Australian Traveller November 2017 - January 2018

I KNOW THE STEREOTYPES that go along with working for a travel magazine; upon hearing what we do, people instantly assume that our day to day consists of nothing more than reclining in business class and staying in five-star hotels. Far be it from me to try and convince you that working at Australian Traveller is anything but a complete blast, but we do often go above and beyond in our pursuit of a story. That’s how our intrepid digital editor Steve Madgwick ended up standing in a council garbage dump on a muggy Queensland afternoon in pursuit of the majestic yet annoyingly elusive cassowary (Mission possible, page 112) and why our deputy editor Daniel Down reached some approximation of nirvana while hurtling down a perilous slope in the wilds…

The mermaid who found her groove ONCE A METAPHORIC WASTELAND OF CHAIN RESTAURANTS AND MASSAGE PARLOURS, MERMAID BEACH IS NOW AS COOL AS ITS NAME,WITH MARGOT ROBBIE AND MATT PRESTON AMONG ITS FANS. SEARCH ‘MERMAID’ OH, I DO LIKE TO WALK BESIDE THE SEASIDE… Combining awe-inspiring wilderness with guides and ab-fab stays, these Great Walks of Australia will have you eagerly lacing up your boots. SEARCH ‘GREAT WALKS’ RESTAURANT ROAD TRIP ROYALTY REVEALED While Australian cities have a wealth of great places to dine, nothing quite beats taking to the open road on a food adventure. These far-flung foodie spots will leave you sated, wowed and glad you took the road less travelled. SEARCH ‘DESTINATION DINING WIN A $10,700 ESCAPE TO THE COOK ISLANDS How does island-hopping in the Cook…

Watching a blood red sun sink slowly into the orange dirt of the Australian bush is worth picking up a 4WD for alone, and getting as deep as possible into this land of ours. This shot was captured while photographer Elise Hassey was on assignment with Australian Traveller’s digital editor Steve Madgwick in the vast stretches of Arnhem Land, 97,000 square kilometres of wilderness that belongs to the Yolngu people. The Yolngu constitute many remote communities, one of which is centred on the small town of Bulman. Thirty bouncy kilometres from town is Bagetti Homestead, where Steve and Elise took part in a hunt for wild bullocks for a feast at a ceremony (meet up) that evening and a traditional Welcome to Country. “The ceremony was at their sacred spot…

LOUNGE SWEET THE AIRPORT LOUNGE IS NO LONGER THE EXCLUSIVE DOMAIN OF THOSE TRAVELLING AT THE POINTY END OF THE PLANE. MARHABA HAS OPENED ITS FIRST AIRPORT LOUNGE IN MELBOURNE AIRPORT’S TERMINAL 2, OFFERING TRAVELLERS A STYLISH LOUNGE AREA, A QUIET ZONE FOR RELAXATION, SHOWER FACILITIES, BUFFET CUISINE, BARISTA COFFEE COURTESY OF HUDSON COFFEE, AND FREE WI-FI. BOOK ONLINE AT MARHABA.COM FLYING FRESH LAND LOOKING AS FRESH AS WHEN YOU STEPPED ON YOUR FLIGHT WITH INTENSE FORMULAS’ FACE SERUM, A SKIN ELIXIR THAT PENETRATES DEEP TO HYDRATE, REVIVE AND BRIGHTEN THE SKIN. FEATURING 15 POWERFUL INGREDIENTS, FROM ROSEHIP OIL TO NATURAL VITAMIN E, IT WILL LEAVE SKIN SMOOTH AND SOFT AND READY FOR THE NEXT LEG OF YOUR JOURNEY. INTENSEFORMULAS.COM CITY LIMITS Street art is now a legitimate and much…

WHY DID YOU CREATE N››/›R››N? I wanted to create a product that would appeal to people all around the globe who are on the go, who start their day with a walk, a swim or by going to yoga or the gym. It’s for people who need an accessory that takes care of the essentials, their phone, keys, cards and cash, and withstands sand, sunscreen, long-haul flights and weekends away. WHAT WAS THE DESIGN INSPIRATION BEHIND THE RANGE? I wanted it to feel like summer all year long and have a sense of playfulness and fun. I wanted it to have a purpose, to be practical and provide a solution. NEO/PREEN can be used in a number of ways every day. HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE IN FASHION HELP (OR HINDER?)…

FAIRGROUNDS BERRY, NSW 8–9 DECEMBER A boutique festival in Berry, two hours’ drive south of Sydney, offers a stellar program of rock and indie names, foodie offerings (including a Paperbark Camp pop-up restaurant) and a swimming pool to lounge by. fairgrounds.com.au FALLS FESTIVAL BYRON BAY, NSW 31 DECEMBER – 2 JANUARY LORNE,VIC 28–31 JANUARY MARION BAY,TAS 29–31 DECEMBER FREMANTLE,WA 6–7 JANUARY The undisputed mack daddy of summer festivals, Falls just keeps getting bigger. Expect to see Liam Gallagher,Angus & Julia Stone, Flume, Fleet Foxes and Daryl Braithwaite; yes, you read that right. LET THEM EAT CAKE WERRIBEE PARK,VIC 1 JANUARY On the grounds of an Italianate mansion, this festival is a celebration of all things dance (with international and local DJs crowding the talent list) that’s styled as a garden…