Red Earth, Blue Oceans, Pink Lakes: These are the Most Beautiful Places in Australia

In a country as big as Australia, with a landscape so diverse, you could travel for years and still not run out of places to visit. But Australia’s most beautiful places aren't just about what you see, it’s about what they do to you.

The huge desert that forces you to confront your insignificance. The rainforest that hums with life older than recorded history. Hundreds of beaches so perfect they don’t quite look real.

So whether you’re looking to give your Instagram grid a bit of life or just want to treat your peepers to some natural beauty in this digital age, these are the best looking places in Australia to do it.

While Tarkine might not be as famous as Kakadu or Uluru, this slice of northwestern Tasmania is a real-deal ancient wonder. Moss-covered myrtles, fungi straight out of a fantasy film, and some of the oldest trees on Earth. There’s a viewing platform where you can see the world’s smallest penguins, a short hike to the majestic Philosopher Falls, and rafting on the Pieman River.

Take the Tarkine Drive, a scenic route that covers coastal heathlands, dramatic cliffs, and forest that’s been growing for millennia and keep your eyes peeled for real-life Tasmanian devils.

Pro tip: Pack a rain jacket. It rains a lot here, which is precisely why it’s so lush. Also be (emotionally) prepared for leeches.

Address: Tarkine Drive, Rapid River Road, West Coast TAS 7469

Head to South Australia, where the Flinders Ranges serve up rugged peaks, deep gorges, and ridges that look like the spine of a giant slumbering beneath the dirt.

Wilpena Pound, the huge, incredible natural amphitheatre on the edge of the desert, may be best viewed from a scenic flight, but the ground-level hikes also offer an intimate relationship with the land. Explore Arkaroola or Bunyeroo Gorge by 4WD and you can expect to see kangaroos, emus, and maybe a wedge-tailed eagle or two. Wind and time have sculpted the mountains into a cathedral of contorted rock.

Pro tip: Take a guided bush tucker tour and learn about native ingredients, from quandongs to saltbush lamb.

Address: Iga Warta, Gammon Ranges Road, Gammon Ranges SA 5732

You can’t talk about Australia’s most beautiful places without a little bit of waxing poetic about the Great Barrier Reef. Clownfish, reef sharks, sea turtles the size of bar stools. Book a seat on a semi-submersible tour if you’re not a strong swimmer. It’s basically an aquarium on wheels (or waves?).

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is also home to Whitehaven Beach. The Whitsundays’ shimmering, white-silica Shangri-La. It honestly must be seen to be believed, the sand really is that white, and the sea really is that blinding shade of turquoise. Trek up to the Hill Inlet lookout near Whitehaven to see the swirling patterns of sand and sea from above.

Pro tip: For an extra dose of beauty stay at the Mantra Club Croc in Airlie Beach for their lush tropical garden and lagoon style pool.

Address: Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach, 240 Shute Harbour Road, Cannonvale QLD 4802

The Kimberley is so massive and formidable it makes you question how humans even live here, but of course they have for tens of thousands of years. Vast gorges carved by ancient rivers, waterfalls that burst into life in the wet season, boab trees that look like they’ve been pulled from a Dr. Seuss story.

At Horizontal Falls, known as Garaanngaddim by the local Indigenous people, tides surge through two narrow gorges, creating a horizontal waterfall. It was described as “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world” by Sir David Attenborough, who knows a thing or two about beautiful places.

Then take a 4WD through Gibb River Road, the legendary 660-kilometre track that is not for the faint of heart (or the faint of tyre tread). Hidden gorges, peaceful waterholes, and hiking trails that redefine “off the beaten path”.

Pro tip: If you’re flying into Broome and renting a car or tour out to The Kimberley, spend a night or two at Mantra Frangipani. Their private outdoor showers are perfect to wash the day off.

Address: Mantra Frangipani Broome, 15 Millington Road, Broome WA 6726

When you think of the Top End, you think of Kakadu. Wetlands that seethe with life, saltwater crocs that can chomp a buffalo in half, lush lily pads, and more birds than you can shake a Nikon at.

If you’re serious about photography, take a Yellow Water Cruise down the billabong at sunrise or sunset. Crocs love a cameo, so keep all limbs inside the boat, folks. Also visit the rock art at Nourlangie and Ubirr, where the galleries are tens of thousands of years old, capturing everything from Creation Ancestors to early contact with Europeans.

Pro tip: The iconic Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel is shaped like a giant crocodile, and its Manjmukmuk Restaurant has a menu of seasonal, local produce served with a bush tucker twist.

Address: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, Flinders Street, Jabiru NT 0886

Found on Middle Island off the coast of Esperance, Western Australia, it’s a bubblegum-pink lagoon that looks like it’s been dyed by a rogue toddler. Scientists say it’s the presence of certain algae combined with high salinity. We say it’s pure Aussie magic.

The best way to witness Lake Hillier’s cotton-candy tone is from above. You’ll also get panoramic views of the Recherche Archipelago. Some cruises will take you around Middle Island, but stepping onto the shores is heavily regulated to protect the fragile ecosystem.

Pro tip: If you’re in the area, don’t skip the snow-white beaches around Cape Le Grand National Park. Kangaroos might join you for a sunbake.

Address: Lake Hillier, Middle Island, off the coast of Esperance WA 6450

Proving that the ACT is more than just politicians and roundabouts, the Namadgi National Park is a vast alpine meadow with granite outcrops begging to be photographed. Then there’s Gibraltar Falls, a cascade tumbling into a gorgeous swimming hole below. A short walk from the car park leads you to the top of the falls, where you can peer over the edge or dip your toes in the chilly waters.

Booroomba Rocks Lookout has sweeping views of the kind of Australian bushland that’s downright poetic, with rugged granite tors and twisted snow gums. Keep an eye out for wallabies, echidnas, and the occasional wombat waddling through the undergrowth.

Pro tip: The park is about 45 minutes south of Canberra’s CBD, where you can stay at the elegant Peppers Gallery Hotel. Their Library Bar has one of the best wine lists in the Capital.

Address: Peppers Gallery Hotel Canberra, 15 Edinburgh Avenue, Acton ACT 2601

Glowing from the dead centre of the Northern Territory like a monolithic heartbeat, Uluru is hallowed ground, layered with Indigenous lore, where the colours change by the minute. Sunrises coat Uluru in deep purple shadows while sunsets set it aflame with vivid oranges and reds. The Anangu people have looked after this site for tens of thousands of years, and you can feel that deep presence in the silence of the desert.

Pro tip: If you’re after a bed that won’t kill your vibe, book into Sails in the Desert. You’ll have air conditioning and perfect cocktails, but it still feels connected to the landscape.

Address: Sails in the Desert, 163 Yulara Drive, Yulara NT 0872

Between mesmerising sunsets and underwater kingdoms, Australia hosts such incredible beauty you’ll feel like you’ve left Earth and gone somewhere kinder. Exploring Australia also ignites a deeper sense of belonging, proving that a big adventure doesn’t always require jet lag.