Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you love the euphoric feeling you get by taking a physical risk and coming out on top? Or are you just looking to add some spice to your post pandemic life?

We hear you!

If there’s one thing we’ve learned through this pandemic, if we had to choose one place to be trapped, it would be Australia. We’ve got everything here – surf, sand, snow, rainforest, cities, culture, wildlife and most of all adventure.  So many of us have missed out on celebrating those big milestone birthdays since the pandemic hit so it is the perfect time to start planning all the things you need to do before you turn 50….or 40….or hey even 30.

We’ve pulled together our hot list of some of the best bucket list adventure activities in Australia to start ticking off, no matter what state you are in.

How we picked

Of the hundreds of amazing activities to do in Australia how could we possibly pick only 10? To be fair, there are so many more amazing things to do in our backyard. This list could be in the top 100 things. However, we think this is a pretty epic start that will get your blood pumping and adrenaline flowing.

Here are our super complicated and stringent criteria for selection:

1. Does it get your heart pumping?
2. Can almost anyone access this activity? (within reason and means)
3. Is the activity available in most states (we were lenient on a couple ones here)

1. Complete an obstacle course race
   In Australia, we take pride in many things. We love our amazing landscapes, we love our sport, and above all our mates. Now, what do you get when you combine all three of these passions with lots of mud, slides, adrenaline, competition and gruelling physical and mental challenges? You get obstacle course racing and an experience unlike anything else.
   Obstacle course racing is thought to have drawn its origins from early military inspired physical training challenges such as the pentathlon in the early 1800s. Once these challenges were showcased on a broader scale to the world, this military style physical training started its evolution into the sport that is now known as obstacle course racing. Over the last 10 years, obstacle course racing has become a sport that not only appeals to people of all ages and athletic abilities, but also has been giving countless mental and physical benefits to all those who dare making it one of the most memorable bucket list activities in Australia that will leave you wanting more!
   

2. Go canyoning – like the sound of completing an obstacle course race? Take away the competition and the big crowds, add grappling, water falls, crevices and freezing cold pools and you get canyoning! Australia has some of the best canyoning locations in the world and it’s definitely worth a go for those who dare.
3. Do free diving – So you like to get wet? On the surface, free diving may not seem like the most exhilarating activity to add to your bucket list, but let me tell you…it is! In order to free dive you must learn to push your body to its limits and master control of your mind and sense. If you can achieve great depths you can experience what it’s like to live amongst the sea creatures and a taste of extreme mental peace.
4. Go rally car driving – super submerging yourself in the ocean is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. This must-do activity is for those land loving thrill seekers who want to take things a bit more into their own hands. Whether you are along for the ride with a professional driver or taking your chances to make your lap track personal best, rally car driving will get your heart rate racing.
5. Go dune buggying – sticking with the driving theme, this next adventure activity widely available across Australia requires less training and more sense of adventure. It’s one sport where staying on the track is discouraged and you can make your own way!
6. Go sandboarding – If you get tired of driving your dune buggy through the sea of sand, be sure to grab your sandboard and keep your mouth closed. Sandboarding is exactly what you would imagine – it’s like snowboarding, but….on sand ‘mountains’ instead. It’s exhilarating, challenging and a whole bucket of fun.
7. Glide off a cliff– Tired of being on land and don’t want to be in the water? Well it’s liftoff time for our next two adventures. Hang gliding lets you experience a day in the life of our feathered friends and fly. Generally after a run up off a cliff, hang gliding or paragliding sees daredevils take part in a shared flight over ravines, valleys and some type of coastal oasis.
   
8. Jump out of a plane – If gliding through the air seems too simple for you and running off a cliff just doesn’t seem high enough, you could just off a perfectly good plan! Yep, that’s right, skydiving had to make the list as one the best bucket list adventure activities in Australia. There is something so thrilling and terrifying about getting into a tiny plane and willingly strapping yourself to an instructor as you jump to freefall from extreme heights.

9. Go bungee jumping – Unfortunately, bungee jumping is only available in Cairns, QLD at the moment so this activity could be out of reach for some. But if you have the time, funds and guts to take a leap of faith, bungee jumping delivers an adrenaline rush like nothing else.
   
   
10. Swim with sharks – Whale sharks that is! Again, this life changing experience is only available in one state, WA, as that is where the whales migrate. But the experience you get is well worth the trip. This activity is also much more price prohibitive for those travelling interstate, but I stress again, a true bucket list adventure that deserves to be ticked.

About True Grit

True Grit is for people of all ages and fitness levels. We are parents, we are couples, we are training groups, we are elite athletes and many of us are just starting our fitness journey; we are all here for a laugh and leave no one behind. We show up, no matter what, to work together and feel alive. 

Since 2013, True Grit has been giving purpose to athletes of all ages and ability through our  military inspired obstacle courses. To date, True Grit has run over 60+ events in a variety of formats all around Australia.

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