8 unexpected getaways that take the path less travelled in Australia

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Whether hiking off-piste in a ski region out of season or venturing to far-flung islands, travelling off the beaten track can reveal the very best of our country.

1. Snowies Alpine Walk, NSW

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

The Snowies Alpine Walk, which launched in December 2024, is a major new hike that weaves together existing and pre-existing trails into a spectacular four-day, 56-kilometre loop around the alpine roof of Australia. This hike encourages visitors to linger beyond the winter months and reveals the striking landscapes that lie beneath the snow. Think meadows of alpine wildflowers, yawning valleys, and rivers steeped in mythos, like the Snowy River that played muse to bush poet Banjo Paterson.

walking through a forest of snow gums, Snowy Mountains
The hike guides walkers through a forest of snow gums. (Image: Elizabeth Whitehead)

2. Heyscape tiny cabins, WA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

There’s something intoxicating about being holed up in a tiny cabin nestled in the wilderness. Heyscape has 25 cosy but premium off-grid cabins across Western Australia with locations that include: a winery in the coastal region of Yallingup; a property where horses and sheep freely roam in Serpentine; and a regenerated cattle farm near Denmark, a region where towering karri trees meet rugged coast. The brief is to slow down and unwind, with WA’s natural beauty the only distraction.

Yallingup interior
Unwind in a tiny cabin in WA’s wilderness. (Image: Chriss Web)

3. Rumi on Louth, SA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

the private retreat exterior of Rumi on Louth
Rumi on Louth is a private retreat set off the coast of the Eyre Peninsula. (Image: Robert Lang Photography)

A once untamed 19th-century sheep station has been rewilded to become South Australia’s first-ever private island accommodation, set off the coast of the Eyre Peninsula. Rumi on Louth features king rooms, one-bedroom suites and a private retreat that sleeps 10, all with views of the vast ocean beyond. Experiences include kayak fishing, beach picnics, e-bike hire and stargazing. Hire the entire island for exclusive use for up to 22 of your equally intrepid mates. Currently in phase one of opening, named Rumi Reveal, phase two is set to be unveiled late 2025 and will see the addition of 26 earth-sheltered villas complete with organic gardens, chicken coops and a wellness spa with onsen-style hot baths – all operating entirely off-grid and expanding upon the island’s existing sustainable ethos. For more off-grid escapes on the Eyre Peninsula, see family-run business EYRE.WAY, which has just launched Bandari , its third luxe tiny home in the region.

an aerial view of Bandari, EYRE.WAY
Bandari is EYRE.WAY’s third luxe tiny home in SA.

4. The Overland Track, Tasmania

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The Overland Track is known the world over for being a spectacular but challenging alpine walk in Tasmania’s remote wilderness. Tasmanian Walking Co. operates a seven-day Cradle Mountain Signature Walk through the World Heritage-listed area to Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest natural lake. The 65-kilometre-long trail takes in craggy summits, temperate rainforest, waterfalls and glacially carved lakes. Retreat to private huts each evening to indulge in gourmet meals and local wines, recharging for the next day’s adventure.

scenic views of the Trek Cradle Mountain
Trek Cradle Mountain. (Image: Tourism Tasmania)

5. An eco lodge stay in Capertee Valley, NSW

Travelling with: Katie Carlin

Sunvale is a remote bush escape that blends glamping with luxurious lodge amenities to deliver the ideal group getaway accommodation. The four-bedroom eco lodge is part of Turon Gates Mountain Retreat , a 2428-hectare property that offers camping, glamping and cottage stays in NSW’s Capertee Valley. Rooms branch out from the communal living area with a long galley kitchen and 10-seater table at its heart. A striking glass fireplace is positioned in front of bifold doors that open onto the multi-level deck to reveal stunning mountain views – best observed from the woodfired hot tub with a glass of wine in hand as the sun sets.

the four-bedroom eco lodge at Turon Gates Mountain Retreat
The four-bedroom eco lodge is part of Turon Gates Mountain Retreat. (Image: GM Hotographics)

6. Tiwi Islands, NT

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

A visit to ‘The Island of Smiles’, 80 kilometres north of Darwin, offers insights into the proud Tiwi people who make up 90 per cent of the population and have a distinct language and culture. The islands have long attracted fishermen (for barramundi) and art collectors (there are five Tiwi-owned art centres). Travel by ferry or small plane for a day trip, or stay to watch the sunset from Tiwi Island Retreat , which has luxury tents and rooms with ocean views.

an aerial view of the Tiwi Islands Retreat
Venture to the Tiwi Islands. (Image: Tourism Australia/Shaana McNaught)

7. The Tarkine, Tasmania

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

There’s no place quite like Gardiner Point to make you feel like you’re the last person on Earth. Known as the Edge of the World, this windswept lookout in Tasmania’s wild north-west marks the tip of the Tarkine – a region that embodies natural beauty as much as it does complete isolation. Join a guided tour with Tall Timbers to explore its craggy coastline, ancient rainforests and buttongrass plains, all backdropped by the bitter-cold Bass Strait. Bookend your trip with a stay in Stanley. The tiny fishing village is full of surprises, like an ancient volcanic plug known as The Nut and Hursey Seafoods, winner of the 2024 National Seafood Industry Restaurant Award.

the Nut, Tasmania
The Nut is a volcanic plug that rises 152 metres from the sea. (Image: Mattea Carson)

8. Island-hopping in WA

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Rugged Christmas Island is often referred to as ‘the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean’. Lying 1500 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia, the island is best known for its annual red crab migration. But it is also on the radar for nature-lovers drawn to its rich biodiversity, tropical rainforests, protected wetlands and diverse wildlife. A short flight away, the Cocos Keeling Islands are made up of 27 atolls with white-sand beaches fringed by palm trees, and coral reefs teeming with marine life. Visit the far-flung islands for an adventurous tropical escape that you won’t need to share with the masses. See also adventure tours and fishing charters in the Mackerel Islands, off the coast of the Pilbara, and Abrolhos Islands, 60 kilometres west of Geraldton.

the Cocos Keeling Islands
Explore the marine life beneath the surface of Cocos Keeling Islands.
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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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    The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

    It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

    The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

    a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

    A new chapter for the city’s fleet

    the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
    The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

    During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

    Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.