It’s not too late! The best last-minute Easter breaks available now

Elizabeth WhiteheadBy Elizabeth Whitehead
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There’s still time to book an Easter getaway. These last-minute stays are still available, but not for long!

As autumn starts to kick in, the Easter break is our last chance to catch the tail-end of warmer weather before the mercury plummets. And in combination with Anzac Day, this period is the golden ticket to leave-hacking your way to a longer break. So, it makes sense that many of us are setting our OOO and heading to the great outdoors for the holidays: camping, hiking, and making the most of the pleasant temperature.

Parkbooker is a booking platform that helps travellers find, compare and book Holiday Parks around Australia. They’ve analysed the best caravan parks, cabins and campsites to find those still available to book over the Easter break. According to their data, there are still pockets of availability across the country, but spots are disappearing fast.

Haven’t booked anything yet but dreaming of getting away this Easter? Listen up, because there are still great getaways to lock in now.

The Daintree, Qld

Australia is full of UNESCO-listed gems, and you can knock off two of them at once this Easter break. There are still glamping tents, campsites or cabins at Daintree Beach Resort , located between the ancient Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. April is smack-bang in the middle of turtle-hatching season, the perfect reason to head up north and witness one of nature’s miracles.

mosman, daintree rainforest places in australia
See the ancient Daintree Rainforest. (Image: TEQ)

Seaside Villages, Tas

Tassie’s big-ticket attractions may be booked out, but the good news is that it’s a perfect opportunity to discover some of the Apple Isle’s hidden gems. For instance, Stanley in the state’s Northwest is home to The Nut – an ancient volcanic formation that towers above the historic seaside town. There is still camping and cabin availability at BIG4 Stanley , right on Tallows Beach.

Stanley is a quaint town in Tasmania’s north that’s home to an ancient volcanic formation. (Image: Getty/THP Creative)

Over on the east coast, BIG 4 St Helens is a quaint coastal town from which to explore the world-famous Bay of Fires, known for its distinctive landscape of granite boulders and bright orange lichen. The area is also home to fantastic hiking and biking trails for an active holiday away.

Bay of Fires
Rugged orange-hued rocks meet the pristine shores. (Image: Will Wardle Media)

South Ballina, NSW

In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, holiday cancellations swept across Northern NSW and southern Queensland. But the region is open to tourists, and your visit can help recovery operations while you enjoy a restorative break. There is campsite availability at Ballina Beach Nature Resort , the perfect wellness retreat with meditation spaces and walking trails to an outdoor fitness circuit.

Visiting towns affected by Cyclone Alfred that are open for tourists is a great way to support recovery in the region. (Image: Getty/Turnervisual)

Mission Beach, Qld

Combining Reef, Rainforest and Relaxation, Mission Beach in Queensland’s Tropical North is the perfect destination to chase the sun before the mercury begins to plummet. Hideaway Holiday Village , located opposite the beach, still has campsites left. It’s a family-friendly destination and a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Dunk Island, a 15-minute ferry ride away, is abundant with places for snorkelling among the coral reefs.

Mission Beach, QLD
Mission Beach is tucked away on the Cassowary Coast. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Agnes Water Hinterland, Qld

Agnes Water is a coastal town at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. There are still spots available at 1770 Eco Camp , a camp set among 24 acres of tropical bushland with freshwater dams and modern amenities. Unplug from the busyness of daily life and snap up one of the remaining campsites. Spend your Easter break surrounded by Native gums, palms and wildlife – including kangaroos, echidnas, and kookaburras.

an aerial view of Agnes Water, Qld
Go kayaking across the pristine waters of Agnes Water. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)
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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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
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    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.