Ahhh, Australia’s Most Magical Places — This article doesn’t really need an intro because you’re here for one reason — you want to see pretty pictures. So if you’re tired of shots of all the typical tourist spots in Australia, consider one of these locations instead. We truly think that they’re the best of the best places to visit in Australia. So welcome to our photo book journey through the most beautiful places in Australia.
Most Beautiful Places in Australia – In Photos
Sunset over Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
We especially love the Cairns Lagoon because it gives the illusion of little origami fishies swimming in the sky. It feels a bit like a dream, so this is one of our favorite shots from our recent trip to Cairns.
Sydney Harbour Bay at Sunset
Our Sydney guide, Allison, just happens to be a Sydney native, so she gave us insider tips for exploring her city and showed us all of the best spots locals love. Our favorite will always be the harbour because nothing can ever compare with our love for the ocean. Dragon loves to watch the ships come in. He says their sails look kinda like dragon wings. So now he calls all boats “swimming dragons.” I guess that’s better than “dragons who can’t fly.”
The Milky Way over Nambung National Park
This unique Australian landscape is composed of limestone formations that appear to be reaching towards the sky. Affectionately referred to as the Pinnacles of Australia, it lies within Nambung National Park near the town of Cervantes, Western Australia.
Where Red Dirt Meets the Ocean at Crab Creek in Broome
As one of the most magical places in Australia, from a photograph alone you’d guess it’s a fabricated place of fantasy. But this place truly exists — thanks to the wonders of nature — and you can find it at Crab Creek in Broome, where the red dirt and ocean collide.
Hornby Lighthouse on South Head
Also known as South Head Lower Light or South Head Signal Station, this active lighthouse was built by public demand in 1858 after the tragic shipwrecks of the Dunbar and the Catherine Adamson. Its unique, red and white candy-striped coloring makes it stand out as one of the most beautiful sights in Sydney.
Stoney Creek Falls from the Kuranda Scenic Railway
This train passes by not one but two gorgeous waterfalls and oodles of other stunning scenery. We gave it a spot on our Top 10 Things to Do in Cairns article and highly recommend it if you’re headed to Far North Queensland. Check out our review of our own experience here: Kuranda Scenic Railway – Riding the Rainforest Waterfall Train.
Hot Air Ballooning over Sydney
If you’re interested in hot air ballooning, you’ve got multiple companies and packages to choose from. Cloud 9 Balloons claims to have pioneered hot air ballooning over Sydney in 1993. They specialize in tours over Hawkesbury Valley at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Balloon Aloft also conducts flights every weekend over Sydney’s historic Macarthur region in places such as Camden Valley. The one hour experience concludes with breakfast and a champagne toast. We haven’t tried out either of these companies yet, however, so we can’t make any claims to who’s the best or which package you should choose. If you’ve been, comment below to let us know about your trip and how you’d rate the experience!
Palm Cove Beach Near Cairns
Known for the palm trees lining its beach (obviously), Palm Cove’s often regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Australia. It certainly was one of Dragon’s favorites. He begged us to take 122,394,000 photos of him, but we settled for just these two.
Read Next: Cairns Beaches Guide – 12 Best Beaches in Cairns
Bar Rock Lookout in Narooma
Repeat after me — I want to see seals. I want to see seals. I want to see seals. The Bar Rock Lookout’s a great spot for– you guessed it– pretty ocean views and spotting seals basking in the sun. And let’s not forget that crazy hole-in-rock formation that makes for great pictures like this one.
The Best Pink Lakes in Australia
You’ve probably already heard of Lake Hillier because it was made famous by social media a year or so ago, but few people realize that Australia actually has multiple pink lakes. Spencer Lake, in fact, is even often referred to simply as the Pink Lake. To get to Spencer, first travel to the small town Esperance. The lake lies three kilometres (1.9 miles) away, and– for gorgeous aerial shots– don’t forget to stop by the lookout located along Eleven Mile Beach Road, a 10-minute drive from Esperance Visitors Centre. Lake Hillier rests another 130 kilometres (70 miles) away on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago. It’s best viewed from a boat tour or scenic flight, and these can also be booked in (and depart from) Esperance.
Edit: For the brightest bubblegum pink color, stick with Lake Hillier, as Pink Lake has begun to fade a bit over the past year due to salt mining. For a pale pink (or recently white colored) water, then Pink Lake is still your pal.
Valley of the Winds in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru Rock (Ayers Rock) is praised on almost every single top 10 Australia article I’ve ever read, but I’ve never seen anyone mention the equally beautiful Valley of the Winds and the gorgeous wildflowers that grow there. They’re both in the same park, you silly humans. So why is one so lesser known? The latter involves a bit of a hike, so I suppose some people just don’t like walking. But if you’re in decent shape and have already made the long trip all the way out to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, do yourself a huge favor and don’t skip the Valley of the Winds Walk. The strenuous, 7.4 km (4.6 mile) full circuit trail takes between two to four hours to complete, but the short, easy 1.1 km (0.7 mile) walk to just the first lookout and back can be completed in well under an hour. So you can choose to do as much or as little trekking as you like, depending on your fitness level.
Port Willunga Jetty Ruins during Sunset
Dating back to middle of the nineteenth century, today only a handful of wooden piles stand as a reminder of Port Willunga’s bustling past.
12 Apostles on Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road tops everybody’s must-see Australia list for good reason– it’s breathtakingly gorgeous. The limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles gained their iconic shape after wave erosion carved out the cliff.
If you’re interested in driving this popular route, Greta’s Travels has a Great Ocean Road 2-Day Itinerary that features 14 of the best stops to hit along the way.
“Remarkable Rocks” at Flinders Chase National Park
The golden orange lichen covering this natural rock formation has turned it into a beloved, iconic landmark on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
Wave Rock Near Hyden
Located near the small town of Hyden, Australia, this 15 m (49 ft) high natural rock formation earns its popularity and beauty symbol status through its striking resemblance to a breaking ocean wave.
Treehouse Hotel and Restaurant in the Daintree Rainforest
Sleeping in a treehouse for grown-ups had always been on our bucket list, so on our recent trip to Cairns, we stayed at the Silky Oaks Lodge luxury treehouse hotel located inside the Daintree Rainforest.
Check out our review here (coming soon).
Or Click here to find the lowest prices and get more details.
Rainforest Treehouse Lagoon Secluded Semi-Private Pool
If you choose to stay at the Silky Oaks Lodge, you also get this secluded pool almost all to yourself. The treehouse lagoon is reserved only for hotel guests, and it was one of the highlights of our trip to the Daintree Rainforest. I often don’t care much for pools, especially resort pools, but this one’s beauty and rainforest central location made it something special, so I have no shame in including it on this list.
Heart Reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
The first time I saw photos of Heart Reef on the internet, I believed that they surely must be photoshopped. But the coral has naturally grown into the shape of a heart inside Australia’s Great Barrier Reef at this precise spot on Hardy Reef. To experience the love yourself, you’ll want to take a helicopter or seaplane tour. Not only is swimming or snorkeling near the protected reef prohibited, but you’ll need an aerial view to fully capture this romantic wonder on camera.
Colorful Houses on Brighton Beach in Melbourne
These colorful little huts lining the beach are actually bathing boxes that date back to Victorian times. Over a century old, they originally provided a place for bathers to preserve morality while changing clothing in privacy, but today local residents can purchase an annual license for their personal use– primarily as a deck or lounge area– while relaxing on the beach.
Manning Gorge Waterfall
Located in the Kimberleys on Mount Barnett Station, Manning Gorge Falls can be accessed by a short, 3km hike. Once you reach the gorge, you can swim right up and under the falls.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay on your upcoming Australia trip, check out our post on the most unusual and amazing hotels in Australia, where you can live out your dreams of staying in a treehouse, castle, prison, underground city, and more.
We owe a huge thanks to Allison Smith from Flights to Fancy for inviting Adventure Dragon to Australia and giving us the grand tour of the place she calls home. All photos not otherwise marked in this Most Beautiful Places in Australia article are courtesy of her amazing photography skills.
Please do not copy or reproduce any of the photos or content on this page without permission. It makes dragons sad. And nobody likes a sad dragon. Except for maybe sad people. Away with you, you poopy pirate.
For more Australia travel inspiration, check out some of our other adventures here:
- Quirky Hotels in Australia – 10 Unique Stays in a Castle, Treehouse, Prison, Underground City, and More
- The Sydney Opera House is Not White – 10 Sydney Secrets known only by Locals ( plus a One Day Travel Itinerary )
- Top 10 Things to Do in Cairns Australia
- Kuranda Scenic Railway – Riding the Rainforest Waterfall Train
- Daintree River Cruises – Bruce Belcher’s Crocodile Cruise through Australian Rainforest
- Kuranda Village in a Rainforest – Top 10 Things to do in Kuranda Australia
- Barron Falls – Stunning Waterfall Deep in the Australian Rainforest
- 12 Best Beaches and Swimming Holes in Cairns
- Cairns Skyrail Rainforest Cableway – Riding a Glass-Bottom Gondola over a Waterfall
Or view all our Australia Travel Articles here.
We’ve also got more stories about Beautiful Places in the World.
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