Australasia off the beaten track

Some highlights for escaping the tourists and discovering a hidden slice of this incredible continent

For many 'round the worlders’, Australasia is a rejuvenating dose of 'home away from home’ after the exotic Far East. Though the food, language and obsession with sport will remind you of home, there’s plenty here that will surprise you. While The Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Alice Springs and the rest are all worth visiting, the best sort of travelling is discovering something no one else has found. While we can’t promise you’ll feel like exactly like Captain Cook, our list should provide a way to escape the crowds and still have a great time. Honourable mention at this point goes to Great Barrier Island in New Zealand, which didn’t make the list but whose unspoilt beaches and hot springs are definitely worth a visit.

1. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

This one really is for the adventurous. The Cape York Peninsula is at the tip of Australia’s coiled tail and certainly packs a sting. The long strip rising in the north of Queensland offers the best 4x4 driving in the country, but no mobile phone coverage! This really is a hinterland; a wild, fearsome landscape that snarling and spluttering jeeps can barely tame. Watch out (literally) for crocodiles, rainforests and the odd town (though blink and you’ll miss them). If you do fancy it then check out Lonely Planet’s Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Guide and see what you’re letting yourself in for, and make sure you get a good map from these guys. OK we know that’s technically a guide book, but there won’t be many people there we promise!

2. Kangaroo Island, South Australia

An excellent way to escape the crowds on Bondi Beach, Kangaroo Island is (unsurprisingly) home to Kangaroos as well as a supporting cast of wallabies, koalas, seals, penguins and best of all, very few people! The surrounding water has protected its fauna from the sort of decimation that European settlers brought to the mainland; native forest and bush fill the interior and only give way on the edges to rugged cliffs pounded by deep blue waves. Don’t forget to treat your stomach as well as your eyes while you’re here with the famous Ligurjan honey and jam made from the island’s fruits, and, if you promise not to go too close to the cliff’s edge, homemade wine.

3. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Like the Pacific east coast of the USA, much of Australia just begs to be driven. Hire a car or better yet a jeep and take to the road for the full Thelma and Louise experience. This particular route lies between Torquay and Warrnambool along the Southwest coast and offers nearly 300km of uninterrupted coastal beauty, from huge cliffs, raging surf, peaceful bays, lush rainforests, and an abundance of fascinating wildlife. Remember to keep your eyes on the road; it’s a long way down! Get someone else insured so you can share the view and leave enough time to stop and explore en route.

4. Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains have been providing light relief for the overheated residents of Sydney for years. The air cools as you rise and feels like the hiking equivalent of jumping in a swimming pool. It’s not just the air that lures people up here; the area boasts awe-inspiring scenery and more rock formations, waterfalls and bushwalks than you can shake a didgeridoo at. The eucalyptus oil evaporating from the carpet of gum trees here creates a blue haze which gives the region its name as well as its enduring charm. From the ground, the saddle, the harness or the canoe, the Blue Mountains seem a world away.

5. The Adelaide Hills, South Australia

The Adelaide Hills are to the good folk of Adelaide what the Blue Mountains are to Sydneysiders. The hills remain pleasantly underdeveloped aside from the abundance of lush woods, walking routes and a rich covering of flora and fauna. Follow any road you like and you’ll find dipping valleys, gently bobbing hills and vineyards that look even more inviting than usual (make sure you have someone else to drive though!) Great food is never far away from great wine and here is no exception; roadside fruit and vegetable stalls and great restaurants will keep your energy up, and provide a great excuse to buy another bottle!

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