9 charming regional getaways to plot your escape to this year

Australia

07 May 2025

From rail trails connecting the dots between town and country to hinterland gems and headlining art, travelling regional Australia is the ultimate choose-your-own adventure.

1. Port Stephens, NSW

Travelling with: Lara Picone

The topography of Port Stephens spoils visitors with a veritable buffet of natural beauty, offering everything from shifting sand dunes to holiday-brochure beaches and lushly forested hikes. Being just two-and-a-half hours from Sydney also makes this Pacific-facing town a win. In fact, so bequeathed with enchantments is Port Stephens that it recently won Wotif’s 2025 Aussie Town of the Year. Check into the marina-edged Anchorage to check out the allure of this coastal hamlet.

The Anchorage Port Stephens — Escape to the luxe bayside retreat at The Anchorage Port Stephens. (Image: Destination NSW/Dallas Kilponen)

2. Southern Highlands, NSW

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Food, wine, art and outdoor adventures seem to be melded into the heart of the Southern Highlands in NSW. While the region attracts visitors year-round, the scene changes during winter, when cool-to-freezing temperatures inspire activities such as fireside dining and truffle hunting. Enjoy a curated picnic at Cuttaway Creek. Taste cool-climate wines at Dawning Day Farms . Congregate with friends at Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery before settling in for an intimate dining experience at Eschalot. Then, bunker down at The Pill Factory in Bundanoon.

Sarah Drinan and Dionisia Salas Installation View Tender at Ngununggula — Sarah Drinan and Dionisia Salas Installation View Tender at Ngununggula. (Image: Mim Stirling)

3. Coal River Valley, Tas

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Tasting Tasmania’s terroir is a gentle way to explore the Coal River Valley. While you can enjoy a river-sledding adventure or hire bikes to see the valley on two wheels, a cellar-door experience at Tolpuddle Vineyard is the ultimate celebration of the landscape. Visit the sleek, new tasting room on the Traditional Lands of the Mumirimina people to taste award-winning vintages of chardonnay and pinot noir with the vintners themselves.

a close-up of food at Tolpuddle Vineyard — Dine on local produce at Tolpuddle Vineyard. (Image: Adam Gibson)

4. Namadgi National Park, ACT

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Namadgi National Park makes up a whopping 46 per cent of the ACT’s total land area. Join Dhawura Tours to see Indigenous rock art, look for wildlife such as wombats and lyrebirds and walk the Mt Tennent Trail to really immerse yourself in the landscape. Pitch a tent in the national park near a squiggle of the Gudgenby River at the northern end of the Australian Alps.

hiking at Namadgi National Park, Canberra — Immerse yourself in nature at Namadgi National Park. (Image: We Are Explorers For Visit Canberra)

5. The Cairns Hinterland, Qld

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Head inland from Cairns to discover a Queensland region rich in heritage charm, outstanding natural beauty, and foodie and cultural attractions. The local farmers at the weekly Yungaburra Market sell produce grown in and around the Atherton Tablelands . Follow the crowds after the market, just 50 metres down the street, to Yungaburra Hotel . Take the pretty Peterson Creek walking track and try your luck at spotting the elusive platypus. North of Cairns, the vintage Kuranda Scenic Railway journeys through World Heritage-listed rainforest and past waterfalls to the hippie-chic village of Kuranda.

the lush greenery at Atherton Tablelands — The fertile fields make Atherton Tablelands the food bowl of the region. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/Tourism Tropical North Queensland/James Vodicka)

6. The Tweed, NSW

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The Tweed is the hip new regional getaway worth knowing about. The true heart of the Tweed in NSW lies in the fact it’s got the trifecta of coast, valley and river. And while it’s known for its landmark cultural attractions such as the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre and Minjungbal Museum and Cultural Centre, you could also tack together an itinerary based around culinary offerings or stopping points along the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

the scenic Tweed Valley — Coast, valley and river in the Tweed. (Image: Destination NSW/Trevor Worden)

7. Mandurah, WA

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Mandurah is having a moment. Originally known as Mandjoogoordap, meaning ‘meeting place of the heart’, the WA town was recently named third-best destination in Australia in the 2025 Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards. From above, the coastal city is all rippled cobalt and aquamarine. Stroll along its wide sandy beaches, soak up those big skies, then set off to discover the Giants of Mandurah sculptures, followed with fish and chips by the sea.

the Giants of Mandurah sculptures by Thomas Dumbo — Discover the Giants of Mandurah sculptures. (Image: Duncan Wright)

8. High Country, Vic

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

A sprawling $5-million trail network has opened in Rutherglen on Yorta Yorta Country. The Rutherglen Loops connect 14 cellar doors around the world-class wine region, making Victoria’s High Country even more accessible for visitors. The four trails are like Venn diagrams with distinct loops that overlap everything from cellar doors and winery restaurants to the mighty Murray River and Lake Moodemere.

bicycles in Victoria High Country — Cycle Victoria’s High Country.

9. Mildura, Vic

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

Mildura was rebranded last year as Tropical North Victoria in a wink-wink campaign that nods to the abundance of sunny days in this regional city on the Murray River. New boutique hotel Kar-Rama sprinkles more Palm Springs vibes, with its modern interpretation of mid-century design making it the ideal oasis to retreat to after days spent visiting wineries, cruising the Murray and venturing into nearby Mungo National Park. And now, Trail of Lights, the latest large-scale experiential installation by British-Australian artist Bruce Munro, is providing another shining example of reasons to visit.

Fireflies by Bruce Munro — Tropical North Victoria gets a glow-up. (Image: Serena Munro)

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Your Mandurah guide: art, dining & dolphins await in WA’s coastal gem

By Monique Ceccato

30 Apr 2025

Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

Aerial view of Mandurah. — Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

The best things to do in Mandurah

Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

Dolphins swimming in Mandurah. — Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah. — Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

Where to eat in Mandurah

Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops. — Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

Where to stay in Mandurah

With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

Seashells Mandurah; on the shores of Comet Bay. — Stay right by the sea.

The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river — Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.