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A man stands in the luminous plankton of Jervis Bay
Photograph: Trevor McKinnon

The seven rarest natural phenomena you can witness in Australia

These won't be part of your everyday white-sand-and-margaritas vacay. Here's where to head when you're hoping to catch a glimpse of Mother Nature at her most extraordinary

Written by
Divya Venkataraman
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When you're well and truly caught up in living the city life, it's easy to forget the unmistakable jolt of electricity you feel when encountering the unreal majesty of our natural world.

It's no secret that Australia's landscape plays host to a range of wonders. But be warned: natural phenomena are fickle and they don't play by human calendars. If you're hoping to see sights seldom witnessed by human eyes, you've got to be prepared to be patient.

We've picked out some of Australia's rarest and most spectacular natural phenomena that are worth travelling to the far corners of our country for. There's no guarantee on these adventures, so you'll have to let go and give in to the universe's mysterious natural rhythms – but surely that's part of what makes seeing them so incredibly special?

Here are seven rare natural phenomena in Australia that you need to see at least once in your lifetime.

RECOMMENDED: 11 natural wonders worth a day trip from Sydney

Bioluminescent plankton, Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Photograph: Unsplash/Trevor McKinnon

Bioluminescent plankton, Jervis Bay, New South Wales

Just three hours' drive from Sydney, Jervis Bay has garnered somewhat of a reputation for its oh-so-idyllic white sand beaches. But after dark, things get a whole lot more interesting. Due to a chemical reaction, the area's plankton becomes bioluminscent and emits a strong, blue-tinted glow. En masse, they light up the sea, and the shore turns into a sparkling, glittering expanse of beautiful lights as the gentle tide continues to lap against the beach, flecked by luminous plankton. Hot tip: scientists have found that the presence of red algae during the day can indicate a higher likelihood of bioluminescence in the evening.

When to go: While this phenomenon can happen at any time of the year, it's more common in the warmer months.

Morning Glory clouds, Burketown, Queensland
Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

Morning Glory clouds, Burketown, Queensland

It's only in the northern tip of Australia, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, that you can spot with any kind of regularity these long, tubular cloud formations that take over the sky. They can be up to 1,000 kilometres long, and around one to two kilometres wide. Thrill-seeking glider pilots flock to the region across late spring to try ride out the currents of air produced by these clouds, which allows them to stay airborne far longer than normal. Scientists have puzzled over the explanation behind this phenomena in recent times, but it's been recorded and observed for millennia: the Garrawa people of the First Nations knew the strange clouds that would roll through their skies once a year as kangólgi. 

When to go: Late September to early November.

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Coral spawning, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
Photograph: Unsplash/Theme Inn

Coral spawning, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

Affectionately known by locals as "the world's largest orgasm", coral spawning is the process by which the Great Barrier Reef reproduces. In what is a truly spectacular sight, polyps scatter egg and sperm bundles they’ve been amassing for months into the big blue, where it is fertilised and goes on to populate the reef with more coral. The dispersion of polyps is only visible underwater – so go diving, snorkelling or hop on board a submarine and sail through the reef to witness the majesty of the coral life cycle.

When to go: Three to five days after the full moon in November to February.

Aurora Australis, Tasmania
Photograph: Tim Grimsey Photography

Aurora Australis, Tasmania

The Northern hemisphere has to share the Aurora Borealis across its hundred or so countries, but down south, we've got the Aurora Australis all to ourselves. No doubt you've heard of the storied lights, which take over the sky in the colder months of the year, flashing luminous shades of violet, blue, green and glowing orange. It's better to be as far away from sources of light pollution as possible to experience this celestial spectacle at its best, so book a secluded lodge in Tasmania's Bruny Island or Satellite Island and hunker down for the show. 

When to go: The winter months are best, so book in between June-August, or during the spring equinox. 

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Horizontal Falls, Western Australia
Photograph: Jewels Lynch Photography

Horizontal Falls, Western Australia

If it raises David Attenborough's eyebrows, you know it's got to be worth a visit. Dubbed by Sir David himself as "Australia’s most unusual natural wonder", the Horizontal Falls in Western Australia's Talbot Bay are a beautiful mystery. Fast-moving tidal currents in the Buccaneer Archipelago force themselves between two narrow gorges, resulting in 'waterfalls' – but on their sides. And that's not all – they reverse themselves, too, every day when the tide turns. To ride the waterfall yourself, you can take a boat through the currents, or take in the view from above via a gorgeous, low-flying scenic flight.  

When to go: any time of the year, at high and low tide. 

World’s largest dinosaur footprints, Broome, Western Australia
Photograph: Tourism Western Australia

World’s largest dinosaur footprints, Broome, Western Australia

Life has thrived on our extraordinary continent for millions of years, and in a few special places, you can literally step back in time, to when against walked these lands. Near Broome in Western Australia lie the largest set of fossilised dinosaur footprints in the world – but they're notoriously difficult to find. At Gantheaume Point, travellers can step out onto red sandstone cliffs and wait for the tide to recede to spot the gigantic footprints out at sea. The footprints, which span the size of an average adult human (1.7 metres), are an unfathomable 130-million-years old. If you're there at the right time, around two to three days a month across the cooler months of the year, you'll also be able to spot a strange phenomenon across Cable Beach called the ‘Staircase to the Moon’. As the full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats, it creates the illusion over the sea of a set of steps rising up to the sky. 

When to go: various times of year are best. Check out the dates here

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Cuttlefish annual aggregation, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
Photograph: Carl Charter Photography

Cuttlefish annual aggregation, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

Show us someone cynical about the existence of extraterrestrial life, and we'd show them a picture of a cuttlefish. The annual aggregation of giant cuttlefish in the Spencer Gulf in South Australia is certainly a sight to behold. The gulf is the only place where you can predictably and annually see giant cuttlefish en masse. They regularly switch colours, shifting with alarming rapidity to change their shape and texture to look like rocks, sand, and even seaweed. Want to try spot them yourself? If you head over to Stony Point in the Eyre Peninsula throughout June and July, you can snorkel and dive with these mysterious, otherworldly creatures of the deep, on the coastline of the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park. 

When to go:
 Plan your trip to coincide with the giant cuttlefish migration season, during June and July.

Discover nature right on your doorstep

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