The 35 Most Beautiful Places In Australia (That I Saw In 2015)

This post was last updated on 2024 September 21

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I was feeling a little envious while reading a few year-end recaps by some other travel bloggers who’d been to 10, 20, god knows how many countries this year. That feeling immediately dissolved when I finished compiling photos for this post, highlighting all of the most beautiful places in Australia I had the fortune of laying eyes on during my year on the Australia work and holiday visa.

I’m always going to champion quality over quantity, slow travel over country-counting travel, focusing more of my energy on enjoying one place at a time rather than diluting it across several. I definitely stayed true to that mantra this year by exploring just one country over 12 months. I knew I was crazy for Australia after my year studying abroad here, but returning 8 years later for Round 2 has really deepened my love and appreciation for this glorious nation. If San Francisco is my city soulmate, then Australia is unequivocally my country soulmate.

I look at these Australia photos and all I can think is, my god, this country is unbelievable. I’m thrilled to have seen so much of it and excited at the idea of being able to explore Australia even more thoroughly next year, hopefully getting to check out some spots that have thusfar flown under my radar.

Planning a trip to Australia?

These are the sites I use and recommend for booking travel:

ACCOMMODATION IN AUSTRALIA: I always search on Booking.com for accommodation, as their Genius loyalty program offers 10-20% discounts and free breakfast/upgrades for certain hotels.

FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA: When researching flights, I always check Skyscanner first because it pulls in flight options across all airlines and saves you the trouble of searching each airline individually. When booking flights via Skyscanner, I always book directly with the airline rather than one of the third party options.

CAR RENTAL IN AUSTRALIA:  When renting a car on your travels, check DiscoverCars.com for the best deals.

ACTIVITIES IN AUSTRALIA: If you’re looking to book tours or other organized activities on your travels, GetYourGuide and Viator both offer myriad options for fun things to do all around the world (think: sailing trips, cooking classes, city walking tours, and more).

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR AUSTRALIA: Unless you can easily afford to pay for huge unexpected medical bills, DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! These days, I usually buy the Safety Wing nomad insurance, as it’s very affordable and caters to digital nomads with a monthly subscription option. I’ve also been a longtime World Nomads user, and will still use them if I need more comprehensive insurance (e.g. for adventure activities) or if I am visiting the US (Americans aren’t eligible for Safety Wing’s US add-on option).

ESIM / SIM CARDS FOR AUSTRALIA: When traveling overseas, I always purchase an eSIM from Sims Direct for the country I’m going to, activate it before I depart, and as soon as I arrive I am automatically connected to the local network and can easily find my way to my accommodation. No need to to buy a local SIM card at the airport; eSIMs are fully electronic and don’t require you to take out your old SIM. 

LUGGAGE: I am currently a July luggage girl (July Australia / July US). They offer a lifetime warranty, which I have used multiple times now – and every time, they have sent me a brand new replacement suitcase without hassle. I recommend their Checked Plus if traveling with 32kg/70lb of luggage (note: many airlines do not allow bags this heavy!), the Checked if traveling with 23kg/50lb of luggage, and the Carry On Light (Expanded) which is super lightweight and really helps you stay within the 7kg carry-on limit that many Aussie airlines enforce. Click to read my full review of July luggage

Without further ado, here are the 35 most beautiful places in Australia that I experienced over the past 12 months:

Sydney Harbour

most beautiful places in australia

READ MORE: 21 of the Best Views of Sydney // Sydney Harbour Walk: Mosman to Cremorne // Sydney Harbour Walk: Watsons Bay & South Head // Sydney Harbour Walk: Manly to Spit

South Molle Island

Prettiest places in Australia: South Molle Island

READ MORE: I Got Naked On South Molle Island

The Great Barrier Reef From Above

Most beautiful places in Australia: Heart Reef in the Whitsundays

Prettiest places in Australia: Whitsundays

READ MORE: Highlights From A Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight

Whitehaven Beach

Prettiest places in Australia: Whitsundays

READ MORE: My Chilled Out Whitsundays Sailing Trip

Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks

Most beautiful place in Australia: Sydney New Years Eve fireworks

READ MORE: The Best View of the New Years Eve Fireworks

Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

Most beautiful places in Australia: Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

READ MORE: A Very Unplanned Tasmania Roadtrip

Binalong Bay & Bay of Fires, Tasmania

Prettiest places in Australia: Tasmania

Prettiest places in Australia: Bay of Fires Tasmania

READ MORE: A Very Unplanned Tasmania Roadtrip

Tasman National Park

Most beautiful place in Australia: Tasman National Park

READ MORE: A Very Unplanned Tasmania Roadtrip

The Overland Track

Prettiest places in Australia: Overland Track

READ MORE: Highlights From The Overland Track

The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

Most beautiful places in Australia: Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

READ MORE: Sydney Coastal Walk: Bondi to Coogee // All The Things I’ll Miss From Living On Bondi Beach

Royal National Park

Prettiest places in Australia: Royal National Park

READ MORE: A Guide To Hiking The Royal National Park Coastal Track

Palm Beach

Prettiest places in Australia: Palm Beach Sydney

READ MORE: A Day Trip To Sydney’s Northern Beaches

12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road

Most beautiful place in Australia: Great Ocean Road

READ MORE: Highlights From A Great Ocean Roadtrip

Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road

Most beautiful places in Australia: Great Ocean Road

READ MORE: Highlights From A Great Ocean Roadtrip

Bay of Islands, Great Ocean Road

Prettiest places in Australia: Great Ocean Road

READ MORE: Highlights From A Great Ocean Roadtrip

Sandringham Beach

Prettiest places in Australia: Sandringham beach

READ MORE: Cycling Melbourne is the Best Way to See This City

Sunset From a Mountain in the Grampians

Most beautiful places in Australia: the Grampians

READ MORE: Highlights From A Melbourne to Perth Roadtrip

Planning a trip to Australia?

These are the sites I use and recommend for booking travel:

ACCOMMODATION IN AUSTRALIA: I always search on Booking.com for accommodation, as their Genius loyalty program offers 10-20% discounts and free breakfast/upgrades for certain hotels.

FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA: When researching flights, I always check Skyscanner first because it pulls in flight options across all airlines and saves you the trouble of searching each airline individually. When booking flights via Skyscanner, I always book directly with the airline rather than one of the third party options.

CAR RENTAL IN AUSTRALIA:  When renting a car on your travels, check DiscoverCars.com for the best deals.

ACTIVITIES IN AUSTRALIA: If you’re looking to book tours or other organized activities on your travels, GetYourGuide and Viator both offer myriad options for fun things to do all around the world (think: sailing trips, cooking classes, city walking tours, and more).

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR AUSTRALIA: Unless you can easily afford to pay for huge unexpected medical bills, DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! These days, I usually buy the Safety Wing nomad insurance, as it’s very affordable and caters to digital nomads with a monthly subscription option. I’ve also been a longtime World Nomads user, and will still use them if I need more comprehensive insurance (e.g. for adventure activities) or if I am visiting the US (Americans aren’t eligible for Safety Wing’s US add-on option).

ESIM / SIM CARDS FOR AUSTRALIA: When traveling overseas, I always purchase an eSIM from Sims Direct for the country I’m going to, activate it before I depart, and as soon as I arrive I am automatically connected to the local network and can easily find my way to my accommodation. No need to to buy a local SIM card at the airport; eSIMs are fully electronic and don’t require you to take out your old SIM. 

LUGGAGE: I am currently a July luggage girl (July Australia / July US). They offer a lifetime warranty, which I have used multiple times now – and every time, they have sent me a brand new replacement suitcase without hassle. I recommend their Checked Plus if traveling with 32kg/70lb of luggage (note: many airlines do not allow bags this heavy!), the Checked if traveling with 23kg/50lb of luggage, and the Carry On Light (Expanded) which is super lightweight and really helps you stay within the 7kg carry-on limit that many Aussie airlines enforce. Click to read my full review of July luggage

Sunset & Sunrise at Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park

Prettiest places in Australia: Cape Le Grand National Park

Most beautiful places in Australia: Lucky Bay

READ MORE: The Luckiest Bay in Australia

The Night Sky On Hinchinbrook Island

Most beautiful place in Australia: Hinchinbrook Island

READ MORE: 20 Stunning Photos From Hinchinbrook Island

Sunset at Zoe Beach, Hinchinbrook Island

Most beautiful places in Australia: Hinchinbrook Island

READ MORE: 20 Stunning Photos From Hinchinbrook Island

The Perth Coastline

Prettiest places in Australia: Perth

READ MORE: FIFO, Beaches, and Other Interesting Things About Perth

The Basin, Rottnest Island

Most beautiful place in Australia: Rottnest Island

READ MORE: Visiting Perth? Get Thee To Rottnest Island!

The Margaret River Coastline

Most beautiful places in Australia: Margaret River

READ MORE: Bingeing on Beaches and Wine in Southwest Australia

Sunset at Canal Rocks

Prettiest places in Australia: Southwest Australia

READ MORE: Bingeing on Beaches and Wine in Southwest Australia

Two Peoples Bay, Albany

Most beautiful place in Australia: Albany

READ MORE: Bingeing on Beaches and Wine in Southwest Australia

The View From El Questro Homestead

Prettiest places in Australia: El Questro

READ MORE: Random Notes On Working in the Outback

Mac Micking Pool, El Questro Gorge

Most beautiful places in Australia: El Questro

READ MORE: El Questro Gorge Hopping in the Kimberley

Emma Gorge, El Questro

Most beautiful place in Australia: El Questro

READ MORE: El Questro Gorge Hopping in the Kimberley

Wandjina’s Window & The G-Spot, El Questro

Prettiest places in Australia: El Questro

Most beautiful places in Australia: Wandjina's Window, El Questro

READ MORE: Hitting the G-Spot (and Wandjina’s Window)

The Night Sky From Saddleback Ridge, El Questro

Most beautiful places in Australia: Outback

READ MORE: The Down Under Report: Month 9 of 12

View Over Lake Argyle

Most beautiful places in Australia: Lake Argyle

READ MORE: Surprise! Lake Argyle is Actually Pretty Rad

Litchfield National Park

Prettiest places in Australia: Litchfield National Park

READ MORE: The Down Under Report: Month 9 of 12

The View From Port Phillip Estate

Most beautiful places in Australia: Mornington Peninsula

The Tip Of The Mornington Peninsula

Most beautiful place in Australia: Mornington Peninsula
READ MORE: Why The Mornington Peninsula Is The Best Weekend Trip From Melbourne

Dromana Beach, Mornington Peninsula

Prettiest places in Australia: Dromana Beach

Planning a trip to Australia?

These are the sites I use and recommend for booking travel:

ACCOMMODATION IN AUSTRALIA: I always search on Booking.com for accommodation, as their Genius loyalty program offers 10-20% discounts and free breakfast/upgrades for certain hotels.

FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA: When researching flights, I always check Skyscanner first because it pulls in flight options across all airlines and saves you the trouble of searching each airline individually. When booking flights via Skyscanner, I always book directly with the airline rather than one of the third party options.

CAR RENTAL IN AUSTRALIA:  When renting a car on your travels, check DiscoverCars.com for the best deals.

ACTIVITIES IN AUSTRALIA: If you’re looking to book tours or other organized activities on your travels, GetYourGuide and Viator both offer myriad options for fun things to do all around the world (think: sailing trips, cooking classes, city walking tours, and more).

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR AUSTRALIA: Unless you can easily afford to pay for huge unexpected medical bills, DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! These days, I usually buy the Safety Wing nomad insurance, as it’s very affordable and caters to digital nomads with a monthly subscription option. I’ve also been a longtime World Nomads user, and will still use them if I need more comprehensive insurance (e.g. for adventure activities) or if I am visiting the US (Americans aren’t eligible for Safety Wing’s US add-on option).

ESIM / SIM CARDS FOR AUSTRALIA: When traveling overseas, I always purchase an eSIM from Sims Direct for the country I’m going to, activate it before I depart, and as soon as I arrive I am automatically connected to the local network and can easily find my way to my accommodation. No need to to buy a local SIM card at the airport; eSIMs are fully electronic and don’t require you to take out your old SIM. 

LUGGAGE: I am currently a July luggage girl (July Australia / July US). They offer a lifetime warranty, which I have used multiple times now – and every time, they have sent me a brand new replacement suitcase without hassle. I recommend their Checked Plus if traveling with 32kg/70lb of luggage (note: many airlines do not allow bags this heavy!), the Checked if traveling with 23kg/50lb of luggage, and the Carry On Light (Expanded) which is super lightweight and really helps you stay within the 7kg carry-on limit that many Aussie airlines enforce. Click to read my full review of July luggage

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35 of the Most Beautiful Places in Australia