10 outback Aussie wonders for adventure seekers

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The otherworldly landscapes of our outback leave travellers in awe. Its vast, open plains, ancient rock formations and hidden waterholes are just the start of an intrepid adventure filled with staggering history, culture, beauty and character.

This article is part of our 100 Australian Wonders series. Throughout the series, we explore our nation’s wonders across culture, nature, food, islands and many more. We hope it inspires your own exploration of Australia’s many wonders.

1. Flinders Ranges, SA

Travelling with: Alexis Buxton-Collins

Studded with more than 200 fossils, the nine-metre Alice’s Restaurant Bed records the very dawn of complex life on Earth. But the most astonishing thing about this 600 million-year-old slab of rock in the newly opened Nilpena Ediacara National Park is that visitors are allowed – even encouraged – to touch silverfish-like Spriggina, raisin-shaped Attenborites and Parvancorina that look like buttons stamped with an anchor.

Visit nearby Wilpena Pound in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, which looks like the aftermath of some cataclysmic eruption, and gaze up at the unblemished night skies over Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, and it’s easy to see why this region has been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.

a woman standing in the middle of the desert plains in Flinders Ranges
Explore the ancient rocky landscapes of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. (Image: Emilie Ristevski)

2. Lake Argyle, WA

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

Classified as an inland sea, Lake Argyle is one of the largest man-made lakes in the southern hemisphere: a vast oasis in the heart of the rugged red Kimberley outback 75 kilometres south of Kununurra.

It was created in the 1970s by the damming of the Ord River as part of the mighty Ord River Irrigation Scheme: an engineering feat that harnessed the water of this fast-flowing river during wet season in order to develop this area of the tropical north for agriculture. In peak green season, Lake Argyle holds more than 18 times as much water as Sydney Harbour.

Travellers come here to refresh and reflect on their outback journeys, soaking it all in through nature tours, sunset cruises, scenic flights with the likes of HeliSpirit, fishing, freshwater swimming and taking a dip at its famous Discovery Resorts infinity pool.

a helicopter above lAKE Argyle
Fly above Lake Argyle with HeliSpirit. (Image: Tourism Australia)

3. Kakadu National Park, NT

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Kakadu has been home to the Bininj and Mungguy people for more than 65,000 years. This astounding region possesses the world’s greatest concentration of rock art sites, one-third of the country’s bird species, and an environment that evolves from rugged stone escarpments studded with emerald waterholes to wetlands and billabongs that are home to some 10,000 crocs.

an ancient Aboriginal rock art
Kakadu is home to some of Australia’s most incredible rock art sites. (Image: Tourism Australia/ James Fisher)

Connect with the oldest living culture on Earth with a visit to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre; gather bush foods on safari with Animal Tracks; or do a Guluyambi Cultural Cruise on the East Alligator River to Arnhem Land, combined with the sacred Ubirr rock art site.

the Kakadu National Park in NT
Kakadu National Park evolved from rugged stone escarpments. (Image: Tourism Australia)

4. Mungo National Park, NSW

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

Follow Herman Ugarte of Outback Geo Adventures up the Walls of China in Mungo National Park and you’ll see that the edges of long-anhydrous Lake Mungo are still visible. Fragments of fish otoliths poke out of the hard sand, dating back some 18,000 years.

the geological landscape at Mungo National Park, NSW
Witness the rugged landscapes of Mungo National Park unfold before you. (Image: Destination NSW)

The age of things here is something to marvel at; Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, discovered in 1968 and 1974 respectively, are around 42,000 years old and some of the oldest human remains found anywhere in Australia. Turn around at the top and watch this landscape unfold before you, where emus and roos share ancient land and mallee gums shade native bush tomatoes from the blazing sun.

kangaroos at Mungo National Park
Spot kangaroos roaming around Mungo National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

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5. Undara lava tubes, Qld

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The mouth of Undara lava tubes yawns open as visitors clamber down a path that punches into the heart of the attraction in Undara Volcanic National Park, a couple hundred Ks inland from Cairns. The Undara lava tubes formed after Undara Volcano erupted some 200 million years ago, creating rivers of lava where it flowed. Access to Undara is by guided tour only.

the Undara Volcanic National Park
Undara Volcanic National Park preserves the remains of one of the world’s longest flows of lava. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/ Sean Scott)

In addition to the Undara Outback Rock and Blues weekend, held in April each year, expect nightly performances from the thousands of insectivorous bats that flock in and out of the lava tubes at dawn and dusk each day.

the Undara lava tubes in Undara Volcanic National Park
Peek through the Undara lava tubes. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/ Jason Charles Hill)

6. Outback wildflowers of WA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

WA’s Golden Outback is famous for its wildflower season, which turns its typically bronzed landscapes a kaleidoscope of colour come spring.

Top petal-peeping spots include Mt Augustus and the blooming beautiful journey along the 309-kilometre Wildflower Way, which shimmies from Dalwallinu to Geraldton. Keep your eyes peeled for some of the state’s 12,000-plus species such as wattle, orchids, wreath flowers and everlastings.

wildflowers in Mt Augustus
Wildflowers bloom at Mt Augustus. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. Qantas Founders Museum, Qld

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

A heritage-listed aircraft hangar in the iconic outback town of Longreach, some 1200 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, symbolises the birth of Australian civil aviation. Qantas was founded in neighbouring Winton in 1920 but its headquarters were moved to Longreach two years later, and it is here that flights connected the Australian outback to the world for the very first time.

Doubling as a cultural institution (part of the Cultural Attractions of Australia collective), this museum is a must for patriots, as well as history and aviation buffs. It displays a fully interactive Boeing 747-238, historic aircraft, uniforms and other artefacts that celebrate the heritage of the founders and early operations of our national airline.

an aerial view of Qantas Founders Museum
Aviation buffs will relish a visit to the Qantas Founders Museum. (Image: Cultural Attractions of Australia)

8. The Ghan

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The Ghan, an enduring symbol of rail journeys in Australia, is celebrating 95 years of carrying passengers through the heart of the country.

an aerial view of The Ghan traversing outback landscapes in Australia
Travel by rail onboard The Ghan. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism)

While hinging to the golden age of train travel, The Ghan – named after the 19th-century Afghan cameleers who helped build infrastructure in the outback – evolves with each milestone.

the exterior of the Ghan train
The Ghan is an enduring symbol of rail journeys in Australia. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism)

The recent launch of its newly designed Gold Premium product takes inspiration from the Aussie outback with neutral tones, soft curves and Indigenous Australian prints. There’s a sleek lounge area and Art Deco-style dining carriage where two-course lunches and four-course dinners centred around local produce are served and enjoyed with uninterrupted views of vast plains rolling by as you journey north to south between Darwin and Adelaide (or vice versa).

the view of the vast plains from the train window onboard The Ghan
Enjoy unobstructed views of the vast plains. (Image: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism)

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9. Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, SA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

This glistening salt pan, which stretches for hundreds of kilometres across South Australia’s barren desert, is expected to transform into a pink and orange oasis of floodplains, channels and streams that attract a plethora of birdlife after heavy downfalls in the north earlier this year.

This natural phenomenon only happens once every few years, so 2024 is the time to witness it from above and from the ground with Outback Spirit’s exclusive and specialised Lake Eyre & Wilpena Pound Adventure or a scenic flight with Wrightsair.

a helicopter above Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, SA
See Lake Eyre as it transforms into a pink and orange oasis from above. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

10.  Larapinta Trail, NT

Travelling with: Celeste Mitchell

A journey into the heart and soul of Australia’s Red Centre is a life-affirming experience. But there’s no need to rough it. The Larapinta Trail is an undulating and slightly unforgiving 223-kilometre track through rugged Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges).

the view of Larapinta Trail and Charlie's Camp from above
Stay off-grid at Charlie’s Camp. (Image: World Expeditions/Great Walks of Australia)

But the best parts can be sampled in a highlights reel of day hikes, culminating with a sunrise trek to the summit of Mt Sonder, all while bedding down in eco-conscious camps by night with Australian Walking Holidays.

This Great Walk is so popular you may well need to book it years in advance. It’s sought-after not just because of the challenge on offer: there’s something in the air out here; the energy that connects hikers to Country.

an aerial view of Larapinta Trail
Walking the Larapinta Trail is a life-affirming experience. (Image: World Expeditions/Great Walks of Australia)
Keep reading our 100 Australian Wonders series; from road trips, outback and cultural wonders to foodie wonders and many more.

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Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

    Chloe Cann Chloe Cann
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    Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated. 

    Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.  

    Geelong cellar door wine bar
    Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

    Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct 

    Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.  

    Paddock Bakery andPatisserie
    Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

    At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand. 

    Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design 

    Paddock Bakery
    Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

    “A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.  

    And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

    Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.  

    As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.  

    The rise of a food and wine destination  

    boiler house
    Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

    Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco. 

    Woolstore
    The Woolstore is a new restaurant and bar housed within a century-old warehouse. (Image: Amy Carlon)

     The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.  

    Woolstore menu
    Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

    Breathing new life into historic spaces  

    On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.  

    “We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.” 

    Provenance Wines
    Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

    The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

    While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.  

    handcrafted pieces
    Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

    The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”  

    A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”  

    Elizabeth Bell
    Ceramicist Elizabeth Bell has a store in Fyansford Paper Mill.