Your honeymoon deserves a special kind of holiday. After all, it’s the best excuse ever to tick off a bucket-list wildlife encounter or finally rent that private island you’ve always talked about. Don’t be afraid to think big! You’ll find plenty of inspiration in our beautiful backyard when it comes to travel experiences that head off the beaten path.
We’ve tracked down seven unique honeymoon ideas in some of Australia’s most beautiful destinations, so you can plan something extraordinary with the one you love.
1. Sleep on the Great Barrier Reef
It’s the ultimate experience for ocean-lovers: the chance to sleep beneath the waves, cocooned by the fabled waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Australia’s only underwater accommodation, Reefsuites offers a unique honeymoon adventure at a permanently moored pontoon on Hardy Reef, 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach. As well as overnight digs in a private suite, with only floor-to-ceiling glass between you and the marine life beyond, this magical destination offers plenty of other honeymoon highlights. We’re talking helicopter flights over Heart Reef, guided snorkelling and semi-sub tours, and dinner on deck under the stars. Speaking of which, if you’d rather soak up sunrise over the water, look for the pontoon’s on-deck camping experience, Reefsleep.
- Extra tip: Don’t miss the chance to experience more of this dazzling region with a Whitsundays honeymoon itinerary.
2. Embrace luxury in the outback
If the rugged romance of Australia’s outback is calling, you’re in luck. You’ll find a swag of lodges, homesteads, and bush camps both luxurious and wild, in far-flung locations around the country. Need a few directions? Look to the Dune Pavilions of Longitude 131 that promise “the ultimate in outback glamour”. These tented retreats feature outdoor tubs, local indigenous artworks, and unparalleled views to both Uluru and Kata Tjuta — with dinner served on a remote dune under a gazillion stars. Now that’s a memorable honeymoon experience.
If Western Australia’s dramatically beautiful Kimberley region is on your list, see El Questro for a soul-stirring honeymoon. Cantilevered over the edge of Chamberlain Gorge, the property’s jaw-dropping Chamberlain Suite is perfect for couples. Or follow the epic outback sunsets to North Queensland gem Mt Mulligan Lodge where off-road adventures play out on a 28,000-hectare working cattle station. Couples craving an outback honeymoon will also fall for Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in the Greater Blue Mountains, where you can explore on horseback by day and stargaze around the campfire by night. The resort’s Heritage Villas are a honeymoon treat (think private pools, double-side fireplaces, and valley views), as are the private dining experiences. Krug Champagne picnic anyone?
3. Slip off grid in the Queensland rainforest
Looking to leave the world behind? Seek out Queensland’s solar-powered Nightfall camp, where sleeping under canvas takes on a wild romance all its own. Tucked away in the ancient rainforests of Lamington National Park, this close-to-nature escape is all bushwalks and birdsong. Each custom-designed safari tent has twin bathtubs, a rotating fireplace, and organic linens as part of the camp’s signature glamping experience. Enjoy fire-cooked organic meals, lazy afternoon siestas, and alfresco massages by the tumbling waters of Christmas Creek or deep in the forest of this Scenic Rim wonderland.
- Extra tip: Combine your rainforest retreat with an exhilarating hot-air balloon ride over the Gold Coast and Hinterland. See O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat for an accommodation package that includes ballooning with breakfast and sparkling wine at the O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards.
Take flight with these 8 hot-air balloon adventures in Australia
4. Rent a private island
It’s a honeymoon story that will stand the test of time (let’s face it, ‘private island’ never gets old). But where to track down a private island in Australia? You might be surprised to know there’s quite the line-up of these mythical hideaways sprinkled along the east coast (see Queensland’s Pumpkin, Orpheus, and Makepeace). So, dodge the crowds and discover an island where two is the magic number.
For starters, have you heard of Satellite Island? This hidden gem off the east coast of Tasmania (via Bruny Island) offers extreme romantic isolation, gorgeous pebble beaches, and an endless supply of wild oysters. Beach bonfires, fresh seafood feasts, and Southern Ocean sunsets are honeymoon moments you’ll cherish forever. If you’re heading north, the equally charming Bedarra Island is a tropical idyll located between the Whitsundays and Cairns. This barefoot luxury haven offers a gorgeous boutique resort on one side and a secluded honeymooner’s retreat (East Bedarra Island Retreat) on the other.
- Extra tip: If a South Pacific paradise is more your cup of tea, see Norfolk Island. Bountiful, beautiful, and rich in history, this low-key isle is just 2.5 hours from Brisbane or Sydney and offers a warm welcome to Australian honeymooners. No passport required.
Discover ten dreamy secret islands off the Queensland coast.
5. Swim with whale sharks
For a unique honeymoon experience, it doesn’t get much better than gliding beside the ocean’s gentle giants (aka whale sharks) in the Ningaloo Marine Park. The location alone is a selling point. A two-hour flight north of Perth, off the Exmouth coast, Ningaloo is Australia’s largest fringing reef and a UNESCO-listed treasure. It’s also a snorkeller’s dream, with aquamarine waters teeming with fish, turtles, and rays, and an ideal spot for sunset sailing (this is the west coast after all).
Plan your honeymoon between March and July for the chance to swim with the biggest fish in the sea before bunking down in a luxury wilderness tent at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef. Set among the pristine dunes of the Cape Range National Park, where the outback literally meets the reef, this eco-luxe escape is made for couples. Ask for the Honeymoon Tent which enjoys a secluded location, private beach access, and a few extra special touches including a four-poster bed.
6. Take a honeymoon hike in Tassie
If you’re a couple who loves the great outdoors, look no further than Australia’s southern isle for your romantic adventure. Tasmania is the location on everyone’s lips this year, with its stadium-sized scenery and boutique accommodation making it the ultimate honeymoon for the wild at heart. Leave the world behind and wander with wombats in glorious Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, home to Tassie’s most legendary hiking and nature trails. The 65-km Overland Track is incredible, but the more manageable Dove Lake Circuit or Cradle Valley Boardwalk trail will also connect you with this serene, green getaway.
When you’re ready to hang up your hiking boots, unwind with a dose of wild luxury at the iconic Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge or bunker down at Pumphouse Point at Lake St Clair. Stay over the water in a Pumphouse suite or ask about The Retreat, a private hideaway made for two. Looking to the east coast? The pink-granite peaks and white-sand beach of the Freycinet Peninsula are for you. Trek through the coastal woodland to the iconic Wineglass Bay Lookout and seek out quieter Honeymoon Bay on the western side before retiring to the fabulous Saffire Freycinet.
Check out our ultimate Tasmanian honeymoon here
7. Set sail on a bareboating adventure
Feeling the lure of the high seas? In The Whitsundays, Queensland’s iconic island destination, you can take the concept of a luxury cruise one step further with a bareboating (skipper yourself) honeymoon. No boating experience is required for this choose-your-own-adventure, where wedding stress (and the mainland) is left far, far behind. Drop anchor at a luxury island for the day (Hayman looks good), snorkel right off the boat, and enjoy sunset over the water with your G&T. Dress code? Nautical chic of course.
- Extra tip: If you’re not quite ready for the open water, consider a houseboat honeymoon instead. The mighty Murray River offers several options for a peaceful yet super scenic on-water adventure.
Take your pick from ten secret Queensland islands
