Looking to propose to the one? Well, you could just dress up smart, take them to a reasonably upmarket restaurant and pop the question. But we've got 20 more exciting options for prospective proposers.
Flying over Heart Reef
It has been used in so many advertising and marketing campaigns that it's almost a cliché, but for a proposal, flying over a heart-shaped island is hard to beat.
Air Whitsunday offers three-hour adventure flights in a seaplane which take in Heart Reef — and they're well accustomed to making adjustments for lovebirds planning to pop the question.
At an Uluru sunset
Where: Voyages Longitude 131°, Uluru, Northern Territory
It's the second big iconic cliché, but the Uluru sunset is an immensely powerful experience.
Longitude 131° has its own private viewing area, and can also arrange for private champagne dining atop a dune afterwards.
Looking out over Wineglass Bay
Where: Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania
It's an hour-long walk to the lookout over Wineglass Bay, but it's arguably Australia's perfect view, with the curving beach and clear water. Get there early, and you should have it pretty much to yourself for the down-on-one-knee opportunity.
In a maze
Where: Ashcombe Maze, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
One for the more creative suitor. Staff at the
Ashcombe Maze say they've had numerous proposals there. One gent led his prospective bride through the maze to find a pre-arranged table with champagne and a single rose in the Centre Garden. Another put cryptic clues in the maze with questions only his bride to be would know the answer to. The correct answers sent her in the right direction to get out of the maze, where he was waiting to pop the question.
Over a beach picnic
Where: Oak Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland
Oak Beach is one of the most seriously underrated beaches in Australia. It comes straight out of the rainforest and has magnificent views of the Tropical North Queensland coast. It's also so quiet that it's practically the private beach of the luxurious
Thala Beach Lodge. The lodge can organise for picnic hampers and wine to be brought down to the beach at the right moment.
At Poppy's Pools
Where: Cape Crawford, Gulf Country, Northern Territory
For seclusion and natural beauty, the waterfalls, thermal pools and bushland of this remote spot offer a great alternative to some of the more obvious Northern Territory locations.
Cape Crawford Tourism can arrange for you to have the pools to yourself and be flown in by helicopter.
On a rollercoaster
Where: Dreamworld, Gold Coast, Queensland
For a rather unconventional approach, try the world's tallest freefall ride at
Dreamworld. The Giant Drop is 119m high. Once at the top, there's a 15-second pause for you to blurt it out. And your potential spouse has 3.8 seconds to say "yes".On top of Australia
Where: Mt Kosciusko, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales
Australia's highest peak may be a little puny compared those elsewhere — it's definitely more of a walk than a climb — but get down on one knee at the top, and you're still looking down on the rest of the country. Note: this is probably not the best bet in winter. There's nothing romantic about getting a wet knee after dunking it in snow.
Over the rainforest
Where: Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Cairns, Queensland
Gliding over the World Heritage-listed rainforest in a glass cable car is an awesome experience, and many engagements have begun whilst dangling above the sea of green on the way to Kuranda. For prospective Romeos, the secret is to contact the chaps at
Skyrail first — they'll make sure that you get a gondola to yourselves for the big moment.
In a lakeside chalet
Where: Woodman Estate, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
The rather swish
Woodman Estate has its own two hectare lake, and the lakeside chalet include gorgeous wooden verandas hovering over it. Why not make the proposal over a gourmet breakfast on the veranda's private dining table, then go back to the four-poster bed to celebrate?
At the Lidgbird Pavilion
Where: Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales
With wraparound verandas, amazing sea and mountain views, a private bar and a plunge pool, it's hard to find a more impressive room for popping the question.
Capella can also arrange for a private gourmet meal to propose over.
Over Honeymoon Gap
Where: Red Centre, Northern Territory
It was named by a ranger who spent his honeymoon there, and the Gap is one of the most spectacular sights in the East MacDonnell Ranges. It's even more spectacular from above, and
Alice Springs Helicopters offers a chopper flight with 180-degree views. Pilots are well accustomed to lining things up for the perfect proposal position.
In a hot air balloon
Imagine you're floating over fields at dawn, with kangaroos hopping below and the Brokenback Range in the background. The flame is billowing under the massive canopy and you dig out a little box from the pocket. You slide it on to your loved one's finger and they say "yes". If that sounds like a winner, try
Balloon Aloft.
In a luxury tent by the beach
Where: Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park
Fringing the sand dunes in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the country, the super-tents at
Sal Salis are in the perfect position for watching the sun go down with champagne in hand — and a ring on a finger.
On top of Mt Warning
Where: Near Byron Bay, New South Wales
Mt Warning is the first place in Australia to see the sun rise every morning, and while it's a bit of a tough trek in the dark getting to the top, where better to symbolically start a new stage in a relationship?
Whilst plunging to earth
Where: AJ Hackett Bungy, Cairns, Queensland
An option for the more adventurous/clinically insane. The
AJ Hackett Bungy site near Cairns allows jumpers to go two at once. So why not tie yourself to your loved one, and take the plunge literally as well as metaphorically?
On top of the Story Bridge
Where: Brisbane, Queensland
Proposals at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge are common, but
Story Bridge Adventure Climb goes a step further. Loose items aren't allowed while clambering up the bridge, but the company has created a well-hidden "engagement ring device", which allows climbers to spring the ring at the bridge summit.
All trussed up and excited on a beach
Where: Wollongong, New South Wales
Sounds kinky, huh? Well, not quite — but post-skydive and still in harness is a cool way to propose.
Skydive the Beach lands skydivers on Wollongong's North Beach, and also offers a romance package featuring a restaurant meal, bubbly and flowers.
In a beach cave
Where: Near Broome, Western Australia
The
Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat, 127km south of Broome, boasts that it has had nine successful engagements since opening in June 2009. It has sole land access to more than 15km of coastline, which includes some awesome beach caves. Picnics and champagne can be supplied for lovebirds.
On a gondola ride
Where: Noosa, Queensland
Okay, it's not quite Venice, but Noosa's waterways are pretty stunning. And it's possible to hire a Venetian-style gondola, with gondolier, ice buckets and glasses for a proposal over champagne before having a celebratory dinner on Hastings Street. Try
Gondolas of Noosa.
Got any more to add to our list?
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