Australia Off The Beaten Path

  The Aboriginal garden
by Purpleshade
 
  • The Aboriginal garden
      The Aboriginal garden
    by Purpleshade
  • Beach at Glenrock
      Beach at Glenrock
    by iandsmith
  •   Off The Beaten Path
    by sirgaw
  • Red breasted robin
      Red breasted robin
    by iandsmith
  • Cape York Mailplane
      Cape York Mailplane
    by ettiewyn
 

Most Viewed Off The Beaten Path in Australia

101.

Beaches   Sydney

Beaches, Sydney

 87 Reviews  After visiting Botany Bay National Park we drove down to Cape Solander to admire the views from the cliffs. The views here really are breathtaking; almost as if you are standing on the edge of the... 

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102.

Margaret River   Perth

Margaret River, Perth

 12 Reviews  If you are looking for the finest wine in Margaret River, then look for Voyager Estate which s located in the premium wine producing region of Margaret River Our oldest vines date back to 1978, just... 

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103.

General   Brisbane

General, Brisbane

 50 Reviews  A great way to see native fauna and flora in Brisbane. There are quite a few bushes around Brisbane with worn tracks that are quite easy to navigate around. The level needed ranges from easy strols to... 

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104.

Hinterland / National Parks   Gold Coast

Hinterland /  National Parks, Gold Coast

 24 Reviews  Since Sarah and I took our trip during the middle of winter, we did not spend as much time at the beach, but rather out in the Hinterland, which is chock full of beautiful National Parks. Binna... 

 See All 57 Off The Beaten Path in Gold Coast

105.

Rural South Australia   Adelaide

Rural South Australia, Adelaide

 10 Reviews  Some years ago, I was a huge fan of the Australian TV series McLeod's Daughters. It is a series about two very odd sisters who, after the death of their father, undertake it to run the family farm in... 

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106.

Outer Towns and Suburbs   Canberra

Outer Towns and Suburbs, Canberra

 16 Reviews  Canberra is well situated to use as a base for trips to quite a diverse range of places and scenery. Anywhere within the ACT (see separate tips) can be reached within an hour's driving. Within one... 

 See All 54 Off The Beaten Path in Canberra

107.

Great Ocean Road & Otways   Geelong

Great Ocean Road & Otways, Geelong

 9 Reviews  Geelong to the Great Ocean Road One part of living in Victoria that I love is our beaches, and the history of those beaches. Along the Great Ocean Road there are numerous places where many ships and... 

 See All 36 Off The Beaten Path in Geelong

108.

Suburbs.   Hobart

Suburbs., Hobart

 8 Reviews  A great trip out of town is to visit Seven Mile Beach. If you're brave enough you can go for a swim is the cold water, if you like walking -there's a trail to Lauderdale (about 10km) from where you... 

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109.

Scenic Walks   Sydney

Scenic Walks, Sydney

 28 Reviews   The higher the better! A good address if you want to admire Sydney from the heights and save some $$$. The great views will cost you only the price of a drink of your choice... compare to the AU$ 25... 

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110.

The Pinnacles   Perth

The Pinnacles, Perth

 14 Reviews  On our way back after visiting the Pinnacles to Cervantes we were attracted by a signpost to ‘Lake Thetis’. We took the turn off and through a rather bad gravel road we reached after about 1½... 

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111.

Coochiemudlo Island   Brisbane

Coochiemudlo Island, Brisbane

 3 Reviews  "COOCHIE" is what the Island is commonly known as, is located 1km off the coast at Victoria Point. The Island is a small 5ks, so you can walk the whole Island quite easily, this I have done once. No... 

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112.

Islands.   Gold Coast

Islands., Gold Coast

 8 Reviews  This is definitely undiscovered, but only a couple of kilometres from Surfers Paradise. A large sand island 20km long, it has empty beaches. A ferry runs from the west side of The Spit for about $7... 

 See All 57 Off The Beaten Path in Gold Coast

113.

Adelaide Hills   Adelaide

Adelaide Hills, Adelaide

 11 Reviews  This is a great hike to do when you are in Adelaide. It starts at Waterfall Gully carpark where there is a large waterfall and as you continue up the trail there is a second waterfall. The cappark is... 

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114.

National Parks / Reserves   Canberra

National Parks / Reserves, Canberra

 11 Reviews  This park is in existence because Cotter Dam is nearby. At the time of writing Cotter Dam is going to become a whole lot bigger, massive in fact. However, that won't spoil the park, a lovely expanse... 

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115.

Werribee Mansion and Zoo   Geelong

Werribee Mansion and Zoo, Geelong

 2 Reviews  Werribee Park Mansion - is the state's largest private residence, it was built between 1874 and 1877 by two of Victoria's most substantial landholders - Thomas and Andrew Chirnside. A vehicle... 

 See All 36 Off The Beaten Path in Geelong

116.

Blue Mountains   Sydney

Blue Mountains, Sydney

 62 Reviews  Ok, the Blue Mountains are not "off the beaten path", but they make for a great day trip out of Sydney. The train ride from Sydney to Katoomba takes about 2 hrs and you'll step out into a beautiful... 

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117.

Mandurah   Perth

Mandurah, Perth

 7 Reviews  Mandurah is 65 kms south of Perth is one of the largest inland waterways in Australia. Take a cruise through the waterways admiring the wonderful homes and keeping a look out for dolphins that swim... 

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118.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary   Brisbane

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane

 5 Reviews  Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is great for getting close to all the Australian animals. Here you can cuddle a koala and hand feed kangaroos and emus. There are more than 130 koalas here but when you hold... 

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119.

Bird / Animal parks.   Gold Coast

Bird / Animal parks., Gold Coast

 5 Reviews  Australia Zoo is a beautifully laid out and well planned spacious open concept animal sanctuary. It's much more than just another zoo because their vision is for conservation and animal rescue. A... 

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120.

National / Conservation Parks   Adelaide

National / Conservation Parks, Adelaide

 10 Reviews  Marino Conservation Park is located south of Glenelg in the suburb of Marino. It is a small rectanglular park with a lighthouse (off-limits), and superb views of Adelaide's coastline accessible by a... 

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121.

Tourist Attractions   Canberra

Tourist Attractions, Canberra

 6 Reviews  You won’t find The Cotter Loop mentioned in the tourist brochures, that is the name used by vehicle enthusiasts, who love this excellent driver's road. It refers to the road trip out from Canberra... 

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122.

Bellarine Peninsula   Geelong

Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong

 6 Reviews  The Bellarine Peninsula - Meander around the Bellarine Peninsula - a trip of about 86 kilometres. The Bellarine Peninsula follows the Portarlington Road out of Geelong to historic Drysdale and to... 

 See All 36 Off The Beaten Path in Geelong

123.

Suburbs   Sydney

Suburbs, Sydney

 41 Reviews  Parramatta is a lovely suburb of Sydney. My husband and I ventured to Parramatta on a River Cat from Circular Quay(buses and trains are an alternative mode of transport). I love travelling by ferry... 

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124.

Wave Rock   Perth

Wave Rock, Perth

 6 Reviews  This is an amazing site!! Strange rock formation hey!! It's even better walking underneath it and looking up. You'll find it right in the scrub in the middle of nowhere just west of Margaret River.... 

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125.

Glasshouse mountains   Brisbane

Glasshouse mountains, Brisbane

 2 Reviews  The Glasshouse Mountains are located to the north of Brisbane. On May 17, 1770 Captain James Cook discovered these mountains, and said as they looked like a glass house, he would name them the... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Tourists often ask me ....

by craic

... can we see kangas in the wild?And I reply - Well, you see, the thing about kangas and wallabys is they are a bit naughty.We have plenty around us - even a semi tame one who often comes into our paddock with her joey - but when we have overseas visitors she vanishes - so I take them for a walk in the bush to known sighting places at the right time of day (morning or evening - they sleep in the middle of the day) no kangas!They are protected so they are quite tame - just stare at you, or loll around.Unless you have overseas visitors when they hide in the bushes and giggle.Seriously though, I have heard of bus trips in the Blue Mountains and places like that that have established feeding points so you can almost guarantee to see kangas in the wild.In a bus or a train in the morning or at dusk keep your eyes peeled - bound (joke) to see some.If you are driving at night or in the early...

Tip Photo
Kanangra Boyd National Park

by iandsmith

I'd wanted to go to Kanangra Walls. Somehow I managed to avoid it for over 63 years but eventually I got there. Approximately 3 hours drive from Sydney this is true wilderness. There is a place to camp and, right near Kanangra Walls, a place to park.From the latter you can to the Plateau Walk (1-3 hours) or the Kalang Falls Walk (30 minutes). You will see some of the finest scenery in the Blue Mountains here, relatively unspoilt.The road in is dirt (about 30kms) and you can either go through Oberon or Jenolan Caves. The latter is shorter but it is VERY NARROW in places and not for the faint hearted.Should you choose to go off the beaten path here your opportunities are only limited by your imagination. However, you should bear two things in mind - 1. Make sure you are fully prepared and 2. remember that the environment is often very fragile so take care not to destroy it.One thing I...

Tip Photo
Don't climb Uluru

by SirRichard

This just a personal opinion. Unless you have an extreme interest, DON'T CLIMB the rock. Uluru is a sacred place for aboriginals, so if you avoid standing on it, they'd thank you. After all, all you get after 2 hours climbing a 45º slope is a view of and andless plain with th Kata Tjuta mountains at the horizon.If you like to really enjoy Uluru, go hiking around instead. It is a nice 10 km walk and you can discover caves and holes you don't see from the distance.

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Free touristic buses

by SirRichard

In SYDNEY there is a free bus for tourists that makes a round way from the Central Railway Station to Circular Quay. The bus nº is 555 and you can look for some green signs saying "Free Shuttle" in the stops. I used it to go from the Railway Sq Youth Hostel to the harbour.There is another one in BRISBANE, but I didn't use it, as I visited the centre by foot.

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The Glow Worm Tunnel walk

by iandsmith

This is one of Australia's great day walks. Ideally, you should start from Newnes where the first sign is. This will save you about 3 hours walking time.Initially it climbs steeply for a few hundred metres and then it levels out and follows the route of the old train line. Frankly, I found it hard to believe that trains used to run beside the cliffs but run they did, servicing the shale mine that once existed at Newnes and was the reason for the existence of the place.The walk continues past the cliffs until there is a section where the walls are coloured with nature's hues (pic 2). Shortly after you come to a stream and here the fern forest starts (pic 5), such a contrast to the open sclerophyll forest previously.Then there's the overhanging cave, a spectacular formation just before the tunnel itself and here, deep inside where there is no light, reside the glow worms.Allow 4 hours for...

Tip Photo
Falling for Gloucester

by iandsmith

Gloucester Falls, or at least the access to them, had been denied for over a year due to washaways creating major problems with the main road, actually the only road, in.You have to bear in mind before you get there that Gloucester Falls are aptly named. There isn't just one waterfall. There are probably over a dozen serious ones (I saw four) and scores of cascades. The problem is that the terrain is very rugged and finding routes to the water isn't easy but it can be done.After going to the main lookout (pic 2) and seeing the appallingly bad view from that point, I retraced my steps and eventually found a spot where I determined I might be able to descend. In the end, though it was a bit rough, I managed it without too much difficulty and all the other pics you see here are a result of the off piste excursions that I took.Frankly, unless you're prepared to do some serious bushwalking, I...

Tip Photo
Visit Byron Bay!

by dave452

Byron Bay is about an hour bus ride south of Surfers Paradise. It's the part of Austrailia (the far Eastern coast) that's closest to the US. It's a quaint ocean-side town featuring nice beaches, shops, and one of them most beautiful lighthouses I've ever seen. Take a taxi from the town to the lighthouse (just a few minutes ride) and arrange for the driver to return and pick you up at a pre-set time.

The Great Barrier Reef

by DueSer

The Great Barrier Reef is usually a 'must-see' destination with visitors to Australia but I found one of the best spots on the reef--a tiny island actually on the reef, at the southern tip.Heron Island is a reasonably-priced resort with amazing snorkeling and diving. It also has a great selection of other activities like a guided tour of the stars at night or dinner cruises around the island. At an hour and a half out to sea, it's definitely off the beaten path but for those who love nature and want to get away from it all, this is no doubt the paradise to accomplish it.

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Don't Miss Tasmania

by DueSer

Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane get all the attention but Tasmania is a beautiful secret. Just under an hour by plane from Melbourne, Hobart is the capital city and has a lot to offer. There is great shopping at the Salamanca Market, held near the marina on Saturdays. There's a wonderful botanical garden, a great history/art museum and fantastic buildings no matter which direction you go.Hobart is a short drive from the historical prison as well as beautiful Mt. Field National Park. On the other end of the island is Launceston, a lovely town, smaller than Hobart but with even more amazing architecture than the capital city.Between the two, there are lovely small towns with, among other things, great shopping for wool items like sweaters, scarves & blankets, as well as wood items in Huon Pine, a local wood that makes beautiful items in a light wood that becomes darker as it...

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North Queensland

by LindaRehfeld

Hi can I suggest you also investigate the Whitsunday Island group in Queensland, they are beautiful and not affected by the box jelly fish. It is always hot in Nth Qld so be prepared. We have had many holidays in the Whitsundays the best by far was a sailing holiday for a week reletively inexpensive and heaps of fun. You can still snorkel there as well on the reef.This will give you a taste of Qld without the dangers, don't forget to see whitehaven Beach BEAUTIFUL!!This year in (Melbourne)Victoria had hideous weather 40 degrees plus throughout December. Fraser Island is beautiful as well many a good time spent there as well, but you can't swim in the ocean there as it is very dangerous surf, best to swim in the fresh water lakes, again just BEAUTIFUL!!Good Luck and have a great time

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Reviews and photos of Australia attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Australia sightseeing.

Experience Australia
Off The Beaten Path: Cities in Australia
  1. Sydney Off The Beaten Path
  2. Melbourne Off The Beaten Path
  3. Perth Off The Beaten Path
  4. Brisbane Off The Beaten Path
  5. Gold Coast Off The Beaten Path
  6. Adelaide Off The Beaten Path
  7. Canberra Off The Beaten Path
  8. Cairns Off The Beaten Path
  9. Darwin Off The Beaten Path
  10. Geelong Off The Beaten Path
  11. Surfers Paradise Off The Beaten Path
  12. Hobart Off The Beaten Path
  13. Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Off The Beaten Path
  14. Port Douglas Off The Beaten Path
  15. Alice Springs Off The Beaten Path
  16. Airlie Beach Off The Beaten Path
  17. Noosa Heads Off The Beaten Path
  18. Fremantle Off The Beaten Path
  19. Rottnest Island Off The Beaten Path
  20. Hamilton Island Off The Beaten Path
  21. Wollongong Off The Beaten Path
  22. Bunbury Off The Beaten Path
  23. Newcastle Off The Beaten Path
  24. Broome Off The Beaten Path
  25. Ballarat Off The Beaten Path
  26. Byron Bay Off The Beaten Path
  27. Margaret River Off The Beaten Path
  28. Coffs Harbour Off The Beaten Path
  29. Wagga Wagga Off The Beaten Path
  30. Kakadu National Park Off The Beaten Path
  31. Kangaroo Island Off The Beaten Path
  32. Fraser Island Off The Beaten Path
  33. Manly Off The Beaten Path
  34. Daylesford Off The Beaten Path
  35. Mackay Off The Beaten Path
  36. Townsville Off The Beaten Path
  37. Blue Mountains National Park Off The Beaten Path
  38. Mount Gambier Off The Beaten Path
  39. Mandurah Off The Beaten Path
  40. Hervey Bay Off The Beaten Path
  41. Launceston Off The Beaten Path
  42. Bondi Beach Off The Beaten Path
  43. Kalgoorlie Off The Beaten Path
  44. Magnetic Island Off The Beaten Path
  45. Whitsunday Islands Off The Beaten Path
  46. Toowoomba Off The Beaten Path
  47. Batemans Bay Off The Beaten Path
  48. Port Macquarie Off The Beaten Path
  49. Mooloolaba Off The Beaten Path
  50. Katoomba Off The Beaten Path

More Cities in Australia

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi All, My name's Sophie. I am 19. I am Looking to visit Australia alone. I am cheating a little bit as I am flying over to... 

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A: Be careful about you immigration status. Don't travel on tourist visa if you actually are performing paid work. 

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