Bucket list inspiration! 5 incredible natural phenomena to see in Australia

With wide open spaces, beautiful beaches and lush rainforests, it’s hard not to want to travel around Australia and explore its many gems.

There’s a few places – particularly among overseas visitors – that travellers think of when they hear Australia. Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, just to name a few. They’re certainly worth visiting if you haven’t already, but there’s some incredible natural phenomena that just must be explored as well.

These places or natural events are guaranteed to leave you utterly speechless due to their beauty and uniqueness. Let’s just say, you’ll be taking many snaps!

And while many people are still stuck at home due to Covid-19 restrictions being reinforced, it doesn’t mean that we can’t dream about the wondrous adventures we can go on once the borders within this great country open up again and travel is allowed.

Horizontal Falls

Usually when you go to visit a waterfall you see the water rushing down from overhead. It’s beautiful to watch and incredible when you can swim right up underneath it. But, Western Australia is home to the unique Horizontal Falls where the water falls sideways.

It sounds bizarre, but you’re sure to be amazed. It occurs as the tide ebbs and flows and a huge volume of water is forced through two narrow cliff passages which creates a different kind of waterfall effect. These amazing Horizontal Falls are found on the coast of the Kimberley region and best seen from a scenic flight, or on a boat ride.

One way to experience the beauty of this region and the Horizontal Falls is to travel on a cruise down the west coast. Currently Travel at 60 has a deal on offer which includes a 10-night adventure from Darwin to Broome on a small ship expedition. A highlight of this trip is riding the rapids at the Horizontal Falls – it’s a truly thrilling experience!

Aurora Australis

The Aurora Australis is a beautiful spectacle which lights up the night sky with shades of green, purple and red. It can be viewed all year round from certain places across the country, however is best seen from Tasmania during the winter months.

Bruny Island is a top location to see the light show. You can climb the stairs at The Neck and face south to capture an incredible sight. Satellite Island, Cradle Mountain, and Bathurst Harbour are also popular places to watch as the night sky turns to green, purple and red.

Wildflowers of WA

If you’re an avid gardener and love the beauty of nature then you have to head to Western Australia when the wildflowers are in bloom. Each year between July and October, parts of the state turn into a colourful paradise, with over 12,000 species of wildflowers brightening up the Pilbara, Goldfields and Coral Coast.

On a six day guided holiday, offered by Travel at 60, you can experience this spectacular sight. You’ll venture from Perth to the beautiful coastal town of Kalbarri, on to Kalbarri National Park, where you’ll see stretches of wildflowers, to Geraldton and back towards Perth, with a visit to the Nambung National Park along the way.

Pink Lakes

Australia is home to many incredible pink lakes, but Lake Hillier on Middle Island off the coast of Esperance in Western Australia is undoubtedly the most impressive. Unlike other pink lakes across the country, the colour is permanent and doesn’t fade throughout the year.

The pink comes from a particular type of algae which is found in sea salt fields. And amazingly the water from the lake remains pink even when it’s taken from the lake and placed in a container.

The best way to see the lake is by air on a scenic flight which depart from Esperance. Otherwise, you can travel to Lake Hillier by boat, but the colours won’t seem quite so spectacular.

Staircase to the Moon

The Staircase to the Moon sounds like some kind of magical event, and when you see it, it certainly looks out of this world. This incredible natural phenomenon is visible only three nights every month between March and October when the moon reflects off the exposed mudflats in Roebuck Bay, Broome. It creates a vision which looks like stairs going up to the moon.

The first two days of Staircase to the Moon generally also play host to a special market where you can sample local produce, buy hand made products and listen to live music.

Travel at 60 has a great deal on offer which includes a three-night stay in Broome when the Staircase to the Moon takes place. The accommodation overlooks Roebuck Bay and is only minutes away from Broome’s China Town,  the Court House Markets and the Historic Sun Picture Theatre.