HERE’S a Brisbane eatery that’s so exclusive only a select group of people can get a table. But it’s a location, rather than a celebrity chef or Michelin rating, making this spot special with Brisbane River Grill airside at Brisbane Airport’s renovated international terminal. This location – past passport control and myriad security checkpoints –Continue reading “Airport fare …”
Category Archives: Australia
Autumn in the vines …
LIKE all vineyards during vintage, wineries around Rutherglen are busy all hours now as summer fruit hanging heavy on the vines demands to be harvested. But soon autumn will creep across this picturesque corner of northern Victoria, dressing its vines in shades of yellow, orange and red that stand out against the monotone greens ofContinue reading “Autumn in the vines …”
Where to wander …
THERE are more ways than ever to explore a holiday destination – trams, horse-drawn carts, Segways, vintage cars, bicycles – but there are some streets that should be seen on foot so pack your walking shoes and prepare to pound the pavement. Budapest Budapest’s Andrassy Ut stretches 2.5km from Heroes Square to Erzsebet Square withContinue reading “Where to wander …”
INSIDER – PRIVATE ISLANDS
PRIVATE ISLAND PAMPERING DREAMING of jetting off to a private island where butlers cater to your every need and empty palm-fringed beaches wait outside your bungalow door? While supreme luxury comes at a cost – North Island’s “standard” presidential villas are priced about $4600 a person, a night, in 2016 – it is possible toContinue reading “INSIDER – PRIVATE ISLANDS”
Norfolk Island perfect 10 …
ALL is fresh and fabulous on this green and pleasant isle. Farm fresh A Saturday-morning tradition for most Norfolk Islanders is a jaunt to the Farmers’ Market, but don’t expect big and busy. A handful of stalls occupy the patch of green beside the Visitor Information Centre in Taylors Road. What the market lacks inContinue reading “Norfolk Island perfect 10 …”
Hotels fit for royalty …
THE Empire Hotel in Brunei isn’t the only hotel boasting a link to royalty – the destination’s most luxurious place to stay is funded by a senior member of the country’s ruling royal family – with inns from the African jungle to the Arctic Circle offering an experience good enough for the most important ofContinue reading “Hotels fit for royalty …”
Darwin in the dry …
IT MAY be the middle of the southern hemisphere winter but there are places in Australia where shorts and a singlet, sandals, a sunhat and a liberal layer of sunscreen are the wardrobe of choice. Darwin is one of them. During the cooler months – it’s called the dry season – the city is delightful,Continue reading “Darwin in the dry …”
The Great Ocean Road’s winter retreat …
MY family only squabbles about one thing and that’s the proper way to make a fire. My brother David, an alpha male with a booming voice to match his imposing frame, maintains a good blaze must be built on a clean base and he’s inevitably the one who takes to the fireplace with brush andContinue reading “The Great Ocean Road’s winter retreat …”
No need for speed …
WHEN an old pal’s husband discovered bushwalking his first big hike was a trek in a remote corner of the country, a journey that had him out of mobile range and made my friend feel like she was missing out as she waited at home while he navigated some of Australia’s most spectacular territory. SoContinue reading “No need for speed …”
Keeping up with the Joneses …
THE quaint cafe at Jones Winery & Vineyard in Rutherglen is one of my favourite places to dine in country Victoria. I think it’s the combination of a charming setting, with the casual but elegant eatery set in an old farm building that doubles as the estate’s cellar door and barrel room, and a thoughtfulContinue reading “Keeping up with the Joneses …”
Hotels with history …
THERE’S a trend in Melbourne – well, a mini trend, at least – with the Victorian capital’s newest hotels moving into territory that once served a different purpose. The shiny new Sheraton Melbourne Hotel (below) sits on the Little Collins St site of the bygone Naval and Military Club, a 127-year-old institution that once counted SirContinue reading “Hotels with history …”
Great Ocean roam …
THE Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s top driving routes, but there’s plenty of reason to park the car and enjoy the swag of attractions that flank this ribbon of asphalt snaking around Victoria’s beautiful southwest coast. 1. Every Easter the world’s best surfers descend on Bells Beach (below) — the famous stripContinue reading “Great Ocean roam …”
Rutherglen vineyards …
Where … Rutherglen Estates’ vineyard near the Murray River in northern Victoria When … Late afternoon on Thursday, June 11, 2015 What … A winter sunset mixes with the smoke from a farmer’s fire to throw a golden glow over a Rutherglen Estates’ vineyard a stone’s throw from Rutherglen in the northern Victorian wine-making region. …Continue reading “Rutherglen vineyards …”
King George Sound …
Where … Albany’s King George Sound on Western Australia’s wild south coast When … Thursday, May 8, 2014 What … Taking in the view to the South Ocean, across Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour and King Edward Sound, from the Clarence Hill Memorial on a glorious blue-sky day near the end of autumn. Visit the AmazingContinue reading “King George Sound …”
Aussie outback made easy …
THIS country has some of the most remote locations in the world, but it doesn’t mean you have to rough it to see the best the Outback has to offer. Home Valley Station Home Valley Station sits on the eastern edge of the Kimberley, beside the Pentecost River and Cockburn Range, with the West Australian propertyContinue reading “Aussie outback made easy …”
Footsteps of the fallen …
SATURDAY’S Anzac Day services will commemorate more than the 100th anniversary of Australian troops landing at Gallipoli. This significant day also signals the start of a century of Australian men and women serving in wars, police actions and peace-keeping missions that have taken our army, navy, air force and merchant mariners to battlefields around theContinue reading “Footsteps of the fallen …”
Riding the rails …
FROM The Oriental Express to the Rocky Mountaineer, the romance of train journeys have long captured the imaginations of travellers the world over. We’ve chosen the top ten rail experiences that will bring out the explorer in you. 1. Peru’s Andean Explorer (below) takes 10 hours to rattle from Cuzco to Puno, making for aContinue reading “Riding the rails …”
the Yarra Valley …
Where … Coldstream in the heart of Victoria’s Yarra Valley When … Friday, February 20, 2015 What … The vines at Meletos, a restaurant and boutique hotel in the Yarra Valley near Melbourne, mature towards vintage in the warm summer sunshine. Visit the Visit Yarra Valley website … posted Sunday, March 8, 2015
Out of the ashes …
→ Take a sneak peek at the hotel rising from the ashes of Black Saturdday … I ENJOYED a sneak peek at the new Vibe Hotel Marysville a few days after it opened in February. Marysville, which is surrounded by the Yarra Ranges National Park a couple of hours from Melbourne, was all-but destroyed duringContinue reading “Out of the ashes …”
Streets paved with gold …
IT was not so long ago when View St was one of Bendigo’s most decrepit corners. In the early-1990s this historic avenue decayed into such a state of disrepair that neighbourhood children were told to take another route should their journey between school and home take them near View St. The wide verandas andContinue reading “Streets paved with gold …”
Melbourne’s Langham …
Where … A function room at The Langham in Melbourne When … Thursday, February 5, 2015 What … The view across the Yarra River to the Melbourne skyline was the vistas I had to gaze at during today’s Visit Britain media briefing at The Langham on Melbourne’s South Bank. Visit The Langham Melbourne website …Continue reading “Melbourne’s Langham …”
Roll up for penguin parade …
PAULA Wasiak is ready to work so she pulls on a grey glove that covers her arm almost to her shoulder, settles into the long grass, and reaches into a burrow below a leafy green shrub. It seems like a precarious activity on a hot Victorian day, when slithering creatures tend to linger just outContinue reading “Roll up for penguin parade …”
Small town esprit de corps …
MELBOURNE is awash with significant streets. Metropolitan avenues boasting swanky restaurants and quirky cafes, trendy bars and hip boutiques, and a swag of shops selling everything from the sophisticated to the shabby chic are dotted around the Victorian capital’s busy urban neighbourhoods. There’s Acland Street in St Kilda and Clarendon Street in South Melbourne, Prahran’sContinue reading “Small town esprit de corps …”
Wet-season Darwin …
Where … Darwin Harbour When … Saturday, November 29, 2014 What … Whispy wet-season clouds gather over Darwin Harbour, with this early-evening photo snapped from Stokes Hill Wharf which was the site of devastation after the first Japanese raid on the top-end city in 1941. Visit the official NT Tourism website … posted Saturday, NovemberContinue reading “Wet-season Darwin …”
Darwin’s waterfront …
Where … My room at the Adina Hotel on the Darwin Waterfront When … Thursday, November 27, 2014 What … The view across Darwin’s wave pool to historic Stokes Wharf, which was the scene of such devastation when the first Japanese bombs fell on Darwin during the Second World War, to the gathering clouds ofContinue reading “Darwin’s waterfront …”
Darwin’s waterfront digs …
→ An apartment hotel on Darwin’s waterfront offers a comfortable place to stay in Australia’s steamy Top End … WHEN it comes to location, travellers can’t go past the Adina Apartment Hotel Darwin Waterfront. The apartment hotel sits between the city’s CBD and Stokes Hill Wharf, beside a wave pool and close to the protectedContinue reading “Darwin’s waterfront digs …”
Woolamai Beach …
Where … Flying above Victoria’s Phillip Island. When … Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 10.13am. What … Looking down at Bass Strait breakers crashing against Woolamai Beach, on Phillip Island’s rugged southern shore, while taking a spin aloft with Phillip Island Helicopters. Visit the Phillip Island website … posted November 14, 2014 Posted with BlogsyContinue reading “Woolamai Beach …”
Solid gold history …
IT’S almost 160 years to the day since a band of irritated gold miners made a stand on Ballarat’s Eureka diggings. The group was angry about the steep licence fees charged to prospect, paying taxes without being allowed to vote, and the fact police were neglecting the rights of miners and making life difficult inContinue reading “Solid gold history …”
Garden Tap House …
Where … The Garden Tap House, Kyneton When … Thursday, September 2, 2014 What … The setting sun shines through an upstairs window at The Garden Tap House, one of the comfortable self-contained properties available to those looking to spend a few days in Kyneton’s Piper Street. Visit the Piper Street website … posted OctoberContinue reading “Garden Tap House …”
Park at Pullman …
→ A plot close to Melbourne’s metropolitan lake provides a nice position for a stay at the Pullman Albery Park … THE Pullman Albert Park, set beside Melbourne’s Albert Park Lake and the back straight of the city’s Formula One track, is an agreeable hotel that’s perfect for both business and leisure travellers. The 169-roomContinue reading “Park at Pullman …”
Far Near Or Here 