Australia
Australia
Australia is a land of frontiers, of historic discovery and of exploration. Yet somehow, the wild landscapes and wilder animal life have bred a laid-back attitude, keenly felt by visitors to its welcoming cities, idyllic beaches and world-class wineries.
Home to spectacular natural sights, golden sands fringe castaway islands, roads skirt dramatic coastlines, rainforests chart 135 million years of growth and great red monoliths stand unique in the seemingly endless Outback. In fact, with nearly 700 national parks, Australia features the highest number of conservancies in the world. To put that into perspective, no other country even makes it into triple digits. It all makes for truly epic road trips.
Never outdone, Australia’s wildlife is equally diverse. While you’ll know those hopping icons, kookaburras and cuddly koalas from children’s books the world over, it’s the more alien that linger longest in the mind. The Outback hosts cold-blooded creatures with names such as ‘thorny devils’ and ‘frill-necked lizards’ while the Great Barrier Reef is a veritable underwater realm of rainbow coral plied by tropically coloured fish.
But, if you thought it was all campsites and barbies by the billabong then you’ll need to think again. Whether it’s a massage in a luxury island lodge, relaxing – cocktail in hand – on the white sands of a private beach, or enjoying a long lunch among the vines of one of Australia’s many esteemed wine regions, there’s no shortage of unique, luxury experiences.
Kick off your trip by wandering around Sydney, with its world-class gastronomic scene before an evening at the Sydney Opera House. Contrast this with time spent absorbing the youthful energy of creative and cultured Melbourne where a local will lead you on a secret foodie safari. Cruise in your private yacht around the archipelago of The Whitsundays and land on hidden bays to try your hand at every conceivable watersport. Surf the classic breaks and tubes of the east coast. Dive the incomparable Great Barrier Reef or explore it in even more depth aboard a submersible. Swap coasts and swim with whale sharks in the accessible waters of Australia’s other incredible reef, Ningaloo. Explore Australia’s final frontier, the Kimberley, by helicopter and seek out some of the country’s most magnificent landscapes, rich flora and fauna. Step back into the dream time and uncover rock art sites in Arnhemland with an aboriginal elder. Go on a road trip through the Never Never in the tracks of early explorers. Treat yourself to refined fusion food and try a range of exquisite wines at boutique estates in the Barossa Valley. For an intimate experience dine outside at a beautifully laid table with Ayers Rock as your backdrop. Get back to nature among the wildlife on Kangaroo Island or hike among unspoiled wild scenery in Tasmania before tucking into freshly shucked oysters at a table stood in the shallows.
Explore the Whitsundays by seaplane and sail
Get close to wildlife while diving the Great Barrier Reef
Get off the-beaten-track at an idylic island
From the refined, elegant hotel suites with views to die for in the country’s leading cities travel to exclusive beach resorts including Capella Lodge or private island stays at incredible properties like Lizard Island. Uncover luxury in the most unlikely places at a remote camp in the Outback, where you can enjoy a night camping under wide star-strewn skies at Longitude 131 or immersed in the landscape at a one-time cattle station that has now been converted into a boutique hideaway. Spoil yourself with a stay at a tour de force designer base like Saffire Freycinet, whose elegant lines and impeccable service belie it's remote location amid an unspoiled and wild landscape. Enjoy a close-up wildlife encounter while staying at a seriously stylish luxury lodge such as Kangaroo Island's inimitable Southern Ocean Lodge. Or perhaps you’d prefer a grown-up treehouse among the branches of the Daintree rainforest at Silky Oaks Lodge? Ask us as well about paradise villas, staying on private wine estate and how to secure a berth on a luxury liveaboard while you’re exploring the coast.
Given its size and diversity, Australia is a wonderful year-round destination, with vastly different weather from one side of the country to another. Be aware that in the south the high season is October to April while the crowds descend on the iconic northern sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, during the winter months from May to September. Speak to us about how to avoid the scrum and travel in the shoulder season.
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