9 Australian Outback Towns With A Unique Twist

From Australia’s UFO capital to the world’s most isolated pub, these outback towns deliver more than dusty horizons.

Wycliffe Well, NT

Venture 380 kilometres north of Alice Springs and you’ll land smack bang in the UFO Capital of Australia. After reading about sightings during the Second World War, one man by the name of Lew Farkas purchased the local roadhouse and, after dropping a cool $4 million, created a gimmicky tourist attraction complete with kitsch UFO murals, spaceships, plastic green aliens and even (a now defunct) toy train.

There is a journal on display where visitors can record suspicious sightings by way of colourful lights that move and change shape, descend behind trees and quickly disappear; some of which have even followed cars.

Sceptics put it all down to aircraft and weather phenomena (or a few too many schooners at the pub), while believers think it’s Wycliffe Well’s geographical location and intense energy that draws these unique visitors in. Others think there’s a link to the nearby US military intelligence base Pine Gap. Whatever the reason, there have been no abductions… yet.

Australia's UFO capital. — Welcome to Australia’s UFO capital.

Hutt River, WA

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hutt River monarch, Prince Graeme Casley, made the decision to rejoin the Commonwealth of Australia as a result of “harsh times". However, that shouldn’t stop us from learning about Australia’s biggest Independent Sovereign State.

In 1970, the 7500-hectare wheat farm was seceded from Australia after its owner, the late Leonard George Casley (AKA His Royal Highness Prince Leonard the First), had disputes with the then state government over wheat quotas.

Prior to August 2020, the Hutt (population 26) was open to tourists who would come to visit the museum, see the ‘royal art collection’, have their passport stamped, and to meet members of the royal family.

Enter Hutt River – Australia’s oldest micro nation.

William Creek, SA

Dry, dusty and sparse – three words that are excellent for describing the outback. And the lengthy look down the Oodnadatta, which seems almost endless from William Creek in far northern South Australia, isn’t too far from that description either.

With a population of three permanent residents and two workers, William Creek is officially the smallest town in South Australia. Despite that, it’s situated smack in the middle of the world’s largest working cattle property, Anna Creek Station, which is almost half the size of Tassie.

William Creek also has the world’s most isolated pub, which offers a surprising variety of services, including joy flights.

William Creek from the air scenic flight — Book your Wrightsair scenic flight over William Creek (photo: Jonathan Cami).

Victoria Settlement, NT

The Victoria Settlement was perhaps the first serious European settlement attempt in northern Australia. Established 1838 and disbanded 1849, the site was brought about by a plan of the British government and the East India Company to set up a military base and a point for shipping through Torres Strait.

Sadly, it quickly became known as ‘The Forsaken Settlement’, as nearly every single person who lived here died – though that didn’t stop the English from trying to settle the area again… and again. Eventually they succeeded nearby, with Darwin. Fifth time lucky.

Located in the now-dubbed Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Victoria Settlement ruins are accessible only by boat (tours are available, book well in advance) and a permit is required to enter the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park.

Cook, SA

Named after the sixth Prime Minister of Australia, Joseph Cook, Cook is home to a number of spooky landmarks worthy of a pit stop.

It is home to the longest stretch of straight railway in the world, extending for around 478 kilometres from Ooldea to Loongana. It is the only scheduled Nullarbor Plain stop for the Indian Pacific passenger train across Australia, and curious visitors are welcome to wander the ‘living ghost town’.

Despite the silence, Cook’s atmosphere is alive and well via a number of eerie abandoned buildings. The bush hospital keeps medical supplies in case of a train accident, signposted with the amusing catch cry: “If you’re crook come to Cook."

The handful of railroad working residents are a friendly bunch. Stop for a yarn and they may sell you a souvenir; official Nullarbor crossing certificates go for a fiver.

Cook South Australia — Cook is home to a number of spooky landmarks.

Gwalia, WA

The abandoned mining town of Gwalia is so off-the-beaten-track, that we – an authority in domestic travel – are yet to even write anything about it. Don’t hold that against us though.

It’s a trifecta of uniqueness that includes history, solitude and views. Gwalia is a living ghost town that once housed a young Herbert Hoover, former President of the US, on a geology expedition. Hoover was sent to WA to oversee burgeoning mining operations in 1897 and chose to set up shop in Gwalia, 230 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie.

The Sons of Gwalia mine closed down in 1963 and the population departed, leaving the town’s remains to serve as a living museum of one of Australia’s most successful mines.

Coober Pedy, SA

We hope this isn’t the first time you’re hearing about Australia’s opal capital. Far removed from the rest of the country, this delightfully strange place has a varying population from around 2000 to 4000, with 45 different nationalities.

After opals were discovered here in 1915, the Coober Pedy community got innovative and built their town underground. Four out of five residents live below the surface, and many dwellings come complete with swimming pools and entertainment rooms.

The stark landscape surrounding Coober Pedy, including the 40 kilometres or so in every direction that’s dotted with shafts and mullock heaps from opal workings, has formed the backdrop for films like Mad Max III, Priscilla, Pitch Black and Red Planet. Learn all about it with a visit to one of the underground museums.

The best time of the year to visit is between April and October, when the weather is mild and the nights are cold. You take your chances rocking up in summer, when it can reach a scorching 45ºC and dust storms can blow in from nowhere without much warning.

White Cliffs, NSW

Usually living in the shadows of her more famous cousin in SA, White Cliffs proves there’s life underground elsewhere than in Coober Pedy.

Ever since roo shooters stumbled across a precious white opal here, a tight community of dreamers has called this deserted town home, with an estimated two-thirds of the 100 or so residents living underground to escape the lunar-level extremes.

While you’re here, go underground into a working mine with the Red Earth Opal Mine Tour and try your hand at uncovering a glittering gem. And, you can’t go past a stay at the Underground Motel, with its rabbit warren of ever-expanding dugouts that will have little ones running amok for hours mind-mapping the place. After a long drive it’s a subterranean oasis in the otherwise scorched tundra of the Strzelecki Desert.

White Cliffs proves there’s life underground elsewhere.

A rude place, NT

Giving a place a weird name is a very Australian thing. However, nowhere does it quite like the Northern Territory.

Humpty Doo, Bing Bong, Fannie Bay, Mount Unapproachable, Aaaa Road, Boggy Plain, Dirty Water Billabong – these are just the tip of the iceberg for Territorians. And we’re not the only ones that think so.

English company ST&G’s Marvellous Maps has immortalised this hilarity via its Marvellous Map of Actual Australian Place Names. The map points out all the funny and rude names of locations across the nation – classy from afar, and very classy up close.

Check it out here.

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

9 Australian outback towns with a twist