The Top 50 Aussie Towns: The winners are...

Discover Australia’s Top 50 Towns; as voted by you, our well-travelled readers.

The charm and variety of our Aussie towns is what makes them such beacons for explorers and holidaymakers, offering up divergent delights from country boroughs to mountaintop hamlets to coastal idylls. We asked which ones are the absolute best, and this is what you said…

Start planning your next holiday by reading our guides to the Top 50 towns below.

1. Broome

There is a multitude of reasons that Broome swept into the top spot on our list of top Aussie towns. Read about this remote outpost in the Kimberley, rich in ancient landscapes and lore, and why we think it’s worthy of that top spot.

2. Port Douglas

Port Douglas is the perfect place to flop and drop. Renew your nuptials at the coastal chapel. Collapse on a sun lounger at a luxury hotel. Mooch around the markets. And manifest that sea change to Tropical North Queensland.

3. Noosa

Noosa’s natural good looks helped secure its No.3 spot on our list of top Aussie towns. In addition, it’s the mix of boutiques, galleries, eateries, national parks, and beautiful beaches that sees us consistently singing its praises.

4. Cairns

Pack your fanciest kaftan. This popular holiday spot in Tropical North Queensland has been revitalized in recent years thanks, in part, to Crystalbrook Collection which has gifted Cairns with three five-star sexy sustainable hotels.

5. Mudgee

We’re as mad for Mudgee as you are. From its quirky cafe culture and world-class wineries, to its bonafide paddock-to-plate eateries and five-star digs, make a visit to Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2022 a must.

6. Port Fairy

The ultimate Australian road trip factors in Port Fairy on Australia’s craggy southern coastline. Go beyond the Great Ocean Road to find the seaside village full of warm cafes, little cottages, bluestone pubs and dinky inns.

7. Bright

The picturesque, charming village of Bright in Victoria’s High Country beckons for its pretty tree-lined streets, its microbreweries, wineries, farmers’ market, hiking and biking trails and more.

8. Orange

It’s time to give Orange a squeeze. Head west to the Country NSW region to meet winemakers, eat, drink and shop to your heart’s content and find plenty of charming places to rest your head.

9. Margaret River

Margaret River is calling. Tear yourself away from those picture-postcard coastal views and rose-gold earthy hues to enjoy vineyards undulating to the east in this WA region dotted with epicurean delights that demand attention.

10. Echuca

There are many ways to celebrate the mighty Murray River in Echuca, meaning ‘meeting of the waters’ in the local Indigenous language. After cruising along Australia’s longest river, check out the relaxed vibe in the Victorian town.

11. Beechworth

Beechworth thinks global, but acts local. The beguiling hub in Victoria’s High Country is known as much for its bushranging history as its inspired community of creatives who are luring visitors to discover local secrets.

12. Yamba

Yamba is the Aussie beach town that keeps calling us all back. Its quiet, timeless charm is what draws all kinds of visitors into its clutches. It’s the seaside destination of our dreams, which is precisely why it graces our cover.

13. Esperance

It’s altogether legit that Esperance is one of the most enchanting towns in Australia to explore. Find out why the WA town captures the imagination of our readers who nominated it No.13 on the list of Top 50 Aussie towns.

14. Broken Hill

This historic outback mining town is inclusive, arty, vibrant and out there partly due to the Priscilla effect, but also because of its extreme western NSW landscape and examples of ancient Indigenous stencils and petroglyphs.

15. Byron Bay

Byron Baes is casting for extras and everyone apart from smug locals who live in Byron Bay has applied to be part of it. If you are not desperate enough to audition to be in the docusoap, just find another reason to hang on the North Coast.

16. Daylesford

Daylesford presents as a backdrop in an episode of Escape to the Country. The town in the Hepburn Springs area has a lot to do besides soak in mineral springs. But that’s a pretty good place to start.

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17. Alice Springs

Alice Springs is best known for being bookended by the magnificent MacDonnell Ranges and offering an entry point to Uluru. But we agree with you, our readers, as a town like Alice offers so much more besides.

18. Bowral

Plan a weekend escape to Bowral in the NSW countryside if you’re the type that likes to shop for trinkets. Meat pie lovers should visit in June for Pie Time when the town is marked on the map in the so-called Southern Pielands.

19. Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie has blossomed into paradise found for leisure lovers who are brazen about enjoying the lifestyle here every which they can. We love that you love that a visit to Port Mac helps contribute to the conservation of koalas.

20. Airlie Beach

Our readers see you Whitsundays. And they raise you with Airlie, underlining the reasons why this Queensland town with palm-fringed parks and sapphire seas is much more than a stepping stone to the island chain.

21. Kiama

Even small, crazy ideas can turn into solid concepts in Kiama, which seems to retain its young creative talent while hanging onto its Halcyon-day charms. Go beyond the blowhole to see why life here on the South Coast is so swell.

22. Albany

Bookstores, bakeries and beaches hit the trifecta when it comes to endearing Aussies toward a town. But the town of Albany, located in WA’s South West, also has a burgeoning cultural scene, too. Get on it.

23. Bendigo

Yes, we know. Bendigo is, like a few inclusions on this list, actually considered a city (Victoria’s fourth largest). But it has all the c harm and timeless beauty of what constitutes a ‘goldfields town’ so it consequently makes the cut.

24. Ballarat

Ballarat is where it’s at according to you, our valued readers. This boom town of the Victorian goldrush era mines its heritage to breathe new life into old buildings and celebrate its status as a UNESCO Creative City.

25. Berry

The tiny town of Berry helped score an own goal for the Shoalhaven region when the Berry bypass was built, diverting the traffic that once tore through the town and restoring its quaint country charm.

26. Palm Cove

The palm trees that line the foreshore in Palm Cove bear silent witness to the enviable lifestyle on offer in this region of spectacular natural beauty. It’s enough to make us go Troppo.

27. Launceston

How happy we are that our readers voted to give Lonnie some love. Named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2021, our love letter to Lonnie is designed to provide visitors with a taste of this riverside city.

28. Busselton

Busselton was – until you voted it No. 28 on our list of Top 50 Aussie Towns – one of WA’s underrated gems. Our guide goes beyond the bling of WA’s dazzling South West coastline to find what makes Busso tick.

29. Merimbula

It’s your time to shine Merimbula. From its destination diners to its retro-chic motels, this jewel on the Sapphire Coast is now on the map for everything from its oyster trail to its rugged surf breaks.

30. Lorne

It’s a parallel trend. Head to the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 (actually eight) Apostles as an excuse to join the dots between lovely villages such as Lorne, which is located along this dramatic stretch of Victoria’s coastline.

31. Denmark

A to-do list in Denmark is chockers with places to brunch, craft, bike, explore, picnic, roam, stay, meditate and more … proving its worth as to why the South West WA spot made it into our Top 50 list of Aussie towns.

32. Hahndorf

The (Adelaide) hills around Hahndorf are alive with traditions that celebrate the town’s status as Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. Sample that heritage in the artisanal culture that embodies the town.

33. Coffs Harbour

See Coffs Harbour in its best light by taking advantage of its idyllic 30-degrees latitude and following an eco-friendly itinerary that nods to the North Coast region’s status as an accredited ECO Tourism Destination.

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34. Kununurra

Kununurra is a diamond in the rough. While it was once known for its Argyle Mine (now closed), it’s now on the map for its Indigenous art scene, its mighty Ord River and as a base camp for exploring the Bungle Bungle Range.

35. Exmouth

After you’ve ticked swimming with whale sharks off your bucket list for Exmouth, linger to enjoy the breweries, industrial-chic cafes and world-class glamping sites in Australia’s Top Small Tourism Town of the Year for 2022.

36. Robe

Robe is, all at once, a throwback to idyllic Aussie holidays of old and an Instagrammer’s dream. Go for its iconic Limestone Coast, stay for the hipster-chic cafes and boutiques housed in heritage-listed buildings.

37. Longreach

This colourful town is named after the fact it’s located on a long reach of the Thomson River. And it’s an absolute bonanza for travellers looking to celebrate Queensland’s outback, the land, the people and the pioneers.

38. Sorrento

There’s nothing vanilla about Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula. Unless of course, you factor in the Vanilla Slice Cafe, just one of a gazillion reasons to visit this oh-so-charming seaside village.

39. Bathurst

Book a stay at Wilga Station to truly understand the lure of the landscape in the Central NSW Tablelands. This chic farm stay is more Brooklyn than Bathurst and reflective of the owners’ time spent in New York. Get there.

40. Forster

Forster is framed by its lakes and beaches, which lends itself to aquatic adventures. But this laid-back town located in the Great Lakes, on NSW’s Barrington Coast, has a lot of other attractions worth signposting.

41. Mooloolaba

There was never any doubt Mooloolaba would make it on our list of Top 50 Aussie towns. From eating sustainable seafood to an Indigenous-led cruise, we have a multitude of reasons to visit this Sunny Coast superstar.

42. Narooma

Be it for exploration and exercise, or epicurean delights, the seaside hamlet of Narooma on a rugged stretch of NSW’s South Coast is on the radar for a multitude of reasons. Check out the hotspots we’ve highlighted.

43. Warrnambool

Notwithstanding the evidence that water and whales are the biggest draws in Warrnambool, this seaside gem on the Great Ocean Road is a beacon for everything from its hot springs to its walks and maritime history.

44. Bellingen

Aah Bello, we love your bohemian vibes. This charming town is the promised land for hippies turned hipsters who have relocated to this hub, located on the wondrous Waterfall Way in the NSW North Coast.

45. Yeppoon

It’s clear Aussies yearn for Yeppoon for its old-school holiday vibes, lush emerald rainforests and national parks. The subtropical climate on the Capricorn Coast makes this a great jumping-off point to the Great Barrier Reef.

46. Dubbo

Want to know who’s who in the zoo? We asked one of the keepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo for her insider secrets on what to see and do inside and outside of the zoo, located in Dubbo, NSW’s Central West.

47. Gerringong

Calm your farm. Of course, Gerringong made the cut. This speck of a town is around the corner from Kiama and known as much for its farm stays as its lacquered green landscapes that stretch all the way to the coast.

48. Kalbarri

If Kalbarri was on a colour chart, it would appear under both Ochre Red and Sapphire Blue. It’s these rich colours that seem custom coded for Mid-West WA, known for its rugged rock formations, gaping coastal gorges and more.

49. Leura

We know why our readers love Leura. The pretty mountain town has a quaint and quirky culture that appeals to everyone from day-trippers and shopaholics to fans of gardens and the great outdoors.

50. Stanley

The charming seaside hamlet of Stanley deserves all the superlatives. As well as being rich in history and natural beauty, it’s a top spot in Tassie’s North West to enjoy a bounty of edible delights sourced from land and sea.

Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow.

There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.

Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur, is one of my favourite road trips.

The Black Spur

Location: Yarra Ranges
Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes

The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.

In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn, a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.

Victoria’s Silo Art Trail

Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.

The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud, making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.

Metung to Mallacoota

Location: Gippsland
Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours

The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance, where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch.

Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea.

Great Ocean Road

Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.

Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast.

Bellarine Taste Trail

Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Bellarine Peninsula
Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours

The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.

You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate, sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours.

O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote

Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling

Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail. The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.

The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular.

Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling

The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.

As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.