Australien

Cairns (pronounced ‘cans’) has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a boggy swamp and rollicking goldfields port. As the number-one base for Far North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, today Cairns heaves under the weight of an ever-growing number of resorts, tour agencies, souvenir shops, backpacker bars and reef boats. This is a tourist town, and unashamedly so – luxury hotel development in 2018 and an increasingly busy cruise-ship port suggest it's only growing busier.

On the lowest gradient of any Australian river, the slow-flowing Murray hooks through 650 South Australian kilometres. Tamed by weirs and locks, it irrigates the fruit trees and vines of the sandy Riverland district to the north, and winds through the dairy country of the Murraylands district to the south. Raucous flocks of white corellas and pink galahs launch from cliffs and river red gums, darting across lush vineyards and orchards.

Northern Queensland's often-overlooked major city is easy on the eye: at Townsville's heart is its handsome, endless esplanade, an ideal viewing platform to fabulous Magnetic Island, a mere ferry ride offshore. A better museum and aquarium you'll struggle to find in Queensland, and it's a pedestrian-friendly city, its grand, refurbished 19th-century buildings offering loads of landmarks. If in doubt, join the throngs of the fit and fabulous marching up bright red Castle Hill to gaze across the city's dry environs.

Synonymous with penguins and petrolheads, Phillip Island attracts a curious mix of holidaymakers and tourists. At its heart, the island is still a farming community, but nature has conspired to turn it into one of Victoria’s most popular tourist destinations. Apart from the major draws of the Penguin Parade and the annual Motorcycle Grand Prix, there’s rich Indigenous history here (the Boon Wurrung people are the traditional custodians), as well as abundant bird life and fauna. And there are also wonderful beaches, which are a major attraction in summer.

Unfettered and alive, West Coast Australia is 12,500km of truly spectacular coastline. There's a freedom and optimism here that the rest of Australia can't replicate.

With hot, dry summers and cool, moderate winters, the Barossa is one of the world's great wine regions and an absolute must for wine fans. It's a compact valley − just 25km long − but the Barossa produces 21% of Australia's wine, and it makes a no-fuss day trip from Adelaide, 65km away.

The 15 narrow, breathtaking gorges, hidden pools and spectacular waterfalls of the 6275-sq-km Karijini National Park (https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/karijini; admission per car $13) form one of WA's most impressive attractions. Nature lovers flock to this red slice of the Hamersley Range and its deep, dark chasms (the traditional lands of the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga peoples), home to abundant wildlife and over 800 different plant species.

Known simply as 'the Flinders', this ancient mountain range is an iconic South Australian environment. Jagged peaks and escarpments rise up north of Port Augusta and track 400km north to Mt Hopeless. The colours here are remarkable: as the day stretches out, the mountains shift from mauve mornings to midday chocolates and ochre-red sunsets. Emus wander across roads; yellow-footed rock wallabies bound from boulder to boulder.

With its enticing mix of history, adventure and culinary temptations, Victoria's High Country is a wonderful place to spend some time. The Great Dividing Range – Australia’s eastern mountain spine – curls around eastern Victoria from the Snowy Mountains to the Grampians, peaking in the spectacular High Country. These are Victoria’s alps – a mountain playground attracting skiers and snowboarders in winter and bushwalkers and mountain bikers in summer. Here the mountain air is clear and invigorating, winter snowfalls at the resorts of Mt Buller, Mt Hotham and Falls Creek are fairly reliable, and the scenery is spectacular.

The port city of Newcastle may be a fraction of the size of Sydney, but Australia's second-oldest city punches well above its weight. Superb surf beaches, historical architecture and a sun-drenched climate are only part of its charm. Fine dining, hip bars, quirky boutiques, a diverse arts scene and a laid-back attitude combine to make 'Newy' well worth a couple of days of your time.