{"id":11645,"date":"2020-11-19T16:13:37","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T06:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=11645"},"modified":"2021-01-05T10:32:18","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T00:32:18","slug":"7-of-australias-most-awesome-and-underrated-getaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/under-the-radar-aussie-getaways\/","title":{"rendered":"7 of Australia\u2019s most awesome (and underrated) getaways"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t be bummed about being hemmed in by home borders for the near future \u2013 there are plenty of places to explore in Oz that rival any overseas destination. We\u2019re not just talking about Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef, either; we know at least seven (kind-of) secret Aussie spots that don\u2019t get half the hype they deserve. When the time\u2019s right, here are seven places you should definitely visit.<\/p>\n

1. Derwent Valley, TAS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tempted to visit Tassie for Freycinet? We reckon it\u2019s worth heading west instead. The Derwent Valley, less than two hour\u2019s drive from Hobart, is a living watercolour with pristine, fresh lakes and thick forests. It\u2019s also the gateway to the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and the South-West Wilderness, where keen hikers can make tracks around waterfalls or past plunging gorges.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>The Shingles Riverside Cottages<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

2. Arnhem Land, NT<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While true off-the-grid experiences are hard to come by, Arnhem Land is an exception. In this rugged chunk of the Top End, you\u2019ll have endless, unspoilt landscapes to discover and more company in wildlife than people (think nesting turtles, saltwater crocs and chubby dugongs). Those you do meet have some pretty wonderful tales to tell: the Yolngu people are the traditional owners of this land, and their roots in the region reach back some 60,000 years.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Walkabout Lodge<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

3. South Coast, NSW<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Three and half hours south of Sydney, the coast and the country combine to create the perfectly scenic surrounds of NSW\u2019s South Coast. Milton is a definite highlight, with city-grade eateries (Small Town<\/a> and Milk Haus<\/a> are highlights) and a friendly local pub with a great live music scene. Our pick for an activity? Laying a towel on any of the nearby beaches \u2013 Mollymook, Buckley\u2019s or Narrawallee are some of the prettiest you\u2019ll ever see.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Allure on Ocean Motel<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

4. Eyre Peninsula, SA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Where do you go when you want to be truly alone? Somewhere in the back country of South Australia\u2019s Eyre Peninsula. Reception may be patchy on this peninsula but you won\u2019t miss your signal \u2013 here, the beaches are beautiful, the seafood is exceptional (Pacific oysters are the region\u2019s calling card) and the outback adventures are almost always without crowds.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Tumby Villas<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5. Mission Beach, QLD<\/strong><\/h2>\n

People often make a beeline for Cairns or Proserpine on their way to the Great Barrier Reef or The Whitsundays. That leaves Mission Beach, a sleepy string of four coastal towns hugged by rainforest and banana plantations, seriously overlooked! Because it\u2019s where two World Heritage areas of the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef overlap, we\u2019ve made a sample itinerary for your trip: eat, beach, hike, sleep, repeat.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Cassawong Cottages<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

6. The Great Southern, WA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you don\u2019t know about this this corner of WA, you\u2019ve missed a trick. Between the stunning coastal hikes (any path that hugs the ocean around Denmark is a must), string of charming towns and hefty handful of stellar wine regions pumping out some of the best plonk in the country, it\u2019s hard to understand why anyone wouldn\u2019t want to make a permanent move here.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Premier Mill Hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

7. Dandenong Ranges, VIC<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This under-appreciated gem of a region is all about quaint towns, quiet gardens and lush gullies \u2013 the perfect sampler plate for any traveller. Tackle a trail through the magical Sherbrook Forest in the morning, scour boutiques for luxury soaps in Sassafras at lunch and sip tea while smearing jam on some fluffy scones in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Stay at: <\/strong>Punthill Dandenong<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/i> PLAN YOUR NEXT AUSSIE GETAWAY <\/a>\n

Heads up! Due to COVID-19, government restrictions are in constant review and travel guidelines may change. We strongly recommend that all travellers seek further information about destinations and attractions before scheduling trips or making bookings, take extra care and follow all rules.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t be bummed about being hemmed in by home borders for the near future \u2013 there are plenty of places to explore in Oz that rival any overseas destination. We\u2019re not just talking about Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef, either; we know at least seven (kind-of) secret Aussie spots that don\u2019t get half the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":11656,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[740],"tags":[906],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11645"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11645"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11963,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11645\/revisions\/11963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}