Best honeymoon destinations in Australia for picture-perfect romancing

Set amid colonial buildings in the inland port of Morpeth (New South Wales), the Bronte Boutique Hotel whisks you back in time to a bygone era. You’ll be greeted by tall gates, immaculately clipped hedges and hanging baskets of flowers, while inside corridors of polished wooden floorboards and dark navy walls sing of a stately Victorian home. You’ll be dreaming of voyages and forbidden love affairs among the Chinoiserie-inspired details like painted wall panels and ornate floral vases in the estate’s nod to the colonial past.

The hotel’s luxury suites echo this eclectic mix of Victorian and Asian antique stylings, while bright rooms with modern furnishings create comfortable living spaces. Crawl into crisp white sheets with plump, geometric cushions for long lie-ins in your exquisitely carved wooden bed. After a blissful day of romance and relaxation, you and your partner can wind down with a candlelit soak in the tub and enjoy a spot of pampering in your gleaming white-tiled ensuite.

All guests will enjoy a hot, gourmet breakfast to start each day. Later on, you can take in an afternoon tea for two on the sunlit upstairs veranda. Culinary adventurers should try the chocolate indulgence or gin teas for a fun and contemporary twist on a classic. Should you decide to venture beyond the hotel’s soothingly secluded grounds, the riverside town of Morpeth offers a quaint selection of quirky cafés and restaurants to browse.

Just off Australia’s south coast in the exotic isle of Tasmania, Peppers Cradle Mountain takes the meaning of ‘getaway’ to a whole new level. Journey to the heart of the World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and find yourself surrounded by glassy lakes, tumbling waterfalls, craggy mountains and lush woodlands. Deep in this thrilling wilderness is where you’ll check into your private timber cabin for a truly secluded honeymoon.

For a bit of indulgence, you’ll find massage therapies and treatments inspired by nature at Waldheim Alpine Spa. Its dedicated therapeutic area, The Sanctuary, overlooks the majestic Pencil Pine River and tempts visitors into its steam room and sauna. For an intimate experience amid forest ferns and bird calls, you and your partner can reserve the deluxe sanctuary entirely for yourselves. Sink into the heat of the spa’s hot tub or cold plunge pool for a decadent 60 or 90 undisturbed minutes.

After spending the next day exploring the great outdoors on horseback, come back ‘home’ to a cosy cabin or suite with floor-to-ceiling windows and a seated veranda that lets you soak in nature’s peaceful ambience. You’ll want nothing more than to grab a blanket and snuggle up with your newlywed in front of your cabin’s crackling log-burning fire. Order-in a decadent food and wine hamper from Highland Restaurant, chuck that ‘do not disturb’ sign on your door and settle in for an evening of honeymoon bliss.

Hidden among the treetops on the Mossman Gorge River, Silky Oaks Lodge offers luxury treehouse accommodation for a unique honeymoon experience on the borders of the Daintree Rainforest. This eco-friendly escape, charmingly built on wooden stilts, isn’t far from the renowned Great Barrier Reef. In the same day, you can wander through tropical gardens at the resort and dive into the technicolour wonderland of the reef.

After your journey into the rainforest, kick-start your relaxation and indulgence in the open-air Treehouse Restaurant. The a la carte menu brings the finest and freshest tropical flavours to your plate, showcasing the area’s natural produce. This ethos of sustainability extends to the bar, where you’ll find a premium selection of craft beers and ciders sourced from local independent producers. Similarly, the Healing Waters Spa incorporates the soothing forest into its rejuvenation menu. You can start the day with meditative yoga by the river, or take a hidden swim at two secluded billabongs. For couples raring to take on the great outdoors in tandem, the resort will provide you with canoes, kayaks and snorkels.

In each private treehouse, colourful furnishings and leaf-print décor blend into the vibrant tropical surrounds. Set down your bags and walk into warm spaces bedecked in woven cabana furniture, wooden slatted blinds and polished timber floors that bring the feeling of the forest into your living room. For a bit of post-wedding peace, slide open glass doors and step onto your own covered balcony, where you can share a slowly swinging hammock and listen to the babbling sounds of the river below.

Classically elegant, the five-star Hotel Langham is serene oasis amid Melbourne’s thrumming urban scene. You’ll feel like you’re visiting royalty in your opulent room decked out with fresh flowers, ornamental china and tasteful wall art balanced with polished parquet floors and patterned rugs. Sizeable suites weave luxury into the details: plush cushions, smooth linens and richly-upholstered armchairs make cosy spots for curling up to look through your wedding reception photos.

In the morning, pull back luxurious drapes on tall windows to reveal the towering city skyline on your first day as a married couple. Choice rooms come with a balcony or private rooftop sundeck, so you can sit down to a decadent breakfast delivered by room service. A more interactive dining experience can be had at the award-winning Melba Restaurant, where a series of open-plan kitchens let you watch talented chefs whip up goodies ranging from five-spice duck pancakes to bespoke Italian dishes. If you’re after indulgence, treat yourselves to afternoon tea for two where you’ll sip specialty Wedgwood brews and sample carefully crafted pastries, sandwiches and scones.

For a day out in Australia’s cultural capital, start by marvelling at the glistening skyscrapers in the bustling Central Business District. Smaller cobbled streets invite wanderings among their independent shops, cafés and street art. You might catch a concert or theatre performance, then spend some time getting lost – both in the many eclectic neighbourhoods and in love. When you return to your space after a day of city explorations, you can draw a romantic shared bath in your gleaming marble bathroom.

Blissfully set on a secluded island, Lizard Island Resort offers newlyweds an intimate escape on the Great Barrier Reef. Amongst its 40 suites and villas are a staggering 24 private beaches, meaning you can spend your honeymoon with just each other, the surf and sun – it’s as if the island were made for just the two of you! If you’re after more excitement on your post-nuptial getaway, you’ll have activities from nature walks to paddleboarding and kayaking. Catamarans, motorised dinghies, paddle skis and snorkelling equipment can all be arranged through the resort. Make sure to book ahead for the resort’s private charter, which will take you out into the azure sea for an exhilarating diving experience in the underwater world of the reef.

Whether you opt for beachfront or garden-view accommodation, floor-to-ceiling windows will bathe your space in natural light from sunrise to sunset. Throw open the doors to your private deck to let the sea breeze dance over simple, minimalist furnishings accented in soft ocean shades. The most extravagant suites sit on a towering clifftop, offering panoramic ocean views and a plunge pool that takes you to the very edge. Come dinnertime, the on-site Salt Water Restaurant incorporates fresh seafood caught from the waters around the island into a sumptuous menu that changes daily. Snuggle next to your other half in cosy banquette seating to watch the sun sink into the ocean horizon while you uncork a bottle of celebratory white wine.

Famed for its eight-acre vineyard, the rural retreat of Cape Lodge puts you smack in the middle of Margaret River wine country. The hotel’s grounds cover a rolling 40 acres, and perfected lawns and gardens keep the impressive country house tucked comfortably away from daily life’s hustle and bustle.

Rooms here are big and airy, with white walls and soft furnishings to emphasise the light and space. Lofty raked ceilings in second-floor rooms add to the country estate atmosphere, as do balconies overlooking groomed gardens. Guests in first-floor rooms can walk out onto tended patios to relax on sun loungers and soak in the tranquil landscape.

At the lakeside restaurant, you’ll find classic French dishes like bouillabaisse and delicate moules marinières. All are made with local ingredients specific to the Margaret River region for the freshest, most mouthwatering flavours. Should you care to dine off-site, Cape Lodge hosts its own tour of hand-picked, secret spots exclusive to hotel guests.

For day activities in between romancing, unique experiences can be arranged through the hotel. Get swept along a coastal walk on the famously vast Cape-to-Cape Track, pick up a paintbrush at a private watercolour workshop or partake in an intimate tasting tour at a local wine or chocolate producer. The hotel itself hosts intensive, hands-on ‘culinary boot camps’ for learning the fundamentals of meat, fish, vegetables, pastries and desserts – definitely a fun way to kick-start your marriage!