The 8 most epic places to skydive in Australia

Even though Byron Bay likes to sell itself as a laidback hippie paradise where only the chillest times are allowed to roll, there are actually quite a few opportunities for heart-racing adrenaline – and skydiving might be the best of them. With the seasoned and hyper-safe Skydive Byron Bay slinging you up (and then out) of the sky (they've been doing it for 20 years), you can rest assured that what you're doing is most likely going to be okay. Apart from that, getting to fly above an epic tapestry of sandy beaches, rolling emerald hinterland and a shimmering turquoise ocean at a staggering 15,000 feet will make you feel more like a sea eagle than you ever have before. 

If diving out of the sky above the Great Barrier Reef, numerous tropical islands and World Heritage-listed rainforest is your idea of a good time, pop Mission Beach on your skydiving Australia checklist. With a guaranteed beach landing, this spectacular jump in the tropics of far north Queensland is located about an hour and forty minutes away from Cairns, and there are a few different vendors you can hit up to get your sky-high fix above the lush Cassowary Coast. Skydive Australia has a branch here, as do Skydive Mission Beach, who offer you a swim and a free meal after you've done the hard yards and jumped out of a plane.

It's not hyperbole to say that Rottnest Island / Wadjemup is one of the most incredibly beautiful places on Earth. With some of the clearest water in the world, sugar white sand and an abundance of smiley marsupials (quokkas, we're looking at you), Rotto is next-level amazing, regardless of whether you're on the ground – or falling through the sky. If you choose to take to the skies, you won't be disappointed. With Skydive Geronimo you get a 20-minute scenic flight over the tiny island, you and your instructor will plummet down over an abundance of turquoise water and white sand, landing after a five-minute parachute fall on a pristine beach. You won't regret it.

There are few places on Earth quite as spectacular as Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Even when you're firmly on solid Earth, this region's incredible coastline, rugged rock formations (hello, Twelve Apostles) and general wild beauty are pretty breathtaking. Now, imagine all of that while you're suspended 15,000 feet in the air. Breathtaking, in more ways than one. After you get saddled up by the trusty folks at Skydive Australia and choose to fly at either 8,000 or 15,000 feet, you can expect to soar over a glittering expanse of ocean, wild waves and seriously salty scenery that'll blow your senses out of the park, and then out to sea. There ain't nothing like it. 

Airlie Beach in far north Queensland's glittering Whitsundays is widely famed as one of the most incredible places (and beaches) in the world. The heart-rending turquoise water, the warm tropical air and the lush, frangipani-coated coastline are pretty much what you get when you type 'paradise' into Google images. As you can imagine, skydiving here is pretty special. You can soar from 8,000 to 15,000 feet with the well-established Skydive Australia – and this experience is all about the marine vistas. Your freefall will happen over a huge expanse of bright blue water and a curvy combination of tropical beaches. Also, this part of the world cops a fair bit of flack for the creatures that live *beneath* the water (ahem, crocs, etc) which makes flying above it that much more appealing.

If the sound of skydiving over rolling green vineyards, followed  by throwing back a glass of world-class vino sounds like your personal dream day, you're in luck – because McLaren Vale in South Australia exists and as such, so does that very specific scenario. You've got a few different vendors to choose from in McLaren Vale when it comes to diving out of a plane, but they're all united in their soaring descent over South Australia's southern wine country and glittery Fleurieu coastline. With well-renowned places like Skydive the Vines giving you a freefall experience over a lush green vineyard, with you landing amongst the vines, you'll be feeling tipsy in all ways that are humanly possible.

Skydiving in Newy (as it's known to locals), on NSW's north coast, is an excellent option for any adrenaline junkies in Sydney who don't want to hop on a plane (across state borders, anyway). You can choose to either do a vineyard-style flight in the Hunter Valley, or take a coastal route and plunge down over the cerulean waters of Lake Macquarie and the Newcastle coast. If the weather permits for the latter, you can land on the sand and basically feel like you're in a 1980s Aussie music video. 

This one's for everyone keen on freefalling over the Great Barrier Reef. With lots of different vendors offering up epic skydives over the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, it can be hard to choose – however, Cairns Skydivers are a pretty great shout. With loads of experience, a high level of attention to safety and heights of up to 14,000 feet, they do a good job at ticking all the skydiving boxes. Plus, you get the option of landing on Kurrimine Beach, one of the closest beaches to the Great Barrier Reef. This means that at low tide, you can actually walk out to the reef itself. How's that for a life-changing time?