The best hidden beaches for summer

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Explore Australia

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Stokes Bay, Tourism South Australia

Want to beach yourself on the coast this summer – but don’t want to battle the crowds? Well, grab the SPF and the beach towel, because we’ve found the best hidden beaches around the country.

Stokes Bay Beach, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Stokes Bay Beach, not far from Kingscote on the north side of Kangaroo Island, looks uninspiring a first glance, a messy jumble of rocks and heavy waves – that is, until you notice the intriguing sign pointing through a gap in the rocks. Follow the directions along the hidden path until you come to a small beach, an enchanting spot with a curved stretch of squeaky sand and a natural lagoon. Now that’s more like it.

Cactus Beach, Penong, South Australia

Off the Nullarbor Plain near Penong lies Cactus Beach, one of Australia’s best surfing spots. It’s a pilgrimage for surfers to come here and tackle the breaks, but this fantastically isolated spot, looking out over the Great Australian Bight, is worth the trek even if you prefer to worship the wave from the shore. Remember to bring a lot of insect repellent – this is midge territory.

Prize winner Mich submitted Cactus Beach in our competition to find Australia’s Best Hidden Gems.

Cactus Beach, Tourism South Australia

Alexandria Bay, Noosa, Queensland

Alexandria Bay is surprisingly quiet for a Sunshine Coast beach. That might be because you have to walk kilometres through Noosa National Park to get there, or it might be because the beach is unofficially clothing optional. Whatever the reason, this bay is postcard perfect: a gently curving stretch of golden sand and rolling waves protected by a crown of bushy cliffs.

Alexandria Bay

Fotheringate Beach, Strzelecki NP, Tasmania

Move over Freycinet and the Bay of Fires – Strzelecki National Park could very well have the best beaches in Tasmania. The most popular is Trousers Point (yup, its actual name), but a 3.5 kilometre walk away is Fotheringate Beach, a small and rocky spot with clear and enticing water looking over to the park’s granite mountains. This is pretty much paradise found.

Strzelecki National Park, Marcus Carrick

Turquoise Bay, Cape Range National Park, Western Australia

Turquoise Bay is in Cape Range National Park, a place where the desert meets the coral reef. It’s one of the best beaches in the state, ticking off all the boxes: pristine sand, sparkling turquoise water, endless ocean views. But the real fun comes when you throw yourself into the water – the diverse marine life and coral of Ningaloo Reef is just a few metres offshore. Don’t forget your snorkelling gear.

Turquoise Bay, Tourism Western Australia

Wonboyn Beach, Wonboyn, New South Wales

Arriving at Wonboyn Beach almost feels like arriving at the end of the world – it’s just you and kilometres and kilometres of curved beach, backed by acres of coastal forest, facing the untold space of the Pacific Ocean. Apart from the occasional rip, it’s pretty much perfect. Just don’t tell the locals we let you in on the secret.

Wonboyn Beach, by Tripadvisor user SharonJB

Sealers Bay, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria

You’ll have to walk 9.5 kilometres over tropically overgrown hills to get to Sealers Cove; but believe us when we say the sweat and thigh burn are worth it. Sealers Cove is one of the quieter spots in the extremely popular Wilsons Promontory National Park, so you can enjoy the uninterrupted golden stretch of sand, backed by wild mountains, in relative peace.

Sealers Cove, Wilsons Promontory

Top 7 hidden spots in Australia, as nominated by you and selected by us

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Explore Australia

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We asked you to tell us Australia’s best hidden places and you delivered, revealing all your favourite spots from a waterhole in Mount Isa to a lookout hidden in a state forest. And while we understand you probably want to keep them hidden, we thought they were just too good not to share – sorry!

Nundle, NSW

Nominated by Paula, Nundle is a place of big scenery and big charm at the foot of the Great Dividing Range. The town is on the southern end of the Fossickers Way, 56 kilometres north of Tamworth. Like many other towns, Nundle started life as a gold rush village, but now settles for less flashy attractions, like the historic buildings, the old mill (which is still working) and the great local food. You can’t miss a trip up to the nearby mining village of Hanging Rock, which has second-to-none views over the valley.

Nundle Woollen Mill, NSW

Cactus Beach, SA

Rumour has it that Cactus Beach got its name after a surfer was disappointed by the conditions – but he must have come on a bad day. Mich nominated Cactus Beach because it has some of the best breaks in the country (apparently Kelly Slater has been known to visit). Just south of Penong on the Nullarbor Plain, Cactus Beach is also somewhat notorious for shark attacks, so we wouldn’t blame you if you’d prefer to watch the action from the wildly beautiful beach.

Cactus Beach, Tourism South Australia

Meelup Beach, WA

If you’re after calmer waters, you can’t do better than Meelup Beach near Dunsborough in Western Australia, which was nominated by Daisy. We don’t know why this beach isn’t as famous as, say, Whitehaven Beach – it has turquoise water and pristine sand too! It’s also family friendly, as the protected beach makes the conditions perfect for paddling with the kids. Go there before everyone else cottons on.

Meelup Beach, Dunsborough, Neal Pritchard Photography

Tnorala (Gosses Bluff), NT

The West MacDonnell Ranges are full of hidden waterholes and majestic vistas, but it doesn’t get more majestic than Tnorala (Gosses Bluff). Nominated by Luke, Tnorala was formed when a 600-metre-wide crater smashed into the Earth more than 14 billion years ago, and it’s one of the most significant crater impact sites in the world. The site also has cultural significance for the West Arrernte people, who manage the site jointly with Parks and Wildlife NT.

Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve

Josephine Falls, QLD

We all need to thank Yuliya for letting us in on the local secret that is Josephine Falls. Found in Wooroonooran National Park around 74 kilometres south of Cairns, these waterfalls are so picturesque they’ve featured in advertisements (okay, so maybe the locals have let a few other people in on the secret). The water tumbles over granite boulders, and there are multiple swimming holes and even a natural waterslide!

Josephine Falls by Tripadvisor user B1ackthesun

Little Blue Lake, TAS

Australia is full of blue lakes, found everywhere from Mount Gambier to Kosciuszko National Park. And while the Little Blue Lake between Derby and Gladstone in Tasmania might not be as well known as its siblings, it is just as spectacular, as Sarah pointed out. Little Blue Lake started out as a tin-mining hole, but when the mine shut down, the hole was filled with water. It’s all those minerals on the bottom of the lake that provide its gem-like hue. As there are so many minerals in the water, it’s seriously recommended you don’t take a dip.

Little Blue Lake by Tripadvisor user Chards5

Darling River Run, NSW

So, you’ve travelled the Great Ocean Road, tackled the Alpine Way and even made it across the Nullarbor Plain. Where to next? Why not drive the Darling River Run, as suggested by Phil? This road takes you deep into the NSW outback, travelling the 730 kilometres between Walgett in northern NSW down to Wentworth on the Victorian border. The drive isn’t just about the Darling River views – you’ll also travel through classic outback towns like Bourke, Broken Hill and Menindee. Don’t miss the detour into Mungo National Park.

Darling River

Discover 7 of Australia’s more unknown national parks

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Explore Australia

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Melaleuca sp., by codiferous, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

From Kakadu to the Blue Mountains, Australia’s most famous national parks are spectacular and attention-grabbing, with their arsenal of majestic rock formations, towering waterfalls and stunning views.

But there are some national parks hidden throughout the country that only see a fraction of the number of visitors to these major parks, mainly due to their remote locations (although one of the parks is to be found in the heart of Sydney).

We pick seven more unknown national parks and reveal why they are well worth a visit.

Garigal National Park, New South Wales

Garigal National Park by Ian Sanderson, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Sydney is famous for its urban sprawl. Yet hidden among the suburbs of Sydney are some of the most enchanting national parks in the state, including Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Cattai and the little-known Garigal National Park.

Sitting unassumingly off Mona Vale Road on the way to the northern beaches, Garigal National Park is home to spectacular bush and water views, sandstone formations and significant Aboriginal sites.

There is a range of trails around the park, so the best way to explore is by foot, although if you’re the adventurous sort, many of the trails are also good for mountain biking and horseriding.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Sydney if there weren’t also water-based activities on offer. There are some great fishing spots right on Middle Harbour, or experienced canoeists can take a canoe out on the water.

Coopracambra National Park, Victoria

Coopracambra National Park, Don Fuchs/Tourism Victoria

There aren’t many places in Victoria where you can really feel like you are getting off the beaten track, but with its soaring trees, craggy gorges and heritage-listed river, Coopracambra certainly fits the bill.

Situated in the remote north-east of Victoria, Coopracambra doesn’t see many visitors. But this isolation has been fantastic for the park, allowing its ecosystem to carry on pretty much undisturbed. Much of the park’s history, including Aboriginal sites and fossil remains, has also been preserved.

As with many little-visited parks, the best way to get around Coopracambra is by 4WD or on foot. Popular walks include hiking to Mount Coopracambra and Mount Wakefield, and many of the walks involve rock-hopping and exploring the stunning isolated scenery of this region.

Lake Torrens National Park, South Australia

Lake Eyre gets all the exposure, but the smaller salt lake at Lake Torrens is also worth a visit, although small in this case is relative – the Lake Torrens salt lake still stretches for 250 kilometres.

This national park doesn’t have the amenities of Lake Eyre, as there are no camping areas, picnic areas or toilets. It’s only accessible by 4WD via two roads on private stations, which you’ll need to seek permission to use. But jumping through these obstacles to get to the park just makes the experience all the more worthwhile.

This astoundingly wild and barren land is extremely photogenic, and also offers great opportunities for birdwatching. But don’t worry about bringing your floaties – the lake has only filled up once in the past 150 years.

Karlamilyi National Park, Western Australia

Karlamilyi National Park, Jiri Lochman / Australian Geographic

The national park formerly known as Rudall River, Karlamilyi is the biggest national park in Western Australia and one of the most isolated. Situated in the Pilbara region, the park is 260 kilometres from the nearest town of Marble Bar.

Luckily, most people don’t visit Karlamilyi unless they are extremely well prepared for a desert journey, as the park is surrounded on both sides by the Great Sandy and Little Sandy deserts. The park can only be reached by a series of rough 4WD tracks, which you need to get permission to use.

Once you reach the centre of the park, you might think you’ve reached an oasis, as the ancient gorge hides a series of rockpools. The park, although mainly consisting of distinctive red desert lands including salt lakes and scrubby plains, has a surprising amount of greenery. And no trip to Karlamilyi would be complete without a trip to the Desert Queen Baths, where you can dip into the pristine swimming holes.

Limmen National Park, Northern Territory

Butterfly Springs by eyeweed, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

You’d think that a national park with spectacular geological formations, wild rivers, an overabundance of lush natural beauty and a fascinating history, would be one of the most popular in the Northern Territory.

Yet Limmen National Park, found on the coast of the Barkly Tablelands next to the Arafura Sea, is one of the least-visited national parks in the Territory, and the newest, having only been declared in 2012.

The main drawcard at Limmen is the Lost City, a collection of sandstone spires and columns. The park also draws anglers with the chance to catch barramundi.

While the wild rivers can look very appealing, saltwater crocs cruise the rivers of the park, so don’t dip your foot (or any part of your body) in the water. The only safe place to swim is at Butterfly Springs. You can also camp at the springs.

Now that it’s officially a national park, visitor numbers may pick up, so visit before the rest of Australia does.

Mount Hypipamee National Park, Queensland

Hypipamee Crater, Karl Seelig/Tourism North Queensland

You might not think of far-north Queensland as being a volcanic area, but the central feature at this national park is a crater that formed when a volcanic vent erupted around 10,000 years ago. Things have thankfully cooled since then, as this small national park now protects a beautiful patch of high-altitude rainforest, which stands out from the more common tropical rainforest of the region.

The crater is a spectacular site. A viewing platform over the crater reveals a 58-metre drop to the green lake below. Also worth a visit within the park is Dinner Falls, a series of cascades that rush over the cliffs into a boulder-strewn creek.

A variety of possums call the national park home, so keep your eyes peeled for a touch of possum magic while visiting.

Strzelecki National Park, Tasmania

Sandy beaches? Tick. Spectacular granite mountains? Tick. Wombats? Tick. If you haven’t already got the awe-inspiring Strzelecki National Park on your to-visit list, you should add it now and count yourself lucky that this park is hidden on Flinders Island in the middle of the Bass Strait – otherwise visitor numbers would probably rival those of Freycinet.

One of the most popular activities in the park is the walk to the top of Mount Strzelecki, the tallest peak on the island at 756 metres. The ocean views from the top are truly majestic.

And once you get back down to level ground, you may want to take inspiration from the amusingly named Trousers Point, and jump into your swimmers for a spot of wading or snorkelling.

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