The Best Australian National Parks To Visit

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Written by Jennifer Schellington

Thursday, 02 July 2009 09:31

by JenniferSchellington

Did you know that Australia is one of the driest continents in the world? It is part of a huge land mass called Gondwana, which linked Africa, Antarctica, Australia, India and South America. It broke up more than 100 million years ago.

Australia has 516 National Parks to explore. The parks cover an amazing 25 million hectares. That's actually only 3% of the total land mass of Australia!

The parks are looked after by state governments but there are some National Parks that are deemed so significant that they are looked after by the Federal Government.

No visit to Australia is complete without a trip to at least one National Park. Most of its famous natural attractions are in one of the parks anyway, so by default, you'll end up visiting.

Which ones are the best National Parks to visit? It's certainly not feasible to visit or tell you about all 516. I will however tell you which are my favourites.

Before I do though, understand how the National Parks operate. A National park can literally be a park but its more likely to be a larger area where wildlife and plant/tree species are special or sacred. It can also be sacred rock formations e.g. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to Ayers Rock. A national park can span for huge distances with the average visitor only touching a small corner of it. Others are more manageable and you can see much more.

The majority of parks require an entrance fee. This can be by person or by vehicle depending on the park. It's not normally very much (around $10) but for popular parks such as Ayers Rock, you can expect to pay more. Most passes give you unlimited access to the park for 48 hours.

Want to Camp in the National Parks?

There's nothing better than camping in some of the best scenery in Australia. This is for you if you like the open air and don't have a fear of snakes and spiders (it's not that bad really!) Most parks have specific areas for camping with strict campfire rules given the risk of bush fires. Don't expect the luxury of hot running water though. The facilities are usually very basic but there are a few that offer hot showers operated by coins.

Camping requires a permit and you must book well in advance to get a camping spot. You can search the government websites to find the campsites that have the facilities you require. Remember you will need to do this for each state. If your trip falls near Christmas then you really need to book well in advance. This is the most popular time due to the school holidays around this time. Some of the parks even run a ballot where your name is pulled out of a hat if you are one of the lucky ones.

It's hard to pick which are the best National Parks and it can be a little subjective as it depends what you like. All have stunning scenery and below you can find my top 3. There are over 15 on the website featured below.

Best for Coastal Views and Beaches

If you are looking for pristine beauty then head to Lord Howe Island. It is one of the only islands of Australia to be awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Listing. The island manages to keep the area unspoiled as it only allows 400 visitors onto the island at a time. The island has something for everyone - great marine life, mountain and forest walks and beautiful beaches. The day walk to the top of Mount Gower is known to be one of the best day walks in Australia. You can also take the Valley of the Shadows walk through 40 metre high forests or walk to Kim's lookout and enjoy the view over the lagoon and island.

Best for Ancient Rock Formations

Ayers Rock at Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park just has to feature in the top 3. Most come to visit the rock. Did you know its also on the World Heritage list? To see the rock you should make sure you get to the viewing platform (just take your car) at either sunrise or sunset. The light at these times makes the rock look particularly amazing. You can also pay to have a dinner or breakfast overlooking the rock at these times. But there are actually two rock formations in the park. The second is the Olgas and these were in my opinion, even more impressive than Ayers Rock. Make sure you visit both but make your first stop the Cultural Centre which gives great information on guided walks and a chance to meet some local Aboriginals. The most popular walk is the Base Walk. It takes your round the base of the entire rock and takes about 3 hours. Please don't climb the rock though. It's totally against the local aboriginal customs and beliefs.

The Grampians National Park is one of Victoria's largest parks and has great walks, scenery and wildlife. Its 260km from Melbourne along the Western or Glenelg highways (takes about 3.5 hours) The Grampians are a series of sandstone ridges with steep slopes and are very picturesque. The most spectacular waterfall is Mackenzie Falls. You can also see good Aboriginal rock art at Billimina and Wab Manja. There are a couple of 2 day walks for the serious walkers amongst you. But for the best view of the park head to Mount Abrupt. Access to the park is at Halls Gap. But if you want to escape the tourists head to Wartook Valley, e.g. Mt Zero and Mt Stapylton. For the really adventurous go for Mount Difficult which is hard going but amazing. Stony Creek Track to the Bundaleer passing Stony Peak is another good one. You can ascend the Wall of China to obtain the vast views to Tower Hill and the picturesque Victoria Valley.

Information:

Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in traveling Australia. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for organising your trip to Australia as well as where to go and what to do. Click here to learn about over 15 of the best Australian National Parks

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