One of the ultimate road-trips, heading inland from Sydney to Central NSW, must be on all bucket-lists for a short break this autumn.
There’s Oberon’s Field to Forest Festival with long lunches and mushroom foraging tours, Bathurst’s Heritage Trades Trail where you can meet traditional artisans and Trundle’s ABBA Festival for music fashionistas who love their bell-bottoms.
The tiny town of Trundle, for instance, transforms into a sea of jumpsuits, bell-bottoms and all things retro for the Trundle ABBA Festival on Saturday May 2.
The festival provides a groovy day packed full of family friendly entertainment with one of the world’s top ABBA tribute bands Bjorn Again, along with fashion parades, dance exhibitions and market stalls.
Visit www.trundleabbafestival.com.au or www.visitcentralnsw.com.au.
Thredbo Resort: new gondola will quadruple capacity.
Construction of an alpine gondola is well underway and on target for completion ahead of the upcoming 2020 winter snow season at Thredbo Resort, with the double chairlift replaced with a high-speed, eight-person gondola that will quadruple the capacity of the previous lift and further enhance the Thredbo experience.
In addition to the gondola, a fully automated snowmaking system on the popular ‘Dream Run’ is being installed as well as other slope works ahead of the upcoming winter.
This development will allow more reliable access to Friday Flat and the mid-station of the new Merritts gondola as well as better access to a wide variety of intermediate and advanced tree runs.
Visit www.thredbo.com.au.
Sea Explorer: a new side to Fraser Island.
Travellers can now discover a new side to Fraser Island, aboard Kingfisher Bay Resort’s latest tour offering, Sea Explorer.
This state-of-the-art boat has arrived on Fraser Island’s shores, connecting guests with the destination’s magnificent scenery, and one of the most unique marine habitats in the world.
Travelling daily up the remote north-western coast of Fraser Island, Sea Explorer will unveil the pristine white sands, turquoise waters and surrounding islands within the Great Sandy National Park, visiting locations such as the idyllic Pelican Banks, Moon Point and a series of secluded, crystal clear creeks.
Visit www.kingfisherbay.com.
Sage James Street: dogs are welcome.
Forget those sad puppy dog eyes as you close the front door. Sage James Street is now welcoming four-legged friends to stay, so guests can now shop till they drop and enjoy the best of Brisbane’s trendy James Street with their best friend in tow.
Ensuring canine companions don’t miss out on any of the action, Sage James Street’s dog-friendly rooms are located on the ground floor and come with spacious courtyards so they can take in Brisbane’s tropical rays.
Water and food bowls are provided as well as litter bags, and the best part?
The hotel team will provide you with a guide on the best dog-friendly venues in the James Street Precinct.
Sage James Street’s ‘Paw Pads’ package starts from $186 a night and bookings are for ground floor, courtyard rooms only.
Phone (07) 3222 3111 or visit www.nexthotels.com.
The Spirit of Progress: one of Australia’s oldest and most famous express trains.
One of Australia’s oldest and most famous express trains, the Spirit of Progress, will make its longest-ever journey this July when it takes lovers of slow travel on a week-long heritage rail adventure to the NSW Outback – the first time the legendary train has travelled west of Sydney.
The history-making ‘Far West Express’ rail tour has been launched by Cruise Express, which has helped resurrect the Spirit of Progress to full interstate working order. The work was done in partnership with the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
The Spirit’s gleaming, blue-and-gold compartment and parlor cars will take nostalgic travellers from Sydney to Broken Hill at the start of a seven-day tour spanning a total of 2300 kilometres return.
The journey from Sydney to Broken Hill will take two days, with an overnight stay in Orange.
A three-night stay in Broken Hill follows, with tours of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, local museums and art galleries, the hill-top Living Desert Sculptures, sunset drinks at the spectacular Mundi Mundi Plains Lookout where the film, Mad Max 2 was filmed, dinner at the iconic Palace Hotel which starred in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and an authentic pub meal at the famous Silverton Hotel in a quirky, ghost town deep in the Outback.
Passengers then reboard Spirit of Progress, heading back to Orange for a two-night stay including visits to a local winery, with the final day of the tour spent on the train snaking across the Blue Mountains back to Sydney.
The six-night ‘Far West Express’ journey from Sydney, is available from $5890 per person twin-share. From Melbourne , the eight-night package — including a night in Sydney before and after the Broken Hill journey — is priced from $6390 per person twin-share.
Phone 1300 766 537 or visit www.cruiseexpress.com.au.
The Astro: built in the heyday of the American motor lodge.
The Astro Motel in Santa Rosa, in central Sonoma County, now offers selections from its collection of authentic mid-century modern furniture and art for sale.
The collection includes vintage furniture, fixtures, art, and craft items. Most of the pieces are rare or one-of-a-kind, and date from around 1963, the year The Astro opened.
Built in the heyday of the American motor lodge, The Astro was remodelled into a 34-room urban motel in 2017. It features original mid-century modern furnishings, a lush edible garden, and a passion for all Sonoma County has to offer.
Retro, quirky, and fun, The Astro makes an ideal hub for exploring the area, especially for cycling enthusiasts, with rental bikes and basic repairs available onsite.
Visit www.theastro.com.
Chimu: will feature a polar photography program. Image: Sam Edmonds.
Chimu Adventures has announced new 2021/2022 Antarctica expedition dates aboard its own ship, the Ocean Endeavour, which is due to set sail for the first time in November.
Taking photographs of Antarctica’s unique landscape and wildlife is a top priority for many Antarctic travellers so the introduction of a dedicated photography program is a welcome addition to Chimu’s Antarctica voyages.
The program is composed of lectures where guests will learn about composition, camera settings, exposure/lighting, wildlife photography tips and landscape imaging, with photography-focused zodiac excursions in forward-facing craft which offer increased stability and unobstructed views of the scenery and creatures.
Prices start at $8280 for 11 days ex Punta Arenas.
Visit www.chimuadventures.com.
Family fun: swimming in Hawaii.
Full of practical advice, ideas and inspiration for every type of family, Lonely Planet’s The Family Travel Handbook gives travellers the low-down on amazing travel experiences around the world — and how to plan and enjoy them with your children.
From Lonely Planet’s favourite destinations and navigating different forms of transport, to approaching new food and a change in routine, travellers will gain the confidence and know-how to plan family getaways like a pro.
The book’s Australian highlights include South Western Australia (‘Adventure Destination’), Brisbane (‘Top 10 Family Cultural Destination’), Sunshine Coast (‘Top 5 Destination for Infants & Toddlers’), Tasmania (‘Top 5 Destination for Multigenerational Travel’), Questacon in Canberra (‘Top 10 Science Destination’), Royal Botanic Gardens’ Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden in Melbourne (‘Top 10 Fun Ideas’), The Ghan (‘Ride the Rails’), Cylinder Beach, Stradbroke Island (‘Top 5 Beach Destination’), Great Barrier Reef (‘Top 5 Wildlife Holiday’), and a chapter devoted to ‘Camping in Tasmania’.
Lonely Planet’s The Family Travel Handbook is 29.99.
Visit www.lonelyplanet.com.
Sevanavank Church, Lake Sevan, Armenia.
Book by March 13 for this year’s departures Exodus Travel’s 14-day ‘Highlights of Georgia & Armenia’ and pay from $3240, saving from $359.
Journey off the beaten track and discover the rich history and beautiful scenery that makes Georgia and Armenia so unique.
Over 14 days, travellers will venture through the city of Yerevan and see the breathtaking Mount Ararat that towers above it, explore some of the world’s oldest and most spectacular holiest sites, including the famous Khor Virap, Geghard and Tatev monasteries, and visit UNESCO churches and fortresses that have stood the test of time over hundreds of years.
Travellers have the opportunity to indulge in the café culture of Tbilisi before finally visiting the picturesque Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park and ancient wine regions that have been tended to for almost 10,000 years.
‘Highlights of Georgia & Armenia’ includes all breakfasts, seven lunches, four dinners, all hone accommodation, all transport and an experienced local tour leader throughout.
Phone 1300 131 564 or visit www.exodustravels.com/au.,
The Guinness Storehouse: yielding its secrets.
The secrets of the black stuff, the iconic Irish drink that is enjoyed around the world, can be uncovered in a new guided tour at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
On this two-hour ‘Guinness Brewery Tour’, visitors will delve into the past, explore the present and consider the future of the Guinness story.
They begin the tour outside the home of Arthur Guinness, who in 1759 famously signed a 9000-year lease for the St James’s Gate Brewery.
Visitors will take in some of the oldest parts of the site, including the 200-year-old vat houses where Guinness was matured for months before being sent to the four corners of the world.
The tour explains how brewing on site has evolved, from the types of beers brewed and methods used, to the equipment and brewhouses that were, and still are, in operation.
Visit www.guinness-storehouse.com.
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