For our food fixated fam, the Mackay Region turned out to be quite the culinary surprise. Not only does this region bring nature to life with beach-loving roos and paddling platypus, lush rainforests and some of Queensland’s prettiest beaches, it’s also packed with epicurean delights. Not only will visitors find sublime restaurants and cafes serving […] Read more…
Sometimes you can’t help but paint a picture of a destination in your mind after drooling over thousands of amazing photos (taken by professional photographers who happened to be there at the exact right moment on the exact right day with the exact right filter). But then you arrive at said destination and well, the […] Read more…
Sovereign Hill is Australia’s best outdoor museum and, without need of any incarnation of the venerable Dr Who or his Tardis, takes families travelling back through time to Ballarat’s gold rush. Spread over 25 hectares of the original alluvial goldfields, the recreation gold rush town brings the decade after the discovery of gold in Ballarat in 1851 back to […] Read more…
The promise of striking it rich during Ballarat’s gold rush lured almost 500,000 people to the Australian colonies. Today families are being lured to Sovereign Hill, an incredible outdoor, interactive museum, to find out more. While life in the goldfields was brutal for all but the wealthiest members of society, it was hardest of all […] Read more…
In my decidedly inexpert opinion, holidays are the fountain of youth. Research shows that holidays can cut blood pressure, aid in better sleep better and relieve stress. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that nothing gives one a natural glow quite like a few days of sun and sea. And, as a […] Read more…
It has only been a few months since Tropical Cyclone Debbie hit the Whitsundays with ferocious force, but we’ve already revisited several times to soak up the sun, sand and a little family fun. And while the area has certainly undergone something of an environmental makeover, I can happily confirm that Airlie Beach, the gateway […] Read more…
For us, Airlie Beach is more than just a gateway to the reef, it is also a gateway to gorging on fantastic food. With sublime restaurants and upmarket cafes serving everything from the freshest seafood to incredible organic superfoods, Raffles and I suggest factoring in eating, right alongside snorkelling and swimming, when planning your Airlie […] Read more…
Airlie Beach is a small beachside town with a big village atmosphere and the perfect spot for families to access the extraordinary Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. And, we’re happy to report that, despite Cyclone Debbie’s tempestuous tantrum, it is a patch of paradise that is as beautiful and welcoming as ever, as we discovered during […] Read more…
The deep sapphire of the sea, the green of the islands and the reef’s fusion of fifty shades of blue make the Whitsunday Islands beautiful beyond description. Long term fans of the gorgeous area, we certainly didn’t need to be asked twice for a return visit. And though between visits Cyclone Debbie’s dramatic environmental makeover wreaked much […] Read more…
What could be better than a room with a view over South Bank and the beautiful Brisbane River? A suite with a view, natch! It is getting rather chilly Sydney side and the winter blues have me over-sleeping, and over-eating and over-imbibing. OK, I’d be doing that no matter what the temp, but the lure […] Read more…
Brisbane, you’ve changed. I mean, come on, it has only been a couple of years between dates but while my back is turned, you’ve gone and turned into a whole new city, flirting with other visitors and flashing your new boutique restaurants, cool craft breweries, and sexy small bars. And don’t even get me started […] Read more…
So tonight we went to taste our way around Vivid Chatswood, an experience that was as educational as it was delicious. So how was it educational? Well, for starters the buildings and streets of Chatswood have gone “Steampunk”, which is something I’ve never heard of before. So I learned tonight that steampunk is kind of […] Read more…