30 Secret Wonders to Discover in Regional Australia

They’re called Remarkable Rocks for good reason. Nestled in Kangaroo Island’s Flinders Chase National Park, these granite boulder formations have been weathered by years of sea spray, wind, rain and time, resulting in an incredible natural work of art. A viewing platform lets you take it all in, and nearby signs share the history of the area.

Victoria’s Phillip Island is a great location for penguin-spotting but for a more intimate experience, head to Bicheno, north of Freycinet National Park. Bicheno Penguin Tours takes you onto private property to see the chicks up close. Wear covered shoes – they’re known to nip.

The Taproom in central Victoria isn’t any ordinary pub – it’s co-owned by former Hunters & Collectors drummer Doug Falconer, which means stellar live acts. Go on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday, when Falconer lures top musos, and order yourself a Frailty Pale Ale.

Scale the summit of Mount Augustus, just under 500 kilometres north-east of Carnarvon, for ultimate bragging rights: it’s the world’s largest monocline – at around 715 metres, it’s more than twice the height of Uluṟu. While very experienced hikers have the incredibly challenging 12-kilometre return walk, the 49-kilometre Mount Augustus Loop Drive is perfect entry-level territory; the two-wheel drive friendly track leads to incredible viewing spots such as Emu Lookout, where visitors can take in the rock’s majesty from afar.

Litchfield National Park boasts some of the best swimming holes in the Territory but Robin Falls – cool and cascading over several tiers – lies, sneakily, just outside the park boundary, south of the town of Adelaide River. Like anywhere in the NT, make sure you do your research before you decide to take a dip, as the season you’re visiting could dictate safety.

A bubblegum-blue sea, coconut trees and mud crabs for the taking... Clairview is the town that time forgot, offering the best of Queensland’s tropics without the crowds – plus, there are dugongs. Stay at BarraCrab Caravan Park and make the best of its position just south of a dugong sanctuary and keep your eyes peeled for these hulking “sea cows”.

Plug the coordinates (33.6134 S, 123.868 E) into the GPS or join a tag-along drive tour to reach this remote bay about 200 kilometres east of Esperance on the Great Australian Bight. Adventure-seekers are drawn to the beach fishing and hardcore four-wheel-driving while others seek seclusion and the chance to camp under a billion-star sky.

A 90-minute sunset boat ride from Darwin’s Stokes Hill Wharf will whisk you to Njulbitjlk (Bare Sand Island), where at certain times of the lunar cycle you can watch flatback and olive ridley turtles arriving to lay their eggs – and if you’re lucky, hatchlings heading to the sea.

The ex-HMAS Tobruk wreck is a spectacular dive site in Queensland’s Great Sandy Marine Park, where abundant marine life mingles with this relic of the past. Tag along on a tour departing The Boat Club Marina Urangun Harbour, a five-tour experience that has a maximum of ten divers at one time.

The 1.5-kilometre North Gorge Walk on North Stradbroke Island off Brisbane’s coast might be an easy stroll but it will still take your breath away. The waters around Point Lookout are like a natural aquarium with dolphins, turtles, rays, sharks and, in season, whales.

Picture this: steam rising from a thermal outdoor pool, framed by mountains and snow-dusted ground. The mineral-rich waters at Yarrangobilly Caves are fed by natural springs and sit at 27°C year round – perfect for soothing sore muscles after a high-country hike or exploring the caves. It’s a steep 15-to-30-minute walk down to this pool in Kosciuszko National Park. But so worth it.

Picture this: steam rising from a thermal outdoor pool framed by mountains and snow-dusted ground. The mineral-rich waters at Yarrangobilly Caves thermal pool are fed by natural springs and sit at 27°C year-round – perfect for soothing sore muscles after a high-country hike or exploring the caves. It’s a steep 15- to 30-minute walk down to this pool in Kosciuszko National Park. But so worth it.

Strung together along the Great Barrier Reef, the 10 Ribbon Reefs north of Port Douglas are the only place on the planet where you can interact with dwarf minke whales. These inquisitive and sociable creatures show up each winter, with sightings most common in June and July. Just a few endorsed operators, including Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, run these trip-of-a-lifetime tours.

Strung together along the Great Barrier Reef, the 10 Ribbon Reefs north of Port Douglas are the only place on the planet where you can interact with dwarf minke whales. These inquisitive and sociable creatures show up each winter, with sightings most common in June and July. Just a few endorsed operators, including Mike Ball Dive Expeditions in Cairns, run these trip-of-a-lifetime tours.

There’s a secret garden in Queensland’s big backyard and you’ll find it in Carnarvon Gorge, 740 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. Called Moss Garden, it’s decked out in a brilliant green lace, with sandstone walls that curl around a transparent pool. It’s one of many gems scattered throughout the lush gorge, from giant ferns to rock art. And with more than 20 kilometres of tracks, you’ll want to spend a few days here. You can either stay at Takarakka Bush Resort or pitch a tent in the Carnarvon National Park.

Major Mitchell’s cockatoos are daily visitors to the Eyre Bird Observatory, just one of the more than 240 avian species recorded here. This volunteer-run research station, about 50 kilometres south-east of Cocklebiddy on the southern coast of Australia, is isolated and can only be accessed by four-wheel drive. Stay the night at the sandstone former telegraph station onsite.

Cruise company Turquoise Safaris calls selfie-seeking sea lions the “puppies of the sea” and the best way to encounter them is on a 2.5-hour, all-ages snorkelling trip. Tours depart from Jurien Bay on the Coral Coast, 220 kilometres north of Perth.

Bushrangers Bay Aquatic Reserve on the Mid-South Coast is well-known to divers but it’s also a great for snorkellers to observe sea urchins and tropical fish. Undersea cliffs form a natural amphitheatre in the sheltered cove, where the waves are gentle and the water is clear.