Travel

PLACES JUST OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Go somewhere new in 2022

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

OUR release from the restraints of the pandemic has led to millions of Australians suddenly hitting the road looking for new adventures.

With overseas travel still under a cloud and hefty increases in the cost of travel insurance and air fares, Aussies are reconsidering their own country as a priority travel destination.

In years gone by, “see Australia first” was a popular saying but that was before the cheap international airfares of the early 21st century.

Now the “Around Australia” concept has led to hundreds of web sites and social media pages devoted to everything from camping beside a creek on a farm to cruising around in a million dollar Winnebago.

A lot of us love to discover new places off the beaten track and have grown tired of going to same place every year.

I’m in this demographic, going out of my way to discover and photograph hidden gems out in our own vast backyard.

PALM COVE;

Many visitors to North Queensland miss Palm Cove as they drive from Cairns to Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest beyond.

This modern ocean side resort town is the most beautiful beach in FNQ and to me it is much more attractive than the ‘tinsel town’ of Port Douglas.

You can sit under the palm trees and enjoy breakfast or lunch or go to the beach for a cooling swim.

The famous pier at Palm Cove juts out into the Coral Sea for several hundred metres and is a great spot for fishing or a gentle stroll. The view at sunrise is sublime.

Palm Cove has a vast range of accommodation, but my favorite spot is the NRMA Caravan Park next to beach and adjacent to the pier.

My favorite event is the ukulele concert and singalong on Sunday afternoon.

LIGHTNING RIDGE:

The legendary opal capital was once an isolated village of tin shacks set amongst piles of white gravel with a pub and a couple of shops.

All that has changed in recent years and ‘the Ridge’ is now a modern vibrant town with tarred streets, an Olympic Swimming Pool and an excellent range of accommodation.

It is an easy one hour drive from Walgett out on the Barwon River which in turn, is eight hours from Sydney.

Good motels, bnb’s and even a Big Four Caravan Park are available. The Lightning Ridge Outback Resort adjoins the town caravan park.

From fossicking for opals to admiring sculptures in an underground cave and relaxing in naturally-heated springs, the Lightning Ridge area offers a bounty of memorable experiences against the backdrop of the majestic Outback

SILVERTON;

Broken Hill is the main stopping off point for travellers heading west from Sydney. The little former mining town of Silverton is just a half hour drive from the Silver City, but many visitors miss it.

This is despite the fact that Silverton has featured in hundreds of movies including the iconic original Mad Max movies.

At the Silverton Hotel, the heartbeat of what remains of the town, photos of the casts and production crews are proudly displayed around the walls of the old pub.

Around the town, leftover vehicles from the movies are now sculptures and there several galleries worth a visit.

And just outside of Silverton are the Mundi Mundi Plains where iconic scenes from Mad Max 2 were filmed. Walk to the top of the lookout and see the vast plains stretch out as far as the eye can see for hundreds of kilometres. The view is so clear you can even see the curvature of the earth. It’s particularly spectacular at sunset.

KATA TJUTA a.k.a THE OLGAS

Millions of people visit Uluru and drive all around it taking photo after photo of sunrises and sunsets, but few make the half hour journey out to this fascinating place.

I always say: “Kata Tjuta is what Uluru was like before the tourist hordes arrived”.

There is no human intervention there, it is just an isolated place where the only sound is the hot westerly breeze blowing in from the Gibson Desert.

There are some superb walks at Kata Tjuta, most of them passing through the aptly named Valley of the Winds which is a huge pass between two of the domed mountains.

Those who visit and take a walk often say they enjoyed it more than Uluru because of the quiet solitude.

GULGONG

Mudgee is the most popular destination west of the Great Dividing Range for many Sydneysiders. However, just a 20 minute drive north west of the Shiraz capital is the little historic town of Gulgong.

Many of the old buildings have been retained including the shops that were featured on the original Ten Dollar note. The beautiful old Opera House still hosts shows and the town museum is superb.

The normal accommodation outlets are available and there is even an excellent golf course available.

Henry Lawson walked these streets as a young boy growing up in Eurunderee, just out of town and many of the characters in his stories and poems are based on local identities.

DUNDULLIMAL HOMESTEAD

If you are visiting Dubbo and the Western Plains Zoo, take a detour to Dundullimal Homestead, which is believed to be the first homestead west of the Macquarie River.

The homestead was built in 1842 by John Maughan and is owned by National Trust of Australia, NSW branch. It was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2002 and is listed on the) Register of the National Estate.

Dundullimal is an Aboriginal word meaning “thunderstorm” or “hailstorm” and was the name of the local Aboriginal group.

Built around as the head station of the surrounding 6500ha squatting run, the Dundullimal homestead is believed to be the oldest surviving slab hut house in Australia.

The homestead is also Dubbo’s oldest building open to the public. Its interior is relatively sophisticated for its type, with an imposing sitting room and is noted for its tent-shaped plaster ceiling, and wallpaper reproduced from an 1850 pattern.

The house is furnished with original period furniture. The working areas include sandstone stables, the blacksmith’s forge, coach room, sunken cool room and stores. This complex of buildings reflects the practical elements of rural life on a large, isolated property during the nineteenth century.

AUSSIES ARE FLOCKING TO EUROPE Discovering the secret Italy

„ TRAVEL EDITOR DALLAS

SHERRINGHAM

AS the return to international travel takes off, Italy is the number one destination for many Australians heading back to Europe – with 52% of those ready to travel planning a visit soon.

First time visitors will soak up the usual tourist hotspots like Rome, Florence, Venice and Tuscany, however for returning-visitors and those looking to discover a slice of real Italy beyond the usual tourist hordes there are some great alternatives.

You see, repeat visitors, and those who prefer the pioneering to the popular, are swapping established tourist hotspots for alternative and underrated gems full of charm, character and color.

By embracing this ‘secondary travel destination’ trend, visitors can visit a much-loved destination and extend their stay for a more immersive Italian experience from the top of the boot to the tip. So go beyond Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast on your next Italian adventure with these destination swaps to get you started…

Loved Venice? Then visit Chioggia

Just a hop, skip and jump from the hustle and bustle of Venice, Chioggia is a quieter town with the same vibe you know and love. Situated on the southern side of the Venetian lagoon on the Adriatic Coast, Chioggia is home to charming canals, colorful historic buildings, and boats and bridges galore best explored on foot.

Loved Capri? Then visit Procida

If you’ve been captivated by the color, cuisine and photogenic beauty of Capri, then you’re bound to fall in love with Procida, a tiny island nestled between Ischia and Naples which made an international name for itself as the filming location for ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’ and is Italy’s reigning Capital of Culture.

Combining coastal walking trails, mouth-watering Napoli pizza, historic buildings such as the Abbazia San Michele Arcangelo, fishing villages, and more than its fair share of traditional bakeries, Procida is gorgeous rather than glamorous and much less chaotic than Capri in peak season – although it does get crowded with Italian holiday makers during August.

Loved Rome? Then visit Ostia Antica, Matera, Bologna, or Verona

If you’re enchanted by the rich history and ancient architecture of Rome, you’ll be fascinated by Ostia Antica, where the ancient ruins are said to be better preserved than Pompeii. In southern Italy, Matera in Basilicata is utterly unique and a bucket-list destination for those fascinated by history. Home to the world-heritage-listed ‘Sassi di Matera’, a series of intriguing cave dwellings cut from rock dating back 30,000 years, the city’s narrow alleys are best explored on foot Bologna in Emilia-Romagna is known as Italy’s food capital, with a café and restaurant scene rivalling Rome, as well as its fair share of historic icons, including Europe’s oldest university and countless buildings boasting porticos. This is the spot to taste handmade tortellini and tagliatelle al ragu, or to take a tasting tour of the Quadrilatero market district, collecting cheese and cured meats along the way.

Loved Lake Como? Then visit Lake Braies or Lake Orta

Ask anyone about Italy’s most famous lakes and they’re likely to mention the villa-lined playground of the rich and famous, Lake Como or Lake Garda, yet some of the country’s other lake and alpine districts are often overlooked…but shouldn’t be.

Lago di Braies, or Lake Braies, is a breathtaking lake with UNESCO World Heritage Site billing in the heart of the Dolomites in South Tyrol. Known for its crystal-clear water and dramatic mountain backdrop, it’s best explored by hiking the perimeter trail or renting a boat for a picturesque paddle with a picnic.

Loved Tuscany? Then visit The Collio, Orvieto, Le Marche or Langhe

If rolling hills, pretty hilltop villages, fields of flowers, gourmet adventures or zipping between wineries on a Vespa are still high on your holiday wish list, there are several Italian regions which give Tuscany a run for its money.

Choose The Collio wine region in Friuili-Venezia Giulia for blooming sunflowers, family-run vineyards and spectacular valleys along the Slovenian border. Over in Umbria, atmospheric Orvieto is home to a magnificent gothic Duomo, artisan boutiques peddling hand-painted ceramics and an incredible underground city, while Castelluccio boasts glorious views over the Apennine Mountains and fields of violets and poppies during spring.

Sitting pretty alongside Umbria is Le Marche, a lesser-known region which deserves to be discovered. Combining turquoise waters along the Adriatic Coast, rural landscapes waiting to be painted, scenic Monti Sibillini National Park which is beloved by hikers, and historic walled villages where visitors can take a step back in time to experience authentic local Italian life.

In Piedmont, Langhe boasts Tuscan-style rolling landscapes covered in vineyards with petite villages clustered on hilltops – with the added bonus of views across to the snow-topped Alps. Piedmont’s gourmet capital Alba is a must for any foodie’s itinerary, thanks to its elegant pasticcerie and providores specialising in white truffles and local wine.

Loved the Amalfi Coast & Italian Riviera? Then visit Tropea, Ostuni, Sestri Levante or San Fruttuoso

If clifftop buildings, sandy beaches and clear blue waters normally lure you to the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre, try the impossibly beautiful Tropea at the tip of Italy’s toe in Calabria instead. Known as the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Tropea was lauded as Italy’s Most Beautiful Village in 2021

For a completely different ambience, Instagram favorite Ostuni in Puglia exudes Greek vibes with its whitewashed architecture, hilltop location, winding streets, and Adriatic Sea views.

Sestri Levante in Liguria is a dreamy alternative to popular Positano with its colorful houses, delightful boats, beaches, and lively evening street life, while the

quirky hilltop village of Seborga above Rada di Poggio – which is seeking sovereignty to become its own micronation like Monaco (only a much more downto-earth version) – is a heavenly hamlet known for its olive farming, elected ‘royalty’ and views.

Hidden between Portofino and Camogli, San Fruttuoso can only be reached via a panoramic hiking trail, or by sea, but this tiny piece of paradise is reward in itself for making the effort to get there. With its pebbled beach directly in front of an ancient monastery, it’s an escapist’s delight inviting visitors to slow down, savor fresh local seafood and revel in the gorgeous Golfo Paradiso views.

Loved Florence? Then visit Lecce, Pienza, Urbino

The unofficial ‘Florence of the South’, Lecce in Apulia is the obvious choice for those looking for cities renowned for Renaissance arts and architecture. With its central Duomo, Sant’Oronzo square, Baroque buildings, historic amphitheatre and churches with golden facades, Lecce is vibrant university town worthy of inclusion on any Puglian itinerary.

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