Guide To Lesser Known Attractions In Australia

Ranked as the 6th largest country in terms of land area, Australia is home to a lot of attractions that arent your usual tourism activities. Because of the many outdoor activities, you can also meet a lot of tourists and locals during your stay. Here is a list of all those adventurous things to do in Oz – perfect for the free-spirited tourist in you.

When you visit Australia, be sure to bring the family. It may be too far to bring the dog, but Oz also welcomes dogs with a pet passport and there are loads of dog-friendly attractions and places to stay in this amazing country.

Visit the Haunted Bookshop

Located in Melbourne is a shop that opens your world to vampires, aliens, ghosts, witchcraft, and satanism. The Haunted Bookshop is filled with books and items that people looking for a thrill will be interested to have. But its not your typical bookshop either. The place offers tours all over Melbourne hosted by its owner, Drew Sinton who is also a TV presenter. Sinton has been hosting tours for over 20 years now, which focus on the dark secrets of the city.

Wander around Magnetic Island

Before you even expect magnetic fields taking effect on you, its best to know that the Magnetic Island has no special magnetic features. However, it was named such because of the claim made by Captain James Cook that his ship experienced a magnetic pull in the 1770s. But despite its lack of magnetic properties, the island, also called Maggie by the locals, is a great place to explore mangroves and forests. It also has remains of World War II rotting nearby.

Find your way out the Ashcombe Maze

Want to experience getting lost in a maze? If you do, you can try finding your way out in the worlds largest hedge maze called the Ashcombe Maze. Aside from the nine-foot-high hedges, there is also a part where you will find at least a hundred different species of roses. This tourist destination is great for couples and families looking for a challenge.

Get up close with crocodiles
 
If youre looking for a thrilling experience, you can visit Crocosaurus Cove where you can experience Jaws in real life. However, you wont be encountering a shark here. Instead, youll be up close with Choppa, the 18-foot crocodile who is anxious to take a snap of you.

How does this work? Well, if you are brave enough to try it, you will be sitting in a glass cage (aptly called the Cage of Death) that is lowered towards the water where Choppa is waiting. He wont be ignoring you because theres meat at attached to the bottom of the cage.

Explore the Undara Lava Tubes
 
The Undara Lava Tubes were named after the Undara volcano, a small volcano that has spewed lava across 1,550 square kilometers of land 190,000 years ago. This incident is known to be the largest one in history. When the lava spread all over the area, it left tubes and caves in its wake. Today, the place is home to a diverse plant and insect life where youll see white cockroaches and Scutigerids around. Since the place is full of caves, you will also encounter bats and frogs everywhere.

Aside from these unusual places, there are many more sites to visit in Australia. You can also take time to visit its famous cities to experience local living and sightseeing.