The Best Outdoor Pursuits

Sea Kayaking: Kayaking is a great way to explore Queensland's Whitsunday Islands as well as Dunk Island off Mission Beach in Queensland. Rivergods in Perth even takes you on a sea-kayaking day trip to snorkel with wild sea lions and watch penguins feeding. This Western Australian company also runs multiday expeditions past whales, dolphins, and sharks in Shark Bay, and over coral at Ningaloo Reef on the Northwest Cape.

Horse Trekking in the Snowy Mountains (NSW): Ride the ranges like the man from Snowy River, staying in bush lodges or camping beneath the stars.

Abseiling (Rappelling) in the Blue Mountains (NSW): Careering backward down a cliff face with the smell of eucalyptus in your nostrils is not everyone's idea of fun, but you sure know you're alive. Several operators welcome both novices and the more experienced.

White-Water Rafting on the Tully River (Mission Beach, QLD): The Class III to IV rapids of the Tully River swoosh between lush, rainforested banks. The guides are professional, and the rapids are just hairy enough to be fun. It's a good choice for first-time rafters.

Four-Wheel-Driving on Fraser Island (QLD): Burning down 75-Mile Beach in a 4*4 on the biggest sand island in the world is liberating, if not great for the environment. Paradoxically, the island is ecologically important and popular with nature lovers. Hike its eucalyptus forests and rainforests, swim its clear lakes, and fish off the beach.

Game Fishing: Battle a black marlin off Cairns and you might snare the world record; that's how big they get down there. Marlin and other game catches run around much of the Australian coastline -- Exmouth on the Northwest Cape in Western Australia, and Broome and Darwin in the Top End are two other hot spots.

Canoeing the Top End (NT): Paddling between the sun-drenched ocher walls of Katherine Gorge sharpens the senses, especially when a (harmless) freshwater crocodile pops up! Gecko Canoeing will take you downriver to the rarely explored Flora and Daly River systems to visit Aboriginal communities, shower under waterfalls, hike virgin bushland, and camp in swags on the banks.

Surfing in Margaret River (WA): A 90-minute surf lesson with four-time Western Australia surf champ Josh Palmateer is a great introduction to the sport -- if only to hear Josh's Aussie accent! In July and August, Josh shifts his classes to Cable Beach in Broome.

Skiing in the Victorian Alps (VIC): Skiing in Australia? Sure. When you've had enough coral and sand, you can hit the slopes in Victoria. Where else can you swish down the mountain between gum trees?

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