If Lake Macquarie isn’t already on your bucket list for a stay-cation just outside of Sydney, then it should be.
This stunning region boasts 32 kilometres of pristine coastline and has over 92 towns and communities to discover and explore.
Located 90 minutes up the M1 from Sydney, the region boasts the largest coastal saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere.
More than twice the size of Sydney Harbour, Lake Macquarie really is an aquatic playground.
Explore it by boat, kayak or stand-up paddleboard, or laze around its edges of this stunning body of water on one of its many inlets and sandy shores.es, or sun yourself on the beach’s sandy shores.
Visit visitlakemac.com.au
Penguin Encounter: available for guests aged over 13.
Sea Life Sunshine Coast Aquarium has launched a second Penguin Encounter, which will be available in February.
The new experience will give you the opportunity to stand in the water and hand feed the Little Blue Penguins while they swim around your legs. Guests will stand on a platform submerged in the penguins’ pool as they feed the birds.
The new In-Water Penguin Encounter is available for guests aged over 13 and includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the penguin zone so guests can discover how the team cares for these adorable creatures and learn how to help protect the species in the wild.
The encounter costs $124 per person (including admission) and will launch in February.
Visit www.seaworld.com.au.
Rockhampton: revitalised riverfront, sophisticated dining.
With a suite of feasting options recently bringing a classy new dimension to Rockhampton’s revitalised riverfront, sophisticated dining overlooking the mighty Fitzroy River is definitely a must-do experience when visiting the often-famed ‘beef capital’.
Located approximately 600 kilometres north of Brisbane and a stepping stone to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the Capricorn Coast, Rockhampton has upped the ante with dining options to suit everyone.
Already a favourite destination for visitors, the riverside precinct, situated right in the heart of the city, offers fabulous views, and has become an exemplary example of modern, integrated urbanism set amongst a profound strip of heritage-listed buildings.
Delectable menu’s aside, the importance of ambience when dining out is vital to providing the perfect balance between taste and vibe and with eight diverse choices now prominently perched across approximately 600 metres of river frontage, your breakfast, lunch and dinner decisions are sorted.
Visit www.queensland.com.
Spicers Tamarind Retreat: an afternoon of vibrant Asian Street food.
The Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival returns to the serene rainforest grounds of Spicers Tamarind Retreat on Saturday 28 February from 1pm to 6pm.
It’s the perfect occasion to gather friends and family for an afternoon of vibrant Asian Street food, refreshing beverages, great sounds, cooking demos, riesling masterclasses and relaxing pleasures.
Indulge in flavoursome Asian Street Food by The Tamarind’s highly acclaimed Head Chef, Daniel Jarrett.
Also quench your thirst with local beverages and brews.
Tickets cost $125 and include five food and two drink coupons.
Visit www.spicersretreats.com.
Mantra Traralgon: in the heart of Latrobe Valley’s largest city.
Accor and LA Hotel Group have opened the new-build 50-room Mantra Traralgon hotel in the heart of Latrobe Valley’s largest city.
The first hotel to open in Traralgon in more than 10 years, Mantra Traralgon is set to become a destination of choice for business travellers and leisure guests looking for convenient, contemporary accommodation in Victoria’s spectacular Gippsland region.
The $18 million development, which comprises of five levels and features 50 well-appointed and comfortable guestrooms and suites, is located directly opposite the city’s major retail centre and within an entertainment complex that houses a cinema, ten-pin bowling and bistro.
Onsite amenities at Mantra Traralgon include a ground floor café and bar called Hush Lounge, meeting and conference facilities with modern audiovisual equipment that cater for up to 30 delegates, high-speed internet connection and onsite car parking.
To celebrate its opening, Mantra Traralgon has launched an opening special. Stay from $186* per night in a Standard King Room.
Visit all.accor.com.
Truffle Kerfuffle: set to return to Manjimup.
Much-loved WA foodie festival, Truffle Kerfuffle, is set to return to Manjimup from June 25-27 to celebrate its 10th year.
Guests can look forward to indulging in long table feasts with generous amounts of freshly unearthed truffles, joining in free cooking demonstrations, taking part in a truffle hunt and sampling fresh truffle and Southern Forest produce.
Manjimup and the Southern Forests region, located a 3.5 hour drive south of Perth, produces more than 70 per cent of Australia’s supply of the rare delicacy, with the festival celebrating the beginning of the truffle season.
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