Australia's Best Hikes

Australia, it's a bloody big place. And of course, there are some unbelievably challenging and beautiful hikes to experience. Here's a few of our favourites below...

Burra To Green Mountains

O’Reilly’s, QLD

Part of the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk, a multi-day hike, the section from Binna Burra to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park makes a good full-day walk. The Border Track passes through stands of Atlantic Beech forest, subtropical and cool-temperate rainforests and along the rim of the Tweed Valley volcanic erosion caldera. From Wanungara Lookout views extend over Limpwood Valley, Mount Warning and sometimes as far south as Byron Bay.

Grand Canyon

Blue Mountains, NSW

Deep chasms and towering waterfalls reward walkers who make the effort to explore the Blue Mountains National Park. The sandstone cliffs create a dramatic backdrop to this walk, which leaves from the visitor centre. At the 1.8 km mark, Govetts Leap Lookout provides a prime lunch spot with breathtaking scenery. There is a steep descent into a gorge to access Grand Canyon. Turn right at Greaves Creek and follow the canyon, as the sandstone walls become deeper and closer, crossing the creek multiple times. After about 500 m, well-formed steps lead out and towards a 10 m tunnel.

Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk

GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC

Discover Australia’s wild beauty on the Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk. The walk traverses the length of the Shipwreck Coast and Great Ocean Road, along the spectacular coastline between Apollo Bay and the iconic Twelve Apostles. Delight in the variety of landscapes from cool-climate rainforest and remote beaches to coastal cliff tops, and finally view it all from the air on a Twelve Apostles scenic helicopter flight. The trail is alive with native wildlife: fur seals, wallabies, koalas, and plants unique to this special corner of the world. Each night you’ll return to the comfort of a luxury eco villa, with hot showers, private bathrooms and foot spas and dine on fabulous chef prepared regional food and wines.

The Canyon Walks

Kings Canyon, NT

Kings Canyon is the main draw card for visitors to Watarrka National Park. Featuring 100 m ancient sandstone cliffs and lush pockets of vegetation that contrast to the arid desert surrounding them, the best way to enjoy the spectacle is on the Canyon Walk. The track starts with a challenging, steep climb to the ridge, then follows the rim before descending back to the car park. About halfway along, hikers are offered reprieve at the Garden of Eden where waterholes, green plants and cool shade dots the ridge. Walk in a clockwise direction and be careful walking in the hotter months between September and May.

Pinnacles Desert

Nambung National Park, WA

Thousands of limestone pinnacles, some as tall as 3.5 m, rise from the desert sands and are the major attraction of the Nambung National Park. As well as the walk, there are multiple viewing decks which can be accessed by car, and allow even non-walking visitors to fully appreciate these natural wonders. From the interpretive centre, walk along the road to the easy before turning left at a fork to enjoy a fantastic vista at the viewing deck 1.3 km in. Along North Spur is a collection of pinnacles called the Milk Bottles, which shouldn’t be missed. A further 700 m on is the tallest pinnacle.

Wineglass Bay to Hazards Beach

East Coast, Tasmania

Wineglass Bay regularly sits atop the most beautiful beaches list of travel magazines and websites worldwide. Viewing the beach from the lookout marks the start of this walk and many visitors never venture further than the lookout, but those who leave the crowds behind will be rewarded with one of Australia’s finest coastal walks. Enjoy the white beach, the crystal clear waters, a walk through the low marshy isthmus, a dune-locked lagoon system, and the unique bare granite outcrops of the Hazards. Remember, keep your eyes out the local dolphin population and migrating whales.

Morialt Falls Valley Walk

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Follow Fourth Creek to the heart of Morialta Gorge, on the valley floor along a stroller accessible trail. During summer the creek is dry. After autumn and winter rains, water tumbles thirty metres from the top of Morialta’s best known landmark, First Falls. The hike begins from the top carpark, or you can commence from the lower carpark on Stradbroke Road.

The Overland Track

Tasmania

The Overland Track covers 65 kilometers over six days through the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, part of the World Heritage Area. Walkers can trek independently but must book with the Parks & Wildlife Service, or use one of the many guided-walk operators. Highlights include Marion’s Lookout with (if the weather’s good) great views of Cradle Mountain; Barn Bluff towering over an exposed alpine plateau; and the beautiful D’Alton and Ferguson Falls. Worth the challenge, weather permitting, is the five-hour side trip climbing Mount Ossa. The guide points out two rocky towers, nicknamed The Gates of Mordor, after that dire place in “The Lord of the Rings.” And up we go.

Larapinta Trail

Northern Territory

The Larapinta Trail winds through a rugged and ancient landscape in the Northern Territory. Waving goodbye to Alice Springs from the Euro Ridge, walkers head westward, experiencing the beauty of Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge and ascending Mount Sonder at the end. Being remote, this trail is best tackled on a group tour. Michele Eckersley of World Expeditions (WE) says: “It’s our No. 1 trek worldwide.” Apart from the six-day classic experience — support vehicles reduce the total walk — there’s also a 14-day end-to-end option (the whole 223 kilometers).

Six Foot Track

Blue Mountains, NSW

Marked out in 1884 as a six-foot-wide (1.83 meters, if you really must know) track to allow loaded horses to pass each other while traveling from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves, the Six Foot Track in the Blue Mountains is iconic. Taking three days and two nights, the 44-kilometer track starts at the Explorers’ Tree, drops into Megalong Valley and crosses Coxs River by the Bowtells Swing Suspension Bridge. Challenging climbs take walkers to the Black Range ridge before heading for the caves. For independent walking information, check out Wild Walks. Wanting a more relaxed time? Try guided walks with life’s an adventure — they’ll set up your tent and you’ll just carry a day pack

Kosciuszko Walk

Thredbo, NSW

From the Kosciuszko Express chairlift at Thredbo in the summer, a 14-kilometer return walk (five hours) goes to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko — at 2,228 meters, Australia’s highest peak. The landscape features rocky granite outcrops, wildflowers and glacially carved Lake Cootapatamba. Many walkers seem oblivious to the stream near the trail, but we pause to see the beginning of a waterway that became a legend thanks to Banjo Paterson’s poem “The Man from Snowy River.” Passing the sign at Rawson Pass, it’s not much further before there’s a carnival atmosphere among hikers who have made it to the top of Australia. The route’s easy to do independently but guided walks are an option.

Manly to the Spit Bridge

Sydney, NSW

Hiking in the middle of the city? Absolutely. Walks through Sydney Harbor National Park provide a peaceful perspective. A favorite is Manly to the Spit Bridge, a 10-kilometer one-way walk of three hours. No human guide is needed — Manly Guide has an excellent map. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay, alight at Manly Wharf and head west along the foreshore. Having crossed the picturesque and oddly named Forty Baskets Beach, the track heads up through a reserve with spectacular lookouts. Quiet beaches like Castle Rock give the walker reason to pause, before everything becomes busier approaching the Spit Bridge, which we see open for a ferry to pass.

Murray River Walk

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Murray River Walk, by Luxury River Trails, starts in Renmark and explores the beautiful Murray River in the internationally recognised Riverland Ramsar Wetland. The easy to moderate, 40 kilometre (25 mile), four-day, three-night walk operates between April and October and showcases the bush trails, ancient red gum forests, wetlands and red ochre cliffs lining the banks of Australia’s most famous river. You’ll discover diverse wildlife and waterbirds along the river, creeks and old oxbow lagoons and learn about the river’s rich heritage, including Aboriginal culture, pastoralism, paddle-steamers, locks, irrigation issues and environmental stewardship. The daily walking routes are on private property and in conservancy areas with exclusive access for Murray River Walk guests only. Each night you stay in private ensuite accommodation on a modern 10-berth houseboat with a deck spa overlooking the river. Gourmet dinners showcase the food and wine of the Riverland food bowl and you enjoy a final lunch at the award winning Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery.

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Burra To Green Mountains

O’Reilly’s, QLD

Grand Canyon

Blue Mountains, NSW

Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk

GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC

The Canyon Walks

Kings Canyon, NT

Pinnacles Desert

Nambung National Park, WA

Wineglass Bay to Hazards Beach

East Coast, Tasmania

Morialt Falls Valley Walk

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Overland Track

Tasmania

Larapinta Trail

Northern Territory

Six Foot Track

Blue Mountains, NSW

Kosciuszko Walk

Thredbo, NSW

Manly to the Spit Bridge

Sydney, NSW

Murray River Walk

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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