Australian Traveller

Packed with honest reviews and inspiring travel stories, Australian Traveller is the most authoritative and trusted guide to travelling this great country. It's no wonder that it's Australia's best-selling travel magazine.

Editor’s letter

Australian Traveller

ONLINE • From DESTINATIONS that change with the seasons to small communities doing big things, discover the towns TURNING heads at australiantraveller.com

IN GOOD TASTE

WISH YOU WERE HERE

TRAVEL BUZZ • From LANDMARK public art to round trip cruise JOURNEYS, here’s what’s currently on our RADAR across the country.

PILLOW TALK • From your own private island to LUXE hotels with coastal views, dive into these GLAMOROUS getaways in Australia.

WINE & DINE • Celebrating the NEW and noteworthy, from a REFINED British dining destination to a WHISKY den reborn.

HOT STUFF • Cast your cares ADRIFT at these five outdoor SAUNAS.

Make a break • Amble through the COUNTRYSIDE on a cosy winter mini break with CLASSIC and classy desirables including SUEDE, whisky and wool.

Home town, hero • Visiting your home town can FEEL like a tick-the-box exercise, but look through the eyes of a tourist and you might DISCOVER a place that has quietly CHANGED alongside you, writes Kate Symons.

Silence is golden • Paying for a GUIDE who doesn’t talk to you and LEAVES you ALONE in the bush? Yes PLEASE, says Fleur Bainger.

Opportunity KNOCKS • In OUTBACK Makalamayi/Timber Creek, a family-run OP SHOP is part of a THRIFTING revolution in remote COMMUNITIES, writes Alley Pascoe.

2026 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS + PRIZE GIVEAWAY • ENTER our 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for your CHANCE to WIN one of 14 ultimate Aussie HOLIDAYS.

RAIL REVIVAL

Grand entrance • An ode to the City of LOVE, The French Exit presents a BUZZY new DATE destination, discovers Sonya Gellert.

TURNING TIDES • Once a weary seaside block, this light-bathed RETREAT is Nelson Bay’s NEW benchmark for swish COASTAL stays, finds Eleanor Edström.

Flavour remix • Clare Acheson SNACKS on Thai-heat HITS and twisted crowd-pleasers at Melbourne/Naarm’s new SOUTHSIDE darling.

GLORY DAYS • A once-BELOVED Central Coast destination is regaining its SPARK thanks to a shiny new HOTEL. Megan Arkinstall checks in.

HIP HOOD Devonport • Tasmania/Lutruwita’s northern gateway, Devonport blends windswept Bass Strait BEAUTY with farmgate FLAVOURS, coastal charm and a cool creative spirit. Riley Wilson explores.

PLAY IT COOL • Lara Picone zips up her puffer jacket and heads to the HILLS of Queensland Country for an EXPLOR ATION of what could just be Australia’s most INTERESTING and under-the-radar wine region.

DOWN the line • Journeying on the HISTORIC Southern Aurora means recapturing the ROMANCE of times gone by on the faithfully restored vintage TRAIN and in the RIVERINA region beyond.

THE SLOW ROAD • The Yorke Peninsula is DOTTED with charming TOWNS that still feel completely under the radar. A road trip reveals what’s HIDDEN in this wheat-and-coastal SLICE of South Australia.

GLOWING UP • Long OVERLOOKED as just the gateway to its more popular cousin Byron, BALLINA has grown up – and BECOME unmistakably cool in the process.

100 BEST AUSSIE TOWNS • From coast to outback and everywhere in BETWEEN, our country is home to a vast array of vibrant COMMUNITIES waiting to be EXPLORED.

Making of the list • Curious how we ARRIVED at our 100 Best Aussie Towns? Read on for the voting process, meet our PANEL and find out which DESTINATIONS took out the top spots.

EMERGING

ADVENTURE & NATURE

WELLNESS

FESTIVAL & EVENTS

COUNTRY

OUTBACK

FOOD...