If you’re looking for relaxation and wellness, then this blogpost is not for you. Even though Australia’s wellness tourism is on the rise, this post is for those who prefer feeling alive the other way. However, you can still consider visiting numerous yoga retreats, hot springs, massage, and spa centers once you’re done exploring. If wellness is considered coming to oneself, then the thrills of extreme sports are the surpassing of oneself.
All first-timers are invited to give it a go, of course, it is probably not for the faint of heart. All of these sports and expeditions are guided. However, if you are new to this, consider securing travel insurance before you take further steps. If you’re hasty and into adrenaline, you can check out fast and simple coverage like Fast Cover, because extreme does not mean unsafe!
1. Skydiving in Brisbane
Making the big jump is breath-taking, not only because the adrenaline will hit you so hard you’ll forget how to breathe for a moment, but because the landscape you’ll witness will leave you in awe. Imagine embarking on a small plane that takes you above 2,000m off the ground, revealing a clear, spacious landscape, and then taking a free fall and diving into that exotic palette. This leap of faith is, of course, done safely in tandem with an instructor to help you with opening your parachute, so you can enjoy the freedom of letting go.
2. Kitesurf in Perth
Kitesurf is booming thanks to the Perth Kitesurfing School, especially since it requires no previous experience or skill when it comes to nautical sports or knowledge of wind. It is an excellent opportunity for newbies to explore the Australian west coast. Thanks to the onshore winds throughout most of the year, you can indulge in this sport at any time.
3. Zipline and Rafting in Cairns
Cairns has something to offer for those that enjoy heights, as well as those who like to keep it grounded, but exciting. The rainforest in Cairns offers a zip line flight over the vast canopy, which is both a sensational experience and a way to explore the exotic flora of the Australian rainforests.
However, this you can do from the ground as well while going whitewater rafting in the Barron and Tully rivers near Cairns, known to have the best rapids in the country. To enjoy more calm and quiet and take time to admire the lush landscapes of the rainforest, you can take a longer trip down the Johnstone River, which also runs near Cairns.
4. Paragliding in Albany
Seen from above, everything seems more beautiful, and the west coast of Australia is not far behind. Get started with WA Paragliding Academy for a paraglider flight from one of the sites in Albany, the southernmost of Western Australian cities. The opportunity to gain height in order to soar above Australian treasures such as the beautiful white-sand beaches is indescribable. An adrenaline rush is guaranteed before giving way to a feeling of freedom.
5. Bridge Climbing in Sydney
One of the most spectacular climbs in Australia is the venturing to the top of the famous Harbor Bridge climb. This nearly hundred-year-old metal bridge is the city’s second symbol after the Sydney Opera house. Linking the Dawes Point, the business district, to Milsons Point on the north shore of the bay, it undoubtedly gives a spectacular panoramic view of the entire Sydney Bay.
Of course, you are accompanied by a specialized guide during your venture to the top 130m high, it is nevertheless only for the daring. Extreme sports enthusiasts will maybe prefer the Blue Mountains, but you can get a pretty good physical exercise out of this while enjoying a great architectural attraction. Tours are offered day and night, which means you can choose your preferred view, be it the sunbathed city bay or its magnificent nightlights.
6. Blue Mountains Abseiling
Blue Mountains are probably the most attractive site for various sports like trekking, abseiling, hiking, climbing, and other sightseeing activities. And it’s no wonder this World Heritage Site draws such attention, with its steep cliffs, lively waterfalls, spectacular cave formations, eucalyptus forests, and the extensive blue reflection that earned this site its name. It displays a dramatic landscape that would enthrall just any adventurer.
You don’t have to have any previous experience in climbing to embark on this adventure. What you need for abseiling, however, is to be a little sporty at heart and not feel dizzy when faced with great heights. Your guide is there to secure the rest, so you can enjoy the impressive view safely.
7. Bungy jumping
Have a go at bungee jumping from the platform of the Cairns Bungy Tower for a pure adrenaline rush. This structure nestled 50 m high in the heart of the tropical forest offers you a breath-taking view. Once at the end of the board, ready to go, you will face the ocean and the Great Barrier Reef.
8. Cliff Camping in Victoria
This may be one of the more bizarre adventures out there. If you think you’d enjoy abseiling, then this is like a rest-stop after this vertical expedition.
Mount Buffalo National Park provides an expedition with a portaledge that is suspended over a 300m cliffside. Here, you can dine or stay overnight and witness the most grandiose sunrise in your life. Although this is not a sport per se, it will undoubtedly make chills run down your spine.
9. Cage Diving in Port Lincoln
If you truly want to go down under, there is nothing more terrifying than encountering a shark face to face. If you are near Port Lincoln, in South Australia, you can witness the great white shark up close, while protected by the bars.
Other options exist aside Port Lincoln where you can see the great white – thanks to dives at the Melbourne aquarium, for example – or near Sydney in protected areas. While this does not require much physical exertion to be called a sport, it will get that adrenaline pumping in seconds.
Of course, after the hype wears off, you can always enjoy the peace and calm of numerous paradise beaches and have at all those wellness facilities. Actually, these extreme and exhausting experiences will only help you enjoy calm moments all the more, all while exploring the vast landscape of this beautiful country and having something to remember it by!
