Australia’s natural beauty is mesmerising from the first moments. A resident of the northern hemisphere is used to completely different landscapes, so everything on this continent is unusual. And some landscapes are more suitable for shooting films about Mars or moon exploration, so they are fantastic.
Advertising pictures, forming an impression of Australia, more often represent one set of attractions: the Great Ocean Road, Uluru, Great Barrier Reef and a few more iconic places. But tourism to Australia is built on more than just these “whales”. The continent has countless unique locations that are impossible to miss when planning a trip.
WATERS
The mainland is dominated by deserts and semi-deserts, with rivers drying up in the summer and filling up during the rainy season. The permanent water bodies are, therefore, a wonder in themselves.
LAKE HILLIER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Middle Island is not far off the south coast of Western Australia in the Recherche Archipelago. On it, among dense thickets of eucalyptus trees, there is an incredible lake with pink-coloured water bordered by a white band of salt. The reason for this natural anomaly is still unknown.
LAKE GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA
The vast complex, spread over 600 square kilometres, consists of lakes, marshes, and lagoons. It is home to tiny microorganisms called Noctiluca scintillans, known for feeding on blue-green algae and emitting a bluish glow visible at night. Similar bioluminescence is observed in the ocean’s depths and even in the “firefly cave” in New Zealand.
ERSKINE FALLS, VICTORIA.
Not far from Lorne is the picturesque rainforest with a waterfall that falls 30 metres tall. It’s not much by ordinary standards, but Erskine is different because it doesn’t tumble down a sheer cliff but flows gently over huge boulders. Lined with eucalyptus trees and ferns, it fills the air with the scent of green and freshness. You can reach it via a path among the mighty trees or a small staircase.
ROCK FORMATIONS
The Australian landscape is oversaturated with mountains:
Freestanding cliffs and peaks, massifs with broad plateaus and caves, and ridges with gorges are among the many Australia attractions. It is impossible to fly to the continent and not visit a single mountain, so sightseeing tours in Australia necessarily include several such objects.WINJANA GORGE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Sheer walls overhang the Lennard River for 3.5 kilometres. The gorge ranges from 30 to 100 metres wide. The majesty of the mountains can be experienced by those who dare to canoe among the crocodiles. But this entertainment is available only in the dry season because the river becomes a raging torrent in the rainy season.
JENOLAN MOUNTAIN CAVES, NEW SOUTH WALES
The Blue Mountains hide the beautiful, mysterious and sometimes frightening Jenolan Caves in their depths. Located 175 kilometres from Sydney, the flow of tourists never stops. And there’s plenty to see: incredible limestone stalactites and stalagmites sometimes combine to form bizarre pillars. Only three of the hundreds of caves are sunlit:
The Great Arch,
Carlotta’s Arch,
the bloody Carriage Barn.
The others are hidden in darkness, so visitors need a torch.
UNDARA LAVA TUNNELS, QUEENSLAND
In the north of the state, near Cairns, a unique natural formation formed 190,000 years ago – lava tunnels. These channels were carved by lava flowing down from a volcanic eruption. The system of tunnels in Undara is the longest in the world – about 100 kilometres. Several are open to the public:
The Arc at the entrance;
Stephenson – its walls are painted in unusual colours resembling creamy chocolate;
Barkers Cave – greeted by a colony of bats.
Then, some caves are coloured like zebras or covered in basalt droplets.
KINGS CANYON, NORTHERN TERRITORY
Australia’s red centre holds more than just Uluru or Kata Tjuta; 323 km from Alice Springs lies a canyon of incredible beauty. The sheer walls rise as high as 300m in some places – this is sacred Aboriginal land. Tourists can walk along the bottom of the canyon or climb to the top – both options are worth a visit.
FORESTS
There are few pure places on the planet, and Tasmania is one of them. The unspoilt nature here has been hailed as a benchmark: it’s preserved thanks to its geographical remoteness, much like the scenic winter regions found among Melbourne’s best snowboarding spots.RAINFORESTS, TASMANIA
Evergreen, impenetrable forests are called “the lungs of the planet”. They stretch for thousands of kilometres along the coast of Tasmania. Densely intertwined with lianas, the trees are home to numerous endemic animals: the Tasmanian devil and bettong, the marsupial wolf and the red wallaby, and bizarre birds and reptiles. It’s impossible to pass up a walk through the soft moss that covers the ground in this fantastic place.
WOODLANDS
There is a desert spread across three states. However, even in such a dull landscape, there are plenty of sights to see.
NP NAMBUNG, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
From August to October, the Pinnacle Desert is a great place to travel. The strange limestone formations are attractive, like pillars that have grown out of the ground. They result from thousands of years of wind that skilfully carved small obelisks out of the rocks. The result is an ethereal landscape that is a must-see. Join a Pinnacles tour from Perth and witness the natural beauty of Western Australia. Book your trip now for an unforgettable experience!
DRIED-UP SALT LAKES, SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA
A dead landscape comprised several former lakes that were once a single sea. No rivers flow here, and they are only occasionally filled by rainwater (the last time was in 2008). The complex includes the following lakes: Eyre, Gairdner, Torrens, and Frome. The salt is up to 1.2m thick in some places. These places are favourite with motor racing drivers, testing the strength of their strength and equipment.
Australia is so covered with tourist routes that nothing seems to be undiscovered. But the continent is in no hurry to reveal all the secrets stored in impenetrable forests, caves, or countless mountains. The traveller will always find an untouched corner.
