Every day is a new adventure, particularly when you travel to somewhere as diverse and incredible as Australia. For some visitors, though, the real adventure begins when they test their nerve with one of the country’s many adrenaline-rush activities.
Australia is a country built for extreme sports (and famously also home to more than its fair share of deadly creatures for you to discover). This makes it a mecca for anyone who wants to test their courage and stamina. The options are plentiful, from rock climbing in the Snowy Mountains to plunging deep in the ocean to explore the Great Barrier Reef.
Here are five of the lesser known ways to get your pulse racing, and make amazing memories when visiting Australia.
Highest Abseil Wall in the world
For some tourists, climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge provides enough excitement to last a lifetime. But anyone who wants to top that should head to Gordon River Dam in Tasmania. That's where you’ll find the highest commercial abseil wall in the world.
We’re talking a 140m drop, which puts the dam higher than the Sydney Harbour Bridge (and for this adrenaline rush you won’t be climbing down using ladders, either). It’s also interesting to note that this incredible structure supports 30 times more water than the harbour holds!
You’ll be abseiling down with Aardvark Adventures, a well-respected adventure company in Tasmania. They also provide extreme sports fans with 30m or 50m descents down the dam, if the 140m drop is a bit much.
White water rafting
Think of Australia and you probably imagine the Outback and desert as far as the eye can see. However, it also offers plenty of places to get wet, including hurtling along wild water and over frenzied rapids, on a raft or in a kayak.
One of the best known white water rafting opportunities in Australia is at Mitta Mitta River Gorge. This is situated in the heart of Victoria’s spectacular mountain wilderness and offers you a 19km white-knuckle journey. You know you're in for a true thrill, when the river includes 60 rapids, with names like the Graveyard, Dislocation and the Gobbler.
Remember to check that adventure activities like this are covered by your travel insurance before you sign up.
Get up close to crocs
Forget swimming with dolphins; in Australia, you get to take a dive with crocodiles.These creatures can swim fast over short distances and are known for their sharp teeth, so this is only an option for those who are not faint-hearted.
If you fancy getting in the water and enjoying a 360-degree encounter with these magnificent reptiles, the place to go is Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove. Expect to see saltwater crocodiles over the 5m mark as you dive, protected by a specially constructed Cage of Death (great name). The diving cage can hold two people at once, though for the ultimate thrill why not go solo?
Bungee jump in rainforest
Another heart-thumping activity to enjoy in Australia is jumping off Australia's awe-inspiring AJ Hackett bungy tower, in Cairns. This is named after the guy from New Zealand who officially made jumping from heights tied to an elastic rope a sport, back in the ’80s.This tower offers a 50m drop, but what adds to the experience is that you will be surrounded by lush rainforest, and you will skim across a stunning body of water. If you want to add to your Australian thrill-seeking experience, tandem jumps and even descents while riding a bike are possible!
Drive a racing car
Nature gave this incredible country a massive range of places to get your pulse racing. However, there are state-of-the-art white knuckle options too, including the chance to drive racing cars at breakneck speeds.
There are various places to try V8 Supercar Driving in Australia, including Queensland Raceway, Hidden Valley Raceway (Darwin)and Mallala Raceway (Adelaide). You will get a driving coach in the car with you, though usually there’s no limit on speed or whizzing past other drivers if you can get up the nerve.
This thrill-seeking experience in Australia is probably the best one for groups of friends.