The Alice (population 20,000) is a pleasant modern town, smack in the middle of Australia, built on the banks of the usually-dry Todd River. At first appearance it's so civilised that it can be a real disappointment to those expecting saloons on every corner and colourful bush characters, but stick around and explore the area and you'll begin to appreciate the flavour of this desert community. The town was founded as a staging point for the overland telegraph line in 1870, although its growth has occurred only in the last 30 years. The road south to Adelaide was only fully sealed in 1987.

The Barossa Valley is arguably the best-known wine-producing region in Australia. The gently sloping valley in South Australia was settled in 1842 by German settlers fleeing religious persecution in Prussia and Silesia, and its distinct Germanic flavour remains. It's a beautiful, well-tended area with over 50 wineries, most of which encourage casual visits for tasting and cellar sales. To fully appreciate the area, get off the main road and take the narrow backroads between settlements. The central town is Tanunda. Adelaide is just over an hour's drive to the south-west. Note that the least scenic time to visit is between July and October, because the vines are heavily pruned during the winter months. The busiest months are from March to May when the grapes are harvested. There are several other wine-growing regions in the state, notably the south-eastern corner around Penola, Coonawarra and Padthaway; in the Clare Valley, north of the Barossa; and around McLaren Vale on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

This isolated, old pearling town's languorous pace, cosmopolitan atmosphere and easy-going tropical charm have made it a popular travellers' centre and a favoured spot for alternative lifestylers and urban burnouts. Broome has a distinctly Asian feel, partly because of its history as a pearling centre and partly because Perth, the state capital, is twice as far away as Indonesia. Nearby Cable Beach is now one of the most famous beaches in Australia, and the upmarket tourism promoted here has saved the town from the crasser Australiana flotsam that swamps most WA tourist towns. The other major attractions in Broome are the small Chinatown, the 80-year-old open-air Sun Pictures Cinema, the Japanese cemetery, and the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point. Broome is also popular with bird-watchers, with the Broome Bird Observatory on Roebuck Bay rating as one of Australia's top nonbreeding grounds for migrant Arctic waders. Swimmers should beware of stinging jellyfish in the water between November and March.

Rising from the northern end of Spencer Gulf, in the east of South Australia, and running north for 800km (500mi), the Flinders Ranges are, to many seasoned travellers, the epitome of outback Australia. It's a superb area for bushwalks, wildlife and taking in the ever-changing colours of the outback. In the far north, the mountains are hemmed in by sand ridges and barren salt lakes. The best-known feature of the range is the huge natural basin known as Wilpena Pound, which is ringed by 1000m (3280ft) high cliffs. Other attractions include Alligator Gorge in Mt Remarkable National Park, Brachina Gorge, and the ironstone capped ridge known as the Great Wall of China. Winter is probably the most pleasant time to visit, but the ranges are greenest and carpeted in wildflowers in spring. The most convenient towns are Quorn and Hawker.

On Tasmania's beautiful east coast, the peninsula is part of the Freycinet National Park and features secluded beaches and coves, rare plant, bird and animal life and excellent bushwalks. A particularly popular walk is the return trek to Wineglass Bay. The park has several camp sites and lodges, and is renowned for its lack of reliable drinking water - bring your own from the nearby township of Coles Bay.

This route along the south-western coast of Victoria is one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world. It winds around ragged cliffs, windswept beaches and tall bluffs, passing through lush rainforest and towering eucalypts. The most outstanding section is the Port Campbell National Park, which features an amazing collection of limestone sculptures, including the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge. The other highlight is the section through the forests of the Otways Ranges, between Apollo Bay and Lorne. The best towns along the coast are the resort town of Lorne and the quaint, historic Port Fairy (which hosts a folk festival), west of Warrnambool. The road officially starts at Torquay and ends at Warrnambool, but the road follows the coast to Portland.

Kakadu National Park is one of the natural marvels of Australia. It encompasses a variety of superb landscapes, swarms with wildlife and has some of Australia's best Aboriginal rock art. The vast park is 153km (95mi) by road from Darwin, in the Northern Territory, and stretches more than 200km (125mi) north to south and 100km (60mi) east to west. It is on the World Heritage list both for its natural and cultural importance. Part of the park is Aboriginal land and there are three contentious uranium mining leases operating in the east.

Located in the south-western corner of New South Wales, the Snowy Mountains are the highest section of Australia's Great Dividing Range. Kosciusko National Park covers most of the mountains. It's NSW's largest park (6900 sq km/2690 sq mi), stretching from the Victorian border to the ACT. It includes all of the state's ski resorts, rugged alpine scenery, caves, glacial lakes and forests. Although its renowned as a winter playground, the park is also popular with bushwalkers in summer, when there are marvellous alpine wildflowers. The ski resorts include Thredbo, Perisher Valley, Smiggins Hole and Mt Blue Cow. Mt Kosciusko is the highest peak at 2228m (7308ft). The main town in the region is Jindabyne, situated just outside the park boundary on the edge of a beautiful lake.

The rugged Kimberley at the northern end of Western Australia is one of Australia's last frontiers. It's a little-travelled and very remote area of great rivers, oases and magnificent scenery. If you're looking for quintessential Australian landscapes of red earth, rock, gum trees and blue skies, this is the place to come. Wildlife includes freshwater crocodiles, wallaroos and the rare black-footed wallaby. Attractions include the spectacular gorges on the Fitzroy River, Wolfe Creek meteorite crater, the Gibb River Road and Bungle Bungle (Purnululu) National Park. Halls Creek is the largest town in the Kimberley. Derby, 220km (136mi) away at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, is a useful base for excursions into the area. The most popular time to visit is between April and September. Although the Wet (the rainy season in the north) offers ethereal thunderstorms and a magic carpet of wildflowers, rains make many roads impassable.