7 Unique, Must-Photograph Australian Travel Destinations

Umpherston Sinkhole - Image credit: David Chrastek

You may not have heard of them, but they’re some of the most extraordinary places you’ll ever see. And they’re right here in Australia. 

Whether you’re scouting new photography locations or longing for adventure, there are infinite wonders—and photo opportunities—to be found off Australia’s main tourist trail.

From hidden islands to prehistoric caves, here are 7 unique places in Australia that every photographer should visit.

Please note:

Some of these Australian travel destinations may be subject to temporary restrictions or closures due to COVID-19. For full details please visit the relevant local government authority website.

Umpherston Sinkhole - Image credit: David Chrastek 

Umpherston Sinkhole, South Australia

Hidden for millennia and gradually exposed by time and nature, dozens of sinkholes dot South Australia’ s Limestone Coast region. One of the most photogenic is Umpherston Sinkhole, a.k.a. The Sunken Garden. Like most sinkholes, Umpherston Sinkhole started life as a cave before its roof eroded away. In 1886 it was transformed into a garden, and today it’s a unique, storybook oasis where vine-cloaked rock walls encircle lush green terraces. Admire the sinkhole in its entirety from viewing platforms above or enjoy a picnic and a wander in the gardens below.

Photo Tips

It’s hard to capture a true sense of Umpherston Sinkhole without a wide-angle lens. Alternatively, a fish eye lens can create some effective and unusual results, exaggerating the sinkhole’s form.

You may want to take a macro lens for close-up details in the garden. You’ll often see wild possums around dusk, so it’s worth taking a fast-focusing zoom lens to photograph them.

Rose Lakes - Image by Will Wardle, courtesy of Dirk Hartog Island (@dirkhartogisland) 

Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia

Located off the Gascoyne Coast, historic Dirk Hartog Island is very much off the beaten tourist track, but that’s what makes it so special. Getting to this World Heritage site is an adventure in itself; you’ll need to join a tour, catch a barge, or charter a boat or plane to get there. But once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by a breathtakingly beautiful paradise of tranquil bays, dramatic cliffs, turquoise seas and pink salt lakes. It’s an incredible spot to fish, snorkel, 4WD or simply relax.

Photo Tips

Dirk Hartog Island’s amazing coastal landscapes and pink lakes are best captured with a wide-angle lens or even a drone. The surrounding bays are incredible for underwater photography, so it’s well worth taking a waterproof camera or housing.

Wildflowers bloom in August and September, and a wide array of endangered wildlife – such as ospreys, turtles, sharks, dolphins, dugongs and whales – inhabit the surrounding skies and waters at different times of year. So be sure to pack a lens with plenty of zoom, and close-up capability if you want to shoot macro.

Gunlom Falls Plunge Pool - Image credit: Nick Dunn 

Gunlom Plunge Pool, Northern Territory

With views stretching for miles over Kakadu National Park, Gunlom Falls Plunge Pool must be one of Australia’s most spectacular swimming spots. A steep but short bushwalk takes you up to this nature-made infinity pool – the crowning glory of Gunlom Falls. The crystal clear waters here are perfect for a refreshing dip, snorkelling among rainbow fish or just soaking up magnificent, uninterrupted scenery.

Photo Tips

Sunset is when Gunlom Falls Plunge Pool is at its most glorious. The water mirrors the entire landscape coming alive with oranges, pinks and purples. 

To really do this place justice you’ll need a wide-angle lens, ideally with a polarising filter to downplay glare and enhance all the colours and details. If you’re up for some underwater photography (or selfies by the pool’s edge), take a waterproof camera or housing.  

Entrance to Undara Lava Tubes - Image courtesy of Australian Geographic

Undara Lava Tubes, Queensland

Around 3.5 hours’ drive from Cairns, scenic and wildlife-rich Undara Volcanic National Park is full of photo-worthy wonders, though none quite as remarkable as the Undara Lava Tubes. Tunnelled millions of years ago by flowing lava, these unforgettably fascinating cave systems are thought to be the longest of their kind in the world. The only way to explore them is by guided tour, conducted at selected times of the year. Book an evening one for the best chance to spot resident wildlife, including rock wallabies, snakes, birds and bats.

Photo Tips

Undara Lava Tubes’ immense scale is best captured using a wide-angle lens – ideally with a camera that handles high ISO well, even more ideally with a tripod and timer or shutter remote. 

To photograph cave-dwelling wildlife you’ll want to a telephoto lens that can open wide and focus fast.

The Walls of China, Mungo National Park - Image credit: Donald Yip 

Mungo National Park, New South Wales

Laying eyes on Mungo National Park’s Willandra Lakes Region feels like travelling to another time and planet. Located deep in outback NSW, this World Heritage site is as ancient as it is otherworldly, and best discovered alongside a local indigenous guide. Mungo National Park’s sights are many and varied, but The Walls of China—extraordinary sand and clay formations naturally carved over tens of thousands of years—are not to be missed. 

Photo Tips

The Red Top Lookout and Boardwalk offers a spectacular view over this amazing lunaresque landscape, particularly when the sun or moon is rising above. Using a polarising and/or neutral density filter (with a tripod) is the perfect way to bring out the site’s incredible colours and details.

A wide-angle lens is a must for spots like The Walls of China, though it’s worth also packing a telephoto lens for wildlife and close-up shots. 

Skull Rock - Image courtesy of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys 

Skull Rock (Cleft Island), Victoria

Rising from the waters of Bass Strait, Cleft Island – better known as Skull Rock – is mysterious in many ways. Sheer cliffs and treacherous underwater terrain have kept this remarkable granite formation virtually untouched, despite it being only 5km offshore. Recently established boat tours will take you close to the island, revealing the secret it kept hidden for decades: a magnificent cave, hollowed out by the force of the sea, that forms Skull Rock’s ‘eye’. Eerily, the closer you get to Skull Rock, the more skull shapes you notice in its façade. 

Photo Tips

As you approach Skull Rock, get down as low as possible to see it at its most skull-like.

You’ll want a wide-angle lens to capture the island in its entirety, but also some telephoto range to zoom in on the smaller skull shapes and local wildlife such as fur seals, sea birds, dolphins and migrating whales. To freeze subject movement (and minimise blur from the boat movement), look for a camera and lens with fast autofocus, a wide aperture and, ideally, image stabilisation.

Painted Cliffs, Maria Island - Image credit: Sander Groffen 

Maria Island, Tasmania

A half hour ferry ride off Tasmania’s east coast—often past dolphins, whales or seals—mountainous Maria Island is an explorer’s wonderland. There are no shops or cafes there, but captivating history and wild, epic natural beauty can be found everywhere. Visitors can cycle between Australia’s best preserved convict ruins; snorkel, dive or kayak in pristine waters; spot wombats, Tasmanian devils and Forester kangaroos on bushwalks; or wander secluded, windswept beaches.

No trip to Maria Island is complete without visiting the extraordinary Fossil Cliffs – soaring coastal cliffs, some more than 100m high, featuring layers upon layers of fossilised sea life dating back 300 million years. Equally, if not more, unmissable are the Painted Cliffs – Triassic-era sandstone swirled with iron oxide and rippled by wind and water into a natural wonder that must be seen to be believed. 

Photo Tips

While stunning at any time of day, both the Fossil Cliffs and Painted Cliffs are best seen on a fine late afternoon, when the setting sun ignites each spot with colour. But they’re only accessible for a couple of hours before and after low tide, so plan ahead well before you travel if you want to capture those sunset shots safely.

Be sure to take a wide-angle lens for any landscape shots (plus a tripod and neutral density filter if you want to smooth out clouds and water) and a telephoto for photographing wildlife.

Don’t Forget!

There aren’t too many shops or electricity sockets in remote or even some regional areas. Remember to pack extra memory cards, batteries, backup power, etc.

We hope this blog inspires you to see more of Australia
and capture some amazing photos.

If you need any more landscape, wildlife or travel photography tips,
just ask our knowledgeable team.