31 Secret Wonders to Discover in Regional Australia

Trees this old probably hold a few secrets of their own, like how redwood forests came to be planted in the Yarra Valley and Otways hinterland. Among the world’s tallest trees at up to 115 metres, California redwoods are usually found on the United States’ West Coast. Though Victoria’s stand only about 55 metres, kids and adults alike will still be awe-struck. Follow the unsealed Cement Creek Road north-east of Warburton or turn off the Great Ocean Road towards Beech Forest.

It’s not far from the Murrumbidgee, along the road to Gundagai. But unlike the old-fashioned shack of Slim’s song, JR’s Kimo Estate Eco Hut has a solar-powered fridge, a breakfast hamper brimming with local produce and serious design cred. Plus, this cosy A-frame’s lofty vantage point offers stunning views of the surrounding sheep and cattle farm.

Find your own private island in the Pilbara, where $440 per night gets you a beach shack – and utter isolation. Granted, getting to Direction Island is no picnic – it’s a 20-minute boat trip from Onslow, 1400 kilometres north of Perth – and drinking water and a Weber are about as deluxe as it gets. But beyond the shore, your very own coral reef awaits.

Send the kids on a treasure hunt on Tassie’s southern tip. First up, there’s paddling to be done, with a guided kayak tour leaving from Southport. Then little landlubbers are handed a map and set loose on the deserted Pelican Island. Old salt Matt Wardell runs the 2.5-hour trips for families with kids aged five and up.

Fancy yourself as a gin connoisseur? A workshop at McHenry Distillery in Port Arthur helps you distil the spirit using your own selection of botanicals. A tour, masterclass, tasting, picnic lunch and visit to the natural springs that supply water for McHenry’s liquor are all part of this unique experience, with the option of having bar staff at the The Henry Jones Art Hotel back in Hobart concoct a personalised cocktail from your bottle.

Hiding in plain sight in the heart of Daylesford, a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, this designer pad is more cool than kitsch. Dubbed Dollywood – no relation to the theme park – the refurbished 1940s weatherboard cottage sleeps six and is inspired by California’s hotels, from the timber wall panelling and linen sheets to the pops of neon-pink. With views of the hills and proximity to the spa town’s lake and other attractions, it’s convenient as well as cute.

The only way to reach the Anna Creek Painted Hills – in the Breakaways in South Australia’s outback – is via a one-hour scenic flight from William Creek, west of Lake Eyre. Once there, take a 45-minute guided walk amid these ancient outcrops on the world’s largest cattle station. As for how they got their colours, Mother Nature ain’t saying.

Lobethal’s Golding Wines redefines “eat like a bird” with its Nido Experience. Perched atop a lofty hill with views of the vines, the Nido is a human-sized nest – woven from willow branches and twigs – that’s just right for picnicking. Up to six people can pick their way through a four-course grazing menu paired with Golding drops. It’s the most whimsical way to dine in the Adelaide Hills.

Bush snorkelling? Yep, it really is a thing. Dip your toes in at Ewens Ponds near Mount Gambier. While the three pools aren’t much to look at from the surface, dive in and you’ll be blown away by the greenery, fish and crays that dwell up to 10 metres below. The limestone-filtered water is clear but chilly, sitting between 10 and 15°C, so you’ll need a wetsuit. You can hire gear for ages six and up at the nearby Allendale East General Store (08 8738 7274).

If you hear a bloodcurdling scream coming from the mainland, it could be a Tasmanian devil. True! Tomalla’s Devil Ark conservation project, in the Upper Hunter region, runs a 2.5-hour Devils in the Wild tour that includes a close encounter with these endangered marsupials in a free- range enclosure at feeding time – if you don’t mind terrible table manners.

Explore Thredbo’s back country with pro snowkiter Jennie “Adrena-Jen” Milton. On skis, a snowboard or splitboard, you strap yourself to a giant kite and let the wind do its thing. Most people are up and riding by day’s end but you’ll need to be competent on skis or a board ( runs July to October).

Female train-trippers from Melbourne were visiting Ladies Bath Falls on the way up to Mount Buffalo back in the early 1900s – long before we found out about them. You can reach these clear alpine pools and waterfall via a 400-metre trail off Mount Buffalo Road, a 20-minute drive from Bright. Tip: save this dip for the warmer months.

Truffle Lodge does glamping the way you’d expect of a truffière (think draped ceiling, handcrafted timber tub and riverfront deck). Dedicated to “slow hospitality”, the owners of this Derwent Valley property encourage jigsaw puzzles, platypus-spotting and drinking by the fire.

You’ve got to see it to believe it: this coalmine-turned-lake just out of Collie, 200 kilometres south of Perth, is such an incredibly bright blue it looks as if it’s been coloured with a highlighter. BYO li-lo to Black Diamond Lake, lie back and enjoy.

With both the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef on their doorstep, the three elevated pavilions at Mist at Cape Tribulation are in a three-hectare paradise all their own. Luxuriate in the green outdoors or cocoon yourself within their white walls.

100 Australian Bucket-List Travel Experiences