Best national parks in Australia
Australia is known to be a beautiful country with its crisp blue sky and mesmerizing flora and fauna, along with the incredible beaches that the sea-shores offer. The country is known for preserving its diverse flora and fauna in the form of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, being home to as many as 500 national parks spread over an area of nearly 28 million hectares, or 5 percent of the total land of the continent. Another 6 percent of the country is preserved under various conservation reserves and forest, making it one of the greenest countries across the globe. The parks are spread in different landscapes all across the continent, making their exploration very exciting and adventurous.
Australia boasts of hosting 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of which the national parks comprise a huge portion. The parks are preserved for the primary purpose of the continents flora and fauna. However, local as well as foreign visitors are allowed to explore the parks to experience and admire the natural beauty of these parks. However, commercial activities like farming, deforestation and hunting are strictly prohibited and punishable, while all human activity is also strictly monitored in these reserves.
Royal National Park
The first national park of the country, Royal National Park was established in the year 1879 on 26 April. The park is situated in New South Wales, in the south of Sydney. The park was originally known as The National Park, being the second of its kind across the globe at the time of its establishment. The name was changed to Royal National Park in 1955 after the queen of England visited the park. Cycling and driving are allowed within the park, although many areas are only accessible for exploration by walking. The park is quite bag, so make sure that you have your itinerary planned.
The Bungoona Lookout of the park gives an amazing view over the valley of the Hacking River and is easily accessible for strollers and wheelchairs as well. Crimson Rosellas and Lyrebirds are quite common throughout the park, while the latter usually being seen in pairs. Goannas are also spotted around Audley. Kangaroos and Wallabies are relatively rare to see, but the latter can be seen near the bushes around the Hacking River. Similar to the rest of Sydney, Galahs, Kookaburras, and Cockatoos are common over the entire park and are very easily spotted. The park serves as an excellent spot for a picnic.
Purnululu National Park
Another national park in Australia that has been recognized as a world heritage site, Purnululu National Park was recognized by UNESCO in the year 2003. The park is situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. The main feature of the park is the Bungle Bungle Range that stretches across the park, with heights crossing 500 meters above the sea level. The sandstone domes are particularly famous and are beautifully striped in grey and orange brands. The range is known to be the cradle one of the most mesmerizing and extensive sandstone cones in the world. The range is an excellent example of the withering experienced by rocks over many years.
A walk along the Piccaninny Creek promises to deliver you an exhilarating camping experience over the night, if you are up for it. There are many other walks on offer as well, such as the Mini Palm Walk, the Echidna Chasm Walk, the Domes Walk, and the Cathedral Gorge. It is quite common for visitors to camp at the park for several days at end, owing to the changing scenic beauties it provides over the day. If you are willing to camp in the park, be sure to get plenty of food and water with you as there are no shops around.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
The park of Uluru-Kata Tjutais one of the many equally significant and interconnected centers of local significance as well as religious, and scattered through the vast area of central Australia’s western part occupied by the old Aborigines. You can see many cave paintings on Uluru, a few of which are known to be ancient, implicating the time of Aborigines inhabited in the area. The park was previously known as Uluru, form the Ayers Rock – Mount Olga, National Park before it got its current extended name. The park boasts to offer visitors sights of the spectacular formations which dominate the diverse sandy red plain of central Australia.
The park of Uluru is made of tough sandstone that has been exposed due to folding, erosion, and the faulting of the surrounding rock. If you are in for some exploration of flora and fauna, then you can spot the 22 native animals that inhabit in the park, some of which are red kangaroo, common marsupial mole, dingo, hopping mouse, and many bat species that include the famous Australian false vampire, bilgy, and a large number of any small marsupials and local rodents. You may also occasionally spot the introduced red fox, European rabbit, cat, house mouse, feral dogs, and camels. These are known to compete with the local species.
Blue Mountains National Park
The Blue Mountains National Park is a huge and beautiful UNESCO World Heritage national park. The park occupies a lot of the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales in Australia. You will discover that the park is home to a lot of kangaroos and other wildlife. When walking through the bushes, beware of snakes as they are quite common in the park. Ticket charges of $7 per vehicle are set at the Glenbrook entrance. You will find a spectacular and colorful range of flowers while bushwalking, which is quite common among the visitors.
Bushwalking is a very popular task throughout the Blue Mountains and there are a lot of well-organized and maintained trails which will offer you an opportunity to visit valley floor and view the beautifully changing vegetation while you descend. Lyre birds are spotted in the undergrowth on the valley. It is common for them to imitate the sounds of different birds, so you will be needing to keep your eyes open and a pair of binoculars ready. The Three Sisters is an extremely popular and spectacular site that every explorer to the Blue Mountains must visit and see. Camping is allowed in the Blue Mountains National Park and it is always better to come with your own supply of water to last through the trip.
Booderee National Park
The Booderee National Park is a beautiful and elegant natural reserve located in the Jervis Bay Territory of Australia. The park is famous for its unspoiled beaches and vastly diversified plant species and abundant wildlife. Located only3 hours from the cities of Canberra and Sydney, the location is extremely popular amongst tourists and visitors. With the Steamers Head rising as high as 130 meters, the sea cliffs of the park are the highest in the entirety of the eastern coast of Australia, and the highest in the New South Wales area of the country.
The most significant European heritage site in the park is the Cape Saint George Lighthouse ruin, which also happens to be very popular among the visitors. There is a beach at Green patch that is a very popular destination. The beach also claims to have the whitest sand in the entire world. You can also explore the surf breaks that are on the oceanic sides of the park, of which the most notable is the South Coast Pipe. A little penguin rookery exists in the park on Bowen Island, but it is not accessible to the visitors. You can also camp in the park, with proper destinations such as Bristol Point Camping Ground and Cave Beach Camping Ground open to the visitors.
Mount Barney National Park
The picturesque Mount Barney National Park is known to be the cradle of one of the most rare and special species of flora and fauna. The park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is quite popular among bushwalkers. The park is known for its rising mountain peaks that emerge from the rainforests in the wild. The park has extremely diverse vegetation with open forests and a number of beautiful mountains. The temperature is cool in the rainforest, making it a treat to explore the area during any time of the day. The park is home to the endangered plant species of Maroon wattle Acacia saxicola and Mt. Barney bush pea Pultanaea whiteana among many others.
Camping in the park is quite common with the private campgrounds having showers and toilets. However, to keep the environmental impacts on check, there is a limit on the allowed number of people on each campsite. For the bushwalker in you, you may set out to trail the Mount Barney. However, it must be kept in mind that the trail is quite strenuous and shall be undertaken only if you have good navigational skills and prior bushwalking experience to avoid getting lost on the trail.
Wooroonooran National Park
One of the most beautiful and picturesque national parks in the entire country, the Wooroonooran National Park is a treat for the eye as well as the mind. The park is home to rivers in the wild, pretty lowland rainforests, and many mesmerizing waterfalls. The city boasts of more than 500 varieties of rainforest trees. Some of the trees spotted in the park include milky pine, red tulip oak, black bean, and water gum. The park is situated in North Queensland and located at the Palmerston Highway.
The park is also home to many wild animals such as the double eyed fig parrot, the musky rat kangaroo, and the chowchilla. If you are planning to have a picnic in the park, you may choose the spots along the highway as freshwater turtles and platypus are found in the Henrietta Creek. Spotlighting possums in the night and going for bird-watching during the day is quite common among the visitors. You are guaranteed to be left awe-struck when you explore the beautiful waterfalls hosted by the park. Camping is also allowed near the Henrietta Creak, although it is advisable that the creek water be boiled for approximately five minutes before drinking.
Kakadu National Park
The Kakadu National Park spans 150 kilometers south of the coast to the south hills and basins, and 120 kilometers east of the Arnhem Land plateau sandstone to the western boundary. Kakadu is an ecological and biodiversity rich area where you will get to see many unusual landforms and varied habitats. Some of the common sights include the sandstone escarpment and plateau, the savanna woodlands area and forest, billabongs, rivers, floodplains, mudflats and mangroves. The park boasts of hosting over 60 species of mammals, and a large variety reptile that includes goannas, the daunting saltwater crocodile, frill-necked lizards, snakes such as water pythons, and a number of highly venomous snakes.
Kakaduis also home to more than 280 species of birds, being an absolute delight for the bird-lovers among the visitors. The park’s ancient cultural and natural heritage is recognized by the inclusion of the park on the World Heritage List- external site by the UNESCO, making Kakadu one of the only twenty two World Heritage Sites that are listed for its natural as well as cultural heritage. This status of the park ensures that you are going to be in for an absolute delight for your mind and body when you visit this picturesque heritage site.
Noosa National Park
Situated on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, the Noosa National Park is home to many important plant species limited to the area. The park is known to be a reserved area for a very long time. The park is important to the country owing to its hosting of many important wildlife species along with a diverse variety of plants. There are many tracks that are laid out across the park for the visitors to explore the park, which are known to be providing excellent scenic beauties and many beautiful birds and animals. The key to enjoying the park to the fullest is to look out for the plants and animals camouflaged inside the forest.
There are many beaches at the Noosa Heads that allow visitors to swim. There are many tracks in the park for exploration and it is recommended that you wear substantial footwear to avoid any troubles. The tracks along the coast give some mesmerizing views along the beaches. If you are visiting the park during summers, come prepared with your hat and a water bottle as it tends to get a little tiring during the day. Brush turkeys and goannas shall not be fed as they tend to become independent on visitors for food and create a nuisance thereafter, with many cases of goannas biting feeders being reported.
Cooloola National Park
The Coolooa national park is famous for being the protector of the largest standing sand dune system across the globe. The park is home to beautiful rainforests and heath lands. If you are visiting the park, you can enjoy bushwalking and sightseeing. The park also offers surf swimming for those ready to unveil their adventurous side. The park hosts beautifully colored sand-cliffs and a rejuvenating sight-seeing experience. Many freshwater lakes are also open to exploration along the wilderness trail. You could also try to canoe up the mesmerizing Noosa River that is pretty common among the visitors.
There are many self-guiding trails along the boardwalk of mangrove. The Elanda Point has a private campground and is ideal for you if you are looking to spend the night in the park. However, the campsite has boat and four wheeler access only. Spring is considered to be the best time of the year to walk around the park, as the blooming wildflowers in the season are simply spectacular. The walk to the Sandpatch is quite elegant and you can be back in a day if you set out from the Harrys Hut campsite. If you are looking to further explore the park, you can visit the Fig Tree point and the Wandi Waterhole.
Port Campbell National Park
Known for historic shipwrecks and the Twelve Apostles, the Port Campbell National Park hosts the most important regions of vegetation and wildlife native to the area of south-western Victoria. The vast range of coastal surrounding also includes woodlands, coastal cliffs, dunes, wetlands, and limestone stacks. The Great Ocean Road offers a vast number of scenic drives along its course where you can stop and acknowledge the beauty of nature. Although camping is not there in the park, Port Campbell has a privately run campground that suits everyone’s budget. The park plays a relatively significant role in the preservation of local wildlife.
The Loch Ard Gorge has three self-guided walks that give you an insight to the rich history of the port. You can also visit the Glenample Homestead, while watching the short-tailed Shearwater Mutton-birds that fly to their nests in the evening every day. The Port also allows surfing and swimming for those looking to relax and rejuvenate, with scuba diving and snorkeling tours also available for the visitors. Small numbers of the Hooded Plover are spotted in the park, along with the Rufous Bristlebird and the glossy grass skink. Many plants species that you are going to see in the park are of high importance as part of the local flora.
Mornington Peninsula National Park
The Mornington Peninsula National Park has been a favorite of the visitors for the summer holidays since a long time. Covering an area of nearly 2,500 hectares, its vast coastal environments vary from the basalt cliffs of Cape Schanckall the way to the bushy land of Greens Bush and the singing surf of Gunnamatta. The Nepean historic point has many old fortifications implied by sounds capes and displays, and jaw-dropping views of the port of Phillip Heads. You can enjoy a great cycling trip in the park on all the days of the year.
Visitors are allowed to bring their own bicycle or take one on rent from the Visitor Centre. Cycling is allowed on the paths that are accessible to public vehicles and the sealed roadway starting at the Point Nepean Visitor Centre to the Fort Pearce. Purchase of the ticked from the Visitor Centre is mandatory. The Arthur’s seat provides a spectacular panoramic view that will soothe your eyes. A beach picnic is quite popular among the visitors, with the park being host to many beaches along with the beautiful rainforest and the flora and fauna. Surfing and swimming are also allowed if you are up for the task.
Grampians National Park
The National Park is known for rough mountain ranges and mesmerizing wildflower showcases. Grampians National Park is the country’s most sought after holiday destination. Recognized in the 1980s, the park is a house for nearly a third of Victoria’s flora. Management requires a proper balance in between conservation of the environment and tourism. Many camping areas are present in the park in a vast number of settings which are directly accessible by a four wheeler. Pit toilets, picnic tables, and fireplaces are easily available to the camping visitors. A wide range of accommodation in Halls Gap is also present for convenience.
The park is particularly attractive for its reputation as being the home of a vast variety of bird species. One of the spectacular features of the park is the elegant and colorful wildflower display in the spring season that is observed in October. Heathlands are alive with the colorful shows. You  can see over 800 local plant species while exploring the trails in the park. Camping and barbequing are quite common among the visitors, so try to squeeze in an overnight camping stay in your schedule. Canoeing and caving are also available for exploration for the willing explorers in the park.
Carnarvon National Park
Out of the vast area of nearly 298,000 hectare of the Carnarvon National Park, Carnarvon Gorge is the most visited section. The now inaccessible Great Dividing Range and Consuelo Tableland provide a mesmerizing background to the Gorge. Carnarvon Gorge is a heavenly carved feature from the rough sandstone range due to the wear and tear from time and water. The beautiful gorge holds special importance in Aboriginal mythology and is significant as a historic landmark as well. The Park is a bird watchers paradise, with nearly 180different species of birds being recorded.
An early morning stroll of the Nature Trail would help you spot platypus diving in the beautifully placed pools of the Carnarvon Creek. A dusk walk with a light source can reveal bandicoots, possums, gliders, and kangaroos. Other locations that you may visit are the Baloon Cave, or a 4 hour walk to the spectacular Art Gallery. Beautiful engraving and freehand drawings reside the firm sandstone and rock overhangs. Cathedral Cave is one of the most extensive Aboriginal Art Sites within the Gorge that is going to be worth your time. Camping is allowed in the park, although prior permission and booking is required.
Lamington National Park
Located at the New South Wales and Queensland border, Lamington National Park is home of the ecology of the sub-tropical rainforests. Fertile and volcanic soil provide a posh environment, and a breeding ground to a vast variety of flora and fauna. Within the approximated area of 20,000 hectares of the park are innumerous mesmerizing waterfalls cascading from rough mountains into the heavily forested valley area of the pristine beauty for you to see. Many sub-tropical rainforests exist in this region owing to the high rainfall received.
The park has two entrances where you can enter, namely the Green Mountains that is south at a distance of 115km from Brisbane via Canungra and the 70km away from surfers going through theNerang and Canungra. You can camp in the park at night, with the camping ground being available at Green Mountains where you will have access to hot showers, water, toilets, and kiosks. Fireplaces can also be availed in proximity to the picnic tables. However, you have to bring your own wood for the fireplace and you have to use fuel stoves only. Rainforests tend to thrive in cool, wet climates. There are many walks in the Lamington National Park that you can explore at Binna Burra and the Green Mountains.
Bald Rock National Park
The Bald Rock National Park is renowned as the water streaked dome of Bald Rock is the biggest granite rock in the country standing as 750 meters long, 500 meters wide and 200 meters high. Owing to this extraordinary feature, a number of walks revolve around the park’s granite landscape with the track to the summit being no exception that includes canyons, stone arches and mesmerizing panoramic scenes. If you are willing to drive into the park, you will have to purchase a $7 day pass for your vehicle.
If you are looking out for camping while you are there, then the Bald Rock Camping area has as many as 14 camping sites that will fulfill your needs. Walking tracks are abundant in the park and ready for your exploration, with Picnics and barbeques being common among the visitors. Camping is quite common among the visitors, as the park offers some of the most mesmerizing views and sight-opportunities at night. Always ensure that you take some food and drinks on all the walks on your exploration of the Bald Rock National Park. It is also advised to wear strong footwear to avoid unexpected interruptions/injuries. Use sunscreen to prevent any skin damage.
Avon Valley National Park
A one hour drive from Perth, the Avon Valley National Park is popularly known as the park where woodlands meet forests. It is hard not to notice that from summer to winter, and from deep river and stream valleys to high outcrops, the forest area of the Avon Valley National Park is constantly changing. The Avon River is active in winter and spring seasons, when the water-body churns over mesmerizing rapids. However, during the seasons of summer and autumn the river converts to a series of small pools within tea-tree thickets and granite boulders. Visiting the park means that you can explore panoramic views, forests and granite outcrops, and the beautiful opportunity to see a diverse range of flora and fauna.
If you are a canoeist, then for you the Avon River can be canoed by experienced individuals during the season of winter. Blue leschenaultias and donkey orchids are some of the flowers that you will spot in spring. Lizards such as the bobtail skinks and rock dragons are known to come out in the sun on the rocks to warm the blood. You can also see sure-footed Euros that are used to life in the rocky areas, and the popular western grey kangaroos when they come out to feed in the evening as well as on rainy days.
Alfred National Park
Best suited for experienced bushwalkers and physically fit explorers, the Alfred National Park contains a few of the most southerly instances of warm temperate rainforest in the country. It is common to spot many plant species in the park that are otherwise not common in the rest of Victoria. It is worth noting prior to your visit to the park that there are no walking tracks or finely accessible halting points at the highway from where to watch the park. Although it is possible to get some views from the highway, stopping is not advised.
Only humble walkers equipped with maps and proper navigation gear shall explore the park, since walking may be difficult due to thick vegetation. Camping areas are not provided in the park, so not rely on those while planning your visit to the park. The nearest campsite with facilities is located in Genoa or Cann River. The park does not has any access roads either. While you are in the park, you will get to see many rainforest bird species like the pilot-birds, ground thrush, lyrebirds, powerful owl and the popular brown flycatcher. Wombats are also a common sight in the park. Halting along the winding and narrow sections of the highway is strictly not recommended.
Twelve Apostles Marine National Park
The beautiful Twelve Apostles Marine National Park comes out from the well-known Twelve Apostles and includes a few of Victoria’s most breath-taking underwater scenery. Rich intertidal and sub-tidal invertebrate communities, dramatic underwater arches fissures, gutters, canyons, and deep sloping reefs are what fill in the entirety of the park. The park contains the Twelve Apostles famous rock formations, and boasts of being the third most visited site of the country. To protect the integrity and life of the park, activities such as netting and fishing are strictly prohibited. You are not allowed to take any marine animal with you either.
You will notice on your visit to the park that the breeding colonies of seabirds frequently inhabit the islands and rock stacks within the park and the nearby coastline hosts sites of significance for plant species and Lobster. Offshore reefs which are about 30 to 60 meters deep, are known to help the sponge gardens with colorful and diverse sponges and bryozoans, which shelter a lot of invertebrate animals such as the sea-spiders, the pretty sea slugs, and a vast range of sea-snails and sea-stars.
Little Penguins feeding in the park and nesting in caves below the Apostles are also spotted by the visitors. Although the park does offer scuba diving, it is advisable that it is taken by experienced divers only as it tends to be dangerous in this area.
Agnes Falls
The Agnes Falls National Park is home to the green hills of the beautiful Stzrelecki Ranges and the mesmerizing Agnes River cascades over the rocks into a beautiful gorge. The falls are popular for being the highest single span fall in the entire Victoria, standing at 59 meters above the ground. The Agnes Falls Scenic Reserve has all the things to facilitate your visit to the reserve, including parking, toilets, and picnic tables. If you are looking for a township, then the nearest one is Toora which has all the facilities including barbeques, toilets, picnic tables, information kiosks, a caravan park, as well as beautiful bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation.
You can take a short walk through the Blue Gum forest to see the area overlooking the mesmerizing falls. While you are there, listen and watch the birds flying between bushes or eating inside the canopy of the forest area within the gorge. You may also relax and enjoy a nice barbeque or a picnic under the shade of the pretty and tall blue gums on the banks of the Agnes River that are full of grass. The canopy of tall eucalyptus gives eatables and nesting areas for many birds including the Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Fantail,Currawong and Crimson Rosella, and the famous Laughing Kookaburra, along with a range of honeyeaters that you are very likely to spot during the exploration.
 Kosciuszko National Park
The beautiful Kosciuszko National Park is the largest national park in the entire region of New South Wales. The park boasts of containing some of the highest mountains of Australia, including the tallest peak of the country, Mount Kosciuszko, and the Snowy River and popular ski fields. It offers you the grand opportunity to see alpine vegetation that is beautiful and picturesque during all seasons of the year, along with gorges and historic huts local to the mountain cattlemen.
The park also hosts many caves that you can explore to get that adrenaline going in your bloodstream. The park is recognized by the UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, therefore proper care of the park is taken by the authorities. You can experience six different wild areas, including the alpine and sub-alpine areas housing plants which are not present anywhere else on Earth, within the park. Local wildlife to be seen by you in the park includes endangered species like the corroboree frog and the mountain pygmy possum. The park also boasts the status of being one of the Australian Alps national parks. Camping is allowed in the park if you are planning to stay through the night.
Coolah Tops National Park
Located at the junction of the Warrumbungle ranges and the Liverpool ranges, the Coolah Tops National Park is a picturesque beauty recognized as a national park by Australia. While you are at the park, you get a chance to explore the plunge of the waterfall from the heights of the plateau that will mesmerize your eyes. The park is varying abundant in terms of rare and unique wildlife, which is supported by the large snow gums shelter and gigantic grass trees that are accompanied by tall and open forests.
On your visit to the Coolah Tops National Park, it is almost certain that you will spot a vast diversity of wildlife, which includes wallabies, gliders, rare owls, and eagles. The park is located at a relatively higher altitude owing to which cool walks and amazing landscapes are a normal sight for the visitors. The higher altitude also offer cool walks through the forest throughout the year. The park has abundance of space if you are willing to visit the park for a picnic. Backpack camping and car based camping are also quite common in the park. Campsites can be chosen from any of the sites located at the park’s western end.
Flinders Ranges National Park
The Flinders Ranges National Park holds special importance owing to being the home to a number of land uses and remains. A visit to the park gives you the opportunity to explore the ruins of early European settlement. Many aboriginal rock art sites and impressive fossil remains are also present in the park, and are an absolute delight to the visitors. The park also hosts a diverse variety of flora and fauna.
The park is resided by many antique animals and vegetation, which have adapted to the landscape’s aridity and evolved as an outcome of the unique geological background of the area. The park is the traditional house of the Adnyamathanha people, so expect to see their culture and history being recounted and celebrated in the area. One of the amazing places to explore in the park is the Wilpena Pound, a huge crater look-alike originating from a meteorite or maybe an old volcano. It is argued to be the remnants of the mountain ranges that are believed to be existent in the region years ago, which were eroded and depleted by the action of time. Summing all of this up, the park turns out to be an absolute delight for your mind, body, and spirit.
Kondalilla National Park
Situated at the Sunshine Coast hinterland, the Kondalilla National Park is a picturesque beauty with high eucalypt forest, subtropical rainforests, and the spectacular Kondalilla Falls waterfall that is an absolute visitors’ delight. The park is surrounded by farms and villages, and holds importance as a refuge for a large quantity of flora and fauna that includes the rare marsupial frog Assadarlingtoni. The bopple nut Macadamia ternifolia, a species that is vulnerable to extinction, is easily spotted in the park.
If you love bird-watching, then the park offers you more than 100 species of birds that you can admire via your binoculars. While you are in the park, have a picnic or barbeque with the forest as a beautiful backdrop. If you spot brush-turkeys, kookaburras, and lace monitors in the picnic area, do not try to feed them. Bird watching early morning or late afternoon is recommended to get the best view of the day. Camping is restricted in the park, although plenty of places are there to stay nearby the park. Drinking water is not available in the park, so take your own water supply with you to last through the day at the park. Be sure to not drink the creek water, as it is unsuitable for drinking.
Hinchinbrook Island National Park
The Hinchinbrook Island National Park is situated on the Hinchinbrook Island, one of the globe’s most diverse and beautiful wild areas. The island is 393 square kilometers in area and lies off the Cardwell coast, mid-way between Townsville and Cairns in North Queensland, and it is Australia’s biggest island National Park. The park has an essence of its own as it provides spacious timber tree-houses that have been beautifully crafted for those looking to spend some time alone. The tree-houses are accessible by a winding timber boardwalk.
This eco-resort offers you a variety of activities to carry out such as fishing, swimming, and snorkeling. The park has a vast diversity in terms of number of species of birds, and therefore it is a bird-watchers absolute delight. Bushwalking is quite common among the visitors. However, you may also just lie around the park and soak in all the goodness if you do not feel like exploring. The park is also a trekker’s paradise, where you can track through the unspoiled and majestic rainforest or merely capture the splendor of the islands while cruising along the elegant Hinchinbrook Channel. Keep in mind that a limited number of people are allowed access to the park on a daily basis. However, visiting the park is quite simple as well as affordable.
Ningaloo Marine Park
The reef of Ningaloo stretches offshore from south to north for 260kilometers and protects a lagoon filled with marine wildlife. Awesome coral formations, unique starfish, Dugongs, playful Dolphins, Whale Sharks, and giant Hump-Backed Whales are a few of the splendid marine life which inhabits the water body. During the season, sheltered sand beaches act as a nesting rookery for the turtles. Many ancient ship ruins can also be located at the Park while you are visiting.
The Marine Park’s recreation is open to leisure fishermen looking to do their deeds, as well as the general use areas. Different regulations apply and collecting and fishing are not allowed in the eight of the Park’s sanctuary zones. You will spot plenty of fish with common species including Sweet-lip, Spangled Emperor, as well as many types of Trevally. In more depth, Spanish mackerel, Tuna, Wahoo, and Sailfish can be caught if you are up for the task. The park boasts to have over 200 species of coral and 510 species of fish, which have been spotted in the Park till now. When you are visiting the park, you will also get to witness the Whale Shark, the biggest species of fish on the Earth.
Jervis Bay National Park
The Jervis Bay National Park is an area rich in Aboriginal heritage. The park includes important wetlands such as the Lake Wollumboobla, preserving a vast diversity of flora and fauna at the same time. The park fringe sections of the Jervis Bay, ocean beaches and Saint Georges Basin are the highlights of the park. The park hosts a number of beaches and bays that are open to swimming if you are looking to have a rejuvenating session with water.
Bird-watching in the area is quite common among the visitors, so be sure to bring your binoculars with you to make sure that you do not miss out on any of the birds. Bushwalking is relaxing around the park, with picturesque and mesmerizing landscapes spread out throughout the park. The Greenfield beach facilitates visitors with toilets, barbeques, and shelter shed access to their beach. You can follow the information signs from the Greenfield Beach on the White Sands Walk that lies beside the coast to the Hyams beach. If you are looking to stay for the night, nearby villages provide nice accommodation and camping grounds for the visitors. However, camping in the park premises is not allowed and you have to stay in accommodations outside the park.
Orpheus Island National Park
The Orpheus Island National Park is a picturesque beauty that includes sheltered bays with magnificent fringing reefs. Dry woodlands are the main constituent of the island and include Morton bay ash and acacia. In the sheltered bays and deeper gullies, rainforest trees like macaranga and fig, with the former’s big, heart-shaped leaves, can be spotted by you when you are exploring the park. Although a lot of the local mammals in the park are nocturnal, you might get lucky and spot an echidna foraging through the forest. While you are in the park, you will notice that the reptiles can usually be seen in the rainforest as well as the woodland. These reptiles include brown tree snakes, various skinks, geckos, and carpets and children’s pythons.
The park happens to be a bird-watchers delight, as a variety of birds can be spotted or heard across the forests. Some of the birds that you might spot include the orange-footed scrub fowl, which can be heard scratching within the rainforest litter. If you are looking to camp, then camping is permitted near South Beach, Yank’s Jetty, and at Little Pioneer Bay where normal facilities are given. However, fresh water is not available and bushwalking tracks are not provided. Therefore, be sure to bring your own water supply with you to last through your trip.
Nitmiluk National Park
The picturesque Nitmiluk National Park is a home to a vast diversity of flora and fauna, spread over an area of nearly 292,000 hectares. Many visitors are attracted to the park owing to the magnificently dissected sandstone country, numerous significant cultural sites, and the beautiful broad valleys. The deep gorge was carved through very old sandstone by the action of the Katherine River, and currently it is the main attraction of the park for the explorers.
The Nitmiluk Tours offer a number of boat tours in the Gorge system that range from the usual two hour cruise, to full-fledged half day and full day safari rides where you explore the entire park. Many walking tracks are present in the park that offer a variety of sights from riverbank strolls to mesmerizing overnight walks that can measure up to 65 Kilometers. You will also explore some of the offering of the many walks that includes the amazing geology of the sandstone escarpment, picturesque waterfalls and a vast variety of fauna. Camping is allowed, and fires are to be lighted only at bush camping sites that are away from the gorge system. Keep in mind that open fires are not permitted anywhere in the gorge system.
Kalbarri National Park
The Kalbarri National Park is a picturesque beauty that has a rich cultural background as well as biodiversity, spanning across approximately 183,000 hectares. While you are in this park, get ready to explore the heights and depths of the sea cliffs and river gorges. You will also acknowledge the spectacular floral beauty of the rolling sand-plains. You would be surprised by the intriguing cultural and historical background of the area.
You may visit Red Bluff, where views south overlook colorful sandstone ledges and coastal limestone. There are many scenic landscapes at the Mushroom Rock, Pot Alley, Rainbow Valley, and Eagle Gorge, to name a few. The Kalbarri National Park is famous among the visitors for its picturesque wildflowers, most of which are blooming from late July to the spring and to the early summer. The species-diversified heath lands give away an elegant floral display. Kalbarri is a great environment for birds and other wildlife, so bring your binoculars with you to ensure that you do not miss out on anything. Most of the local mammals are only nocturnal, but you will spot emus and western grey kangaroos in the day. Rafting and Canoeing are also permitted in the park. However, it is advised that only experienced visitors opt for the task as it is quite dangerous.
Conclusion
If you are visiting Australia, then exploring these national parks are a must to complete your tour. For local tourists as well, these national parks offer picturesque beauties and rejuvenating landscapes, along with loads of activities such as trekking and swimming. The parks provide a complete package, with many of them open to fishing and scuba diving as well amongst other parks in the list of parks stated above. These parks are, therefore, the ideal destination to explore the wildlife that is indigenous to the country. The parks also summarize the vast and elegant floral species that the country possesses, with some of the park rightly being incorporated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
The parks also offer camping opportunities amongst others, ensuring that you do not miss out on a cooling experience of spending the night in the wild safely. These parks are the home of the vast diversity of animals and other wildlife that would have been otherwise extinct, had it not been for the preservation of the parks by the government. The parks exhibit the picturesque beauty and diversity of Australia extremely well, and if you are looking to explore the inner beauty of the country, then any one of these parks can be your ideal destination.
Had a great time exploring the flora and fauna of the parks in Australia? Enjoyed the changing scenic beauties and had an exhilarating camping experience? Are you awe-struck seeing the unusual landforms and diverse range of biodiversity? Comment below and tell us the great experience here.
Also See : Top 10 Camping Spots in Australia to Stay 2020
Read Also :Â 10 Iconic Attractions in Australia
