Located in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast in the buzzing entertainment precinct of The Star Casino Gold Coast complex, The Star Grand Hotel is a destination in itself. With its luxurious accommodation and spa, iconic bars, restaurants and entertainment precincts, alongside the thrills of a world-class casino, The Star Gold Coast is Australia’s five-star fun-parlour...
The Tangalooma Wrecks are located on Moreton Island’s west side and are made up of 15 vessels that were deliberately sunk to create a safe anchorage spot for recreational boat owners and a unique wreck dive and snorkel site. They sit protruding from the water and down to a depth of 12 metres, making them a prime site for snorkelling and diving. The Wrecks provide...
The town of Mckinlay, population currently 14 people. Photo: Kate Webster In the Shire of Mckinlay you will find the quaint town of Julia Creek. If you are driving the Overlanders Way, you will pass through this tiny town and most travellers will use it as a rest stop on their journey. What it is lacking in size, it makes up for in the atmosphere. Before settling...
A short two hour 40-minute flight from Brisbane and I touched down in Mount Isa, some 1880kms from my home on the Gold Coast. It couldn’t be more different than what I am used to. I swapped surfboard carrying, beachgoers in their boardshorts and flip flops for boot wearing, buckle toting cowboys. Sandy beaches were replaced with red dusty roads and someone had sucked...
Known as ‘The Curry’, Cloncurry is just under 1.5 hours drive from Mount Isa. It is affectionately called the Friendly Heart of the Great North West, and in 2017, celebrated its 150th anniversary. Few places can claim to be as influential in shaping Australia, as Cloncurry. It is the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the destination of the first...
Whether you’re a believer in the supernatural or not, you cannot deny some historical places and buildings in the world radiate a certain ‘energy’. What this energy is we don’t know, but stories of unexpected reactions to this invisible force field are experienced daily the world over. As a run my fingers slowly across the handmade clay brick remains of once imposing...
A journey to Tasmania is a rare chance to disconnect from stress and reconnect with the things that matter. About 40 percent of the island is protected as national parks, reserves and UNESCO World Heritage areas and, remarkably, these wild places are easily accessible. Hike the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere and breathe some of the purest air in the...
Adder Rock Camping Ground | Photo by: Leonie Vandeven A nesting plover, expertly camouflaged amongst the leaf litter, gives me a sharp alarmed shrill, warning me I’ve over-stepped her invisible boundary as her mate flexes his wings in protest. I side-step automatically, apologising profusely to the annoyed looking little birds, as a group of statuesque curlews watch...
Heading North to answer the ancient call of wild coastal rainforest, this five-day journey takes you into some of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and the untouched coast it spills onto. Famous for being the place where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet – the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree truly is the place where the...
Hartz Peak Track, Hartz Mountains National Park, Tasmania Tasmania’s Huon Valley retains the beauty, charm and heritage of a bygone era, yet it is only a 30-minute drive from Hobart. The main townships are Huonville, Franklin, Cygnet, Geeveston and Dover. There’s plenty of reasons to hang out in the region; some are new and some are as old as the mighty forests that...