30 travel secrets of Australia and New Zealand

TRAVEL SECRETS OF 30

Australia and New Zealand

Throughout this Travel Handbook you’ll find hundreds of ideas for your Club’s next tour, outing or activity. But if there’s one thing we love about travel, it’s that there’s always more to see and do. So, to kick things off – and in no particular order – here are 30 travel secrets from Australia and New Zealand to whet the appetite and leave you feeling inspired.

Charles Knife Canyon, WA Experience a geological wonder reminiscent of a coastal Grand Canyon, albeit on a smaller scale, when you make the winding drive to Charles Knife Canyon in Learmonth. Following the ridges of Cape Range National Park outside the town of Exmouth, you’ll eventually reach the top of the range for breathtaking views to the multi-coloured gorges below. 1 Don’t forget to charge your cameras for this one. Explore Middle-earth & Hobbiton, NZ J.R.R. Tolkien fans will revel in a unique, immersive experience discovering the mythical worlds made famous by the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Join a Middle-earth adventure or take a guided walking tour of the 2 official Hobbiton Movie Set (hobbitontours.com) in the heart of the enchanting Waikato region. Soak up New Zealand’s dramatic natural scenery as you explore a series of extraordinary film locations.

Orange appeal, NSW Drive less than four hours from Sydney to Orange, one of Australia’s most elegant inland towns. Set against the backdrop of Mount Canobolas – an ancient, extinct volcano – the town is characterised by lovely tree-lined streets, charming early 20th-century architecture and wonderful public parks. As the wine region with the highest elevation 3 in the country, Orange also appeals for its plethora of vineyards and cellar doors. Stargazing in Canterbury, NZ Does your Club fancy a stargazing experience like no other? At the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve (darkskyreserve.org.nz) in Canterbury – a renowned centre for astro-tourism and public education – you’ll be treated to the wonder of natural, dark night skies protected against light pollution. Prepare 4 to marvel at the Milky Way and constellations like the Southern Cross through a telescope at the largest reserve of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Tiwi Islands, NT Nicknamed the ‘Island of Smiles’, Tiwi Islands is a destination offering unbridled joy and happiness to lucky visitors. Situated 80km north of Darwin, it’s renowned for the traditional lifestyle of its inhabitants, a thriving Aboriginal arts culture, vibrant fabrics and textiles, picturesque fishing lodges and exquisite coastal 5 scenery. Tours to Tiwi Islands – comprising Melville Island, Bathurst Island and nine smaller uninhabited islands – include light aircraft flights or a ferry ride from Darwin. Cruise the Murray River, VIC Board a historic paddle steamer or luxury houseboat and meander down the Murray River through the iconic red gum forests of the Echuca Moama region in northern Victoria. Your tour might stop to explore this famous wine region or enjoy the sunset by a riverside campfire. Before departing, visit the 6 Port of Echuca Discovery Centre with exhibits on the 19thcentury river trade (portofechuca.org.au) and admire vintage cars on display at the National Holden Motor Museum (holdenmuseum.com.au).

Get a taste of paradise on Norfolk Island For a slice of the Pacific Islands even closer to home, Australians can visit the external territory of Norfolk Island. Due to its distance from the mainland it’s a destination often overlooked, yet always unforgettable to those who visit. It’s home to towering pines, the tallest fern trees on 7 earth, rare birds, lush forests and gorgeous offshore islands.

Don’t miss the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (kingston.norfolkisland.gov.au), where you can relive the history of the island’s convict and Polynesian settlements.

How ‘bout them apples in the Huon Valley, TAS Head south-west of Hobart into the picturesque Huon Valley, at the edge of the Tasmanian wilderness, for the chance to see Australian fruit-growing in all its glory. Eighty-three per cent of Tasmanian apples originate in the valley. The centre of the Huon Valley, Cygnet, is famous 8 not only for its delicious apples, but also its cherry and berry orchards. What’s more, Cygnet is packed with art studios, galleries and craft shops to explore.

Sightsee from a hot air balloon, NZ Go hot air ballooning over Canterbury or Queenstown on the South Island or Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa or North Auckland on the North Island to admire New Zealand’s remarkable landscapes from the ultimate vantage point floating high in the sky. Club 9 members will be wowed by the vistas across lush rural expanses of forests, rivers, lakes and vineyards, as well as quaint towns you might drive through once you come back down to earth. Werribee Open Range Zoo, VIC Animal lovers will be delighted with a day-trip to Werribee Open Range Zoo, an African-themed zoo just a little over 30km south-west of Melbourne (zoo.org.au/werribee). Enjoy a unique and immersive experience as your group 10 explores the zoo on a 40-minute Safari Tour – passing giraffes as they traverse the iconic savannah, meeting critically endangered Mongolian Wild Horses, and seeing many other animals roam the expansive grounds.

Super street art in Christchurch, NZ Historic Christchurch, a South Island city known for its English heritage, also happens to be New Zealand’s home of street art. Spend a leisurely day walking the streets and checking out the always-evolving murals around every corner – 11 from the must-see Riverside Market mural to ‘Organic

Matters’ in Lichfield Street. The thriving street art scene has brought much of the city’s architecture and creative urban atmosphere back to life following the devastation of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Cactus Country, VIC On a journey to Cactus Country – Australia’s largest cactus garden located in the rural town of Strathmerton – Club members will be transported from the Victorian Murray bushland to the Mojave Desert in Mexico (cactuscountry.com.au). Follow one of eight sandy 12 trails through a 12-acre desert oasis spotting thousands of weird and wonderful cacti and succulents along the way.

Depending on the time of day you might treat yourselves to margaritas or homemade cactus ice cream.

Cape Tribulation, QLD Experience a land that time forgot when you travel to captivating Cape Tribulation in Far North Queensland. This remote headland and ecotourism destination is where the Daintree – one of the world’s oldest rainforests – meets the 13

Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system.

Aptly named by Lieutenant James Cook, who described the challenging cape as an ‘insane labyrinth’, Cape

Tribulation is renowned for stunning landscapes and seascapes adored by photographers. New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North, NZ If Club members would like a taste of NZ’s sporting passion while travelling around the North Island, why not go to Palmerston North, a two-hour drive north of Wellington, to visit the New Zealand Rugby 14

Museum? The museum (rugbymuseum.co.nz) holds a comprehensive collection of rugby memorabilia, records and artefacts – including national treasures like the first

All Blacks match programme and a 1905 ‘Originals’ jersey.

Gyorn Gyorn Paintings, WA If you’re travelling through the north Kimberley wilderness, be sure to find time for the long-hidden Gyorn Gyorn paintings (also known as the Bradshaws) – thought to have been created 60,000 years ago, making it some of the earliest figurative art. The 15distinguishing feature of the paintings is their stick-like human figures. Join a local Indigenous tour guide to find a few Gyorn Gyorn art sites. Mon Repos turtle encounter near Bundaberg, QLD From November to January witness the amazing sight of loggerhead sea turtles, an endangered species, lugging themselves up the beach to safety in order to nest and lay their eggs. Around 6-8 weeks later (generally between January and March), 16 tiny turtle hatchlings emerge and scurry to the ocean under the moonlight. As the only ranger-guided turtle encounter available on the east coast of Australia, this is a wildlife experience not to be missed (bundabergregion.org/ mon-repos-nightly-turtle-encounter). Château Tanunda & Barossa Sculpture Park, SA While the Barossa Valley is famed for its wineries, its pioneering architecture and contemporary art are also astonishing. Visit Château Tanunda (chateautanunda.com) – an acclaimed winery and one of the most recognisable 17buildings in Australia – which was built in the late 1890s using bluestone quarried from the nearby village of Bethany, where you’ll also discover a hillside collection of abstract works made from local marble and granite at the Barossa Sculpture Park (barossasculpturepark.com). Chasing waterfalls in Taupō, NZ Fed by the mighty Waikato River, Lake Taupō and the Taupō region is a haven of picture-worthy waterfalls. You’ll definitely want to visit thunderous Huka Falls, where almost a quarter of a million litres of crystal-blue water bursts through the gorge, and majestic Otupoto Falls, 18where the water cascades over a cliff directly into the lake. Surrounding Taupō you’ll also find splendid hot springs like those at the Craters of the Moon Thermal Area, a region within New Zealand’s largest geothermal field.

Historic Port Adelaide, SA Take some time to relax in historic Port Adelaide, the thriving former gateway to trade, commerce and immigration in South Australia. Club members can wander between the wharves and colonial buildings while picturing a vibrant scene from the state’s fledgling 19 past. Individuals can find their own way around or use the ‘Living in Port’ iPhone app for a self-guided walking tour of the heritage precinct (livinginport.com.au/app). White sand & roos at Lucky Bay, WA Want to step foot on Australia’s whitest beach? You’re about to get lucky! A 45-minute drive from the town of Esperance to Cape Le Grand National Park, you’ll discover Lucky Bay – an unspoilt jewel of this idyllic 20 coastline. From the kangaroos lazing on the squeakyclean sand to the inviting turquoise water, few destinations can match Lucky Bay for tranquility. It’s also the perfect viewpoint to the wildlife-rich Archipelago of the Recherche, known locally as the Bay of Isles.

Beautiful Binalong Bay, TAS Situated at the southern end of the striking Bay of Fires, beautiful Binalong Bay is a highlight of any Tasmanian travel itinerary. Featuring white sandy beaches and remarkable coastal rock faces, the bay certainly will 21 not disappoint your group on the Bay of Fires Eco Tour (bayoffiresecotours.com.au). Avid anglers will also relish the chance to fish for Australian salmon, dusky flathead, trevally, Atlantic bluefin tuna, striped marlin and more. Greenstone carving in Hokitika, NZ Head to the coastal town of Hokitika, 40km south of Greymouth on New Zealand’s South Island, to search for pounamu (also known as greenstone), learn about the 22unique carving methods and meanings, and absorb the significance of this ancient custom. Here in ‘Jade Country’ the jade shops display superbly hand-crafted pieces carved by local artists, while many stores even let you inside the carving studio for a glimpse of the experts at work. Hokitika is also renowned for its gorgeous sunsets.

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve, NT With a name like Rainbow Valley you would expect this small (by NT standards) conservation reserve to be a scenic destination – and you would be absolutely right! 23 Located about an hour’s drive south from Alice Springs, Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve is home to fabulous sandstone bluffs and rock formations that dazzle during sunrise and sunset, not to mention a wide array of mammals, reptile species, birdlife and flora.

All things miniature at Cockington Green, ACT Drive 20 minutes north of Canberra to the town of Nicholls, where a world of miniatures awaits your Club at Cockington Green Gardens (cockingtongreen.com.au). Set within superbly 24landscaped gardens, the miniature village is a unique attraction featuring an impressive display of meticulously handcrafted miniature scenes and buildings from all over the globe – including the 34-room Waverley Dolls House. There’s even a miniature steam train to take you around the gardens, and an even-more-miniature railway line. Breweries, distilleries & pyramids in Stanthorpe, QLD Three hours’ drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast is Stanthorpe, a hidden gem in the cool, high country of Queensland’s Granite Belt region. At first glance it’s a 25quaint country town set amid some of Australia’s highest vineyards, but dig deeper and you’ll discover it’s home to outstanding microbreweries and distilleries – including Granite Belt Brewery (granitebeltretreat.com.au/brewery) and Castle Glen Australia (castleglenaustralia.com.au). While you’re in the area, don’t miss the eye-catching Ballandean Pyramid. Birdwatching on Stewart Island, NZ Bird lovers will not want to miss a trip to Stewart Island – or Rakiura, which means ‘the land of glowing skies’ in the Māori language – home to New Zealand’s largest and most 26diverse bird population. Here Club members can go birdwatching for the chance to spot the kākā, albatross, weka, rare yellow-eyed penguin and kiwi – the muchloved little flightless bird endemic to New Zealand.

Whale watching at Cape Byron, NSW Between June and October every year, whales travel north from their Antarctic summer feeding grounds all the way to their breeding and birthing grounds via Cape Byron, the 27 easternmost point of Australia. The headlands in the Cape Byron State Conservation Area offer an ideal place to make the most of whale migration season. Observe humpback whales in their natural playground from a coastal vantage point or join an organised whale watching tour.

Discover Māori culture in Rotorua, NZ The town of Rotorua on NZ’s North Island abounds with Māori heritage. There’s no better place to learn all about the culture, history and traditions of New Zealand’s indigenous people. You’ll have the chance to enjoy Māori 28 cultural performances, see traditional wood carvings at Te Puia, the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, and experience a delicious steam hāngi. For a completely immersive experience, your group could book an overnight stay at the living Tamaki Māori Village. Old-school picture house at Brunswick Heads, NSW Venture 15 minutes from the hustle and bustle of popular Byron Bay to trendy Brunswick Heads, where something is bound to be happening at Brunswick Picture House – a 29 lovingly restored and reimagined old theatre (brunswickpicturehouse.com). The 2016 revival of this iconic building has set the stage for a vibrant blend of film, circus, cabaret, music and family-friendly entertainment for the local community and visitors alike. Watch oceans collide at Cape Reinga, NZ Watch as two oceans collide from the lookout at Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua, 165 metres above sea level and the end of the road towards the northernmost point of New Zealand. This is 30where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific in a splendid swirl of currents. At the west end is Cape Reinga Lighthouse; at the northernmost tip of the cape you’ll see a pōhutukawa tree – believed to be over 800 years old – from which, according to Māori oral history, the spirits of deceased Māori leap into the ocean to return to their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki. ■

AUSTRALIA

In many ways, the last two years have served as a reminder of the beauty that resides in our own backyard. And natural beauty is just the beginning: Australia is a land of immense history and heritage, of arts and culture, of world-leading produce and dining. There’s more to discover than could ever fit in this Travel Handbook, but on the following pages you’ll find a selection of enriching Aussie experiences to consider for your Club’s next tour – no matter where you may reside on this great southern land.

30 NEW SOUTH WALES 66 WESTERN AUSTRALIA

32 Sydney 34 Central Coast & Hunter 38 South Coast & Illawarra 40 Southern Highlands, Tablelands & Snowy Monaro 42 North Coast & New England 44 The Riverina 45 Central, Orana & Far West 46 Lord Howe Island

48 VICTORIA

50 Melbourne 51 Barwon & Great South Coast 52 Wimmera Mallee 52 Central Highlands & Loddon Campaspe 54 Gippsland 56 Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges 56 Goulburn & Ovens Murray

58 QUEENSLAND

60 Brisbane & Moreton 60 Darling Downs 62 Wide Bay-Burnett, Fitzroy & Mackay 63 North Queensland 64 Central West & South West 68 Perth 68 Wheatbelt 70 South West & Great Southern 71 Goldfields-Esperance 71 Mid West & Gascoyne 72 The Kimberley & Pilbara

74 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

76 Adelaide 76 The Fleurieu Peninsula & Kangaroo Island 78 Limestone Coast, Riverland & Murraylands 79 Yorke & Eyre Peninsulas 80 Far North

82 TASMANIA

84 Hobart & the South 84 West Coast 86 The North 86 East Coast

88 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

94 NORTHERN TERRITORY

96 The Top End 97 Katherine & Barkly Tablelands 98 The Red Centre