8 Off-Beaten-Track Getaways That Take The Path Less Travelled

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.

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

8 unexpected getaways that take the path less travelled in Australia

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

2. Heyscape tiny cabins, WA

3. Rumi on Louth, SA

4. The Overland Track, Tasmania

5. An eco lodge stay in Capertee Valley, NSW

6. Tiwi Islands, NT

7. The Tarkine, Tasmania

8. Island-hopping in WA

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The Macedon Ranges is Victoria’s best-kept food and wine secret

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

Come for the wine, stay for the food