We've teamed up with Lonely Planet and Tourism Australia to bring you Bluelist Australia — home-grown travel recommendations created by Lonely Planet staff, authors and travellers.
Looking for unique experiences in the Aussie outback? Here's a list of cool things to do in our own backyard.
Sign up as a 'drover' on the Great Australian Outback Cattle Drive
Boil up the billycan, tug on your boots and get ready to ride 'em, cowboy. You'll be droving 500 head of cattle along South Australia's Oodnadatta track, from Anna Creek to Marree. It's one of Australia's most evocative stock trails, so the horizon-gazing is as good as it gets.
Hitch a plane ride on the outback airmail run
The world's longest mail run puts the outback landscape at your feet. From Port Augusta in South Australia you'll fly over 2500km north to Boulia in Queensland — and back again. You'll cross four deserts, bring joy to 25 cattle stations, and feel a bit like Santa.
Immerse yourself in Aboriginal culture at Gunya Titjikala
The Titjikala community, 120km south of Alice Springs, invites you to join them for a unique outback experience. You'll learn about Aboriginal culture and art. You'll listen to dreamtime stories. And in the evening you'll refuel with local bush tucker before retiring to your luxury safari tent to relax and watch the sun set over the red dunes.
Yee-haw at the Rollicking Halls Creek Rodeo
Big hats, Cuban heels and cowboy shirts are de rigueur at this bronco-bustin' knees-up in WA. Prop up a fence, chew on a straw and watch the jack- and jillaroos crunch some bones. Do not try this at home!
Pay the Mungo Man a visit
Mungo National Park in NSW is the remains of an ancient lake. The park has its own 'Walls of China', crescent-shaped dunes that are steeped in 60,000 years of history. Take an Aboriginal tour in this fragile landscape and discover the Mungo Man, one of the oldest bodies ever found in the world and Australia's most significant archaeological find.
This bluelist is published by Ninemsn in partnership with Lonely Planet and Tourism Australia.
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