10 ways you can see Australia on wheel and wing

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We’ve rounded up the best ways to traverse the country on road, off-road and from the air: from the exhilarating to the epicurean and sometimes both at once.

1. Wheel around the wildflowers

VARIOUS LOCATIONS, WA

Western Australia surely has one of the most spectacular wildflower seasons in the country.

 

You’ll be compelled to snap away as the dusty red landscape turns into a veritable patchwork quilt of colour.

 

If you’re not keen to self-drive, throw your lot in with Luxury Outback Tours’ seven-day wildflower itinerary, where you also have the chance to travel to some of the state’s most engaging sites, such as Wave Rock, Cape Le Grand and Esperance.

2. For those who just like to tag along in the sand

Love to drive, hate to navigate?

Yep, we can do without those arguments that make you dream of ejecting your spouse onto the side of the road.

 

Happily, there are some incredible 4WD tag-along tours that alleviate the stress and leave you with the scenery.

FRASER’S ON RAINBOW BEACH, QLD

You don’t even need your own 4WD for this three-day tour, which takes you along Fraser’s stunning sands, into the rainforest and through creeks.

 

Included is all food and camping equipment, so you just need to bring yourself, your licence and a sense of adventure.

 

Oh, and if you’re a little apprehensive about putting wheel-to-sand, we recommend a Girls Got Grit preparatory course.

DIRK HARTOG ISLAND, WA

An island with a history that spans guano mining, pearling and sheep grazing, Dirk Hartog Island is now used more sustainably for tourism.

 

Discover rock pools, blow-holes, a salt lake called Rose Lake, and long stretches of beach with impossibly clear waters.

 

The island’s isolation will make you feel like the last people on Earth.

 

The ‘Return to 1616’ tag-along tour incorporates restoration of the vegetation and habitat and includes 4WD, accommodation and meals.

3.  It’s Australia’s (better) answer to Big Sur. And, we know you love it

GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC

Sometimes the journey is just as much about the ride as the sights.

 

And when it comes to the Great Ocean Road, you, our readers, vote for it each year in our People’s Choice Awards, so we assume you’ve perhaps done the drive more than once.

 

Next time, why not leave the driving to someone else and spend a day cruising around in absolute coastal style in a 1974 VW Kombi Transporter Microbus?

 

Take Hike & Seek’s Great Otway National Park tour and return via the Great Ocean Road in style. Surf’s up, dudes.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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4. Ride the rainforest and sleep in a pod

BLUE DERBY PODS RIDE, TAS

A brand-new experience has just launched in Tasmania’s Derby that will have mountain bikers eagerly donning their helmets.

 

The existing trails are already a hot spot for adventurers on two wheels, but the new Blue Derby Pods Ride will add an extra level to the experience with a three-day itinerary that includes fine Tassie food and wine, and accommodation in unique architecturally designed pods.

5. Arriving Bond-style by seaplane is a dream we all share

OUTBACK FLOATPLANE ADVENTURES, NT

It’s not just the seaplane that we love about Outback Floatplane Adventures’ Ultimate Tour, no, you get to travel in all the vehicles, including a helicopter, airboat (that other Bond-looking contraption with a giant fan that propels you from villains, or crocs) and luxury cruise vessel.

 

It’s a bird’s-and-fish-eye view of tropical Northern Territory’s breathtaking scenery and wildlife, and is a guaranteed boast-worthy trip.

6. Rolling in the streets

ADELAIDE, SA

Adelaide’s vibrant food truck scene has flourished since 2012, with a diverse array on city streets for mid-week lunches and large public events on weekends, including the frequent Fork On The Road food truck cluster events.

 

“Variety is the magic ingredient," says Mohamed Bensaid, of Moorish Bites.

 

“We introduce a whole world of different ethnic foods that you just can’t find in restaurants."

 

Here’s our pick from across the board:

 

1. Moorish Bites, Meloui: A luscious Moroccan pancake filled with spinach and feta cheese, or with eggplant, chicken, lamb or marinated fish.

 

2. La Chiva, Chivita de Chorizo: Feisty Colombian chorizo patties packed in soft bread rolls with lettuce, coriander, smoked salsa sauce and mayonnaise.

 

3. Bodri’s Taste of Hungary, Kurtosh Kalach: This towering Hungarian chimney cake is made from scratch in the van, with ribbon-like dough wound around a cylinder, covered with sugar and baked to form a crisp, caramelised crust.

7. When money ain’t nothing but a thing

“If only there was a tour that ticked off Australia’s greatest beauties, full of wine and good food, where I could travel in supreme comfort in a private aircraft," laments the gourmand high flyer.

 

If this sounds like you, bemoan your sorry existence no more, for there is just such a tour.

 

Dipping in and out of the sky to feast on the fare and fair landscapes of the Mornington Peninsula, Barossa Valley, Tamar Valley and Freycinet Peninsula (to name a few), this seven-day High Flyers Gourmet Trail from Ultimate Winery Experiences will only set you back a cool $10K or thereabouts.

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8. There really is no better way to see it all: Four bucket list road trips

1. The Big Lap: It’s still the big dream: take three months off work, kit out a motorhome and circumnavigate this land.

 

2. The Kimberley Dream: A 4WD journey along the mighty Gibb River Road.

 

3. The Explorer’s Way: Cut the country in half, from Adelaide to Darwin.

 

4. The Nullarbor: It’s the horizontal line in the sand and the classic drive.

9. Go the big distances with the little guys

REX, QLD

Outback Queensland can teach you a thing or two about significant distances.

 

While many opt to drive from Brisbane to Birdsville and around to Bedourie and Boulia, there is another way to see the north-east piece of our nation’s puzzle.

 

Rex is nothing if not regional, and will get you to Winton and back if dinosaur bones are your thing, or to Birdsville for the bash, and to legendary Longreach.

 

So if breaking an axle on a dirt road isn’t your idea of seeing the country, consider the alternative way to get to these amazing outposts.

10. Because mixing booze and bikes can surely never be a bad idea

TOUR DE RIESLING RAIL TRAIL, CLARE VALLEY, SA

What to do with a defunct railway track in wine country?

 

Well, if you’re in the Clare Valley, you throw down some gravel, buy some electric bikes and turn it into a wine tour that Passes incredible wineries such as Skillogalee and Sevenhill.

 

While you’re in the mood: Take a gourmet cycle through Mudgee with Tour De Mudgee Cellar Doors or leave the Lycra at home for the Tour de Gourmet Escape in Milawa.

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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7 Great Walks of Australia providing unforgettable adventures

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
    Traipse Jurassic cliffs and wander secluded beaches on Australia’s most enchanting walks.

    Australia’s landscapes are made for hiking. Take the Red Centre, dusted in shifting sands and dotted with miraculous geological formations. Or our rainforests, left behind as the sole souvenir from continents that no longer exist. Down south, mottled night skies hang above crashing seas and unwavering cliffs. It makes sense, then, that hiking holidays are rising in popularity. No wi fi, no traffic. Just you and the path less travelled on the Great Walks of Australia in remote and iconic destinations.

    What are the Great Walks of Australia?

    If nature is your happy place, you’ve likely heard of the Great Walks of Australia, part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences program since 2013 – a curated collection of 15 all-inclusive, eco-luxury journeys showcasing the country’s most spectacular landscapes with expert guides and incredible meals. GWOA launching in 2013 as 

    From exploring the peaks of a World Heritage listed island, to journeying through the heart of Australia, and the gentle pull of the majestic Murray – there’s a walking holiday to suit walkers of all experience levels (and interests).

    Joining a Great Walks of Australia hike means the pressure is off with all meals, guides and eco-luxury accommodation included.

    Where can you hike?

    1. Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland

    great walks of australia tour group on Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland
    Enjoy incredible food along the way.

    Around 23 million years ago, volcanoes spewed magma across Queensland’s Scenic Rim. Now, what’s left of the fiery landscape takes the form of the UNESCO-listed Gondwana rainforest.

    The Scenic Rim Trail is a four-day guided hike that takes you through the ancient rainforest. You’ll venture out into breathtaking viewpoints across the Main Range National Park. Enjoy a packed lunch, listen out for the duplicitous calls of the lyrebird and enjoy the silence.

    You’ll spend your nights in boutique eco-cabins and incredible hospitality.

    2. Murray River Walk, South Australia

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Walk through vibrant wildflower fields.

    Murray River Walk pairs easy hiking with blissful evenings cruising the Murray River. Over four days and nights, you’ll follow kangaroo trails through red dirt dusted with vivid patches of wildflowers.

    Each day ends on a solar-powered, custom-built houseboat. Watch towering, red sandstone cliffs float by from the top deck spa. Then, it’s three-course meals sourced from local produce and served alongside the region’s best wines.

    The entire region you’ll be traversing is within the Riverland Ramsar site. Watch as spoonbills forage for food in the tranquil wetlands, emus parade through the wildflowers, and regent parrots flit above.

    3. Maria Island Walk, Tasmania

    wombat along the Maria Island Walk tasmania
    Spot adorable locals.

    Your Maria Island walk begins with a private boat transfer to an untouched, white sand beach. Barefoot in the sand, you’ll quickly realise – aside from your guide and group – you’re completely alone. Spot countless wombats and hear the distant calls of Tasmanian Devils as you spend four days leisurely traversing the island.

    Nights are split between private, comfortable wilderness camps and queen-size beds in a historic cottage from the island’s convict history. Meals are built around fresh-caught seafood and served with East Coast Tasmanian wine.

    4. Seven Peaks Walk, New South Wales

    hiker on Seven Peaks Walks on Lord Howe Island
    Explore the incredible Lord Howe Island. (Image: Luke Hanson)

    Lord Howe Island feels like another world. With its patchwork blue coral lagoons and magma-honed peaks, it’s easy to forget you’re in New South Wales.

    This walk has the highest level of elevation in the Great Walks of Australia’s collection. It’s because of this that you’ll witness nature like never before. UNESCO-listed volcanic peaks and coral reefs that grew out of solidified lava will become your daily norm.

    Along the way, step onto beaches that lie undisturbed for weeks at a time. Then, snorkel the southernmost reef in the Pacific Ocean.

    5. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk, Northern Territory

    great walks of australia tour group on
    Learn from the Anangu people.

    This five-day, fully guided, premium hiking experience inside Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. Begin your walk dwarfed by the shade of Kata Tjua’s towering dome formations. Following remote desert trails through the red sands, crest dunes and traverse mulga woodlands as you draw closer to the monolithic walls of Uluu.

    Each night, dine under the lamp light of the Milky Way in the warm desert air and sleep in new flagship, environmentally sensitive private camps and lodge. This is the first time that travellers have ever been allowed to spend the night inside the national park.

    6. The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria

    great walks of australia tour group on The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria
    See the Twelve Apostles in a new way. (Image: Ken Luke)

    The Great Ocean Road’s rugged splendour is best experienced on this signature four-day, 44-kilometre guided walk. You’ll follow the rugged limestone stacks of the shipwreck coastline: wild, crashing waves, curious wildlife, and two national parks.

    Finish each day at your luxurious lodge, where you’ll sit with your feet soaking and a glass of wine in hand. You’ll have a single lodge to call home on this walk, meaning you’ll only need to set out with a day pack.

    7. Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania

    Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania
    Walk along the edge of the world. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

    On Tasmania’s Three Capes Signature Walk, you’ll feel like you’re walking along the edge of the world. From your boat landing on a remote beach, climb slowly upward for spectacular views and wildlife encounters with pods of dolphins, fur seals and echidnas. Spend days walking Jurassic dolerite cliffs with the wild Southern Ocean as your only constant.

    Stay in architecturally designed eco-lodges nestled at the very edge of the world. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, a plunge pool and even an on-site spa to tend to ailments from the hike.

    Discover more Great Walks of Australia and start planning your next adventure at greatwalksofaustralia.com.au.