Saddle up: ‘Cowboy core’ is taking over travel in Australia

Elizabeth WhiteheadBy Elizabeth Whitehead
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Travellers are getting in the saddle in search of ‘cowboy core’ vacations. We break down the trend here, as well as how you can experience a slice of stockman life. Giddy up.

Our culture has an enduring fascination with cowboys, from classic Clint Eastwood films to Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album that took over the airwaves last year. And it’s not just an American thing – Australia has its distinct Akubra-wearing stockman archetype that has been canonised in films like The Man from Snowy River.

But our fascination isn’t just shaping how we dress, it’s translating to the ways we travel, too. Skyscanner named ‘cowboy core’ as a defining travel trend of 2025, reporting that 29% of Aussie travellers are fans of this style of travel, with this figure rising to 44% among 18-24-year-olds. The same report showed an 18% increase in hotel bookings offering horse riding over the past year, signalling a growing appetite for cowboy-style escapes. So what exactly is this trend, and how can you experience it in Australia?

a ringer at Bullo River Station
Station stays like Bullo River Station are bringing cowboy core to the fore. (Image: Shot By Thom)

What is ‘cowboy core’ in travel?

In simple terms, a ‘core’ is something that captures a mood or theme, mostly through visual elements. And while ‘core’ is mostly applied to aesthetics and clothing, it can also refer to places and experiences. So in this sense, ‘cowboy core’ is anywhere you can don a wide brimmed hat and not look out of place: around a campfire, atop a horse, staying on a cattle station (or a ‘ranch’ as Americans would call it). Ultimately, it’s about experiencing a slice of life and stepping into someone elses shoes for a moment (or cowboy boots, so to speak). With the built-in romance of rugged terrain, pastoral bliss and inspiring landscapes, it’s no wonder travellers are keen to immerse themselves in stockman life.

Bullo river
Experience life on a cattle farm at stations like Bullo River Station.

Being a real drover might mean roughing it, but it doesn’t mean travellers have to. ‘Bush luxury’ is a category of accommodation unique to Australia that blends five-star comforts with immersive outback experiences. Think cattle stations that double as some of the country’s most coveted stays.

“There’s nothing like it, you know. [The nature] is just that vast nature that just grabs you up like a big hug, and the stars will just blow your socks off," says Edwina Shallcross, who owns and runs Bullara Station near Exmouth, WA alongside her husband Tim.

Bullara Station lets travellers stay on a working cattle property, with everything from unpowered campsites to glamping tents and design-forward lodges that exemplify bush luxury, as well as an outback bar and restaurant in a repurposed wool shed. Edwina says that the uptick in people arriving at the property surged after COVID, sparked by a renewed interest in domestic travel.

the interior of a safari hut at Bullara Station
Stay in a rustic safari hut at Bullara Station.

“COVID really shook everyone up in terms of them thinking ‘life is short, we need to get out on the open road,’ Shallcross says.  “I felt like we could offer was this really solid, reliable landscape that people were just so fascinated with. And people just wanted to immerse themselves in the authenticity of nature". 

This, coupled with a renewed focus in pop culture has given rise to an embrace of all things cowboy in everything from blue jeans to travel choices.

“I don’t know if it was Beyonce’s This Ain’t Texas, but I see the outfits of all these people coming in on a Friday night, and the girls have got the boots and they’re rocking the denim, just looking so country. We’ve had TV shows like Yellowstone and Territory that have a rural theme, so I think pop culture has kind of brought it back."

How to experience cowboy core vacations in Australia

The outback is home to some truly iconic station stays, and nothing says ‘cowboy’ like a night spent out on the ranch. In addition to Bullara Station, the ultra-luxe Bullo River Station in NT is an iconic stay, located where the Top End meets the vivid red and blues of the Kimberley (Australian Traveller recently checked in to check out this luxury lodge on a 400,000 acre cattle farm). But it’s far from the only accommodation of its kind, we’ve rounded up some of the best station stays around the country, too.

Bullo River Station, NY
Don your Akubra when you enter Bullo River Station. (Image: Elise Hassey)

If you’re craving adventure, Australia has its very own calendar of rodeo events , with the Ord Valley Muster in the Kimberley being one of the biggest events of its kind. Or enjoy the solitude on a horse riding holiday, including on a multi-day adventure through the Snowy Mountains with Snowy River Horseback Adventures that will turn you into a bona fide Banjo Patterson.

Thredbo Valley Horse Riding in NSW
Spend the day horse riding through the Snowy Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)

But, truth be told, you don’t have to book a five-star luxury outback stay to experience cowboy core. It can be as simple as road tripping in a ute or heading out camping under the stars and gathering friends around a campfire (cowboy hat and harmonica optional). After all, it’s the simplicity of being in nature that makes it magical.

Elizabeth Whitehead
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
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Unforgettable First Peoples tours and experiences in Victoria

    Angela SaurineBy Angela Saurine
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    From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet. 

    Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it. 

    Budj Bim cultural landscape  

    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is on Gunditjmara Country. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim , ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas. 

    eel tank
    The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour 

    Dumawul walkingtour
    Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance.  The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.  

    Kooyoora walking tour
    Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Kingfisher Cruises  

    Kingfisher Cruises
    Cruising the Murray with Kingfisher Cruises. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises . Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.  

    wawa biik 

    Taungurung leaders
    Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik. 

    Bataluk Cultural Trail  

    Bataluk Trail
    Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.  

    Healesville Sanctuary  

    echidna at Healesville Sanctuary
    Get up close with a resident echidna at Healesville Sanctuary. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm. 

    The Grampians 

    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians
    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.