8 unique outback getaways to have at least once in Australia

Beyond the red dirt roads and tiny towns, the outback is full of extraordinary beauty, from hot pools to waterfalls and ancient rock formations. Venture out there to see this wondrous place for yourself.

1. Wellness Way, Qld

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Forget embarking on an outback pub crawl. Instead, enjoy pool-hopping around the outback on the Wellness Way. The new trail connects 24 towns that sit above the Great Artesian Basin across Queensland’s rugged interior. From Mitchell and Cunnamulla to Longreach and Mount Isa, each of the towns is home to pools, springs and bathhouses filled with mineral-rich waters said to contain healing powers that promote skin health, soothe muscles and instil tranquillity.

steam rising from Talaroo Hot Springs — Hot granite rocks naturally heat Talaroo Hot Springs. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/Phil Warring)

2. Ikara-Flinders Ranges, SA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

an aerial view of Ikara Flinders Ranges — See Ikara from land and sky. (Image: Getty Images/Zetter)

It’s no wonder Ikara-Flinders Ranges was nominated for a tentative listing as a World Heritage site with UNESCO. The rugged ranges, some 500 kilometres north of Adelaide, were formed more than 600 million years ago and are home to wonders such as the colossal amphitheatre Wilpena Pound. Hike its ancient ridges on the three-day Arkaba Walk, see it from above on a scenic flight from Rawnsley Park Station, or stay at Arkaroola International Dark Sky Sanctuary for a cosmos show like no other. Alternatively, take a seven-day Lake Eyre and Flinders Ranges tour with APT , as Australia’s largest salt lake, Kati-Thanda Lake Eyre, experiences a spectacular and rare flooding phenomenon.

emus in Ikara-Flinders Ranges — Emus wander in the grassland of Ikara-Flinders Ranges. (Image: Adam Edwards)

3. Board The Ghan, SA & NT

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

Every Australian dreams of travelling on The Ghan at least once. This legendary train journey, named for the pioneering cameleers who blazed a path into the Red Centre, captures imaginations as it makes tracks across the country between Adelaide and Darwin. Book a Gold Premium cabin for a 21st-century translation of the train’s original Art Deco stylings and a colour palette drawn from Albert Namatjira’s famous landscapes. Or level up in Platinum. Then sit back and watch the living painting unfold through your window.

the JBRE Accommodation Platinum Service Cabin dining service, The Ghan — An ultra-modern cabin equipped with Platinum dining and lounge. (Image: Heather Dinas Photography)

4. The Kimberley, WA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The far reaches of Western Australia could be the country’s most wild. Where the striking red of pindan cliffs meets white sands and turquoise waters. A cradle for ancient rock art, thunderous waterfalls and dramatic gorges. Travelling slowly through the Kimberley is ideal. Consider Intrepid Travel’s Wild Kimberley Overland , which unfolds over 11 days. For those shorter on time, its Broome to the Bungle Bungles tour can have you seeing it all in just five days. You’ll explore the state’s largest cave system, visit old gold rush towns, see Cathedral and Windjana gorges, and the bizarre and beautiful 20-million-year-old forms of the Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park.

the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley — Discover the wild wonders of the Kimberley, such as the Dampier Peninsula. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Uluṟu, NT

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Enigmatic Uluṟu changes colours throughout the day, starting at sunrise when the monolith is bathed in a flaming red glow. Take it in on a Sunrise Journey tour , operated by Ayers Rock Resort, when artworks created by three local Anangu women come to life through laser projection and music. Mid-morning, join a free ranger-guided Mala walk around the base of the ochre-hued rock to learn the Ancestral Anangu Mala story. Then watch Uluru blush pink and purple at sunset and dine on bush tucker under the stars as the Field of Light installation begins to twinkle.

the majestic landscape of Uluru — Witness the changing colours of Uluru. (Image: Tourism NT/Kate Flowers)

6. Mungo National Park, NSW

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The lunar-like landscape of Mungo National Park in outback NSW was formed by ancient dry lake basins and shifting sands. It’s a mind-boggling land rich in Indigenous history and home to the world’s oldest human cremations and megafauna remains, where emus and giant red kangaroos roam. Australian Wildlife Journeys leads a six-day small group tour to Mungo and beyond that gives travellers the chance to appreciate its enormous significance to human history and ecology.

moon rises over Mungo National Park — The moon rising over Mungo National Park. (Image: Destination NSW/Dee Kramer)

7. Australia by camelback, WA & SA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Trekking across a vast and empty desert may be unthinkable to some. To others, it’s the ultimate adventure or even a journey of self-discovery. Channel Robyn Davidson, who trekked for 2700 kilometres across WA’s deserts in the 1970s, with a little help from Outback Camel Company , which operates week-long desert treks and expeditions across the Simpson Desert. Alternatively, Camel Treks Australia ventures through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges and deep into the Tirari Desert.

a woman petting a camel, Camel Treks Australia — Camel Treks Australia ventures through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australia Tourism Commission)

8. Kakadu National Park, NT

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Sprawling across 20,000 square kilometres, World Heritage-listed Kakadu is a kaleidoscope of savannah woodlands, rugged stone escarpments, tropical waterholes, cascading waterfalls and wetlands that swell in the wet season. It’s a habitat to one-third of the country’s bird species and some 10,000 crocs, with Yellow Water Billabong a haven for wildlife spotting. And its Traditional Owners, the Bininj/Mungguy people, have lived here for 65,000 years, with some 5000 rock art sites – including famous Ubirr and Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) – dotted throughout the national park. To see a place of such staggering biodiversity and history is a must for all Australians.

an aerial view of Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu National Park, NT — See the majestic Jim Jim Falls from above. (Image: Tourism NT/Hello Emily)

Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

It’d be easy to think Australian surf culture was born around the right-hand point breaks of the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. These regions seem the epitome of how the world views Aussie surfers – bronzed (or burnt), languishing in warm water and sunshine. The reality is a lot different.

The rise of surf culture along Victoria’s coastline

surfers at Bells Beach in Australia — Surfers stand on the shore at Bells Beach, where the country’s biggest surfing competition is held each year. (Image: Getty/Filed Image)

True Aussie surf culture was born on the chilly waves of Victoria’s winters, when huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean hit cliff-lined beaches along the Great Ocean Road . These beaches were the ultimate proving ground – surfers from all over Australia arrived in panel vans and VWs to do battle with the biggest waves they could find.

Surfers take advantage of the huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

There are surf breaks all along this very picturesque coast – but those around Torquay were most revered. The ultimate test of a surfer’s ability – and durability – however, was Bells Beach: Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. Just beyond, the breaks at Jan Juc and Winkipop beckoned.

an aerial view of surfers at Bells Beach — Hit the waves along the picturesque coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Torquay became surfing’s Silicon Valley: HQ for the entire Australian surf culture revolution. Four young locals worked out of their backyards in Torquay to create two of the world’s biggest surf labels – Rip Curl and Quiksilver , which soon became the region’s biggest employers.

surfers out at Bells Beach — Surfers out at Bells Beach, Victoria’s most famous beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

Rip Curl started sponsoring the Bells Beach Pro in 1973 – and have done ever since. It’s been going since 1962 – making it the world’s longest continually run surfing contest. Held every Easter, it’s part of the world surfing tour. Spectators line its 30-metre-high cliffs to watch the world’s best take on enormous waves – it’s the ultimate coliseum for the sport and has inspired generations of Aussie surfers to join the list of heroes whose names are on its iconic bell.

Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland

Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay — The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Just behind Torquay’s main drag, you can see all that history on display at the world’s best surf museum – the Australian National Surfing Museum . Here you can take your time absorbing the 100-year-or-so history of Australian surfing and check out the 150-strong surfboard collection.

surfboards on display at Australian National Surfing Museum — The museum holds surfing memorabilia, including a room dedicated to the history of boards. (Image: Tourism Australia)

But classic Aussie surf culture can be observed in everyday life all over the Great Ocean Road and Torquay. Surfing dictates life here; no work is done until the big swells have come and gone. Just being here provides a window into 60-odd years of rebellion against convention; for no-one likes nine-to-five living on the Great Ocean Road.

surfing memorabilia at Australian National Surfing Museum — The varied displays celebrate the Bells Beach competition, surfing legends and Aussie surf culture. (Image: Tourism Australia)

There’s less panel vans and VW Beetles these days, but surf culture still rules life. Surfers run this coast; you’re better off keeping out of their way when they’re running down past you to face the biggest swells – then hear them swap stories at cafes, restaurants and bars all around you.

surfing at Bells Beach — The beach near Torquay is Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. (Image: Visit Victoria/William Watt)

8 unique outback getaways to have at least once in Australia

Beyond the red dirt roads and tiny towns, the outback is full of extraordinary beauty, from hot pools to waterfalls and ancient rock formations. Venture out there to see this wondrous place for yourself.

1. Wellness Way, Qld

2. Ikara-Flinders Ranges, SA

3. Board The Ghan, SA & NT

4. The Kimberley, WA

5. Uluṟu, NT

6. Mungo National Park, NSW

7. Australia by camelback, WA & SA

8. Kakadu National Park, NT

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The iconic Victorian beach where true Aussie surf culture was born

Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

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Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland