Seniors travel in Australia and New Zealand. Here you will find some great touring options around the continent – and in neighbouring NZ. Whether you are coaching or motoring, enjoy the many suggestions on offer here.
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Australia & NZ touring
Bigger than Australia
For many it’s a small island off the south coast of Australia. But while Tasmania’s landmass may be small, its heart and ambition are big.
Baz Lurhmann’s Australia may be wowing cinema goers but Tasmania’s own equally impressive “epic” can be viewed on the small screen. Taking its lead from the movie Australia, Tourism Tasmania are showcasing all the wonders that this small island has to offer.
Unique wildlife, stunning landscapes and the history of the island all take centre stage in this very clever and witty production, which highlights the beauty and attraction that will have holiday makers flocking to the island.
To view all that Tasmania has to offer, visit www.tasmaniathemovie.com
Camp Christmas
Boxing Day is traditionally when Aussie families head off on their summer holiday, but why not beat the rush and head off before Christmas Day.
If Christmas brings out the scrooge in you, then why not give it a miss, pack your case and head off on a true Australian adventure. Camping, whether in a tent, caravan or campervan, is a great way to experience the outdoors, and it needn’t cost a fortune.
As many people like to enjoy Christmas at home, heading off pre-Christmas Day may open the door to some good deals. Also, where you go can make a difference. If you stay away from some of the areas more popular with families and tourist, you can find
some real gems.
For more information on camping, to hire a campervan, or find a campsite, visit Camping Australia.
For some camping alternatives, why not check out some of AboutSeniors favourite touring ideas.
Youth Hostel Australia – available to all, regardless of age, an affordable way to see Australia and meet people.
Wheelabout - if getting about due to wheelchair restrictions is difficult, then why not hire a wheelchair accessible motorhome or caravan
Big Blue B&B Bus – enjoy all the luxuries of a cosy B&B as you speed along the open roads of North Queensland.
It’s fun and it’s free
The Brisbane Water Oyster Festival is actually on the central coast of NSW. It starts on November 9 with a swing band and some rock n roll, and there’s lots of great craft stalls and food and wine tasting – as well as the famous oysters
The festival will kick off with the great sound of the Wayne Cornell Swing Band. The afternoon will feature “On the Prowl” these are guys from “Old 55”, get ready for rockin’ and rollin’ on the dance floor.
There will be a Miss Charity Queen Competition in the “Queen of the Oyster Festival”. Also many arts and crafts stalls with an array of food and wine tasting stalls to satisfy everyone’s taste buds, and of course the famous local oysters will be on sale for all of you oyster lovers - be there early because they are in huge demand.
There is lots of family fun with amusement rides and a kids corner with clowns, free face painting and balloons. A vintage car display and hot rods, European cars from Central Coast Euro-cars of Gosford for all the dreamers.
The inaugural Brisbane Water Best Oyster Competition will be held centre stage at approximately 12.30pm.
2008 Brisbane Water Oyster Festival
Ettalong Water Front, Ettalong Beach, NSW 2257
For more information, visit Brisbane Water Best Oyster Festival
South Australia in bloom
There’s always a good reason to visit South Australia but in November, Australia’s best know wine state, blooms as Fleurieu Biennale takes over the state.
First held in 1998, the Biennale has grown in reputation to become the cornerstone of visual arts in Australia. With Australia’s richest prize for landscape painting on offer, $50,000 awarded to the winner of the Fleurieu Art Prize, the festival from 7-30 November, is worth a visit for art lovers.
As well as awarding several prizes for landscape painting, the festival also hosts lectures, special wine tours and dining options, exhibitions, workshops and performances.
For details on what’s on offer this year, visit Fleurieu Biennale.
Touring the Tour
Donning your Lycra gear and getting on your bike to follow the stages of the Tour Down Under may not be your idea of fun, but with Lance Armstrong being a big draw card for 2009, there’s no need to miss out on the action.
Touring the Tour coach service, the event’s official transport for spectators, will take passengers through the regional stages of the Tour Down Under, ensuring the best spectating spots right in the heart of the action. Stages 1-5 from 20-24 January 2009 will see the tour travel from Norwood to Willunga, giving plenty of opportunities for cycling fans to spot their heroes.
Those Touring the Tour can view the start and finish of the race, as well as the action in between, no need to stand about in one spot waiting for the cyclists to rush past. In addition, of course, you’ll be able to take in the beautiful countryside of South Australia.
Tickets for each stage are $75 per person and ticket sales for the event rocketing 362% since the announcement that Lance Armstrong will be making his comeback to professional racing. The stages of the tour are:
Stage 1 – Tuesday, 20 January 2009, Norwood to Mawson Lakes
Stage 2 – Wednesday 21 January 2009, Hahndorf to Stirling
Stage 3 – Thursday 22 January 2009, Unley to Victor Harbour
Stage 4 – Friday 23 January 2009, Burnside Village to Angaston
Stage 5 – Saturday 24 January 2009, Snapper Point to Willunga
To book your spot on the tour, call 1300 655 276 or visit Touring Down Under.
Tropical food fest
The tropical climate of far north Queensland brings to the region some of the tastiest and exotic fruits and produce that the world has to offer.
Food Trail Tours offers you the chance to see the sights of Cairns and surrounding areas and enjoy the food and wine of local producers. These tours will get you off the beaten track for a real taste of rural Queensland, visiting private farms hidden away from other tourists. You’ll be able to taste the buttery macadamias grown in this region, new and exciting blends of coffee and tropical fruits straight from the trees.
On the tour you’ll also get to enjoy the sights and sounds of the wildlife common to the area, even feeding the rock wallabies if you’re lucky. The tour departs three times a week and a seafood lunch is included. For more information, visit Food Trail Tours.
Wine tours
Wine tours are a popular way to pass the time while travelling around Australia but with so many wineries on offer, how do you find which one may suit you best?
Wine Region Tours can help you plan and book an itinerary that will give you the best chance of experiencing the popular wines and hidden dinning gems of Australia. Whether you’re looking for a fully escorted tour or a self-drive trip, you can tailor your travel to suit your needs.
To make planning your own trip easy, Wine Region Tours have winery information for each region. These handy information sheets include cellar door opening times, dining information, nearby attractions, travelling times and road conditions, and they’re free to download.
To plan your next winery trip, visit Wine Region Tours.
Comfortable camping
Camping holidays are an Aussie rite of passage, with generations of children gritting their teeth at the thought of two weeks spent in a tent with their parents. Now the national holiday has just got a little more comfortable.
Located at Eurong on the famous 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island, Base Camp Fraser Island has just the right balance of home comforts and life in the great outdoors to please the whole family. The undercover tented facility offers self-drive visitors well-priced accommodation, with a fully equipped kitchen and BBQ. All cooking utensils, linen and blankets are provided, making packing for your trip a whole lot simpler.
For younger members of the family or when the weather doesn’t quite meet expectations, there is a TV with satellite system and DVD player and hire available. The site offers private or dormitory style tents from $22 per person per night.
For more information visit Base Camp Fraser Island.
Historic Australia
Australia is changing fast, with many places unrecognisable as the small mining or coastal towns from which they started life. As major roads and cities expand, smaller towns become more accessible to tourists, and more tourists means a growth in the attractions on offer. Australia has an abundance of historical towns to visit so why not brush up on your local knowledge and see what’s in your own back yard. Some of our favourites are:Silverton, NSW – once a thriving mining town of about 3,000, it is now a virtual ghost town with only 50 inhabitants. Visitors can wander around this desert town, and enjoy a drink at the historic pub. www.silverton.org.au Cooper Pedy, SA – to combat rising summer temperatures of up to 600C, 80% of this town’s inhabitants live underground, making the town and it’s people a little eccentric. www.opalcapitaloftheworld.com.au Greenough, WA – boasting some of the best preserved 19th century buildings in Australia, this small town has plenty to keep you busy all day. www.ntwa.com.au/places/midwestproperties/greenhamlet.shtml
For other historical places of interest, visit Australian Heritage.
Not just rum
Best known for producing rum, Bundaberg is fast becoming a diving hotspot for those keen to check out underwater life on the Great Barrier Reef.
The three main locations for diving in the area, Bagara, Lady Elliot Island and Lady Musgrave Island, all offer the rare opportunity of diving straight off the beach. You can join a four day PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)-certified course, take a dive cruise, or don your flippers and snorkel and explore the underwater beauty that this region has to offer.
Bundaberg is a four-hour drive or 55 minute flight from Brisbane and this coastal region offers some of the least spoilt and colourful corals in the world and is consistently rated as one of the top 10 shore diving locations in the country.
PADI-certified courses start from just $219, making the chance to explore under the sea a little more affordable. Home to whales, turtles, rays, coral moray eels and many more species, the Bundaberg region makes a great alternative to the more visited northern reefs.
For more information on how to get there and where to dive, visit Bundaberg region.
www.bunabergregion.info
Outback adventure
Due for realease in November 2008, Baz Lurhmann’s movie Australia will inspire many to hop on a horse and hit the fabulous Australian Outback.
If roughing it through the Outback isn’t quite your thing, then perhaps an escorted tour taking in the fabulous sites and sounds captured in Lurhmann’s movie will settle your wanderlust.
Senic Tours are including a stay at the Home Valley Station, which was featured in Lurmann’s movie, in all tours to the Kimberleys. The working catle statiion is also a tourism retreat with fully air-conditioned rooms. All itinaries are fully inslusive and escorted by a tour manager and driver.
For more information, visit Scenic Tours.
Lucky Eigh
The Chinese consider eight to be the luckiest number around and now for the budget conscious traveller, Eight Hotels is a lucky charm.Eight Hotels offer luxury accommodation in boutique hotels throughout Australia and are undertaking a program of refurbishment in there top city properties. The Pensione in Melbourne leads the way, having just undergone a multi-million dollar refurbishment. Located in the heart of the CBD, the Pensione offers luxurious rooms for a tiny budget, within a stunning heritage building, featuring contemporary design. Rooms are available in single, twin, double and family and feature mini-bar fridge, air conditioning and heating, workspace and a 32-inch LCD television with cable channels.
With rooms from $95 per room per night, it makes a weekend away more affordable. To find out more about Eight Hotel Group or book your city hotel, visit Eight Hotels.
Gone fishing
Idle away the hours, lamenting the one that got away, on the waters of the Yorke Peninsula.
Yorke Peninsula Fishing Guide is written by South Australian fishing guru Shane Mensforth, and has all the information needed to make the most of your fishing holiday. Find out where to hire charters, boats and storage, where to buy bait and tackle and where to catch what!
Yarns from South Australian celebrities who have whiled away the hours on the Yorke Peninsula, will inspire you to try and land the big one.
The Yorke Peninsula Fishing Guide is available from visitor and information centres across the Yorke Peninsula, or you can download a copy by visiting the website.
Go bush
Experience Indigenous Australia, guided by the best in the business, as voted by travel agents around the world.
Bookabee Tours Australia is an Aboriginal owned four-wheel drive tour operation, which ensures that visitors to South Australia experience and enjoy the very best of indigenous culture. As well as being voted Best Indigenous Tour Experience by Travelling in Australia magazine, Bookabee Tours also won the Indigenous Tourism Award at last year’s South Australian Tourism Awards.
Offering a range of experiences from a two-hour tour of Adelaide, to a five day Outback Discovery, Bookabee tours has something for all ages, tastes and budgets. One of the new experiences offered is a three day, fully Chauffeured Gourmet Tastes tour which combines food, which combines food, wine, luxury and Aboriginal culture in the stunning Flinders Ranges. The highlight of this tour has to be the meal of “feral food”, a sure-fire hit with everyone.
Find out more about the tours or book your indigenous experience by visiting South Australian Tourism.
How faraway can you go?
This issue we highlight the destination of Faraway Bay, surely one of the prettiest names on the planet. located on a cliff top, 280km north west of Kununurra, overlooking the Timor Sea, hosts Bruce and Robyn Ellison offer ecological touring at its best
Warning – this is not an easy destination to reach (access is by chartered light aircraft from Kununurra, Broome or Darwin or by helicopter, then a four wheel drive trip to the camp), and therefore it is very expensive – a real splurge. But we thought it might be fun to highlight Faraway Bay for the handful who can afford such a holiday – and for the many armchair travellers who just like to hear about different locations.
Activities include exploring ancient rock art, swimming in inland water holes, fishing, bird watching, bush walking, star gazing and boating and by staying at Faraway Bay visitors help sponsor ongoing environmental scientific research programs as well as natural and cultural resource management programs.
Owners Bruce and Robyn Ellison have lived and worked in Australia’s north for over 40 years. Bruce has enjoyed a colourful bushy’s life, shooting donkeys in remote bushland for pet meat and culling water buffalo and crocodiles, and guide, Steve, has spent 15 years in the Kimberley including time as a fisherman and stockmen. Contact the Faraway Bay Office + 61 89169 1214.
www.farawaybay.com.au
Click on the Murray
Great offers on the Murray River are just a click away. Kick back and relax for the chance to win an Olympus Miu digital camera.
The sunny days and cool nights of late Autumn show South Australia at its best. Houseboating on the Murray River is the perfect way to make the most off all the area has to offer. Enjoying water frolics or just sitting back and taking in the scenery as you float down the river has never been easier with the launch of a new website from South Australia tourism.
Great deals are just a click away, with riverside cottages, luxury houseboats and river cruises all available with free nights, money off or value adds on offer. Simply register for the free regular Newsletter and you go into the draw to win an Olympus 1030SW digital camera, to capture those perfect holiday moments.
Find out what the Murray River has to offer you and recharge.
Hit the road
Explore North Queensland at your own pace and let someone else do the driving.
The Big Blue B&B Bus offers all the luxury and amenities of your above average bed and breakfast, but as it’s on wheels, you don’t need to stay in one place to enjoy all on offer. Based in the Townsville region, the bus can accommodate four, and comes with the driver thrown in, allowing you to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Featuring all the home comforts of your favourite B&B, you don’t need to go without TV, internet or housekeeping, and even your daily newspaper is provided. A hot shower and gourmet breakfast set you up for a day exploring the region and for those more active, there is full use of bicycles and sporting equipment onboard.
For more information, click here.
If you can’t make it to North Queensland but still fancy heading off in a motorhome, visit www.maui.com.au, for hire details in your area.
Hop to the Glasshouse Mountains
The Frog House conjures up all sorts of images of our amphibious friends, and you may spot one or two in the volcanic undergrowth of the Glasshouse Mountains.
Designed to resemble a wooden and glass frog, The Frog House B&B offers stunning views, and a five-star fully cooked breakfast for those wanting to kick back and relax in the foothills of the Glasshouse Mountains. This eco-friendly B&B uses triangular rooms to minimise heat loss and maximise the wonderful views.
Once you’ve taken advantage of the swimming pool and spa, you can take in the views from the 3600 deck at sunset make, before curling up in front of the warm fire with a good book or DVD.
To stay in this truly unique B&B, call 07 5499 9055 or visit www.thefroghouse.com.au
Get mobile
One of the best ways to experience and enjoy all Australia has to offer is by packing up and hitting the open road.
The cost of wheelchair accessible vehicles can be prohibitive when it comes to taking off and driving around Australia. Hiring a vehicle is a good alternative.
Wheelabout have been catering to people with disabilities requiring a vehicle rental service since 1998. Budget and luxury vehicles are available, with a fleet that includes:
• Accessible motorhomes
• Wheelchair accessible caravans
• Commuter accessible buses
• Accessible vans
Offering short and long term rental plans at locations throughout Australia, the vehicles are perfect for vacations, weekend breaks, sporting events and group outings. You can check availability, compare rental plans and book your chosen vehicle online.
Wheelabout have locations in all major Australian cities, airports and some smaller country towns. They will always try to accommodate your needs to make your holiday memorable, for all the right reasons.
To see what’s on offer or to book your chosen vehicle, visit www.wheelabout.com
Wetlands winery
Established in 1860, Tahbilk Estate is located in the Nagambie Lakes Region of Victoria, about 100 kilometres north of Melbourne. Named from the Aboriginal for ‘place of many waterholes’, the property has an 11 kilometre frontage to the Goulburn River as well as many back waters and creeks. Producers of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussane as well as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and many more varieties, the tradition of winemaking has been going strong for 140 years. Harvest commences early March and goes for five-six weeks. Take a full day if you plan to visit, so you have time to explore the cellars, the museum and taste the fruits of the winemakers’ labours. There is also a new Tahbilk Wetlands Café located on a bend in the river, just where the wetlands walk commences. Just the place, in fact, to walk off lunch!
OPENING HOURS
Tahbilk Wetlands Cafe
Open 7 Days a Week - closed Christmas Day
Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm
Weekends & Public Holidays 10am to 4.30pm
Tahbilk Wetlands & Wildlife Reserve
Open 7 Days a Week
Closed Christmas Day and days of Total Fire Ban (applies to Walk In and Cruise & Walk access)
Maggie Beer Farm Shop
Maggie Beer’s Farm shop is the only location where you can taste and purchase the full range of Maggie’s products. Situated on Pheasant Farm Road in Nuriootpa in the Barossa, it offers the ideal time out from the busy festival to just sit and take your ease with a picnic spread of remarkable hand crafted produce including Maggie’s signature pates, chutneys and pastes. But don’t fill up – her sensational icecreams are a must have for desert. And if you check the website in advance, you may find as we did, that your visit coincides with Maggie in residence, and presiding over a cooking class! You’ll recognise the kitchen – it’s the same one featured in her cooking series on SBS TV, The Cook and the Chef.
Opening times
10.30am – 5pm
Food available all day
Closed Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
http://www.maggiebeer.com.au/farmshop/
Never too old
Looking to travel on a budget, in a group or just wanting to try something different? Youth Hostels Australia are available to all, not just the young!
YHA have something to offer everyone, regardless of age and with hostels in every state of Australia, you’re sure to find somewhere that suits. For those of you not so keen mixing with the younger crowd that usually frequent youth hostels, why not a get a group of friends together, YHA cater for group bookings of 10 or more and some hostels can even provide meals, or take your grandchildren on a trip. With a family membership costing from $42, it’s a great excuse to spend some more time with them. .
Once you have your membership, the world really is your oyster, with access to over 4000 youth hostels across the globe, there will be no stopping you. For more information on what YHA has to offer, click here.
Highlighting Queensland
Heading off to the Sunshine State for a romantic break or family holiday? Why not enjoy a Brisbane walk or try spotting a platypus?
Tourism Queensland is highlighting some of the more unusual things to do during your trip.
Brisbane walkabout
South Bank Corporation, Public Works, and Brisbane City Council have created a self-guided walking tour of Brisbane – the Brisbane City Walk. Take in 30 city attractions on this self guided walk, connecting Brisbane’s three inner-city parks, Southbank Parklands, Roma Street Parkland, and City Botanic Gardens and many historic buildings along the way. Best of all, the walk is free! You can pick up a copy of the map at the Queen Street Mall Information Centre in the Brisbane CBD or download from http://www.ourbrisbane.com/maps/brisbanecitywalk/bcwmaps.htm
Playful platypus
Take a twilight tour and see if you can spot a platypus at play! Tours depart every Thursday (with other days on request) and includes a stop at the Wetland Walkabout Sanctuary to hand feed barramundi and mud crabs before enjoying a barbecue lunch with a complimentary bottle of wine. Other highlights include Eungella National Park and platypus spotting at sunset at Broken River. The tour departs Central Motel at 1pm, returning at 7pm. Cost is $159 adults and $129 children. For more details contact Coops Travel & Tours on 07 4959 1543 or click here.
Heritage drive
The history of an area isn’t always obvious as you’re driving through it. That’s why Southern Queensland Tourism has developed a new, affordable ‘Heritage drive’, which includes entry to museums as well as car hire and accommodation.
Commencing in Brisbane, the drive aims to help visitors appreciate the significance of rail and horse-drawn coaches to the area. It suggests stops at The Workshops Rail Museum in Ipswich, and follows the old Cobb and Co. mail route through Grandchester, Rosewood and Walloon to Toowoomba.
Prices start form $238.50 per person twin share, with a number of other add-on activities such as a hot air balloon flight or specials lunches available for extra cost. Discounts are available for those using their own vehicle. To find out more or book, call (07) 3856 4319 or click here
Find out more about the Cobb and Co Museum by clicking here
Find out more about the Workshops Rail Museum by clicking here
Painting in paradise
If you’ve ever thought about taking an art class but have always put it off, then maybe you need a different environment to bring out the inner-artist. Hamilton Island’s artist-in-residence, Gary Wardle, will be teaching classes for adults and children, suitable for any level of ability and experience there this June.
A holiday is the perfect time to get the creative juices flowing. Relax and be inspired by the beauty of the Whitsundays and bring home the ultimate momento of your time in the sun – your own work of art.
Artist Gary Wardle helped establish The Gallery on Hamilton Island and his work has for many years been inspired by the Whitsundays. He is the perfect person to assist you to express your own take on the wonderous landscape. For more information on Hamilton Island, click here
New car rental website
Ever found it frustrating trying to keep track of all the different car rental web pages in order to compare prices? A new website, oodles.com, might help. It compares the internet rates of five major car rental brands on the one screen.
Oodles.com aims to make the process of renting a car over the internet simpler and quicker. In fact, it says it only takes a few minutes. The site compares 10 rental car classes at over 700 locations across Australia then you choose the best deal and make the booking directly with the car rental company via oodles.com. The participating rental companies are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty. To take a look at the site, click here
Tiwi island experience
If you’re after a genuine Indigenous experience without the tacky trimmings of tourism, then try a Tiwi Islands cultural adventure.
The Aboriginal Community of Nguiu (pronounced new-you) has a population of 2000, and there you’ll be shown around by a local guide, so you can try bush tucker – mangrove worm sounds nice – and learn about the Tiwi history and culture.
Spend some time with the women weaving and painting and then set out on a drive through the stunning Wilderness, stopping off at a local waterhole for a swim. A two-day camping tour starts at only $475, with flights from $170. Group sizes range form two to 25. For more information on this Aussie Adventure holiday, call 1300 721 405 or click here
Jenolans Lost Cave
After 74 years, the stunning Nettle Cave at Jenolan will be re-opened. See rare prehistoric life forms known as stromatolites, the oldest living organisms on the planet. Or learn all about the geology and history of the area by taking the self-guided audio tour, which incorporates the adjoining Devil’s Coach House Cave.
The Jenolan Caves have hosted visitors since the mid-1800s, and this new cave is the first to be opened to the public since the Ribbon Cave in 1931. Hard-to-find Sooty Owls can also be found in the Nettle Cave along with the stromatolites, which are shaped like the tail of a crayfish.
The Devils’ Coach House is so named because of a ghostly vision reported by a camper who claimed he’d seen the devil charge through it aboard a horse-drawn coach. The new tour has come about as a result of a $1.2 million investment, including new paths, boardwalks and railings, designed to have a minimal impact on the environment whilst making it easy to navigate.
At $22 for adults, $15 for children and $57 for a family (two adults/three children), a Jenolan pass is good value for money. You can book online.
Go there
Fishing Port Macquarie
Just four hours north of Sydney, Port Macquarie is a fishing haven of rivers, headlands and off shore reefs. A new guide to fishing in the area lets you into some of the locals' best kept secrets.
Port Macquarie's main fishing seasons are spring and summer, but beach and rock fishing are popular in autumn and winter when tailor, bream and mulloway are moving along the beaches.
As well as fishing, you can find oysters, prawns and crabs – if you know where to look. And to equip yourself with the appropriate bait and tackle, read the ‘All you need' section of the guide, where you can also find out about fishing licences, beach permits and other pertinent information. To find out more or obtain a guide click here.
Kayak Tasmania
With its wide estuaries, high sea cliffs, open beaches and sheltered harbours, Tasmania is the perfect place to push off in a sea kayak. It’s a unique way to experience the wilderness and is also great low-impact exercise.
Sea Kayaks are roomy, safe and stable, and can carry all your travelling needs: tent, stove, sleeping bag, clothes, a good book, food and wine! If you want an introduction to sea kayaking before taking on more adventurous expeditions, you can take a two a two-hour paddle around with Roaring 40s Ocean Kayaking.
They have trips set up for first-timers, intermediate paddlers or advanced sea kayakers, which start from a range of locations: Hobart, Strahan, Freycinet and Port Arthur. All tours are with professional guides. See why kayakers always get out of their kayak with a smile on their face. For more information click here Or to book, click here
Canberra Uncovered
There's more to our nation's capital than perhaps you realise. Grab yourself a ‘Canberra uncovered' brochure and inside you'll discover everything from hot air balloon rides and cycling tours to the best exhibitions, fine dining and wine tasting tours. It also includes vouchers offering deals on accommodation and activities.
If you're up for an outdoors experience, Canberra is surrounded by beautiful National Parks. If you're more of a culture vulture, you can't go past the National Gallery's current exhibition of Egyptian Antiquities. Of course, the Australian War Memorial is always an exceptional and moving experience. Their current exhibition commemorates the 1916 Anzacs in France. Sport fanatics might be interested in a visit to the Australian Institute of Sport or perhaps you'd prefer to go back in time by taking High Tea in the gorgeous 1920s art deco Hyatt Hotel. The gardens are to be as savoured as the sweet delicacies. And there's so much more on the website, so for more information click here
Cycle Tassie
For a true Tasmanian outdoor experience which won't leave you or your wallet too exhausted, why not cycle down Mount Wellington and get a close up experience of its stunning natural beauty before gently making your way into Hobart for a well-deserved coffee or beer.
Jump in Island Cycle Tour's van for the ride up the mountain, and then enjoy the wind in your hair on the way down. The tour includes plenty of stops at lookout points and on the way, thrill seekers get the chance to go off-road – or just stay on the bitumen and before you know it you'll find yourself at the base of the mountain, where there's time for a stop at Cascade Brewery. After that, it's an easy ride into Hobart's historic Battery Point before you make it to Salamanca Place's bars and cafes. The three-hour tour for all the family is only $65 for adults and $55 for pensioners, kids 8–15 years old and students. For more information click here
Spoil Yourself in Byron Bay
If you're travelling alone, at the Byron Bay Rainforest Resort you can enjoy the glorious beaches and rainforest parks and waterfalls and not be slugged a single supplement. Rest and recuperate, wander through the weekend markets, take a yoga class or spoil yourself with a massage in an atmosphere only found at Byron Bay.
It's impossible not to come home relaxed form a holiday in Byron. The Rainforest resort caters for everyone, including travellers with wheelchairs and pets. The resort's location offers abundant flora and fauna on 35 acres of lush coastal heath and rainforest.
Fish The Top End
Bragging rights will be all yours after you cast off the rocks into the pristine waters of Northern Territory's Coburg Peninsula and pull up a barramundi or mangrove jack. Expect to catch fish, and lots of them. Then take one back to your Coburg Beach Hut and look at it for a while, before handing it over to the capable hands of pro-chef Belinda Lewis, who will cook up your one that didn't get away.
Belinda spent 12 years as a chef, training in the Hunter Valley, NSW, before travelling up the east coast and working at the Cape Don Homestead in the Northern Territory. Now she and her partner Jason run the eco-tourist Cape Don Beach Huts in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. Jason takes you out to all the fishing hot-spots and Belinda prepares to make a happy fisherman or woman even happier.
“You can't get fresher produce or happier guests – there's a lot of pride and pleasure that comes out of enjoying your own catch,” says Belinda.
For information call 08 8979 0455 or click here
Summer in the City
Melbourne’s Best is a website which caters for travellers tired of the anonymous hotel experience, who want to meet the owner, and enjoy a more local experience. Properties include Annies, a 100 year old Federation house, walking distance from St Kilda beach, Vill Donati, a former massage parlour, and Treetops, nestled amongst towering eucalyptus trees.
Those wishing to experience one of the nine premium properties listed can phone (03) 9869 2403 or visit Melbournes Best B&B and book online.
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Caravanning in Queensland
A website for caravanning, camping and touring holidays in Queensland has been established, providing a one-stop shop for products, services and parks throughout Queensland.
Established by Caravanning, Camping and Motorhomes Australia, the site allows travellers to search for destinations, resource products and services, as well as download a rich selection of information on the "how to" of hitting the road, including checklists, codes of ethics, maintenance and much more.
Go there
Fremantle Prison Tunnel Tours
The Fremantle Prison Tunnels Tour is now open. This tour allows visitors with a sense of adventure to explore the one kilometre labyrinth of tunnels built, more than a century ago, 20 metres below the prison. Hardhats, overalls, harnesses and ladders are part of the thrill in accessing the maze of tunnels that visitors can explore on foot and by boat.
Prison labour was originally used to construct the tunnel system in the 1890s to supply the whole of Fremantle with fresh water. Tour participants discover original blast holes, bores, oil lamp recesses and artifacts from the days when working in the tunnels was hard labour for prisoners, before boarding replica punts and paddling themselves through submerged sections. For those who prefer their adventures above ground, there are many options of themed tours including ‘Doing Time’ and ‘A Torchlight Tour’.
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