Australia’s 10 most underrated national parks

Editor Editor
hero media
Australia’s superstar national parks such as Kakadu, Daintree and Kosciuszko sure soak up the attention, but we reckon these 10 deserves a whole lot more love too.

1.Millstream-Chichester, WA

This Pilbara-based park is the little sister to nearby Karijini National Park. Spring water feeds permanent pools and paperbarks line creeks in defiance of surrounding ochre cliffs and spinifex. The 1920s-Millstream Homestead acts as a visitors’ centre, outlining the area’s activities, and the culture of the Yindjibarndi people (and the ‘Warlu serpent’).

WA’s Millstream-Chichester NP is home to the mythical ‘Warlu serpent’.

2. Mirima, WA

Mirima is a miniature version of the Bungle Bungle Ranges and it’s right on the doorstep (two-kilometres east) of relaxed Kimberley town, Kununurra. ‘Hidden Valley’ offers a selection of walks, from laid-back to sweat-inducing, around the home of the Miriwoong people. There is a flock of choice for bird watchers too, with species such as the white-quilled rock pigeon colonising the sandstone hills. parks.

Views from Mirima National Park in Kununurra, Wester Australia
Views from Mirima National Park in Kununurra, Wester Australia

3. Ku-ring-gai Chase, NSW

Around 20 kilometres from Sydney’s CBD is a surprisingly diverse, 15,000-hectare park. This Mecca of wildlife spotting, rock art and outdoor activities is set in valley after valley of classic Sydney sandstone stretching from the Hawkesbury River to the sea. A great place to start is the Kalkari Discovery Centre with nearby Bobbin Head a tranquil place for a family picnic and a dip.

Morning sunrise, fog was blanketing the park.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

4. Gundabooka, NSW

South of outback icon Bourke, craggy Mount Gundabooka stands half a kilometre above the surrounding plains, overlooking the Darling River. The Mulgowan Aboriginal Art Site walking track takes in rock art (animal motifs and hand stencils) and the hunting tools of the Ngemba and Paakandji peoples. Keep an eye out for pink cockatoos around the woodlands, floodplains and sandhills at Gundabooka.

Bennetts Gorge Walk Gunderbooka National Park - OEH David Finnegan.jpg
A stroll through the craggy Gundabooka NP, south of Bourke, NSW (David Finnegan).

5. Coorong, SA

Around two hours’ drive south-east of Adelaide will land you in 130 kilometres of lagoon-scape of Coorong National Park. The wetlands are a fecund breeding ground for pelicans (the film Storm Boy was set here) and an array of other wild birds. Mounds of ancient shells mark the campsites of the Ngarrindjeri people. The park is ripe with walking, four-wheel-driving and kayaking opportunities.

The diverse and sweeping Coorong NP in South Australia.

6. Tasman, Tasmania

Across the bay from the modern history lesson at Port Arthur in Tassie’s south-east, lies the 300-metre columnar dolerite cliffs and isolated beaches of Tasman National Park. The Cape Pillar Walk is the highlight of the sublime coastal walks, a great way to see the majestic cliffs. The northern tip can be explored by car or cruise the coast from Port Arthur, to spot seals, penguins, dolphins and whales.

7. Litchfield, NT

Ticked off Kakadu? Litchfield, only a couple of hours’ drive from Darwin, is accessible most of the year and, unlike Kakadu, you can swim here without the threat of saltwater crocs. The park’s four spectacular waterfalls – Florence, Wango, Tjaynera and Surprise Creek – are full year-round. Magnetic termite mounds, with perfect north-south orientation, are one of many reasons for the trip.

Florence Falls Litchfield National Park NT
Florence Falls, Litchfield National Park, NT.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

8. Limmen, NT

A national park since 2012, Limmen lies in the heart of the remote tropical savannah, 305 kilometres south-east of Katherine. Its cultural footprint extends from indigenous culture to foreign seafarers, Macassan trepangers, European explorers and pastoral pioneers. The sandstone pillars of the ‘Lost City’ are worth the journey alone. Prepare well before heading this way and avoid the wet season.

9. Lamington, QLD

Flee the bustle and neon of the Gold Coast to this hinterland oasis, situated on a 900-metre high plateau – a pristine World Heritage Area, with Mount Tamborine your ever-present backdrop. Come face-to-face with the dense subtropical rainforest and its birdlife during a canopy stroll around O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk, up to 30 metres above the forest floor.

Views over Lamington National Park to Hinze Dam in Queensland's Gold Coast hinterland
Views over Lamington National Park to Hinze Dam in Queensland’s Gold Coast hinterland

10. Great Otway, Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Cruise past all of the Great Ocean Road’s main towns to reach Cape Otway National Park, with its rugged coastline, rock formations, beaches, ferny forests and lakes. It’s easy and rewarding to get off the beaten track here and trek to breathtaking waterfalls such as The Cascades. It’s equally close to the region’s delicious produce nestled in the nearby hinterland towns.

The Great Ocean Road at Great Otway National Park

 

MORE: Australia’s most underrated National Park? Magical, mystical Mungo…

Editor

Editor

View profile and articles
Qantas releases over 170,000 discounted regional fares from $99
Australia

Qantas releases over 170,000 discounted regional fares from $99

Hey Australia, your next regional escape just got a whole lot cheaper.

Read more
top beach towns in Australia
Australia

The 10 best Aussie beach towns for an easy coastal getaway

Classic beachside destinations defined by sun, sand and sea. 

Read more
Richmond Bridge
Australia

Australia’s top 10 historic towns worth exploring now 

These heritage towns seamlessly blend Australia’s past and present. 

Read more
Glass House Mountains National Park from above
Australia

The 10 Aussie towns made for nature lovers and adventure seekers

Wild landscapes and natural beauty turn these towns into outdoor playgrounds.

Read more
hero media

7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
    Continue
    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.