5 adventures to have in Australia (part 1: VIC, NSW)

1  The Great Ocean Road by plane, VIC

You may have road-tripped this famous Victorian touring route, but have you seen it from above? Hop aboard a private plane in Melbourne and let Australian Air Safaris whisk you over the curves and coastal countryside of the Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles. The flight includes a picnic at Peterborough and – get this – every passenger has a window seat.

2  High Country mountain biking, VIC

Victoria’s High Country has a great reputation for forest trails to zip along, and Lake Mountain Alpine Resort is a top location post-winter. Only two hours from Melbourne, mountain biking at the resort is an accessible half-day adventure. There’s a handful of trails around 2km long, as well as the 28km single-track Cascades route to Marysville.

3  Tall ship sailing, NSW 

Hoist the sails and scale the mast on a Sydney Harbour Tall Ships tour. If you’re new to sailing or a history buff, this is the micro-adventure for you. Hop aboard for a lunch or twilight sail, but for something to write home about sign up for the Soren Larsen Overnight Cruise. You get the best of both worlds – wine and canapés with a convicts tour and bunk sleeping.

4  Blue Mountains canyoning, NSW

The Blue Mountains is home to a stellar range of canyons for active families. Blue Mountains Adventure Company runs an introductory Empress Canyon Explorer tour that’s four hours of scrambling, swimming and jumping. Who could say no to that? One of the best things about this company is they’re happy to take children as young as six on a case-by-case basis.

5  Picnic on the side of a cliff, NSW

A cliffnic is exactly how it sounds – a picnic on the side of a cliff. Well, to be more specific, it’s a fine dining lunch of local cheeses, breads, antipasto and wines served on a platform that’s been installed on a cliff-face. Around the world, NSW company Outdoor Raw is the only one providing anything like it. So if you’re after an adventure that only a handful of people have ever done globally, this is it.