The Top Emerging Trails In Australia

Australia is on track to enhance its network of trails – for everything from hiking and biking to eating and drinking – that thread like ribbons through the countryside.

Journey with our writers as they take you into Australia’s top emerging trails from our 100 Emerging Destinations and Experiences series.

1. Rail trail movement gathers steam

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Abandoned railway tracks around Australia continue to be reimagined as recreational trails for cyclists. And riding along these corridors is one of the most popular ways to enjoy a join-the-dots jaunt through the countryside. NSW’s first true rail trail on an ex-government rail corridor sealed the deal for the small townships of Tumbarumba and Rosewood, when the first section of the pioneering Riverina Highlands Rail Trail opened in 2020.

a scenic countryside around Tumbarumba — The subalpine countryside around Tumbarumba. (Image: Destination NSW)

The rail trail has put the Snowy Valleys region on the map, providing visitors with yet another excuse to hit the high country and explore this stunning subalpine region when it’s not dusted in snow. The trail is about 21 kilometres each way and includes interpretive signage about the history of the rail route and the region. There are also ample opportunities to cycle to cellar doors such as the award-winning Courabyra Wines, which is part of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail.

the Great Southern Rail Trail around South Gippsland — The Great Southern Rail Trail winds its way around South Gippsland. (Image: Karli Duckett Photography)

A disused train line in South Gippsland has also increased opportunities for walkers and cyclists to explore southeastern Victoria. The Nyora to Leongatha route extends the Great Southern Rail Trail by 36 kilometres and includes plenty of inspired places to stop. According to Will Owens, Rail Trails Australia’s southern NSW representative, the trend to reimagine disused railway lines is gaining momentum in the state, led by demand from domestic and international visitors who are looking to see the landscape up close.

Riders looking for new routes should also check out the newly opened first stage of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, which connects Murwillumbah with Crabbes Creek in NSW. There are also plans to connect Yarra Glen and Healesville to the Lilydale-Warburton rail trail as part of the multi-stage Yarra Valley Trail in country Victoria.

Tweed section - Northern Rivers Rail Trail — Ride the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, which connects Murwillumbah with Crabbes Creek.

2. A slow food and rail tour through the Riverina

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

Climb aboard the restored sleeper Aurora Australis and venture from Sydney into the heart of Australia’s food bowl. Vintage Rail Journeys’ Riverina Rail Tour is a four-night passage through rural NSW that features off-train adventures to Coolamon Cheese, Piccolo Family Farm and even Emeri De Bortoli’s private garden.

a train moving along Piccolo Family Farm — Journey through Piccolo Family Farm. (Image: Neale Bayliss)

With a contemplative stretch that traces the Canola Trail – its fields of gold rolling by your window come springtime – this is a chance to knock off two trends in one: slow food and slow travel. Oenophiles embarking on Vintage Rail Journeys’ Golden West Rail Tour will take in the vineyards of the Hunter Valley and Orange.

guests clanking glasses at lunch in Piccolo Family Farm — Taste your way through the Riverina. (Image: Destination NSW)

3. A new twist on Tassie’s iconic walks

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

Let Tasmanian Walking Company guide you into extraordinary landscapes with its Special Interest Walks, which offer rare experiences that go beyond the company’s already idiosyncratic soft adventure tours in Tassie.

an aerial view of Cape Pillar Lodge — Cape Pillar Lodge overlooks the stunning seascape. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

One such adventure is the four-day Three Capes Lodge Spring Pilates Walk, focusing on letting go and moving forward with trained Pilates practitioner and owner of Noosa Flow, Claire Toone. Or refresh your mind with the Bay of Fires Lodge Wim Hof Method Walk, a four-day journey of cold-water swims and breathwork with Level 2 Wim Hof Method instructor Piet Blokker. Both walks include private accommodation and cooked meals.

exterior of Three Capes Lodges — Settle in at Three Capes Lodges. (Image: Andrew Burns Architects)

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

4. Australia’s bushwalking state

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

NSW is on track – no pun intended – to become Australia’s bushwalking mecca with its developing network of 13 ‘Great Walks’. The network, which comprises new tracks that connect with existing ones, covers more than 630 kilometres, tracing beach laden coast, climbing high peaks and weaving through ancient rainforest. Six of the walks are already in operation, while the remaining are in development, with a range of levels to suit everyone from leisurely walkers to hardcore hikers.

scenic views of the Blue Mountains from Furber Steps, Leura — Gaze out over the Blue Mountains from Furber Steps, Leura. (Image: Destination NSW)

The 20-kilometre Grand Cliff Top Walk is ready for explorers to pound its 100-year-old sandstone pavements in the Blue Mountains between Wentworth Falls and Katoomba. The track traces sheer escarpment through to Scenic World via eucalypt forests and past panoramic lookouts, where you can soak up the beauty of this World Heritage-listed area.

Newly launched in April of this year, the Murramarang South Coast Walk connects forest and ocean between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay. The track weaves through 34 kilometres of terrain including groves of spotted gum and burrawangs (Australian cycads) and secluded bays and coves. It also adjoins Murramarang Aboriginal Area, which has one of the largest Indigenous sites on the NSW coast with middens and artefacts dating back 12,000 years.

an aerial view of Tomaree Head Summit Walk — Tackle the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, Port Stephens. (Image: Destination NSW)

The Tomaree Coastal Walk in Port Stephens is set to open mid-year within the Worimi Aboriginal cultural landscape. The spectacular 20-kilometre trail threads through Tomaree National Park and comprises ancient volcanic peaks, rich Second World War heritage and spectacular coastal scenery. It will be a prime whale-watching spot during winter and a picturesque place to see the land carpeted in wildflowers come spring.

hikers walking across the roof of Australia on the Snowies Alpine Walk — Walk across the roof of Australia on the Snowies Alpine Walk. (Image: Boen Ferguson)

Have your hiking boots at the ready if reaching ‘The Roof of Australia’ is on your to-do list. The first stage of the Snowies Alpine Walk, running from Guthega to Charlotte Pass, is now open with the completed track set to launch in 2024. The walk culminates in the climb to the 2228-metre summit of Mt Kosciuszko. This epic 55-kilometre walk through alpine and subalpine environments in Kosciuszko National Park also traces the Snowy River, along high-country plains and snow-capped mountains.

an aerial view of NSW’s Murramarang South Coast Walk — Enjoy the scenery while following NSW’s Murramarang South Coast Walk. (Image: John Spencer/Department of Planning and Environment)

5. The world’s largest dam mural road trip

Travelling with: Fleur Bainger

It’s not a stretch to say that most Western Australians didn’t know where Wellington National Park was until the world’s largest dam mural was spray-painted there. The yawning artwork stretches across 8000 square metres of the Wellington Dam wall – that’s most of the 367-metre-wide and 34-metre-high embankment.

a huge dam wall at Wellington — The Wellington Dam wall stretches across 8000 square metres. (Image: Fleur Bainger)

The curving concrete canvas, found a two-hour drive south-east of Perth, is by globally renowned artist Guido Van Helten, who dutifully dangled from floating platforms and abseil ropes to complete it in 2021. It has, seemingly single-handedly, shed light on the scenic road trips through the Ferguson Valley region.

an overhead shot of the world's largest dam — Visit the world’s largest dam. (Image: Fleur Bainger)

The full-day, self-guided Discovery Tour passes state forest, family-run cellar doors, tiny restaurants with big views, natural pool-side camping grounds, a street art trail (inspired by the mural) and the quirky Gnomesville, where thousands upon thousands of garden gnomes have been placed by mystery passers-by.

a group of gnomes — Stumble upon adorable gnomes.

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6. Discover the hidden gems of Wimmera Mallee’s Silo Art Trail

Travelling with: Emily Murphy

The little-known Wimmera Mallee Silo Art Trail in Victoria’s wheatbelt is the largest outdoor gallery in Australia, stretching more than 700 kilometres. Head to the heart of the Mallee and base yourself in the town of Sea Lake. You’ll need a few days to properly admire the evolving art project, celebrate the region and explore iconic Lake Tyrrell, the state’s largest salt lake.

two big Mallee Fowl sculptures — Check out these big Mallee Fowl sculptures. (Image: Anne Morley)

A team of renowned artists from across the globe visited the Wimmera Mallee region, immersed themselves in the community and transformed each grain silo into an epic work of art that tells a unique story about the host town. Extend the drive to see the Big Mallee Fowl sculptures in nearby Patchewollock.

Silo Art Trail at sunrise — Drive the Silo Art Trail. (Image: Anne Morley)

7. Taste the Goulburn Valley

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

The Goulburn Valley may call to mind bottled fruit juice – but that’s not all there is to this Victorian food bowl. Tapping into its top-quality produce, artisanal products and fresh flavours deftly combined by local talent, Seasoned is the region’s new tasting trail. It allows visitors to get acquainted with the Goulburn Valley via their tastebuds, from farm gates to wineries and a bustling restaurant scene.

Follow any road radiating from Shepparton, and you’re bound to find the makers, bakers and culinary movers and shakers shaping its evolving reputation as a foodie enclave. There’s something to explore in every season, too. Enjoy a slow-cooked meal of ethically produced local meat in the winter or stop by in the summertime, when fruit sheds are chock-full.

a hand holding local fruits at Goulburn Valley — Get hold of local produce at Goulburn Valley. (Image: @DestinationGoulburnValley by @BechayCraft)

8. Fly under-the-radar along the Warlu Way

Travelling with: Fleur Bainger

The upside of WA’s Pilbara region suffering a mine-sized reputation as a place of big holes and empty stretches is that its epic, 2480-kilometre road trip remains delightfully under the radar. The Warlu Way echoes the route – or Aboriginal songline – fabled into the land by a Dreamtime sea serpent known as a warlu.

a luxury eco tent in natural bush setting — Bed down at Karijini Eco Retreat.

The pristine, smooth bitumen is the least of its attributes, with stop-and-stare sights ranging from the deep gorges and pancake-stack formations of Karijini National Park to the ancient rock engravings of Murujuga National Park and the iconic Red Dog statue.

a car driving along Mackerel Islands — Drive along the stunning scenery of the Mackerel Islands.

In between are vast, iron-rich red plains interrupted by caterpillar-like ranges spiked with spinifex and pockmarked with rock pools. The isles dotting the coast off Dampier and Onslow are also worthy of a diversion: a trip to the far-flung Mackerel Islands will make you feel like the last human on Earth.

a scenic landscape of the Pyramid Hill — Go on a road trip and pass by the Pyramid Hill.

Keep reading our 100 Emerging Destinations and Experiences series for more.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

The top 8 emerging trails in Australia

Australia is on track to enhance its network of trails – for everything from hiking and biking to eating and drinking – that thread like ribbons through the countryside.

1. Rail trail movement gathers steam

2. A slow food and rail tour through the Riverina

3. A new twist on Tassie’s iconic walks

4. Australia’s bushwalking state

5. The world’s largest dam mural road trip

6. Discover the hidden gems of Wimmera Mallee’s Silo Art Trail

7. Taste the Goulburn Valley

8. Fly under-the-radar along the Warlu Way

Keep reading our 100 Emerging Destinations and Experiences series for more.

A double meteor shower is about to light up Australian skies, but there’s a catch

Australia’s ski season is finally here, just in time for the school holidays

What’s on around Australia in July 2026

These luxury lodges give you a front-row seat to the sky’s greatest light show

Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces

Australia is on track to enhance its network of trails – for everything from hiking and biking to eating and drinking – that thread like ribbons through the countryside.

1. Rail trail movement gathers steam

2. A slow food and rail tour through the Riverina

3. A new twist on Tassie’s iconic walks

AI Prompt

4. Australia’s bushwalking state

5. The world’s largest dam mural road trip

6. Discover the hidden gems of Wimmera Mallee’s Silo Art Trail

7. Taste the Goulburn Valley

8. Fly under-the-radar along the Warlu Way

Keep reading our 100 Emerging Destinations and Experiences series for more.

A double meteor shower is about to light up Australian skies, but there’s a catch

Australia’s ski season is finally here, just in time for the school holidays

What’s on around Australia in July 2026

These luxury lodges give you a front-row seat to the sky’s greatest light show

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces