Hot events: Summer in the sun

FROM amazing mazes to awesome theme parks and festivals, check out the most exciting things to do around Australia this summer. 

Woodford Folk Festival

A FOLK festival, a champagne garden party and a new river sledding tour - there are lots of exciting things happening across Australia this summer.

1 Summer Vibes

NSW

This new summer festival is based around a nine-week outdoor film season at Broken Hill in the NSW Outback, with an emphasis on community and local content. It kicks off on November 30 and will include twilight markets, live music and a range of free films every week.

The event culminates with the Big Aussie Barbecue on the Australia Day long weekend with a classic Aussie film, burger cook-off and a special appearance from Australian actor and former Skippy star Tony Bonner.

See summervibes.org.au

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2 Ice-skating rink

Tasmania

Set to open on Hobart's waterfront on December 22, Mawson's Skate will operate year-round. The revolutionary, synthetic ice-skating rink will be at Mawson Place in the heart of Sullivans Cove. The skating surface will occupy 415sq m of ground space with architecturally designed rink walls, public seating, surface lighting and a snack bar.

See mawsonsskate.com.au

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3 Theme park attractions

Queensland

The Gold Coast is bursting with new rides and attractions at its theme parks this summer. Dreamworld's new Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness has a Big 8 Thrill Ride while Wiggles fans can enjoy a ride on a Big Red Boat at Wiggles World from December 15.

Big Brother fans will also be able to see the house for the first time. Movie World has a new $9 million 3D ride, Justice League Alien Invasion, in which Superman, Batman and a league of DC Comics superheroes join guests as they use their 3D laser blasters to stun their way through cities that have been overrun by the evil villain, Starro the Conqueror.

Wet 'n' Wild has a new waterslide, the Constrictor an Australian first with the tightest and highest turns in the world where riders hit speeds of up to 30km/h. Riders speed down an enclosed flume slide into a series of corkscrew turns, snaking back and forth in a series of spirals, slithering down its insides on multi-person rafts.

See dreamworld.com.au, movieworld.com.au, wetnwild.myfun.com.au

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4 Champagne garden party

Victoria

Domaine Chandon winery in the Yarra Valley will transform its grounds into a garden party setting for one afternoon on February 24. Guests will enter the party through a custom-made "secret door" to enjoy live music and take part in activities such as croquet, life-sized chess and lawn Twister. They can also taste-test some of Chandon's finest vintages with matching canapes.

The event will cost $70 a person, including a tasting pass of four tasting pours, four paired canapes, entertainment and a Chandon flute to keep.

See chandon.com.au

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5 River-sledding

NSW

Guests at Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa in the Snowy Mountains can take part in a new activity this summer -  river-sledding. After donning wetsuits, booties, gloves, a life jacket and helmet, they are given a purpose-designed raft for running river rapids.

The two-hour guided tour starts at the historic, gold-prospecting site of Thredbo Diggings and cruises down the Thredbo River to Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa. No prior rafting experience is required. River Sled tours cost $65 and operate until the end of April.

See lakecrackenback.com.au

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6 Three Capes Walk and Tasman Peninsula tour

Tasmania

Tasmanian Expeditions has a new tour this summer that takes you along one of the best walks on the coast to Cape Raoul. Walkers will explore a coast of 400m sea cliffs and one of the world's most famous, big-wave surf breaks, Shipsterns Bluff.

They will also get to visit the Port Arthur Penal Settlement and experience a Tasman Island wilderness cruise during the three-day journey, which costs $1095 a person.

Ph 1300 666 856 or see tasmanianexpeditions.com.au

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7 Feast of Provence

NSW

Fans of French cuisine and wine can get a taste of Provence at this inaugural event on the first night of summer in Sydney. Catering and events company, Felton & Co., will run the Fete de Provence, or Feast of Provence, in consultation with chef Damien Pignolet from Bistro Moncur.

The dinner, which costs $165 a head, will include a five-course Provencal menu served under the stars at Cathedral Square, opposite Hyde Park. Each course will be matched with wines from the vineyards of La Mascaronne, as well as some varietals unique to the Cotes de Provence region, many available for the first time ever in Australia.

See feastofprovence.com.au

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8 Bago Maze

NSW

The largest hedge maze in the state will open at Bago Vineyards at Wauchope in the Port Macquarie hinterland on December 2.

The maze will have 2000m of pathways over 10,000sq m with lookout towers, bridges, boardwalks and musical instruments along the way.

The maze has taken about six years to grow from native lilly-pilly hedge. There are also plans for an amphitheatre, viewing and picnic deck, rainforest and sculpture garden walks, a children's playground and cellar. Entry will cost $10 for adults and $7 for children.

Ph 6585 7099 or see bagovineyards.com.au

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9 Woodford Folk Festival

Queensland

FAREWELL a hectic 2012 and chill out as you see in the new year by experiencing a dynamic mix of cultures and entertainment at this year's 27th annual Woodford Folk Festival, held over six days and six nights from December 27 to January 1.

This year's event has more than 2000 performers and 580 events, with artists including Alesa Lajana, John Butler Trio, Kate Miller-Heidke, Archie Roach, Electric Empire, Nicky Bombas Bustamento, Katherine Battersby, Linsey Pollak, Julia Stone, Angus Stone and Darren Percival and Band, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings from the USA and many more.

See www.woodfordfolkfestival.com

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10 Billabong eco retreats

NSW

Those looking to relax and regroup can head to a new eco retreat at Maraylya, about 45 minutes from the Sydney CBD, this summer.

Billabong Retreat guests will enjoy accommodation in treehouse-style cabins some with roll-up walls and take part in yoga and mindfulness and meditation workshops in the retreat centre, which is perched on an escarpment overlooking the water.

Other activities include bike-riding, movies in the cinema, massage and spa treatments, bush walks to the Colo River in the Wollemi National Park, bush-art workshops and cooking classes. Two-night, all-inclusive retreats cost from $300 to $500 a person, twin share.

Ph 4573 6080 or see billabongretreat.com.au