10 of the best Cycling tours in Australia

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The humble bicycle meets rolling countryside… hop on for one of these luxury cycle tours through some of the finest scenery and fecund food baskets in all of Australia.

1. Gourmet Cycling for Softies, Victorian High Country

If you’re inspired by our experience, the aptly named ‘gourmet cycling for softies’ just might also appeal. This five-day fully guided tour through Victoria’s High Country will have you pedalling from Milawa to Myrtleford, indulging in fine produce along the way. $1950 per person, twin-share including breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

It's all about the cycling (but mostly the gourmet pit stops) - Murray to Milawa Rail Trail
It’s all about the cycling (and the gourmet pit stops) – on the Murray to Milawa Rail Trail.

2. Discover Tasmania

From white sandy beaches to rugged mountains, Tasmania has the full package when it comes to natural wilderness. Check out Discover Tasmania to learn more about some of the epic tracks available, including Wild West MTB Tours, which see you crossing a very slim suspended bridge. Eek!

Wild West MTB Bike Trails, Tasmania

3. Be-spoke Hunter Valley

This two-day tour around NSW’s popular winemaking region will get you from vineyard to vineyard with relative ease. With a support vehicle for back-up, this is a great way to experience the Hunter while sampling some of its fine produce and wine. The Hunter Valley Cycling tour starts from $245 per person, twin-share, mid-week.

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

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4. In your bike in Noosa & the Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Bike On offers a range of tours around the Sunshine Coast for riders of all levels, from self-guided tours to more intense road-riding weekends. Start simple with a self-guided trip around Noosa from $35 per person or challenge yourself to the seven-night Noosa road-riding holiday from $1620 per person.

5. All trails lead to the Great Ocean Road

More commonly explored by four wheels, the spectacular scenic views of Victoria’s southern coastline could arguably be better savoured on two. Check out the Twelve (now eight) Apostles, Port Campbell and Lorne on the way down to Queenscliff on a three-day tour, before catching the ferry across to Sorrento to join in the annual Bupa Around The Bay In A Day cycling event. Full tour costs $1695 per person, twin-share and includes all meals and entry into the Bupa event. Visit All Trails for more info.

The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

6. Self ride around the NSW South Coast

Pedal with your family at your own pace on a self-guided ride along the NSW South Coast with Australian Cycling Holidays. Catering to all riding abilities, all you have to do is choose the destinations, like Jervis Bay, Shoalhaven and Kiama, and accommodation (budget or luxury). A three-day, Jervis Bay return tour starts from $665 per person.

7. Clare Valley Riesling Trail

Pedal and quaff your way around one of Australia’s best-known wine regions, enjoying the view of rolling vineyards, the signature grape variety riesling, and some mighty fine local produce too. And don’t worry about the wobbly ride home – if you have one too many wines, there’s a support vehicle on hand. Full-day tours start from $675 per person from Taste SA and include all meals and wine tasting.

The Clare Valley Riesling Trail, Taste SA

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8. Mudgee’s Tour de Vine

Ride all the way to the cellar door visiting Mudgee’s top winemakers and breweries too. This one-day, self-guided tour by Tour de Vines is a great way to indulge in the region’s bounty of wine and produce. (If you need some more convincing, see p94). Prices start from $249 per person, twin-share, including bike hire, two nights’ accommodation and daily breakfast.

9. Bike Byron Bay

Cruise the coast or head for the hinterland around Byron Bay on your treadly, taking in beautiful scenery and stopping to enjoy organic produce at Harvest Café. The four-day coastal cycle rides from Ballina to Kingscliff; or take an extra day to explore the hills around Uki at the foot of Mt Warning. Five-night Cycling Tours coastal tour $1795, twin-share. Six-night hinterland village tour $1995, twin-share.

10. East Coast Tasmania

Make your way down the magnificent east coast of Tasmania from Launceston to Hobart on the five-day pure Tasmania experience, which includes a sunset ride to the Bay of Fires, the stunning Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay, Mt Wellington and the heritage-listed Port Arthur. Cycling Tours prices start from $2495 per person, twin-share.

Coastal grasses Bay of Fires
Coastal grasses adorn the path that leads you to the remarkable shoreline of the Bay of Fires

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Come with us on a gourmet cycle through the Victorian High Country

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Untouched wilderness & unexpected pub crawls: 8 experiences you’ll only find in the NT

(Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Sean Scott)

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    The Northern Territory isn’t just different – it’s a whole new world. From the friendly locals and varied landscapes to its cultural layers, there’s nowhere else in Australia quite like it.

    The Northern Territory has to be experienced to be believed. The majesty of Uluṟu doesn’t quite hit until you’re standing before it. The untouched beauty of Arnhem Land strikes the heart in a way you can’t imagine. The quirky and friendly locals and the festivals they throw impart stories that won’t be forgotten. And that’s just the beginning. From natural hot springs and local larrikins to deep cultural ties and ancient stories, these are the experiences to be discovered only in the NT.

    1. Swim in pristine natural hot springs

    woman swimming in Katherine Hot Springs only in the nt
    Dive into Katherine’s crystal clear thermal springs. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Backyard Bandits)

    The NT’s natural hot springs are truly picturesque. Katherine’s crystal clear thermal springs sit on the banks of the Katherine River, framed by nature. Picnic grounds and scenic walking tracks make it easy to linger.

    In Elsey National Park, the teal waters of Bitter Springs have long been popular with locals. It’s not uncommon to spot turtles as you drift with the gentle current, palm trees waving on the banks. The park also contains Mataranka Thermal Pool, a sandy-bottomed swimming hole sitting at a cosy 34°C year-round.

    2. Explore the Red Centre Light Trail

    Light Towers Kings Canyon
    Head to Kings Canyon to see the Light Towers. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)

    Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is more than just a place; it’s earned its name as Australia’s cultural heart. Here, a wealth of stories is held by its Traditional Owners, the Aṉangu. And while there are many ways to connect, in more recent years, the Red Centre Light Trail has offered visitors one more way to interpret all this landscape holds.

    Wander the Light Towers at Kings Canyon and watch the Field of Light transform the land before Uluṟu as day turns to night. Also, be sure to take in Wintjiri Wiṟu by light artist Bruce Ramus, sharing the Aṉangu’s Mala story.

    Arrive in April to experience Parrtjima, a free annual 10-night festival of light, featuring installations, workshops and more.

    3. See unrivalled views from a helicopter

    helicopter ride over kakadu only in the nt
    See Kakadu from the air. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Sean Scott)

    There’s no better place in the world to hit the skies in a helicopter. Soar over thundering waterfalls, world-famous wetlands and the floodplains of Kakadu National Park. A bird’s-eye view brings a special type of magic to this one-of-a-kind landscape.

    You can also meet local characters on the pub crawl of a lifetime as you fly between some of the NT’s best and most remote pubs.

    4. Discover the start of Western Arrarnta art

    Hermannsburg Potters only in the nt
    Book ahead to visit Hermannsburg Potters. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Felix Baker)

    Hermannsburg is one of the most unique towns in Australia. This historic mission town holds several claims to fame, including being the birthplace of Western Arrarnta art – a renowned style of Indigenous art using vibrant, naturalistic watercolours to depict Central Australian desert landscapes. Book ahead from April to September to visit Hermannsburg Potters, a collective of dedicated Western Arrarnta artists.

    Other options to see this art style near Alice Springs include the Araluen Arts Centre, Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre and Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye).

    5. Spot crocs on a cruise

    Crocodile being fed on a cruise on the Adelaide River nt
    Spot wild crocs up close. (Credit: Tourism Australia)

    The NT is the only territory that feeds wild crocs, putting the ‘wild’ in wildlife spotting experience. Join a cruise along the Adelaide River, just an hour from Darwin, to see these not-so-gentle prehistoric giants in their natural habitat.

    Be sure to stop into Humpty Doo or Noonamah for lunch on your way back to Darwin. Here, you’ll experience a real NT roadhouse.

    6. Experience local Indigenous cultures

    young participant at the Garma Festival Nhulunbuy arnhem land
    Time a trip to Nhulunbuy for the Garma Festival. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)

    The NT offers some of the best opportunities to experience the world’s most ancient living culture. Head to Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem mid-year for the Garma Festival, Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering, with four days of song, dance and art sharing Yolngu culture. Stop into Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in nearby Yirrkala while you’re there, current home of the Yirrkala Church Panels. Painted in 1963, they form one of the first ‘title deeds’ to Country.

    Join a celebration of Indigenous music, art, culture and sport at the Barunga Festival, 80 kilometres from Katherine, every June. And year-round, book an Indigenous-led tour through Ubirr, one of the oldest rock art sites in Australia.

    7. Meet the larrikins of Alice Springs

    competitors in Henley on Todd Regatta
    Henley on Todd Regatta might be one of the NT’s whackiest events. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/

    Head to Alice Springs at any time of year and you’ll be guaranteed to meet some colourful locals. But to really get to the heart of the eccentricities, mark a few dates on your calendar.

    March brings one of the best Pride events in the world, fabAlice. Inspired by the iconic Aussie movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which was filmed in Alice Springs over 25 years ago, the festival has a strong focus on the art of drag and celebrates LGBTQI+ communities, as well as self-expression in general.

    Come August, Todd River’s typically dry, sandy bed comes alive with the world’s only dry river boating event, the Henley on Todd Regatta.

    8. Swim in a waterfall with no one else around

    Upper Cascades in Litchfield National Park
    Swim in the Upper Cascades with no one else around.

    So few of Australia’s most beautiful places remain untouched, but that’s not true in the NT. Take a short hike through monsoon forest in Litchfield National Park (just over an hour’s drive outside of Darwin) to reach the secluded Cascades swimming area. Here, take a dip in the lower or upper cascade pools, both surrounded by rugged bushland. And you’ll probably have it all to yourself.

    Plan your Northern Territory trip of a lifetime at northernterritory.com.