10 Best Hikes in Australia You Need to Do

We spend most of our time trekking through the Himalayas and the Andes, but let's be real: Australia has absolutely world-class hiking right here at home. We've walked red desert gorges where the silence swallows you whole, rainforest so thick the sky disappears, and coastlines so perfect they look fake. This country is ridiculous. Here are 10 hikes we reckon every Aussie (and every visitor) needs to tick off.

1. The Overland Track, Tasmania (The One That Ruins All Other Hikes)

Distance: 65 km | Duration: 6 days | Difficulty: Moderate to Hard | Best time: October to May (bookings required during peak season)

We've done the Overland Track more times than we can count, and it still gets us every time. Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair, right through the guts of Tasmania's World Heritage wilderness. Alpine plateaus one hour, ancient rainforest the next, then waterfalls, glacial lakes, and this constantly shifting landscape that never lets you get bored.

Fair warning though: do not underestimate this walk. The boardwalks lull you into a false sense of security before dumping you onto rocky scrambles in sideways rain. Tassie weather is genuinely unhinged. Four seasons in a day is not a joke, it actually happens. The side trip up Mt Ossa (Tasmania's highest at 1,617m) is absolutely worth the detour. You sleep in basic huts or carry a tent. Peak season spots are capped and you book through Parks and Wildlife. Get in early. It fills up fast and people get genuinely upset when they miss out.

2. Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory (Red Desert, Total Silence)

Distance: 223 km | Duration: 12 to 16 days (end to end) | Difficulty: Hard | Best time: April to September (avoid summer heat)

Nothing else in Australia looks like the Larapinta. Nothing. This trail follows the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges out of Alice Springs through some of the oldest rock on Earth. Massive gorges. Red dirt ridgelines. Ghost gums growing out of nothing. And a silence so deep your ears actually ring from it. The trail splits into 12 sections, so you can go end-to-end or cherry-pick the highlights. Section 9 to Mt Sonder at sunrise will rearrange your brain. Section 4 through Standley Chasm is unreal too.

This one is serious. You carry your water or cache it ahead. You are fully self-sufficient between camps. Summer temperatures blow past 40 degrees without thinking twice, so April to September is the only window that makes sense. If you have the fitness and you plan it properly, the Larapinta is one of the most rewarding long-distance walks anywhere on the planet. Not just Australia. Anywhere.

3. Three Capes Track, Tasmania (The Fancy One)

Distance: 48 km | Duration: 4 days | Difficulty: Moderate | Best time: Year-round (summer is warmest, winter is quieter)

Tasmania's newest Great Walk, and they absolutely nailed it. Purpose-built lodges with hot showers, proper mattresses, and these incredible architectural designs that frame the views through floor-to-ceiling windows. You feel like you are in a magazine. The walking follows the Tasman Peninsula coastline past sea cliffs that drop 300 metres straight into the Southern Ocean. Properly jaw-dropping stuff.

It starts with a boat ride across the bay, which immediately sets the vibe. Then you are walking through eucalyptus forest, across exposed headlands, and along clifftop paths where you genuinely have to stop and stare. This is the one we recommend to people who love the idea of a multi-day hike but don't want to carry a massive pack or sleep on the ground. Comfort and wilderness, together. Book early though. Summer spots vanish months ahead.

4. Great Ocean Walk, Victoria (Our Backyard Classic)

Distance: 104 km | Duration: 8 days | Difficulty: Moderate | Best time: September to May

We're based in Melbourne, so this one is personal. Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles along the Shipwreck Coast. Eight days of towering limestone cliffs, beaches you can only reach on foot, dense coastal scrub, and a finish at one of the most iconic landmarks in the country. The first time you round a corner and see those rock stacks at golden hour after a week of walking, it hits different.

The beauty of the Great Ocean Walk is that you don't have to do all eight days. The trail has access points so you can knock out sections over a weekend. The terrain is manageable for most fitness levels, with a few cheeky steep bits along the cliffs to keep you honest. Camp at designated sites along the way and keep your eyes on the ocean between June and September. Whales. Actual whales, right off the cliffs. This is Victoria's best long-distance walk and honestly, it stacks up against anything in the country.

5. Thorsborne Trail, Hinchinbrook Island, QLD (Properly Wild)

Distance: 32 km | Duration: 4 days | Difficulty: Moderate to Hard | Best time: April to September (dry season)

Hinchinbrook Island, off the coast of north Queensland. One of the biggest island national parks in the world. The Thorsborne Trail runs the eastern coast through mangroves, rainforest, granite headlands, and beaches where you will genuinely not see another person for kilometres. It is that kind of wild.

Only 40 walkers on the island at any time. Forty. You cross creeks that are waist-deep after rain. There are crocodile warning signs on the beach. Your campsite is a clearing with a bush toilet and nothing else. No phone reception. No emergency hut. You carry everything in, you carry everything out. It is hot. It is humid. Your pack will feel twice as heavy by day three. And it is one of the most beautiful, most isolated coastal walks in the country. Permits through Queensland Parks, book months ahead.

6. Kings Canyon Rim Walk, Northern Territory (Half a Day, Fully Worth It)

Distance: 6 km loop | Duration: 3 to 4 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Best time: April to September

Proof that you don't need a week in the bush to have your mind blown. Kings Canyon Rim Walk in Watarrka National Park starts with 500 steps straight up (locals call it Heartbreak Hill, and they are not wrong). Once you are on the rim, the views are absolutely ridiculous. Sheer sandstone walls plunging 100 metres to the canyon floor. The Garden of Eden, which is this hidden permanent waterhole tucked into a side gorge. Weathered rock domes that look like they belong on Mars.

Start early. By mid-morning the heat is brutal, and the park shuts the walk completely when it hits 36 degrees. Take plenty of water and proper shoes because the rock up top is uneven and will punish bare ankles. For a half-day walk, this one punches absurdly above its weight. Pairs perfectly with a Red Centre road trip.

7. Mt Kosciuszko Summit Walk, NSW (Bag the Highest Peak in the Country)

Distance: 13 km return | Duration: 4 to 5 hours | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Best time: November to April (snow-free)

Walking to the top of Australia is surprisingly achievable. Mt Kosciuszko sits at 2,228 metres, but the summit walk from Thredbo cheats a bit. You take a chairlift to 1,930 metres before your boots even touch dirt. From there, a metal walkway winds through alpine meadows and past glacial lakes across the roof of the continent.

The trail is gentle. The gradient forgives. It is one of the most accessible continental high points on Earth. But the weather up here does not care about the forecast. Snow in summer? Yep. Wind chill that makes 15 degrees feel like 2? Absolutely. Bring layers no matter what the app says. The summit views are wide and rolling rather than sharp and dramatic, but knowing you are standing on the highest point in the country? That hits every single time.

8. Cape to Cape Track, Western Australia (Cliffs, Wine, Repeat)

Distance: 135 km | Duration: 5 to 7 days | Difficulty: Moderate | Best time: September to November (wildflower season)

Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin through the Margaret River region. Limestone cliffs, karri forests, wild beaches catching the full force of Indian Ocean swells, and wildflowers in spring that will stop you in your tracks. The Cape to Cape is one of Australia's best-kept hiking secrets.

The variety is what makes this trail special. Dense forest canopy one hour, open clifftops the next. And the whole thing runs through wine country, so there is always the temptation to knock off early and reward yourself with a long lunch and a glass of something excellent. Camping spots are limited, but private accommodation along the route means you can do sections without lugging a full pack. One of the best long walks in WA. Full stop.

9. Six Foot Track, Blue Mountains, NSW (Sydney's Best Backyard Trek)

Distance: 45 km | Duration: 3 days | Difficulty: Moderate to Hard | Best time: March to November (avoid summer heat)

Katoomba to Jenolan Caves. Originally a bridle trail hacked out in 1884 for horse-drawn access to the caves, and it still follows that historic route through thick eucalyptus bush, across the Cox's River, and up some absolute brutes of climbs.

Day one drops steeply into the Megalong Valley. Your legs will be cooked before you have even warmed up. Day two cruises along the river through open forest. Day three finishes with a long grind out to Jenolan Caves, which are spectacular and the perfect reward for three days of work. Two campgrounds along the route with basic facilities. There is a marathon that runs this track every March, which tells you something about the calibre of trail you are on. Less than two hours from Sydney. Best multi-day hike within striking distance of any Aussie capital city.

10. Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit, Tasmania (Best Day Hike in the Country)

Distance: 11 km | Duration: 4 to 5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Best time: October to April

Wineglass Bay is one of the most photographed beaches in Australia and every single photo is justified. The circuit walk in Freycinet National Park takes you up over a granite saddle, down to the bay, along the beach, across a narrow isthmus to Hazards Beach, and back through coastal woodland. Half a day. More scenery than most multi-day treks manage.

The climb to the saddle lookout is about 45 minutes of steady uphill on well-built stone steps. Then you get to the top and the view of that perfect crescent of white sand and turquoise water just... stops you. Everyone stops. Nobody walks past that view without standing there for a solid few minutes. Drop down to the beach, go for a swim (the water is cold, don't kid yourself, but crystal clear), then loop around to Hazards Beach which is quieter and just as gorgeous. Best day hike in Tassie. Arguably the best short walk in the whole country.

The Practical Stuff (Don't Skip This)

Before you lace up and head out, a few things. Permits sell out fast for the Overland Track, Thorsborne Trail, and Three Capes Track. Book early or miss out, simple as that. Carry more water than you think you need, especially on the NT and outback walks. Check weather and trail closures before every walk. Tell someone your plans, every single time. And for the love of everything, break in your boots before you hit the trail. Nothing ruins a trip faster than blisters on day one.