Australia The Outdoors

Australia has a national park around every corner, preserving all types of landscapes—from rainforest to desert, mountain to coast. The MacDonnell Ranges have some of the continent’s best hiking, and just next door is the spectacular Kings Canyon . Up the track, the write-home-to-mum lookouts of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) are equaled by the spectacular waterfalls of Litchfield . In Queensland, lush rainforest complements the nearby reef from the tip of Cape York all the way down to Eungella . Further south, visitors flock to the watersports at Surfers Paradise , and the world’s best surfers catch a break off the Gold Coast’s Coolangatta and Tweed Heads . To see more pros in action, head to Bells Beach in Torquay, Victoria, every Easter for the Rip Curl Pro Classic. The Blue Mountains of New South Wales attract avid abseilers, and in winter, Kosciuszko becomes a haven for skiers. There are also a number of beautiful North Coast hinterland parks, such as Mount Warning , which offer bushwalks for all skill levels. Wilsons Promontory is a gorgeous stretch of southern coast and part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Tasmania is Australia’s hiking mecca, and the Overland Track is one of the best bushwalks in the world. South Australia’s Flinders Ranges cater to the truly hardcore, while Western Australia showcases a number of marine species, including the whales and dolphins that call Bunbury and Monkey Mia home. Travelers to the region can also explore the off-the-beaten-track paradise of Kangaroo Island , located close to the coast of South Australia.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.