Mantra Lorne: Where to Stay on the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most scenic drives. A 250 km route that hangs precariously on soaring sea cliffs along Victoria’s coastline, it winds between pretty towns and beaches, all set against the backdrop of Australia’s few temperate rainforests.
Though for one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, most visitors to the area sadly see very little, and most of that through a car window. But you won’t see the best sights from your car.
While the road can technically be driven in a day, you’re doing yourself a great disservice by not setting yourself up in one of the lovely towns along the route and making that your base for several days.
Much more than a scenic highway, this region is home to a myriad of coastal tracks, rainforest trails, and hikes which connect historic seaside villages, taking in ocean views and dramatic waterfalls.
While there are several towns offering accommodation along the route, if you’re looking to stay directly on the beach, one of the best options is Mantra Lorne.
read moreThe Watson Adelaide – Your Guide to the Adelaide Art Scene
I often say that travel is an art. It’s not simply as easy as booking a plane ticket, hotel room, and tours. Art is how we express ourselves and showcase our creativity and uniqueness.
How we travel should be no different than how we paint, sculpt, dance, or sing. It’s not simply about finding a destination that inspires us, it should be an avenue for creating your own unique journey. And that’s what I love about Adelaide.
Yes, South Australia’s capital has many notable attractions, but this isn’t a city that defines itself by a top 10 list. I found Adelaide to be a city that prides itself more in offering unique travel experiences than pushing must see attractions down your throat.
Adelaide is a destination where expressing yourself is the focus, and that begins from the moment you check into The Watson Art Series Hotel. Australia is home to several Art Series Hotels; a brand which looks to provide travelers with artistic comfort to inspire a unique journey.
Oscar Wilde said that “life imitates art far more than art imitates life”. Art has the ability to alter our perception of life, so we were more than happy to let the The Watson Art Series Hotel alter our perception of Adelaide.
read moreThe 7 Best Wildlife Experiences & Natural Attractions in South Australia
No place in Australia offers such a diversity of natural landscapes than South Australia. From stunning beaches to the rugged and arid Outback, you’ll find some of Australia’s greatest natural treasures here.
And when it comes to wildlife, experience a wide variety of iconic Aussie animals in the wild by visiting places like Kangaroo Island, and come face to face with critically rare species from around the world at the Adelaide Zoo.
Adrenaline seekers can dive with great white sharks, go underground into caves filled with the remains of prehistoric beasts, explore sinkholes filled with lush gardens, and enjoy incredible underwater cave diving.
You can embark on the incredible Ghan railroad to Darwin or remain in the state to cross the Nullarbor Plain and see the Dingo Fence.
With outdoor adventure all around, the only trouble is finding enough time to experience it all. To make things easier, I give you some of South Australia’s greatest natural attractions and wildlife experiences.
read moreRed Earth Motel – The Perfect Outback Base for Discovering Broken Hill
Growing up in Australia in the 90s, my knowledge of Broken Hill came about from the cult film Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Being only five years old I may not have fully understood the plot line at the time; of two drag queens who make their way across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs, but I do remember it being both comical and colourful.
Much like Priscilla, I had only ever passed through Broken Hill briefly en route to Alice Springs to witness Uluru. However, this year I decided that needed to change.
A town named by the early explorer Charles Sturt, for he wrote in his diary that the site looked like a Broken Hill, this year we based ourselves in town for a couple of days.
Made famous by mining, Broken Hill has become the capital of Outback Australia. While I had always thought of the town as a quick stopover, I would end up being pleasantly surprised at the many offerings the town has along with the beautiful landscapes that surround it.
Red Earth Motel proved to be the perfect luxury Outback base.
read moreThings to do in Mildura
Set on the banks of the Murray River and the edge of the outback, Mildura is what you get when you combine all the charm and hospitality of a small town with the seemingly limitless offerings of a major city.
A harmonious blend that goes down as well as fine wine (something Mildura also knows a thing about), it’s no wonder Melbournians look to Mildura as an escape from the hectic chaos of gridlocked traffic, never-ending construction, and overcrowding.
Embraced by the beautiful Murray River, Mildura is a multifaceted destination that offers abundant outdoor recreation (both on and off the water), stunning outback landscapes, a bustling food scene, and incredible wildlife experiences.
To visit Mildura is to experience life as it was meant to be. It’s life simplified, yet adventurous and exciting at the same time. See why Mildura has become one of our favorite Australian escapes. Create your itinerary off the following things to do.
read moreYour Guide to a Suite Stay in Canberra: Review of Pacific Suites
Having recently been named one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 cities for 2018, Canberra has been receiving a lot of hype and attention.
Rare among Australia’s large cities in that it isn’t situated along the coast, Canberra is instead flanked by wild nature reserves where iconic wildlife roams, surrounded by wine country, and picturesquely nestled alongside Australia’s highest alpine peaks.
The well thought out and completely planned city may be nearly a 2 hour’s drive from the closest beach, but we found Canberra to offer more than enough excitement within the city to keep us entertained and not needing sand beneath our feet.
With a perfectly positioned base for exploring Australia’s bush capital in Pacific Suites Canberra, go behind the political scenes and discover a beautiful city surrounded by the calls of bushland wildlife that easily drowns out the shouting of MPs!
read moreMantra Albury Hotel: A Sophisticated Stop Between Melbourne and Sydney
For anyone considering an Australian road-trip, the first thing you’ll discover is that driving from Melbourne to Sydney or vice versa makes for a very long day.
The drive is nearly nine hours of dodging kangaroos on the road and literally counting sheep (to fall asleep if you’re a passenger, or, if you’re the one driving, to keep yourself entertained!).
Though thankfully, there is an easy way to avoid driver fatigue.
The solution is Albury.
To our surprise, for a city known as a convenient overnight stay, Albury proved to be far more than the quick stopover point we thought it was.
What we found was a city where the great Australian bush and meets modern urban sophistication. Where we stayed was the stunning Mantra Albury.
read moreThe Best (& Most Inspiring) Waterfalls to Visit in Tasmania
Living in Tasmania means I have well over 200 waterfalls to choose from that are scattered all across this wild and rugged island state.
While they may not be as massive or notable as Iguazu, Niagara, or Victoria Falls; the many cascades of Tasmania can be enjoyed in peace without the mass attention and tourism more popular waterfalls are flooded with.
Many of Tasmania’s most loved waterfalls are easily accessible and can be reached by short easy hikes. Others require a bit more stamina and navigation to reach, while some are just plain secretive and a bit of a challenge to experience.
Here are the top falls you’re sure to fall in love with.
read moreTasmania’s Cradle of Wildlife: A Cradle Mountain Hotel Adventure
Ask any resident or visitor to Tasmania about the biggest highlight of the island and most will say Cradle Mountain. Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park makes up part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, which is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia. Home to a wide array of rare and endemic plants and animals, it showcases the best nature and wildlife Tasmania has to offer.
According to latest statistics, half of all travelers to Tasmania come to see its wildlife and many natural attractions. Most travellers place Cradle Mountain on their itinerary due to its ease of access and range of facilities available.
The Cradle Mountain Hotel offers the chance to take in this wild and rugged natural Aussie icon in comfort and luxury. Our own personal Cradle Mountain Hotel experience was one we will never forget and already has us planning our next getaway to this remarkable part of Tasmania.
read moreColors of Tasmania’s Tulip Season: Visiting Table Cape Tulip Farm, Wynyard
Every year during September and October, tulip season in Tasmania is one of the most spectacular draws to the Cradle Coast.
A tulip farm atop a 12 million year old volcano, Table Cape Tulip Farm features acres of patchwork fields that fly into a rage of color each spring.
Unsurprisingly, people come from far and wide to see this spectacle, and delight in wandering through the farm. In fact, these are the largest tulip fields in the Southern Hemisphere that you can actually wander in.
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