Your ultimate travel action plan

With diverse landscapes comes an equally diverse number of ways to get outdoors, get sweaty, scare and challenge yourself… Here’s our ultimate action plan (part of Australia’s 16 Ultimate Escapes)

12 Apostles coast by helicopter

Sure driving and hiking the Great Ocean Road is appealing but let’s take it up a level: how about soaring over the 12 Apostles in a helicopter? 12 Apostle Helicopters offers a range of aerial indulgences from 15-minute trips to hour-long journeys up to Australia’s oldest lighthouse at Cape Otway. See more: Ultimate Escapes: Great Ocean Road

Angling for barra’ at Barmurru

The shallows of the Mary River flood plains are one of the best places in the world to fish for prized Barramundi and Bamurru Plains guests have exclusive access to a 100-square kilometre portion of the wetlands. During peak ‘barra season (February-April), there’s even a dedicated fishing lodge. Speed along the semi-submerged melaleuca forests wetlands aboard an ‘airboat’. It’s usually catch and release, but occasionally you can hand a fish over to the camp’s chef… See more: Ultimate Escapes: Timeless North

The High Country snowshoe shuffle

Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing – been there done that? Try snoeshowing to take you beyond the hustle and bustle of Australia’s ski fields into the silence and beauty of the back country. Operating out of Perisher and Kosciuszko, K7 Adventures (0421 862 354) has guided half-day or full-day treks through places where skiers struggle. See more: Ultimate Escapes: Australian Alps

Sea Kayak, see whales: Byron Bay

Outdoors is what the ‘Green Cauldron’ is all about and Byron Bay’s headland is one of the most sublime places for a paddle in the country, if not the world. Go Sea Kayak Byron Bay has guided paddles around Walgun (Cape Byron), the most easterly point of Australia. If you time it right, the area’s whales and dolphins will come along for the ride too. See more: Ultimate Escapes: Green Cauldron – Byron to Gold Coast

Tully’s surprisingly cultural white water adventure

The churning rapids of the Tully River make for some of the best rafting in the country. After a day’s white-knuckle ride, take some time to learn about the area’s indigenous culture; Ingan’s Raft and Trek allows an additional day to do the Spirit of the Rainforest walk, a fascinating trek into the verdant canopy, accompanied by an Aboriginal guide from the Jabanbarra Jirrbal tribe. See more: Ultimate Escapes: Wet Tropics

MORE:

The full list of Australia’s 16 Ultimate Escapes

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