When the owners of the Undara Experience created their remote tourist park, they were determined not to disrupt the unique, natural surroundings in the process of building and sharing their dream. Stunning, old-world railway carriages were just the ‘ticket’ to provide comfort, style and shelter without unnecessarily disturbing nature’s distinct footprint. Nestled amongst the tall gums, the railway relics gracefully regained their former charm and romantic allure.
Postcard From Stanley, Tasmania
Stanley, a tiny, historic seaside town right at the very top of Tasmania, has character and charm in abundance. The balcony of our room at the Stanley Sea View Inn provided unsurpassed panoramic vistas as well as the bucolic sounds of the local dairy just down the hill. ‘The Nut’, a mere kilometre away, dominates the landscape which borders the unforgiving Bass Strait. Armed with a local ‘must do’ list we were set for a full day of discovery. For this adventure across Bass Strait we brought our car on the overnight crossing aboard the Spirit of Tasmania.
Postcard from Gold Coast Pride, Australia
We made it Gold Coast! The inaugural Pride Week Festival, hosted by the Gold Coast Rainbow Community Queensland Inc Events has come to an end, but it’s really only the beginning. Months in the planning brought us a feast of festive functions to tempt all, from the most reluctant to the most intrepid members of our colourful local community, to come out and play. “It’s a team effort and you are part of our team.” was the message group organiser Vince Siciliani was anxious to spread throughout this week of frolicking fun.
POSTCARD FROM AGNES WATER AND 1770
Carla from Get Away Garden Cafe on the outskirts of Agnes told us, “Only those prepared to get off the beaten track find Agnes Water and the Town of 1700”, which are located on the Capricornia Coast of central Queensland. Two tiny coastal hamlets featuring beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets and a good dose of laid back lifestyle are a short deviation from the main route north. We visited at the end of July which was just about perfect. The weather was around 23 degrees, there were few tourists and accommodation prices were surprisingly low.
DARWIN AT ITS BEST
Darwin is Australia’s top end capital city. Although remarkably small, its quiet, relaxed vibe is a natural gateway for those seeking adventure in the Northern Territory. Attractions like Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, Katherine Gorge, crocodile spotting and outback desert experiences await unsuspecting visitors. This time however, we were not in Darwin for any of these reasons, rather to catch a cruise ship to Singapore which also happened to coincide with the celebration of our first wedding anniversary.We arrived on a Saturday to spend two days before our departure and to sample what surprises Darwin had to offer. The weather was at its best, perfect early days of August were dry, mildly hot, low humidity and brilliant sunny, blue skies stretching endlessly into the ‘never never’. Our Uber driver said, “It doesn’t get better than this in Darwin”.
FRASER ISLAND BEAUTY SPOTS
It was 8 am and we were ready to explore the world’s largest sand island just off Hervey Bay in Queensland. Strapped into our off-road, four-wheel drive bus we were soon hurtling through the Australian bush on the narrow, rough, sandy roads of Fraser Island. With names like ‘the rollercoaster’, these tracks into the ‘never never’ were sure to provide plenty of thrills.First stop was Lake McKenzie. This spectacular rain-filled, crystal clear blue basin of water floats serenely on powder white silica sand. No swimming for us on this cool morning but it didn’t stop the intrepid tourists from Norway. Central Station was our next stop with towering 400 year old Fraser turpentine trees, exotic stag horns, and ancient, rare ferns growing in Wanggoolba Creek, a truly pristine environment.