Think of Australia and images of the Sydney Opera House, Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef might spring immediately to mind. But as magnificent as these sites are, there is so much more to this vast and diverse country.
With the RHS Chelsea Flower Show just around the corner, we’re sharing some of Australia’s lesser-known parks and gardens, which will surprise and delight horticultural enthusiasts as well as lovers of the great outdoors.
These natural paradise landscapes, across South Australia and Western Australia, are teeming with native flora and fauna which have been flourishing for thousands of years, and offer an incredible insight into a less well-trodden part of Oz.
All aboard: Discover the Nullarbor by Rail
The Nullarbor parks in South Australia protect the world’s largest semi-arid cave landscapes and are adjacent to the Head of Bight, located to the east, which offers one of the best places to view whales and their calves between mid-May and late October.
The Nullarbor National Park is home to many diverse species of flora and fauna, including the southern hairy-nosed wombat, dingos, and many species of birds, and is the stepping stone into the Nullabor Plain, which stretches across the border between South Australia and Western Australia.
Whilst not officially classified as a national park, the plain is an iconic desert landscape rich in biodiversity and best explored from the comfort of the Indian Pacific train journey. This epic two-night, three-day adventure linking the nature cities of Adelaide and Perth and travelling across the Nullarbor, is the inspiration for the Journey Beyond the Tracks: Adelaide to Perth garden at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Nature on the doorstep: Morialta Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills
The National Park city of Adelaide is well known for the botanic gardens in the city centre and at Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills, both of which offer wonderful walking trails taking in a diverse array of native plants.
But locals in the know will also tell you to make time to visit Morialta Conservation Park, which is teeming with native wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos and rare birds.
Just a 20-minute drive from Adelaide city centre, Morialta has recorded over 300 native species and stunning vegetation, including stringybark, pink gum, blue gum, red gum and manna gum.
Morialta is a paradise for hikers and climbers who love exploring the creeks, woodlands and waterfalls which characterise this dramatic landscape.
The area is part of the traditional lands of the Kaurna people and Morialta gets its name from the Kaurna word ‘morialta’, meaning ‘ever-flowing’.
Nature on the doorstep: Morialta Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills
The National Park city of Adelaide is well known for the botanic gardens in the city centre and at Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills, both of which offer wonderful walking trails taking in a diverse array of native plants.
But locals in the know will also tell you to make time to visit Morialta Conservation Park, which is teeming with native wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos and rare birds.
Just a 20-minute drive from Adelaide city centre, Morialta has recorded over 300 native species and stunning vegetation, including stringybark, pink gum, blue gum, red gum and manna gum. Morialta is a paradise for hikers and climbers who love exploring the creeks, woodlands and waterfalls which characterise this dramatic landscape.
The area is part of the traditional lands of the Kaurna people and Morialta gets its name from the Kaurna word ‘morialta’, meaning ‘ever-flowing’.
Biking, hiking and a hit of Aussie wildlife: Onkaparinga National Park
Onkaparinga National Park, about a 40-minute drive from the vineyard city of Adelaide, is a must-visit for those seeking hiking and mountain bike trails, which offer up incredible Australian landscapes which you can enjoy largely to yourself.
Along the rugged ridge tops and the narrow river valley of the spectacular Onkaparinga Gorge, you’ll be among native wildlife such as birds, koalas, kangaroos and possums — you may even spot an echidna! Grey Box, Sheoak, pink gum, and river red gums are a feature of this stunning park, which provides habitats for a diverse range of birds. Operators, including Off Piste 4WD Tours and Escapegoat, offer a locals-in-the-know immersion into this very special part of South Australia.
Outback adventure: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Spanning over 95,000 hectares, the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, about a four-to-five-hour drive from Adelaide through the Clare Valley wine region, offers up an outback adventure like no other.
Much less well-known than Uluṟu in the Northern Territory, Wilpena Pound – one of the most striking features of the Flinders – is a giant natural amphitheatre steeped in Adnyamathanha culture and rising over 3,800 feet above sea level. Exploring this area with a local Adnyamathanha guide is a special experience and offers a deep understanding of the Aboriginal significance of this ancient site.
The Flinders is also a site of geological importance, home to Ediacaran fossils which offer up striking evidence of first life. Touring these sites, hiking the many outback trails teeming with native wildlife, and taking in the starlit skies, will make you remember what the world was like before we made it so noisy.
Wild about wildflowers: Bold Park in Perth
Bold Park, set between Perth’s central business district and its beautiful beaches, is one of the largest remaining bushland remnants in the urban area of the Swan Coastal Plain, covering 437 hectares.
With over 15 km of walking and bridle trails and ten different lookouts with expansive city and coastal views, Bold Park offers a memorable experience any time of year and boasts a spectacular array of wildflowers throughout the year, particularly in Spring (Sept-Nov).
Despite being right in the Perth metropolitan area, it is often overshadowed by its “big brother,” Kings Park. Many visitors drive right past it on their way to City Beach without realising the beauty they’re missing out on.
Canoeing and camping: Fitzgerald River National Park
Fitzgerald River National Park, 420 kilometres southeast of Perth in the Great Southern region, is one the largest and most botanically significant national parks in Australia and a great spot for camping by night and canoeing by day. Nearly 20 per cent of Western Australia’s flora species are found within the park, many of which occur only within its boundaries.
The park features a tantalising variety of landscapes to explore, from rolling plains, colourful breakaways, rugged peaks and headlands to stunning bays and inlets. From July to October, southern right whales shelter close to shore with their newborn calves; and as winter gives way to spring, the landscape fills with colourful wildflowers, including Banksias, Hakeas, Bottlebrush, Feather flowers, Quaalup bell and many others.
Where the ocean meets the Outback: Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri National Park, about a six-hour drive north of Perth, is one of Western Australia’s most spectacular natural wonders, spanning over 183,000 hectares where the Murchison River carves through ancient red sandstone. The inland heart of the park is defined by dramatic “Grand Canyon” style vistas, headlined by the iconic Nature’s Window and the Kalbarri Skywalk.
Beyond the rust-coloured canyons, the park transitions into a coastline of towering limestone cliffs that drop vertically into the Indian Ocean. Landmarks like Island Rock and Red Bluff provide the perfect vantage points for watching the sunset turn the cliffs a fiery orange or spotting migrating Humpback whales between June and November.
As for the trails, the winter and spring months offer mild hiking weather and a world-class display of 800 species of wildflowers. Whether you are exploring the depths of the Z-Bend trail or simply enjoying the ocean breeze at the Natural Bridge, Kalbarri remains a raw, powerful showcase of the West Australian wilderness.
Conclusion: Australia’s lesser-known parks
While Australia’s iconic landmarks draw the crowds, the true soul of the continent often lies in its quieter corners. By venturing beyond the famous postcard destinations to these lesser-known parks, travellers can experience ancient landscapes, rare wildlife, and profound solitude without the queue.
