53 Best Sights in The Outback, Australia

Focusing on the desert, which makes up 70% of the Australian landmass, this 128-acre site contains 92 types of plants and 37 animal species in several Australian ecosystems—including the largest nocturnal-animal house in the southern hemisphere. An open-air habitat is also open at night, when animals are most active. At daily presentations, Aboriginal guides discuss the different plants and animals that have helped people traditionally survive and thrive in such an arid desert environment. Don't miss the twice-daily birds of prey presentation at 9 am and 3 pm. Allow about four hours to explore the park, which is located about 7 km (4 miles) west of downtown Alice Springs.

The most distinctive building in this complex is the Museum of Central Australia (A$8 entry), which charts the evolution of the land and its inhabitants—human and animal—around central Australia. Exhibits include a skeleton of the 10½-foot-tall Dromornis stirtoni, the largest bird to walk on earth, which was found northeast of Alice. Also in the precinct are the Aviation Museum (free), Central Craft (free, prices for workshops vary), and Araluen Arts Centre, home to the Araluen Art Galleries and the Namatjira Gallery (A$8 entry), a collection of renowned Aboriginal landscapes, and the Yeperenye Scuplture—a 3-meter-high caterpillar that you can walk through, representing the sacred Dreamtime creator of the country around Alice Springs. The precinct is located 2.4 km (1½ miles) southwest of town, and is on most tourist bus itineraries. The on-site theater has regular screening and events.

Like the main Kakadu escarpment, Burrungkuy, also known as Nourlangie Rock, is a remnant of an ancient plateau that is slowly eroding, leaving sheer cliffs rising high above the floodplains. The main attraction is the Anbangbang Gallery, an excellent frieze of Aboriginal rock paintings.

Watching the sun sink into the sea on Cable Beach is a nightly ritual for almost all visitors to Broome, who flock to the 22-km (14-mile) stretch of dazzling white sand lapped by turquoise water 7 km (4½ miles) from the center of town. The most popular way to watch the sunset is from the back of a swaying camel, but you can also unpack a picnic at the beachside park, drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle onto the sand, or sip a cocktail from the beachside bar at Cable Beach Resort & Spa. By day it's a lot less crowded, and about 1,640 feet north of the vehicle access ramp is a declared nude beach. It's good for swimming, but low tide can mean a long walk across sand to get to the water. Beware of marine stingers (deadly box and Irukandji jellyfish) in the water from December through to April. Amenities: lifeguard; parking (free); toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This 700,000-acre property features some of the most ruggedly beautiful country in the Kimberley. El Questro has a full complement of recreational activities like fishing, swimming, horseback riding, and helicopter rides, and offers individually tailored walking and four-wheel-drive tours. Four independent accommodation facilities are on-site, each different in style and budget: the luxury Homestead (from A$3,285 per night with a two-night minimum-stay requirement and a policy that guests must be ages 16 and up); the safari-style tented cabins at Emma Gorge Resort (from A$350); air-conditioned Riverside Bungalows (from A$175); and Riverside Campgrounds (from A$30 per person per night) at El Questro Station. Each has a restaurant, and rates at the Homestead include drinks and food, laundry, and activities. Alternatively, you can choose to take a full-day tour of El Questro with included trips to Emma Gorge, Zebedee Springs, lunch at The Station, a Chamberlain River Cruise, and round-trip transport from Kununurra (A$268). Not renting a four-wheel-drive vehicle? Take a shuttle from Kununurra starting at A$110 each way to Emma Gorge Resort, A$135 each way to El Questro Station, and A$140 each way to El Questro Homestead.

This is one of the prettiest (and coldest) swimming holes in the Red Centre, so it's quite popular with locals and visitors alike—it's also the deepest and most permanent waterhole in the area, so you may glimpse wild creatures like wallabies or goannas (monitor lizards) quenching their thirst. Take the 3-km (2-mile) Dolomite Walk for a close-up look at this fascinating geological site.

If you've ever fancied being a cowboy or cowgirl, this massive 3½-million-acre working cattle farm at the foot of the majestic Cockburn (pronounced co-burn) range is the place to do it. Owned and operated by the traditional owners of the land, the Balanggarra people through the Indigenous Land Corporation, you can join a cattle muster or just take a half-day horse trek. Other activities include barramundi fishing and four-wheel-drive trips. There's a bar and restaurant on-site and a range of accommodations from stylish "Grass Castle" bungalows complete with cowskin rugs, air-conditioning, fully stocked minibar, flat-screen cable TV, huge walk-in rain shower, and resident tree frogs (from A$425) to motel-style guesthouse rooms (from A$275), and remote bush camping beside the Pentecost River, 4 km (2½ miles) from the homestead (from A$44 per person per night). Note that a four-wheel-drive vehicle is required to reach Home Valley Station and these can be rented in Kununurra via Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty, and Europcar. Air transfers and charter flights can also be arranged from Kununurra Airport.

The superb gathering of Aboriginal rock art is one of Kakadu National Park's major highlights. Two main types of artwork can be seen here—the Mimi style, which is the oldest, is believed to be up to 20,000 years old. Aboriginal people believe that Mimi spirits created the red-ochre stick figures to depict hunting scenes and other pictures of life at the time. The more recent artwork, known as X-ray painting, dates back fewer than 9,000 years and depicts freshwater animals—especially fish, turtles, and geese—living in floodplains created after the last ice age.

As the dry season progresses, billabongs (waterholes) become increasingly important to the more than 280 species of birds that inhabit the park. Huge flocks often gather at Yellow Water, South Alligator River, and Magela Creek. Scenic flights over the wetlands and Arnhem Land escarpment provide unforgettable moments in the wet season.

There are three main walks at Kata Tjuta, the first from the parking lot into Walpa Gorge, a 2.6-km (1.6-mile) hike to the deepest valley between the rocks. The round-trip journey takes about one hour. The gorge is a desert refuge for plants and animals and the rocky track gently rises along a moisture-rich gully, passing inconspicuous rare plants and ending at a grove of flourishing spearwood. More rewarding, but also more difficult, is the Valley of the Winds Walk, which takes you along a stony track to two spectacular lookouts, Karu (2.2 km or 1.3 miles return; allow an hour) and Karingana (5.4 km or 3.3 miles; allow 2½ hours). Experienced walkers can also complete the full 7.4-km (4.6-mile) circuit in about four hours.

Note that the Valley of the Winds Walk closes when temperatures rise above 36°C (97°F), which is usually after 11 am in summer.

The Kata Tjuta Viewing Area, 25 km (16 miles) along Kata Tjuta Road is 1,970 feet from the car park, and interpretive panels explain the natural life around you. It's also where tour buses line up for sunrise photos about a half hour before dawn. Be prepared for crowds—and amazing views of Kata Tjuta and Uluru in the distance.

Inside Watarrka National Park, Kings Canyon is one of the most spectacular sights in central Australia. Sprawling in scope, the canyon's sheer cliff walls shelter a world of ferns and woodlands, permanent springs, and rock pools. The main path is the 6-km (4-mile) Kings Canyon Rim Walk, which starts with a short but steep 15-minute climb straight up from the parking lot to the top of the escarpment; the view 886 feet down to the base of the canyon is amazing. Steep stairs mark your arrival into the scenic Garden of Eden—the only way out along the main trail is via another round of intense stair-climbing back up to the top of the canyon wall, so make sure you're carrying plenty of water for the hike. An easier walk, called the Creek Walk, which starts at the parking lot and winds through the base of the canyon, is just as worthwhile. Alternatively, Kings Canyon Resort offers 8-, 15-, and 30-minute helicopter rides so you can view it all from above (from A$95, A$150, and A$285, respectively).

This beautiful park lies just 120 km (75 miles) southwest of Darwin off the Stuart Highway. Its 1,500 square km (579 square miles) are an untouched wilderness of monsoonal rain forests, rivers, and striking rock formations. The highlights include four separate, spectacular waterfalls—Florence, Tjaynera (Sandy Creek), Wangi, and Tolmer Falls—all of which have secluded plunge pools.  The pools are suitable for swimming but occasionally there are crocs here, so observe any "no swimming" signs.

There is also a dramatic group of large, freestanding sandstone pillars known as the Lost City (accessible only by four-wheel-drive track), and Magnetic Termite Mounds, which have an eerie resemblance to eroded grave markers, which dot the black-soiled plains of the park's northern area. You'll need to camp if you want to stay in the park; campgrounds and RV sites are located near several of the major sights (call the Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory at 08/8976–0282 for more information on the facilities, as they vary by campsite). There are also a few restaurants and modest hotels in the nearby town of Batchelor, though most folks just visit Litchfield as a day trip from Darwin, about a 90-minute drive away.

Collections at this excellent—and free—museum and art gallery encompass Aboriginal art and culture, maritime archaeology, Northern Territory history, and natural sciences. One gallery is devoted to Cyclone Tracy, where you can listen to a terrifying recording of the howling winds. You can also see "Sweetheart," a 16-foot, 10-inch stuffed saltwater crocodile that was known for attacking fishing boats on the Finniss River in the 1970s.

This beautiful gorge has something for everyone, whether you're interested in swimming in the waterhole, taking a short hike to Gum Tree Lookout for fantastic views of the 820-foot-high gorge walls rising from the pool below, or experiencing the best of both worlds on the 90-minute, 7 km (4½-mile) Ormiston Pound Walk.

This historical display sheds light on the difficulties and immense skill involved in pearl harvesting. You'll have a chance to check out one of the restored luggers on a replica jetty along with other such pearling equipment as diving suits and a A$100,000 pearl you can hold. Get an insight into the risky lives of pearl divers, who spent years aboard pearling luggers and diving for pearl shells, on the regular 90-minute tours. This is a must-see for those interested in Broome's history, and for anyone who wants to sample pearl meat, a true delicacy worth A$120 a kilo.

Opened in 1916, Sun Pictures is the world's oldest operating outdoor movie theater. Here, silent movies—accompanied by a pianist—were once shown to the public while these days, current releases are presented in the very pleasant outdoors. Drop in and have a look during the day for free or stick around for a charming movie-viewing experience that hearkens back to another era.

The Kangaroo Sanctuary is the passion project of Chris “Brolga” Barns, whose life’s mission is to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned kangaroos and educate people about how they can easily do the same—all you need to do is pay attention while you’re driving, and if you spot a deceased kangaroo on the side of the road, check to see if there’s still a living joey in its pouch, since they’ll often survive the impact of a vehicle and can live for up to four more days after it. Your ticket includes door-to-door transfers (no one is allowed to drive straight to the property), a 2½- to 3-hour tour, and gives you a chance to take turns holding baby kangaroos and feed Roger, Brolga’s marsupial costar in the popular BBC documentary series Kangaroo Dundee, who started it all.

Rising like an enormous red mountain in the middle of an otherwise completely flat desert, Uluru (formerly called Ayers Rock) is a marvel to behold. Two car parks—Mala and Kuniya—provide access for several short walks, or you can choose to do the full 10-km (6-mile) circuit on the Uluru Base Walk, which takes about four hours. Some places are Aboriginal sacred sites and cannot be entered, nor can they be photographed or captured on video—these are clearly signposted—while signs around the base explain the significance of what you’re looking at and recount traditional myths and legends.

The Mala Walk is 2 km (1 mile) in length and almost all on flat land, taking you to Kanju Gorge from the car park; park rangers provide free tours daily at 8 am from October through April and at 10 am from May through September.

The Liru Walk starts at the cultural center and takes you to the base Uluru. Along the way are stands of mulga trees and, after rain, wildflowers. The track is wheelchair accessible and the walk is an easy 1½ hours.

On the southern side of Uluru, the Kuniya Walk and Mutitjulu Waterhole trail starts at the Kuniya car park and is an easy 45-minute walk along a wheelchair-accessible trail to the water hole, home of Wanampi, an ancestral snake. A rock shelter once used by Aboriginal people houses rock art.

Another popular way to experience Uluru is to watch the natural light reflect on it from one of the two sunset-viewing areas. As the last rays of daylight strike, the rock positively glows as if lit from within. Just as quickly, the light is extinguished and the color changes to a somber mauve and finally to black.

Thorny devils, frill-neck lizards, some of the world's deadliest snakes, and "Terry" the saltwater crocodile inhabit this park in the heart of town, opposite the Royal Flying Doctor Service. From May to August, viewing is best from 11 to 3, when reptiles are most active. There's also a gecko cave and free talks conducted daily at 11, 1, and 3:30, during which you can handle small critters and pick up pythons.

What do children who live hundreds of miles from the nearest school do for education? Find out at this informative visitor center, which harbors a working school within its walls. Discover how distance education has been delivered to the country's most remote parts since 1951; from pedal-operated radio systems to interactive online classes, it's come a long way. During your visit you may have the opportunity to watch a live lesson being taught in one of our studios; outside school hours, you can see a recorded lesson.

You can hand-feed hundreds of fish at this beach on the north-western end of the Esplanade. At high tide people wade into the water with buckets of bread to feed the schools of batfish, bream, catfish, milkfish, and mullet that come inshore in a feeding frenzy.

A nonprofit research, education, and accommodation facility, the Broome Bird Observatory provides the perfect opportunity to see the Kimberley's numerous bird species, some of which migrate annually from Siberia or China. On the shores of Roebuck Bay, 25 km (15 miles) east of Broome, the observatory has a prolific number of migratory waders. The observatory offers a variety of daily guided tours in the dry season (from May to around September), including some focused around the native shorebirds, mangroves, bush and plains—each are 2½ hours and cost A$75—as well as a full-day tour of the lakes that includes morning tea (A$150). Pickup from Broome can also be arranged for A$60 for the first person and A$15 for each additional person in your group. Start times depend on the day of the week and the tides and season, but are typically between 8 am and 3 pm, with the exception of the bush and plains tour, which starts at 3 pm or 3:30 pm and returns after sunset.

Open Monday through Saturday, Broome Camel Safaris offers 60-minute morning rides (A$50), or one-hour sunset rides (A$70). As a special treat, ladies on tour receive a complimentary pair of freshwater pearl sterling-silver earrings by Dahlia Designs, a local jewelry company.

This research facility has an excellent air-conditioned crocodile museum and education center. There are more than 1,200 crocodiles here, from babies to giants up to 16 feet long. The saurian section of the zoo includes the croc-infested Bellairs Lagoon and pens for breeding and raising. The park also has enclosures with lions, tigers, American alligators, cassowaries, primates, turtles, an emu, and a dingo, among other animals, and holds one of the biggest snakes in Australia: a Burmese python weighing 308 pounds. Tours and feedings are at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm, while a croc boat cruise gets you a little closer to these magnificent creatures twice a day at 11 am and 1 pm.

Right in the heart of Darwin City, this is the place to go swimming with saltwater crocodiles and live to tell the tale. Feeding times for the big crocs (daily at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 4:30 pm) and the Cage of Death, a not-for-the-faint-of-heart attraction where visitors are lowered into croc-infested pools in a clear perspex container (A$175), are not to be missed. Bring your swimsuit along and take a photo of you swimming alongside these impressive creatures (again, you're in a completely separate pool). Feedings and presentations happen at different times throughout the day in the four main sections—fish, big crocs, turtles, and nocturnal reptiles—during which you can take your turn feeding young crocs and holding a variety of reptiles.

Geologists believe the mighty Fitzroy River cut and shaped the limestone walls you see today at Danggu Geikie Gorge, and during the wet season, the normally placid waters roar through the region. The walls of the gorge are stained red from iron oxide, except where they have been leached of the mineral and turned white by the floods, which have washed as high as 52 feet from the bottom of the gorge.

The gorge is one of the few places in the world where freshwater barramundi, mussels, stingrays, and prawns swim. The park is also home to the freshwater archerfish, which can spit water as far as a yard to knock insects out of the air. Aboriginal people call this place Danggu, meaning "big fishing hole."

Due to its isolation and sparse population, the Northern Territory played an important role in the expansion of aviation in Australia, and this impressive museum traces the history of flight Down Under. Planes on display include a massive B-52 bomber on permanent loan from the United States and a recently retired RAAF F-111 fighter jet, as well as a Japanese Zero shot down on the first day of bombing raids in 1942. There's also a great exhibition on female aviators, including Amy Johnson, the first to fly solo from the U.K. to Australia in 1930.

WWII came to Australia when 188 Japanese planes bombed Darwin on February 19, 1942, killing 235 people and injuring an additional 400. This high-tech, newer section of the museum at East Point—opened in 2012 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the attack—tells the story of the people who were there that day, the events that led up to and followed it, and Darwin's role in the war. The Defence of Darwin Experience is the highlight—when you hear the air raid siren, head to the back of the museum and enter the theater to view an intense, multisensory telling of what happened that day, complete with loud explosive sounds, strobe lights, and flash effects. It's part of the Darwin Military Museum, which has lots of guns and other military equipment on display, as well as some original buildings that were there during World War II.

First planted in 1886 and largely destroyed by Cyclone Tracy, the 103-acre site today displays rain forest, mangroves, and open woodland environments. There are more than 450 species of palms growing in the gardens. A popular walk takes visitors on a self-guided tour of plants that Aboriginal people have used for medicinal purposes for centuries. The Children's Evolutionary Playground traces the changes in plant groups through time, while the plant display house has tropical ferns, orchids, and other exotic plants to check out. Head to Eva's, a lovely café nestled in a Heritage-listed church within the gardens—it's open from 7 am to 3 pm for breakfast and lunch, and offers a variety of tasty baked goods, coffee, and tea in case you need a break.

This gorge, cut by the sporadic Finke River, often described as the oldest river in the world, slices through the MacDonnell Ranges, revealing dramatic rock layering and tilting. Here the river forms a broad, cold, permanent waterhole that's great for a bracing swim.

The Henbury Meteorites craters, 12 depressions between 6 feet and 600 feet across, are believed to have been formed by a meteorite shower 4,700 years ago—the largest one measures roughly 590 feet wide by 50 feet deep! To get here, you must travel 15 km (9 miles) off the highway on an unpaved road—conventional 2WD sedans will be fine, but be aware that some rental car companies don't cover you if you break down on unsealed roads.