Sanctuary delivers on bliss
AN exclusive sanctuary styled on Bali’s high-end resorts in Port Douglas delivers on the necessary luxuries for Tracey Ferrier.
Short Breaks
Queen’s birthday breaks
FROM swimming with whale sharks in WA to indulging in five-star Canberra luxury make the most of the long weekend with these great breaks.
At home on the road
SIPPING a fresh cup of coffee and watching the waves, Rodney Chester enjoys the serenity of Noosa from the comfort of a six-berth motorhome.
Cruising the highway to swells
COOL coastal towns and surf-side camping: Stephen Lacey takes the legendary NSW coastal drive north from Sydney in a new Kombi van.
Queensland’s green getaways
MAKE a clean getaway of the city smog to Queensland’s unspoilt tropical paradise, with our pick of the state’s best eco escapes.
Broome sweeps in luxury
LUXURY rooms, a day spa and a soothing Buddha yoga sanctuary Broome’s Cable Beach Club Resort splashes out with a $20 million makeover.
‘Glamping’ it up in outdoor luxury
KICKING back on a queen-size bed in the heart of the New South Wales bush, Brad Watts discovers a tent with life’s little luxuries.
WA’s wilderness hideaway
AN exclusive island paradise off Western Australia’s northern coast offers respite from the winter chill and city stresses.
Stay in tuna with nature
FORGET great white sharks. Swimming with bluefin tuna in South Australia’s Port Lincoln is the new underwater adrenalin rush, says Sam Wundke.
Holidaying with a baby bump
BABYMOON: it’s the new buzzword for travel agents as a growing number of parents-to-be swap the couch for relaxing and often luxurious escapes.
Eternal bliss in a heavenly place
A HEAVEN on earth takes Sally Macmillan to the Northern Rivers hinterland haven of The Channon, just a few clicks down the track from Nimbin and Bangalow.
The Ghan upgrades to platinum
A LUXURY upgrade takes comfort aboard Australia’s legendary Ghan to a new level. Mike Smith trials the new premier carriages on the famous outback train.
Bonding with Bondi
SURE the mood in Bondi can be celebrity-obsessed, but Carrie Berdon was determined to get to know Sydney’s most famous beach.
Cruising for a bruising
RAVAGED by rain and soaked in sea spray, Lee Taylor’s eco-cruise of Tasman Island was more like a theme park ride.
Luxury bed, breakfast and bush
SNUGGLED in beneath Queensland’s huge forest gums, Lyola Pavilions has an air of luxurious elegance that’s hard to resist.
Caught hook, line ‘n’ sinker
CHRIS Pritchard discovers a stunning hideaway off the West Australian coast where you can snorkel through coral reefs among colourful schools of tropical fish.
24 hours in Launceston
WHETHER it’s the mighty Cataract Gorge or Boags liquid gold you’ll taste the spirit of Tasmania in Launceston, says Lee Taylor.
Hot under the Hilton covers
OYSTERS, a feather tickler and Madame Lash Sydney’s Hilton Hotel knows how to get couples in a sexy mood.
Wired in Launceston
SPEEDING above Hollybank Forest on a steel cable, Lee Taylor feels the rush of Tasmania’s newest adrenalin attraction.
Super Easter escapes
FROM island retreats, to death by chocolate in Barcelona. Make the most of the Easter long weekend with these money-saving deals.
Where the river runs
THE Murray River has its ups and downs but is far from dry: Leonie Coombes savours a sojourn on the still mighty Murray in paddle-steamer heaven.
Touch of class at Ningaloo
SOAKED in shore-line luxury, the award-winning Novotel Ningaloo Resort is more than a match for its stunning surroundings.
Ride in the lap of luxury
WITH ensuites, entertainment and a lounge and bar the Indian Pacific train lets you travel across Australia in style.
Feel the love in the south
GAZING into each other’s eyes on a gondola ride or strutting the sexy salsa South Australia is the place for lovers this Valentine’s Day.
Funky towns
MT Macedon has it all: wineries, gourmet foods and respite from the summer heat – while nearby Kyneton is set to replace Daylesford as Victoria’s funkiest village.
Waiheke wined and dined
HAVING spent five days frolicking around Waiheke Island’s rolling hills, top wineries and olive groves, Sandra Killen just didn’t want to leave Auckland.
Playground for rich and famous
LUXURIOUS spa-bath penthouses with ocean views, Jacuzzi and hammock Airlie Beach is no longer just for the backpack crew, says Sally Macmillan.
Best rooms with a view
FROM breathtaking panoramas of bushland and beaches to the sun rising over Uluru Nicky Park peers out from Australia’s best rooms with a view.
Testosterone travel
NO wives. No mistresses. No girlfriends. Men of the world, cast-off your shackles and escape the domestic dungeon with Australia’s best “mancations”.
Sea-life marvels
BOASTING colourful coral outcrops, manta rays, sea turtles and millions of fish, the Great Barrier Reef’s Lady Elliot Island is a nature lover’s delight.
Live your daydreams on a staycation
STAYCATIONS can be fun, cheap and hassle-free. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Proposed Uluru climbing ban ‘dropped’
TOURISTS might be allowed to keep climbing Uluru after all with the controversial ban appearing to have been dropped.
Schoolies want adventure, not toolies
SCHOOLIES are increasingly shunning boozy beach celebrations and avoiding toolies in favour of adventure holidays.
Aussie travellers shun QLD for Victoria
FOR the first time, more Australians are visiting Victoria for a holiday than Queensland.
Pet-friendly retreat a real treat
TRAVELLING with a dog any bigger than a handbag is usually a hassle, but there are retreats perfect for you and your pal.
Sydney voted world’s best city
SYDNEY has been ranked the world’s number one city for the eighth consecutive year by a prestigious travel magazine.
New Zealand’s quirkiest town?
WITH its nude rugby, perfect woman competition and love train Dunedin is one of New Zealand’s quirkiest destinations.
Wet and mild in sea lion swim
SWIM with sea lions at South Australia’s Baird Bay and you’ll soon become a devoted fan, writes Peter Needham.
Cruising the Kimberley Coast
CRUISING across the Top End aboard the first premium superliner to be based in Australia, Barry O’Brien is mesmerised.
Town plans to build Big Ant
THE Big Barramundi, the Big Ram and the Big Cow had better watch out – the Big Meat Ant is coming to get you
Around the Reef in 80 days
WHAT’S the world’s “best job” really like? Ben Southall reveals the good, the bad and the scary side of island life.
Surf tourism booms in NSW
SURF tourism is booming in NSW, with the number of international tourists who hit the waves rising by 53 per cent over the past four years.
Balcony ban threat to spoil schoolies’ party
SCHOOLIES face being banned from balconies at apartments in a fresh crackdown on drunken and loutish behaviour.
Rock crumble not an Apostle but a Sister
A ROCK stack that crashed into the sea is not one of Twelve Apostles but part of a rock formation called the Three Sisters.
The rainforest meets the reef
PORT Douglas, where the Great Barrier Reef meets the Daintree Rainforest, may just be the ideal holiday escape.
Breaking into the zoo after hours
EXPERIENCE wildlife under the stars and close to home at Taronga Zoo’s safari slumber party.
One swell of a journey
THERE’S beauty, adventure and the odd celebrity to be found in the swells on this awesome Aussie surf safari.
A bit of Germany on our doorstep
GERMAN by name, German-Australian by nature, Hahndorf is not any run-of-the-mill village in the Adelaide Hills, writes Mike Smith.
Peninsula springs a hot one
SOAKING in a natural hot mineral spring is the ultimate way to relax, as Carmen Scaduto discovers on the Mornington Peninsula.
Run wild in Alligator Gorge
SOARING peaks, plunging ravines, pristine bushland Alligator Gorge sure is a place of enchantment, writes David Nankervis.
Surfing the markets in Noosa
GIVE the surf beach a miss and join the fresh fruit and veg set at Noosa’s new farmers’ markets.
Good oil on fine wine country
A LUXURY spa cottage is the base for Sheridan Rogers on her Mudgee adventures.
Make Sydney a breeze
MAKE Sydney your “home away from home” and stay in an apartment hotel on your next visit, writes Greg Hackett.
Luxury Gold Coast cruising
CINDY Elliott takes a less-travelled view of the Gold Coast and discovers a world of luxurious living few get to witness.
Devils creep in for the kill
GREG Clarke meets one of Tasmania’s most famous residents during a wildlife adventure on the island’s rugged northwest coast.
Flipping out for Heron Island
ISLAND life is easy on Heron Island where the birds are chirpy and the turtles take it slow, writes Tamara Mclean after a helicopter ride in.
Heaven on a houseboat
A SLOW glide along the unspoiled Clyde River aboard a floating home leaves Brian Johnston very relaxed.
Delectable Orange blossoms
A GOURMET escape to Orange in NSW’s central west and Sheridan Rogers is feasting on local produce in a region that’s fast becoming famous.
Living it up on Hinchinbrook
MYSTERIOUS, broody and almost untouched, Hinchinbrook Island doesn’t offer the standard Barrier Reef island experience, writes Alison Cotes.
Sniff out a bargain in Hobart
EAGER to overcome his fear of shopping, Lee Taylor follows the stampede of shoppers for some Salamanca Markets mayhem.
Food for the soul
ON the northern New South Wales hinterland trail, the village of Mullumbimby offers some good reasons to make a pitstop, writes Natascha Mirosch.
Barking mad not to drop in
THE Howling Dog Tavern is one of many new wining and dining options giving South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula a lift, says Brad Crouch.
Classic tastes of rainbow land
SHERIDAN Rogers experiences Lismore’s laid-back lifestyle where the mix of old country town and alternative lifestyles finds a happy balance.
Mellow out in Mullumbimby
WHEN the traffic, crowds and over-heated prices of Byron get too much, head for the hills and chill out over a chai in laidback Mullumbimby, writes Sheridan Rogers.
Holiday hideaway make-over
THREE of Queensland’s best beach holiday destinations have been transformed from unspoilt to super stylish, finds Chris Pritchard.
Soak up luxury at Qualia
HAMILTON Island’s ultra-glam resort Qualia has brought a new level of luxury to Queensland, writes Susan Kurosawa.
Hydro Majestic’s rich in history
NOSTALGIA reigns at the Hydro Majestic, the Blue Mountains’ original short break getaway, but a lick of paint and makeover is on the cards for the grand old dame.
Tale of two spas
IN Cairns and Port Douglas, scrubs, rubs, wraps and rolls are more popular than sunbaking and a swim in the sea, writes Susan Kurosawa.
Karma days surfing Wategos
THE spirit brought to Byron Bay by Kombi-driving surfers in the late 1960s lives on: Stan Denham borrows a longboard and discovers nirvana on NSW’s north coast.
Beachcombing on Rainbow
CATHY Finch braves the sand highway in a 4WD on the Sunshine Coast’s Rainbow Beach and survives to revel in the beauty of the Great Sandy National Park.
Having a highland fling
MALT whisky, trout and secret lakes make a heady mix, as Chris Viney found during a stay in a remote Australian village, perched on the edge of a 600 metre cliff.
Paradise that’s two perfect
JENNY Stevens joins the queue of couples beating a path to the northernmost island in Queensland’s Whitsunday Passage: the luxurious and romantic Hayman Island.
Hanging out in style
AFTER spooking himself at Victoria’s Hanging Rock, John Crook settles his nerves with the help of fine food, friendly locals and the charm of country life.
Bedding down colonial style
ELLEN Connolly swaps a sterile hotel room for the comfort and charm of a convict-built bed & breakfast in the heart of Sydney’s colourful and eclectic Newtown.
Go Swiss, Italian style
RICHARD Hughan steps back in time as he explores the Swiss-Italian heritage of Victoria’s Central Highlands, including the historic settlement of Lavandula.
Taste sensations a best cellar
IT’S time to rug-up and enjoy some southern hospitality, says Craig Malin, as he previews the gourmet treats of McLaren Vale’s annual Sea and Vines Festival.
Quickly, into Kings Canyon
THE Northern Territory is now more geared towards shorter stays, reports Jim Dickins after two glorious days at Kings Canyon, between Uluru and Alice Springs.
A white jewel turned grey
SALLY Macmillan can only dream about Hyams Beach’s famous white sands and enticing blue sea during a damp weekend stay in NSW’s seaside village.
Sand islands full of history
MELANIE Ball gets the bug for Queensland’s historic Moreton Bay, home to unspoiled wilderness and an island once known as the “hellhole of the Pacific”.
Manly life’s a beach
SYDNEY’s Manly typifies Australian beach culture but the seaside suburb’s restaurants are as big a drawcard as the much-loved sun, sand and surf.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-ideas/short-breaks/page/9