Ten of Australia’s Best Adventure Activities

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A visit to Oz gives new meaning to the term ‘adventure playground’.

Once limited to thrill seeking travellers on all-points backpacker tours, these days anyone can get their Bear Grylls on — thanks to the array of professionally run adventure-based experiences on offer across the country.

If you’re keen to test your metal, here are ten of Australia’s best adventure activities.

1. Learn to hang ten on Bondi Beach (NSW)

According to Surfer Today, American pioneer of big wave surfing Buzzy Trent once said: ‘Waves are not measured in feet and inches, but in increments of fear.’ Add to that the innate worry that most of us have about what dwells in the deep, and the thought of learning to surf could leave you paler than a face full of 30+. But if you’re keen to learn to get upright on a board, what better place to do it than Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. Let’s Go Surfing offers relaxed group lessons, which utilise an easy-to-grasp technique. You’ll master the art of ‘sand surfing’ first, before progressing into the water.

2. Meet your need for speed on Sydney Harbour (NSW)

Jetboating is a New Zealand invention, but why should our cousins on the far side of the ditch have all the high-octane fun? And what better place to put the pedal to the damp metal than on one of the most famous stretches of water in the world? Oz Jet Boating departs from Sydney’s Circular Quay for 30 minutes of rocking and rolling on the city’s eponymous harbour. Experience twists, 360-degree spins, and power brake stops, all the while taking in the key harbourside sights.

3. Go canyoning in the Blue Mountains (NSW)

At a million hectares in size and boasting some of the most rugged terrain in the country, it’s little wonder adventurous types flock to the Blue Mountains National Park west of Sydney. Think massive canyons, plunging valleys, freakishly high escarpments, and all-but-inaccessible gorges — all of which adds up to a day at the office for the team at Katoomba’s Blue Mountains Adventure Company. They offer rock climbing, canyoning, and abseiling tours for all skill levels, and will facilitate your adventure of choice safely and expertly.

4. Abseil in Brisbane’s city centre (QLD)

Unless you’re a high-rise window cleaner, abseiling isn’t generally a pastime open to city dwellers. Not so in the Queensland capital Brisbane, where fearless residents regularly back it out over the 25-metre-high Kangaroo Point Cliffs — situated on the far side of the Brisbane River, directly opposite the CBD. Conducted under the tutelage of the team of urban adventurers at Riverlife, each abseiling session runs for around 90 minutes. The twilight climb sees participants easing their way down the sheer cliff faces, backlit by a dazzling panorama of city lights.

5. 4WD on the beach on Fraser Island (QLD)

Located just off the coast of South East Queensland, World Heritage-listed K’gari Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts. It’s home to a wide variety of landscapes, including, of course, endless stretches of beach. And as there are no paved roads on the island (outside of its two resort enclaves), 4WD-ing along the beach itself is the most practical and popular way to get around. Keen drivers flock here to cruise along the 140-kilometre Eastern Beach scenic route (aka ‘sand highway’). If you don’t feel confident enough to tackle the terrain yourself, join a group tour from the mainland port town of Hervey Bay.

6. Do a sailing safari in the Whitsundays (QLD)

Certainly the gentlest activity on our bucket list of bone-jarrers, sailing safaris in the stunning Whitsunday Islands — situated off the North Queensland coast — are nonetheless popular with the adventure seeking fraternity and draw intrepid travellers from all corners of the globe. Typically, you’ll spend two nights on board your vessel, and lend a hand hoisting the sails, trimming the jib, and so on. The rest of your time will be taken up with snorkelling, stand up paddle boarding, diving (on some cruises), and soaking up all that lovely Queensland sunshine. Accommodation is generally of the ‘close quarters’ variety (dorm rooms), but most ships also offer a handful of private cabins.

7. Conquer the Cage of Death at Crocosaurus Cove (NT)

It’s probably everyone’s worst nightmare — coming face to face with a large, hungry saltwater crocodile in the drink. In this case you’ll live to tell the tale, thanks to a layer of Perspex separating you and the big guy, and the skill of his handlers at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin. The urban wildlife park’s quaintly named ‘Cage of Death’ experience will see you lowered inside a giant plastic tube into a tank with a gi-normous specimen like ‘Will’ (who weighs in at 700 kilograms). From this vantage point, you’ll get a unique insight into how salties polish off their prey — and it ain’t pretty.

8. Zipline down Matagarup Bridge (WA)

Over in Western Australia, Perth’s swirling Matagarup footbridge opened in 2018 to link the CBD with Perth Stadium, and at 72 metres in height it has also afforded the city two brand new adventure experiences. Bridge Climb will see you trooping up 314 steps to a glass floored viewing platform to soak in spectacular views of the city skyscrapers, stadium, and Swan River. And of course, what goes up, must come down — in this case either via the stairs, or on a 400-metre zipline! Depending on various factors, the zipline can reach speeds of up to 75 kilometers an hour — so it’s certainly the faster of the two routes back to ground level.

9. Skydive over Rottnest Island (WA)

Rottnest Island lies 19 kilometres off the coast from Perth and draws hundreds of holidaymakers and day trippers. Most are content to lounge on the snow-white beaches, paddle in the warm tranquil waters, and pull faces for the camera with the resident quokkas. Others want to throw themselves out of a plane. Each to their own. Skydive Geronimo operates from Rottnest itself and offers a tandem dive experience. Choose to jump from a fixed wing aircraft or be a total boss and do the heli-skydive. Book a morning jump and have the rest of your day free to explore the island.

10. Swim with whale sharks in Ningaloo (WA)

The Ningaloo Coast is a popular stop on every backpacking tour up or down Western Australia’s western coastline — and for good reason. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park covers almost 2,500 square kilometres and is home to a mind-blowing diversity of undersea life — including the largest fish species in the world — the whale shark. Not only can you swim with these gentle giants, but it’s not uncommon to also encounter dolphins, turtles, and manta rays.

If you want to splash down with the mega fish, visit the region between April and August. Cruises depart from both Coral Bay and Exmouth, and scout planes are used to fast track your encounter.

This post was published thanks to Backpacker Tours Australia.

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Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of Australia’s best adventure activities? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

Cover image: Destination NSW. Additional images: Envato