Newcastle is NSW’s newest dining destination
25. Visit the highest wine-growing region in the country, Qld
26. Mark your calendar for Orange F.O.O.D Week, NSW

Regional Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest regional getaways

27. Port Stephens, NSW
28. Southern Highlands, NSW
29. Coal River Valley, Tas
30. Namadgi National Park, ACT
31. The Cairns Hinterland, Qld
32. The Tweed, NSW
33. Mandurah, WA
34. High Country, Vic
35. Mildura, Vic

Luxury Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest luxury getaways

36. Two Central Coast luxe stays, NSW
37. Lord Howe Island, NSW
38. Arkaba Homestead, SA
39. Saffire Freycinet, Tas
40. The Lake House, Daylesford, Vic
41. Two of Hamilton Island’s luxe stays, Qld
42. The Mondrian Gold Coast, Qld
43. Luxe stays come in threes in The Kimberley, WA

Coastal Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest coastal getaways

44. Tasmania’s islands
45. Kangaroo Island, SA
46. Sleep by Ningaloo Reef at Sal Salis, WA
47. Noosa, Qld
48. Bellarine Peninsula, Vic
49. Norfolk Island
50. Gold Coast, Qld
51. Chill at Elements of Byron, NSW

Epic Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s epic getaways

52. Board The Indian Pacific
53. Aussie station stays
54. Fly Australia with Captain’s Choice
55. The Larapinta Trail, NT
56. Arnhem Land, NT
57. The tip of Australia, Qld
58. Aussie safari parks
59. Cruise the Murray River

Cultural Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest cultural getaways

60. Camping with Custodians, WA
61. Garma Festival, NT
62. Festival of Outback Opera, Qld
63. Illumina, K’gari, Qld
64. Adelaide’s festivals, SA
65. Townsville’s art scene, Qld
66. Big Red Bash, Qld
67. Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic

Outback Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest outback getaways

68. Wellness Way, Qld
69. Ikara-Flinders Ranges, SA
70. Board The Ghan, SA & NT
71. The Kimberley, WA
72. Uluṟu, NT
73. Mungo National Park, NSW
74. Australia by camelback, WA & SA
75. Kakadu National Park, NT

Unexpected Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest unexpected getaways

76. Snowies Alpine Walk, NSW
77. Heyscape tiny cabins, WA
78. Rumi on Louth, SA
79. The Overland Track, Tas
80. An eco lodge stay in Capertee Valley, NSW
81. Tiwi Islands, NT
82. The Tarkine, Tasmania
83. Island-hopping in WA

Once-in-a-lifetime Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s once-in-a-lifetime getaways

84. Stay in Queensland’s Luxury Lodges of Australia
85. Cruise the Kimberley, WA
86. The Big Lap of Australia
87. Sail to Antarctica from Hobart, Tas
88. A heli-tour of SA’s best wine regions
89. Dinner with the founder of Mona, Tas
90. Circumnavigate Australia
91. Hire Makepeace Island, Qld

Road Trip Getaways

Read about each of Australia’s greatest road trip getaways

92. Pacific Coast Way, Qld
93. Victoria’s silo art trail
94. Great Ocean Road, Vic
95. The Red Centre, NT
96. Grand Pacific Drive, NSW
97. The EV Network, WA
98. Tasmania by coach
99. Waterfall Way, NSW
100. Gibb River Road, WA

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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict 

    Kellie FloydBy Kellie Floyd
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    The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

    The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

    This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

    a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park
    Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

    Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

    Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

    a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay
    A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

    And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento
    Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

    Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

    Playing there

    an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse
    Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

    Eating there

    Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.