21st September, 2011

4 Holidays for Outdoor Adventure Lovers

Australia is a paradise for outdoor adventure lovers, but where to start? Queensland, with its incomparable beaches and sunny weather, or Western Australia with its rugged sandy landscape and unique terrain? There is also Tasmania, an undiscovered paradise for those seeking rugged outdoor adventures. If you’re looking for an exciting holiday that will shake you awake from the daily drone and really get the adrenaline pumping, try these four ideas for the next trip away.

1. The Gold Coast

No Australian outdoor adventure list would be complete without mentioning the Gold Coast. With its temperate year-round weather and amazing scenery, the Gold Coast isn’t just a place to relax and enjoy the views. It’s a wonderful place to get active and experience water and land. Surfers Paradise has virtually unlimited choice when it comes to outdoor activities such as surfing, jet boat riding, scuba diving and abseiling. And for comfortable rest time after your days of adventure, Surfers Paradise accommodation offers the highest level of luxury and relaxation.

If water activities whet your appetite for more outdoor action, head over to the Hinterlands for bushwalking, rainforest discovery tours, 4WD tours, or a hot air balloon ride. The hinterlands – only a short drive from the coast – are close enough to the Gold Coast for a short day trip. If you stay at one of the Surfers Paradise apartments, you’ll only be a stone’s throw away from the stunning hinterlands.

2. South Australia

South Australia is mostly known for its wineries rather than for its outdoor adventures, but the state actually has a variety of interesting outdoor adventure opportunities for visitors. Some outdoor experiences to include on your holiday are:

  • Bike ride down Mount Lofty down to Adelaide, passing Cleland Conservation Park.
  • The Adelaide Hills – just east of Adelaide – are popular for abseiling and rock climbing day trips.
  • The Flinders Ranges are three-and-a-half hours drive from Adelaide and a great place to enjoy the natural scenery and go bushwalking and biking in the national parks.

3. Tasmania

Tasmania is a paradise for outdoor activities. Nearly half – around 40 per cent – of Tasmania is protected by national parks and reserves. While it can get a little cold, there’s lots of opportunities for extreme to milder types of outdoor adventure adventures in its ranges, rivers, rainforests, and rivers. These include sailing, yatching, whitewater rafting, diving, kayaking, mountain cycling, rock climbing, jet boating, and many more. Other than Cradle Mountain, some of the other notable places to visit include Dove Lake, Bruny Island, Melaleuca, the Central Highlands, or Russell Falls. Lots of the parks have facilities for campers.

4. Western Australia

The largest state by physical size, Western Australia is filled with wild rivers, sand dunes, striking beaches, and excellent hiking trails. Its numerous wildlife parks has notable walking and biking trails while its beaches and coastal hubs offer stunning settings in which to enjoy water activities such as diving, surfing, and boating. Try Cable Beach in Broome, Lake Argyle, or sand boarding in Nambung National Park. Karijini National Park has some brilliant sights such as cascading waterfalls and gorges.