The House at Lizard Island; Ponant Antarctic cruise; Portarlington Grand Hotel

The ultimate Island escape, an Antarctic adventure and a hotel refresh on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.

The House Lizard Island, luxury away from it all

LIZARD ISLAND

The House at Lizard Island will this month open for guests after 25 years of approval processes, design and construction. The exclusive island on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef just 240km north of Cairns has more than 1000ha of National Park and its reef and surrounding waters are World Heritage sites. The House and neighbouring Cottage, which sleep up to eight combined, were designed by architect Robert Riddel in the 1980s and James Davidson of JDA Co. was brought on to design the final buildings and masterplan for the site. “The design concept was to not only touch the earth lightly but to recede into the landscape, hugging the slope of the hill so the physical presence of the house becomes hidden in the surroundings,” says Davidson.

Ponant Antarctic cruises go penguin spotting

PONANT

French cruising and exploring company Ponant has released the itineraries for its Antarctic sailings in 2023-2024. They includes one voyage that is focused on giving passengers a look at Emperor Penguins and another that follows in the footsteps of French explorer and polar scientist Jean-Baptiste Charcot. There’s also a 20-day cruise exploring the Falklands, South Georgia and the Valdes Peninsula ,and another just in Antarctica that crosses the legendary Drake Passage.

Portarlington Grand Hotel on the Bellarine Peninsula

PORTARLINGTON GRAND HOTEL

The historic Portarlington Grand Hotel on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula has undergone a multi-million dollar transformation, with 18 new rooms and four dining options. Melbourne-based architects Techne Architecture + Interior design are behind the new look, completely restoring the 1888-era façade and grand staircase. Portarlington is 70 minutes from the city via ferry or just under two hours by car and is surrounded by wineries and great eateries.