Horseback Riding Vacations in Australia

Australia: Pristine Nature, Cosmopolitan and much more

Despite being the sixth largest country in the world, Australia has a population of only 25 million people who live in the big cities of the Australian coast. This is because a large part of the island is desert, which makes living conditions hard.

Australia is a young nation on an ancient land. Some of its ethnic groups have been there for over 60,000 years, but one third of the population has arrived over the last 60 years.

This is the most urbanized country in the world – 88% of the people live in big cities and towns.

It is a young country and that can be seen in the architecture of its cities and the character of its people, cheerful and friendly. Sydney and its famous opera house are a reflection of a dynamic society that looks to the West without losing its own essence.

Aboriginal Australians are considered the oldest living culture in the world. It is nourished by tradition, ceremonies, sacred places and endless practices that are worth seeing and enjoying.

States and Territories in Australia

The vast Australian territory is divided into six states, two continental territories and eight islands.

Australian States

• New South Wales

  Situated on the east coast of the country, it is the oldest and most populous state. Its capital is Australia's most touristic city, Sydney. Inland areas have a much more temperate climate, almost subtropical, and there, mountains dominate the landscapes (Mount Kosciuszko) and there are extensive agricultural lands.

• Queensland

  Located in the northeast of the country, its main city is Brisbane. Known as the "Sunshine State", it has Australia's most popular beaches, and it is also the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Inside the state, there is a large mountain range as well as plateaus and agricultural lands extending to the west.


• Victoria

  Its main city is Melbourne, one of Australia's quintessential tourist landmarks. It has a wide variety of climates. Despite being the smallest continental state, it is the second-most populated.

• South Australia

  Although its current capital is Adelaide, when the state was founded the capital was Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. Established in 1834, it was the only state in Australia that wasn’t established as a penal colony. Since it is a very hot area, there are villages with houses built underground.

• Western Australia

  In spite of being Australia’s largest state, it’s sparsely populated. Most people live in the coastal city of Perth.

• Tasmania

  Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located off the southern coast of the Australian mainland. A land of rugged mountains, rolling green hills and raging rivers. Its capital is Hobart, and it is the second-oldest city in the country. Tasmania’s national parks cover a diversity of unspoiled habitats.

Australian Continental Territories

• Northern Territory

  This vast territory is Australia’s least populated region, as it is almost entirely dominated by the so-called Australian Outback, a semi-arid inland area. Alice Spring is the main focus of the centre.

• Australian Capital Territory

  It is an enclave within the state of New South Wales, 320 km southwest of Sydney. It is home to the country's capital, Canberra, the centre of Australia’s political life and it contains historical and cultural treasures.

In addition, the following islands are also part of Australia: Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island and the Coral Sea Islands – Heart Island and McDonald Islands.

Geography

Australia is the largest island on earth, and it comprises a wide variety of biogeographical regions, ranging from extensive stony deserts and splendid mountain landscapes to the most paradisiacal beaches and thick forests.

It has about 2,000 National Parks and Reserves.

Australia occupies one of the oldest and least elevated continental masses on the planet.

At 2,228 metres above sea level, , Mount Kosciuszko in the Great Dividing Range is the highest mountain in mainland Australia.

However, Mawson’s Peak, in the remote Australian territory of Heard and McDonald Islands, is even higher: 2,745 meters. The world's largest monolith, Uluru, is located in the Northern Territory.

A large part of the country is desert or semi-arid. Australia is the world’s driest and flattest inhabited country, and the one with the least fertile soils. Only in the southeast and southwest is there a temperate climate. In the northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, we find rainforests, meadows, mangroves and deserts.

The Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, is located off the northeast coast stretching for more than 2,000 kilometres. Composed of over 900 islands, its width ranges from 100 to 300 km.

Fauna and Flora

Australia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. It has a wide and unique variety of animals and plants. It is home to more than a million species, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world and nearly half of these species have not been described by science.

The iconic kangaroo is unique to Australia and one of the most recognizable mammals.

There is no other place in the world that surpasses the diversity of marsupials living in this country, with about 140 different species. Wombats, wallabies, Tasmanian devils, bandicoots, koalas and, of course, kangaroos are the kings of Australian wildlife.

Australia has at least 25,000 plant species – by comparison with Europe, for example, which has 17,500 – including some living fossils such as the Wollemi pine or the grass tree.

Equestrian tourism in Australia

Although Australia is as big as the United States, it has less than a tenth of its population, which allows for a lot of space for riding along incredibly beautiful trails to explore on horseback.

There are over 12,000 species of wildflowers only in Western Australia. Thus, there is a lot to see on a horseback trip in Australia.

Australian horses

Australia has some of the world’s best horses and horse riding is a way of life here, and the best and most wonderful way to get to know this magnificent country.

Horses in Australia were bred for their stamina and strength, and only the strongest were allowed to breed.

The Australian Brumby is a unique horse that roams freely through the rugged outback and inland sand dunes of Australia, where they live under extreme conditions.

In the 1830s, additional Thoroughbreds were imported into Australia to improve the local strains, and the mid-20th century had infusions from the American Quarter Horse, the Australian Stock Horse and the Waler Horse from similar roots.

Horse riding holiday proposals in Australia

In Australia you will find many different offers, so you should check the backgrounds of each company carefully before hiring them.

Ampascachi Horse Riding Holidays has selected some suppliers of Equestrian Tourism that should be taken into consideration to know the best of Australia on horseback.

Mary Valley Adventure Trails

On the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, they offer guided horse riding tours through Queensland's rainforest and farmland in the Noosa Hinterland's scenic Mary Valley.

They provide half-day rainforest rides or full-day rides in these rich farmland and vast areas of natural eucalypt and rainforest and plantation pine.

These are also conducts guided horseback tours that are multi-day.

You can ride through the State forest trails with unlimited access through their scenic property to the vast network of trails in the Amamoor, Kandanga and Imbil State Forests.

Multi-day route

These multi-day rides will start and finish at their ride base, which is known as star or mobile equestrian tours.

• There will be approx. 4 - 12 persons in each riding group.
• One interesting thing a is that they can tailor all their rides to suit your group or individual needs.
• Remember that the itineraries may change due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
• The pace of riding will be easy and the rides of average difficulty, for intermediate skill levels and up.
• They provide well fed, well cared for and very well trained horses
• They have comfortable saddles, safety helmets and horseshoes suitable for equestrian trekking
• You should advise them about any special dietary requirements, allergies, medical needs or disabilities

There is a vast network of trails that allow the rider to experience different landscapes and terrains with varied difficulty, without traversing the same routes.

Accommodations

On-Site Camping: Camping is available at their stables. You can bring your own gear or they can also supply camping gear.

If you want something more comfortable, they recommend several local lodges so you can choose the one that best suits your preferences.

If you want to know more about them, visit their website: www.adventuretrails.com.au.

Equathon

They are located in the beautiful landscapes and beaches of Sunshine Coast, and they are specialists in routes that will take you along several kilometres of the Seashore.

They are ranked in the top 15 horse riding tours in the world by CNN International.

This equestrian centre is owned and operated by its owner, triple Olympian, Alex Watson, and riders visiting Equathon are in safe and experienced hands. All tours are managed by him.

Its horses

Their Australian Stock Horses are experienced on all their tracks, which include the Noosa Trail network, Noosa North Shore beaches, and other stunning trails across the Sunshine Coast.

Their horses are in excellent fitness conditions and well trained to ride along these beaches with skill and safety.

Equathon chooses the right horse for you according to your height, weight and level of riding experience.

Its routes

They offer hourly, group, private, overnight and week-long adventure packages. They surely have the perfect riding experience for riders of all abilities and experience levels.

Their week-long program combines all 1-day rides and you will stay in local lodges. Every day you will have a different route, and you never repeat the same trail. You leave from your lodge, you have lunch en route and in the afternoon, you go back to your lodge.

If you are looking for something special, you can ask them about their customized private tours with all the details of this itinerary previously agreed with you.

Riding lessons

If you want, they also offer personalised private and group tuition for riders of all abilities conducted by their experienced coaches, who are led by triple Olympian, Alex Watson, and can instruct beginners to experienced riders.

We cater for general riding tuition suitable for a range of riding disciplines with emphasis on dressage and show jumping.

Their main goal is to provide their riding participants with a solid riding foundation based on universally accepted principles of riding promoted by the Australian and other leading international equestrian federations.

All lessons are held at the Equathon Equestrian Center in Verrierdale.

Their facilities are very spacious and comfortable, and they have a purpose-built arena. There are also horse-working areas for instruction and horse training.

For more information, go to their website: www.equathon.com.

Leconfield

Located in Echo Hills, Leconfield offers a ranch life experience in the Australian outback.

Tim Skerrett, the owner, invites you to the Leconfield 5 »day Jackaroo (male) and Jillaroo (female) school where he will teach you skills needed to do farm work on Australian farms.

Leconfield is the longest running “Jackaroo and Jillaroo”School in Australia. The five-day school has broken in over 4000 Jackaroo hopefuls since 1997, many of which have gone on to secure farm jobs through Tim’s job contacts.

You can come and take part in farm training and, at the same time, go for a 5-day horse tour through the neighbouring trails.

Here you will be trained in many new skills useful as a preparation for farm work. Or perhaps you have always wanted to learn how to ride horses, get to know the farm life in Australia, or perhaps you are looking for a peaceful place, surrounded by nature to recharge your batteries.

There are programs for teenagers, couples, groups and families.

You can participate in different activities such as cattle mustering, fence repairing and building, pasture improvement for cattle, animal vaccination, etc.

There are many training courses about some specific equestrian subjects and you can learn and implement many Natural Horsemanship methods.

Accommodation

Accommodation at Leconfield is a unique and unforgettable experience.

During your week here, you will be staying on the premises of Leconfield farm. It adds value to the entire farm life experience and creates a team-building atmosphere.

The entire ‘Shed’, all of the bunks, kitchen, bathroom and even ‘The Beast’ (cast-iron fireplace to heat the inside on cool nights) are made from scratch and materials found on the farm.

The drink water is obtained from rain, the hot water is heated through solar panels, the most of their vegetables are from their organic garden and the chickens and the ducks are providing them with their organic eggs.

Three, hearty, rich meals a day will be freshly cooked on the spot and there is unlimited bread and toppings available for any cravings you might have in between meals to give you all the energy you will need to get through your farm training.

Don’t worry if you are not able to bring a sleeping bag, because they have plenty of blankets and pillows for you.

Learn more about them and see what they offer, on their web site: www.leconfield.com.

Southern Cross Horse Treks

They are in the Lorne Valley, on the 60-acre rural property Kerewong, which borders the Kerewong State Forest where you can horseback ride on thousands of miles of forest trails.

Host and horse tour guide Kathy Holtrust emigrated from The Netherlands to Australia in 2000 to start the riding business, offering week-long horse riding tours and treks for experienced horse riders from around the world.

Its horses

Southern Cross Horse Treks's horses are mainly Australian-bred Arabian horses. These were chosen for their endurance, temperament, agility and suitability for long tours in the Australian climate.

The horses are trained for long distance trekking and ridden in English style with Australian Endurance Saddles. Some are ridden in a bit-less bridle, the others in English snaffle.

They have one Andalusian-TB and several Guy Fawkes Heritage Horses (Brumbies).

Brumbies are Australian wild horses that were originally captured as wild horses in New South Wales and trained using Natural Horsemanship Techniques. Brumbies are known to have a level-headed temperament and are the best you will find in terms of surefooted, confident bush horses.

Its routes

The most popular tour is the Country & Coast Horse Riding Holiday Tour.

They are 5 days riding and 6 nights all-inclusive, with 4 different forest day rides and 1 beach ride. Pace of the ride is moderate with long trots, canters and galloping. This program is only suitable for intermediate to experienced horse riders.

The forest rides last between 4 and 6 hours. They all have a different destination: Rainforest Ride, Winery Ride, Mountain Top Lookout Ride, Comboyne Plateau Ride (Waterfall and Farmland).

The forest terrain is hilly and can be challenging with some remote sections and creek crossings.

Highlight for many guests is the 2 hour beach ride, galloping along a many kilometers long deserted beach along the Pacific Ocean.

The weather is good for riding most of the year, with only January and February very hot (Southern Hemisphere Summer).

If you want to know more about them, visit their website: www.horsetreks.com.au.

To talk about Australia is to talk about nature, adventure and opportunities. In this country of contrasts, with the most modern cities and the most charming villages, with crowded towns and desert areas, horseback riding around the Australian lands will be the experience of a lifetime, where you can enjoy its biodiversity and the hospitality of its people.

Do you also love the idea of exploring Oceania on horseback?

Download our free eBook The best of Oceania for your horse riding holidays where you can explore miles and miles of unspoiled country on horseback. In this eBook, you will find information about some trusted riding holiday operators in Australia and New Zealand.