From the Aussie Kangaroos to the venomous creatures, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Sydney Opera House, Australia paints a vivid picture of varied cultural and nature-related structures and organisms. Australia is home to a million species of flora and fauna that hosts a well-conserved biodiversity. National Parks in Australia help in protecting this biodiversity.
Here is a list of national parks in Australia to not miss -
1. Flinders Chase National Park
This National Park is open for self-drive visitors daily, with the last entry at 3:00 PM. Bookings are available online, along with a wi-fi totem for bookings at the park. The Remarkable Rocks, Weirs Cove, Cape du Couedic lighthouses, and the Admirals Arch are some of the iconic tourist hotspots. Food and beverage outlets are unavailable inside the premises, and the visitors are requested to carry their own eatery items for munching. The park has limited toilet facilities, and dogs are not permitted inside the park.
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Daily
Entry Fees: AUD 6 - AUD 11
2. Kakadu National Park
The terrain of the Kakadu National Park encompasses wetlands, rivers, and sandstone escarpments. It is home to as many as 2,000 plant species and wildlife, citing the existence of a biodiverse nature reserve. Aboriginal rock paintings, dating to prehistoric times, can be viewed at sites such as Nourlangie, Nanguluwur, and Ubirr. The wildlife includes kangaroos, flatback turtles, and saltwater crocodiles, among others. The Alligator River is within the park premises. The Rangar Uranium mine is located inside the park.
Entry Fees: 7-Day Pass
Family (2 adults and 2 or more children (5-15yrs)) - AUD 65.00
Adult (16 years and over) - AUD 25.00
Concession (Valid for the recipient of an Australian aged pension; an Australian disability pension or their carer; holder of an Australian Seniors Card; or Australian veteran) - AUD 19.00
Child 5-15 years - AUD 12.50
Free for NT residents. Valid Id is required for verification.
3. Royal National Park
Established in 1879, the Royal National Park features the rich bushlands of eucalyptus, coastal beaches, and cliffs. The Kookaburras, lyre birds, and echidnas are the most noticed inhabitants of this park. The trails crisscross to meet at some place or the other with a path leading to the Bungoona Lookout, with views of the Hacking river. The Uloola track showcases spring wildflowers, and the Uloola falls.
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Peak Hours: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Park entry fees:
AUD 12 per vehicle per day. Payment options include Audley Visitor Centre, vehicle entry stations, pay machines and the Park’nPay app.
Vehicles over 8 seats: AUD 4.40 per adult, AUD 2.20 per child (per day). Students on educational programs: AUD 1.10 per student. Teachers/educational supervisors: free (1 adult per 10 students).
Passes:
All Parks Pass - For all parks in NSW (including Kosciuszko NP) AUD 190 (1 year) / AUD 335 (2 years)
Multi Parks Pass - For all parks in NSW (except Kosciuszko) AUD 65 (1 year) / AUD 115 (2 years)
4. Daintree National Park
Both Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation make up the Daintree National Park. The Mossman River's crystal-clear waters flow over granite rocks at Mossman Gorge, while Cape Tribulation has mountains covered with rainforests that swoop down to long sandy beaches. Explore the forests and the river on quick strolls in Mossman Gorge. Visit the various walking trails that go through lowland rainforest and mangrove environments in the Cape Tribulation portion, where you may have a picnic and explore the day-use sites or use the campsite at Noah Beach. The Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics converge at the Daintree, two sites that are designated as world heritage sites. The Eastern Kuku Yalanji tribe has ancestral ties to the Daintree.
Camping fees:AUD 7.00 per person per night | AUD 28.00 per family per night | AUD 3.85 per person per night for students and accompanying adults on approved educational excursions
5. Purnululu National Park
In the State of Western Australia, there is a 239,723 hectares national park called Purnululu. It has the severely cut Bungle Bungle Range, which is made of Devonian-age quartz sandstone that has been eroded over the course of 20 million years into a series of beehive-shaped towers or cones. The surfaces of these towers or cones are steeply sloping and prominently marked by regular horizontal bands of dark-grey cyanobacterial crust (single-celled photosynthetic organisms). These remarkable cone karst examples owe their existence and distinction to a number of interrelated geological, biological, erosional, and climatic events.
Opening hours: Open in the dry season only - usually April to November, dates vary.
Park entry fees apply
Standard park entry fees apply for Purnululu National Park
6. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
The Anangu, the traditional custodians of Uluru-Kata Tjuta, extend a warm welcome to this World Heritage-listed National Park, a living cultural environment where memory and the soil coexist as one. Amazing natural beauty and recognizable rock formations coexist here with 30,000 years of cultural and spiritual history. There is so much to learn about, from uncommon flora and animals to an incredible setting where Tjukurpa whispers ancestral creation tales. Since 1985, when Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Area was returned to its original owners, Anangu and the Australian Government have shared management of the park. Anangu administers and maintains the national park in collaboration with Parks Australia.
Entry Fees: 3-Day Pass | Adult (18 years and over) - AUD 38.00
Annual Pass | Adult (18 years and above) - AUD 50
NT resident - AUD 109
Free for children below 17 years
7. Nambung National Park
The Pinnacles Desert and Lake Thetis are the main attractions of the Nambung National Park. A couple of hours' drive away from Perth, it is surrounded by coastal plains, white sand dunes, and beautiful swimming beaches supporting a rich variety of flowering plants and vegetation bursts. The Yuat people, the traditional owners of the Nambung National Park, are recognized and acknowledged by the present authorities of the park.
Opening Hours: 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Park entry fees apply
Standard park entry fees apply for Nambung National Park
8. Great Sandy National Park
Sand, wind, and water have formed a diverse environment at Cooloola, the biggest remaining coastal vegetation on the mainland of southern Queensland. This stunning portion of the Cooloola Recreation Area in the Great Sandy National Park has high sand dunes, colourful sand cliffs, vast beaches, sand blows, freshwater lakes, towering trees, paperbark swamps, and wildflower heath. Cooloola is a haven for plants and animals whose habitats have been depleted as a result of coastal development. Some of the creatures that live here, such as Cooloola acid frogs and ground parrots, are uncommon or endangered. In addition, the park is home to one of the few remaining emu populations in coastal Queensland.