Australian Traveller

Unyoked aims to provide the most effective dose of nature in as short amount of time as possible. “Everything’s designed so you feel ‘unyoked’, which is to be free, without stress or worries,” say founders Cam and Chris Grant. “You’ll be totally imme

The northern NSW coastal town of Yamba now has a hotel to match its laid-back, funky vibe with the arrival of The Surf Yamba. From the outside, the boutique hotel, located across from Main Beach, has the generous rounded lines of a 1930s cruise ship,

WITH THEIR NOW-ICONIC illuminated signs competing for the custom of passing motorists, motels were once the mainstay of the Aussie driving holiday. The Californian export appeared on our shores as early as the 1930s (Penzance Motel at Eaglehawk Neck

The NSW coastal town of Yamba, famous for its beaches, its surf breaks and its prawns, now has its first boutique hotel with the arrival of The Surf Yamba. Check in on page 14. ■

WELCOMING TRAVELLERS for more than 100 years since it was built by returned First World War soldiers as a memorial to their mates, there’s no shortage of places to stay along the Great Ocean Road. Here are seven very different resting spots worth the

JAPAN HAS ITS FAMOUS Sakura cherry blossom festival, but on the NSW north coast we have something even better. While the Japanese go crazy for blossoms that last less than a week, Grafton’s jacarandas paint the town purple for the best part of a mont

IN THE SOUTH WEST REGION of Western Australia, 267 kilometres south of Perth, this spectacularly scenic and diverse national park is one of the state’s most loved holiday spots. It stretches 120 kilometres in length from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeu

PHOTOGRPAHY: AUSTRALIA’S CORAL COAST (MAIN IMAGE OF CORAL COAST); SARAH HEWER (WILDFLOWERS NEAR EAGLESTONE ROCK) ■

FOR A COUNTRY MORE renowned for its parched climate and rich ochre desert sands, the transition from winter to spring is a delightful surprise for many, carpeting the landscape in a rainbow of colours that is a spectacular example of the wondrous con

The best way to see the nation’s most famous open cut mine, ‘The Super Pit’, is from the air with CIRCLE H HELICOPTERS. As your pilot explains the why and how of this gigantic hole in the ground, you’ll be hovering so close to the action you’ll feel

YOU’LL WANT TO lose yourself in nature here, and can do so without guilt, since Lord Howe is a world leader in sustainable development. A Permanent Park Preserve protects 70 per cent of the island, its surrounding waters classified a Marine Park, whi

SUNNY DAYS SPENT BY the water are an iconic part of Australian life, and finding the perfect beach retreat – and managing to book it before everyone else does – is almost a national obsession. Thank goodness, then, for places like Love & Mutiny, a pe

PHOTOGRAPHY: CATHY SCHUSLER (DOMIC); MARNIE HAWSON (SHIP INN STANLEY) ■

BEING COSSETTED IN absolute luxury and interacting with nature at its most elemental need not be mutually exclusive. Sequoia, the newly revealed luxury lodge sitting on the side of Mt Lofty, high above the Adelaide Hills, definitely proves that. Whil

EVER SINCE I READ The Secret Garden I’ve been drawn to whimsical gardens. If walking through a rambling, flower-filled garden is an antidote to modern ills, then staying in an old garden shed is tantamount to a course of therapy. Located in the small

INVARIABLY RUGGED and beautiful, abundant in wildlife and laden with local produce, Tasmania’s islands enjoy an enviable reputation. One in particular, off the North West coast in the middle of Bass Strait, is increasingly becoming one of the hottest

The most luxurious resort option on Hamilton Island (and probably Australia) is qualia, which combines serious design flair with a cool exclusive clubhouse feel. Half the suites at the upmarket resort have plunge pools facing the ocean. The VIP vibes

FEW PLACES provide so condensed a version of the quirky outback as the Broken Hill region. Explore national parks rich in wildlife and Aboriginal stories, colonial-era towns steeped in history, and the majestic Darling River. You’ll be captivated by

AFTER A TWO-HOUR DRIVE from Adelaide, Kangaroo Island’s sheer limestone cliffs and sparkling beaches beckon in the distance. Closer at hand, lush green meadows curve downwards in a parabola towards the sapphire blue water at the southern tip of the F

Crossed by four purpose-built walking tracks and bounded by Conservation Parks on two sides, Naiko Retreat is rich in wildlife including roos, echidnas, wedge-tailed eagles and yellow-tailed black cockatoos. Look across the Backstairs Passage to Kang

WHILE THE DARK GOOD LOOKS of Dovecote (dovecote.com.au) have made it a favourite with design enthusiasts, its practical appeals tick the box with doting parents (who are also design enthusiasts), extended families, and the family you choose too. The

From safari tents to surf shacks and unpowered campsites, Seven Mile Beach has an accommodation offering to suit every family, and offers pet-friendly options for sites, too. This KIAMA COAST HOLIDAY PARK is located on Seven Mile Beach and a bend of

Home to vast stretches of pristine coastline, peppered with fishing villages and coves, it’s no wonder seafood is a big deal in Gippsland’s boutique restaurants. You’ll find amazing seafood served up in places such as SODAFISH in Lakes Entrance, SARD

DRIVE INTO THE HILLS of the Byron Hinterland, along country roads sprinkled with seasonal fruit stalls, and wonder for a moment where exactly you’re going. Then pull up to the old Eltham Hotel, elegant with its Queenslander facade. “You’ve already ta

THE SUN STARTS TO SLIP lower in the sky as we sit beside the light-dappled dam on Glenayr Farm (glenayrfarm.com.au) attempting to absorb the last of its warmth for the day. My partner and I are making our way through a guided wine tasting of some of

IS THIS AUSTRALIA’S MOST unique holiday home? Domic (domicnoosa.com) is an architectural wonder that represents the highest echelon of sustainable luxury in one of the most stunning locations. Adjoining Noosa National Park and fronting Sunshine Beach

AN ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED one-bedroom cabin that echoes the local landscape and treads a small footprint, Aframe Kangaroo Valley was designed with a slow pace in mind and sustainability at its heart. Recycled building materials used throughout incl

Artist George Byrne responds to a sense of restriction through greater experimentation, creating semi-fictional landscapes from an assemblage of analogue and digital photographs shot across Miami, Los Angeles and Sydney. olsengallery.com Through hi

Perched on a rise overlooking the river, Bemurrah Homestead sits on a working cattle station. Surrounded by paddocks, the four-bedroom renovated homestead sleeps eight comfortably in two queen bedrooms, with two additional twin bedrooms perfect for f

THE FIRST PLACE WE TRAVELLED TO TOGETHER AS HINTERLAND WAS… I remember going on a little tour maybe 10 years ago where we were playing shows in Yamba and Lismore. That was my first taste of the touring life with a band: cheap motels, wondering if we

WHAT DOES IT MEAN to be Australian right now? How has our wide brown land changed, not just over the last few years, but in the last 20? What do everyday Aussies think of where they live? What should we all be doing to ensure our singular natural won