Looks like Australian Traveller’s Instagram community has been loving their summer holidays to death. The colours that have been passing through @austtraveller (from both us and our talented followers), proves beyond any debate that Australia is the most diverse place on earth to travel around and get your eye-candy fix.
Help us discover more vibrancy by hashtagging the best of your travel-related Instagrams with #austtravellermag . Meanwhile, here are the pick of the ‘grams that made us smile In January (seems like we’re particularly loving Tassie this month)!
1. The Breakaways, Coober Pedy
Sure it’s hot out here but the sexy sandstone shades of the artfully beautiful ‘Breakaways’ are just so damn cool! This mind-blowing landscape is 30km north of South Australia’s Coober Pedy.
2. Poles apart, Melbourne
Superb and just a little bit trippy post-holiday snap from@jarrodhydephotography – taken from Port Melbourne. He’s just returned from his travels around Tassie. Tough for some.
3. Blue oyster bar, Tasmania’s east coast
Simple, fresh and perfect way to start the weekend on Tassie’s east coast – that’s if you’re oyster fan. Outstanding colours from the legendary @maxdoylephotography
4. Turtle nursery, Mon Repos beach, Queensland
Tentative first steps (or are they flips?). This bubba Loggerhead turtle struggles towards the sea on Mon Repos beach (near Bundaberg). Privileged! From the prolific @laurenepbath
5. A Coral dunescape
Loving this dunescape at Gnaraloo on the Coral Coast.@waexplorer reckons these dunes almost make up for not having any snowy mountains in Western Australia. Almost.
6. Aurora lights up the south
The Southern Lights are popping up their pretty little faces at the moment down in Tassie. Thanks to Aurora Australis chaser @kathrynleahy
7. City in pink
This no-filter snap shows that you don’t have go to the outback to see the legendary pink lakes of Australia. @lauraalycebell dips her shoes in at Melbourne’s Docklands! Seriously wow! Not toxic either, as one follower quipped.
8. Bussleton beauty
Geographe Bay certainly shaking its beauty… a little bitty piece of the 2km long Bussleton Jetty, 220km south-west of Perth (longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere).
9. The pinnacle of yacht hiking
Our view from the very, very top of ‘Bishop and Clerk’ (620 steep metres above sea level) on Maria Island, off Tassie’s east coast. Yes, we hiked up here. And, yes, we finished the day with a three-course gourmet dinner on a 75ft luxury yacht. Nice shot@elliottjameselliott
Just over an hour from Melbourne, spectacular walking and hiking trails encompass ancient landscapes, forested ridgelines and volcanic peaks.
Just a short drive from the city, the urban sprawl gives way to rolling hills, mineral springs, and lush forests that will have you feeling like you’re in the bucolic countryside of France. Encompassing Daylesford , the Macedon Ranges, Castlemaine and the Central Goldfields, this pocket of Victoria is a region where nature, art, and wellness intertwine. Heritage towns hum with creativity, good food and wine, and welcoming locals. While Daylesford hikes, and those nearby, offer the chance to take a pause and reconnect with nature.
1. Hanging Rock Summit Walk
Take in views across the Macedon Ranges.
Etched into folklore, few places in Australia carry as much mystique as Hanging Rock. Rising dramatically from the plains near Woodend, this volcanic mamelon offers a beautiful nature walk. The walk begins at a gentle pace, weaving through shaded woodland before it gets a little steeper as the path starts to climb and twist to the summit. From here, you’ll have views that stretch across the Macedon Ranges. The walk is roughly 1.8 kilometres return, but the real reward lies in standing among the weathered boulders, feeling the age and energy of the earth beneath your feet.
2. Macedon Ranges Walking Trail
Walk to Camel’s Hump. (Image: Clair Derwort)
The Macedon Ranges Walking Trail traverses around 19 kilometres of forest and mountain landscapes. The full trail is a six-hour circuit, with most of the walk being a grade three; however, you don’t have to tackle it all at once. There are shorter walks that will take you through the tall mountain ash forests, to tranquil picnic areas, and sweeping views from Camels Hump and the Memorial Cross. The best times of year to head out are autumn, when the mountain turns into a tapestry of crimson and gold, and spring, when wildflowers brighten the trail.
3. Mount Alexander Traverse
Take in the serenity.
Towering above the goldfields near Castlemaine, Mount Alexander is a granite giant that offers some great bushwalking trails. The Mount Alexander Traverse winds along the mountain’s rocky spine through dry eucalypt forest that opens up in sections to reveal beautiful panoramas across Loddon Valley and all the way to the distant Grampians. Once a site of ancient volcanic activity (and later a gathering place for the Dja Dja Wurrung people), the mountain’s granite tors are now quiet and create a beautiful, serene atmosphere for a moment of reflection while walking.
4. Murmuring Walk
Circle the picturesque Sanatorium Lake.
Located an easy drive from Daylesford, Murmuring Walk offers something a little different. Circling Sanatorium Lake, this free audio-guided walk aims to immerse you in the rhythms of Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country by blending the sounds of nature with a multi-layered soundtrack. There are two routes to explore while you listen: a shorter loop around the lake itself and a longer circuit that extends deeper into the woodland.
5. La Gerche Forest Walk
Walk into history on the La Gerche Forest trail.
Located in Creswick, the La Gerche Forest Walk honours the legacy of John La Gerche, a 19th-century forester who championed the regeneration of the then gold-rush-ravaged land. Today, over 100 years later, his replanting efforts have grown into a living cathedral of towering pines, oaks, and native gums. As you meander along the 2.2-kilometre circuit, you’ll find interpretive panels along the way that help tell the story of La Gerche’s vision, so you can learn as you wander.
6. Sailors Falls Loop
See these spectacular falls. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Just outside Daylesford, Sailors Falls tumbles through a fern-lined gorge, fed by mineral springs. Thought to be named after the sailors who jumped ship to seek gold in the area during the 1850s gold rush, the loop walk begins at the car park and descends through a cool, shaded gully to the base of the falls. From here, you’ll make the climb back via the mineral springs. It’s a short but enchanting walk – about 1.5 kilometres in total, so make a day of it by packing a picnic to sit by the springs; you’ll feel worlds away from the city.
7. Paddys Ranges Loop Walk
Further north, the Paddys Ranges State Park loop reveals a different side of Victoria’s Heartland – dry forest, golden light and hints of a gold-rush past. This protected reserve is a stronghold of box-ironbark woodland, providing vital refuge for endangered species. In spring, the forest floor is awash with the colour of over 230 species of wildflowers, so a springtime walk is a must-do. As you walk the 4.5-kilometre loop trail, keep an eye out for remnants of old mine shafts and rusted relics from the prospectors who once sought their fortunes here.
8. Mount Franklin Summit Walk
Take in forests and waterfalls along the way to the top of Mount Franklin.
An extinct volcano turned picnic ground, Mount Franklin (known as Lalgambook to the Dja Dja Wurrung people) is one of the region’s quiet marvels. The summit walk follows a narrow, winding path through native forest to the crater’s rim, where you’ll get glimpses of farmland and forest below. It’s a moderate climb – just over an hour return, so it can easily be done if you’re camping in the surrounding reserve for a weekend nature retreat.
