Kate Jones

Call us biased, but we reckon Australia is one of the most astonishing and varied places to explore on Earth. A sizeable place – (you know, continent-sized), it can be hard to know where to begin when it comes to working out how to tackle the Great Southern Land – but that's where we come in. From turquoise beaches with sugar white sand, to ancient tropical rainforests, to flaming red deserts, to buzzy metropolitan cities, we've picked out the 25 most incredible places you should visit in Australia.  No matter who you are, or what you like, rest assured – there's something on this list for everyone.  RECOMMENDED: Follow the rainbow to Australia's most colourful landmarks. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. 

Australia is the biggest island on Earth. With our nation's borders being made out of 100 per cent seawater, it's kind of go figure that we've got a speckling of smaller islands fringing our biggest one – 8,222 of them, to be exact.  It would take you a bloody long time to hop around to them all, so, to save you the trouble, we've rounded up the eight most spectacular, interesting and downright delightful Australian islands that we reckon you need to put on your bucket list. From a far-flung tropical paradise that you've probably never heard of, to wildife sancturies, to a fresh cheese oasis, we've found a diverse range of Aussie islands that will appeal to pretty much every kind of person who likes the sound of escaping the mainland.  Island time? We're ready for you.  RECOMMENDED: The 8 most incredible beaches to dip in Down Under.

Nothing hits quite so right as a mini holiday mid-week. Waking up somewhere new on Saturday morning is like hacking the corporate system, getting extra time off AND being able to say something smug on Monday morning about your very eventful weekend. Wins only. Down Under, there's a dizzying array of options for short weekend getaways that are super close to all our major cities. To help you out with your whole 'enriching my life' plan, we've pulled together eight weekend getaways from every state and territory in Australia that each offer up something different.  RECOMMENDED: The most epic Aussie roadtrips you should drive away on before you die. From wineries to cute country towns to World Heritage wilderness, there's something epic on this list for everyone. Plus – every inclusion on this list is driveable or quickly accessible from a major city, meaning you don't need to drive for half your weekend to get there and/or fork out major dollars for airfares. Begone, boring couch-ridden Saturdays, and fighting off the scaries while washing towels on Sundays. This is your life folks. Go on a bloody mini break.  Want more Aussie travel inspo? Hit up one of these 25 incredible places you can only find Down Under.

Just a zippy 30-minute ferry ride from Fremantle (or 90 minutes from the Perth CBD), Rottnest Island is one of Western Australia's greatest gems. Also known by its local Aboriginal name, Wadjemup, and ‘Rotto’ by locals, it’s an essential addition to any WA itinerary. Out of towners may know Rottnest for its friendly population of quokkas, but the island is also home to the most incredible azure blue waters you’ll come across, and nowadays, it has a selection of top-notch eateries and luxe accommodation, as well as camping grounds, cafés and low-key restaurants for the budget-conscious.  Whether you’re ready to splurge on a peaceful retreat or simply spend your days lounging at the beach and sipping on pints at the hotel, you can easily spend a day, weekend or entire week on Rottnest Island.  Want to keep adventuring? Here are the best day hikes near Perth.