Australia immediately conjures images of the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, big-wave surfing, miles of Outback and a rather strange, and endearing, assortment of animals. While the country’s main cities offer charm, glamour, unique festivals, a well-preserved historical heritage, fabulous beaches and fun events, it’s also a land of immense contrast and captivating nature. The nation offers something for just about everyone – from water lovers, desert wanderers and canyon climbers, to arts and culture buffs, historians, and foodies. The country’s vast size makes it almost impossible to take it all in during a single visit, but you can pick and choose a perfect holiday according to your personal preferences.
Circular Quay lies on beautiful Sydney Harbour. With ferries, trains and buses arriving and departing the quay, this is the perfect place to begin adventures to world-famous attractions near the city. Visitors can enjoy water taxis, jet boats and harbour cruises, creating memorable photographic opportunities. One of the most popular things to do here is to spend a leisurely day strolling along the harbour foreshore to the iconic Sydney Opera House and the gorgeous Royal Botanic Garden. Among the many things to do, art lovers should head to the enthralling Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, on the western side of the quay. Some of Sydney's best restaurants are located here, too.
First settled in the early 1900s, Tasmania’s capital city has seen a healthy boom in tourism in recent years. Today Hobart combines the charm of old with a trendy, modern edge, and attractions like Salamanca Place – an old waterfront warehouse district that now hosts swanky restaurants, galleries and cafes – define its contemporary status. Art, culture and fine dining are plentiful in town, while nature and wildlife abound in the outlying areas. Venture out to nearby Mount Wellington for hiking and mountain biking trails with spectacular views.
Located off the east coast of Tasmania, Maria Island offers visitors a truly unique travel experience, complete with some incredible natural beauty and an interesting local penal history. Accessed via ferry (from Triabunna to Darlington), the island is remote and free of shops and cars, and visitors who wish to stay overnight on the island will do so at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Darlington Probation Station, commonly referred to as simply ‘The Penitentiary’. Using this unique lodging as a base, explore Maria Island on foot, checking out the Painted Cliffs (where iron oxide has stained the sandstone in wondrous swirls of colour) and the sheer-sided Fossil Cliffs. The island is also home to a number of excellent cycling routes, prime bird-watching opportunities, and a variety of fantastic snorkelling and diving spots.
The small seaside town of Coles Bay is located on the east coast of the island of Tasmania. A friendly and well-serviced place, Coles Bay is primarily known for the access it provides to the Freycinet National Park, one of Australia’s most astoundingly beautiful natural areas. From the pink-tinged granite peaks of the Hazards, to Wineglass Bay - consistently voted one of the world’s most photogenic beaches - and the remote Friendly Beaches lying to the north of Coles Bay, the magnificent beaches of the Freycinet National Park should feature on any Tasmanian travel itinerary. As well as relaxing on its tranquil beaches, visitors can look forward to enjoying a range of hiking, bushwalking, diving, snorkelling and cycling opportunities, all of which are easily accessible from Coles Bay.
Stretching from Port Pirie to Lake Callebonna, the ancient mountain range known as the Flinders Ranges (or simply the Flinders) is the largest in South Australia and is known as an iconic Australian environment. Made up of a number of mountain ranges – the ABC, the Elder, the Chace and the Gammon in the far north - the rugged landscape is characterised by rolling hills, deep gorges, ridges and razorbacks and wide plains. The area is perhaps best known for the improbable rock formation, Wilpena Pound, but also includes a number of wonderful national parks, the historic outback town of Quorn, the Clare Valley for wine tasting as well as numerous ancient Aboriginal art sites. Visitors to the Flinders are likely to encounter a wide range of local wildlife including Kangaroos, Emus, Wedge Tailed Eagles and the rare Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby.
Located in the south of Australia’s Northern Territory, the remote town of Yulara lies only 18 short kilometres from the sacred world heritage site, Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. This isolated town serves as a service hub for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and offers some welcome comfort in the harsh Outback landscape. Visitors use it as a base when exploring the park and viewing the main attraction in the area, Uluru. This epic sandstone formation stands almost 350 metres high and measures 10 kilometres in circumference featuring hidden caves, ancient rock art and otherworldly fiery hues at sunset. Other popular attractions and activities include: the Field of Light Uluru, the Desert Awakenings Tour and the Wintjiri Arts & Museum.
Haggerstone Island Resort is an all-inclusive boutique resort that offers unfettered access to superb fishing and adventure. Located on the Great Barrier Reef, this resort is just a two-hour flight from Cairns, North Queensland, yet feels a world away. The resort promises to turn “the notion of fictional paradise into reality”.
Each of the four ‘huts’ are individually designed and built by the resort’s owners to blend into the island and offer private beachfront access and stunning ocean views. Rough hewn timber, billowy canopies, and rustic, handmade details exude barefoot luxury. Each hut offers its own unique character and charm, but if you can’t choose, the entire 42-hectacre island is available to rent for those that want a truly exclusive experience.
The main house features a library, bar, fireplace, wine cellar, day bed, lounge, dining area, two bathrooms, loft, observation deck, and an open kitchen. Meals served on the island are simple but satisfying with most of the produce and seafood is picked and caught in the resort’s orchard or just off the island’s shores. Enjoy the freshest coral trout, crayfish, and oysters.
Our team loves this resort because it offers a completely quintessential ‘Robinson Crusoe’ experience that anyone would be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
The Central Coast region is idyllically located on a long stretch Australia’s gorgeous eastern coastline, extending from the capital of Sydney to the nation’s second largest city, Newcastle. What was once a sleepy stretch of coast has been transformed into a popular tourist region with a five-star resort, hip gallery spaces, mind-blowing authentic Mexican food, quaint vintage boutiques, floral artistry, and fine dining to rival the best of big cities. The Central Coast is a destination with countless opportunities for adventure and relaxation including horse riding, quad biking, abseiling, kayaking and even riding the world's longest roller-coaster zipline! Add to this a slew of natural attractions including breathtakingly beautiful beaches and vast national parks teeming with wildlife and it is easy to see why this remarkable stretch of coast has been dubbed “the playground of two cities”.
