Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2020 - January 2021 i Australian Traveller

IT SEEMS LIKE AN UNDERSTATEMENT to say that 2020 has not been the best of years. It started with the bushfires that ravaged large parts of the country. The vision of day turned to night under an ominous blanket of smoke shocked the world, and broke our hearts. And just as we were rallying, coming together as a nation to assist those affected and forge a collective focus on recovery, the pandemic dealt us another blow. It says a lot about us as a people that we have not let both of these once in a generation events keep us down. Even with rebuilding still happening and border closures physically isolating us from each other, we have moved forward with a united spirit. We have holidayed here this year, we…

Otter Craft Distilling ( ocdistilling.com ) is an award-winning Sydney brand run by brother and sister duo Julie and Eduard Otter that’s built around a passion for spirits and sustainability; they source all ingredients with care starting with grain from the Riverina. Here, bar manager Giacomo Franceschi of Sydney’s Charlie Parker’s serves us a cocktail with a twist using their pure OCD Vodka. OCD MANGO DELIGHT 45 ml OCD Vodka – Pure 20 ml Mango purée 15 ml Verjus infused with dehydrated lemon myrtle leaves (or lemon leaves) Pinch of salt Shake and pour the liquid into a Collins glass over cubed ice and top with soda. Garnish with a lemon myrtle or other citrus leaf on edge of glass.…

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ESSENCE OF BASSIKE? bassike at its heart has always been about creating quality, timeless collections in an ethical and sustainable way. WHAT WERE YOUR KEY MOTIVATIONS WHEN STARTING THE LABEL? The idea was to create classic, quality wardrobe staples that you could wear with things you already owned. We wanted luxurious pieces that you could machine wash, tumble dry and wear every day. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU AND CO-FOUNDER MARY YOU RYAN TO COMMIT TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES FROM THE BEGINNING? It was a conscious decision in 2006 when we launched bassike, to use sustainable fabrications and manufacture in Australia and to support local industry. Organic jersey was not being very widely used at the time, so presented us with the opportunity to do…

FROM A FULLY ESCORTED TOUR of the Great Barrier Reef to a fun foodie adventure around Tassie and a highlights reel of Western Australia, leading tour company COSMOS has added to its impressive portfolio with signature Australian experiences aimed at local travellers. The long-standing company, rich in history, is going above and beyond in the domestic travel market with adventures Aussies will love. Here are three signature tours. TASSIE QUICK BITE EAT YOUR WAY around Tasmania on this fun, hassle-free tour. For seven days you will travel with like-minded Aussies from Hobart to Launceston, with SALAMANCA MARKET your first port of call. With about 80 stallholders, you’ll relish every minute here and leave with more than a few goodies. You can then hop on a ferry to BRUNY ISLAND, where…

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LAUNCH PEOPLE4OCEAN SUN CARE? I co-founded People4Ocean Sun Care with my husband Austin Laing-Herbert a couple of years ago. Austin and I met in 2012 on the Great Barrier Reef while studying coral reefs and tropical ecosystems at James Cook University in Townsville. In 2015 we travelled to the Indian Ocean to coordinate a USAID funded, large-scale reef rehabilitation project in Seychelles; and in 2016 we witnessed the devastating impacts of climate change as our restored reef was nearly wiped out by mass coral bleaching. We dedicated the following year to ‘growing our reef ’ back to life, by propagating corals that had survived the heat wave. We were determined to do all we could to protect these ecosystems most at risk, and raise awareness…

Getting there Faraway Domes is located three hours’ drive north of Tamworth, NSW, and five hours’ drive south-west of Brisbane, Qld. Staying there Rates start at $425 per night (minimum two nights) with optional food packages on top. Playing there While you might opt to relax and do little more than soak in the outdoor tub and stargaze while here, you can also explore the region by taking a scenic drive along historic Fossickers Way, visiting the artesian spa town of Moree, and swimming, hiking and fishing at Macintyre Falls. You can also book an in-house massage or beauty session. farawaydomes.com…

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES THE PERFECT SUMMER FAMILY HOLIDAY IN AUSTRALIA? Being close to water is a key part of the perfect Aussie summer for us. The smell of saltwater mixed with sunscreen is one of our favourite scents; sure, we wouldn’t wear it as a perfume/cologne, but it is the smell of summer for us. We also love getting riverside up on the Murray with a caravan and swags for the kids. Rivers are great places to be with family and friends – you can decide hour to hour if you have plenty to do or absolutely nothing you need to do right now. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE AUSSIE SUMMER DESTINATION THAT TICKS ALL THE BOXES? Being Victorians, nothing beats the Mornington Peninsula (1). It ticks the…

DAY ONE: THE GREAT OUTDOORS BECKONS Rise and shine: Join the happy mix of locals who like to start their day walking along THE ESPLANADE followed by a dip in glittering SHELLY BEACH ROCK POOL. Open spaces: The broader Sutherland Shire has 19 beaches – from CAPE SOLANDER in the north to BURNING PALMS in the south. Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, foil boarding, kitesurfing, boating, fishing and swimming are all on offer in the Sutherland Shire, which includes five kilometres of pristine beaches and some 200 kilometres of sparkling waterways. Break for lunch: Expect excellent coffee and fantastic food at SIXSMITH, which is provisioned, in part, by its own gardens on the South Cronulla peninsula. Learn to surf or SUP: Hang ten with CRONULLA SURFING ACADEMY at…

WITH ITS CAREFULLY CURATED new directory designed to help travellers seek out slow and sustainable accommodation across Australia, slow travel platform Life Unhurried has plugged right into the zeitgeist. Whether it’s an off-the-grid shack, luxe glamping spot, chic farm stay or architecturally designed cabin you’ve got in mind, you’ll find it listed on Slow Stays – having been vetted by the Life Unhurried team. “While there’s a certain intangible aspect to what makes something a Slow Stay – is it somewhere you can truly take time out and travel better? – there’s also a list of criteria that ticks the boxes for us,” explains co-founder and travel journalist Celeste Mitchell. “We place a wide-angle lens over each property and look at everything from whether it’s owner operated; supports regional communities…

With its two sustainably designed lodges,Tasmanian Walking Company’s THREE CAPES LODGE WALK offers the only private accommodation within the Tasman National Park. Both are discreetly positioned along the trail, their design responding to the contours of the land. The COOLOOLA GREAT WALK is a 102-kilometre trail along Queensland’s Sunshine Coast that takes in coastal tracks, rainforest, everglades and high dunes. It takes five days to complete and accommodation along the way is currently camping but sustainable cabins are in the works courtesy of CABN – Australia’s experts in off-grid tiny house experiences. Watch this space. Great Walks of Australia – of which the Cradle Mountain Huts Walk is a member – is a collection of Australia’s greatest multi-day guided walking experiences done with a dash of eco-luxury comfort.With the five-day…

What is carbon offsetting? Carbon offsetting effectively means that you are paying a price to remove the emissions produced when you fly or drive by investing in programs that have a positive effect on the Earth, thereby cancelling out or neutralising your impact. Programs that airlines or their offsetting partners contribute to include reforestation, landcare and social initiatives that prevent the same amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere through their actions. Why you should offset Research prior to the worldwide pandemic showed that greenhouse gas emissions from commercial air travel were actually growing at a much faster rate than previously predicted by the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization – up to 70 per cent faster, in fact. So flying out on your annual family getaway is having an increasing,…

SUMMER IN VICTORIA TO ME means road trips. I just love a good road trip or a country drive, seeing a new place each day and relishing in the journey as much as the destination. I love small country towns, stopping to look at an antiques store and grabbing a takeaway iced latte, driving with windows rolled down and music turned up, and arriving at the destination in the late afternoon – just in time to have dinner on the beach. My favourite moment photographing this story was at the 12 Apostles at sunset. The sun had just disappeared, and with it, the hordes of tourists. As I was packing up my camera, I spotted a trail of fairy penguins in the distance, returning from sea in the fading light.…

“In my endeavours to foster coastal conservation awareness, I never set out to make lists of best beaches, but exposing beaches many Aussies had never heard of, let alone been to, opened up some extraordinary little gems which have become accidental destinations in their own right,” says Brad Farmer AM ahead of the release of his top 20 beaches for 2021 in early December.And while last year’s list was topped by NSW’s Cabarita, it came with a surprise.“I took the edgy move in 2019 of declaring that any inland Australian waterway could be defined as a beach, much to some coastal folk’s chagrin. I took Wagga Beach, a lovely sand stretch on the Murrumbidgee, inland NSW, as my first experiment, launching [the list] somewhat nervously on the riverside to a…

NAME: CHU RESTAURANT LOCATION: ROOTY HILL, NSW DESIGN: THE UNLISTED COLLECTIVE THE LATEST PROJECT for restaurateur Steve Anastasiou (China Doll) belies its down-to-earth surroundings. Part of the ambitious West HQ entertainment and lifestyle development in the western Sydney suburb of Rooty Hill, Chu Restaurant is a 250-seat space that is grand in both proportion and execution. Incorporating areas for dining, lounging and drinking, Bianca Fraser, director of The Unlisted Collective, has obviously indulged in the design brief of recreating the golden years of Shanghai, circa 1940s. The entrance is dominated by an imposing 2.4-metre custom-made Buddha statue, golden coil curtains are hung throughout and the carpet of large-scale flowers was designed specifically for the space. Chandeliers, metallic screens, a textured marble bar and deep banquettes in emerald green enhance the…

I WAS BANGING MY HEAD AGAINST A WALL AS A SHEEP AND WHEAT FARMER. I thought the bank was going to own me. All I knew about oysters was that you don’t have to feed them and they’re not going to run through a hole in the fence and ruin the neighbour’s canola crop when you’re having a few Friday night beers. CLEARLY, YOU’VE GOT TO BE A GENIUS TO DO THIS [GUFFAWS]. When I moved here, I got a job with an oyster farmer straightaway. He taught me everything there is to know: the seasonal nature, the timings. You need an aquaculture permit; a coxswain certificate and food-safety qualifications, too. THE AVERAGE PERSON’S PERCEPTIONS ARE PROBABLY OVER-ROMANTICISED. Living on and from the water is a great life. I probably…

Oval Hotel, Adelaide Perched adjacent to heritage-listed parklands, Adelaide Botanic Garden and the famed Adelaide Oval, from which it takes its name, Oval (pictured above) is a 138-room boutique hotel that offers a uniquely local experience.With views to the Adelaide city skyline, the River Torrens and neighbouring St Peter’s Cathedral, the property showcases the best that South Australia has to offer, using local producers, artists and suppliers wherever possible, including at its Five Regions Restaurant and Bespoke Wine Bar & Kitchen. ovalhotel.com.au Vibe Hotel Subiaco, Perth Hot on the heels of Vibe Hotel Melbourne andVibe Hotel Hobart comesVibe Hotel Subiaco, located in the buzzing inner-city Perth suburb known locally as ‘Subi’.The crowning glory of the 168-room digs is the rooftop that includes an outlet ofVibe’s signature Storehouse restaurant and bar,…

TWO GREAT THINGS WERE BORN in 1974: one of Australia’s favourite sporting heroes and perhaps its favourite car. For racing driver and three-time V8 Supercar champion Craig Lowndes, the Holden Sandman is an Aussie icon. Originally launched to capture the recreational market, the panel van with its closed-in back, roaring V8 engine and unique styling built for Australian conditions captured much more: the spirit of a generation. “It just reflected our freedom, way of life, being able to travel – everything that Australia stands for,” says Lowndes, a Holden ambassador who was involved in the development of a race car version in tribute to the Sandman’s 40th anniversary. While he would have loved to have owned an original, he recalls working on them during his motor mechanics apprenticeship and grew…

LOCAL HAUNTS WALK BRISBANE’s tours explore the hidden places locals love, catering to all interests, whether your passion is art, architecture, design, history, gardens or cafe culture. Dive deep into the city’s history at the MUSEUM OF BRISBANE and take one of THE STORYTELLERS: WALKING TOURS to learn what makes Brisbane tick. Wander up JAMES STREET, Fortitude Valley, one of Brisbane’s most popular high-end shopping and dining precincts. For an ultra-urban-chic stay, book in to THE CALILE HOTEL. SIP AND SUP BRISBANE DISTILLERY COMPANY’s Gin School lets you choose from more than 130 botanicals to create your own signature gin (and you get to take it home, too). Brisbane’s hottest new dining spot is AGNES, where your meal is created using the ancient art of cooking with fire over a…

Holiday gems you need to know NAROOMA, NSW Located in the Eurobodalla region of the NSW South Coast, Narooma (a local Yuin word for ‘clear blue waters’) is evocative of beach holidays of old, with its decidedly laid-back approach to sun, sea and sand. Expect stunning beaches, plentiful seafood (it’s on the Oyster Coast after all), and cute wildlife – visit Montague Island (Barunguba) for its fur seal colony. Also head to Shoal Bay, Copacabana, Yamba, Potato Point FITZROY ISLAND, QLD An easy ferry ride from Cairns, Fitzroy Island (part of Gunggandji Country; pictured top right) is stunningly positioned in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. A national park, the island is covered in pristine rainforest and ringed by unspoilt beaches, and offers up walking trails, snorkelling, diving, turtle…

THE PROMISE OF hot days spent lazing on the sand punctuated by ocean dips and trips to the many beachside cafes is what makes a summer holiday on the Central Coast so inviting. But it’s the local makers and creators who have further transformed this destination with a multitude of experiences. LONG JETTY Long Jetty is a creative hub surrounded by the idyllic beaches of Blue Bay,Toowoon Bay and one of the coast’s best surf spots Shelly Beach. Start by shopping at PLAIN JANES, a fashion boutique with a mix of local and Australian-made gems. Continue down the road to THE GREEN TANGERINE cafe for a coffee and a selfie in front of its iconic ‘Welcome to Long Jetty’ mural (above), or combine yoga and brunch at MODERN ORGANIC. Ettalong…

LOCAL HAUNTS WALK BRISBANE’s tours explore the hidden places locals love, catering to all interests, whether your passion is art, architecture, design, history, gardens or cafe culture. Dive deep into the city’s history at the MUSEUM OF BRISBANE and take one of THE STORYTELLERS: WALKING TOURS to learn what makes Brisbane tick. Wander up JAMES STREET, Fortitude Valley, one of Brisbane’s most popular high-end shopping and dining precincts. For an ultra-urban-chic stay, book in to THE CALILE HOTEL. SIP AND SUP BRISBANE DISTILLERY COMPANY’s Gin School lets you choose from more than 130 botanicals to create your own signature gin (and you get to take it home, too). Brisbane’s hottest new dining spot is AGNES, where your meal is created using the ancient art of cooking with fire over a…

IT’S A PLACE WHERE you can find a beach to suit every mood, hiking trails that lead to hidden waterfalls, and a breadth of cultural experiences driven by the community of makers and creators that call the Central Coast home. The bushfires of 2019/20 put all this under threat, but it sparked a different kind of flame, too – a passion to transform the region into a certified sustainable and conscious destination in the next two years. NATURAL BEAUTY AROUND EVERY BEND Eighty-seven kilometres of unspoilt coastline meets an Eden-like haven of national parks, state forests and conservation reserves to deliver one of the most nature-rich regions in NSW. Protecting this pristine natural environment is the destination’s top priority – and exploring it will leave you with the same goal.…

WITH LONGER DAYS upon us and a feeling of optimism in the ever-warmer air, it’s time we stopped dreaming and started packing for that summer escape. From the sparkling NSW South Coast to the Canberra wine region, ABODE HOTELS’ eight properties are located in unique destinations that buck the trend of city-centric hotel brands, and invite travellers to explore regional and residential areas from relaxed yet stylish self-contained accommodation. IN BALANCE With ABODE HOTELS’ focus on making guests feel right at home, this is not your standard, cut-and-paste hotel experience. The relaxed, serviced apartment-style rooms offer all the home essentials – such as unlimited free wi-fi, and rooms offering kitchenette facilities, a washer/dryer, Google STAYCAST streaming, a bar fridge to store your treats and plenty of space to spread out.…

You don’t need to travel to remote Ecuador to encounter some of the world’s most wild and wonderfully unique creatures: with its proliferation of endemic species, Christmas Island has been dubbed the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean. And its remarkable birdlife rivals its dizzying array of crabs.The island’s close proximity to Southeast Asia and the equator, and the unique rainforest ecology it has developed, has carved a home for a colourful chorus of species that birdwatchers travel from all over the globe to catch sight of, including the elegant golden bosun and the melodious Christmas Island thrush.The island acts as a world renowned seabird rookery, attracting about 80,000 nesting varieties each year. And it also supports 13 species of land birds – seven of which are endemic – that are…

SUMMER IN THE ACT can be miserable. Hot, dry and specifically this past year, smoky. But it can also be bliss. While everyone else is at the coast, those hanging out in the capital city are treated to what I believe to be one of this country’s biggest secrets. Surrounded by nature, loaded with the finest restaurants and bars, spoiled by world-class indoor spaces to get inspired and cool down, and all set to be explored without pretentiousness or crowds, but instead with hospitality and ease. On an outdoors kind of day, summer in the ACT is picking blackberries along the Cotter and swims in Paddy’s River. It’s picnics by the lake or on a boat, enjoying locally made ice-cream, locally grown cherries, Sapphire Coast oysters and Canberran craft beer.…

SUMMER IN PERTH IS ALL ABOUT early morning swims in crystal clear water that give way into lazy lounging on marzipan beaches. The Fremantle Doctor comes in at about midday almost every day, so you’ve got to make the most of the mornings. The rest of the day is spent salty and sandy, with fish and chips on the beach at sunset a quintessential (and regular) activity. Be sure to shoo the seagulls. These images are taken at various times of day and capture the different shades, shapes and states of the ocean that emerge throughout summer days. They are taken at a few different spots. Vera View Beach in Cottesloe and Leighton Beach in North Fremantle are my favourite spots to swim – always quieter, enjoyed by loyal locals,…

BRAD FARMER IS THE SORT OF nomadic beach explorer who casually pops into a seaside hamlet on Western Australia’s Coral Coast to stay at a mate’s beach shack for a week and ends up dropping anchor for two years. Who grew up and once again lives on the Tweed Coast where, as he tells it, his forefathers were the first bootmakers in Byron Bay and pioneering beachside builders on a tiny coastal settlement called the Gold Coast. There’s a reason Farmer is Tourism Australia’s official coastal and aquatic ambassador. The country’s certified beach expert. He’s seen it all. Fairly much all 59,700 kilometres of Australia’s coastline and its 11,761 coastal beaches. As a twentysomething in the 1980s he travelled and wrote the first complete surfing guide to Australia, which took…

JULIA ZEMIRO The PRESENTER of the ABC series Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery on seeking SOLACE inside and in the OCEAN. THE SUMMER SUN has always been my enemy. I just can’t take it. I can’t. I can’t comprehend how a human can lie in the sun, the full summer sun, for hours just burning. I burn a lot as a kid. It’s 1970, I’m three and skin protection doesn’t exist except for a stripe of zinc on the nose and shoulders. My mum’s Scottish skin brought up in Queensland somehow still tans. She freckles but she tans. My French dad, in the merchant navy at 15 on the Mediterranean, has skin that seems to swallow the sun. He glows with it. I am freckles, freckles everywhere except for the skin…

FIONA SHILLINGTON grew up in Esperance and had lived in Sydney for 25 years when she went back to the Western Australian town for a holiday with her husband, Matt, and their four kids and ended up buying a rundown holiday camp of A-frame chalets built in the mid-1980s. Inspired to breathe new life into the original dream, together Fiona and Matt reimagined Esperance Chalet Village and today it makes for a unique and quirky stay steeped in charm, nostalgia and plenty of Instagram moments. Here, Fiona shares a perfect summer’s day in her hometown. esperancechaletvillage.com.au THE NITTY GRITTY: WHERE EXACTLY: Famous for its natural beauty and having some of the best beaches in Australia, Esperance is located on WA’s remote south-east coast about 725 kilometres from Perth. OPULATION: Approximately…

AS A CHILD, OUR FAMILY HOLIDAYS WERE USUALLY…spent on the water in Sydney, in the Port Stephens region around Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay, or Pittwater (1), just north of Sydney. NOW IF I HAVE TIME FOR A SHORT BREAK, I HEAD STRAIGHT… home. I’m away a lot for work, so when I have spare time I love being home, by the beach in Sydney, spending quality time with my family. MY GREATEST TRAVEL MEMORY IS… driving from Hobart to the Gulf of Carpentaria in eight weeks (2). It was an epic trip – we drove a total of 13,000 kilometres all up, cooking and foraging from the land as we went. There’s a lot of soul-searching to be done when you place your life on hold and have the…

SUGARLOAF POINT LIGHTHOUSE, NSW On a dramatic headland near Seal Rocks on the NSW Mid North Coast, the delightfully named Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse is unique in its architecture for being one of only two in Australia with an external stairway. It’s a top spot for whale watching and for a unique coastal retreat too: check into one of the historic lighthouse keepers’ cottages nestled in its shadow. nationalparks.nsw.gov.au WADJEMUP LIGHTHOUSE, WA This long and slender limestone sentinel located at the highest point of Western Australia’s Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), a quick ferry ride from Perth, occupies the same site as the state’s first stone lighthouse, built in 1849by Aboriginal prisoners. Its current incarnation is noted not only for being the country’s fourth tallest but also for having its first rotating beam.…

DREAMING ABOUT simpler times when the biggest stressor in your life was the queue at your local beach fish and chip kiosk? Recapturing the joys of a carefree, endless summer is as easy as crossing the bridge onto Phillip Island and leaving the world behind you in Melbourne, only a 90-minute drive away. Surrounded by pristine beaches and endless surf breaks, the island is perhaps best known for its parading penguins and high-octane sports. A surprise for first-timers, perhaps, is that the island’s multitude of passionate food producers, charming coastal stays and nature-based experiences make this the perfect long weekend escape to make those long summer days last (and last). AND, ACTION! Take 97 kilometres of coastline and add a spectacular, wildlife-heavy landscape and you’ve got something for every kind…

From the life and learnings of an eco-warrior to the follow-up toTrent Dalton’s record-breaking Boy Swallows Universe to a glimpse behind the scenes of the world of high fashion, try some of these recommendations from Melbourne’s Avenue Bookstore (avenuebookstore.com.au) when you are stocking up on the perfect summer holiday reads. ALL OUR SHIMMERING SKIES by Trent Dalton THE LIVING SEA OF WAKING DREAMS by Richard Flanagan THE MOTHER FAULT by Kate Mildenhall BETTY by Tiffany McDaniel THE GOLDEN MAZE: A BIOGRAPHY OF PRAGUE by Richard Fidler THE CHIFFON TRENCHES by André Leon Talley HONEYBEE by Craig Silvey JUST LIKE YOU by Nick Hornby A LIFE ON OUR PLANET by David Attenborough BLUEBIRD by Malcolm Knox…

UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves is a coveted list, recognising areas that demonstrate a harmonious relationship between nature and people. Designated in 2007, and given a further 10-year tick of approval this year, Noosa is one of just nine official Biosphere Reserves in Australia and was Queensland’s first. Noosa has long been one of Australia’s most desirable holiday destinations thanks to a seductive combination of sparkling coastline, lush hinterland and relaxed atmosphere. And while locals get to bask in this beauty year-round, they also fervently protect and preserve their environment. The not-for-profit Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation is also key, delivering projects that enhance biodiversity conservation and promote sustainable living. All this while keeping the welcome mat out for sustainable and environmentally conscious tourism. Overflowing with natural wonders, both physically…

Getting there Virgin Australia flies to Christmas Island twice a week from Perth onTuesdays and Fridays.This is a triangular route that combines the Cocos Keeling Islands, meaning it’s possible to take a holiday of two halves in both of Australia’s Indian Ocean islands. Staying there SWELL LODGE offers a range of all-inclusive packages that include airport pickup and drop-off, daily guided activities customised to your interests and abilities, snorkel gear hire, all meals (including self-serve breakfasts, gourmet picnic lunches and three-course dinners provided by a private chef), unlimited drinks, and boat snorkelling trip for stays of four nights or more. Rates are $1242 per night for one guest, $1656 per night for two guests and $2070 per night for three guests. Playing there Activities included in a stay at Swell…

GIVEN SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS SOME of the most beautiful beaches in the country, summer for me is all about being by the sea, chilling and relaxing, winding down and warming up. Throwing the shoes off and the bathers on. Feeling the healing energy of the sea and breathing in the salty air. These photos reflect time spent outdoors under the big Australian summer sky, appreciating the beauty of nature and interacting with it. Ditching the sensible car and jumping in the Land Rover. My images were taken at beautiful Long Beach in Robe, located on the stunning Limestone Coast of South Australia. This beach is one of the few drive-on beaches we have in South Australia and it is one of our most beautiful and loved. A dear friend of…

When Perth photographers Jampal Williamson and Michael Goetze first joined forces as Salty Wings in 2016, they sent drones out on a 20,000-kilometre-long journey to capture the length and breadth of the Western Australia coastline in all its diversity. Drawn to abstracting and extracting the beauty of the landscapes they shoot, today they take to the sky in helicopters and planes and have expanded their outlook to all of Australia at its fringes. But in Western Australia alone they find a lifetime of inspiration.“It’s like a full spectrum of textures and colours, from soft to rugged, from blue to orange and the whole rainbow, from the north to the south,” says Williamson.“In the north you’ve got an incredible mixture of this red dirt they call pindan that mixes with vibrant…

FROM THE CITY to the outback, the contrast in the Australian landscape is endlessly fascinating. To be surrounded one day by the bustle of a cosmopolitan cityscape, and the next be removed from all hint of modernity, witnessing the exquisite rituals of the oldest continuous culture in the world (including at the annual Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures, pictured) is to know true diversity and experience unique journeys that are all our own. Join us next issue.…