The Highlands have been showcased to television audiences across Australia as part of a tourism campaign building on international interest generated by the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Loch Ness, Inverness, Dunrobin Castle and Royal Dornoch Golf Club feature in an episode of Australian travel programme The Great Outdoors, taking viewers from a speedboat adventure to one of Scotland’s most celebrated golf courses.
The programme is designed to inspire Australian viewers to experience Scotland for themselves following the Commonwealth Games, which ran from 23 July until 2 August.
Presenter James Tobin begins his Highland journey on Loch Ness, heading onto the water with Cruise Loch Ness to explore the famous loch and its surrounding landscape by speedboat.
His journey then takes him to Inverness, where he enjoys views from the grounds of Inverness Castle before travelling north into Sutherland.
At Dunrobin Castle, Tobin experiences one of the Highlands’ grandest historic houses and discovers some of the history surrounding a castle visited by Queen Victoria in 1872.
The final Highland stop brings together another of Scotland’s major attractions for international visitors, with golf taking centre stage in Dornoch.
After staying at Links House, Tobin heads onto the celebrated links at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and takes on the professionals on its wild and rugged fairways.
Australian broadcaster Seven held the broadcasting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and has been working with VisitScotland to use the increased attention surrounding the event to introduce Australian audiences to more of the country.
Filming for The Great Outdoors took place across Scotland, with Shetland, Orkney, the Highlands, Edinburgh and East Lothian all featuring in the series.
The programme combines cultural experiences with outdoor adventures from destinations around the world, with the Scottish episodes also tapping into growing travel interests including outdoor therapy and water wellness.
Those themes offer a natural showcase for the Highlands, where landscape, history, outdoor adventure and internationally recognised destinations can form part of the same journey.
VisitScotland Destination Development Director Chris Taylor said:
“The Great Outdoors programme is an ideal fit to showcase the sheer beauty as well as history, luxury and adventure that the Highlands has to offer to the Australian market, visitors we know are particularly motivated by Scotland’s scenery, culture and history.
“Being able to capitalise on the increased attention from the Commonwealth Games this summer has been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible experiences visitors can enjoy here as part of a trip to Scotland.”
With Loch Ness, Inverness, Dunrobin and Dornoch providing the backdrop, the programme puts some of the Highlands’ best known attractions in front of an Australian audience already given a taste of Scotland through a summer of international sport.
