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Australia’s coastal cities and beach retreats are, understandably, a magnet for holidaymakers, but heading in the opposite direction can be just as rewarding!
There are remarkable regional cities and towns dotted across this wide brown land, and every one of them has something special to share. Rich in history, packed with character (and characters!), and ready to roll out the welcome mat, each has a unique place in the Australian story.
Got the time and tyre tread? Start searching vacation rentals in Australia and let’s hit the road! Here are ten of the country’s best regional travel destinations to tick off.
1. Broken Hill (NSW)
Located roughly 12 hours’ drive west of Sydney (or 2.5 hours by air), Broken Hill in outback New South Wales is a destination that takes a bit of getting to. But once you’re there, you’ll wonder why you left it so long to visit! Australia’s longest continuously operating mining town has a rich heritage to explore and an incredible cache of period buildings. So much so, that the entire city was added to the National Heritage list in 2015 — putting it in the company of the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Ocean Road, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and many other Australian icons.
And it’s not just history buffs that will be in their element in Broken Hill; culture vultures will feel right at home here too. The city has no less than 14 museums and galleries to enjoy, including the Pro Hart Gallery and the Bruce Langford Visitors Centre at the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Living Desert State Park features 12 hilltop sandstone sculptures that were created by a group of international artists back in 1993. It’s a fabulous spot to visit at sunset.
2. Coober Pedy (SA)
The term ‘down under’ is one that’s often associated with Oz, but it takes on a whole new meaning in the South Australian outback opal mining mecca of Coober Pedy. Situated 850 kilometres north of Adelaide, the town attracts around 150,000 visitors a year — most of whom are keen to experience its famous subterranean lifestyle. Originally utilised by mining families as a way to beat the searing heat, today a major percentage of the town is situated underground — in what are known locally as ‘dugouts’. And that includes homes, hotels, churches, bars, and restaurants. Notable examples of dugouts that are open to the public include Faye’s Underground Home — a chintzy retro take on desert living, and Crocodile Harry’s — the former home of eccentric Latvian immigrant Avid von Blumenthal. It’s bizarre to say the least!
3. Kalgoorlie-Boulder (WA)
A seven-hour drive from Perth along the Great Eastern Highway will bring you to another of Australia’s best known mining centres. Established in the early 1890s and like Broken Hill, Kalgoorlie-Boulder has an extraordinary trove of period architecture to admire. The town’s excellent audio walking tour will introduce you to more than 50 heritage sites — most of which were built on the back of the gold rush of the late 1800s. Today, unimaginable wealth continues to be drawn from the Super Pit — and if you’re interested, you can book a tour of this gargantuan mine site. Alternatively, why not try and strike it lucky yourself? Book in for a day of prospecting on a private gold lease with Pirates Gold Prospecting Tours. In the evening, enjoy some gold-plated outback hospitality at one of Kalgoorlie’s many classic pubs.
4. Wangaratta and the King Valley (VIC)
Foodies, this one’s for you. If you’ve done Melbourne, Adelaide, and famous culinary events like the Noosa Eat and Drink Festival and Margaret River Gourmet Escape, you’ll find a new food-lover’s frontier in Wangaratta. Situated in north-eastern Victoria, this is the gateway to the Milawa Gourmet Region and the sublime King Valley wine region — both of which offer a veritable buffet of fine food and wine experiences. And the best bit is that it’s all just a 2.5-hour drive from the Victorian capital. Must-visit cellar doors include Brown Brothers, Sam Miranda Wines, Pizzini Wines, and Christmont (which has an upscale on-site Italian eatery). Take the time between tastings to graze at gourmet outlets like the Milawa Cheese Company, Blue Ox Berries, and The Olive Shop.
5. Mudgee (NSW)
Situated about three hours’ drive north-west of Sydney (you head over the Blue Mountains and hang a right after Lithgow), the town of Mudgee continues to reign as one of regional New South Wales’ most popular short break destinations. Let’s tick off some of the reasons why. The region is another wine lover’s playground, with around 40 cellar doors to suss out and sip at. Mudgee’s wine making pedigree stretches back to the 1850s and the region is best known for its reds (including shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon varieties).
And where there are wineries, there are usually nice things to eat — and that’s certainly the case here. The Zin House gets rave reviews for its Long Lunch, which features five delectable courses with matching wines. There’s no turning over tables here, so take your time. If you’re the arty type, you’ll love the region’s flourishing cultural scene. Browse the range of eclectic handmade wares at Arts and Crafts Mudgee (located in the old railway station).
6. Tamworth (NSW)
Love gone wrong is often the basis for a good country ballad, but there’s nothing so right as a visit to Australia’s capital of country music. For starters, Tamworth has a surprisingly diverse and dynamic dining scene. Try the hatted Glasshouse Restaurant for strapping modern Oz, Deco Wine Bar and Restaurant for fare with Art Deco flair (kick off proceedings with a cocktail in the bar), and The Workshop Kitchen for paddock-to-plate cuisine that showcases the finest local produce to a tee.
You’ll also want to spend time studying the various tributes around town to the rhinestoned stars of Australia’s country music scene — past and present. Don’t miss seeing the Walk a Country Mile exhibition at the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. Country drives from Tamworth are another treat, including to nearby Barraba to see its soaring piece of silo art. Wrap up your day of sightseeing with a prohibition-era cocktail at The Press bar, which is hidden in the basement of the old Northern Daily Leader Building.
7. Rockhampton (QLD)
Rockhampton is renowned as the capital of Queensland’s cattle country, but there’s a whole lot more to this destination than cowboy hats and rodeos. For example, Rocky is home to one of the most celebrated collections of 20th century modernist art in Australia — and it has a stunning new home at the Rockhampton Museum of Art. Devote at least half a day to exploring the airy exhibition spaces of this state-of-the-art facility.
From there, take your sightseeing to new heights on the Nurim Circuit Elevated Boardwalk on Mount Archer, or to new lows in the age-old Capricorn Caves complex. Push the boat out on dinner and drinks at Boathouse (overlooking the Fitzroy River) or the chic laneway restaurant Headricks Lane. If you prefer some good old fashioned pub grub, the Criterion Hotel (known locally simply as ‘the Cri’) serves up a well-priced menu and is chock-a-block with local memorabilia.
8. Lismore (NSW)
Sitting pretty in the Northern Rivers hinterland of New South Wales — roughly 30 minutes’ drive from Byron Bay, 20 minutes from Nimbin, and 30 minutes from Ballina — Lismore has done it tough in recent years. Floods devastated the town in 2017, and again, with even greater ferocity, in 2022. Yet somehow, this tight-knit community has managed to pick itself back up. In fact, Qantas Travel Insider recently deemed it one of the coolest places on the planet to visit. Reconstruction has come on in leaps and bounds in recent months, and the imminent reopening of Lismore Regional Gallery is likely to be a watershed moment for the community. The centry-old Star Court Theatre is back in business and continues to be a bastion of the avant-garde. It screens arthouse films and stages a diverse programme of live entertainment. Mix and mingle with local residents and more than 40 food producers/providores at the Lismore Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday morning at the Showground.
9. Warwick (QLD)
Over on Queensland’s Southern Darling Downs, lovers of fine period architecture will find another happy place in the city of Warwick. Established in 1849, the CBD is peppered with regal sandstone structures — including the colonnaded Post Office (circa 1898), the ornate Town Hall (circa 1888), the 19th century Court House (which is still in use today). Note the soaring steeple on the second St Mary’s Catholic Church (circa 1926). For information on all of the above, download a copy of Southern Downs and Granite Belt Regional Tourism’s excellent Heritage and Historic Building Trails.
Warwick is probably best known for its combined Rose and Rodeo Festival in October — but if you’re not in town for that, swing by the Rodeo Heritage Centre on Alice Street (and note the nearby civic rose garden, which was planted in 1977 to commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee). There are yet more awesome pubs to patronise for a meal, including the Warwick Hotel. Dating back to 1908, it serves traditional favs in a suitably old-world setting. If you’re up for a bit of a drive, check out the Sandy Creek Pub. Now this is what country hospitality is all about!
10. Queenstown (TAS)
Queenstown lies in Tasmania’s remote west — just shy of four hours’ drive from Hobart. Once one of the world’s richest copper mining towns, today Queenstown is dominated by peaks almost completely devoid of vegetation — the result of more than a century of mining activity. Despite the degradation of the landscape, many visitors suggest that the region has a strange and compelling beauty. You be the judge. Note the town’s infamous gravel football oval — built in 1895 and still used for sporting clashes today.
Before you get to Queenstown, stop for a fortifying dose of mother nature’s beauty at Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park. The tiered falls are tucked away in a seemingly prehistoric world of soaring tree ferns, mossy logs, and babbling streams. From Queenstown, you can also visit Tasmania’s highest waterfall — Montezuma Falls — which pours over a 100-metre-high escarpment. Make your way across the neighbouring (and rather wobbly!) suspension bridge for spectacular photo opportunities.
This post was published thanks to Hotala.
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About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
