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Ticking off Australia’s icons? These hotels can help.

(Credit: DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs)

Monique Ceccato Monique Ceccato
Your guide to where to stay for easy access to some of Australia’s most famed attractions.

Ellery Creek Big Hole, the Busselton Jetty and Lamington National Park; they’re just a handful of some of Australia’s most incredible attractions. With a car and a conveniently located home base, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t start ticking them off your must-see list.

And where there are iconic sights, there’s a Hilton ready to welcome you.

1. Darwin

dawrin waterfront
Make Hilton Darwin your base for city and wildlife adventures.

Considered Australia’s portal to Asia, Darwin’s proximity to Indonesia and Timor-Leste has resulted in a highly multicultural population. There’s a strong Southeast Asian influence that coexists with the ancient customs and cultural traditions of the land’s traditional custodians, the Larrakia people. One of the finest examples is Darwin’s most acclaimed dish. It’s not damper or a meat pie, but spicy laksa. You’ll find it everywhere in the city, even at the weekly sunset markets.

Just a day trip away lie the region’s other major drawcards, the oases of Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park.

How best to explore it all? Check into Hilton Darwin, or sister properties DoubleTree by Hilton Esplanade Darwin and Hilton Garden Inn Darwin. Spend the day exploring, then return to delicious meals at these hotel restaurants, and cool down in their refreshing pools.

2. Gold Coast

A sea-view room at Hilton Surfers Paradise.
Stay in the centre of it all.

What do New York and the Gold Coast have in common? Their iconic skylines. High-rise after high-rise line the city’s 70km stretch of swimmable, surfable, and walkable beach, the majority clustered around the coast’s beating heart, Surfers Paradise.

It’s the region’s most lively and energetic suburb, known for the nightclubs, shops, and restaurants that sit along Cavill Ave. Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences is right there in the middle of the action, close enough to walk to dinner and drinks, but far enough away to retreat to when you need some R&R.

For further respite, explore the nearby hinterland. Head towards Lamington National Park in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests for winding hiking trails surrounded by dense tropical foliage and waterfalls.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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3. Alice Springs

DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs framed by the rugged MacDonnell Ranges.
Venture into the outback.

Surrounded by ancient desert and dramatic natural landscapes, there’s plenty to see and do around the ‘gateway to the Red Centre’, Alice Springs. Base yourself at the DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs in the town centre, soaking up views of the iconic Macdonnell Ranges and enjoying native Australian flavours from on-site restaurant, Saltbush.

Starting just 10-minutes from your accommodation, seasoned hikers can find the famous Larapinta Trail runs through West Macdonnell National Park, from the Alice Springs Telegraph Station through to Mount Sonder.

Wander the galleries and museums in the Araluen Cultural Precinct to learn more about the Arrernte people – the traditional custodians of Mparntwe. Join an Indigenous-led tour within the region to delve deeper.

4. Busselton

Hilton Garden Inn Busselton set against the sea.
Experience Busselton’s coastal charm.

World-class wines, sunsets over the ocean, and long stretches of calm beach; Busselton is known for it all. But the heritage-listed, timber-piled Busselton Jetty is the coastal city’s most famous icon.

At intervals along it, locals dangle squid jigs and baited hooks over the edge, and teens and tweens take flying leaps into the water below. Visitors can also join, but walking the length of the 1.84km jetty is the most popular pastime. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to reach the underwater observatory at the end, where you can see squid, sea stars, and the occasional Western Blue Groper in the corals and sea sponges. Walk or catch the train back to shore, where cold beer and pizza beckon at the jetty-front Shelter Brewing Co.

From there, it’s just a hop, skip, and jump to the Hilton Garden Inn Busselton, where upper-level rooms afford you some of the finest views of Busselton’s biggest star.

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5. Cairns

Hilton Cairns viewed from below, showcasing its tropical pool and resort-style surrounds.
Make Hilton Cairns your gateway to the reef and rainforest.

There’s no other place on earth like Cairns. It’s the city where two UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites sit side-by-side: the lush vegetation of the 130-million-year-old Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest meeting the iridescent blue waters and white-sand beaches of the Great Barrier Reef.

Settle in to either Hilton Cairns or DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns in the heart of the city, to walk the esplanade or catch a ferry out to this iconic reef. It’s also only a two-hour drive to the Wet Tropics’ most famed region, the Daintree Rainforest. Make it to Cape Tribulation within the Daintree, and you’ve reached the point where the rainforest literally meets the beach and the reef.

6. Albany

Aerial view of Misery Beach, located within Torndirrup National Park. .
Take a break from history in Torndirrup National Park. (Credit: Tourism WA)

For tens of thousands of soldiers in the first convoy, headed for the battlefields of WWI, the panoramic views of King George Sound were the last glimpses they had of Australian soil. The significance of this moment set the foundations for Albany’s deep-rooted ANZAC history. 

At the National ANZAC Centre, a five-minute drive from Hilton Garden Inn Albany, the personal stories of some of these soldiers unfold through interactive multimedia displays, from their experiences with recruitment and training to their time on the front lines in Gallipoli.

Head back to your hotel to recharge while soaking in the stunning views of Princess Royal Harbour. Then try a natural change of pace at Torndirrup National Park. It’s prime wildflower-spotting country from September to November.

Start planning an iconic holiday at hilton.com.

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Monique Ceccato
Monique Ceccato is a freelance travel writer and photographer hailing from Perth. Though she now spends most of her time overseas, WA's sandy beaches, jarrah forests and world-class food and wine scene will always feel like home.
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From coast to bush: these are Gippsland’s best hikes

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
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    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

    I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

    For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland, and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

    Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

    The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

    sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

    Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

    a couple on Mount Oberon
    Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit, which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

    a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

    You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk, even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

    the George Bass Coastal Walk
    George Bass Coastal Walk trails for seven kilometres along clifftops. (Image: Visit Victoria/Time Out Australia)

    Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk, usually done over seven days.

    the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland
    Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    The best bush hikes in Gippsland

    the Baw Baw National Park
    The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

    Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

    Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

    Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

    The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

    the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland
    Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

    As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park, along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

    the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park
    Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail, a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

    the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park
    The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

    Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park, known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the WildernessRetreats in The Prom
    Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

    Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

    Eating there

    the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

    Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

    a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

    Video credit: Tourism Australia