Victoria is a land rich with beauty and fascination – from waterfalls and caves to gardens and sand dunes, there are so many breathtaking natural wonders to discover off the beaten path. And it’s not just us; Australia as a whole is brimming with enchanting places to explore, if you know where to look. So if you’re seeking inspiration for your next adventure, a recent study has uncovered the most searched hidden gems and attractions across Australia, with four of the finest located right here in Victoria.

With the help of reliable travel sites like Time Out Australia (absolutely!), the luggage storage experts at Bounce compiled a list of 70 hidden gems throughout the country. They analyzed search trends to rank these locations by popularity and used Tripadvisor data to identify the highest-rated secret spots.

Toowoomba, Queensland’s largest inland city, has emerged as Australia’s most searched hidden gem, accumulating 937,500 searches over the past year. Coming in seventh is our very own Wilsons Promontory National Park, recognized as mainland Australia’s southernmost point. This rugged and untamed area is a favorite for hiking and camping, earning the title of the best beach in the country – indeed, you read that correctly. In ninth place are the renowned (and rare!) Pink Lakes, featuring the local Westgate Park pond that takes on a vibrant fuchsia hue under the right conditions, alongside Lake Tyrell, the largest inland salt lake in Victoria.

Here are the 10 most searched hidden gems in Australia:

1. Toowoomba, QLD
2. Lord Howe Island, NSW
3. Kangaroo Island, SA
4. Moreton Island, QLD
5. Yamba, NSW
6. Broome, WA
7. Wilsons Promontory National Park, VIC
8. Glasshouse Mountains, QLD
9. Pink Lakes, VIC
10. Ningaloo Reef, WA

Among Australia’s premier hidden gem attractions, Victoria’s Panorama Garden Estate boasts the highest Tripadvisor rating, with an impressive 95.89 percent of reviews rated as “excellent.” Close behind is the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs, with 95.27 percent of “excellent” reviews. Also among the top list is the Great Aussie Beer Shed and Heritage Farm Museum located in Echuca. 

Aussies evidently have a passion for wineries, with Ernest Hill Wines in NSW’s Hunter Region, Kies Family Wines in the Barossa Valley, and Ivanhoe Wines in Newcastle also making the top ten. Here Down Under, we also cherish a good national park, with Hill Inlet in the Whitsunday Islands National Park, Cape Le Grand National Park in Esperance, and Maria Island National Park in Tasmania receiving great acclaim. You can explore the full rankings below.

Here are the 10 best hidden gem attractions in Australia:

1. Panorama Garden Estate, VIC
2. The Kangaroo Sanctuary, NT
3. Ernest Hill Wines, NSW
4. Hill Inlet, QLD
5. Kies Family Wines, SA
6. Ivanhoe Wines, NSW
7. The Great Aussie Beer Shed and Heritage Farm Museum, VIC
8. Opal Museum, QLD
9. Cape Le Grand National Park, WA
10. Maria Island National Park, TAS

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