Remote Possibilities
Five of Australia's prime off-the-beaten-track destinations
Australia isn’t just a blockbuster movie; it’s also an island so big it’s actually a continent. With vast tracts of uninhabited territory, the land Down Under boasts some sensational spots where you can still swim at an empty beach, trek through pristine rainforest or climb a deserted mountain.
So you’ve seen the film and now you want to see the country, but Australia is one giant place and it’s hard to know where to start. Despite its image as a wide brown land inhabited by tough-as-nails bushmen, the oldest and driest continent on the planet is actually its most urbanised. Most of the 21 million Aussies live on the coastal fringes where there’s more reliable rainfall and better soils. And in a country that’s bigger than Western Europe, that means there’s a lot of unsettled land.
The thing is, most of this empty space is hot, dry and inhospitable – not much fun for a holiday. However, we’ve come up with a selection of five of the best spots that are far away from the cities and coastal urban sprawl, but which have very special qualities – outstanding natural beauty, unique flora and fauna, and exciting local activities and attractions.
But that’s where the similarities between our famous five end. In other ways they couldn’t be more different. Compare the rugged and remote northwest coast of Western Australia with the delicate alpine meadows of the Kosciuszko National Park. The ancient crocodile-infested jungles of Queensland’s Cape Tribulation with the cool temperate rainforest of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park in Tasmania. Then there’s the truly unique Kangaroo Island, a southern wildlife refuge where it really feels like you are on the edge of the world – next stop Antarctica!
Whether you’re after a family getaway or an action-adventure extravaganza, all these locations have something special to offer. Your only problem will be deciding which one to tackle first.
