Australia Outdoors

Bushwalking

Bushwalking is supremely popular in Australia, with vast swathes of untouched scrub and forest providing ample opportunity. Hikes vary from 20-minute jaunts off the roadside to week-long wilderness epics. The best time to head into the bush varies from state to state, but as a general rule the further north you go the more tropical and humid the climate gets: June to August are the best walking months up north; down south, summer and early autumn (December to March) are better.

Notable walks include the Overland Track and the South Coast Track in Tasmania, and the Australian Alps Walking Track, Great Ocean Walk and Great South West Walk in Victoria. The Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia (WA) is epic, as is the Thorsborne Trail across Hinchinbrook Island and the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk in Queensland.

In New South Wales (NSW) you can trek between Sydney and Newcastle on the Great North Walk, tackle Royal National Park's Coast Track, the Six Foot Track in the Blue Mountains, or scale Mt Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak. In South Australia (SA) you can bite off a chunk of the 1200km Heysen Trail, while in the Northern Territory (NT) there's the majestic 233.5km Larapinta Trail and remote tracks in Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park.

Bushwalking Safety

Before you lace up your boots, make sure you're walking in a region – and on tracks – within your realm of experience, and that you feel healthy and comfortable walking for a sustained period. Check with local authorities for weather and track updates: be aware that weather conditions and terrain can vary significantly within regions, and that seasonal changes can considerably alter any track.

Cycling

Cyclists in Australia have access to plenty of cycling routes and can tour the country for days, weekends or even multi-week trips. Or you can just rent a bike for a few hours and wheel around a city.

Standout longer routes include the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail and the East Gippsland Rail Trail in Victoria. In WA the Munda Biddi Trail offers 900km of mountain biking, or you can rampage along the same distance on the Mawson Trail in SA. The 480km Tasmania Trail is a north–south mountain-bike route across the length of the island state.

Rental rates charged by most outfits for road or mountain bikes start at around $20/40 per hour/day. Deposits range from $50 to $200, depending on the rental period. Most states have bicycle organisations that can provide maps and advice.

Wildlife Watching

The local wildlife is one of Australia's top selling points, and justifiably so. National parks are the best places to meet the residents, although many species are nocturnal so you may need to hone your torch (flashlight) skills to spot them.

Australia is a twitcher's (committed bird-watcher) haven, with a wide variety of habitats and bird life, particularly water birds. Canberra has the richest bird life of any Australian capital city. Birds are also big business in the tropical north, particularly in Kakadu National Park in NT where the bird life is astonishing (...not to mention the crocodiles).

In NSW there are platypuses and gliders in New England National Park, and 120 bird species in Dorrigo National Park. Border Ranges National Park is home to a quarter of all of Australia's bird species. Willandra National Park is World Heritage–listed and encompasses dense temperate wetlands and wildlife, and koalas are a dime a dozen around Port Macquarie. WA is also rife with bird-watching hot spots.

In Victoria, Wilsons Promontory National Park teems with wildlife − in fact, wombats sometimes seem to outnumber people.

In SA make a beeline for Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island (KI) to see koalas, kangaroos and platypuses; and Flinders National Park in the north for emus. In Queensland, head to Malanda for bird life, turtles and pademelons; Cape Tribulation for even better bird life; Magnetic Island for koala spotting, Fraser Island for dingoes; and the Daintree Rainforest for cassowaries. In Tasmania, Maria Island is another twitcher's paradise, while Mt William and Mt Field National Parks teem with native fauna, including Tasmanian devils (...though probably not Tasmanian tigers).

Skiing & Snowboarding

Australia has a small but enthusiastic skiing industry, with snowfields straddling the NSW–Victoria border. The season is relatively short, however, running from about mid-June to early September, and snowfalls can be unpredictable. In NSW the top places to ski are within Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains; in Victoria head for Mt Buller, Falls Creek or Mt Hotham in the High Country. Tasmania also has a few small ski fields.

Where to Surf in Australia

Bells Beach, Cactus, Margaret River, the Superbank...mention any of them in the right company and stories of surfing legend will undoubtedly emerge. The Superbank hosts the first event on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour calendar each year, and Bells Beach the second, with Bells the longest-serving host of an ASP event. Cactus dangles the lure of remote mystique, while Margaret River is a haunt for surfers chasing bigger waves.

While the aforementioned might be jewels, they're dot points in the sea of stars that Australia has to offer. Little wonder − the coastline is vast, touching the Indian, Southern and South Pacific Oceans. With that much potential swell, an intricate coastal architecture and the right conditions, you'll find anything from innocent breaks to gnarly reefs not far from all six Australian state capitals.

Diving & Snorkelling

The Great Barrier Reef has more dazzling diving and snorkelling sites than you can poke a fin at.

In WA, Ningaloo Reef is every bit as interesting as the east-coast reefs, without the tourist numbers. There are spectacular artificial reefs here, too, created by sunken ships at Albany and Dunsborough.

The Rapid Bay jetty off the Gulf St Vincent coast in SA is renowned for its abundant marine life, and in Tasmania the Bay of Fires and Eaglehawk Neck are popular spots. In NSW head for Jervis Bay and Fish Rock Cave off South West Rocks.

Fishing

Barramundi fishing is hugely popular across the Top End, particularly around Borroloola in the NT, and Karumba and Lake Tinaroo in Queensland.

Ocean fishing is possible right around the country, from pier or beach, or you can organise a deep-sea charter. There are magnificent glacial lakes and clear highland streams for trout fishing in Tasmania.

Before casting a line, be warned that strict limits to catches and sizes apply in Australia, and many species are threatened and therefore protected. Check local guidelines via fishing equipment stores or through individual state's government fishing bodies for information.

Whale, Dolphin & Marine-life Watching

Southern right and humpback whales pass close to Australia's southern coast on their migratory route between the Antarctic and warmer waters. The best spots for whale-watching cruises are Hervey Bay in Queensland, Eden in southern NSW, the mid-north coast of NSW, Warrnambool in Victoria, Albany on WA's southwest cape, and numerous places in SA. Whale-watching season is roughly May to October. For whale sharks and manta rays try WA's Ningaloo Marine Park.

Dolphins can be seen year-round along the east coast at Jervis Bay, Port Stephens and Byron Bay in NSW; off the coast of WA at Bunbury and Rockingham; off North Stradbroke Island in Queensland; and you can swim with them off Sorrento in Victoria. You can also see fairy penguins in Victoria on Phillip Island. In WA, fur seals and sea lions can variously be seen at Rottnest Island, Esperance, Rockingham and Green Head, and all manner of beautiful sea creatures inhabit Monkey Mia (including dugongs). Sea lions also visit the aptly named (though not technically correct) Seal Bay on SA's Kangaroo Island.