Uniquely positioned where the Top End’s tropics meet Central Australia’s outback, https://www.australiantraveller.com/nt/katherine/ is located on the edge of the Nitmiluk National Park with its multitude of waterfalls, walking trails and pristine outback swimming holes (oh hey Edith Falls, we’re looking at you).

This historic town is just 30 minutes from Adelaide, making it conveniently located for a day trip or weekender. Expect serious family fun in summer, too, with plenty to appeal beyond German sausages and sauerkraut. Take the kids on a strawberry- and cherry-picking adventure at Beerenberg Farm, or if you’re in town as summer comes to a close, head to Glen Twin Estate in Houghton to pick your own figs. Scrub up on Australian history and German folklore, have a putt at mini golf, and meet some friendly animals at Hahndorf Farm Barn.

Known as ‘the apple capital of Queensland’, Stanthorpe is a gourmand’s delight. A summer holiday here warrants plenty of tasting – of the cheese and truffle variety – at providores such as Stanthorpe Cheese and the Truffle Discovery Centre. The Southern Queensland countryside is also home to more than 50 vineyards.

The https://www.australiantraveller.com/qld/sunshine-coast/ hinterland town, more of a village thanks to its population of less than 1000, is teeming with charming boutiques, studios and art galleries boasting work by both up-and-coming and established local artists.

Perched on the banks of NSW’s beautiful Hawkesbury River, it is also surrounded by no less than four national parks. Less than 90 minutes north of Sydney, this charming town has long been a weekend getaway favourite among Sydneysiders with its charming houseboats, waterfront holiday homes, excellent restaurants and outdoor activities all up for grabs in the summer.

The Waterfall Way, beginning in Coffs Harbour, is one of the best scenic drives in NSW. And if you base yourself in Bellingen, where the drive passes through, you’ll be perfectly positioned to speed off on a summertime road trip that snakes through four national parks, country farmland and – you guessed it, stunning waterfalls.

With direct access to Lake King and Lake Victoria and canals that wind through town, Paynesville makes an ideal summer destination, offering opportunities to water-ski, jet-ski, windsurf, kayak, hire a boat or join a river cruise. A walking track from Sunset Cove takes you along the water’s edge, and Eagle Point and the world-renowned Mitchell River Silt Jetties – the longest in the world – are a short drive away.

Perched 319 metres above sea level, the summertime visitors who venture along the four-hour drive north-east of Melbourne to Bright are spoiled for choice in this verdant spot, where river activities, mountain hikes, cycling and birdwatching are on the daily agenda.

In under a four-hour drive southwest of Perth, you could find yourself in one of the state’s most beautiful self-drive regions. From the Aboriginal word meaning ‘plenty of water’, Pemberton is a fisherman’s dream, and Pemberton Pool and the Big Brook Dam, a freshwater lake surrounded by towering karri forest, are popular swimming spots.