The best-rated spots for a scenic hiking and camping trip in one

AllTrails and HipCamp teamed up to reveal the top 10 ‘tent-to-trail’ list; the best hiking and camping spots to visit in one holiday for plenty of opportunities to reconnect with nature.

Growing demand for hiking holidays

Couple Hiking nearby their Larapinta campsite in Queensland's Scenic Rim — Scenic hikes and camping go hand-in-hand. (Image: Larapinta Scenic Rim/ Hipcamp)

Younger Australians are driving the new ‘trail-to-tent’ trend that is sweeping through Australia as nearly half the population forgoes creature comforts in favour of a hiking holiday. That’s according to data from AllTrails that reveals more than 60 per cent of young Australians frequently incorporate hiking into their travel plans.

In response to this rising interest in reconnecting with nature, AllTrails and Hipcamp have collaborated to unveil their highly anticipated list of nature getaways for 2025.

According to Pitt Grewe, head of social and environmental impact at AllTrails, this surge in hiking interest is being led by a shift in how outdoor activities are being viewed and how people perceive travel.

Birds in shrubs by the Larapinta campsite in Queensland's Scenic Rim — Spot incredible birdlife at the Larapinta campsite in the heart of the Scenic Rim. (Image: Hipcamp)

“Younger generations are particularly inclined to seek outdoor adventures that provide not just a break from routine but a connection with nature," Grewe says.

“Australians, particularly younger generations, are also embracing hiking to combat ‘feed fatigue’, a social media overload that leads to feeling emotionally drained," he says.

Cows in the paddock near Misty Mountain Kunghur campsite — ‘Feed-fatigue’ leading to a growing desire to spend more time outdoors. (Image: Misty Mountain Kunghur/ Hipcamp)

Grewe says the data shows that more than 50 per cent of Gen Z Australians go on a hike or spend time in nature to unplug and 46 per cent of Gen Z agreed that seeing locations online was not the same.

He says AllTrails has adapted its platform to cater to the increased interest in combining hiking with camping.

AllTrails recently introduced Points of Interest (POIs) to help members discover campsites, monuments, picnic areas and more. The Custom Routes also let members plan longer, more personalised adventures by combining multiple trail segments and adding waypoints to mark key spots like campsites.

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The best ‘tent-to-trail’ holidays

Camp set up at Hold It Flats in NSW — Hold It Flats is a highly-rated campiste and a jumping off point for Red Cliff Islands Walk. (Image: Hipcamp)

AllTrails and HipCamp devised their Top 10 ‘tent-to-trail’ list based on data identifying which destinations Aussies rated the most for hiking, camping and reconnecting with nature. The list includes places to pitch a tent that have proximity to great trails, everywhere from the pristine coastline of WA to a family-friendly farm stay on the Coffs Coast.

Woman cooking at her campsite in Hold It Flats in NSW — The demand for camping and hiking trips continues to rise. (Image: Hold It Flats/ Hipcamp)

Ranked No.1 on the list of best ‘trail-to-tent’ campgrounds is Hold It Flats in Yalboroo, about 75 kilometres north of Mackay, which has hot showers and big-sky views. The campground is on a bend of the O’Connell River and a jumping-off point for the Red Cliff Islands Walk. The list also includes Sapphire Beach Coastal Circuit and the rugged track leading up to the summit of Mt Beerwah.

Swimming at Hold It Flats — Unique camping experiences are in high demand. (Image: Hold It Flats/ Hipcamp)

Brooke Wood, Australian marketing manager of HipCamp, the platform that connects Australian travellers with unique camping experiences, says the destinations featured on the list have been chosen for their breathtaking landscapes as well as the unique experiences they offer.

Wood says Hipcamp has noted a substantial increase in bookings for outdoor accommodation that caters to campers looking for a bit of adventure. “As more people are looking to combine hiking with camping, we’ve seen a growing demand for camping experiences that are directly connected to great walking and hiking trails," he says.

Lakeside at Bushywood at Woodford Skilake — Bushywood at Woodford Skilake is close to Mt Beerwah Track. (Image: Hipcamp)

Whether it’s the rugged alpine environment of Victoria’s High Country or a SA campsite near an iconic trail like the Larapinta, Wood says the camping spots selected encourage Australians to embrace the outdoors. The listing also features a variety of options from basic campsites like Bushywood at Woodford Skilake near the Mt Beerwah Track, to the family-friendly Misty Mountain Kunghur near Unicorn Falls Walking Track.

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Marvelling at nature is on the agenda

A woman sits with her dog at her campsite by a campfire at Misty Mountain in NSW — Ending the day fireside is a key experience hikers are looking to incorporate into their trips. (Image: Hipcamp)

One of the key trends identified in the data was a growing demand for immersive experiences, where campers engage in activities such as hiking, fishing and stargazing. “It’s about creating memorable experiences. Campers are eager to explore trails by day and enjoy fireside chats at night. It’s a holistic approach to enjoying nature," she says.

Hold It Flats campsite at night with stars — Stargazing is one of the many highlights of a camping trip. (Image: Hold It Flats/ Hipcamp)

As Australians seek ways to travel responsibly, both AllTrails and Hipcamp have emphasised the importance of sustainable practices. “We encourage our users to respect the environment by following Leave No Trace guidelines, ensuring that these beautiful locations remain pristine for future generations," says Wood.

Wood says the collaborative effort with AllTrails highlights Australia’s rich natural beauty while providing insights to both novice hikers and seasoned adventurers.

Whether it’s tackling challenging hikes or lying beneath the stars, Wood says this resurgence in outdoor exploration promises to inspire a wave of unforgettable nature getaways across the nation.

The full list

Larapinta campsite in the Scenic Rim Queensland. — Queensland’s Larapinta campsite, paired with Nindooinbah Dam Circuit, is in the top 10 Tent to Trail trips for 2025. (Image: Hipcamp)

Hold It Flats & Red Cliff Islands Walk, NSW
Misty Mountain & Unicorn Falls Walking Track, NSW
Bushywood at Woodford Skilake & Mount Beerwah Track, Qld
Megalong Valley Farm & Castle Head, NSW
Fair Harvest Retreat & Ten Mile Brook Trail, WA
Lakeview & Mount Elimbah Track (Saddleback Mountain), Qld
Coffs Harbour Camping and Farmstay & Sapphire Beach Coastal Circuit, NSW
Edgehill Farmstays & Heysen Trail: Gerkie Gap to Webb Gap, SA
Larapinta & Nindooinbah Dam Circuit, Qld
High Country Paradise & Reform Hill Lookout Loop, Vic

For all the details on each hike and campsite, visit AllTrails here.

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat, now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate, whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor, who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will, who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods. “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield, embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House.

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument, which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds.

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens, hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

The best-rated spots for a scenic hiking and camping trip in one

AllTrails and HipCamp teamed up to reveal the top 10 ‘tent-to-trail’ list; the best hiking and camping spots to visit in one holiday for plenty of opportunities to reconnect with nature.

Growing demand for hiking holidays

The best ‘tent-to-trail’ holidays

Marvelling at nature is on the agenda

The full list

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The Macedon Ranges is Victoria’s best-kept food and wine secret

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

Come for the wine, stay for the food