Rich with lush rainforests, spectacular mountain ranges and hot deserts, Australia is a nature-lover’s paradise. You can spot a wide variety of animals, birds, and plant life at the national parks of this continent. There are over 500 national parks, 19 of which have been declared as UNESCO world heritages sites. Let’s check out some of the most popular ones now!
Royal National Park, South Wales
Image Credits: Kgbo, RustyRoots
The Royal National Park is the island’s first official national park. Colloquially termed as ‘Nasho’, it is home to birds such as Golden Whistlers, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, laughing kookaburra, and New Holland honeyeaters etc. Animals such as Koala, Dingo, and Short-beaked echidna can be seen too. One may also go kayaking along the river, follow the hiking trails, picnic in scenic settings, and swim in peaceful coves.
Kakadu National Park, Kakadu
Kakadu National Park is a global treasure! Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres of land, it has more than 2,000 plant species and an amazing array of animals – some of which will not be found elsewhere in the world. Roughly 280 different types of birds exist here! Furthermore, the oldest rock paintings are up to 20,000 years old. There are guided tours and walks everyday from April to October.
Purnululu National Park, Western Australia
Purnululu National Park is famous for the Bungle Bungle Range, which is composed of Devonian-age quartz sandstone. The sandstones eroded into a bunch of towers or cones over millions of years. The park’s domes, gorges, and wet season waterfalls were almost unknown to outsiders until 1982 when aerial pictures of this spot were released. Very soon, it became an internationally famous site.
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, Northern Territory
Established in 1958 as the Ayers Rock–Mount Olga National Park, the Ulu u-Kata Tjua National Park is a magnificent area known for rock outcroppings held sacred by the Anangu people – the traditional owners of the park. Temperature extremes in the park have been recorded at 45°C during the summers and -5°C during the winter nights. Plants and animals have adapted to the area’s extreme conditions.
Great Sandy National Park, Queensland
The Great Sandy National Park is a coastal national park, which encompasses parts of both mainland Queensland and Fraser Island. The diverse terrain includes beaches, swamps, and rainforests. Also, there are campgrounds with basic facilities. Hire a 4WD vehicle for a great experience. Being a family-friendly destination, the Great Sandy National Park is connected with plenty of buses running from/to the coast.
