USD
12 Bucket-List Experiences in Australia (That Aren’t Just the ‘Big’ Things)
Written by Dana Cape
Unique natural phenomena, outback opal mines and secluded shores are just a few marvels that belong on your Australia bucket list.
Some places in Australia are so impressive, they must be experienced to be believed. But go beyond the ‘Great’ reefs and roads and you’ll find fascinating sights and sailings unlike anything else in the world. Read on for our top experiences to add to your Australian bucket list that you might not have thought of yet.
1. Captain your own vessel through the Whitsundays
Nothing says ‘luxe living’ like chartering a catamaran through some of the most idyllic waters in the world. And if you can tick off visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World while doing it, why not? Grab five of your nearest and dearest and set sail across the Great Barrier Reef on a self-chartered excursion. As the skipper of your own ship, see Whitehaven Beach, Blue Pearl Bay’s isolated peninsula, the palm-fringed shores of Catseye Beach and more, all on your schedule.
2. Step back in time at Mungo National Park
Within the lunar landscape of New South Wales’ outback, a dried-out lakebed lays claim to the oldest skeletal remains of modern humans in Australia, and possibly the world. Known as the ‘Mungo Man’ and ‘Mungo Woman’, the cremated remains found at Mungo National Park are estimated to be nearly 60,000 years old. Learn about these and the ancient Aboriginal tribes of Lake Mungo, then visit the golden, crescent-shaped sandstone dunes known as the Walls of China on a guided tour.
3. Cross the Kimberley’s extraordinary Horizontal Falls
Head to Western Australia’s Buccaneer Archipelago to see a unique phenomenon – nowhere else on the planet can you find a waterfall that runs in two different directions. Formed by the rush of water that bleeds in and out of two narrow gorges along Talbot Bay with the changing of the tides, it’s possible to ride both up and down the four-metre drop for the ultimate white-water experience. Even though 2025 will be the last year tour boats can brave the narrow passage, scenic flights can still get you close.
4. Grab front-row seats at the ultimate Grand Slam
The first of four Grand Slams in the calendar year, the Australian Open ought to be on any true sporting fan’s bucket list. Held every January at Melbourne Park, this tournament exhibits tennis living history in action. Over nearly three weeks of play, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to watch crowd favourites and up-and-coming superstars, bitter rivalries and losses, and champagne-spraying triumphs. The finest way to attend is with an exclusive Play & Stay package, giving you access to reserved baseline seating and a luxe hotel stay between matches.
Discover AO2025 Packages
5. See Western Australia’s ‘Staircase to the Moon’
Visitors to Broome can imagine climbing right up to the heavens every full moon at another ‘world’s only’, found way out west. During the dry season (March to October), ocean tides here drop up to 10 metres in the evening, exposing sweeping mudflats off the coast of Roebuck Bay. As water pools along this porous surface, the moon’s golden glow reflects across the mud’s ever-changing ripples, stretching far out to sea. The result? An optical illusion of a perfectly formed, narrow staircase reaching for the horizon.
6. Walk among 600-year-old trees in the Margaret River Region
Discover Australia’s oldest forests in the far southwestern corner of Western Australia; its native karri eucalypts are some of the tallest hardwoods in the world. Boranup, just a 30-minute drive along the coast south of Margaret River, makes for the easiest access. But head deeper into the woods surrounding Pemberton to the east, and you’ll find even larger specimens reaching up to 77 metres in height and 15 metres around.
7. Spend a night in Australia’s most infamous prison
Step behind the bars with a uniquely fanciful stay at The Interlude, formerly HM Prison Pentridge. Recently converted into an experiential escape, the property now houses a chef-hatted restaurant, sleek subterranean spa and 19 high-end suites, dressed in bright, modern furnishings and flanked by cool, bluestone walls. For a true historical treat, raise a glass at the wine bar, housed in the converted cell block where Ned Kelly once was held. Or opt for an ‘extended sentence’ at Adina Apartment Hotel Pentridge nearby.
8. Stand on Australia’s southernmost shore in Tasmania
Plenty of people make pilgrimage to the northernmost tip of the continent, clinking flutes of champagne as the sun sets over the Torres Strait. But why should Cape York get all the glory? The southernmost tip of Australia is one of Earth’s furthest southern landmasses, aside from Antarctica. Rug up for a day hike on the well-worn path among gentle slopes, Tasmanian bush and wild beachfront that leads to South East Cape, in the Southwest National Park. The majestic headland views make this 16-kilometre return trek well worth it. The park and track can be reached in about two hours’ drive from Hobart.
9. See the opal mines and underground city of Coober Pedy
As ‘the opal capital of the world’, there’s no better place to learn about the national gemstone than South Australia’s Coober Pedy. Located deep in the outback, where temperatures can reach over 40C, most homes and commercial outposts in town are dug into the ground, allowing overnight visitors a chance to sleep in naturally cool cave dwellings. It’s a must-see stop along the Stuart Highway or for those riding The Ghan. Learn about the town’s more than 100 years of history at Umoona Opal Mine & Museum, then browse at local jewellers for the highest-quality opals in the world, straight from the source.
10. Appreciate rich national heritage among Canberra’s museums and parks
No place covers the breadth of Australia’s culture, history and natural diversity better than the nation’s capital. Pay respects to ANZAC legacies at the War Memorial, take in the varied interpretations of icons at the National Portrait Gallery and scale Mount Ainslie for photo-worthy views over the parliamentary triangle. For an all-encompassing look at Australia’s history and geology, stop by the National Museum. And with sections dedicated to subregions throughout the continent, the National Botanic Gardens let you pack the Red Centre, Fern Gully and the tropics all into one day.
11. Dive into laidback life on the ‘Islands of Smiles’
Disappear into the unknown at Tiwi Island Retreat, an off-grid paradise 80 kilometres north of Darwin. On the 11 remote isles that make up Tiwi, discover Aboriginal arts – like tutini burial totem poles not found anywhere else in the world – and unreal landscapes, like the pastel pink shores of Rainbow Beach. The fishing here is some of the best in the country – bag yourself a barramundi or threadfin salmon or learn traditional mud crab spearfishing. Best of all, the resident chef will happily serve you a supper of your fresh catch of the day, cooked to perfection.
12. See the Aurora Australis
The Northern Lights may get all the glory, but head south from May to September, and you’re in for a treat. The Southern Lights, full of warm tones including gold, orange and pink, are said to offer an even more impressive range of colour due to lesser light pollution in the southern hemisphere. While this astronomical spectacle can be seen from Margaret River to Melbourne when conditions are right, the best viewings happen in the remote southern reaches of Tasmania, like Bruny Island and protected Port Davey.
Discover Tasmania
Unsure where to go first? Discover Where to Holiday in Australia, No Matter the Time of Year.
Feature image: Horizontal Falls, WA. Source: Coral Expeditions.
