From the Outback to beaches, here are some of the most spectacular sunset locations around Australia.
While sunrises are the domains of the early birds among us, watching the sun go down is far more accessible to those who inevitably hit the snooze button. And with sunsets this good-looking, you won’t want to miss out. Here are our top spots to watch sunsets across Australia.
1. Tyndall Range, Tas
Starting with our favourite island state, the Tyndall Range in the West Coast region of Tasmania serves up some truly drop-dead gorgeous sunsets. If you’re feeling up for the challenge, watch the rays go down from the Tyndall Summit.
2. Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Tas
Whether it’s to see the Aurora Australia or falling snow in the winter or as a finishing point to its crisscrossing tracks through alpine vegetation and woodland, the lookout at the top of kunanyi / Mt Wellington is spectacular at any time. But watching the sun go to bed at the end of the long day is a glorious experience and one that can be had near Hobart at any time of the year.
3. Gold Coast, Qld
Watching the surfers dive in and out of the water, evening walkers taking their strolls, and lingering sunbathers soaking in the last rays is always a good vibe. Hands down, the Gold Coast has to be one of our favourite cityscape sunsets – in part because it adds in a whole lot of beach to boot.
4. Simpson Desert, NT, SA and Qld
Wild, desolate and beautiful, heading to the Outback is something everyone has to do at least once in their life. And while the extreme temperatures in the Simpson Desert can be scorching by day and downright chilly by night, the middle ground – the Outback sunsets – are simply breathtaking.
5. Palm Cove, Qld
Newbies to the tip of North Queensland will be drawn to the top for many reasons, but predominantly to experience the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Let’s add to the list the coastal beauty of Palm Cove, best experienced while sipping a tropical cocktail and watching the sun sink over the water to that list.
6. Blue Mountains, NSW
When it comes to panoramic views that can be experienced on a day trip from Sydney, the hazy lilacs of the Blue Mountains beckon you out west. But if you make it an overnight trip (and we highly recommend you do), you can settle down on a picnic blanket with friends and a few beers to watch the sun go down over the bushland and sandstone peaks of the Three Sisters.
7. Sydney Harbour, NSW
As far as Australian landmarks go, the world’s biggest harbour in the country’s largest city is a million miles away from a hidden secret. But when you’re on a boat out on the water, and the light catches the rolling clouds of a dispersed summer storm, making it look like the sky is on fire with neon pinks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you really will not care.
8. Broken Hill
For an Outback experience in NSW, make the 13-hour road trip from Sydney to the old mining town of Broken Hill. To get the best, and strikingly different view of, the sunset here, we recommend stopping by the art installation of the Living Desert Sculptures.
9. Twelve Apostles, Vic
A must-do stop on any Great Ocean Road trip, the eight stacks (the others have crumbled away), are a magnificent sight to behold. Stop here in the late afternoon to capture the rosy light on these limestone giants.
10. Wilsons Promontory National Park, Vic
Want an east and a south coast sunset? Drive southeast from Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory National Park in Gippsland. Top spots to see this include Whisky Bay, the dunes of the Big Drift and Squeaky Beach.
11. The Grampians, Vic
The sandstone mountain ranges (known as Gariwerd by the Jardwadjali people), teeming wildflowers and raging waterfalls have long attracted visitors to the Grampians. Make sure to linger a little longer to watch the sun go down over the ranges.
12. Broome, WA
Western Australia is lucky enough to have some of the best coastal sunsets in the country, thanks to the fact the sun directly sinks over the water. If you find yourself up at Cable Beach in Broome, one of the Kimberley’s most famous beaches, that means you can take a photograph of one of Australia’s most iconic sights. We are talking, of course, about snapping the camels walking across the sand with the sun sinking behind them.
13. Burringurrah/Mount Augustus, WA
Out in the Mount Augustus National Park is a rocky wonder to rival Uluṟu in the Red Centre. Twice the size of the famous monolith, Burringurrah (as named by the local Wadjari people), it is the perfect place to watch the sun go down with fewer people around.
14. Margaret River, WA
As a travel destination, the Margaret River south of Perth is perhaps best known for its mouthwatering local produce, exquisite wines and towering Karri forests. But one of the underrated pleasures of this area is heading to the famous Busselton Jetty, which outcrops over 1800 into the sea and feeling yourself surrounded by all the colours of the sinking sun.
15. Southport Beach, SA
One of the easiest getaways from Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula has an embarrassing amount of riches, including the vineyards of McLaren Vale, the seals and dolphins of Victor Harbour and markets that serve up some of the region’s best produce. Add to that list Southport Beach at Port Noarlunga, catching a wave or watching the sunset.
16. Mount Lofty, SA
About twenty minutes out of the city in the Adelaide Hills, you will find one of the locals’ favourite scenic viewpoints – Mount Lofty. Accessible either via a gorgeous, but steep, bushwalk the view makes for a well-deserved reward. (Or you can always drive up there.) Take advantage of the lower temperatures in the evening to make the walk, and watch the city below turn luminescent.
17. Flinders Ranges, SA
Rugged and wild, the Flinders Ranges are one of the top Outback experiences to have in South Australia. Travelling through its rocky peaks and depths, you will find stories of ancient creatures and Dreamtime stories. Come the evening, settle down to watch the ancient landscapes unfold below in all the colours of the sinking sun.
18. Uluṟu, NT
When it comes to nature photography, it doesn’t get much better than the glow of Uluṟu at sunset. Onlookers will try to capture the deep reds, shifting oranges and pink-blue skies. But nothing can truly communicate the joy of seeing this sacred rock monolith in person.
19. Darwin, NT
The steamy capital of the Northern Territory is no shrinking violet when it comes to her sunsets. With the raging and dramatic summer storms come some breathtaking coastal evening views.
20. Nitmiluk/Katherine, NT
Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge National Park is an easy sell and leaves you with an impression of ancient times gone past: from seeing its outstanding sandstone gorges, swimming in its crystal summer pools and hearing ancient Dreamtime stories. Watching the sunset here is the icing on top of the cake.
21. Lake Burley Griffin, ACT
This iconic lake in the centre of Canberra is not just one of the main tourist attractions in the Australian capital – it is also the lifeblood for the countless locals who cycle, run and walk around it every morning and evening. Join them for a jog but use the incoming sunset as an excuse to slow down and watch the lake begin to glow.
