15 Of Australia's Most Breathtaking National Parks

It's time to go explore the great outdoors.

1. Kakadu National Park (NT)

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Kakadu is a slice of paradise that should be on everyone's to-do list. Spread over 20, 000 square kilometres, Kakadu boasts everything from tumbling waterfalls to ancient rock art. Kakadu National Park is also renowned for the richness of of its Aboriginal cultural sites, with Aboriginal people having occupied the area for more than 40, 000 years.

2. Royal National Park (NSW) / Wattamolla

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The Royal National Park is located south of Sydney, near the suburbs of Otford and Waterfall. The park boasts numbers of walking and cycling tracks, but for a beautiful picnic spot, look no further than the Wattamolla picnic area. Snorkel or swim in the calm waters of the lagoon and soak up the sun on the sand, while admiring the scenery and the (mostly) gentle trickle of the waterfall.

3. Mt Kosciuszko (NSW)

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Located in the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciuszko is Australia's highest mainland mountain. The park itself covers almost 700, 000 hectares and offers a variety of activities whether it be camping and bushwalking in summer or skiing and snowboarding in the surrounding snowfields in winter.

4. Wilsons Promontory (VIC)

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Offering stunning scenery and wildlife, Wilsons Promontory National Park is Victoria's largest coastal wilderness area. The array of native wildlife include Kangaroos, Wombats and Echidnas and the park boasts many scenic walking trails as well as a variety of accommodation options.

5. Kalbarri National Park (WA)

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For jaw-dropping formations and coastal cliffs, Kalbarri National Park is your one-stop shop. Apart from the astounding views of the sea cliffs, Kalbarri is popular for abseiling, rafting and canoeing - but remember to always take your own water supply!

6. Bay of Fires (TAS)

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If you're feeling super adventurous, immerse yourself in the wonderful landscape Tasmania has to offer. From the white, sandy beaches to exploring secluded coves, Bay of Fires has a lot to offer. Trivia fact: the bay was given it's name in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux, who saw the fires of Aboriginal people on the beaches.

7. Washpool National Park (NSW)

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Washpool offers a range of wonderful scenic strolls (lasting from half an hour to days depending on how adventurous you're feeling) and is a natural haven for some of Australia's most unusual creatures, including the pouched frog and the spotted-tailed quoll.

8. Daintree National Park (QLD)

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Situated around 90kms north of Cairns, the Daintree National Park is an expansive area of tropical rainforest with a high concentration of plants and animals that are found nowhere else on the planet. Daintree National Park also holds the oldest known rainforest on the planet - the closest living counterpart to the forests that once covered the continent of Gondwanaland. (Say that three times fast).

9. Carnarvon Gorge (QLD)

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Straddling the Great Dividing Range, Carnarvon Gorge is a testament to the power of nature. Water and wind have eroded the park's landscapes the years to create a network of sandy plain's, valleys and gorges that attract over 65, 000 visitors per year.

10. Great Sandy National Park (QLD)

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Featuring endless white sand, enormous sand dunes, creeks and freshwater lakes, Great Sandy National Park is divided into two sections: The Cooloola section and the Fraser Island section. Cooloola offers hikes galore, with a five-day hiking trail being one of its main attractions. If you're checking out Fraser Island, be sure to catch a glimpse of the coloured sand cliffs on its eastern beach. However, be sure to note; access to both sections requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.

11. Freycinet National Park (TAS)

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Freycinet National Park is a little slice of paradise on the east coast of Tasmania. A spectacular natural area, the park holds many great walking tracks as well as being home to the world famous Wineglass Bay. We'll drink to that.

12. Port Campbell National Park (VIC)

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Famous for its incredibly formation of wave-sculpted rock formations, Port Campbell National Park should 100% be on your bucket list. Though it holds many incredible rock stacks, gorges and blowholes, the biggest tourist attraction at Port Campbell is The Twelve Apostles (though currently only 8 remain).

13. Flinders Ranges National Park (SA)

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For a real look at the iconic Aussie outback, the Flinders Ranges National Park has all your true-blue needs covered. Boasting some of South Australia's largest mountain ranges, the park is home to some of the most spectacular and dramatic scenery in South Australia.

14. Purnululu National Park (WA)

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A world heritage listed site, Purnululu National Park is home to the Bungle Bungle Range, a predominant and spectacular formation of sculptured rocks. Weather and time have given the rocks an orange and black banded appearance, almost as though they are giant beehives. Don't let that hold you back from exploring though - Purnululu National Park truly is a spectacular sight.

15. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (NT)

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Absolutely iconic and in rare need of an introduction, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (Uluru) is Australia's most recognisable natural icon, owned by Anangu (the recognised traditional owners of the land). It bears various inscriptions from from ancestral Indigenous people and stands at 348 metres above the plain and 860 metres above sea-level. The symbolism used in the rock art at Uluru, is thought to date back at least 5, 000 years.