Revealed: Top rural Australian getaways for a cosy autumn

Airbnb has revealed that Aussies are seeking peaceful escapes this autumn.

As autumn has finally settled in across Australia, travellers are getting ready for cosy Easter trips, red wine and autumnal leaves. And according to recent reporting by Airbnb, more of us are escaping to rural Australia this season.

Airbnb has reported a 65 per cent increase in searches for rural travel in Australia, indicating a growing preference for peace and tranquillity. The data behind this trend compares internal Airbnb searches for autumn 2025 to the previous year, highlighting a shift towards regional, nature-focused travel. The trend is particularly prominent among solo travellers and those aged 60-90 years.

Looking for somewhere to escape this autumn? Airbnb has compiled a list of some of the most sought-after rural destinations based on search growth since last autumn.

From coastal escapes to country getaways, these destinations should be on your radar.

Moogerah, Queensland

Airbnb autumn destinations — This off-grid cabin offers breathtaking views of the mountains. (Image: Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

There are many hidden gems to find in the Scenic Rim, including the idyllic Moogerah, which offers picturesque landscapes, outdoor activities, and natural beauty.

The cooler weather is the perfect time to go hiking, so make a beeline for Moogerah Peaks National Park where you can undertake the Mee-Bor-Rum Circuit and the Mount Edwards Summit Trail.

Base yourself at a cottage stay with breathtaking mountain views or an off-grid cabin to reconnect you with nature.

Huskisson, New South Wales

Huskisson. Airbnb autumn destinations-3 — Spend relaxing days kayaking through clear waters.

Jervis Bay is no secret to those who live in NSW, but this picturesque haven on the south coast boasts beauty in spades that cannot be ignored. In autumn, Huskisson, nestled along the shores of Jervis Bay, experiences mild weather and refreshing sea breezes.

Spend relaxing days snorkelling through clear waters, enjoying white sand beaches, and watching whales migrating along the “humpback highway" before retreating to your own beachfront apartment with modern coastal interiors.

Tanunda, South Australia

Penfolds. Airbnb autumn destinations — Tanunda puts you in easy access to iconic wineries like Penfolds. (Image: Nick Rains)

For many of us, autumn and drinking wine are synonymous, so a trip to a wine region like the Barossa Valley is the perfect getaway. Tanunda sits in the heart of the region, making it ideal for exploring the many wineries, including the iconic Penfolds or the unmissable Torbreck Vintners, and dining gems like Maggie Beer’s Farm.

For families or those travelling in large groups, position yourself overlooking the vines at the Barossa 1900 Vineyard Retreat , or for more intimate stays, get cosy in the Halletts Valley Hideaway .

Devonport, Tasmania

While most of us think of heading to Hobart, Devonport should be on your radar after being named the Top Tourism Town for 2024. This quaint port city in North West Tasmania offers a mix of coastal beauty, rich history and a laid-back atmosphere.

Visitors can discover the town’s maritime history at the Bass Strait Maritime Centre, embark on outdoor adventures in the nearby Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, or take a cold plunge at Coles Beach.

Stay a 10-minute drive from the city centre at the ultra-cosy Forth River Cottage Bed and Breakfast , where you’ll be treated to calming river and green pasture views.

Ballarat, Victoria

Ballarat, Bishops Palace. Airbnb autumn destinations — The grand Bishops Palace is nestled in the heart of Ballarat. (Image: Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

A vibrant gold rush heritage, eclectic art, and a burgeoning dining scene make Ballarat a wonderful destination to visit, especially when the autumn leaves are on display. Just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne, you’ll find plenty to explore, from admiring the changing leaves at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens to a 90-minute walking tour with Ballarat Heritage Tours .

For dinner, underbar , an award-winning eatery where chef Derek Boath crafts a seasonal tasting menu showcasing the best local produce, is not to be missed.

And where to rest your head or unwind during the day? Opt for a grand stay at the Heritage-listed Gothic mansion Bishop’s Palace , or retreat into a charming artist’s cottage .

Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow.

There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley , the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.

Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur , is one of my favourite road trips.

The Black Spur

Location: Yarra Ranges
Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes

The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.

In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn , a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.

Victoria’s Silo Art Trail

Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.

The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud , making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.

Metung to Mallacoota

Location: Gippsland
Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours

The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance , where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch.

Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea.

Great Ocean Road

Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.

Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast.

Bellarine Taste Trail

Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Bellarine Peninsula
Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours

The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.

You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate , sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours.

O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote

Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling

Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail . The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.

The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular.

Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling

The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.

As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.