5 of the best national parks in Australia
There are more than 500 national parks in Australia covering some 28 million hectares. These are some of our favourites.
Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the most spectacular images from these national parks.
1. Freycinet National Park, Tasmania
Tasmania is incredibly beautiful and Freycinet might just be the most beautiful place in it. For starters, there’s Wineglass Bay, a picture-perfect spot where aquamarine ocean meets white sand meets green forest. Then there are the pink granite peaks of the Hazards mountain range that seem to glow from within at sunset. Add to that great walking trails, incredible eco-friendly lodges and delicious local food and wine, and you’ve got an unbeatable park.
2. Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria
Victoria’s largest coastal wilderness area covers more than 50,000 hectares and is made up of lush wetlands, forested valleys, imposing granite mountains and beaches with sand so clean it literally squeaks beneath your feet. The park is threaded with walking tracks that will take you up close to a huge range of wildlife, like kangaroos, emus, wombats and echidnas. You can even feed brightly-plumed rosellas right from your hand.
3. Carnarvon National Park, Queensland
A lush oasis in the semi-arid centre of Queensland, the park is centred around Carnarvon Gorge. This steep-sided canyon rises up above Carnarvon Creek and is dotted with inviting swimming holes, hanging gardens and huge boulders. It’s home to an abundance of birdlife as well as many species of plant you won’t find anywhere else in the region. Explore one of the narrow spears off the main gorge in search of ancient rock art sites and the largest ferns in the world.
4. Royal National Park, New South Wales
Australia is home to the second oldest national park in the world and it’s just outside of Sydney. The Royal National Park was established in 1879 and is a spectacular mix of bushland and beach. The park was originally designed as a place for Sydneysiders to relax, rather than as an environmental preserve, so it’s one of the most user-friendly parks in the country. You could spend weeks walking the paths, picnicking in picturesque clearings, kayaking along the river or swimming in quiet coves.
5. Purnululu National Park, Western Australia
It’s hard to believe that the outside world only discovered the jawdropping sandstone landscapes of the Bungle Bungles in the 1980s. Purnululu, home to the unique rock formations, is one of the country’s newest national parks and was formed in 1987. Walk through long narrow chasms and huge gorges large enough to host a full scale symphony, with walls rising up to 300 metres. The Bungle Bungles are an incredible sight from the air, so think about a scenic flight from nearby Kununurra.
Have you visited any of the national parks mentioned above? Is there any that you think we should add to our list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Image: Getty