Top 10 most incredible experiences Australia has to offer

Editor By Editor
hero media
We revisit the 100 Incredible Experiences (right here in your backyard). Here are the overall Top 10 Experiences from the 100 – the best in each of our 10 categories for you to add to your bucket list. Enjoy.

Best Unforgettable Walk and Adventure – Bridle Gap hike, Wilpena Pound, SA

Part of the amazing 1200-kilometre Heysen Trail, Bridle Gap’s a six-hour return hike across 19 kilometres, which dissects the wonder that is Wilpena Pound . It’s a bird-lover’s dream with a variety of them calling the native pines, eucalyptus and heath home.

 

Read more here. 

Bridle Gap hike Wilpena Pound elise hassey
Bridle Gap hike dissects the magnificent Wilpena Pound (photo: Elise Hassey).

Most Unique Place To Lay Your Head – Moonbah Hut, Moonbah Valley, NSW

These cute stone cabins are nestled on the outskirts of Jindabyne in NSW’s Snowy Mountains. On the banks of the Moonbah River, each of these two charming huts boasts a large open fireplace, underfloor heating, and an indoor bathroom. Pick your season at Moonbah Hut  for either fly fishing, horse riding, bushwalking or the likes of snowshoeing, and, of course, skiing.

 

Read more here.

Perennial Australian Traveller favourite, Moonbah Hut near Jindabyne.

Best Must-See Events & Festivals – Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, Queensland

Every August yachties and spectators alike descend on Hamilton Island to watch sails race around the Whitsundays and enjoy everything from fashion shows to exclusive dining events hosted by the likes of Guillaume Brahimi. Race Week is Australia’s largest offshore yachting regatta.

 

Read more here.

Hamilton Island Race Week
You dont have to be a yachtie to enjoy Hamilton Island Race Week

Best Invigorating Aquatic Playground – Satellite Island, Tasmania

You can hire the whole of this tiny Tasmanian island for yourself (with the exception of the discreet island manager and a lovely herd of deer). During your stay at Satellitte you can cosy up by the fireplace in the beautiful house or simply choose to sleep in the converted jetty shed, while in the summer it’s a sublime place for a swim.

 

Read more here.

Spend a night on Satellite Island.
Spend a night on Satellite Island. (Image: Adam Gibson)

Most Delicious Culinary Journey – Roaming restaurant, pop-up dining – various locations, WA

Paul Iskov has worked in some of Europe’s best restaurants and having returned to his native WA, he and his friends set up roaming restaurant Fervor . Think native ingredients cooked over open fires in the West Australian outback and towns and presented in the finest fashion. It might be the most ‘Australian’ dining experience you’ll ever have.

 

Read more here.

Fervor western Australia
The grounds at Fervor.

Best Ways to Enjoy Wine and Vine – Back with a bang – Australian Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the best example of the changes sweeping through Australian wine. A victim of industrialised winemaking and public listings in the ’80s and ’90s, chardonnay was squeezed into millions of bottles. However, with wine ‘growing’ now more prevalent and wines being made in vineyards not wineries, chardonnay is finally realising its full potential with wines that run from light, fresh and clean to rich, layered and complex.

 

Read more here.

Best Captivating Design Treasure – Pumphouse Point, Lake St Claire, Tasmania

Taking the notion of adaptive re-use to a new high is the reinvention of two industrial buildings by Cumulus Architects in the heart of a wilderness area in Tasmania. The Shorehouse, an Art Deco hydro sub-station and The Pumphouse (sited 250 metres out on the lake itself) were built in the ’40s as part of the State’s Hydro Electricity Scheme and decommissioned in the ’90s. They have been skilfully refurbished to make Pumphouse Point a great base for walks, cycling and spa treatments. 

 

Read more here.

Pumphouse Point is surrounded by panoramic views

Best Inspiring Aboriginal Experience – Journey to the far reaches of East Arnhem Land

This incredible corner of Australia is full of adventure for those who like to push into the country’s remote outposts. The Yolngu people of East Arnhem Land have a beautiful connection to their environment and are often happy to teach travellers about their ways. If you’re up for a bit of a rustic, croc-laced experience, you can join a tour that will take you into Aboriginal communities where you can stay and spend time with the Yolngu. We have travelled with Venture North and found them to be fantastic, but there are also a few other operators in the area. You can also head to Banubanu Retreat on Bremer Island, where you’ll find simple, tented accommodation and guided activities such as fishing and turtle watching.

 

Read more here.

Banubanu East Arnhem Land, NT
Beach view of Banubanu East Arnhem Land, NT. (Tourism NT/Stuart Ord)

Best Little-Known Natural Wonder – Rowley Shoals, WA

Three tear drops of coral reef sit almost equidistant from each other on the face of the Indian Ocean, 260 kilometres from Broome. With them being almost the same size at around 80 square kilometres apiece, Rowley Shoals is surely one of the most unusual reef formations and it has some of the best diving and snorkelling on the planet to boot.

 

Read more here.

Rowley Shores
Rowley Shores is a natural heavy-hitter.

Best Memorable Moment for Kids – Dolphin Marine Conservation Park, Coffs Harbour, NSW

At this intimate and eco-responsible park, over-12s can have dolphin hugs in a deep-water experience, while over-sixes can do the same in the shallows. Anyone over eight can get in and play, swim and, yes, hug and kiss with the sea lions at the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park.

 

Read more here.

Dolphin Marine Conservation Park
Prepare for a dolphin encounter at the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park. (Image: DNSW)
Editor
See all articles
Views from Bishop and Clerk peak in Maria Island, Tasmania, Australia
Australia

Australia’s most loved hikes of the year revealed

Which hikes are you adding to your list in 2026?

Read more
Picnic Island from above
Australia

The hottest openings of 2026: hotels, bathhouses and experiences

Every anticipated opening to help plan a year of back-to-back adventures.

Read more
nostalgic road trips
Australia

Retro revival: Why nostalgia is powering a new kind of travel

Australians are choosing to slow things down and bring the joy back to holidaying. 

Read more
People swimming at Gunlom Falls in the Northern Territory
Australia

2 Aussie places make New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list

Australia has landed two spots on the New York Times’ influential travel list for 2026.

Read more
hero media

These new small group tours allow intimate access to Australia’s best experiences

    Lee MylneBy Lee Mylne
    Continue
    Big skies and otherworldly landscapes are the hallmarks of Australia. Discovering them in-depth becomes easier with the experts.

    Australia’s extraordinary landscapes make this vast continent like no other place on Earth, offering an unforgettable feast for the senses as you traverse deserts, cruise on vast inland lakes and dine under star-studded skies. What makes this land special is the people you’ll meet along the way, and the chance to forge a deep connection with the country and its people. The new AAT Kings small-group tours focus on the incredible experiences available in remote places that might otherwise seem daunting.

    With an average of 16 guests and a maximum of 24, the tours offer intimate access to the best Australia has to offer, with special behind-the-scenes encounters led by knowledgeable experts.

    1. Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer

    aerial shot of flinders island tasmania
    Fly over beautiful Flinders Island as part of a tour of Tasmania. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

    Escape the tourist trail in north-eastern Tasmania while still seeing everything the island state has to offer. From coastal villages to bucolic rural scenery, the six-day Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer tour offers world-class food and wine, with the bonus of a flight to Flinders Island.

    From Launceston, the tour winds through the verdant Tamar Valley and includes a stop at Fork It Farm , where guests are given insight into sustainable farming while snacking on a house-made charcuterie platter paired with Tasmanian wines.

    Fly by private plane to secluded Flinders Island, uncovering pristine beaches and savouring local seafood and wine. Explore the main settlement and learn about the history of Settlement Point and Wybalenna before soaking up views of the island and Bass Strait and exploring part of Strzelecki National Park . From there, it’s another scenic flight to Bicheno, flying down the east coast of Tasmania and across the stunning Bay of Fires and Wineglass Bay (a taste of what’s to come by land).

    Other highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Brickendon Estate , still run by the same family since its founding in 1824, where the property’s convict history will be revealed.

    In Devonport, a heritage train ride will track alongside the Don River to Coles Beach before returning to learn more about Tasmania’s railway history and vintage locomotives at Don River Railway .

    2. South Australian Outback Adventure

    aerial of Anna Creek Painted Hills
    Fly over the Anna Creek Painted Hills. (Image: Emile Ristevski)

    From Adelaide, the highlights of the eight-day South Australian Outback Adventure tour open up the rugged grandeur of the Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola. Home to the Adnyamathanha people for tens of thousands of years, the natural beauty and wide open spaces of this remote region unfold as you explore from both land and air.

    Looking to the skies for a new way to experience South Australia’s outback, a scenic flight over the striking outcrops of the colourful Anna Creek Painted Hills and the shimmering saltpan of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is an eye-opener like no other.

    Wilpena Pound Resort, owned and managed by the Indigenous community, is a haven in the midst of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park . It’s worth the hike to enjoy sweeping views over the natural amphitheatre before your journey continues through dramatic gorges, where you may spot endangered yellow-footed rock-wallabies.

    At the award-winning Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, dive deep into the region’s billion-year-old geological history with an expert guide as you tackle the steep ascent of the Ridgetop Track in an open-air 4WD. When the sun goes down, look up at the dazzling wonders of the Milky Way in this International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

    3. Broome and the Kimberley Highlights

    small plane flying over the Bungle Bungle Ranges
    See the iconic Bungle Bungle Ranges from the air. (Image: Tourism WA)

    From Broome’s sparkling beaches to the red dirt of Kununurra, the Kimberley region is one of Australia’s most extraordinary and unforgettable places. It’s a region of contrasts, beginning with multicultural Broome and the history of pearl divers.

    Kick off your Broome and the Kimberley Highlights experience with a tour of Broome led by a local Aboriginal guide. You’ll learn about 40,000 years of culture as you explore historic landmarks, discover bush foods and medicinal plants and enjoy a private didgeridoo performance.

    Learn about Broome’s rich pearling history at Willie Creek Pearl Farm , on the banks of a turquoise tidal estuary that provides the perfect environment for growing the South Sea pearls for which Broome is world-renowned. Then cruise the calm waters to see the oyster farm before a masterclass that reveals the secrets of the pearl industry.

    As you continue your discovery of the Kimberley, fly over the dramatic striped domes of the Bungle Bungle Range, the Argyle Diamond Mine and gorgeous Lake Argyle, Western Australia’s largest freshwater body of water. Take a sunset cruise on the lake, which is dotted with more than 70 islands and is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The water teems with freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bream and cod.

    Complete your seven-day exploration of the Kimberley in Kununurra with a local Aboriginal guide to hear Dreamtime stories and wander through the ‘mini bungles’ of Mirima National Park.

    4. Outback Contrasts

    aat kings small group tours at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience
    Expand your knowledge at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. (Image: Tourism NT/ ArchieSartracom)

    From Alice Springs, the six-day Outback Contrasts adventure includes the wonders of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, offering premium accommodation and exceptional experiences. Ancient rock art, creation stories and the spiritual essence of the land will be revealed as you discover some of Australia’s most iconic landmarks.

    A highlight of your stay in Alice Springs will be meeting chef Rayleen Brown, who shares her knowledge of Aboriginal native foods with a tasting of the many flavours of Central Australia’s wild harvest bush tucker. More culinary indulgence will follow at Discovery Resorts – Kings Canyon in the heart of Watarrka National Park, where you’ll enjoy a degustation menu and paired fine wines under the desert moon.

    After a sunrise walk on the rim of Kings Canyon, head off to the Wanmarra community to learn about the Luritja and Pertame people’s spiritual connection to the land at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. Crossing desert scenes, you’ll arrive at Uluru and end the day watching the setting sun’s changing palette on the ancient landscape.

    More awe-inspiring landscapes will be revealed as you wander between Kata Tjuta’s tallest domes in Walpa Gorge and explore the rugged beauty of Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges.

    Start planning your small group adventure with AAT Kings.