Top places to visit in each of Australia’s states

The NT is another federal territory that not many WHV-holders make it to. Unlike the ACT, however, this territory is absolutely worth the trek. It’s mostly made up of rural desert, which is why the NT is also called The Red Centre. The NT’s official tourism slogan: “C U in the NT” perfectly encapsulates Aussie humour.

Some of the bigger towns in the NT are Darwin, known for its crocodiles, and Alice Springs. I never made it as far north as Darwin, so my must-do’s in the NT will only include places I can vouch for. Of course, the number one reason why I think the NT should be on everybody’s Australia bucket list is Uluru.

Uluru

Uluru is the huge monolith you’ve probably seen in advertising for Australian tourism. It’s iconic to Australia but, more importantly, it’s sacred to the Aboriginal people. Out of respect, the whitewashed name “Ayer’s Rock” should no longer be used when referring to Uluru.

Uluru is best viewed at sunset; if you’re lucky, the rock will change colour as the position of the sun changes in the sky. A rare few will experience Uluru in the rain, where waterfalls form in the rock’s crevices.

Uluru is part of the wider Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Most people see Uluru via a guided tour that covers all the highlights of the national park, but if you’re self-driving, make sure you visit the red-rock domes of Kata Tjuta, too.

King’s Canyon

If you’re in the area visiting Uluru, you may as well also make the trip out to King’s Canyon. This canyon is located within Watarrka National Park, a three-hour drive from Uluru (but in Australian terms, that’s practically next door!). The canyon is impressive (although not quite as big as America’s Grand Canyon) and is made up of 300 m high sandstone walls.

The 6 km Rim Walk is the most popular way of exploring, as you hike around the rim of the canyon. Less fit hikers can follow the more accessible King’s Creek Walk trail into the centre of the canyon floor.