The West Macs are a touch far afield for metro Darwinians but perfect daytrip fodder for Alice Springs residents or visitors to the area. There’s no shortage of stunning distractions on offer for sightseers, with dramatic gorges, ancient Aboriginal sites, sublime lookouts and hiking trails all part of a day’s adventure.
Daydreams
WOMBEYAN CAVES, NSW
A century and a half ago, Wombeyan was the first cave system in the country to receive official protection, and it’s now part of the Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. The caves lie 180km southwest of Sydney and can be reached in around three and a half hour’s drive from the city.
SHARK BAY, WA
Visitors to Shark Bay find themselves ensconced by natural beauty on all sides. Dirk Hartog Island lies just offshore, and the towering cliffs of nearby Steep Point offer up some of the finest landbased fishing platforms in the country.
BOODEREE NP, NSW
Booderee National Park straddles the southern coastline of Jervis Bay, a little under 200km south of Sydney’s suburban sprawl. While only a couple of hours drive from the city’s frenetic crowds, it feels a million miles apart.
OCEAN BEACH, TAS
Ocean Beach is a popular tourist stopover on the Apple Isle’s wild and wooly west coast. There’s over 30km of beachfront to explore and crowds are but a figment of your imagination, out here.
THE COFFS COAST, NSW
The Coffs Coast is known for a lot of things – gorgeous scenery, a boundless spiral of white sandy beaches interspersed with coastal touring routes and some of the prettiest spots to throw down a swag for miles in any direction.