Australien

One of the Fraser Coast's most alluring honeypots, Hervey Bay unfurls itself lazily along a seemingly endless bayside shorefront, packing plenty of apartments, restaurants, pubs and tour operators into the streets behind. Young travellers with an eye on Fraser Island rub shoulders with grey nomads passing languidly through campgrounds and serious fisherfolk recharging in pursuit of the one that got away. Throw in the chance to see majestic humpback whales frolicking here from July to October, and the town’s convenient access to the Unesco–listed Fraser Island, and it’s easy to understand how Hervey Bay has become an unflashy, yet undeniably appealing, tourist hotspot.

Unfettered and alive, West Coast Australia is 12,500km of truly spectacular coastline. There's a freedom and optimism here that the rest of Australia can't replicate.

The port city of Newcastle may be a fraction of the size of Sydney, but Australia's second-oldest city punches well above its weight. Superb surf beaches, historical architecture and a sun-drenched climate are only part of its charm. Fine dining, hip bars, quirky boutiques, a diverse arts scene and a laid-back attitude combine to make 'Newy' well worth a couple of days of your time.

Across this diverse region, the Southern Highlands, just south of Sydney, offers the chance for weekend getaways packed with good eating and stylish accommodation.

Spread between the tourist darlings of Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands, this lesser-known, rainforested stretch of quiet, palm-edged beaches is where giant endangered cassowary graze for seeds, and koalas nap in gum trees on islands encircled by turquoise seas. Oft-overlooked Townsville is the urban centre and offers pleasant, wide, modern streets, a landscaped seaside promenade, gracious 19th-century architecture, and a host of cultural venues and sporting events. It's also the jumping-off point for Magnetic Island, a great budget alternative to the Whitsundays and with far more wildlife – hand-feed wild wallabies, spot an incredible range of bird life on fantastic bushwalking trails and look for koalas.

With its enticing mix of history, adventure and culinary temptations, Victoria's High Country is a wonderful place to spend some time. The Great Dividing Range – Australia’s eastern mountain spine – curls around eastern Victoria from the Snowy Mountains to the Grampians, peaking in the spectacular High Country. These are Victoria’s alps – a mountain playground attracting skiers and snowboarders in winter and bushwalkers and mountain bikers in summer. Here the mountain air is clear and invigorating, winter snowfalls at the resorts of Mt Buller, Mt Hotham and Falls Creek are fairly reliable, and the scenery is spectacular.

Lately Canberra has been staking a claim for the title of Australia's coolest city – and we’re not just talking winter temperatures. Where else can you find superb dining and world-class cultural experiences only a short stroll from wildlife-filled bushland reserves and serene lakeshore views?

The massive mullock heap (of mine residue) that forms a backdrop for Broken Hill's town centre accentuates the unique character of this desert frontier town. For all its remoteness, the fine facilities and high-quality attractions can feel like an oasis somewhere close to the end of the earth. Some of the state's most impressive national parks are nearby, as is an intriguing near-ghost town, and everywhere there is an impressive spirit of community and creativity.

The Great Ocean Road (B100) is one of Australia’s most famous touring routes. It takes travellers past world-class surfing breaks, through pockets of rainforest and calm seaside towns, and under koala-filled tree canopies. It shows off sheer limestone cliffs, dairy farms and heathland, and gets you up close and personal with the crashing waves of the Southern Ocean.

When the Adelaide plains are desert-hot in the summer months, the Adelaide Hills (technically the Mt Lofty Ranges – the traditional lands of the Peramangk people) are always a few degrees cooler, with crisp air, woodland shade and labyrinthine valleys. Early colonists built stately summer houses around Stirling and Aldgate, and German settlers escaping religious persecution also arrived, infusing towns like Hahndorf and Lobethal with European values and architecture.