From the Sydney Opera House to Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia is a country of icons. And while discovering these icons is always hugely rewarding, the country is just as compelling once you look beyond the obvious. Away from the familiar city-and-coastline circuit lies a wilder Australia where nature takes centre stage. Escaping into the wilderness is not a new concept here, but there are some incredible places where, though remote, you don’t have to leave comfort behind. These are some of my top recommendations.
ADVENTURE IN THE KIMBERLEY - The wilderness from sea and sky
The Kimberley is Australia at its most elemental. Its rust-red escarpments, tidal rivers and Aboriginal rock art sites are best experienced when you move with the landscape, not against it. True North’s small-ship adventure cruises are some of the most respected in Australia, and I love offering them to my clients. You’ll travel on a purpose-built ship designed to access regions that are impossible for other cruises to reach, and their onboard helicopters deliver further privileged access. This concept finds its natural home in The Kimberley. Here, you can soar over the Horizontal Falls by helicopter, then return by tender to feel their power at sea level. On another day you might watch Montgomery Reef rise from the water in a rush of cascading currents, sharks, and rays. Venture inland through mangroves to King George Falls and explore remote rock art galleries with expert guides. Helicopter transfers make the inaccessible feel effortless, whether you’re landing at hidden waterholes, fishing in untouched billabongs, or touching down on escarpments for sweeping views you’ll find nowhere else in Australia.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA LIKE A LOCAL - Seafood, sandboarding & heli-fishing
The Eyre Peninsula is a corner of South Australia that is still quite under the radar for international tourism, and is all the richer for it. Our expert local guide grew up with the Eyre Peninsula as his natural playground, and he loves sharing its wonders with visitors. He will design a programme entirely around your interests, whether that’s adventures through the dunes by 4x4 and sandboard, looking for koalas in remote eucalyptus forests, whale and dolphin watching in the Great Australian Bight, or heli-fishing on empty beaches. Food is a big part of the experience here, with the waters around the Eyre Peninsula responsible for over 65% of Australia’s seafood haul. It can be enjoyed in countless ways, such as shucking oysters plucked straight from the ocean, fine dining with wine pairings in one of Port Lincoln’s top restaurants, or a memorable seafood picnic on a deserted beach. I have amazing memories of my adventures around the Eyre Peninsula, and I love suggesting the region to clients I know will appreciate its authenticity and raw beauty.
CULINARY QUEENSLAND - Farm-to-table cuisine in the Scenic Rim
The Scenic Rim is one of Queensland’s great under-the-radar pleasures. In this landscape of rolling hills and fertile valleys, some of the region’s finest produce is cultivated, often by small-scale producers who have a longstanding connection to the land. This is an area of Queensland that you might not necessarily consider exploring on a first-time visit, but our farm-to-table tour offers a delicious reason to do so. You’ll travel through the countryside with expert local hosts, beginning at a sixth-generation dairy farm where sustainable practices and family traditions shape the delicious items they produce. These include handcrafted butter, crème fraiche, and rich dairy ice cream – and you’ll of course get to taste these delights as part of your tour! Fuelled by your tastings, you continue to Forgotten Sound Farm for a behind-the-scenes look at seasonal flower growing and life on the land. It’s a really remarkable place, in a glorious location in the foothills of the Tamborine Mountain. After a fascinating tour of the farm and the flower fields, you’ll settle in for a long lunch, either in the farmhouse or al fresco in the beautiful surroundings. The locally grown ingredients incorporated into your meal tell a more meaningful story of the Scenic Rim from field to table.
NORTHERN TERRITORY SAFARI - Aboriginal heritage and natural wonders
The Northern Territory feels enigmatic before you’ve even arrived. The region’s vast patchwork of escarpments, floodplains. and Aboriginal sites represent Australia at its most ancient and untamed. It’s a place that merits far more than just a superficial tour, and the rewards are rich if you’re prepared to delve a little deeper. In remote Mount Borradaile, reached by a scenic light aircraft flight over dramatic landscapes, we can arrange a stay at a remarkable safari lodge. It’s set within a 400-square-mile private concession beside the Arnhem Land escarpment, and you feel like you’re in an area of Australia few tourists have ever reached. Working closely with Arnhem Land’s Aboriginal community, the camp’s expert guides enable you to explore a wilderness few people are permitted to access. A full programme of activities is included in your stay, where you might travel by airboat and 4WD through paperbark forests, explore wetlands alive with birdlife, and fish for Barramundi in a pristine creek. You can also observe crocodiles basking at the billabong, walk through savannah woodland in search of bush tucker, and visit extraordinary rock art galleries spanning thousands of years.
NINGALOO REEF REIMAGINED - Luxury beach camp immersed in nature
The Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is one of the country’s great marine wonders. On this UNESCO-listed fringe reef, coral gardens, humpback whales and majestic whale sharks can be found just a short distance from the shore. The best way to experience the reef is from a small eco-luxury camp that lets you step from your tent onto the sand and into the water, with no-one else on the horizon for hundreds of miles. I cannot begin to tell you what a special place this is! Your days are spent snorkelling straight from the beach, swimming with whale sharks or humpback whales in season, and returning to your solar-powered camp where kangaroos and emus are occasional visitors. Sundowners are taken on the top of soft sand dunes, while delicious three-course meals are set out by lantern light. By night, the wilderness takes over. Mesmerising stargazing takes place under the unpolluted night skies, and the sounds of the ocean accompany your memorable nights under canvas.
UNTOUCHED TASMANIA - A unique perspective on the wild island state
For those making the effort to travel to Tasmania, many visits follow a classic route. You’re most likely to combine the capital of Hobart with some time in the east, exploring the Freycinet Peninsula and Hazards Mountains. Rewarding as these circuits are, there is a lot more to discover here. We work with a luxury small-ship cruise that opens up pristine and rugged areas of Tasmania that are inaccessible to most visitors. Tasmania’s Southwest Wilderness has been recognised by UNESCO as an area of outstanding universal value due to its extraordinary landscapes, ecosystems, and Aboriginal heritage. On this special cruise you’ll be able to explore the area’s ancient forests and limestone caves from a base of supreme comfort on an intimate seven-cabin vessel. The experience includes expeditions led by expert guides, all meals (including remote beach picnics bursting with exceptional Tasmanian produce), and a stunning seaplane flight over quartzite peaks and isolated coves.
Inspired by Alternative Australia?
If you've been inspired by any of these incredible places and experiences, I would love to help you incorporate them into a tailor-made tour of Australia. Contact me today on +44 (0)1242 787814, or toll free from the US on +1 855 468 5555.
