Innholdsfortegnelse for February - April 2022 i Australian Traveller

ACE HOTEL SYDNEY Historic buildings make for atmospheric hotels and the old Tyne House building is no exception. Ace Hotel Sydney will be anchored by the iconic heritage building on an inner-Sydney site that once contained Australia’s first ceramic kilns. Melbourne-based firm Flack Studio has given the hotel a personality that vibes off its Surry Hills locale. Ace Hotel Sydney is the brand’s first stake in the southern hemisphere and, true to its renegade spirit, aims to give the hotel a real sense of place. The 1915 building was derelict for about 40 years before Ace Hotel saw its potential and pounced. With reservations open now from May, the 264-room hotel has embraced an almost cinematic colour palette with natural textures and tones. acehotel.com/sydney THE LANGHAM, GOLD COAST Slated to…

WITH DIVERSE NATURAL landscapes including coastal heathlands and grasslands, wetlands and woodlands, inlets, islands, dunes and lagoons, and bordered by long, sweeping beaches that fringe Bass Strait, Narawntapu is a pocket-sized national park that – at just 4500 hectares – packs a punch and leaves an indelible impression. This coastal refuge in northern Tasmania, just east of Devonport, boasts wide open plains that are home to an abundance of wildlife; it is one of the best places in the state to spot all manner of marsupials, from the Forester kangaroo to the Bennett’s wallaby, plus pademelons, and birds such as honeyeaters, green rosellas and black cockatoos. Stay the night to enjoy the creature comforts of some of the best camping Tasmania has to offer. MUST-SEE SIGHTS Archers Knob Archers Knob…

THE FLORENTINE-STYLE archways and colonnades of the historic ‘Sydney’ and ‘Melbourne’ buildings have long graced the entrance into the city of Canberra, two grand sentinels flanking the main thoroughfare welcoming visitors and residents alike. These buildings, with a long history and a special place in the heart of those who’ve lived here, are now having a makeover, led by a new gourmet dining precinct on the Sydney side. The work of renowned architect Sir John Sulman, the elegant design of these twin buildings was inspired by Brunelleschi’s Foundling Hospital in Florence, a notable example of Renaissance architecture. They offered a touch of grandeur in an emerging city and – wrapping around two spacious blocks – a whole lot of shade under their broad canopies. Completed in 1927 and 1946 respectively,…

Whale Watching The Shoalhaven is located at the halfway point of the annual East Coast whale migration, affectionately known as ‘The Humpback Highway’ between May and November. Its unique coastline combining Jervis Bay’s translucent, still waters with dramatic headlands jutting into the deep ocean delivers a wonderful diversity of whale-watching opportunities. Jervis Bay is the best spot in NSW to watch for whales in calm waters as it’s where mothers and their babies play on the return leg of the migration (September to October). You’ll also see resident dolphins, the northernmost colony of Australian fur seals, little penguins, white-bellied sea eagles and albatross. DIVE JERVIS BAY and WOEBEGONE FREEDIVE offer invigorating swim-with-whales experiences, which operate under strict guidelines. JERVIS BAY WILD and DOLPHIN WATCH offer eco cruises during the entire…

I’VE ALWAYS PRIDED MYSELF on being one of those lucky enough to have had a decent poke around my country. I’ve almost entirely circumnavigated it by car and bus, streaked down the guts of the Red Centre in a dusty station wagon in my teens, and regularly sprinkled myself across random pockets of its vastness. I thought I ‘knew’ Australia. At the very least, I thought I knew my own backyard. So how is it that until recently I’d never heard of the huge granite domes and rocky caves at Terrick Terrick National Park and Mt Kooyoora in the Loddon Valley, a mere 2.5 hours’ drive from my Melbourne home? How had I not stumbled across the red clay walls of the K Road Cliffs overlooking Werribee River and floodplain,…

IN 2011, A FEW MONTHS after Elvis Ferinac and his wife Carla tied the knot at 1770 Getaway resort, the couple committed to a sea change from Brisbane to Agnes Water and the town of 1770. Together, they now manage the resort, which comprises five luxury villas, two luxury caravans, a garden cafe and gift shop and was dreamt up and developed by Elvis’s parents, Michael and Vera, who opened the doors to the Central Queensland accommodation in 2003. A decade on, Elvis and Carla now have four children and are managing the business, while dad Michael is Jack of All Trades and mum Vera heads the kitchen. Here, Elvis walks us through his perfect day spent in and around the family-run resort, located just a few minutes’ walk from…

Liz Murray’s career change from veterinarian to cycle-tour-company owner more than a decade ago was a classic pivot, but her next move is anything but standard business practice. COVID temporarily “slammed the door shut” on demand for Snowy River Cycling tours (and bike hire), based on the cusp of the East Gippsland RailTrail in Orbost,Victoria. Even though Murray is only now starting to get back to “a normal level of enquiry”, she has already made some bold changes to a significant part of her business: providing transfers for cyclists. “The more I looked at it, the more I realised we were using a significant amount of fossil fuels, which is really a luxury. I thought there were other ways that I could run cycle trips where I don’t have to…

A GUIDE TO THE BEST CARAVAN HIRE COMPANIES From budget to luxe and from small to large, consult our guide to the best caravan hire companies (like Camplify – ‘Daisy’ pictured above) to get you on the road in style. THE TOP SEVEN SKINNY-DIPPING SPOTS AROUND AUSTRALIA Enjoy nature au naturel at the following places deemed the best spots for skinny dipping in Australia – including Sydney’s Lady Bay Beach, pictured. A GUIDE TO VISITING NOOSA NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDS Noosa boasts million-dollar views and five-star accommodations, but some of its best assets are free to enjoy, and that includes Noosa National Park. AN ECO-CONSCIOUS TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO THE COFFS COAST The Coffs Coast has been declared NSW’s first ECO Destination, certified by Ecotourism Australia. Discover a guide for visitors…

NOTES FROM NAPLES The newest jewel in the crown of Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf – a Sydney icon with wool-boom beginnings as the city’s first wharf and now a first-class dining precinct – is a slice of Italy in the shape of fine diner, Il Pontile. The waterside restaurant is helmed by fourth-generation Italian restaurateur and chef Mario Percuoco and reflects his native Naples in its location and menu. Lunch or dinner might kick off with fresh oysters and proceed with an antipasti of burrata con nettarine e nocciole (burrata with peach and hazelnuts), before moving onto a primi dish of linguine al cartoccio (linguine baked in a parcel with mixed seafood), and a secondi of guazzetto di pesce (fish fillet of the day sautéed with cherry tomatoes and clams). There…

THE GARDEN AT BROUGHTON HALL, JINDIVICK,VIC Head into the hills of West Gippsland, just over an hour from Melbourne, to explore this Versailles-like garden cultivated from the blank canvas of a farm over the course of more than two decades by renowned garden designer David Musker and his partner Philip Hunter. The Garden at Broughton Hall is an enchanting estate overlooking Tarago Reservoir where visitors can frolic with peacocks, indulge in colour therapy in the Yellow Garden or Pink Garden, with its lipstick maple, and more. Or discover its story in newly released book, The Charmed Garden at Broughton Hall ($80). muskersbroughtonhall.com.au JAPANESE GARDEN,TOOWOOMBA, QLD Known as Queensland’s Garden City, Toowoomba has 150-plus parks and gardens ripe for exploration, including the fragrant State Rose Garden; Gumbi Gumbi Gardens, which celebrate…

7–8 APRIL On by Circa THE IAN POTTER CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS, MELBOURNE, VIC Twisting and turning circus into a contemporary art form, Australia’s own Circa is one of the world’s leading performance companies. Its latest show On by Circa , premiered at Monash University Performing Arts Centres, expands the theme of weight that lies at the core of acrobatics into a meditation on beauty, loss and trust. monash.edu 11 FEBRUARY – 6 MARCH PERTH FESTIVAL VARIOUS VENUES, PERTH, WA Program highlights of this year’s Perth Festival include immersive ‘night spa’ experience The Sunset Lounge at the Alex Hotel and the bold new musical Panawathi Girl, pictured, from Australia’s largest Aboriginal theatre company, Yirra Yaakin. perthfestival.com.au 19 MARCH – 17 JULY ELVIS: DIRECT FROM GRACELAND BENDIGO ART GALLERY, VIC Bendigo’s…

Burringurrah – the name of Mt Augustus to the local Wajarri people Mparntwe – Alice Springs in the Arrernte language Nitmiluk – the Jawoyn name for Katherine Gorge Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre in the language of the Arabana people, Traditional Owners of the region Ikara – the Adnyamathanha name for Wilpena Pound, which broadly means ‘meeting place’; reflected in the renaming of Ikara/Flinders Ranges National Park Katter Kich – the Noongar name of Wave Rock Oomari – the Balanggarra name of King George Falls Punamii-Uunpuu – the Wunambal peoples’ traditional name for Mitchell Falls, where they believe Wunggurr, powerful creator snakes, reside; out of respect, visitors are asked not to swim below the falls Garaanngaddim – the name of Horizontal Falls,…

THE KIMBERLEY, WA Discover ancient Aboriginal rock art and wildlife, swim in remote waterholes, and explore cavernous gorges in one of the oldest, largest and most rugged wilderness landscapes in the world, located in Western Australia’s north-west corner. ULURU-KATA TJUTA, NT While the Base Walk at Uluru mesmerises most first timers here, the Valley of the Winds walk is a must-do when visiting the magnificent red monoliths of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. After completing the 7.4-kilometre trek, check into Longitude 131° to ogle Uluru from your luxury tent. BUNGLE BUNGLE RANGE,WA Trek deep into the heart of Purnululu National Park on a guided walk that threads between the iconic red-and-black sandstone domes of the Bungle Bungles in WA’s north-west reaches. THE NULLARBOR, SA + WA The Nullarbor is the longest,…

LURKING THROUGH THE looming rock domes of the Bungle Bungles by moonlight is not something that happens on a regular basis. In fact, I’ve had to cajole my guide to take me under the night’s blanket of Kimberley stars. Still, his eyes did light up at the suggestion and now I see why. Totally alone, we follow a dirt path between rugged 350-million-year-old forms. Hundreds of them have been sculptured and horizontally banded in black and orange by the greatest artist of all, Mother Nature. Some rise 300 metres tall, throwing huge oval shadows emboldened by the full moon. Purnululu National Park, which holds the Bungle Bungle Range and thoroughly deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status, feels about as remote and raw as it gets. Yet it’s only about 300…

NO GAZE COULD BE MORE GENTLE than that of Uncle Barry Hoskins as he stands in the grassy clearing near Niigi Niigi/ Sealy Lookout overlooking the Coffs Coast in Gumbaynggirr Country on the NSW Mid North Coast. The 69-year-old is a proud Gumbaygnirr man, who grew up on a nearby mission and whose mum was a member of the Stolen Generations. “Giinagay ngiinda? How are yas? Yaam ngaya ngulungginyay. I am a Gumbaynggirr Elder. Yaam nganyundi wajaarr. This is my Country.” Standing behind Uncle Barry is Nathan Brennan, one of the 20-strong members of the Wajaar Ngaarlu Dancers, who sets a pile of fragrant lemon myrtle leaves alight and invites visitors to “scoop the smoke” from the smouldering coolamon (wooden vessel) to “clear the mind, body and spirit”. Clark Webb,…

HIGH ABOVE ME, THE GHOSTLY WHITE limbs of sugar gums stand out starkly against a pale blue sky. Each one is attached to a slender trunk shrouded in tufts of greenery that threaten to hide it completely while at ground level spiky acacia, bracken and vivid pink bottlebrush close in around me so densely that I sometimes need to push them aside to find the path ahead. Some walking trails deviate to avoid fallen trees, but as I forge ahead I find myself regularly detouring around trees that are growing too quickly. It would appear the reports of Kangaroo Island’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Where the sunlight breaks through this thick growth, delicate orchids have sprouted up and in places the path is flanked by a mosaic of white,…

GREAT BARRIER REEF, QLD In this image taken from the air, the Great Barrier Reef looks exquisite, finished like a bejewelled work of art set in resin. This, one of the seven wonders of the natural world, stretches a whopping 346,000 square kilometres, which is equal to the size of 70 million football fields. And it is, according to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), “one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on Earth”. GBRMPA chief scientist Dr David Wachenfeld says while it’s impossible to talk about the Great Barrier Reef without touching on aspects of climate change, the reef is – after four years of relatively benign weather – “showing strong signs of recovery in many places”. GBRMPA works closely with scientists and tourism operators…

DEPARTING DARWIN at the crack of dawn reaps rich rewards on an Ethical Adventures ‘Flood Country’ tour of the Alligator Rivers Region, and the land of the Bininj people, in Kakadu National Park, one of three new experiences from this Northern Territory operator committed to conservation and responsible tourism. As one of 10 guests on this immersive cultural and wilderness day tour, described as a ‘nibble at the edges’ that nonetheless leaves you sated, you’ll greet the sunrise on the Adelaide River floodplains before journeying on to the East Alligator River. Here, you’ll glide upstream through this living landscape on a Guluyambi Cultural Cruise captained by a countryman from across the river in Arnhem Land, where you’ll touch down during the 90-minute cruise; before taking a guided Aboriginal rock art…

WHEN QANTAS RESUMED international flights last November, Western Australian border restrictions saw the re-routing of its cornerstone London flight; for the first time in half a century, the Top End rejoined the iconic Kangaroo Route with a non-stop Darwin to London service operating until at least April. It’s a significant moment for Darwin, described as Australia’s ‘comeback capital’ by NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner upon this announcement: “From Parap to Piccadilly, the opportunities are endless,” he wrote, conjuring up a pleasing juxtaposition of an overseas holiday bookended by breakfast laksa at a tropical market and afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. This temporary development throws light on the instrumental role Darwin has played in Australia’s aviation history – one that stretches back to the foundations of our national carrier, and…

THIS YEAR’S inaugural INDIAN OCEAN FEST has been designed to celebrate Christmas Island, 63 per cent of which is made up of national park. The pilot program, to be held from 21 to 28 June, will celebrate the CHRISTMAS ISLAND MARINE PARK (proclamation pending), which means there is even more protected wonderland to explore. The exclusive event is aimed at just 30 travellers who have an interest in exploring the island’s colourful aquatic, wilderness and cultural elements. OCEAN ADVENTURES Watching the dancing colours under the water during a diving or snorkelling tour with conservation experts will give you an immersive understanding of the importance of protecting our oceans and seafloor environments such as the reefs, seagrass, seamounts and canyons. The Indian Ocean Fest itinerary includes exceptional aquatic experiences where participants…

Ask Tony anything you like: there’s not much he doesn’t know about the region’s natural environment, history and top sights. THE FLINDERS RANGES is quintessential outback Australia. It took half a billion years to carve out these orange gorges and rust-red cliffs. Red river gums stand in rocky valleys. Endless vistas and year-round sunsets explode. At night, staggering stars twinkle in celebration of another remarkable day. South Australia’s Flinders Ranges provide a top outback experience without requiring a major expedition. You’re amid dramatic scenery after an easy five-hour drive from Adelaide. And all the outback essentials are here: abundant wildlife, Aboriginal heritage, country towns, and the best contemporary visitor experiences. Rawnsley Park Station is just such an experience. Owner Tony Smith is the fourth generation of a Flinders Ranges family.…

TIME TO EXPAND our horizons and revive our spirits in our own big backyard. If you’re looking to let nature weave its magic on a holiday here this year, put the national parks around Narrabri and Coonabarabran at the top of your list. Each of the three national parks is spectacular, but together they create a special outdoor experience. MT KAPUTAR NATIONAL PARK Stunning scenery, knobbly rock formations and soaring forests characterise this splendid wilderness, which invites you to camp, hike or cycle. Even without physical effort, the drive to Mt Kaputar’s summit offers spectacular 360-degree views. Walkers of all fitness levels are also rewarded. Easy-grade SAWN ROCKS WALKING TRACK leads to columns of volcanic rock that look like organ pipes. Meanwhile the 19-kilometre-return SCUTTS HUT WALK leads to the…

THE VIEW FROM SHEPPARTON ART MUSEUM’s fourth-floor terrace frames the natural landscape it faces: water, forest, a big open sky. It offers an unfamiliar perspective for a low-rise city that lies spirit-level flat, eliciting an emotional response in guest curator Ian Wong. From this sky-scraping spot on the shores of Victoria Park Lake, its wetlands blurring into the Goulburn River, we can gaze out towards neighbouring Mooroopna, where, on the riverbank in 1877, his ancestor Ah Wong established the area’s first market garden, and to the river red gums of the Barmah Forest beyond. In a place famous for its industry, the view anchors us back to Yorta Yorta Country. And in doing so articulates something of the essence of this major new cultural destination that rises small and tall…

IT WAS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM that ended up filling the entire house. A horrid, claustrophobic place where doors slammed shut as soon as they opened, braced against the next Greek letter threatening to smash through like a bad-news battering ram. While many of us cautiously wade back out into the weird COVID-adjourned world once again, the big-brained optimists among us have hailed the pandemic vacuum as an extraordinary opportunity: a time to rethink, reimagine and reshape the trajectory of our lives, our communities and our planet. The pandemic exposed issues, inconsistencies and injustices aplenty in the ‘old normal’, making it abundantly clear that our collective trajectory could do with a good, hard rethink, judging by our sluggish progress battling that other Godzilla-sized pachyderm in the room: climate change.…