The concept of the selfie has spread far and wide over the interweb. It’s the act of pointing your camera’s lens towards yourself to take a photo, and people of all ages can be seen doing it worldwide.
In fact, it’s become such a common occurrence that entrepreneurial businesses have piggybacked off this phenomenon and created what we call the “selfie stick”. It definitely sounds silly, but provides an opportunity for people to take photos of themselves with friends or scenery without having to rely on a stranger’s photo-taking skills (or lack thereof).
Go to any stunning, scenic setting and we can almost guarantee that you’ll see several people taking selfies. It provides photographic evidence of your envious holiday in Australia, and using a selfie stick has proven extremely useful to capture a unique perspective (or to help those with short arms).
Here are some picturesque destinations that’ll make you want to book a car and drive out to take a selfie – trust us, it’ll be worth it!
South Head – Sydney
Forget the Sydney Opera House! There are millions of photos of the strange structure bathed in sunlight, the glittering water in the distance. Why not take a selfie shot while standing on the edge of a cliff?
South Head, the Gap in Sydney offers multitudes of beautiful lookouts, and if you go there during the evening, you’ve got a mighty sight to behold!
You can drive your hire car up to this breathless location, but you’ll have to climb up to the top point by foot for a grand view of the Tasman Sea and Sydney Harbour Bridge. When the sun sets, grab that opportunity for some silhouette shots! A selfie stick here will be of use to get your profile without blocking too much of the warm peachy hues of the sky.
Webb Bridge – Melbourne
Melbourne is known for super creative architecture, and this bridge won’t disappoint. The Webb Bridge, aptly named, sits over the Yarra River as a path for pedestrians and cyclists, so park your rental vehicle and stretch those legs out. It integrates some of the original sections of the Webb Dock Rail Bridge and was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects’ Joseph Reed Award for Urban Design in 2005.
The intricate steel framework offers a complex background for your selfies, and at night, lights up to look like a long, winding snake on Melbourne’s cityscape.
Hosier Lane – Melbourne v.2
A graffiti art wall will add yet another layer of sophistication to your holiday in Australia, hence why Melbourne deserves a second mention. Take a stroll down the cobblestone streets of Hosier Lane and bask in the amazing artwork that lines the walls. You can hire a car in Melbourne to drive down at a slow crawl, but you’ll definitely want to get out and take a few colourful selfies. Even the bins are skillfully decorated!
It’ll be a selfie that perfectly captures Melbourne’s heart and soul – paying homage to the diverse array of creative and talented of all the people that reside there.
Cleveland Point – Brisbane
It’s only a 30-minute drive from Brisbane’s CBD, so to get the ultimate selfie, grab your instant camera/DSLR/smartphone and trek out to take some shots of your refreshed, radiant self with one of these landmarks.
There’s an old pier, long wooden planks stretching off into the distance. Occasionally, the local birds will perch on the edges, making for a vintage, rustic scene and an opportunity to snap a few tranquil shots. Sunset also delivers an eerie, mysterious atmosphere to this place, especially if you capture the area with a long-exposure to highlight all the colours of the sleepy sky in your photos.
There’s also an old lighthouse here for those nautical, summery snaps. Fun fact – in 2009, some scenes from the Chronicles of Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, were shot right in this very location!
Give your snap-happy fingers a rest and enjoy some food and coffee at The Lighthouse restaurant. Alternatively, you can even take away your meal to enjoy while watching the boats and yachts cruise through the waters.
Umpherston Sinkhole – Mount Gambier
How many people can say they’ve been inside a sinkhole? And how many people can say that they’ve been in one and taken a selfie?
Mount Gambier sits between Adelaide and Melbourne, and can be a bit out of the way if you’re only visiting Australia’s main cities, but if you have time during your road tripping, definitely check this out!
The Umpherston Sinkhole, or the Sunken Garden, once used to be a limestone cave that turned into a sinkhole when natural corrosion caused the roof to collapse. In 1886, James Umpherston transformed this area into a lush, serene garden.
Take a wander yourself to see this wonder, and definitely don’t forget to take a low-angle selfie!