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Luxury Travel Australia: The Once-in-a-Lifetime Edit
Luxury travel in Australia transcends the ordinary. Expect private islands on coral reefs to private suites on outback sleeper trains.
Exploring Australia is no small undertaking. To truly appreciate the scope of the world’s largest island, you’ll need to be prepared to travel long distances across vast and varied terrain. The sheer diversity of the landscape requires a commitment of time — it’s a prerequisite to scratching the surface.
But the effort is richly rewarded. There are few places on earth that can offer quite as much natural wonder and that’s where the real luxury lies. Luxury travel in Australia takes place on a different plane. Here, it’s not about sleepovers in castles, long lunches in palaces or glittering skyscrapers. Australia offers a different kind of luxury, inextricably linked with the natural world. It offers opportunities to swim with the world’s largest fish, incomparable farm-to-table dining and the opportunity to marvel at sacred spaces cared for by the oldest continuous culture on earth.
With 10,000 beaches (more than any other country), six UNSECO World Heritage-Listed wonders and the oldest tropical rainforest on the planet, these natural treasures are priceless. Here’s how to explore them in style.
Luxury Travel Australia: Multi-State
Make a Journey on The Ghan
There is so much more to Australia than its curving coastline. And the best way to explore it? Taking in the full scale of this expansive island by train. The Ghan provides a decadent slow travel experience, complete with old-world service. Take a moment to soak in the heart of this country, from the comfort of your carriage. Feast on sumptuous, regionally-sourced dishes, embark on luxury off-train experiences and trade adventure stories with other travellers.
There is a range of destinations to choose from, as well as accommodation types. If you’re seeking the most luxurious trip of all, keep your eyes peeled for the Aurora Australis experience coming in 2026, complete with Jurlique amenities, a curated bar and butler service, amongst other bespoke details.
Luxury Travel Australia: Queensland
Outback Luxury Lodge Dining and Helicopter Experience
See Tropical North Queensland as very few have, from a bird’s eye view aboard a private scenic helicopter flight with Nautilus Aviation. Perfect for anyone passionate about luxury travel in Australia, this half-day trip is particularly noteworthy for travellers short on time.
Embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey from Cairns on a scenic commute to Mt Mulligan Lodge. Take in glorious tones of ochre, emerald and sage as you move from rainforest to outback. On arrival, you’ll feast on a multi-course menu made from regional produce and paired with exquisite drops. Perhaps take a dip in the pool or kayak Mount Mulligan Weir, before heading back to sunny Cairns. All in a day’s work.
Orpheus Island Lodge
Fancy stepping out of your luxury lodge, onto the sand and straight into the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef? Orpheus Island Lodge merges luxury private island living with one of the world’s most treasured natural wonders.
Accommodating a maximum of 28 guests at any one time, Orpheus Island Lodge is as exclusive as it gets. The idyllic location provides all you need by way of entertainment, whilst the Lodge has everything else covered — locally-sourced and artfully prepared meals and an on-site day spa with a menu just as delicious. Luxuriate in secluded serenity with private picnics in secret coves and helicopter-access-only adventures.
Book your stay with Booking.com
Book your stay with Orpheus Island Lodge
Luxury Travel Australia: Tasmania
A Luxury Walking Tour Through Tasmania’s Breathtaking Wilderness
A multi-day hike delivers rewards, from rare wildlife encounters to views protected by their isolation. But the downside can be lugging equipment, cold showers and subpar meals.
Enter Tasmanian Walking Company. You’re invited to embark on the hike of a lifetime sans overstuffed pack. These fully guided hikes take walking holidays to unprecedented heights with curated itineraries dotted with exquisite details. Traverse the wilderness by day, before settling into luxury lodges to sip local wines, indulge in private massages, feast on seasonal meals and take in views that can’t be captured on film. Depending on your destination of choice, you might also be treated to wine tours, soaks in outdoor tubs and embark on private boat cruises.
They’re currently offering hikes to Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, Three Capes and Bruny Island.
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Luxury Travel Australia: Northern Territory
Tali Wiru Luxury Dining
Dining in the desert, red sand beneath your feet and a carpet of stars above, is an experience you’ll return to again and again in your heart.
Ayers Rock Resort offers this intimate dinner experience from April through to October. Your destination for the evening? A private dune, nestled under the Southern Desert sky. You’ll have plenty of time to soak in your surrounds, with a direct view to Uluru, as you sip champagne, feast on a four-course dinner packed with native Australian ingredients and are regaled with stories of the stars by a local indigenous storyteller.
Luxury Travel Australia: Western Australia
Swim With Whale Sharks Where the Desert Meets the Sea
You will find the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef on many a world traveller’s bucket list. It’s here that deep turquoise water meets the deep red soils of the Cape Range. A glorious place to be at anytime of year, it’s between March and July when Ningaloo becomes the world’s best location to swim with the biggest fish in the sea.
You can exclusively charter Live Ningaloo to take you on a guided swim with these gentle giants, or join a small group tour capped at 10. The onboard marine scientist will fill you in on everything you need to know, whilst a photographer will be in the water, capturing the once-in-a-lifetime moments.
For the ultimate in luxury, stay quite literally on the edge of the action at one of Australia’s most exclusive eco-lodges, Sal Salis. Enjoy unrivalled sunsets from your hammock, fresh oysters on the beach and dinners under the stars.
Book your stay with Booking.com
Luxury Travel Australia: Victoria
Dine & Stay at Brae
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in modern Australian food culture, few experiences rival a meal at Brae. This globally acclaimed restaurant and organic farm represents fine dining at its finest — pared-back, hyper-local, and profoundly inventive. An unwavering respect for ingredients shines through in every dish, the majority of which feature produce grown and harvested on Brae’s own farm. Tucked away in the Otways Hinterland, it is a pilgrimage for epicureans.
Immerse yourself fully in the experience with a stay in one of Brae’s six detail-oriented suites. Your appreciation of the land, its surrounds and the people who call it home will surely deepen as you luxuriate in the details that range from an overhead stargazing skylight to organic linens, a turntable and curated records, and a collection of original artwork. Your stay comes with a breakfast of wood-fired sourdough, fresh juice, coffee and pastries.
Luxury Travel Australia: New South Wales
Tyrell’s Sacred Sites Tasting
For the oenophiles, this exclusive experience offers an intimate journey into the heart of Hunter Valley’s most celebrated vineyards, including some of Australia’s oldest and most revered wine-growing estates.
Your wine-soaked adventure begins with a private tour of Tyrrell’s vineyard and winery, followed by a tasting of the highly coveted Sacred Sites collection. Among these rare bottles is the legendary Old Patch Shiraz, a wine consistently awarded 100 points — a true gem for collectors and connoisseurs alike.
Loved this edit of luxury travel in Australia and looking for more decadent experiences? Try our edits of the best fine dining restaurants in Adelaide and Melbourne.
