The 5 Beautiful Towns in Australia

We’re now very lucky to be able to get out and see much of the country. But what is our favourite town? Without further ado, here are 5 of the 100 Beautiful Towns in Australia.

Port Fairy, VIC

Port Fairy, Victoria’s oldest port, was a favourite hunting ground for whalers and sealers who once ruled the town. It was also a destination for escape during the 1800’s for Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine that was raging back home. 

More than 50 historic buildings line the town’s wide streets, from whitewashed whalers’ and sealers’ cottages to colonial merchants’ homes and grand public buildings. 

Either as an outright destination for a romantic long weekend, or simply as a breath of fresh air in the midst of your next Great Ocean Road adventure, charming Port Fairy is not to be missed.

Port Douglas, QLD

Port Douglas is a traditional boom and bust kind of town. In 1877 the village boomed like any good Australian town when gold was found in the nearby river system. 

 His development of the Sheraton Mirage on Four Mile Beach marked the beginning of the revival that saw Port Douglas become a playground for the rich and in/un and just famous. It has a number of excellent restaurants (AT’s pick is Harrisons), bars and nightlife for the young at heart, as well as activities for the kids. 

Byron Bay, NSW

Beguiling Byron. A place of happy beach existence, where sophisticated barefoot executives meet trust-baby bohemia meets yoga masters. It’s the ultimate Australian town where no-one is out of place: DINKS, Reiki masters, ferals, wealthy Europeans and British backpackers all live happily here.

The town centre is a hub of restaurants and waterholes. And the beauty of Byron is that there’s so much to do after a long day lounging on the beach.

Strahan, TAS

It’s a crime not to visit Strahan if you head to Tasmania. It really is an amplification of everything that Tasmanian tourism stands for.

 The waters are cleaner, the air fresher, and the place leaves you both invigorated and grateful that the town never came to a sticky end.  With a scenic railway, myriad cruises, flights to explore the region and twee artisan shops, you could almost forgive the place for becoming a parody of its former self.

 Thankfully it hasn’t, and the pressure that tourism brings has been extraordinarily well managed.

Margaret River, WA

More than possibly any other wine region stopping point, Margaret River is a town in its own right, with great places to eat and real pubs for those odd occasions when you don’t have any cellar door purchases to BYO.”

 Great wine, great beaches and a laidback rural feel with great food and fine golf. Do not leave town without visiting the Margaret River Pottery, home of local ceramic artist Ian Dowling. Ian built it himself out of mud bricks using the clay from a nearby riverbank. Talk about authenticity.