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 IT'S THE CAPITAL OF

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visitnoosa.com.au
 CONTENTS Issue 076 August – October 2017

G ETAWAYS
086 PA R A D I S E I N T H E PA L M S
The majestic beauty of Lord Howe Island.
096 R A I N FO R E ST ROYALT Y
Paronella Park, Queensland’s fairy-tale castle.
102 LET IT BEE
P H O T O G R A P H Y: B R O O K J A M E S

On the leatherwood honey trail in Tasmania.

112 EVERYBODY LOVES THE SUNS H I N E
Culture-seeking in sunny Maroochydore.
122 R E PL E N I SH , E AT A N D R E P E AT
Visiting Daylesford, the town with it all.
128 C OA S TAL C L I M E S
Walking in the Tasmanian wilderness.
 TM

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 102
122
128
112

28
CONTENTS ISSUE 076 AUGUST–OCTOBER 2017
86
S H O RTCU TS
018 W I S H YO U WE R E H E R E 058 H A RV EST MO O N
Cape Dombey Obelisk, SA Broome’s Shinju Matsuri festival
020 T R AV E L B U Z Z 062 H IP H O O D
The lowdown on the latest in travel The lowdown on Sydney’s Chippendale
024 WINE & DINE 066 NAT IV E FLAVO UR S
Delicious news from the culinary world Camp tucker nights in the Top End
026 PI L L OW TA L K 072 ROCKS AND ROLL
Hot hotel openings across the country Walking the Rocks to Barangaroo
028 STYLE SEEKER 076 DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT S UBS CR IBE TO WIN:
Spring into bloom with all shades of pink Ocean-to-plate on the Far South Coast Subscribe to Australian Traveller for
030 O N T H E ME N U 078 CHEAP AND CHIC your chance to win a two-night
How to be a better diner Stylish stays for under $250 per night stay for four at Bells at Killcare,
032

P H O T O G R A P H Y: B R O O K J A M E S ( B E E S ) ; K A R A R O S E N L U N D
FA M I LY T R AV E L

( M A R O O C H Y D O R E ) ; I M O G E N E V E S O N ( TA S M A N I A ) ; N I K K I
valued at $3300. Turn to page 70.
When your tots become teens CULT U RE
034 H OT L I S T 144 INNER BEAUT Y
C ONGRATULATIONS TO O UR
Libraries designed by architects Osteria Oggi, Adelaide, SA SUBSC RIP TION P RIZE W I NNE R
036 T R AV E L T R E N D 147 O NE FINE DAY FROM ISSUE #75
Switching off from work on holiday Getting to know the Margaret River Jamie Hartcher of Branxton, New South Wales,
has won a luxury getaway to Halcyon House,
038 PE O PL E ’S C H OI C E town of Cowaramup, WA valued at $3500.
Tell us what you love for your chance 148 W H AT IT ’S R EA LLY LIKE…
to win a Wolgan Valley escape to be a shoemaker
042 REWIND 150 P R IZES
TO (LORD HOW E I S L AN D)

The golden age of flying boats Win a dream camping holiday

151 WA LKA BO UT B RO O M E ’ S
F E S T I VA L
OF F OOD

W EEKEND S
A N D F U N

MAROOCHYDORE
Rick Stein gives us his travel tips and why GETS ITS TIME
IN THE SUN

ON THE
050 REVIEWS he fell in love with Australia COVER THE TOTA LLY ACHIEVA BLE

The Ultimo, Sydney, NSW 152 W H AT ’S O N Location: BUCK ET

LIST
Alexandra
TH AT S R IGH T

Nour, Sydney, NSW Food festivals and cultural happenings U NDER YOU R NOSE!

Headland, Qld
Tribe, Perth, WA 154 LET ’S GO … Photographer: +
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to escape with all of your friends?
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to stay together.
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accommodation in mind, our large 2 and
3 bedroom suites feature well-appointed
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to ensure all have the room to relax and
enjoy time-out from reality.

The kids will stay entertained with

complimentary high-speed and unlimited
Wi-Fi, accessible from all areas of the hotel,
while Foxtel channels are available on all
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meritonsuites.com.au.
 Editor’s letter

CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT:
Discover coffee and
surf in Maroochydore
(p112); Take a
white-knuckle
wilderness tour around
Tasman Island (p128);
Explore the dramatic
beauty of Lord Howe IT’S HARD TO DEFINE what constitutes a bucket list-worthy
Island on p86; Head to destination or experience. The whole concept depends on a traveller’s
Broome for its festival individual interests, as well as how they travel and what they want to see
of the pearl, Shinju
Matsuri, on p58. and do. All too often these lists are crammed full of things that they will
never get around to realising. And what’s the point of that? So, putting
this issue together, with its bucket list theme, presented an interesting
proposition. Instead of making assumptions about destinations needing
to be far-flung or restrictively expensive, we approached it from a

( L O R D H O W E I S L A N D ) ; T O U R I S M TA S M A N I A & P E N N I C O T T W I L D E R N E S S
different point of view. The result is a collection of must-see-and-do

P H O T O G R A P H Y: K A R A R O S E N L U N D ( M A R O O C H Y D O R E ) ; L A R A P I C O N E
destinations and experiences that are relatively easy to access,
surprisingly affordable and, in many cases, right under your nose. From
the Sunshine Coast’s retro holiday hotspot that’s rich for rediscovery
(Everybody loves the sunshine, page 112) to Victoria’s ultimate short break
destination that you have probably never got around to taking a short
break in but absolutely should (Replenish, eat and repeat, page 122) to a
breathtaking walk along Tasmania’s untamed coast that offers up views
that would rival anything else seen in the world (Coastal climes, page 128)
to a unique island idyll that is just under two hours’ flight time from
Sydney (Paradise in the palms, page 86). We have hunted down authentic

J O U R N E Y S ( TA S M A N I S L A N D C R U I S E )
Australian experiences in the outback, journeyed to Broome to explore
the heritage of its long-running festival of the pearl (Harvest moon, page 58)
and checked out some of the chicest hotels around the country for under
$250 per night (Cheap & chic, page 78). All in all, a bucket list that you
can – and we hope will – work your way through in the coming months.
And this issue is also your chance to tell us where you’ve been in the
last 12 months as part of our annual People’s Choice Awards (page 38).
We love to hear about your travel experiences, where you’ve been, what
you’ve seen and where you are dreaming of next. And just by doing so
you’ll be in the running to stay at the amazing Emirates One&Only
Wolgan Valley, another bucket list experience well within your reach.
Enjoy!

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12 AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM
 EDITORIAL
Editorial director LEIGH-ANN POW
Acting deputy editor DANIEL DOWN
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ART
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INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLER
Editor LEIGH-ANN POW
Senior account manager MICHELLE HOGAN
All rights reserved. No material published in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in
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Alpine Printing, 42 Boorea Street, Lidcombe, NSW 2141. Price in Australia: $9.95 inc GST
(recommended & maximum price only).

Oops! In issue 75 on p57, the copy for cafe Bury Me Standing should read thus: Entrepreneurial
baker Alesha Peckels serves up delicious traditional breads, including varieties from Minnesota
and a secret bagel recipe from her husband Cohen. You’ll find her bakery-cum-cafe down an
unassuming side street (104 Bathurst Street). We suggest grabbing a seat in the sun with a
coffee and a lemon cake with lemon syrup, Alesha’s grandmother’s recipe.
And in issue 75 on p52, it’s incorrectly stated that the folks at The Farm are the brains behind
Flour Water Salt, whereas it’s solely the efforts and business of Kirsty and Joost Hilkemeijer.

Australian Traveller is printed by Offset Alpine Printing under ISO14001 Environmental Certification.
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 Australiantraveller.com – get to PLACES that you’ve never
EVEN HEARD of before; before EVERYONE ELSE does…

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EVENING IN STYLE? CHECK OUT THE PICK OF OUR CITIES’
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IN TWO MINUTES
Twelve incredible hours in Sydney
abridged into one highlight reel that
leaves all the noise, crowds and boring
bits well and truly behind.
S E E FAC E B O O K . C O M /

AU S T T R AV E L L E R

T H E G R E AT D R O N E NEW DIGITA L
MISADVENTURE EDITION
It’s not as easy as you might think RECEIVE TRAVEL INSPIRATION
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TO THE COOK ISLANDS
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of Pacific Resort Hotel Group, Air Rarotonga and Air New Zealand?
Enter your favourite travel photo via australiantraveller.com/yourshot
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14 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
Sensations
of Kangaroo
Island
Tours
New luxury food commence
& wine tours September
2017

Packages
include return
flights, transfers,
accommodation,
activities & all dining
See it. Feel it. Taste it. Hear it. Embrace it. experiences.
Spend three days indulging your every sense.
Embrace the luxury coastal accommodation staying at LifeTime Private Retreats
and combine gourmet delights with award-winning local wines and spirits, all in some
of Kangaroo Island’s most inspiring locations.
3 Day Sensations of Spring and Summer Tours from $2,644pp* from Adelaide. Includes:
• Indulgent dining experiences include dinner in a rustic shearing shed, breakfast in a beachside taverna and brunch in the
fairytale setting of the 150 year-old Enchanted Fig Tree (summer only), hosted by catering specialists Hannaford & Sachs
• Exclusive vineyard and winery tour with private barrel room tastings at The Islander Estate Vineyard
• Join local chef Tony Nolan, of Latitude 36, for lunch in his farm kitchen for a home-cooked feast, local island produce cook-
ing tips and some ‘island-life’ stories
• Visit KI Spirits Distillery, Island Pure Sheep Dairy, Island Beehive, Emu Bay, Stokes Bay and much more

*Conditions apply. Return flights from Adelaide only. Price valid to 31 March 2018. Selected departures throughout spring and summer.
Autumn and Winter itineraries will differ. Minimum numbers apply. See website for details. ABN 69 007 122 367.

Call +61 8 8553 0386

Email kireservations@kiodysseys.com.au
Visit kangarooislandodysseys.com.au
SHORTCUTS
news . pillow talk . style seeker . on the menu . hot list . rewind

SPICERS POTTS POINT

Set within a row of
Victorian terrace houses,
the latest retreat from
Spicers frames Sydney
heritage in a contemporary
light. See page 26.
W I S H Y O U
CAPE DOMBEY OBELISK
THIS QUIRKY landmark is a local legend
in Robe, on the Limestone Coast, but is in
danger of falling into the ocean at any given
moment. Photographer Michael Wee captured
it on a bright day, its red and white striped livery
contrasting vibrantly against a coastal palette.
The Cape Dombey Obelisk was built as a
warning beacon for seafarers in 1855, after
a significant spike in the number of ships that
ran into trouble on the cliffs: it was visible from
16 kilometres away and guided fishermen and
their vessels into Robe’s port safely. Since then,
it has become a lasting symbol of community
W E R E H E R E
SOUTH AUSTR ALIA
heritage in the small town, as well as a tourist
drawcard. But over its 162-year life, the
headland it was built on has been gradually
washed away by surf and wind, and now the
obelisk is at real risk of falling into the waves
below at any moment: next week, next year
or in 30 years’ time. Due to its method
of construction – small stones that were
lime mortared together – it’s not even feasible
to relocate the obelisk for posterity.
So, see it now before it is too late: the
ill-fated star attraction on a bracing coastal
walk, in an idyllic stretch of South Australia.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: M I C H A E L W E E
SHORTCUTS | Wish you were here

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 19
 SHORTCUTS | Travel buzz

Embrace the SEASON or 1

long for SUMMER, and take
note of the LATEST
luxurious, EXCITING or
OUTLANDISH happenings 3

across the COUNTRY.

4

7
WILD AND LUXE
If glamping in the wilds is your thing, then 10
pack your bags for Wildfest’s three-day festival
package, held on a private property in Joadja, 9
Southern Highlands, between 27–29 October. 8
This relaxing weekend in the bush includes a
luxury tent (with 900-thread count sheets),
walks, wildlife-spotting and the chance to
indulge in fine cuisine, spirits distilled on-site
and local cool climate wines. wildfest.com.au

PACK A BAG
INSTA-RETRO TIM E TO WANDE R

P A C K A B A G P H O T O G R A P H Y: G U Y B A I L E Y. S T Y L I N G : A N I TA

A R C H I T E C T S ( I S A B E L L E T O L A N D A N D A M E L I A H O L L I D AY )
J O KO V I C H . P H O T O G R A P H Y: P E T R I N A T I N S L AY ( R E B E C C A
FIRST THERE WERE POLAROID-STYLE INSTANT
Planning on exploring some wide open spaces on foot? There’s no

YA Z B E K ) ; B R E T T B O A R D M A N ( T H E P O O L : A R C H I T E C T U R E ,
C AMERAS, THEN THERE WERE SMARTPHONES.
need to sacrifice on style when you pack these statement pieces...

C U LT U R E A N D I D E N T I T Y, E X H I B I T I O N B Y A I L E E N S A G E
NOW THERE’S THE INSTAX
SQUARE SQ10 FROM FUJIFILM.
SHOOT WITH THE BENEFITS OF 1. PE Nation ‘Man Down’ JACKET, $179. pe-nation.com 2. Adorn Bulgarian
DIGITAL, BEFORE PRINTING Rosewater HYDRATING MIST, $50. adorncosmetics.com.au 3. Aldi WATER BOTTLE,
YOUR SHOTS ON $7.99. aldi.com.au 4. Kathmandu ‘Kenn Gypsum II’ BOOTS, $215.95. kathmandu.
INSTAGRAM-SHAPED INSTANT
com.au 5. Banjo The Carob Bear SNACK, $1.15. the-carob-kitchen-australia.
FILM. PERFECT FOR THOSE OF
US TORN BETWEEN OUR
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sleeveless TOP, $14.90. uniqlo.com

T R AV E L B U Z Z
 C L E V E R
Q&A
R E B E CC A YA Z B E K
The co-founder of Sydney restaurant, Nomad, which she runs with her husband
Al, tells us how her design background is channelled into its every detail.
What was your inspiration behind
the interior look of Nomad?
We were looking for a space for Nomad for
two years until we finally secured Foster
Street – a Surry Hills warehouse dating back
to the 1800s. Stripping back the interiors,
which was white plasterboard walls and
ceiling, to reveal the history and bones of the
space was an absolute revelation. I wanted
the space to feel warm and for the materials
to be tactile to reflect the beauty of the
history of the space. I wanted Nomad to be
quintessentially Australian, showcasing
Australian artisan design and workmanship
without being ‘themed’.
What was it like working so closely
with your husband on the project?
We have very different skill sets. He is a
builder by trade and with my background in
design we had a clear delineation of what he
was charged with and what I was. Still today
we have our different strengths and
weaknesses and luckily they are
complementary – most of the time!
Was taking your passion for
interior design into the realm of
food and wine a natural
progression for you?
My husband was a restaurateur when we met.
None of my friends were surprised when we
started dating and it did feel like a natural
progression when we started the process of
coming up with a concept and executing the
build of Nomad.
It was driving to
the opening with
staff and
customers that
was the daunting
part for me,
although food and
wine have always
A U S S I E S
WALK IN STYLE
WALK INTO LUXURY HA S L AUN CH E D
ITS FIRST ITINERARY ON T H E
B IB B ULMUN TRACK, IN T H E A L B A N Y /
been my absolute passion, turning this into a DENMA RK REGION OF WA . T H E
career has been a huge learning curve. BIBBULMUN WALK – ALBANY & D E N M A R K
Does your design influence filter ICONS COVERS 43 KILOM E T R E S OV E R
down to the level of the FOUR DAYS, TA KING IN CL I FF- TO PS,
COASTLINE, B AYS AND B USH L A N D. A N D
glassware, cutlery and crockery? AT NIGHT, WA LKERS A RE H O ST E D I N
Yes, we had a few delays with council GORGEOUS ACCOMMODAT I O N A L O N G
approvals and the like with getting Nomad THE WAY INCLUDING TH E BO UT I Q UE
open so I did have the luxury of time when it B EACH HOUSE AT B AYSID E . G O UR M E T
FOOD A ND W INE EXPER I E N CE S A R E
came to the small details that really have an
PAR FOR THE COURSE O N T H I S L UXURY
impact on our diners. The crockery was all WALK. WAL K IN TOL UX URY. CO M. AU
designed and handmade by local potter
Malcolm Greenwood. The colour palette
and organic shapes of all of our plateware was
a reflection of what I was after for the look A BIGGER SPLASH
and feel of our restaurant. The Pool: Architecture, Culture
What’s your favourite NOMAD dish? and Identity will see an 11-metre-long
Our house-made haloumi. The pool installed in The Ian Potter Centre:
accompaniments change with the season but
NGV Australia, as a celebration of one
the actual cheese, which is made by our chefs
daily, I still can’t get enough of.
of our greatest cultural symbols. The
What do you love about the exhibition made its debut at the 2016
smaller producers you use? Venice Architecture Biennale, where it
Smaller producers have a story behind what attracted 100,000 visitors. Dip your
they do and a passion for what they create. toes in from 18 August. ngv.vic.gov.au
Whether it be a milk producer from the
Hawkesbury area north of Sydney or a wine
producer from Beechworth Victoria, there
are so many people producing incredible
products that deserve to be celebrated.
Have you got any plans for Nomad
going forward?
Always planning! We have changed our menu
and wine list for the winter and there is no
better place to be on a cold blustering night
than our dining room with wood-roasted
pork and a cheeky glass of red from Canberra.
other ventures on the horizon?
We are looking at opportunities but it has
to be the right move. We waited two years
for our warehouse in Surry Hills. We are
willing to wait for the next right move.
nomadwine.com.au
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 21
 SHORTCUTS | Travel buzz

SUMMER LONGING
THE WO R K O F S Y D N EY- B AS ED P HOTO GRAP HER AKILA B ERJAOUI W ILL
HAVE YO U L O N GI N G F O R S U MMERS PAS T ( AND TO C O ME). HER FIRST
BOO K , T H E L AS T D AYS OF S U MME R, IS P U BLIS HED BY P RESTEL A ND
examines the beauty and significance of the land through the
C A P T U R E S S U N - D R E NC HED S C ENES AT HO ME AND ABROA D – C A PRI,
SOU T H O F F R A N C E , B RAZ IL – IN GO RGEO U S GRAIN AND RETRO HUES.
BE RJAO U I S H O OT S P ERS O NAL WO RK O N F ILM, REC ALLING THE GLAM
AND LANGUOROUS PHOTOGRAPHY OF SLIM AARONS MI XED W ITH A
D OS E O F LAT E ’ 7 0 S A ND EARLY ’ 80S AU S TRALIAN BEAC H CULTURE; A
TI M E T H AT – W I T H I T S C O LO U RS , LANDS C AP ES AND P EOPLE, SHE SAYS
– WA S U N A P O L O GE T I C ALLY REAL. A KILA B E RJ AOU I. ME
FIVE THINGS TO SEE…
AT S T A L B A N S W R I T E R S ’ F E S T I VA L
One weekend in
September will see the
GALLERY NEWS:
A L L T H I N G S G R E AT
AND SMALL
Indigenous art Perth’s Six Seasons Gallery, part of the
Art Gallery of Western Australia and named after the
Noongar six seasons, is now open: an Indigenous-focused
space dedicated to the display and interpretation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Its opening
exhibition, Outside: Matters of the heart in Indigenous art,
eyes of Aboriginal artists. artgallery.wa.gov.au
Grand plans Sydney is set to have its arts game
significantly raised when the Art Gallery of NSW’s
extension is completed – slated to be in time for the gallery’s
150 year anniversary celebrations in 2021. A cash injection
of $224 million from the NSW government has been
confirmed for the project, Sydney Modern, and will see
the gallery double in size. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
Small packages Canberra’s newest gallery is also its
smallest. The gallery of small things (GOST) opens on 27
September to showcase the works of emerging artists and

S I X S E A S O N S G A L L E RY A R T W O R K : S H A N E P I C K E T T, S I X S E A S O N S : A S U I T E O F P R I N T S 2 0 0 5 – 2 0 0 6 ( D E TA I L ) ,
secluded village of St makers including textiles, ceramics, paintings, photography
Albans – nestled on the and jewellery. facebook .com/galleryofsmallthings
upper reaches of the
Hawkesbury – become a
dynamic cultural hub.
A small festival now in its
third year, its program is
eclectic. Here’s our pick of
the bunch. stalbanswriters
festival.com.au
1. SIMMONE LOGUE: DINNER WITH THE WRITERS Catering guru
Simmone Logue will cook up a storm, while a selection of writers on the

S TAT E A R T C O L L E C T I O N , A R T G A L L E RY O F W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A
festival bill discuss their favourite food writing.
2. THE 1836 DINNER At the heart of historic St Albans is its convict-built
pub, the Settlers Arms Inn, which was first established in 1836. Considering
what might have been eaten at the inn during that time, Jacqui Newling,
Sydney Living Museums’ gastronomer, has created an authentic menu for
guests to tuck into, and will give historical insight before and during the dinner.
3. FESTIVAL FILM NIGHT: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Director George Miller
will introduce a screening of his film Mad Max: Fury Road and take part in a
Q&A session. Simmone Logue is on picnic dinner duties.
4. GEORGE GITTOES: BLOOD MYSTIC In support of his autobiography,
Blood Mystic, artist George Gittoes will tell tales of his colourful life. From his
childhood in Sydney and experience working with Andy Warhol in New York,
and from creating Sydney’s Yellow House with artist Martin Sharp to his
latter-day work as an eye witness in the world’s conflict zones, he’ll share all
in conversation with Catherine du Peloux Menagé.
5. MADELINE GLEESON: BEHIND THE WIRE ON MANUS AND NAURU
Lawyer and author Madeline Gleeson speaks to Michael Brissenden about
her book, Behind the wire on Manus and Nauru, and research, which examine
what has been happening on Manus Island and Nauru since offshore
processing began, and what life in these centres is like for asylum seekers.

22 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 N TS
Y 4 R 3Tents)* free
TA FOe Eco r stays
S AYDelux unde
P our 2 or
(in ild 1
h
1c

• Deluxe & dorm style Eco Tents & cabins

• Outback style alfresco restaurant & bar
• Campgrounds with BBQ & showers / WC
• Guided coach gorge tours, adventure tours
(in season)
AT LOVES: ALAN WALSH
A L I T T LE B I T P O P ART, A LITTLE ART DEC O, ALAN WALSH
• Easy access - only 3km of unsealed road
C R E AT E S B O LD, C OLO U RF U L P RINTS THAT S P RING OFF
TH E PAG E . H I S LAT E S T C O LLEC TIO N IS S YDNEY- INS P IRED,
(via Bunjima drive)
W I T H D E S I GN S T HAT RIF F O N THE C ITY’ S EAS TERN
SU B U R B N E I G H B O URHO O DS . C HO O S E BETWEEN BEACHY
BO N D I , B RO N T E A ND C LOVELLY, HARBO U RS IDE DO UB LE
B AY O R U R B A N PADDINGTO N. A LA N-WA LS H . COM

M O N A’ S M E G A H OT E L
Grand plans are afoot in the Mona camp, with founder
David Walsh unveiling his intentions for the Hobart
museum’s next phase. Early designs have been released
for a $300 million, 172-room, five-star hotel to be built ecoretreat
next to the museum. The hotel – which looks set to be
an outlandish new Tasmanian landmark overhanging
karijini
the River Derwent – will include a spa treatment Karijini National Park, Western Australia
centre, public library, outside stage, restaurant and bar,
auditorium and retail spaces. mona.net.au E: reservations@karijiniecoretreat.com.au
T: (08) 9425 5591
www.karijiniecoretreat.com.au
*Subject to availability. Conditions apply. Valid until 31st Oct 2017.
 FUN IN THE SUN
Husband and wife duo Charlie Ranken and
Stephanie Harris are bringing the unique
flavours – and exuberant colour – of the
Caribbean and American Gulf Coast to
Melbourne with the opening of Saint Lucia.
WHY CARIBBEAN FOOD? On a trip through
the Caribbean and the southern US we were
blown away by this exciting, flavoursome cuisine!
We were surprised there wasn’t a bigger
representation of it back in Melbourne and we
thought, we’ve got to share this with people!
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR FIRST
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE FLAVOURS OF
THE CARIBBEAN. We spent the trip tasting and
trying as many dishes and flavours as possible,
speaking to locals and chefs, absorbing as much
as we could about this amazing cuisine. From
there we set about developing a concept that
incorporated a modern interpretation of the
dishes and flavours we’d fallen in love with.
HOW ARE YOU MAKING THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CUISINE

P H O T O G R A P H Y: G U Y B A I L E Y ( C O C K TA I L ) , A N I TA J O KO V I C H ( C O F F E E C O N E ) N I K K I T O ( S TA N T O N & C O . )
UNIQUE AT SAINT LUCIA? We try to
incorporate a playful and fun element to the
dishes, given our inspiration comes from a
holiday through the region! One of our favourites
is the Kokomo Kone; we were thinking of foods
that evoke the idea of being on a holiday and an
ice-cream cone came to mind. We thought, let’s
KITSCH IN THE KITCHEN do something unexpected with this; how about a
Fans of Italian food, and pizza in particular, should make sure Agostinis is top of the list for
savoury version? The final product is a handmade
places to dine in Canberra. The newly opened eatery is part of East Hotel, already home to the
‘sunset’ waffle cone filled with jerk barbecue
wonderful Joe’s Bar, and is an ode to the Italian heritage of brother and sister owners Dan and glazed fried chicken, slaw, charred corn, lime
Dion Bisa. “My mother is an incredible Italian cook and she was taught by her parents, so we have mayo and candied scotch bonnet pieces.
been fortunate to be surrounded by really authentic Italian food our whole lives,” says Dion. WHAT QUINTESSENTIAL CARIBBEAN DISH
“What we envisioned was a beautiful, inviting space, with all the [designer] Kelly Ross magic, DOES EVERYONE NEED TO EAT AT LEAST
that would be gorgeous but accessible to all.” Using the family’s heritage as inspiration, Ross has ONCE? Jerk chicken! It’s so flavoursome, a great

created a kooky, ’80s-inspired décor, with a stonework feature wall with gold highlights, terracotta balance of heat, sweet, spice and smoke. For us it
wasn’t just the flavour but the whole experience.
tiles, leopard print booths, and hand-dyed shibori-style ropes dangling from the ceiling replicating
There were aspects that were so familiar to us:
home-made pasta hung out to dry. Young Romano chef Francesco Balestrieri delivers a simple the chicken is cooked on an outdoor barbecue;
menu full of flavour. Don’t miss the frico, a typical dish from the Friuli region, with paper thin it’s a casual and social vibe; everyone’s enjoying
layers of Montasio cheese and potato melted into a delicious chewy slice. agostinis.com.au the warm evening air; you’ve just stepped off the
beach with sand in your thongs. The dish itself is
quite unassuming then you take a bite and pow!

wine & dine

THE DÉCOR AT SAINT LUCIA IS SO MUCH
FUN, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?
We wanted to create a warm, welcoming and
comfortable place that inspires the idea of being
on a holiday without relying on the typical ‘tiki’
styling. You’ll find lush greenery, natural materials
like wood and rattan, distinctive colours found
A SMORGASBOARD of new restaurants plying in the Caribbean and keepsakes from our travels.
GLOBAL CUISINES, including Caribbean and Filipino Quite often we’ll hear customers point to
something and say “that reminds me of our holiday
food, plus COFFEE IN CONES and cocktails. to…”; we love that. saintluciawindsor.com.au
 SHORTCUTS | Wine & dine
ONE FOR THE ROAD
The cocktails that put the
most considered Australian
craft spirits to good use, with
recipes from the best bartenders
in the country.
THE RECIPE
COMPLEXION
30ml Mr Black
30ml Oscar 697 Vermouth Rosso
20ml Calle 23 Blanco Tequila
10ml Campari
Stir, strain into a coupette, garnish
with an orange twist.
We all love an espresso martini, but there is another way to sneak a caffeine hit into your evening
soirée while also becoming something of a trailblazer for fine coffee liqueurs. Mr Black is crafted at
a small distillery on the NSW Central Coast, using cold-pressed, single-origin beans from Ethiopia,
Brazil and Papua New Guinea. Drop into the cosy bar at Annata in Sydney’s Crows Nest, and
bartender Christian Blair will arrange an introduction. “This variation on a negroni uses Mr Black
Cold Drip Coffee Liqueur as the driving flavour,” he says. “Cold drip is said to highlight more floral
flavours from the coffee it’s made with, so in this instance sweet vermouth is added to intensify the
dark fruit character, Campari to enhance the bitterness, and tequila to bring up the sweetness.”
TREND:
COFFEE IN A CONE
Australians pride themselves on being early
adopters when it comes to all things coffee
related, which could be why they’re going
nuts for the latest improbable caffeine craze:
coffee in a cone. The act of drinking your
favourite hot liquid from a vessel designed
to hold cold, semi-solid ice-cream is made
possible by the waffle cone being lined with
layers of dark chocolate that slowly melts
into the coffee, infusing it with a rich
chocolatey flavour. Kind of like milk and
cookies with a kick – just make sure you
grab a napkin too.
HOT TICKET
MARGARET RIVER’S ANNUAL GOURMET ESC APE
RETURNS TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S CULINARY
GROUND ZERO FROM 16-19 NOVEMBER WITH A
PROGRAM OF FOOD AND WINE EVENTS AND
HEADLINING CHEFS AND FOODIES. TICKETS ARE
ON SALE NOW; DON’T RISK BEING DISAPPOINTED.
GOURMETESC APE.COM.AU
HOT OPENINGS
Smallfry
Fish ‘n’ chips come with a Japanese
twist – and a side order of funky
design thanks to Matiya Marovic´ of
SANS-ARC STUDIO’S clever fit-out – at
Smallfry, restaurateurs Jack Lim and
Nick Wang’s pocket rocket restaurant
on Adelaide’s Waymouth Street. The
menu includes traditional battered
fish, as well as panko crumbed
oysters, a karaage chicken burger,
sashimi and Japanese rice as a side.
facebook.com/smallfryseafood
Stanton & Co.
With New York’s Meatpacking District
as inspiration, PARLOUR GROUP are set
to open Stanton & Co., a 300-seat bar
and restaurant that will join the roster
at THE CANNERY in the Sydney suburb
of Rosebery from October. Chef
Regan Porteous (pictured top, far right)
will oversee a mod-Australian menu
with Japanese influences.
Annam Restaurant Bar
PHO NOM chef Jerry Mai brings her
unique take on the food of Vietnam
to the heart of the city with the
opening of Annam (a name for
Vietnam used prior to 1945) on Little
Bourke Street in Melbourne. The
100-seat eatery features an open
kitchen with a charcoal grill to infiltrate
the menu, which draws on her
Vietnamese and Cambodian heritage.
It’s expected to open by late August.
Lolo and Lola
Filipino food has been getting a bit of
attention of late as a cuisine worth
watching, so the opening of Lolo and
Lola in Watson, Canberra, is of note.
Owners Kim Cudia, Jay Prieto and
Cristina Uy have graduated from selling
their ensaymadas – traditional sweet
buns topped with butter cream and
cheddar cheese – from a market stall
to a shipping container and now to a
fully fledged restaurant, with a rotating
menu of share plates. loloandlola.com.au
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 25
 SHORTCUTS | Pillow talk

THE FRONT DESK

Chris McKeown, concierge at

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL,
THE MARINA CAIRNS,
shares his top tips for families
and adventure-seekers when in
A storied history the sun-drenched Far North
The lofty MACq 01, situated at the water’s edge of Queensland city. shangri-la.com
the Derwent River on a dock in Hobart’s old wharf
area, taps into the desire of visitors to go beyond A REEF TRIP T I P Quicksilver’s
Silverswift is a great trip for

pillow talk
typical short-break pursuits and be immersed in the
storied history of the island state. The property has divers and snorkellers; you
fashioned itself as the country’s first ‘storytelling get to see three different
hotel’, where the generous, colour-infused rooms, outer reef sites and spend a
considered culinary offering and funky public minimum of five hours out
Spend the NIGHT in the spaces share equal billing with the resident Master on the Reef! It leaves from
right next door to the hotel.
latest, greatest and most Storyteller and his staff of full-time storytellers,
silverseries.com.au
who weave an evocative picture of the characters
FABULOUS NEW STAYS and events that shaped the city. macq01.com.au FAMILY FUN Hartley’s Creek
Crocodile Adventures [40
in the country. kilometres north of Cairns]
is educational and fun for
the whole family, with wildlife
I N T H E B OX S E AT presentations, lots of local
The Chen, Art Series Hotel Group’s eighth offering, will wildlife including cassowaries
form part of Whitehorse Towers in the up-and-coming and dingos, and a boat cruise
Melbourne neighbourhood of Box Hill. Featuring the to see the crocs.
crocodileadventures.com
works of Chinese Australian artist Zhong Chen, whose

vibrant art perfectly reflects the ethnic diversity of the
area, the hotel will boast 100 rooms and a rooftop pool.
Due to open in November. artserieshotels.com.au
RIGHT TO THE POINT
A row of graceful Victorian townhouses dating
from 1880 has been transformed into the latest
boutique offering from Spicers Retreats. Spicers
Potts Point’s 20 rooms are the perfect contrast
to the intricate details of the building, with a
modern, pared-back aesthetic. spicersretreats.com
P H O T O G R A P H Y: A D A M G I B S O N ( M A C Q 0 1) ; R E N P I D G E O N ( Z H O N G C H E N )
A DVENTURE SE E K E R S Try
a bungy jump or the Minjin
Jungle Swing at AJ Hackett
Cairns; everyone should [have
a go] at least once, regardless
of age! Located in a beautiful
rainforest setting, if you don’t
want to jump there’s a great
view from the tower.
ajhackett.com/cairns
MEA LS AT TH E M A R I N A
Waterfront dining overlooking
the Marina offers a range of
restaurants to suit all cuisines
and budgets.
A DEFINITE MUST- D O The
Kuranda Scenic Railway is one
of the most stunning rail trips
in Australia. The best option is
to go up by Skyrail cableway
over the top of the rainforest
and then down by train
alongside the Barron Falls.
ksr.com.au

26 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
Fraser Island,
like no other place on the planet.
Kingfisher Bay Resort
For the ultimate Fraser Island experience
you can’t go past the award-winning
Kingfisher Bay Resort. The resort is a
leader in eco-tourism, with a range of
hotel and villa accommodation on offer.
Check online for Hot Deals
쵆 kingfisherbayresortgroup.com.au
Eurong Beach Resort
Positioned in the heart of 75 Mile Beach,
Eurong Beach Resort is the perfect
base for four-wheel-driving and fishing
adventures. Hotel and family apartments
available.
 1300 FRASER (372 737)
KBRV1253
Fraser Explorer Tours
Join a one or two day fun-filled tour
to discover Fraser Island and see all
the highlights including Lake McKenzie.
Departing daily from Rainbow Beach or
Hervey Bay.
 2
TS | Style seeker

1 6
4

8
7

First blus
With spring ready to burst into FULL BLOOM, 10 11
now is the perfect time to fill YOUR LIFE with
PRETTY PIECES realised in a delicate palette
of ROSE, GOLD AND BLUSH.

1. The perfect lace DRESS for a picnic in the countryside, $169. hm.com
2. Fill
the fragrant air with song with Vifa’s cute little ‘Helsinki’ SPEAKER,
$575. anthropologie.com 3. See the world through rose coloured ‘Tara’
GLASSES, $160. draperjames.com 4. Have the new season at your fingertips in
12
this ‘Momentum’ RING $130. studio-elke.com 5. Match your wardrobe to your
13
WINE with Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé, $31.99. danmurphys.com.au 6. You
be sitting pretty in the ‘Pittsburgh’ ARMCHAIR, $812. abchome.com 7. Feel love
from the inside out thanks to Wendy Rowe’s EAT BEAUTIFUL, $59.95. dymocks.
com.au 8. Cruise through life in style on a ‘Pomona’Vintage BICYCLE, $479. 14
progearbikes.com.au 9. Shrimp’s ‘Posey’ CLUTCH, $445, adds soft touchy-feely
texture to any look. farfetch.com 10. Pack a lipstick not a bread stick into the
statement BAG of the season, $69.95. zara.com 11. Smell as sweet as the
flowers in bloom with Panier Sens Rose Geraniam SCENT. $45. saison.com.au
12. The ‘Joy’ WATCH, $149, will ensure you won’t miss a moment of spring.
kapten-son.com 13. Pay more than lip service to the new season in Smith’s 15
Rosebud Minted Rose LIP BALM, $14.95. saison.com.au 14. Freshly picked
blooms will look gorgeous in the ‘Kara’ TUMBLER, $5. kmart.com.au 15. Sweet
dreams are made of this delicate CUSHION $14.95. hm.com

28 AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM
Showcasing the oldest continuous culture on earth
through the newest technology on a 300 million
year-old natural canvas
Step into a spectacular outdoor gallery surrounded by lights
and sounds, where Indigenous artworks are brought to life
under the night sky of Central Australia

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
parrtjimaaustralia.cOm.au
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B174780
 HOW TO BE

A BET TER DINER

Because there’s no CUSTOMER EQUIVALENT of TripAdvisor,
LEANNE CLANCEY turns the tables to let HOSPITALITY PROS dish the
dirt on BAD DINERS, and they have three things to say: COMMUNICATE;
be kind; and for crying out loud, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY.

30 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M

SINCE THE MEDIA (and ergo, the world)
became obsessed with food, it seems like
every second grandma and school kid is
laminating chocolate and sous vide-ing their
venison. But while our levels of gastronomic
sophistication might be at an all-time high,
elsewhere our food experience is lagging.
When it comes to being a good diner, it
seems we’ve forgotten our manners.
Thanks to review sites like TripAdvisor,
if you’ve got a gripe about your tripe, it’s
game on. Restaurant bashing has become
a very public sport, but you’ll seldom hear
the other side of the story – that is the
tales of inconsiderate, rude and downright
reprehensible behaviour that diners routinely
dole out to restaurant staff.
Melbourne-based food critic and former
waitress, Larissa Dubecki chronicled the
horrors of poor customer behaviour in her
2015 memoir, Prick with a Fork. In it she says:
“There seems to be this psychological thing
that once you are at a restaurant for a few
hours, you have the right to this slave for
the night and that slave doesn’t deserve basic
human civility.” It’s a shameful reality that
most hospo pros will back up.
To get a sense of what things are like,
I recently quizzed some industry friends
about their pet peeves. I heard sordid stories
of lies, sexism, stolen tips, pinched bums,
and patrons sneaking off to get ‘intimate’
in the washroom between courses, but the
core theme that united all of the feedback
was a simple wish to be treated with respect.
My restaurateur friend, Bernard Glaude
from Daylesford’s Belvedere Social agrees,
“Customers sometimes forget that their
server is also a human being. Being rude,
disrespectful or otherwise degrading just isn’t
acceptable behaviour in the 21st century.”
Other biggies? Stacking plates or handing
plates to servers while they are clearing the
table (waiters have a system for this, please let
them do their job). Paper napkins stuffed in
glassware (just gross). Fussy eaters and allergy
I L L U S T R AT I O N : M I K E R O S S I
fakers. Customers who voice complaints
online when the issue could have been easily
resolved with staff in the restaurant.
I also heard a lot of complaints about
something that wasn’t an issue back in the
’90s: smartphones. Today’s wait staff have
to deal with loud talkers, loud ring tones and
loud videos, the latter of which – according
SHORTCUTS | On the menu
Restaurant bashing has become a very
public sport, but you’ll seldom hear
the other side of the story.
to Glaude – is the biggest vibe killer. “Playing
videos in a dining room is just not acceptable,”
he says. “If you do it here, you will be told to
turn it off like a naughty school child.”
There’s also a loss of presence that comes
with being a phone-addict: Instagrammers,
Tinder swipers, alpha males doing deals,
silent couples scrolling their way through
multi-course degustations.
Then there’s the straight-up abuse that
restaurant staff endure on the job. Rudeness,
arrogance, aggression, racism and sexism are all
part of the territory, and yet a waiter’s role is
to grin, bear it and always, always apologise.
For anyone working in a service-led
workplace the old “the customer is always
right” mantra is drilled in from the get-go –
no matter how bad, wrong or indefensibly
ill-mannered said customer might be, but if
there’s one industry in which the adage really
stretches the friendship, it’s hospitality.
Trust me, there’s a reason your waiter
wants your tips – after cleaning up the
messes of feral kids, being hit on by lecherous
drunks, and obeying the endless dietary
whims of weight-conscious, joyless gluten
frauds all week, there’s a very good chance
they’ve earnt them.
One of the industry’s other big gripes
is the rising trend of the no-show: people
who book a table and don’t turn up, without
bothering to let the venue know. As a diner,
it may not feel like a big deal to change your
mind and blow off a restaurant booking
at the last minute without calling, but
according to restaurant booking site Dimmi,
it’s an epidemic that is said to be costing the
industry an estimated $75 million per year.
To help combat the issue, last year Dimmi
decided to take a firm stand by allowing
restaurants to blacklist Dimmi users who
fail to honour their reservation. In the last
12 months, Dimmi partner restaurants
have blacklisted more than 38,000 diners,
up from around 3000 the previous year.
The company’s founder and CEO, Stevan
Premutico, says the average diner doesn’t
realise the consequences. “The majority
of people don’t understand the impact that
no-shows have on the restaurant industry.
They think somebody else is going to make
up that booking, but that’s typically not the
case,” he explains.
For small businesses already working on
tiny margins, keeping tables full is crucial.
The combination of low profit margins,
high wage costs and high staff turnover make
running a restaurant a precarious balancing
act. That 30-second phone call can be the
difference between a business wasting a table,
losing revenue and sending staff home early
or, alternatively, them re-booking it and
staying afloat financially.
Sydney restaurateur, Erez Gordon says
that another factor that is especially galling
during a busy service is when a party shows
up with fewer numbers than originally
booked, without letting the restaurant know
in advance. “If we know, we can sell the other
two seats and rearrange the table plan to
maximise our earning potential for that
service,” he explains. “It has a big impact.”
But like any well-trained hospo pro, Gordon
has to grin and bear it. “In a saturated and
highly competitive market, we simply smile
and accept poor behaviour [otherwise] we risk
disenfranchising potential future customers.”
But despite all this, most hospitality
professionals are in the industry because
they get a kick out of showing diners a
good time. “These stories of bad customer
behaviour might sound really terrible, but
thankfully they are rare,” explains veteran
Melbourne restaurateur and industry
advocate, Matteo Pignatelli. “I truly love
98 per cent of my customers, and I’m
extremely grateful because these people
come to us rather than the thousands of
other restaurants around town.
“The best customers understand how
hard we work to make sure they’re happy
and they let us do that for them. At the
end of the day, what we want more than
anything is to make customers happy
and see them come back. It’s our job –
it’s what we do.”

FLIGHT
CONTROL
When holidays WITH KIDS become holidays with TEENS,
parents need to traverse a WHOLE NEW LANDSCAPE
beyond the ONE THEY ARE actually EXPLORING
together, as ANN HAMILTON discovers.
CHILDREN MAKE BRILLIANT travel
companions. When they are small (and
portable) you can take them almost anywhere,
and as they grow, their wide-eyed wonder at
new sights, sounds and experiences has a way
of rubbing off on everyone around them.
It’s what makes family holidays so much fun.
But what happens when time away with tots
turns into family vacations with teens? Can a
guileless appreciation of the world survive
Google, smartphones and hormones?
As our children get bigger it sometimes
seems that the world around them shrinks in
equal proportion. Via Instagram they have
already seen the backstreets of Paris, the street
tribes of Tokyo and the beaches of Bondi
before ever boarding a plane. And the 24-hour
news cycle fills in the gaps of what’s going on
around the globe – both good and bad.
A recent sun, sand and sea trip with my
teenage daughter presented a new landscape
to navigate, beyond the one we were exploring
together. Where in the past, flying was the
ultimate adventure, and furnishing her with
unfettered access to a swimming pool, sweet
treats (preferably ice-cream) and a theme
32 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
SHORTCUTS | Family travel
park with some sort of Harry Potter guise
to it would assure holiday happiness for
everyone involved, it’s harder to rest on
your laurels as they grow older.
Now her reactions are a lot more muted;
she doesn’t love flying any more due to a
heightened awareness of how things work
(and the contribution of a friend’s macabre
fascination with the Air Crash Investigations
TV show); the pool outside our room went
largely untouched; the sweet treats weren’t
consumed with as much glee as they used to
be. I became fixated on coaxing positive
responses from her. It was all increasingly
annoying for her and tiring for me.
But as our holiday progressed I slowly
started to figure out that the issue wasn’t
actually with my daughter, it was with me.
I had somehow failed to notice that my
darling child was no longer a baby (although
she’ll always be my baby).
Maybe the whirlwind pace of daily life
had masked the change or maybe it was just
wishful thinking on my part (if she wasn’t
ageing then neither was I), but when the
lightbulb moment came it was a revelation.
It turns out I had been gauging her
enjoyment levels on outdated measures
harking back to when she was eight years old
instead of paying attention to what was
resonating with her at the age of 13.
Deliberating over ice-cream flavours
now comes a distant second to browsing
sunglasses in the resort shop; pool time needs
to be interspersed with ‘me time’; and Harry
Potter, while not yet superannuated, now
plays second fiddle to more cerebral and
challenging experiences.
So, midway through our getaway I
recalibrated my approach. I let her decide
what she wanted to do with her day instead
of planning things down to the last detail for
her; I stopped insisting she do things with me
when all she wanted was to stretch out on a
cushion-strewn daybed and read; I let her
foster friendships independent of me. And
I stopped worrying and started noticing that
she was actually having fun.
Family holidays often throw our
day-to-day life into stark relief. Maybe it has
something to do with being at such close
quarters with each other or not having the
usual distracting touchstones around. And
they often result in ongoing change once you
get back home based on what you learn about
each other during the journey. I returned
home as a fully-fledged teenager’s mum; my
daughter as an increasingly independent
young woman, albeit one with the beginnings
of a very nice sunglasses collection.
 SHORTCUTS | Hot list

Geelong Library
and Heritage Centre
(GLHC), by ARM
Architecture
NICKNAMED ‘THE DOME’, THE
GLHC IS IN FACT A SPHERE; CITY O F PERTH
PARTIALLY BURIED WITH ITS L IB RARY B Y K E RRY
SURFACE CUT AWAY TO FIT HIL L ARCHITECTS
IN BETWEEN THE GEELONG Design-wise, the redevelopment of Perth’s
GALLERY AND THE GEELONG
PEACE MEMORIAL. DESIGNED
historic centre – the Cathedral and
BY ARM ARCHITECTURE, THE Treasury Precinct – was led by Kerry
CUBISTIC AND COLOURFUL Hill Architects. The jewel in its crown
LIBRARY WAS THE ALIA is the gleaming new public library that
MEMBERS’ CHOICE WINNER opened in March last year and scooped
AT THE 2017 AUSTRALIAN
the top prize at the 2017 ALIA Library
LIBRARY DESIGN AWARDS.
Design Awards. Seven storeys high and
based around a pure circular form, with a
striated effect that emulates the pages of a
book , the contemporary design includes a
L I B R A R I E S BY ceiling artwork by a local artist depicting
WA native flora, fauna and history.

A RC H I T E C T S
The wave of STATE-OF-THE-ART public libraries – less academic
bolthole, more SOCIAL HUB – being designed by architecture
firms shows no signs of stopping. ELEGANT, IMPRESSIVE, in

P H O T O G R A P H Y: J O H N G O L L I N G S ( G E E L O N G L I B R A RY A N D W O O L L A H R A L I B R A RY ) ; F R A N C E S
A N D R I J I C H , C O U R T E S Y O F T H E C I T Y O F P E R T H ( C I T Y O F P E R T H L I B R A RY ) ; J O H N M I L L S ( T H E
tune with their ENVIRONMENTS, here are five of our favourites.

Craigieburn Library by
Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp

IN 2014, CRAIGIEBURN LIBRARY, IN OUTER
NORTH MELBOURNE, WON THE INAUGURAL
INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE
YEAR AWARD. ITS MODERN CONSTRUCTION
IS CHARACTERISED BY OPEN, FLEXIBLE
SPACE, WITH RAMMED EARTH AND TIMBERS
HELPING IT BLEND WITH THE NATURAL
LANDSC APE. IT WAS DESIGNED BY
FRANCIS-JONES MOREHEN THORP (FJMT),
AN ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE THAT HAS
BECOME SOMETHING OF A TRAILBLAZER
IN TERMS OF GAME-CHANGING LIBRARY
DESIGN. FJMT’S CV ALSO INCLUDES THE
AWARD-WINNING SURRY HILLS LIBRARY IN
SYDNEY AND THE LIBRARY AT THE DOCK IN
MELBOURNE, WHICH LOOKS MORE LIKE A
MODERN ART GALLERY THAN A LIBRARY.
T H E H ELENSVA LE BR A NCH
L IBR A RY A ND CCY C BY
C O MP LET E UR B A N IN
A S SO CIAT IO N W IT H LA H Z
NIMMO A R CH IT ECT S
Designed by Complete Urban in association with
Lahz Nimmo Architects, the Helensvale Branch
Library and CCYC responds to the climate of
south-east Queensland. Clever fixtures include
rooftop solar panels to supply hot water, rainwater
collected in underground tanks to be reused, and
a naturally ventilated and lit indoor plaza that
offers reprieve from the hot Queensland sun.
H E L E N S VA L E B R A N C H L I B R A RY ) ; T R E V O R M E I N ( C R A I G I E B U R N L I B R A RY )
WO O LLA H R A LIB RARY
BY  BV N
You’ll find a sky-high atrium lined
with creepers upon entering the new
Woollahra Library in Sydney’s Double
Bay. Architecture firm BVN took cues
from the local library’s previous location
in nearby Blackburn Gardens and has
now brought the garden inside. Located
in a shopping strip with plenty of good
cafes on its periphery, visitors are invited
to wander in with their coffee and
browse like they would its neighbouring
boutique stores. BVN’s design of the new
Marrickville Library, also in Sydney
and slated to open in 2020, will be
given a similarly stylish and community-
focused treatment.

34 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 360°of Unforgettable
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Dawn I Day I Twilight I Night

BOOK YOUR CLIMB

02 8274 7777 I bridgeclimb.com
bridgeclimbsydney @bridgeclimb #1 Tour In Sydney I 2016 Certificate of Excellence
OUT OF
OFFICE
SETTING UP OFFICE on a white sandy
beach might seem LIKE A DREAM,
but is the FLEXIBLE WORKPLACE
ENCROACHING on our valuable
downtime? KATE SYMONS finds out.

“I think people need to have a stronger
sense that we work to live, we don’t
Thank you for your email.
I am currently on annual leave, returning
Monday 25 September. But I’ll probably
attend to your query anyway so you may as
well just ignore this out of office notice.
YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER received
an automated reply like this one, but
chances are you should have. Australians,
after all, are working more than ever, and
our annual leave is suffering.
A 2016 report from the Centre for
Future Work at The Australia Institute
found Australian workers have about 48
million unused holiday days, or close to 10
million holiday weeks. The collective value
of that unused leave is more than $11 billion.
Meanwhile, much of the annual leave
that is being cashed in by the Australian
workforce may not be providing the
necessary respite. A survey conducted in
2014 by TripAdvisor found 73 per cent
of Australians work while on holiday, more
than double the global average (33 per
cent). Today’s digital landscape makes
such dedication – whether reluctant or
self-generated – possible. Most of us can
be reached around-the-clock and many
of us are permanently connected to the
workplace via various technologies.
Professor Michael Leiter, organisational
psychologist at Deakin University,
explains that this environment has
blurred the lines between work
I L L U S T R AT I O N : M I K E R O S S I
and play. “The boundary between
what is work and what is not work
is particularly loose because the kind of
work people do now is not particularly
tied to the place,” he says. “A lot of it is
the kind of thing you can do anywhere.
Managing that boundary is now sort of
an occupational skill you have to have.”
SHORTCUTS | Travel trends
live to work .”
Yet it’s a skill many of us are yet to master.
Often driven by employer pressure, personal
ambition or economic fears, Australian
employees are giving an increasing amount
of their time away for free. This habit can
threaten the kind of genuine mental break
that allows us to revive and de-stress. It can
also hinder other holiday benefits such as
family bonding and improved physical health
and creativity.
Economist Dr Jim Stanford, Director
of the Centre for Future Work, explains:
“There’s a growing willingness by people to
take the phone, take the laptop, check their
email, make sure they’re available to their
workplace even if they are on leave,” he says.
“That is a slippery slope, frankly. On the one
hand you can say you just want to be there in
case of emergency, but it’s very easy for that
to morph into taking a couple of calls or
answering a couple of emails every day
and lo and behold the mental space you’re
trying to get when you’re on leave starts to
disappear. The value of the holiday can be
significantly undermined.”
The solution is not always as simple as
switching off. For those who work while on
leave under pressure from management, job
security can feel vulnerable. In such cases,
there are government and union protections
that could be helpful.
More often, though, the pressure is
internal and many people face anxiety
about what is going on in the office while
they’re away. But, as Professor Leiter
explains, everything’s probably travelling
just fine. Speaking from Dublin (where he
is attending a conference and not speaking to
a journalist while on holiday), he relays the
story of his morning scroll through the work
inbox. Many emails had been sent during the
Australian work day and, since Prof Leiter
was busily sleeping at the time, most emails
were attended to without his input.
“Everybody had already done everything,”
he says gratefully. “Yes, there are people in
the world who are so critically important
that, wherever they are in the world, you
have always got to be able to reach out and
grab them, but that’s, like, seven people.”
Of course, uncertain hours can also be
a consequence of workplace flexibility, a
modern concept that many of us have
wilfully adopted and value. It’s a matter
of taking the good with the bad.
But for those striving for a work-free
break, but struggling, Professor Leiter
suggests setting boundaries around
holiday work time and recruiting a travel
companion to help you abide by your own
rule. “Having people completely cold turkey
off their connection is a big step,” he says.
“Short of that you can (set aside) a
15-minute or 20-minute session once a
day, then you can look at it, then you can
respond to what’s critical.”
As well as calling for regulatory
improvements, Dr Stanford believes a
more strict personal approach is key. “I
think people should reject the idea that
they are at the beck and call of their
employers whenever it’s needed,” he
says. “I think people [need] to have a
stronger sense that we work to live, we
don’t live to work.”
So, like Professor Leiter recommends,
perhaps it’s time to recruit help. To enlist
a trusty friend; to reinstate the power
that was once so flawlessly wielded by the
humble out of office reply.
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 37
 SHORTCUTS | People’s Choice Awards

WIN A
$10 , 0 0 0
ESCAPE
T O E M I R A T E S O N E & O N LY
W O L G A N VA L L E Y
E N J OY T H R E E N I G H T S AT E M I R AT E S
O N E & O N LY W O L G A N V A L L E Y W I T H
C O M P L I M E N TA RY B M W V E H I C L E T O
E X P L O R E I N L U X U RY

2 017 P E O P L E ’ S C H O I C E AWA R D S
Australian Traveller is looking for Australia’s best travel experiences of 2017 and we need your
nominations. Fill in the attached form or go to australiantraveller.com/peopleschoice2017 to vote
and you could win a three-night ultra-luxury escape to Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley.

38 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 | 2 01 7 P E O P L E ’ S C H O I C E AWA R D S |
nomination entry form
For your chance to win a three-night escape to Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley worth $10,000,
simply fill out this form and send it to the address overleaf. You can answer as many or as few questions
as you like, but you must answer the first question to enter the competition. Good luck!

In the last year, what has been your favourite Australian travel experience, and why? (Maximum 25 words) .............................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

GETAWAYS
W H I C H I S AU S T R ALIA’ S . . .

Best city for a break? .................................................................................... Best family holiday spot?................................................................................

Best beach? .................................................................................................... Most desirable island escape? ........................................................................

Cosiest winter destination? ........................................................................ Best regional escape? .......................................................................................

Best outback destination? ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................

ACCOMMODATION
W H I C H I S AU S T R ALIA’ S . . .

Best boutique hotel? .................................................................................... Best luxury hotel or resort? ............................................................................

Sexiest hotel pool? ........................................................................................ Most romantic escape? ....................................................................................

Best value hotel chain? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

EXPERIENCES
W H I C H I S AU S T R ALIA’ S . . .

Best walk? ....................................................................................................... Most scenic road trip? .....................................................................................

Best food and wine region? ......................................................................... Must-visit city restaurant? .............................................................................

Best outback adventure? ............................................................................. Best annual festival? ........................................................................................

Best historical site? ...................................................................................... Best guided tour? ..............................................................................................

Have you been on a cruise in the last three years? If yes, which is your favourite cruise line? ..........................................................................................

DREAM DESTINATIONS
I N AU S T R A LI A , W HAT IS . . .

Your ultimate dream experience? .................................................................................................................................................................................................

The one destination you would recommend every Australian visits and why? ...................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Entry form continues over page

 2 01 7 P E O P L E ’ S C H O I C E AWA R D S

YOUR DETAILS ( S O WE C AN NOTIF Y YO U IF YO U WIN)

Name:..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Street address:...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Daytime phone number:................................. Email address:.....................................................................................................................................................

Which state/territory do you live in? ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA

Gender? M F Age: Under 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and over

In the last 12 months, have you travelled in any of the following ways? Tick all that apply: Packaged holiday City break

Resort holiday Road trip Camping Luxury hotel stay

How many times have you travelled in Australia in the last 12 months? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6-10 11-20 20+

What was this travel for? Business Leisure Both

How many times have you travelled overseas in the last 12 months? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6-10 11-20 20+

What was this travel mostly for? Business Leisure Both

Approximately, how much do you personally spend per year on travel? Less than $5K $6K-$10K $11K-$20K $21K+

Who do you typically travel with? Solo With friends As a couple As a family with young children

As a family with teenagers With other families With my extended family

When you take a holiday, do you prefer to travel: In Australia Overseas

Do you currently have a short break planned? Yes No

Do you have a large getaway planned? Yes No

S E N D F O R M S T O : People’s Choice Awards,

Australian Traveller, REPLY PAID 85483, Suite
101/15 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Entries close 2 October 2017. The results will be published in the November / December / January (no stamp required if posted in Australia).
special edition of Australian Traveller (on sale 26 October 2017).

40 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 SHORTCUTS | People’s Choice Awards

E N T E R N OW
AND WIN
THR EE NIGHTS AT EMIR ATES
ONE&ONLY WOLGA N VA LLEY
Take in the dramatic beauty of the Greater Blue Mountains region at one
of Australia’s most luxurious resorts, enjoying pampering treatments at
the One&Only Spa, wildlife safaris, nature walks and heritage tours.

includes:
• Three nights’ accommodation in a Heritage Villa with private pool
• Gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
• A selection of local wines and beers with meals
• Non-alcoholic beverages and complimentary in-villa bar
• Two nature-based activities per person per day
from the schedule of complimentary inclusions
• Complimentary BMW vehicle hire (from a selected BMW dealer) for
the scenic drive to and from the resort

T O TA L VA L U E AT $1 0 , 0 0 0

A B O U T E M I R AT E S O N E & O N LY W O L G A N VA L L E Y
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is an ultra-luxury conservation-based resort, located 2.5 hours’
drive from Sydney in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region. Set on 7000 acres of
carbon-neutral conservation and wildlife reserve, the resort combines absolute luxury with a
quintessentially Australian bush experience. Occupying just one per cent of the total land area, the
resort features 40 elegantly appointed villas reminiscent of the Federation period, each with its own
swimming pool, double-sided fireplace and private verandah with stunning valley views.

H OW T O E N T E R
Mail the attached survey form or Go online to
australiantraveller.com/peopleschoice2017

This certificate is valid for travel until 30 June 2018. Reservations are subject to availability and excludes peak periods, black-out dates apply. Gift Certificate
is not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. Other terms and conditions may apply. Any additional charges must be settled prior to departure.

fabulous
flying boats
THE PLACID WATERS of Rose Bay in
Sydney are disrupted only when a seaplane
comes in to land and take off again; whisking
highflyers away for joy rides over the city, or
to leisurely lunches on Palm Beach or the
Hawkesbury River. The Sydney Seaplanes
base sits a stone’s throw from the waterfront
fine-dining institution, Catalina – its name a
nod to Rose Bay’s surprising history.
On 5 July, 1938, an Empire Class flying
boat departed from here: Australia’s first
international airport. It was bound for
England, and marked the start of the golden
age of Australian aviation, when modernity
and luxury combined. Over 10 days – with
30 stops along what would become known
as the ‘Kangaroo’ route – passengers enjoyed
a first-class service, including breakfasts of
grapefruit, steak and pineapple juice and an
onboard wine cellar. But the novelty didn’t
come cheap; tickets were far beyond the
reach of most Australians, at a price that
was equivalent to an annual salary.
The service was suspended in 1942, as war
took hold and the planes were requisitioned
by the air force. By the time normal life
resumed after the war, land-based aircraft
had developed exponentially and flying boats
were looking increasingly anachronistic.
Sydney, though – and its ample waters –
remained well-placed to exploit their assets,
and so began a new era for the flying boats.
Their sights were now set on Australia’s
east coast and surrounding South Pacific
42 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
SHORTCUTS | Rewind
destinations. Matthew Holle, curator of the
Museum of Sydney’s 2008 exhibition Flying
boats: Sydney’s golden age of aviation, recalls his
earliest memory of these aircrafts, landing in
a lagoon on Lord Howe Island. “As we
touched down a huge plume of water covered
the window so much so that it felt like we
were underwater,” he says. “We then taxied to
a mooring and were greeted by islanders in a
tender who brought us ashore to the most
unspoilt island in the Pacific.” Holle’s parents
worked on the flying boats at the Rose Bay
terminal. His mother, Margaret Bellingham,
was a hostie when she met Holle’s father Noel,
a maintenance and flight engineer.
The work took the family far and wide,
as flying boats remained commercially viable
and affordable – much more than they had
been in the ’30s, at least – until the mid-1970s.
And while a ride with Sydney Seaplanes
today might not take you as far as Fiji,
Noumea or indeed England, it’s still a thrill.
The terminal at Rose Bay hosts a small
museum dedicated to the flying boats and
A quiet POCKET
of Sydney was ONCE
HOME to Australia’s
first international
airport and
HARBOURS a
fascinating history,
finds IMOGEN
EVESON.
FROM TOP: Aircrew (including Matthew Holle’s mother,
Margaret) depart Lord Howe Island with bundles of kingfish,
late ’50s; The last flying boat service from Lord Howe
Island in 1974; A Sydney Seaplanes flight over Palm Beach.
P H OTO G R A P H Y: CO U RT E S Y O F M A RG A R E T H O L L E ( N É E B E L L I N G H A M )
their fabulous history, and Holle recalls some
(C R E W AT LO R D H OW E , TO P); H A Z E L PAY T E N ( L A S T F LY I N G B OAT,
idiosyncratic incidents that have become the
stuff of legend: “One pilot was flying to
Hayman Island and was about to touch
down when a huge whale surfaced directly
in front! They quickly pulled up and went
around before successfully alighting. Another
time a pilot – who was more used to flying
land planes – was returning to Sydney and
forgot he was in charge of a flying boat. He
was making an approach to a runway at
Mascot when the first officer leaned over
and reminded him they had no wheels, only
a hull. After pulling up, they were finally on
the water at Rose Bay. He thanked the first
officer, saying ‘I would have looked a damn
LO R D H OW E ).
fool had I attempted that landing’. He was
so embarrassed he quickly turned around
and stepped out of the door without looking,
and splashed straight into the harbour.”
 F r o m t o p : A buzzing
welcome to Tramsheds;
Tram R1 1995, the last tram
to ever roll out of the depot,
before its restoration; The
vintage tram takes pride of
place in the revitalised space.

S
F O U R W A Y S

HOUSED UNDER one towering roof within

the revitalised Rozelle Tramway Depot,
originally built in 1904, Tramsheds Harold
Park (tramshedsharoldpark.com.au) is fast
becoming the culinary hotspot of the harbour
city, a place where myriad tastes are catered
to by a bespoke collection of individual
restaurants, cafes and businesses that run
the gamut from gourmet groceries to
handmade pasta and from seriously sweet
–”‡ƒ–• –‘ •—•–ƒ‹ƒ„Ž‡ ϐ‹•Š ƒ† …Š‹’•Ǥ ‡”‡ǡ
your ultimate guide to sampling the delights
ƒ– ›‘—” ϐ‹‰‡”–‹’• ‹ ˆ‘—” ™ƒ›•Ǥ

44 AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH... Tramsheds Harold Park

forms an irresistible centrepiece to the space.

The ethos here of serving the freshest and
best produce from local producers across
New South Wales translates to a menu that
includes whole pigs cooked on the in-house
spit roast and sausages handmade on the
premises. The wines served also showcase

D A T E
the best of the best from across the state,
from Mudgee to the Hunter Valley. F A L Y
NIGHT MOVES
N I G H T Finish the evening off with coffee at Garçon
T I E
(garcon.com.au), where Ed Cutcliffe’s
There are a fe nts that specialty roasts under his in-demand The Being spoilt for choice is the ultimate measure
ensure any dat tential to Little Marionette moniker offer coffee of success for parents looking to please
become the pe m good food connoisseurs balanced blends using single everyone in the family without having to dash
to a fabulous a cosy coffee origin beans. For maximum couple-cosiness, here, there and everywhere.
thrown in to e tyle. take up position on the seating platforms and
watch the world come and go (Ed plans to IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
FIRS IRST ‹–”‘†—…‡ •‹Ž‡– ‘˜‹‡ ‹‰Š–•ǡ ™‹–Š ϐ‹Ž•
being projected above the bustling open While the temptation for the kids will be
Given the wealth of tempting cocktails and galley kitchen). Then grab a bag of beans to head straight to dessert, you can distract
carefully curated wines available throughout to go and a crusty fresh loaf from bakery/ –Š‡•—ˆϐ‹…‹‡–Ž›„›†‘‹‰ƒ™ƒŽ–Š”‘—‰Š
Tramsheds that you’ll want to try, the best pizzeria Dust, and you have the makings of the Tramsheds building itself, taking in the
way to arrive is probably by light rail; the the perfect late breakfast after your night out. fascinating historic elements. The last tram 1
Jubilee Park station is literally a two-minute
walk from the door. Once inside, start the
night off with drinks at Sir Chapel, a buzzy
bar and eatery with a laid-back vibe and a
something-for-everyone drinks selection
including classic cocktails with a twist. Try
–Š‡†‘‹•ǡ™‹–Šϐ‹‘•Š‡””›ǡ•™‡‡–˜‡”‘—–Š
and orange bitters, to get you in the mood.

THE MAIN EVENT

From there it’s a quick stroll across Artisan

Lane to dinner: book a booth at Bodega
1904 (bodega1904.com), the latest offering
from Joseph Valore, Elvis Abrahanowicz and
Ben Milgate, the team behind Sydney favourites
Bodega and Porteño. Choose from its
interesting menu of Latin-American-inspired
tapas dishes that are perfectly matched by
the curated selection of Australian, Spanish
and Argentinian wines on offer, many of
which are available by the glass (you can take
a bottle home with you from the bijoux wine F r o m t o p : A walk
store that is part of the stylish space). Or, down Artisan Lane;
head to the delightfully relaxed Butcher and A share-plate dinner for
two at Butcher and the
the Farmer (butcherandthefarmer.com) and Farmer.
grab a table for two inside the meticulously
restored Sydney tram (Tram R1 1995, the
last one to ever roll out of the depot) that
 F r o m l e f t : Enjoy sustainably-
caught seafood at Fish & Co; Dust’s
bread, and other menu items, is made
ˆ”‘ϔŽ‘—”•–‘‡‹ŽŽ‡†‘Ǧ•‹–‡Ǥ
the menu that can be toasted up and served
with Pepe Saya cultured butter, or for
•‘‡–Š‹‰ ƒ Ž‹––Ž‡ ‘”‡ ‡š‘–‹…ǡ ‹††Ž‡
Eastern diner Bekya (bekya.com.au) also
†‘‡• „”‡ƒˆƒ•– ‘ ™‡‡‡†•Ǥ
PARK LIFE
With breakfast out of the way and energy to
and chips that are faultless when it comes to
their source: Belinda and Sajad take huge
pride in presenting a menu made up of
”‡•’‘•‹„Ž‡ǡ•—•–ƒ‹ƒ„Ž‡ϐ‹•Š•’‡…‹‡•Ǥ
JUST DESSERTS
The much anticipated last stop of the day
needs to be at Messina (gelatomessina.com),
the fantastical ice-cream emporium with
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘ˆ™‹–ƒ†™Š‹•›ȋ’’Ž‡‹‡ǡ
rolled out of the depot in 1958, and as the
decades passed the building fell into
disrepair; evidence of its interim life as a
haven for street artists can be seen all around
›‘—Ǥ Š‡ –Š‡ „—‹Ž†‹‰ ƒ† ”‡•–‘”ƒ–‹‘ ™‘”
„‡‰ƒ ‹ ʹͲͳͷǡ ’ƒ”–• ‘ˆ –Š‡ …‘Ž‘—”ˆ—Ž ‰”ƒˆϐ‹–‹
™‡”‡ ”‡–ƒ‹‡† ‘ –Š‡ ‡š’‘•‡† „”‹… ™ƒŽŽ•Ǥ
Follow the improvised art past the different
restaurants until you end up at the Tram R1
1995, and then head outside to see the
markings that show how the trams would
Šƒ˜‡ ƒ’’”‘ƒ…Š‡† –Š‡ ™‹†‡ ‡–”ƒ…‡Ǥ
THE RIGHT START
burn, now’s the time to make the most of the ƒ›‘‡ǫȌǤˆ–Š‡”‡ǯ•‘Ž›”‘‘Ž‡ˆ–‘™ˆ‘”
ample open spaces close by, including the a piccolo scoop, opt for a take-away, the
delightful Jubilee Oval and Park, with its cute —Ž–‹ƒ–‡ˆƒ‹Ž›•‘—˜‡‹”‘ˆƒ†ƒ›ƒ–”ƒ•Š‡†•Ǥ
Cricket Pavilion, built in 1910, and a
picturesque waterfront walk that will help
build up your appetite before heading back to
”ƒ•Š‡†• ˆ‘” Ž—…ŠǤ
A LITTLE ITALY
OR A FISH TALE
When it’s time to eat again, head to Dust,
where owner Cesare Salemi stone mills
grains, sourced from local farmers, on-site to
—•‡ ‹ ‹–• „”‡ƒˆƒ•–ǡ Ž—…Š ƒ† †‹‡”‡—Ǥ
F U N
The show-stoppers are the handcrafted wood- W I T H
ϐ‹”‡† ’‹œœƒ•ǡ ‹…Ž—†‹‰ ƒ Ž—š‡ ˜‡”•‹‘‘ˆƒŠƒ
and pineapple, which constitutes a slice of
Š‡ƒ˜‡ –‘ ‘•– ‹†•Ǥ ƒ•–ƒ ‹• ƒ‘–Š‡”ˆƒ‹Ž›
F R I E N D S
staple; Flour Eggs Water by A Tavola,
(ϔŽ‘—”‡‰‰•™ƒ–‡”Ǥ…‘Ǥƒ—) with its communal An indulgent girls’ night out or beers and
tables under a mish-mash of seriously stylish burgers with the boys; there’s room for both.
lighting is another perfect option for a family
lunch, utilising the simplest of ingredients to LOOKING GOOD
If you arrive early, there are a host of hot
•’‘–• –‘ ‰”ƒ„ „”‡ƒˆƒ•–ǣ ϐ‹ŽŽ —’ ‘ ˆƒ”Ǧˆ”‡•Š
eggs and bacon at Butcher and the Farmer
(inside the tram, of course) or opt for a bacon
and egg roll with house ‘HP’ sauce at Garçon
‘™ƒǤ …”‘•• –Š‡ ™ƒ›ǡ Fish & Co. Bar, with its kaleidoscope of colours and
ƒ……‘’ƒ‹‡† „› ƒ ”‘„—•– Š‘—•‡ „Ž‡† …‘ˆˆ‡‡Ǥ
At artisan bakery and pizzeria Dust
(dustbakery.com) there are myriad breads on
’”‘†—…‡ ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘‡ †‹•Š‡•Ǥ – ‡˜‡…‘‡•
™‹–Š ƒ ϐŽ‘‘” •Š‘™ –‘ ‡•‡”‹•‡ ‹–•
diminutive diners: all the pasta served is
made fresh daily in the open kitchen by a
skilled pastaio, under the watch of head chef
—ƒ …
(ϔ‹•Šƒ†…‘Ǥ…‘Ǥƒ—) has transplanted from
Annandale to a fun space, where its owners
Šƒ˜‡ǯ– ‹••‡† ƒ „‡ƒ– ‹ •‡”˜‹‰ —’ –ƒ•–›ϐ‹•Š
While food is undoubtedly the focus at
Tramsheds, enhancing the feel-good factor is
also a priority: start your afternoon of fun
with a mani/pedi combo at The Depot Nail
indulgent service; or head to Moe & Co.
(moeandco.com.au) for a wash, cut and blow dry
‘”ƒŠ‘–•Šƒ˜‡Ǥ

H I S T O R Y O F T H E T R A M S H E D S

APRIL 1904 1918 NOVEMBER 1958 1960 ONWARDS

Rozelle Tram Depot Construction of the second Rozelle Tram Depot ceases The Rozelle Tram Depot is used for various
opens with capacity stage of the depot has operations with the closure of purposes including as parking for the adjacent
for 96 carriages. increased capacity to the Glebe line. Harold Park Raceway, before becoming derelict
 WUDPV towards the end of the 20th century.

46 AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM
 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH... Tramsheds Harold Park

4
DRINK IT ALL IN

Suitably pampered, pre-dinner drinks are

–Š‡ ‡š– •–ƒ‰‡ ‹ –Š‡ ’”‘…‡••Ǥ ‘…–ƒ‹Ž• ƒ–
Garçon are a stylish treat that recreate the
atmosphere and grace of the Belle Époque, or
‰”ƒ„ ƒ •’‘– ƒ– –Š‡ „ƒ” ƒ– ‘†‡‰ƒ ͳͻͲͶǤ Š‡”‡
are also free wine tastings every Friday night
at Chambers Cellars, or for a fun treat, grab
one of its hugely popular (and particularly
†‡Ž‹…‹‘—•Ȍ ‡•’”‡••‘ ƒ”–‹‹ǯ• ‹ ƒ Œƒ”Ǥ
WORLD TRAVELLERS
The latest venture from the owner-operators
of Tokyo Bird in Surry Hills, Osaka Trading
Co. (osakatrading.com.au), produces small
plate dishes in its tiny kitchen space that are
„‹‰ ‘ –‡š–—”‡ ƒ† ϐŽƒ˜‘—”Ǣ •‡ƒˆ‘‘† ‹• –Š‡
hero on the plate but when it comes to drinks
‹– ‹• ƒŽŽ ƒ„‘—– ™Š‹•›Ǥ ……‘”†‹‰ –‘ ‘™‡”
Jason Ang, the light touch that Japanese
whisky has on the palate makes it a perfect
accompaniment to head chef Shota Sato’s
menu, which also includes an unctuous
”ƒ‡ Žƒ„‘—”‡† ‘˜‡” ˆ‘” Š‘—”•Ǥ ‹‰Š– ‡š–
door, Belles Hot Chicken (belleshotchicken.
com) takes its inspiration from the deep,
•’‹…› ϐŽƒ˜‘—”• ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‡”‹…ƒ •‘—–ŠǤ 
passion project of owner Morgan McGlone,
who spent time cooking in Nashville and
Charleston, the heat runs the gamut from
‘southern’ to ‘really f**kin hot’; cool respite
comes from organic natural wines and
Š‘‡ƒ†‡ …‘”†‹ƒŽ•Ǥ ‡ƒ™Š‹Ž‡ǡ ‘˜‡” ƒ–
Bekya the menu of mezze and share plates
lends itself to dining as a group, sampling
creamy dips and bite-sized treats; do order
–Š‡ ƒ†‹‡• ‹‰‡”• Ȃ ϐ‹Ž‘ ’ƒ•–”› •–—ˆˆ‡† ™‹–Š
•ƒŽ–›ǡ •‘ˆ– ŠƒŽ‘—‹ …Š‡‡•‡Ǥ
F O O D I E
F O R A Y
Beyond being just an interesting collection of
restaurants, each proprietor gathered within
the Tramsheds is passionate about the idea of
visitors and diners taking something tangible
away with them at the end of a visit.
LOOK AND LEARN
As well as shopping ingredients and wine
at the likes of Butcher and the Farmer and
Bodega 1904, each restaurant runs regular
events, utilising their own restaurant
spaces, as well as Artisan Lane, to educate
keen foodies on what they do and impart
•‘‡ ˜ƒŽ—ƒ„Ž‡ ‘™Ž‡†‰‡ ƒŽ‘‰ –Š‡ ™ƒ›Ǥ
‘” •ƒƒ ”ƒ†‹‰ ‘Ǥ ‹–ǯ• ™Š‹•› –ƒ•–‹‰•
and demonstrations on how to make the
perfect ramen; at Flour Egg Water, pasta
making is the focus; there’s a bread making
101 at Dust; Butcher and the Farmer has
everything from pickling classes to burger
workshops; Bekya offers pastry-making
…Žƒ••‡•Ǥ † –Š‡ ”‘•–‡” ‘ˆ ‡˜‡–• ‹• •‡– –‘
„—‹Ž† ƒ† ‰”‘™Ǥ

C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p : Order
Bekya’s signature dish, koshari; Pasta
is made fresh daily at Flour Eggs
Water; A taste of the American south
at Belles Hot Chicken.

2000 2008 2010 SEPTEMBER 2016

The Rozelle Tram Depot 7KHQRZJUDɝ WLFRYHUHGVKHGV The site is sold to Mirvac as part of Tramsheds opens its doors
is heritage-listed. complete with six vintage trams its redevelopment of the Harold as Sydney’s oldest newest
and a bus, become a venue for TV Park Raceway and restoration on food destination.
and photographic shoots. the Rozelle Tramway Depot begins.
 O U R W O R L D I S YO U R
P L AYG R O U N D
Feel welcome in a world of luxury and distinction. Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour is at Sydney’s gateway to
what needs to be seen, heard and tasted.

Bookings: h8779@accor.com | www.pullmanquaygrandsydneyharbour.com

WEEKENDS
the ultimo . nour . tribe . taverna . chippendale . cheap & chic

THE CHAPEL
In search of gorgeous
accommodation that doesn’t
blow the budget, we unearth
gems like this beach-adjacent
boho number close to the heart
of Byron Bay. Turn to page
78 for more.
 WEEKENDS | Reviews

The ULTIMO – the world’s first

ASTROLOGY HOTEL – has opened
in Sydney. IMOGEN EVESON
checked in to have her CHART DONE.

sleep
CLOCKWISE FROM
FAR LEFT: Exposed brick
gives away The Ultimo’s
heritage; You’ll find the
hotel in the Chinatown
district; The slick , airy

sign s lobby; Zodiac-inspired

details are a fun touch.

depicting the 12 sun signs hang behind the desk; but

THEY HAD ME AT ‘world’s first astrology hotel’.
On first glance, admittedly, the Ultimo Hotel’s
strapline does read a little like a gimmick. But as
someone with a casual interest in the zodiac, my
curiosity was piqued all the same.
The concept has been developed with Damian
Rocks, of astrology and wellness company Stars
Like You, and its execution plays off the boutique
hotel’s urban location in Sydney’s Chinatown district
(close to Central Station, Darling Harbour and
the CBD). I opted for the ‘Star Chart’ package,
and provided details of my time and place of birth
when booking. It results in a Sagittarius-geared city
guide to ‘Gastrology’ (where to eat and drink) and
‘Explorology’ (things to see and do) in Sydney, and
a copy of my astrological birth chart, prepared by
Rocks, waiting for me on arrival. For those who book
the ‘Off the Chart’ package, it acts as a precursor to a
personalised consultation.
The astrology element is also discreetly worked
otherwise the space feels slick and contemporary,
with cool tones and cool music. I had wondered what
sort of people might be drawn to stay at an astrology DETAILS
hotel, but unsatisfyingly there is no one here to
pigeonhole. Instead, guests are a mix of tourists and THE ULTIMO
businesspeople, plus my own personal sceptic – I’d 37 Ultimo Road, Sydney,
brought along my Capricorn boyfriend for balance. NSW; theultimo.com.au
The room feels fresh and modern – decorated in Verdict: A novel concept
shades of grey and white, with shots of colour via that doesn’t take itself
illustrations by Jodi Clark and a geometric lampshade too seriously and blends
to match the spiky style of the astrology artwork. surprisingly well with the
The exposed brick, slightly slanting wall and uneven cool urban hotel vibe that’s
floor charmingly belie the building’s industrial past. going on here.
The king-size bed is comfortable, the bathroom Score:
neat and functional, and the large balcony that We rated: The balance struck
overlooks the hubbub of the city is a bonus: soaking between concept and form
up some evening sun while perusing my chart is a that believers, the curious
pleasure. There is a flat screen TV and free wi-fi, and sceptics alike can enjoy.
but for a four-star hotel, the facilities are otherwise We’d change: A few more
fairly minimal: no iron, for instance, which could mod-cons for your money
be an issue for those staying in the city on business. would be nice; or perhaps
The extra details however – like personalised ‘Do complimentary coffee in the
not disturb’ signs and daily horoscopes with your morning (instead of standard
newspaper – are fun touches. cafe prices).
When it’s time to venture out in the evening, we Notes: We paid $276 for an
heed the advice of my Sagittarius city guide and
P H O T O G R A P H Y: N I K K I T O ( L O B B Y )

Ultimo Queen room with

into the design and feel of the hotel. The Ultimo, head to an art gallery. In the morning we pick up a one ‘Star Chart’ package,
opened in February 2017 and part of the boutique takeaway coffee from the lobby’s barista station; and but were upgraded to a
hotel group 8Hotels, is based in a heritage-listed check out the 12 blends of ‘Astrolo-tea’ also on offer. top floor Ultimo Courtyard
building and its recent renovations both modernised Ultimately the two of us – believer and sceptic – have room – which (incidentally)
the building and revealed more of its warehouse enjoyed our stay; The Ultimo strikes a good balance. can accommodate pets.
character. It is this – rather than any new age aesthetic It’s an ideal urban hotel to use as a launch pad for Rooms can be booked with
– that shines through across the public areas and the city, with a whole extra dimension to engage in or without ‘Star Chart’ or
the 95 rooms. At reception, graphic illustrations should the mood take you. ‘Off the Charts’ packages
for each guest, and prices
All AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would. vary accordingly.

50 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 The Whitsundays’ Newest and Best Mainland Accommodation

Luxury Apartments • Waterfront Villas • Penthouses

Absolute waterfront location, private plunge pools, ocean view spa baths, outdoor showers, epicurean kitchens,
contemporary indoor/outdoor living with spacious terraces and elegant stone and timber finishes.
Luxurious Whitsundays Living at its Best.

www.miragewhitsundays.com.au
1 300 088 988
11 Altmann Avenue, Cannonvale Qld 4802
 WEEKENDS | Reviews

A devotee of MIDDLE EASTERN eats,

LEIGH-ANN POW sets the BAR HIGH
at a culinary HOTSPOT on the rise.

CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP
LEFT: Rose gold and
soft pink hues mark
the interior; Natural
light floods the dining
space; Spiced pumpkin
cheesecake with halva
ice-cream; Take a seat
at the kitchen bar.

E A S T M EE T S W ES T
HAVING JUST RETURNED from a transformative of zaatar-smoked goat, pomegranate and Persian
journey to the Middle East (to Abu Dhabi and Oman lime, which give a fresh edge to the smoky flavours, DETAILS
to be precise), my diet while there and since returning while the baby prawn falafel with smoked black tahini
has been made up almost exclusively of hummus, labneh and coriander is crunchy on the outside and soft NOUR
and flat bread, with some pretty pink pomegranate inside, with the tahini adding a slightly bitter edge that Shop 3, 490 Crown
seeds scattered artfully to add colour. Some might works well with the sweet crustacean. Street, Surry Hills, NSW;
suggest my ardour is bordering on an addiction. With the starter sizes proving to be just right, we noursydney.com
So when a lunch-hour get-together presented itself are all ready to dive in again when the mains and The verdict: With the
just a week after my return, I was shameless in steering sides arrive at a suitable interval. The lamb shoulder, bar set high, Nour
my fellow diners towards Nour in the Sydney culinary mograbiah, lamb’s tongue and date dressing is a bit cleared it effortlessly,
enclave of Surry Hills. The menu promised a modern of a signature dish, and it arrives all slow-cooked, with every element of
Lebanese hybrid, but having eaten so well at the aromatic and sticky; there is no knife on the plate, the experience, from the
source during my travels, the bar was set high. which puzzles one of our party, until he sees the food to the staff to the
The dining space itself is delightful, a series of succulent meat fall away from the bone with the setting, hitting the mark.
eating zones resplendent in soft pink and rose gold, gentlest nudge of a fork. It is perfectly accompanied Score:
with a bustling open kitchen at its heart. We are by a crunchy fattoush salad with smoked labneh and We rated: The depth of
ensconced in generous banquette seating and our challah croutons, and crispy gratin potatoes that come flavours and the clever
waiter explains the menu: dishes are designed to be daubed with smoked garlic, chilli and coriander. Our (but never tricky)
shared, with a combination of two to three mezza last dish of Lebanese dumplings of spiced pumpkin modern interpretation
starter plates, a vegetarian option, a larger main and and warm yoghurt swimming in a pool of walnuts and of tried and true
a side advised for our table of five. burnt butter could give the lamb a run for its money classics. And special
Our starters arrive accompanied by fresh, warm as a must-order; the sauce is so delicious you almost mention goes to the
flatbreads. The blue swimmer crab with puffed rice, want to drink it. delightful décor.
compressed watermelon, Persian raisins and avocado If we were smart we would have sacrificed one dish We’d change: The wine
mousse is light and sweet, with the puffed rice adding in order to sample the desserts, but I wouldn’t want to list, which features
an unexpected crunch and extra burst of flavour – choose what to leave out as they were all unmissable. some interesting new
having soaked up some of the juices at the bottom of Nour more than cleared the bar I set; I feel a new world wines, could
the bowl. The hummus comes with thin, tender slices addiction coming on. be a little bit more
inclusive: it’s good but
All AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would. it’s not excellent.

52 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
STEAL A LITTLE TIME
for yourselves this summer

SUMMER GE TAWAYS FROM $399 PER COUPL E PER NIGH T

Spicers Retreats provides the ultimate tonic to the busyness of the summer season. Here, reconnecting and
relaxing are the only things on the ‘to-do’ list thanks to luxurious accommodation, stunning natural settings,
award-winning cuisine and attentive service.

Steal a little time this summer and discover Spicers Retreats.

To book your summer escape call 13 77 42 or visit spicersretreats.com

Price based on a one night Bed and Breakfast package at Spicers Clovelly Estate or Spicers Hidden Vale staying on a Friday or Saturday night.
 WEEKENDS | Reviews
CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: Tribe’s communal
dining space; The rooms
are compact but clever;
The lounge-lobby is glam
and colourful; Tobie Puttock
has overseen the menu.

THE
Can a HOTEL BUILT in a matter of weeks on
the cusp of Perth’s KINGS PARK tick the right
boxes? FLEUR BAINGER checks in to TRIBE.

M E C C A NO DETAILS

SET
HAVING YOUR HOTEL made in China isn’t
usually something to crow about. But Tribe Perth is TRIB E PERTH
rather proud of the fact it was constructed in only two 4 Walker Avenue, West Perth;
weeks, something made possible by its pre-fabricated, tribehotels.com.au
modular rooms that are stacked up like Lego. connect a music-playing Bluetooth device, but Verdict: Hip design hotel
Not that you’d know. The eight-storey building alas, only if it’s a Samsung), a mini fridge absent of with plenty of personality in
that opened in May in West Perth’s corporate zone mini bar and a pod bathroom with Kevin Murphy a corporate location near the
blends in effortlessly, with its jet black, shiny products. A huge singular window with blackout city centre. The 126 compact
cube-shaped glass exterior. And then you saunter blinds that reveals my Kings Park view, costing extra, rooms are ideal for the
inside to find a designer wonderland with a modern is dominated by an ugly office building. At checkout overnight business traveller.
luxe vibe. Neon lights reflect in black columns as I’m advised the hotel is reviewing its view classings. Score:
shiny as patent leather; chairs fluffier than a poodle I regard Tribe’s other niggles as similar teething We rated: The fun, un-hotel
sit beside a giant chesterfield in emerald velvet; issues: my bed is stripped while I’m at breakfast, feel and the colourful,
spray paint splashes plush lobby stools and despite a ‘quiet’ sign on the door and a 12 noon mismatched yet glam
multi-directional director’s lights illuminate checkout, and a $25 parking fee is charged furnishings, pop culture
the airy entry space. I feel cool by association. without warning (they waive it). books and buzzing beats,
So do the front desk staff, I’d wager. All three say Dinner (menu courtesy of celebrity chef Tobie all in the lounge-lobby.
hello without lifting their eyes from their screens. Puttock) surpasses expectations via a tasty mixed We’d change: You’ll only score
Tribe calls itself a tech savvy destination but this grain salad and lamb shanks. In keeping with Tribe’s a park view on the top floor;
wasn’t what I had in mind. More accommodating unconventional style, it can be had in the communal next time we’d opt for the
is the wi-fi: there’s no password required. space or brought up to my firm, comfy bed. urban side and aim to roost
I beam up to the sixth floor in a mirrored lift And that’s what makes this hotel stand out as in the upper echelons.
and gasp as I enter my black, grey and white room. a somewhat discerning, young-at-heart offering Notes: We paid $199 for a
It’s compact. But clever, too: a felt bed base has that business travellers will love. Privately owned ‘park view’ room on level 6,
cut-outs for bags and shoes; there are USB points but managed by Mantra Group, it sticks to some which included breakfast,
in the walls, a flat screen TV (to which you can rules but breaks just as many others. espresso, wi-fi and in-house
movies. Parking is $25 and
All AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would. must be requested in advance.

54 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 AT PROMOTION | Gippsland
Flirtatiousness (La coquetterie), 1929. René Magritte at the Jardin des Plantes, photo-booth photo, by René Magritte; private collection, courtesy Brachot Gallery, Brussels

MUST SEE:

ARTFUL ESCAPES:
        

        

ƒ‡–‹‡–‘˜‹•‹–ƒ””ƒ—Ž‰ƒƒ–‹‘ƒŽƒ”ǡ
René Magritte and The Barbarian (Le Barbare), London Gallery, London, 1938, by René Magritte; private collection, courtesy Brachot Gallery, Brussels

Gippsland and the one of only four cool climate rainforests in

‹…–‘”‹ƒǤ‹‡–‘ƒ””ƒƒŽŽ‡›‹…‹…”‡ƒǡ

L at r o b e Vall e y –Š”‘—‰Š•‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡•–ƒ–‡ǯ•Žƒ”‰‡•–‘—–ƒ‹
–”‡‡•Ǥˆ–‡”Ž—…Šǡ™ƒŽ–Š‡•ƒŽŽ‡”–”ƒ‹Ž•
ƒ† ™ƒ–…Š ‘—– ˆ‘” ›‡ŽŽ‘™ –ƒ‹Ž‡† „Žƒ…
Gippsland is well known for its artisan food and wine culture, but with
…‘…ƒ–‘‘•ǡ …—””ƒ™‘‰• ƒ† ’Žƒ–›’—•‡•Ǥ
the redevelopment of the Latrobe Regional Gallery it is fast establishing
itself as Victoria’s premiere cultural outpost too.
EAT: DRINK:
      
 
From rugged coastline vistas to endless back


 
…‘—–”› ”‘ƒ†• –‘ ’”‡––› –‘™• ϐ‹ŽŽ‡† ™‹–Š
Š‹•–‘”‹… …‘––ƒ‰‡• ƒ† ”‡•–ƒ—”ƒ–• •‡”˜‹‰ —’ ƒ—Ž– ‹–…Š‡ ƒ† •Š‘”–†”‹˜‡
Ž‘…ƒŽ …‘Ž† …Ž‹ƒ–‡ ™‹‡•ǡ …Š‡‡•‡ǡ ƒ† ƒ”ǡ ‘ Š—”…Š from Glengarry,
•‡ƒˆ‘‘†ǡ
‹’’•Žƒ† Šƒ• „‡…‘‡ ƒ †‡•–‹ƒ–‹‘ Street in Morwell, Narkoojee Winery
‘ˆ ‘–‡ ˆ‘” —•–”ƒŽ‹ƒ• Ž‘‘‹‰ ˆ‘” –Š‡ offers modern ’”‡•‡–•–Š‡…Šƒ…‡
—Ž–‹ƒ–‡ •Š‘”– „”‡ƒǤ † ‘™ ™‹–Š ƒ Australian cuisine –‘–ƒ•–‡–Š‡”‡‰‹‘ǯ•
booming arts scene set to invigorate it even ™‹–Š ƒ ˆ‘…—• ‘ best cool climate
ˆ—”–Š‡”ǡ ‹–ǯ• –‹‡ ‹– ™ƒ• ‘ ›‘—” —•–Ǧ†‘ Ž‹•–Ǥ local ingredients; wines, all produced
‡”‡ǡ ™‡ Œ‘—”‡› –Š”‘—‰Š ‹…–‘”‹ƒǯ• –Š‡ ‡— ƒ– ‹––Ž‡ ‘–Š‡’”‘’‡”–›Ǥ
•–—‹‰ ƒ”–‹•ƒ Š‡ƒ”–Žƒ†Ǥ ”‹…‡ǡ ”ƒ”ƒŽ‰‘ǡ Š‡”‡ǯ• ƒ ‘Ǧ•‹–‡
‹• ‹ϐŽ—‡…‡† „› ”‡•–ƒ—”ƒ– –‘‘Ǥ
international
VISIT: SEE:
cuisines; Neilsons
       RENÉ MAGRITTE:
 

 ‹–…Š‡ ‹ ‘”™‡ŽŽ
–Š‡ͳͺ͸Ͳ•ǡƒŽŠƒŽŽƒǡŽ‘…ƒ–‡†ƒ––Š‡ The Latrobe Regional Gallery uses seasonal local
•‘—–Š‡”–‹’‘ˆƒ™ƒ™ƒ–‹‘ƒŽƒ”‹ August 19 – November 19, 2017 produce, including

‹’’•Žƒ†ǯ•‘”–Šǡ„‡…ƒ‡‘‡‘ˆ—•–”ƒŽ‹ƒǯ• …Š‡‡•‡• ƒ†‡ ‹
„‘‘‹‰‰‘Ž†”—•Š–‘™•Ǥ‘†ƒ›ǡ–Š‡–‘™
ƒŽŽ‡”› ™‹ŽŽ
‹’’•Žƒ†Ǥ
’”‡•‡–•ƒŠ‹•–‘”‹…ƒŽŒ‘—”‡›–Š”‘—‰Š
‹…–‘”‹ƒǯ•”‹…ŠŠ‡”‹–ƒ‰‡ǡƒ•™‡ŽŽƒ•„‡‹‰–Š‡
‰ƒ–‡™ƒ›–‘–Š‡ƒ–‹‘ƒŽƒ”ƒ†‘‡‘ˆ
‹…–‘”‹ƒǯ• ‘•– „‡ƒ—–‹ˆ—Ž ‘—–ƒ‹ ”ƒ‰‡•Ǥ
‹’’•Žƒ†ǡ ƒ””‹˜‹‰ ƒ– ‘”™‡ŽŽ
‘„‡”Ǥlatroberegionalgallery.com
 •’”‹‰ǡ ƒ–”‘„‡ ‡‰‹‘ƒŽ
”‡‘’‡ –‘ –Š‡ ’—„Ž‹… ƒˆ–‡” ƒ ̈́ͳǤͷ ‹ŽŽ‹‘
”‡‘˜ƒ–‹‘ǡ ™‹–Š ƒ …‘ŽŽ‡…–‹‘ ‘ˆ ’Š‘–‘‰”ƒ’Š• GETTING THERE:
ƒ† ϐ‹Ž• ˆ”‘ –Š‡ ‡Ž‰‹ƒ •—””‡ƒŽ‹•– ƒ”–‹•–
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ʹͲ–Š…‡–—”›ǡŠ‹•™‘”Šƒ•‹ϐŽ—‡…‡† latroberegionalgallery.com
popular and conceptual artists including
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 WEEKENDS | Reviews

CLOCKWISE FROM
FAR LEFT: Taverna’s
well-stocked bar;
Slow-roasted lamb; Breezy
interiors; Refresh with a
cocktail; Colourful food
fusions; The beachside
restaurant’s gorgeous façade.

DETAILS

SANTOR INI TAVERNA

22 Marine Parade,
Kingscliff, NSW;

DR EAMING taverna.net.au
Verdict: The ultimate
Australian and Greek
TAVERNA fuses North Coast NSW’s SLEEPY BEACH charm cuisine blend, combined
with a view that would
with OLD-WORLD GREECE. Craig Tansley samples the make jaws slack – even
region’s BEST NEW offering. in Santorini. Although
I HAVEN’T EVEN MADE IT inside Taverna and it’s actually the staff
already my hackles are raised; there’s a showroom who make Taverna
of $100,000-plus European cars parked outside. most memorable.
Much of the Far North Coast of New South Wales That’s not where the fusion ends. Owners Mark Score:
has been overtaken by the ‘fancy brigade’; boat shoe Wilson and Lia Mason (along with partner Lee We rated: A relaxed
and polo shirt-wearers (with collars raised), swanning Middendorf) run the region’s best-regarded eatery, atmosphere that made
between lunches in shiny Porsche SUVs. The sleepy Casuarina’s Osteria, and its blending of traditional gourmet dining seem
hamlet of Kingscliff was always a target, with a Italian fare with modern Australian ideas is legendary like a dinner at home.
glorious river that cuts through town and its location in these parts. Taverna does the same, Greek-style. Dishes that emphasise
just 20 minutes from Gold Coast Airport. A signature dish I try first is a North Coast take on the quality of the North
But it takes barely 60 seconds for my fears to be saganaki: Byron Bay haloumi, lightly fried and drizzled Coast’s produce.
allayed; there’s a down-home quality that you feel with bush honey washed down with Australia’s first We’d change: Not a darn
from the moment you’re inside. Perhaps it’s the rustic Assyrtiko (produced by Jim Barry Wines). thing. Though perhaps
old brick floor, or the simple table settings; though Fried cheese will always make new friends, but it’s we’d ask when booking
more likely it’s the staff. There’s not a single ‘sir’ or actually the delicate dishes Taverna does so well like if there are big groups
‘madam’ dining in Taverna today. the confit ocean trout with artichoke hearts and goat’s likely today – the clever
I’m seated by the open front windows that look cheese on a fresh apple and mint salad that I order as a staff managed to negate
across to the Pacific Ocean and a rugged off-shore islet main. And the fried local squid with seaweed crisps a hen’s group of 15.
(Cook Island), though my view is dominated by a and a pink peppercorn mayo. Notes: Open 5pm till late,
Moreton Bay fig tree full of sleeping corellas. It’s as Sure, I have neighbours in up-collared Ralph Lauren Thursday, Friday; and
if Santorini got fused into a jus with a Frederick pink, but inside Taverna, it’s still the same Kingscliff 12pm till late Saturday
McCubbin landscape. my grandparents moved here for 35 years ago. and Sunday (Sunday
evening is ‘chef ’s table’
All AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would. banquet-style dining).

56 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
H A RV EST
MOON
As Broome’s SHINJU MATSURI gets set for another
year, we take a look at the town’s PEARLING HERITAGE,
and WHAT TO DO while you’re there – from pearl
harvesting to long table dinners on CABLE BEACH.

WORDS FLEUR BAINGER

 WEEKENDS | Broome
LINGER A LITTLE IN BROOME and pretty soon
you’ll start seeing pearls everywhere: in the full moon’s
glowing orb as it shines on mudflats, in strings of fairy
lights hung above a grassy beer garden, even in the
dinner plates of a balmy, open-air restaurant. Call it a
lust for lustre, or too much time under the northern
sun. Either way, the organic gems, nurtured by the
Kimberley region’s immense tropical tides and Tiffany-
blue bays, deserve gratitude: without them, Broome and
all its sun-kissed holiday escapism might not exist. And
then we’d never twig that Broome is also home to the
largest dinosaur footprints on Earth, harbours dolphins
so rarely spotted that David Attenborough flew in to
witness them, and neighbours twin waterfalls that flow,
of all things, horizontally.
It’s surprising to learn that the pearls we pay
thousands for today were once thrown away in lieu of
their pearlescent shells. Broome’s Pinctada maxima is
the largest pearl shell in the world and from the 1880s
onwards, it was punched with circles to make shiny
buttons. The ensuing boom meant Japanese, Filipino,
Malay, Koepanger and Chinese people flocked to the
laid-back frontier town – one of the most remote in the
world – but not before local Aboriginals were exploited
in the rush for mother of pearl shell.
“In the early days, pearl shells were found out on the
flats of the beach,” says Bart Pigram, a Yawuru man and
leader of Narlijia Cultural Tours, who guides visitors
through the historic heart of Broome. “Over time, they
had to dive deeper and deeper.” Bart’s UK-born four-
times-great-grandfather was one of the early pearlers to
engage in the pearling slave trade. A visit to the town’s
Pearl Luggers museum lays its ugly history bare: most
Aboriginal people were tricked into slavery. Pregnant
Indigenous women were particularly favoured as free-
divers, due to a belief they could hold their breath for
longer – a statue in Pioneer Park pays tribute to them.
All divers had to surface with either a shell or sand
in their hand to prove they had reached the bottom;
holding neither resulted in a beating.
CLOCKWISE
FROM FAR LEFT:
Red lanterns
adorn Cable Beach;
Shinju Matsuri
celebrates Broome’s
multicultural past;
Sammy the Chinese
dragon makes his
presence felt.
OPPOSITE:
Lanterns light
the Sunset Long
Table Dinner.
In the early 1870s, restrictions were brought in
against enslaving Aboriginal people, and female divers
banned. Asian immigrants were instead indentured
to plunge even deeper beneath the surface wearing
heavy, spaceman-like helmets, lead-weighted boots
weighing 20 kilograms each and hand knitted woollen
undergarments underneath diving suits to brace against
the cold. They’d spend up to seven hours underwater,
and the survival rate was low. By 1910, Broome was
home to more than 400 pearl lugging boats, making
it the largest pearling centre in the world.
“By the 1940s, there were gambling dens and five
brothels in town,” says Bart as we walk beside Broome’s
distinguishing corrugated iron buildings with their
wraparound, cross-hatch lattice verandahs, designed
for air flow. Plenty of interracial relationships blossomed,
the multicultural legacy of which characterises the
Broome of today. Indeed, Bart’s three-times great
grandmother, Agnes ‘Guilwil’ Bryan, was one of the
first of Broome’s mixed raced inhabitants – with an
English/Irish father and an Aboriginal mother.
Pearling is no longer the cash cow of old. The advent
of plastic in the 1950s killed the button trade, and
although the industry evolved to the point of culturing
perfectly spherical pearls as high-value jewellery, it’s an
intricate, challenging and expensive game. Today, there’s
less than a handful of working pearl farms in the region.
Yet Broome is still deeply connected to the pearling
trade, and not just as the local adornment of choice.
Each September, Shinju Matsuri – Japanese for
‘festival of the pearl’ – bridges the town’s heritage
with present-day descendants. Where once there were
several cultural celebrations marking the return of
pearl luggers, now the 47-year-old festival brings the
entire town, and all its visitors, together.
F E S T I VA L F E V E R
The nine-day event symbolically opens with the
awakening of Sammy the Chinese Dragon, who dances
past festival president Chris Maher, proudly sporting 1
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 59

his ‘man strand’ of Cygnet Bay pearls, and darts
wildly through opening ceremony crowds. Another
night, countless 4WD vehicles flow like ants before
a storm to Cable Beach. At sundown, people release
hundreds of floating lanterns carrying remembrance
messages onto the water. The still ocean is dotted
with the flickers of candles, bobbing gently in the
shallows. Come Saturday night, the town glams up
– many enlisting help from its pearl retailers – for a
Sunset Long Table Dinner for 450 on Cable Beach’s
sandy expanse. This year, the festival has secured
Three Blue Ducks chef Darren Robertson. And last
year, celebrity chef Adam Liaw flew in to turn eight
kilograms of pearl meat into ceviche, paired with
40 dampers made by a local Indigenous woman.
“The menu reflects the culture; Broome is one of
few places to have true regional cuisine,” Adam
says. “But the sunset is the main hero of the show.”
Shinju Matsuri is held from 2–10 September 2017.
shinjumatsuri.com.au
M OO N L I G H T M AG I C
Across the other side of town, a natural light
phenomenon draws people like moths to a flame.
Shinju Matsuri always coincides with a full moon,
so the illumination event known as Staircase to the
Moon can have maximum effect. In the garden party
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
The sapphire blue waters of Cable
Beach; Guests attend last year’s
Sunset Long Table Dinner; It’s a
dinner with a view; Discover dino
footprints by hovercraft; Pearl
meat ceviche canapés at the Sunset
Long Table Dinner; Sammy the
Chinese Dragon on the opening
day of the festival; Willie Creek
pearl oysters. OPPOSITE: The
glorious sundeck at Mangrove
Hotel; Find some treasure with
Willie Creek Pearls.
atmosphere of the chic Mangrove Hotel – the best
place to see it – the emotive warble of a didgeridoo
fills the air as the moon begins its ascent. Its pale
reflection in the wet, chiselled mudflats of Roebuck
Bay lengthens until it seems as though you could
climb up and touch it. Like a pearl, its bewitching
existence is inextricably linked to the Kimberley’s
massive tides that recede to create its gleaming mud
stage. mangrovehotel.com.au
AU S T R A L I A ’ S J U R A S S I C PA R K
It’s one thing to gaze at dinosaur bones in a museum
display, and entirely another to walk beside the
130-million-year-old footprint trail of a huge
sauropod, fossilised in ancient rock. Thousands of
dinosaur tracks are scattered across Broome’s rusty
red Dampier Peninsula; it harbours the most diverse
collection of dinosaur footprints in the world along a
25-kilometre stretch of coastline. There are so many,
new ones were momentarily uncovered by the tide
on Cable Beach during last year’s Shinju Matsuri.
The biggest measure around 1.7 metres long, which
is about the height of the average Australian male,
officially making them the largest recorded, globally.
A palaeontologist who spent six years studying
the area recently described it as the “Cretaceous
equivalent of the Serengeti” – something local guide,

Myles Penegar has suspected for some time.
His quirky hovercraft tours whisk people gently
across the sand at low tide past turtles, egrets
and pelicans to a remote, otherwise inaccessible
beach. There, circular sauropod prints are
all but invisible until he points out preserved
indentations in the rock – after that you can’t
miss them. It leaves you in no doubt about
dinosaurs’ immense weight; subsurface layers
of stone reveal the impact of each step in mind-
blowing clarity. broomehovercraft.com.au
TH E CUR IOUS SNU B FI N D O L PH I N
They’re cute, they’re rarely seen and David
Attenborough rates them enough to include them
in his upcoming Blue Planet II series. That’s just
three reasons to jump aboard the Broome Whale
Watching catamaran to see Broome’s recently
discovered snubfin dolphins. Owner and skipper,
Cameron Birch, admits they flummoxed him to
start with. “I knew so little about them, I thought
they were dugongs,” he laughs. With their
melon-like heads, fish-sized fins and tri-hued grey
skin, it’s an understandable mistake. But where
dugongs bob and sink, “snubbys” hunt by spitting
three-metre jets through the air, confusing
their fishy prey. The endemic species was only
WEEKENDS | Broome
DETAILS
Top five spots to eat, drink
and soak in the views
MA TSO’S B REWE R Y Based
in the building that housed
Broome’s first bank, you’ll
find inventive beers, like mango
and chilli, to pair with dishes
such as hot-smoked barramundi
or ginger beer pork belly.
matsos.com.au
18 DEGREES An open-air
tapas bar that specialises in
edgy cocktails and friendly
service. The barramundi here
is a must-try. facebook.
recognised in 2005, usually hidden in northern com/18degreesbroome
estuaries and rivers. Broome’s were only noticed
a couple of years ago and they’re so blissfully at CA B LE B EACH CL UB SUN SE T
ease in Roebuck Bay’s tidal waters, they’re easily B A R AND GRILL There’s no
observed. broomewhalewatching.com.au better place to gaze at a
Broome sunset with an icy cold
TH E F RU I T S O F A P E A R L FA R M drink in hand. The bar stools out
It’s quite something to see a pearl plucked from front are hot real estate.
inside a live, dripping wet oyster. Like a diamond cablebeachclub.com/dine/
before the stone is polished and cut, the pearl is restaurants-and-bars/
mottled with plaque-like yellow, its lustre barely sunset-bar-and-grill
perceptible. Harvested during a cruise of Willie
Creek Pearl Farm, the chatty guide dips his arms MA NGROVE HOT E L
into a sky-blue estuary where cultured pearl The feel is English garden
beds are strung, filtering the nutrient-rich water. party-meets-designer bar,
Following a lesson on the intricate art of pearl with a white-on-white palette,
seeding – where a tiny plastic sphere is tweezered pastel tone patterned tiles
into the oyster – our boat party is filled with and oodles of lush grass.
tangible appreciation for the pretty spheres we You’ll want to hang out here.
string around our necks and pop in our ears. The mangrovehotel.com.au
farm is found at the end of a bumpy, 38-kilometre
outback track, stained the richest paprika tone GREEN MA NGO CA FE
imaginable. The iron-rich soil dusts the native Broome-time casual, this is
trees, contrasting against the giant sky dappled where you’ll find the best
with cotton tail clouds – a journey sacrificed mango smoothies in town, good
if you take the scenic chopper transfer option. coffees and filling breakfasts.
thebroomeexperience.com.au wildmangocafe.com.au
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 61
 H I P
H O O D
CH I PPE N DA L E
TOURISTS HITTING up Sydney’s big smoke often beeline for POSTCARD ICONS
such as Bondi Beach or Circular Quay. But there’s plenty HAPPENING in the INNER
CITY, and Chippendale is leading the charge, writes KATE SYMONS.
THE TRAIN PULLS IN to Sydney’s Central Station surrounded by
a framework of steel and metal; the tracks below, the beams above and
the web of cables stretching this way and that. It’s a sight that barely
registers with the average commuter; it simply blends in to the daily
grind. But on this day, with my back facing my destination for once,
the industrial surrounds fade into the background as a calming wall
of greenery pushes to the fore. Defined by the largest en masse vertical
gardens in the world, which cover 1100 square metres and beautifully
dress the building’s exterior, Central Park is the multipurpose
high-rise that stands proud in Sydney’s revived Chippendale precinct.
The restorative sight is a fair metaphor for the regeneration of
Chippendale itself; a revival that has transformed the small inner-city
locale from seedy wasteland to creative epicentre. The Central Park
development can take a bow for its role in the revival. So too can
Nicky Ginsberg, who saw Chippendale’s potential when she opened
NG Art Gallery in 2006. “Back then Chippendale was a cultural
desert,” Nicky recalls. “You could hear a pin drop. Everybody thought
62 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
I was mad choosing a location like Chippendale.” Nicky is now
president of the Chippendale Creative Precinct, as well as creative
director of Kensington Street, the suburb’s hallmark strip.
‘Creative precinct’ is a far cry from the suburb William
Chippendale knew. Chippendale was a land holder in the area in the
early 19th century. The suburb takes its name from the farmer who
– side note – one night took to two petty criminals he found
trespassing on his property with a double-barrel shotgun, killing one.
Colourful characters are a trademark of the area’s shady past.
Today’s characters are colourful too, although less shabby and more
chic. But to pigeonhole the crowd would be an error; the diversity is
part of the appeal. “Locals, visitors, students, commuters, business
people and tourists all brush against each other here and the realness
and open nature of the place instils a level of harmony,” says Timo
Bures, general manager of The Old Clare Hotel.
That harmony is emphasised when you’re spoilt for choice. Here
are a few tips on where to start.
 WEEKENDS | Hip hood

WHITE RAB B IT GALLEY

Set in a former Rolls-Royce service depot, the
White Rabbit Gallery is one of Chippendale’s
many art spaces and certainly among the most
renowned. With four storeys of contemporary
Chinese art, don’t be surprised if you end up
down the rabbit hole. Upcoming exhibition,
Ritual Spirit, explores the rise of spirituality
and religious freedom in China. It runs from 30
August until late January 2018.
whiterabbitcollection.org

Ester Olio Kensington Street

OP E N E D I N 2 0 1 3 , E S TER WAS O NE O F THE OLIO KENSINGTON ST R E E T
F I R S T R E S TAU R A N TS TO S HOW FAITH IN THE OPENED EARLIER T H I S Y E A R A N D
YE T- U N P ROV E N C HIP P ENDALE. IT WAS S O O N HA S B EEN QUICK TO I M PR E SS
RE WA R D E D, B OT H I N TERMS O F F O OT TRAF F IC W ITH ITS AUTHE N T I C SI CI L I A N
A N D R E V I E W S , A N D IT REMAINS O NE O F THE FARE. AWA RD-WI N N I N G CH E F
BES T D I N I N G O P T I O NS IN A S U BU RB THAT LINO SAURO, A S I CI L I A N N AT I V E ,
N OW B OA S T S P L E NTY O F C O MP ETITIO N. THE USES SEASONA L I N G R E D I E N T S
F O O D, O F T E N WO O D- F IRED, IS DELIC IO U S , THE TYPIC A L OF HIS I SL A N D H O M E ,
E X C LU S I V E LY O R G ANIC WINE LIS T IS A TREAT, INCLUDING PLENT Y O F FR E SH
A N D I T ’ S A LL D E L I VERED WITHO U T EVEN A HINT SEA FOOD. LOC AT E D I N T H E
OF T H E P R E T E N S I O N THAT C AN S O METIMES NEW LY RESTORE D O L D RUM
HI N D E R R E S TAU R A NTS O F THIS C LAS S . STORE B UILDING , T H E SPACE I S
ES T E R - R E S TAU R AN T. C OM. AU FLANKED B Y B AR E BR I CK WA L L S
A ND A RCHED W I N D OW S, O R
ENJOY A N APEROL SPR I T Z O N
THE ROOFTOP TER R A ZZA . O L I O.
WA L K ING TOUR S K EN SIN GTON STREET. CO M. AU
The concentration of galleries in Chippendale gives
rise to the suburb’s reputation as an arts hub.
For a taste test, the monthly Gallery Walking Tours
provide a compact version. Each tour visits four
exhibition spaces and includes talks by gallerists,
P H O T O G R A P H Y: M U R R AY F R E D E R I C K S ( O N E C E N T R A L P A R K )

cultural commentators or exhibiting artists.

If history is more your scene, try one of the
monthly Historical Walking Tours.
chippendalecreative.com/initiatives

KENS I N G TO N
S TREET S O C I AL
The Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton has
collected success after success and his Sydney
debut, Kensington Street Social, has continued
the trend since opening last year. Housed within
The Old Clare Hotel, the space is an extension
of the hotel’s industrial chic style. This creates
a casual atmosphere, but the food could hardly
be described as such. Creative dishes and
memorable flavours are the order of the day,
and night. kensingtonstreetsocial.com
 WEEKENDS | Hip hood

The Old Clare Hotel

TRULY REFINED YET B EFITTINGLY URB A N, THE OL D
CLA RE HOTEL IS THE STYLISH RESULT OF A FOUR-Y E A R
TRANSFORMATION OF TWO ICONIC B UILDINGS. T H E SI T E
FORMERLY HOUSED THE C A RLTON AND UNITED B R E W E R I E S
ADMINISTRATION B UILDING A ND THE COUNTY C L A R E PUB,
AND A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO HONOURING DAYS O F
OLD IS A LARGE PART OF THE CHA RM. AS W ELL AS 6 2 RO O M S
AND SUITES, THE B OUTIQUE HOTEL IS HOME TO ACCL A I M E D
RESTAURANTS AUTOMATA A ND KENSINGTON STR E E T SO CI A L
AS W ELL AS THE CLARE B A R. THEOL DC L AREHOTEL .C O M. AU

Spice Alley
GO FOR THE ATMOSPHERE, STAY
FOR THE FOOD. TUCKED IN A N
A LLEYWAY B EHIND KENSINGTON
STREET, KOPI-TIAM SPICE ALLEY IS
A LITTLE SLICE OF THE B USTLING
HAW KER CENTRES THAT HELP
DEFINE ASIA . THE OPEN-AIR FOOD
COURT, DECORATED W ITH PAPER
LA NTERNS, OFFERS A STREET-FOOD
TOUR THROUGH SINGA PORE,
JAPAN, MALAYSIA , THAILAND,
CHINA A ND VIETNAM.
SPIC E-AL L EY.C OM .AU

P H O T O G R A P H Y: S I M O N W O O D ( S P I C E A L L E Y )

C ON C R ET E JUN G L E FREDA’S
Clean eating is still a raging trend and the benefits This warehouse-turned-speakeasy has
are hard to deny. But the cult-following has also been a thriving Chippendale haunt
delivered plenty of eye-roll moments. Thankfully, since moving into the neighbourhood
Concrete Jungle, isn’t one of them. The menu is in 2012. Tucked down an alleyway,
entirely halal and predominantly plant-based with a world away yet just metres from
ingredients that are ethically sourced. Some will care bustling Regent Street, Freda’s
more about these traits than others, but we all care celebrates live music and good times,
about taste, and Concrete Jungle absolutely nails it aided in part by a solid drinks menu.
in the flavour department. concretejunglecafe.com fredas.com.au

64 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 SHINJU MATSURI
Festival of the Pearl, Broome
Visit beautiful Broome from 2–10 September 2017, with Qantas Holidays for the annual Festival of
the Pearl – Shinju Matsuri. A kaleidoscope of colour that celebrates the fusion of cultures which
played a role in shaping Broome during its prosperous pearling days.
Image: Tourism Western Australia / Julia Rau Photography

Oaks Cable Beach Sanctuary & 3 Nights

Sunset Long Table Dinner $ *
Includes 3 nights in a Studio, return airport transfers and
a ticket to the Sunset Long Table Dinner.
745
from
per person, twin share

Find out more at qantasholidays.com.au

or call 1300 443 485

* Conditions apply. Valid for sale until 18 Aug 17, valid for travel 7 - 10 Sep 17. The Qantas Holidays General
Bookings Conditions apply, which are available at qantasholidays.com.au
 Native
flavours
campfire tales, writes MEGAN ARKINSTALL.
out of native bush foods and COMES TO LIFE with
A TOP END dining experience takes the unknown
P H O T O G R A P H Y: M E G A N A R K I N S TA L L ( K AT H E R I N E
ROAD AN D N ITM ILU K GORGE ); E LIZ AB E TH ALLN UT
(FOR AG I NG HAN D TO P RIG HT )
 WEEKENDS | Top End camp tucker
WITH WIDE SPARKLING EYES gazing from under
his Akubra, Geoff Mark (better known as Marksie) avidly
recounts a story as though it’s the first time he’s told
anyone. “My grandfather, Bill, was a professional rabbit
trapper in Rainbow, Victoria, and my father, Brian, was
also a keen bushman,” he says as dusk falls behind him. “As
a young boy, I earnt pocket money from trapping rabbits,
dressing them out and selling them to my neighbours.”
A vast, clear sky dotted with countless stars is spread
above us, and the warm glow of several campfires flicker
in the fading light; it’s an infinitely peaceful night.
We’re seated at a long trestle table with three other
couples; another table seats two families. Bonnie (one
of four adorable rescued wallabies with a penchant for
bush tucker) also competes for our attention as she
potters around our table, but we’re engrossed in Marksie’s
story about how he came to host camp tucker nights up
here in Katherine.
Despite some initial reservations, we quickly learn this is
not just a well-executed Australiana spectacle for tourists;
Marksie has a genuine passion for using native herbs, spices
and fruits in cooking, and his journey from rabbit-trapping
youngster to a man adept at working with bush foods is
a long and interesting one (and one he is remarkable at
telling). His interest in bush ingredients began when he
was a young boy surrounded by ‘bush men’, but he says he
These Australian flavours
are ironically more exotic to us
than, say, the dragonfruit,
didn’t have the knowledge to use them properly until a
visit to the Northern Territory in the 1970s, when he
was in his twenties.
“I got the chance to meet some Aboriginal people,
one woman in particular who helped me.” [She has passed
away so her name cannot be mentioned for cultural
reasons.] Seemingly the secrets of bush food cannot be
passed on to just anyone – Indigenous people are, after
all, the custodians of bush food and of the knowledge
associated with its use – so it took several trips over
seven years before she agreed to help him. With elder
Indigenous women the experts in this field, Marksie tells
us, “I was white and a male. But after returning to Darwin
year after year, she eventually let me spend 10 days out
bush with her – this changed everything for me.”
Years later in 2001, after meeting Katie Young – an
Aboriginal woman who has an associate doctorate in
tropical horticulture – Marksie moved to Katherine
and set up the Stockman’s Camp Tucker experience,
during which Katie would conduct bush food
demonstrations for his guests. She has since moved
to Alice Springs, but 16 years on, Marksie continues
these cook-ups along with his wife, Penny, a local
midwife and part-time bush tucker assistant.
Penny serves our entrée, which consists of three
canapé-style dishes: crocodile and beef sausage roll with 1
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP:
Dinner is made using
native ingredients;
A  camp oven;
Cooking with a
billycan; Take a
cruise down the
Katherine River.
OPPOSITE: Still
waters in nearby
Nitmiluk Gorge;
Marksie’s Stockman’s
Camp Tucker
Night takes place
near Katherine.
guava, or chipotle.
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 67
bush tomato seasoning and desert quandong sauce;
wild barramundi with lemon myrtle and rainforest
spice; and camel sausage with mountain pepper
and sweet chilli sauce. Jugs of ‘Jungle Juice’, a
homemade drink of native mint and forestberry
herbs, accompanies the food.
I’ve tasted crocodile before (the sausage roll is
delicious), but I hesitate with the camel sausage.
After some positive feedback from my fellow
diners, I take a bite, hoping it ‘tastes like chicken’
as all foreign meats do. It doesn’t.
Setting it aside, I appreciate the fruits, herbs
and spices used in these dishes – desert quandong,
also known as desert peach, a sweet fruit that is
tart and high in Vitamin C; lemon myrtle, found
on the east coast, similar to zesty lemon verbena;
and the aromatic mountain pepper, made from
dried berries found in Tasmania and south-east
Australia. These uniquely Australian flavours
are ironically more exotic to most of us than, say,
the south-east Asian dragonfruit, the Central
American guava, or the Mexican chipotle. And it
is this unfamiliarity with native food that sparked
Marksie’s desire to teach other Australians how it
can be used in everyday cooking – and to showcase
a beautiful “marriage of white and Indigenous
Australian culture” to his many overseas guests.
With a menu that changes to suit what’s in
season, around 14 different types of herbs, spices,
and fruits are used on any given night – many of
which are collected by Marksie himself when he
goes bush with local Indigenous ladies who he calls
his close friends.
But it’s not just the foraging that’s finicky work.
To prepare for every camp tucker dinner, Marksie
lights the first fire around 5am and by the time
the last guest leaves and clean-up is complete, it’s
almost midnight. (I suddenly appreciate my camel
sausage a great deal more.) There were around
120 people running similar experiences when he
began, but now there are very few: “It is sad to
say that many of the old-timers that used to do
what I do are no longer with us. It’s a very time-
consuming and slow business, so not many people
want to take it on,” he says.
Yet the growing appreciation for native flavours,
their beauty and versatility, has taken bush foods
in a whole new direction, and they are appearing CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP: Team
increasingly in top-notch restaurants across the your camp tucker
country. Hatted establishments such as Sydney’s experience with a
Billy Kwong and Melbourne’s Vue de Monde, and cruise of Nitmiluk
LE F T ): BOWL AND S POON FROM DINOSAU R DES IGN S (DINOS AU R DESIGNS .COM . AU ), BOWL
Gorge; Make friends
I N G R E D I E N T S ) ; N AT I V E I N G R E D I E N T S TA B L E W E A R P R O D U C T S ( C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P
Adelaide’s Orana have embraced native ingredients
P H O T O G R A P H Y: M E G A N A R K I N S TA L L ( N I T M I L U K G O R G E C R U I S E ) ; G U Y B A I L E Y ( N AT I V E
with a rescued
F R O M R O L F L I E ( 0 4 12 0 4 7 611) , B O W L F O R T H E P R O V I D S T O R E ( P R O V I D E R S T O R E . C O M . A U )
on their menus, with respective dishes such as red- wallaby at Marksie’s;
braised caramelised wallaby tail; Davidson plum Marskie spends all
sorbet with sorrel and flowers; and riberry, native day preparing for his
juniper, muntrie and mango. Stockman’s Camp.
Our main course for the evening is a little more
humble, comprising roast beef with native pepper
berry; roast potatoes with aniseed myrtle (which DETAILS
has a subtle liquorice flavour); and peas with native
mint (originally used by Indigenous Australians for
medicinal purposes). A delicious hot-from-the- Getting there
camp-oven damper with roasted wattle seeds is Marksie’s Stockman’s Camp
served on the side with creamy butter, and we finish Tucker is located in the
the evening with homemade scones, fresh jam and grounds of Top Didj Cultural
cream, while watching two of the younger diners Experience on Gorge Road,
go head-to-head in a billy spinning competition. seven kilometres from the
Sure, it’s a far cry from the award-winning fare Post Office in Katherine,
served under city lights, but the hearty and homely Northern Territory. It runs
dishes we’ve tasted tonight perfectly complement five nights a week during
this very Australian setting under the outback the dry season and the cost
stars. And more importantly, what’s a campfire is $75 per adult and $35
without a colourful story or two? Marksie’s per child (two–13 years)
outstanding ability to tell a good yarn in between for a three-course meal
courses, if a little irreverent and exaggerated at with non-alcoholic Jungle
times, has us utterly entertained. Indeed, this is Juice. BYO alcohol.
a stockman’s dinner after all, where in place of Bookings are required;
a chef ’s hat is a top-notch Akubra. marksiescamptucker.com.au
 WEEKENDS | Top End camp tucker

AND WHILE you’re in the NT,

why not see how NATIVE CUISINE is
prepared by a master? QUENTIN LONG
meets MARK OLIVE.
Mark Olive, aka the Black Olive (pictured right,
blackolive.net.au), is a fierce advocate of Australian
cuisine. Yes Australian cuisine, not fusion-Asian-
modern-Australian, but the truly unique food comprised
of the flavours from our equally unique flora and fauna.
“We have a cuisine in this country and we just don’t
utilise it. We have embraced every other food in the
world but our own, the one we have right here,” he
says as he explains the various herbs spices, ants and
other produce spread out on a table in a conference hall
at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort. “We are lucky in this
country. We have these flavours that you just don’t get
anywhere else in the world.”
He is here for the launch of the Uluru Feastival – a
quarterly foodie event that celebrates the native foods
of Australia. It is part of the ongoing renaissance of the
Rock and forms the signature event of the Bush Tucker
Journeys program.
For 30 years Mark has passionately tried to change
the perception of our Indigenous produce and
ingredients by educating kids, for instance. And he
has some startling examples of our remarkable apathy
towards native ingredients. “We ship two tonnes of
kangaroo to Europe every month yet we can’t sell that
amount here in Australia.”
The barriers to this Indigenous food being used in
more kitchens are more mental than anything else. “You
don’t walk into a butcher’s shop and ask for a kilo of
cow or sheep, we disassociate the food from the animal.
The problem is how we look at it; yes Skippy is cute but
tastes so good. What’s wrong with that?”
For Mark, the first steps are simple ones: stocking the
pantry. “We all have Chinese five spice in the cupboard,
and a curry. Why not add some lemon myrtle? Sprinkle
some lemon myrtle on watermelon or pineapple and the
kids will love it. Add some wattleseed for that smoky
coffee flavour to stews, biscuits – it’s great in Anzac
biscuits particularly.”
But if you are unfamiliar with the ingredients, how
do you make sure you are finding good produce? “Be
careful, look for what is being added. If there are things
like pepper, salt, almond meal, it’s probably not the
authentic thing. I source everything I can from Outback
Pride (outbackpride.com.au) who I know stock the quality
produce and ingredients.”
A platter of native ingredients
Uluru Feastival is a two-day celebration of native ingredients including (clockwise from top
on 18-19 August, 3-4 November and 9-10 March, including left) rosella, finger limes,
a foraging walk , a masterclass with Mark and dinner under pigface, mountain pepper spice;
lemon myrtle, rainforest spice
the stars. Packages are from $705, including three nights’ and roast wattleseed.
accommodation. ayersrockresort.com.au/ulurufeastival

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 69
SUBSCRIBE
N OW & W I N
Win a two-night stay for four at
BELLS AT KILLCARE
valued at $3300

Escape reality (or the city) for a weekend

with friends or family (four people in total),
and indulge in beautiful boutique cottage
accommodation, along with a delicious
degustation dinner on one of the evenings and
an à la carte dining experience on the other.
Located an easy drive from Sydney, Bells at
Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant & Spa is
one of Australia’s most awarded boutique hotels,
renowned for its beautiful accommodation,
fabulous food, pampering day spa and spectacular
surrounds. Explore the Bouddi National Park
and its seven pristine local beaches and bays
as you hike the well-marked walking trails. See
Indigenous rock art, magnificent ocean vistas
and an abundance of wildflowers and wildlife.
This territory is a nature lover’s paradise and
a true gourmet retreat. Relax, unwind and
enjoy. bellsatkillcare.com.au
P R I Z E F O R F O U R A D U LT S I N C L U D E S :
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in a Two Bedroom Villa
• Dinner each evening
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AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 71
 RO C K S A N D RO L L
Ruby Boukabou takes you on a
WALKING TOUR from The
Rocks to BARANGAROO,
a journey from the OLDEST
CORNER of the city to its
most DAZZLING RECENT
addition, with many GREAT
FINDS along the way.
72 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
SOME CORNERS OF SYDNEY are so well trodden
that eventually they become places that subconsciously we
perhaps no longer feel the need to return to; we know it too
well, every nook and cranny. The Rocks could be one such
locale, as old as the city itself. But follow this walking tour
P H O T O G R A P H Y: E D W A R D U R R U T I A ( B A N K S I I ) ; N I K K I T O ( S O R RY T H A N K S I L O V E YO U )
from The Rocks to Barangaroo, from the city’s colonial
beginnings to its brand new quarter that pays homage to
the land’s ancient heritage, and you’ll rediscover Sydney
at its most charming, creative and delicious.
PA RT O N E C I R C U L A R Q UAY S TAT I O N
TO   T H E   BR I D G E – RO U G H LY 1 0 A M - 3 P M
Your journey through what is the traditional land of
the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation begins at iconic
Circular Quay, where even Sydney locals can’t help but
marvel at the world-famous view from the ferry hub to the
Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Curve around the quay
(bridge side), and pause to listen to some of the talented
buskers before making your way into the fabulous Museum
of Contemporary Art Australia. The rooftop restaurant
here is perfect for a coffee or late breakfast with a view
out across the harbour, and it’s an excuse to sit and get your
bearings before exploring this wonderfully curated gallery.
Now it’s time to hit The Rocks. Pop into the cute
Creperie Suzette or the courtyard of La Renaissance
patisserie (head chef Jean Michel Raynaud has the
Relais Dessert stamp no less). If it’s Friday, there’s the
fantastic Foodie Market outside. Be sure to taste some
olive oil and dukkah from the Hunter Valley’s Pukara
Estate, fuel up with delicious beef jerky from Biltong
To Go and try a cupcake from Mini Monet.
 SHORTCUTS | The Rocks to Barangaroo

Now for a spot of boutique shopping on George

Street. There’s a lovely village vibe with friendly staff “The Rocks blends ancient
and designers occupying the period buildings. Don’t
miss the Tuscan-Australian paper goods, including cushion
culture, breathtaking views
covers, tableware and accessories, at Uashmama; brilliant
gift shop Sorry Thanks I Love You (both at number 140);
and sensational cuisine.”
and sensational steampunk jewellery from AHW Studio
(number 81). There’s also DUX Collection for scented
candles and soaps, designer womenswear from Sardis,
CLOCKWISE and you can order a raw silk shirt for you or your beau at
FROM TOP: An menswear store Joe Bananas (number 103). Evan Sturrock,
old house in The
Rocks; The suburb is a co-owner and designer at Joe Bananas, says: “You can’t
patchwork of historic replicate The Rocks. It’s mystical and rustic. While Sydney
architecture; Find the can be very conservative, The Rocks is a celebration of
perfect gift at Sorry colour and texture which fits our inspiration from nature
Thanks I Love You;
Pick up a silk shirt – rocks, trees, barks and gemstones.”
from Joe Bananas; A This is also Ruth Park’s classic Playing Beatie Bow territory.
glimpse of the Harbour Enjoy getting lost in the back alleys and discover layers of
Bridge; Perfectly history here with the help of informative plaques, before
curated designs at
Sorry Thanks I Love heading to the interactive Rocks Discovery Museum housed
You; A cocktail at in a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse to get a dose of
Banskii. the past – from Indigenous to convict, sailor to labourer.
OPPOSITE (from Treat yourself to lunch at Wild Ginger Dining + Bar.
left): Casey and
Nicolas Languillon of This is Thai-Australian food at its best and most delicate.
Uashmama; Bags Chef Tony Suphap Samsen learned from his grandmother
made from washable in Bangkok and now serves divine dishes, including a
paper at Uashmama. perfectly fried rainbow trout in a red curry sauce. “The Rocks
blends ancient culture, breathtaking views and, of course,
sensational cuisine. It’s great to be a part of this,” he tells us.
Visit The Rocks Market if it’s a weekend or be mesmerised
by opals at Opal Minded, then take a break with a 30-minute
massage or a 60-minute ‘Native Hibiscus’ treatment to
exfoliate and rehydrate at The Spa at the Park Hyatt Sydney. 1
 SHORTCUTS | The Rocks to Barangaroo

PA RT T WO B R I D G E TO B A R A N G A RO O
– RO U G H LY 3 P M - 8 P M
Rested and revitalised, stroll under the
awesome Sydney Harbour Bridge. Continue
down Hickson Road alongside the piers
(there are still places to tie up your horse!),
and turn into Pier 4, the area’s artistic hub
with Sydney Theatre Company, Bangarra,
Australian Theatre for Young People and
Sydney Dance Company all in residence. If
you’re here just before 3pm, Pier 8 cafe is a
wonderful industrial space at Pier 8/9, where
you can watch yachts cruising the harbour.
Now it’s time to discover the latest jewel
in Sydney’s crown, Barangaroo; named after
the powerful Cammeraygal woman who was
a key figure in the local Aboriginal
community during early colonial settlement.
The Barangaroo development is a series of
three waterfront precincts that have
reclaimed much of the harbour’s formerly
industrial foreshore for the public, including CLOCKWISE FROM
the beautiful, six-hectare headland park. TOP: A view of the
Download the app, Barangaroo Ngangamay, Harbour Bridge from
Walsh Bay; Colourful
that allows you to watch a series of beautiful

I L L U S T R AT I O N : M I K E R O S S I
old houses in The Rocks;
(very) short films that whisper of the land’s A mix of the old and new;
Aboriginal presence with links to the ocean. Delicate Thai flavours
From here, you’re close to the historic using Australian produce
come together at Wild
Hotel Palisade, once a port workers’ pub Ginger Dining + Bar.
and now, following a grand reopening in
2015, the place to go for a mulled wine or
sun-kissed spritz on the sophisticated
rooftop cocktail lounge, Henry Deane.
End your day with dinner in Barangaroo’s
southern precinct, home to a collection of
boutique stores and exciting eateries. You’ll
find whiskies, an after-work bar menu and
tailored shirts at Shirt Bar, and Japanese-
inspired burgers at Ume Burger. Or head
to southern-style Belles Hot Chicken, a
cult-favourite; Somer Sivrioglu’s Turkish
restaurant Anason or Banksii; named after
botanist Sir Joseph Banks, where you can
enjoy a vermouth apéritif followed by braised
lamb shoulder, a prawn and fennel bisque or
even some Sydney rock oysters.

74 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 Elisha Kennedy dives into
the CATCH-AND-COOK
philosophy, literally, by taking
a HANDS-ON tour through
the bountiful waters of NSW’s
FAR SOUTH COAST.

Ocean
to
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP:
Clamber over rocks to
reach the shore; The
WE HAD ALWAYS PLANNED to make our road
trip to the base of the New South Wales south coast
our ‘seafood holiday’. As city-dwellers, my partner and
plate
bays of the Sapphire I relished the opportunity to cast our phones aside Through ACWA, Scott offers small-group marine
Coast teem with life; and drive to a place where the ocean is sapphire blue experiences including snorkelling, prawning and ocean
ACWA provides all and you can pick up a dozen delicious oysters from a to plate. We chose the ocean-to-plate experience, which
snorkelling gear; roadside stall for under $10. incorporates a targeted dive for abalone, lobsters, mussels,
Collect your own
seafood delicacies; A That is our idea of heaven, but we wanted more than crayfish and sea urchins followed by a cook-up of the
dish of freshly caught just buying our meals – we wanted to physically catch seafood harvest for lunch. The market value alone to
P H O T O G R A P H Y: T O D D H A R D I N G H A M

mussels prepared with our own. We’re both competent at fishing and were keen
other local produce. to try something more hands-on, but how would we
know where to look? What to bring? Or what to do with
it when we found it? Easy – ask a local.
Scott Proctor grew up on the Sapphire Coast and
has spent a large portion of his life either in the ocean,
or learning about it. After studying marine science at the
University of Wollongong, he returned to his hometown
of Pambula, deciding to share his passion for the sustainable
seafood that is available there through his tour company,
Australia’s Coastal Wilderness Adventures (ACWA).
buy this produce is hundreds of dollars, but it was the
opportunity to pick the brains of a local marine expert
that really had us hooked.
We met Scott at the Eden Visitor Information Centre,
and from here he drove us to a remote access point to
Twofold Bay. All necessary gear, equipment and a fishing
licence is provided and, after kitting up, we clambered
over rocks to the shore.
A quick verbal run-through from Scott on
snorkelling and breathing techniques, and we were
in practising our dives. It doesn’t take long to get the
 WEEKENDS | Do something different
hang of it, and we improved with each resurfacing. When
we felt comfortable in depths of several metres, Scott
led us further offshore to begin ‘the hunt’. We snorkelled
through a changing ocean landscape: rocky walls, seagrass
beds and shallow reefs.
The bay was teeming with marine life. On our two-hour
dive we encountered wobbegong sharks, eastern rock
lobsters, black and red spined urchins, starfish, abalone,
blue mussels and a variety of fish species. But only some
of those are good eating, and we were after a meal.
The prized abalone hide in crevices, cementing
themselves between the curves of rocks in the deep.
The smaller ones are plentiful here in the bays of Eden,
but the minimum legal size to keep is 11.7 centimetres,
and finding the larger ones takes patience. What we were
really after were lobsters, and finding them is no easy feat.
They’re extremely well camouflaged and surprisingly
strong. Scott’s well-trained eye spots them, lying low in
the crayweed – given away only by their thin and reddish
antennae. A quick and agile grab secured them, and we kept
them in netted bags attached to our weight belts. Deeper
offshore we found mussel beds, easy enough to twist off the
rocks – if you can hold your breath long enough to do so.
Between the three of us we bag two crayfish, four
abalone and 40 mussels. Scott chats about the importance
of bag limits, encouraging you to take “just enough for
Deeper offshore we found mussel beds,
easy enough to twist off the rocks.
lunch”, and he always varies dive locations. “It’s crucial
not to harvest too much from the same area,” he tells
us. “It might be tempting but it’s not sustainable, for
you or the ecology.”
We carted our harvest up the hill to Eden’s Rotary
Park lookout, to cook what we would go on to confidently
claim as the best meal of our lives. After two hours of
intense swimming and diving in the salty ocean we had
worked up a healthy appetite and, as we readied lunch
together, Scott demonstrated the best ways to prepare
and cook our catch.
We couldn’t believe the immense satisfaction and
overall sense of wellbeing we gained from a single meal.
You haven’t tasted fresh until you’ve eaten seafood that
your own hands have plucked out of the ocean and thrown
into the frypan in a matter of minutes. Our catch is paired
with a local sourdough from Wild Rye’s Baking Co in
Pambula and oysters fresh from the Merimbula leases.
“It’s so important for me to support the local producers,”
Scott explains. “In this way, we’re working together.”
Everything we ate for lunch came from the local region –
even the tomatoes were grown in Scott’s family’s backyard.
At the end of our ocean-to-plate experience, our bodies
felt fit and full. In such a short amount of time we had
gained a skillset that could feed us for many meals to come,
and that is an invaluable experience.
DETAILS
Playing there
ACWA experiences are
available all year round. Sites
on the Sapphire Coast vary
between locations close to
Eden, Pambula, Merimbula,
Tathra and Bermagui. The
location for each dive is
selected by Scott to cater for
all levels of experience, and
are dependent on season,
weather and tides. The entire
experience lasts five to six
hours, so for $195 per
person and a smorgasbord
of fresh local seafood, a
bargain is an understatement.
acwadventures.com
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 77
CHE AP
& CHIC
THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE YOUR HIGH STYLE doesn’t always have to come with
TRAVEL DOLLARS STRETCH AS FAR 
AS POSSIBLE C AN SEEM LIKE A LOT an exorbitant PRICE TAG. These hotels are
OF HARD WORK, TRAWLING
THROUGH ENDLESS WEBSITES all BIG ON LUXE but small in spend.
COMPARING PRICES TO SAVE
A FEW DOLLARS AT A TIME.
AND AFTER ALL THAT EFFORT,
WHO WANTS TO END UP IN A
DRAB BOX DEVOID OF PERSONALITY
JUST BEC AUSE IT’S CHEAP?
BUT THERE IS HOPE; SET WITH
THE CHALLENGE OF FINDING
HIGH-STYLE ROOMS AROUND
THE COUNTRY FOR A BUDGET-
FRIENDLY $250 PER NIGHT*,
WE WERE SPOILT FOR CHOICE.

THE PRINCE
MELBOURNE, VIC
This place was one of the original
boutique hotels in the city, and it
still has a cool-kid vibe thanks to
its minimalist interiors, its position
in the heart of St Kilda and the
reputation of its rock star eatery,
Circa (now a private dining and
events space). In the rooms you
will find clean lines cosied up with
colourful kilim rugs and layered
textures, as well as Philippe Starck
bathtubs in some bathrooms,
plus cute private balconies.
Special rates start at a tiny $195
per night. theprince.com.au
 WEEKENDS | Cheap & chic

THE CHAPEL
BYRON B AY, NSW
The Chapel, part of the family-run
Byron Beach Abodes’ roster of boho
* P R I C E S CO R R E C T AT T I M E O F W R I T I N G

residences, is beach-adjacent but

possesses an industrial-chic vibe, with
its exposed bricks, concrete floors, steel
fixtures and texture-heavy monochrome
décor. Only a few minutes’ walk from
sand and surf, and with Byron’s endless
selection of cafes and eateries nearby,
the whole place has the feeling of a funky
holiday home of old. And all from $231
a night. byronbeachabodes.com.au

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 79
HOTEL PALISADE
SYDNEY, NSW
Sitting high on a hill in the historic Rocks neighbourhood, the
landmark Hotel Palisade received a full-treatment makeover
from hands-on super stylist Sibella Court, resulting in each of
the eight rooms possessing an irresistible eclectic style. Rooms
are named after colourful characters who frequented the
area in times gone by, with gorgeous hand-painted seascape
wall murals by artist Neil Mallard, an elegant colour palette
throughout, and some pretty fabulous Harbour Bridge views
from select rooms. Priced from $225. hotelpalisade.com

THE FRANKLIN
BOUTIQUE
HOTEL
ADELAIDE, SA
There are only seven rooms in this snug
boutique hotel in Adelaide’s inner-city
grid, but what the property lacks in size it
more than makes up for in personality.
Rooms are individually decorated in
soothing, darks shades, with colour
introduced through original artworks P H OTO G R A P H Y: N I K K I TO ( H OT E L PA L I S A D E )

by local artists, over-stuffed cushions,

bright yellow doors or elegant leadlight
windows original to the building. There’s
pub grub on offer in the downstairs bar,
complete with a beer garden with a Hills
Hoist festooned with hanging planters
and a light fitting constructed from
vintage Coca Cola crates. Deluxe rooms
start at $160 and Superiors at $220.
thefranklinhotel.com.au
WEEKENDS | Cheap & chic

OVOLO 1888
SYDNEY, NSW
Squeezed into an historic wool store (dating
from 1888, of course) in a busy, bustling part
of the city, Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour
has room categories from the cheeky Shoe
Box to the generously proportioned Shaken
and Stirred suites, each dominated by one
of artist Jasper Knight’s bold, graphic murals.
The brand’s signature Lo Lounge offers up
a schmoozy space that is at guests’ disposal
to grab a coffee, do some work or relax. Rooms
can be had for under $200, which includes
breakfast and free mini bar. ovolohotels.com.au

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 81
QT GOLD COAST
GOLD COAST, QLD
The rehabilitation of the Gold Coast
as a holiday destination worth seeking
out was complete with the arrival of QT
Gold Coast. Boasting a ‘nostalgic surfer
chic meets Miami catwalk cool’ vibe, the
décor in each of the 297 rooms is light and
white, interspersed with playful punches
of citrus brights and island florals. And
while you’re in residence it is a must to
have at least one drink at Stingray, which
has become quite the bar to be seen in on
this flashy stretch of coastline. QT Kings
start at $225. qthotelsandresorts.com

COPPERSMITH
MELBOURNE, VIC
The architecturally designed Coppersmith
lends itself to living like a local, with its inner-
city South Melbourne locale and intimate
surrounds complete with a vibey bar, bistro
serving up local produce and a rooftop retreat
that is the place to be come sunset on a warm
summer’s evening. Each of the rooms is
individually decorated, with pieces from the
likes of Ross Gardam and Oak & Elm and lots
of soothing white contrasted with generous

P H OTO G R A P H Y: A N S O N S M A RT (A L E X H OT E L)
helpings of black. Ask about customising your
mini bar when you are booking. Queen rooms
start at $230. coppersmithhotel.com.au
WEEKENDS | Cheap & chic

ALEX HOTEL
PERTH, WA
This funky offering, along with the
slightly more grand COMO The
Treasury, have led the charge in
bolstering the ranks of stylish Perth
hotel offerings of late. The rooms,
which are categorised as small, medium,
large and x large (along with bunk and
family) are simple yet stylish with calm
interiors complete with punches of
colour and quirky retro fittings. The s
mall is a standard rate of $190, which
includes Italian linens, free movies,
Sodashi toiletries and breakfast; you
also have access to the hotel’s Living
Spaces, including the lovely Mezzanine
Lounge. alexhotel.com.au

NEXT HOTEL
BRISB ANE, QLD
As the name implies this burgeoning
brand takes hotels to the next level, with
ample techy inclusions, including in-room
Samsung Smart devices to make calls and
access wi-fi wherever you are; an app to
control the lights, temperature, Smart TV,
door locks and room service; and GHD
hair straighteners upon request. And
when you check out, you have access to
the hotel’s clever Transit Zone, complete
with state-of-the-art sleep pods that are
worth booking a late flight home just so
you can try them out. Priced from a very
modest $159 a night. nexthotels.com

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 83
 GETAWAYS
lord howe . paronella park . tassie honey . sunshine coast . tasman peninsula . daylesford

M A RO O C H Y D O R E
This town at the heart of the Sunshine Coast
is undergoing a cultural awakening as a crop
of creative enterprises (from cafes and
breweries to night markets and festivals)
emerge, complementing its sunny, laid-back
culture swimmingly. See page 112.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: K A R A R O S E N L U N D
PA R A DI S E

in the

PA L M S
 GETAWAYS | Lord Howe

LESS THAN TWO hours from THE MAINLAND,

but another world entirely; find YOURSELF

INTOXICATED by the colours, creatures

and atmosphere of LORD HOWE.

P H O T O G R A P H Y: N I K K I T O

WORDS LARA PICONE

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 87
The twin peaks of
Mount Gower and
Mount Lidgbird
rise as if from the
ocean as you approach
Lord Howe Island.
 GETAWAYS | Lord Howe Island

THE SKY DARKENS. LOOKING OUT TO the Tasman, the

sullen clouds slowly engulf the last of the day’s golden luminescence.
It’s not just the spectacle of dusk that’s extinguishing the highlights
from the tops of palms and dimming the bright green around us.
And it’s not the ethereal tsunami of tropical mist that seems to be
cascading from the flat-top peak above. It’s something else entirely.
And it’s getting denser with each passing minute.
The ‘something else’ is not silent and it’s not still. It swirls around
in big, dark loops from ocean to mountain. It screeches and squawks
like an orchestra of dogs with chew toys. Standing on a slip of land
between dense palm forest and a lapping shore, we’re in the fixed CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT:
axis of a centrifuge of frenetic, winged action. Take a seat at Pinetrees; The Tasman
P H O T O G R A P H Y: L U K E H A N S O N ( O P P O S I T E ) , L A R A P I C O N E ( P I N E T R E S S ) ,

Making their raucous return to roost for the evening, the rolls onto Lord Howe’s idyllic coast;
Rockpools don’t come much more
endemic Providence petrels of Lord Howe Island swarm as noisily
beautiful than this. OPPOSITE:
as tweenagers at a Bieber concert. But there’s another sound in the Clouds form curious discs around Lord
falling dusk that’s stirring these birds into greater frenzy. A woop- Howe’s twin peaks of Mount Gower
woop-woop seems to be emanating from my companions. Their and Mount Lidgbird.
hands clasped around their mouths to extend the sound, they call
the petrels from the sky. The birds oblige, awkwardly.
Elegant, capable and in complete control as they swoop and
glide above, on the ground it’s an entirely different story for the
Providence petrel. There’s no elegant landing for these stout, pigeon-
like creatures. Instead, responding to the call, they tumble out of the
sky like newspapers tossed haphazardly at a lawn by an indifferent
paperboy. A ‘thump’ indicates one has attempted a landing and a wait
ensues as you watch it struggle to propel its plump body through
shrubs and grass to investigate the ‘woop-woop-woop’. I witness one
LUKE HANSON (RIGHT)

struggling to free itself from a tuft of grass for a good five minutes.
It’s lucky these birds have no predators here (there are no snakes
or foxes on Lord Howe and dogs require a licence), because their
ungainly ineptitude on land and their curious, guileless nature is a
diabolical combination for longevity as a species. As it is, Lord Howe
is the only rookery for these birds in the world and their diminutive
population size makes them vulnerable. 1

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 89
 We watch those who’ve responded to the call peck at our
shoelaces before we set off back through the kentia palm-fringed
track away from Little Island. The squawking dims behind us, but
the memory of this unfathomable and unique experience will not.

HEAD IN T H E CLOU D S
The twin peaks of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird rise as if from
the ocean as you approach Lord Howe Island. Hulking, green lumps,
they loom as though they harbour millennia of intrigue. It’s a fitting CLOCKWISE FROM
location for the lair of a Sean Connery-era Bond villain, or for a TOP LEFT: Surfers’

P I C O N E ( WA L K E R S ) , L A R A P I C O N E ( S TO N E B E AC H ) , L U K E H A N S O N (O P P O S I T E ) .
paradise at Ned’s Beach;

P H O T O G R A P H Y: L U K E H A N S O N ( N E D ’ S B E A C H ) , L A R A P I C O N E ( B O AT S ) , L A R A
superhero to convalesce following their latest universe-saving efforts.
Mount Gower looms large;
But perhaps what their sight most easily summons to the imagination Climb Lord Howe’s seven
is the Jurassic. peaks – one of the Great
My first impression of Mount Gower was that it seemed to glower Walks of Australia; Endemic
moodily in the distance, peering from beneath a fringe of mist, Providence petrels gather
in a squawking flock .
simultaneously daring you to approach and inviting you to f*** off. OPPOSITE: A walk
After a while, I began to see that while the mist gives the impression along a fringe reef at low
of warning, really Mount Gower just has its head in the clouds. The tide is a chance to admire
precipitation inspires a dream-like state, protecting its wildlife (like a rich pantheon of life.
the petrels) and cultivating the enigmatic mist forest that hikers brave
dizzying heights and sunstroke to marvel at.
At a formidable 867 metres, you can’t take it on without a licensed
guide. Even with one, you might find yourself weak-kneed and clinging
to craggy crevices in fear of the sheer cliffs. Perseverance is well-
rewarded with that fulfilling sense of self-satisfaction, so I’m told. As
someone who trembles like a just-hatched chicken at the thought of a
Ferris wheel, I wasn’t up to the challenge… this time.
Those not handicapped by vertigo can now climb all seven peaks
of Lord Howe Island, including Gower, as part of the Great Walks
of Australia. Partnering with luxury accommodation Pinetrees, you
can exhaust yourself over five days, retiring to pure comfort each
evening. The promise of a good bottle of wine at the end of a day’s
activities might just be enough to coax you up and down even the
most challenging of peaks. 1
GETAWAYS | Lord Howe Island

Standing on a slip of land

between dense palm forest
and a lapping shore, we’re
in the fixed axis of a
centrifuge of frenetic,
winged action.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 91
 GETAWAYS | Lord Howe Island

THIS IMAGE:
Twenty-eight islands
make-up the Lord Howe
Island Group, a World
Heritage Site. OPPOSITE
(clockwise from top left):
Find your own secluded bay;
Clouds shroud Gower’s lost
world forest; Petrels gather to
roost; A Providence petrel
following a typically clumsy
landing; The island’s sheer
rock faces afford spectacular
views out to sea.

I returned to Pinetrees

P H O T O G R A P H Y: L A R A P I C O N E ( O P P O S I T E , B I R D S F A R R I G H T ) ,
exhausted each evening

N I K K I TO (B E AC H TO P LE F T ), LU K E H A N SO N (R E M A I N I N G)
with sticks in my hair and
mud up my shins, and I
loved every minute of it.

92 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
A H OM E AM ON G T H E PI N E S
Remember the feeling of holidays as a kid? The
sunshine days filled with adventures on bikes,
minimal parental intervention and the feeling that
there were mysteries that only you and your new
mates could discover. Those friendships formed on
the tennis court and common areas of the resort
were extraordinary in their fleeting intensity. Part
school camp, part Lord of the Flies, you’d return to
your parents at sundown with sticks in your hair,
mud caked up your shins and kids-only secrets
behind your smile. You’d scoff down your dinner
as quickly as possible to return to your intrigues
that seemed eternally important.
This nostalgia sweeps over me as I sit on the
dining patio at Pinetrees watching new arrivals
shyly edge towards a group of two-day firm
friends. I’m here during school holidays and am
told there is a record number of children this
week (usually the ratio of children to adults is kept
to a minimum). But apart from at breakfast time,
you wouldn’t know it. Once the last cornflake is
swallowed, the kids scatter, leaving the adults to
enjoy a second coffee and plan their own adventure.
Pinetrees has had five generations to perfect the
guest experience. Originally called The Pines, the
lodge first began taking guests in 1895. Since then,
it has passed down through family, modernising as
it went, until it reached sixth-generation heir Dani
Rourke (daughter of island legend Pixie Rourke)
and her husband, Luke Hanson.
Any hotelier and restaurateur will tell you
that the most imperative and difficult element
to get right in hospitality is culture. Culture
cascades from management, to staff, to guests. If
there’s a kink in the hose, nothing flows freely. As
TripAdvisor’s number-one hotel in Australia for
2017, it’s obvious Pinetrees is adored. You need
only spend one night here to understand why the
lodge receives so many boomerang guests. It’s in
the attentive staff that welcome you like an old
friend, the sense of community, the incredible food,
and simple but elegant rooms.
Once you meet Dani and Luke, the source of
that culture is evident. Dani’s preternaturally calm
demeanour is complemented by her husband’s
puppy-like exuberance. Life has a perplexing way
of altering your plans, and it was tragedy that
led Dani to taking over the family business. Her
brother, Harry, was in line to be the next Pinetrees
owner before his life was sadly cut short by a
motorbike accident on the island. After the death
of her mother, Dani and Luke moved to Lord
Howe permanently, eventually buying out the
remaining family and turning Pinetrees into the
success it is today.
Dani couldn’t have found a better match with
which to run the dynasty. As an ecologist and
irrepressible outdoorsman, Luke’s love for the
island and its wildlife is joyfully relentless. Barely
half-an-hour after picking me up from the airport,
Luke has me taking ‘a little walk’, which turns out
to be a hike up Malabar on the north end of the
island. By the end of my stay, I’d learnt to translate
Luke’s ‘little’ into ‘fairly sizeable’, and ‘not too
hard’ to ‘significant effort’. I returned to Pinetrees
exhausted each evening with sticks in my hair and
mud up my shins, and I loved every minute of it.
U N D E RWAT E R L OV E
The underworld of the lagoon is quiet. From
above the water, it’s hard to describe its beauty 1
The twins loom in the distance, reminding
you this isn’t some forgettable Pacific isle,
but a treasure of World-Heritage standing.

P H O T O G R A P H Y: L A R A P I C O N E ( M O U N TA I N L E F T ) , L U K E H A N S O N ( R E M A I N I N G )

without wandering into hyperbole. Cue dream
sequence-like glassy water of that azure colour
Italians are crazy about, white sands and incredibly
green sub-tropical vegetation. The twins loom
in the distance, reminding you this isn’t some
forgettable Pacific isle, but a treasure of World-
Heritage standing, in New South Wales, no less.
It’s like this through spring and summer, but
in winter, when the guests have gone and gusts
of wind pummel the waters, Luke says he barely
even glances at it. It’s hard to imagine a steely,
unremarkable lagoon and I can’t say I care to.
Back to what lies beneath, though. Slipping
below is like entering one of those souvenir snow
globes, the colours in the contained scene seeming
exaggerated and impossible. But, here in the
southernmost reef in the Pacific, the right currents
make it possible, enabling more than 90 corals and
500 fish species to live. I would like to say thrive,
but reefs hinge on a delicate balance and the effect
of climate change on water temperature does
create a degree of anxiety about this reef’s future,
even if less so than its northern counterparts.
Today, though, it’s as if a mad creative genius
has been let loose with a pack of pastel highlighters
GETAWAYS | Lord Howe Island
CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: Sunsets take on
an ethereal beauty; A
boat shed provides a
shady spot for an
afternoon drink ; A kentia
palm sets the scene at
Pinetrees; A craggy
place to pause on a hike.
OPPOSITE: Forest
tumbles off the slopes
of Mount Gower.
down here. The corals are iridescent in soft
purples, blues and greens. The fish have been gifted
the same madness. Disguised as a fish myself in
my wetsuit and flippers, I do my best to fit in with
the locals. I come face to face with some curious
bookfish, tail a gang of many-spotted sweetlips, and
count numerous parrot fish and double-headed
wrasse. So peaceful and immersive is gliding over
the coral apartment blocks that make up snorkel
site Erscott’s Hole that you could forget time.
It seems irrelevant, except it’s not. I eventually
remember to pull my head out and check my
bearings. I’m last back on the boat.
RU N WAY U N - R E A DY
I’m clutching two endemic kentia palms that I’ve
bought from the airport cafeteria. Still today
considered the most beautiful palm in the world,
its exotic plumage was favoured in English parlours
of the 1800s – an effect I intend to emulate in my
city flat. I’m hoping my saplings will remind me of
plunging into the clear Herring Pools beyond Old
Gulch, or gliding amid fish at Ned’s Beach on this
island paradise. I’m also hoping the hyper-colour
imprint of this place will never fade from memory.
DETAILS
Getting there
Lord Howe Island is 600
kilometres directly east of Port
Macquarie. QantasLink flies to
the island from Sydney daily all
year round, and from Brisbane
on weekends. A seasonal weekly
service is also available from Port
Macquarie from February to June
and September to December.
Staying there
Pinetrees offers beautiful, recently
refurbished rooms, suites and
cottages. You can time your trip
with one of the special weeks
organised by Pinetrees, such as
a wellness week with Charlotte
Dodson or a food and wine
week. Pinetrees is closed from
the end of May to the beginning
of September each year.
pinetrees.com.au
Playing there
There is an incredible amount
to do from hikes, to fishing,
snorkelling and diving (these
can be organised through
your accommodation). Have a
go at calling down the Providence
petrels at Little Island at dusk,
hike to the mist forest on
Mount Gower, or simply roll
out a towel and spend the
day at Ned’s Beach.
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 95
R A IN FOR EST
A CASTLE built out of love in TROPICAL
UEENSLAND, Paronella Park is the
fairy-tale you’ve NEVER HEARD.

R OYA LT Y
WORDS STEVE MADGWICK P H OTO G R A P H Y E L I S E H A S S E Y
 GETAWAYS | Paronella Park

The unique architecture of

the Paronella Park castle.
OPPOSITE: An outdoor
dining area surrendered
to moss and ferns.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 97
 CLOCKWISE FROM THIS
IMAGE: The park's creators
planted 7500 trees, plants and ferns
in the 1900s; The fanciful castle
was built with Spanish influence;
Mena Creek falls in full flow;
A splash of tropical colour.

During grand black-tie

events, Margarita would
serve Catalan dishes while
a live jazz band played
on the castle’s roof.

98 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 GETAWAYS
PLENTY OF PEOPLE SAID “no way, José” to
José way before it was cool to say ‘no way, José’
to people whose name isn’t José. These three
simple words to not-so humble Spanish pastry
chef José Paronella spurred him on to build a
fairy-tale castle in Queensland’s tropical scrub-
turned-rainforest with the able assistance of his
first love’s sister (more on that later).
José immigrated to Australia from Catalonia in
1913 after hearing there was plenty of work going
on Sydney’s emergent railways. But his spirit
and dreams were never going to be pinned down
under the scheduled existence of labouring on
the railroads.
With little English to speak of, barely lint lining
his pockets and a penchant for balmy weather,
José headed north, way north, to Far North
Queensland, seeking adventure and a fortune
deep enough to finance his return to Spain for
a (pre-arranged) marriage to his betrothed,
Matilda, and their subsequent journey back
to Australia.
Unfortunately, José was so engrossed in his
own prosperity, buying and flipping land from
the proceeds of his cane cutter’s wage, that he
neglected to write home to update Matilda and
family of his plans. Actually ‘neglected’ doesn’t
quite cover it. José did not contact home for
12 years. While he fostered a dream to build a
Spanish castillo in the tropical surrounds of Mena
Creek, Matilda and her parents sat waiting;
patiently. Oh, how they waited.
Finally, José decided that he had fulfilled his
ultra-eligible bachelor criteria and headed on
the slow boat back home, his eyes on the bride.
Unfortunately, Matilda’s parents, not knowing
whether José was dead or alive, had given up the
| Paronella Park
ghost. Matilda had moved on (or was moved on,
as was the custom) and married off to the next
‘in line’. Tragedy? Not exactly. “No hay problema,”
said Matilda’s folks. “Why don’t you marry
Margarita [Matilda’s younger sister] instead?”
And so it was… the newly-met newlyweds
boomeranged to tropical Australia to realise
José’s regal visions, which had been fertilised
by tales of knights in shining armour, recited
to him by Grandma Paronella.
However, don’t think for a minute that
Paronella Park – designed in an eclectic style –
was an entirely eccentric folly. The couple’s plan
was not just to build a castle for themselves, but
an entire ‘pleasure garden’ for visitors, an adult
theme park, if you will, which opened for business
in 1935. Apparently José’s final inspiration was
the splendid waterfall bursting to life out of a
seasonally fulsome Mena Creek.
Almost a century later, 500 to 600 souls
per day still wander the park’s trails, marvel at
the strange architecture of the castle, a cottage
and the original grand staircase (complete with
portentous flood markers). This is not just
a testament to the shared vision of José and
Margarita, but also to the current king and queen
of the castle, owners Mark and Judy Evans.
The tree-changers slogged it out in the computer
industry for three decades before buying and
restoring the (then) sickly park in the mid-’90s.
“We came in not knowing much about the area,
especially about cyclones and floods, which was
probably a good thing,” says Mark, so excited he’s
almost yelling. He’s the talker, Judy the brains,
he jokes. “We drove for 18 months around Oz
in a caravan looking for business opportunities
that were ‘something different’. We looked 1
at places like Rainbow World. Thankfully, Judy wasn’t
so excited about that one.” While in Cairns, almost
by accident, they heard second-hand accounts of the
outlandish castle in the rainforest. “When I saw it, it took
my breath away. How could I possibly not know about this
place? We walked through the park and didn’t even talk.
We just had to put in an offer.”
Mark and Judy realised that it was going to be a
challenge to get Paronella fully operational, but “that was
part of the mystery”. Unfortunately, their bank manager
didn’t quite embrace the mystery, initially refusing them a
loan. That was until the banker’s wife persuaded him that
the Evanses were indeed a visionary young couple.
Incredibly, they bought the park without knowing its
rich backstory; only enlightened after José and Margarita’s
daughter (70 at the time) turned up soon after the sale
and offered them her insider’s tour. They found out how
José had amassed the equivalent of $1.5 million from his
toils and dealings and sank it into the project, which took
six arduous years to complete.
José would pour concrete for 20 straight hours, and
between them they planted more than 7500 plants,
trees and ferns, effectively transmuting five hectares of
scrub into genuine rainforest (the forest has doubled as
the Panama jungle in the 1993 film Sniper. It was also
considered as a set for the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean).
While the concrete castle started out as José’s prophecy,
Margarita was undoubtedly ‘the rock’ behind Paronella
Park’s realisation. And so it was built, and so they came…
locals revelled and celebrated life and their limited
leisure time in the tea gardens or in the cafe by the pool,
sometimes with a game or three of bocce.
Grand black-tie events energised the lower CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
refreshment room (even when the tropical
José and Margarita
temperatures were high and humidity stifling). transformed five acres
Margarita would serve Catalan dishes while a live jazz of scrub into a genuine
band played on the castle’s roof. rainforest; José poured
the concrete for the
Impish kids would steal pennies from the wishing
buildings himself;
well to pay for a treat from the ice-cream shop. Canny Take time to explore
Margarita cottoned on; fishing an eel out of the creek, the park’s trails;
putting it in the well, along with a sign: ‘Electric Eel’. Nature has reclaimed
the buildings; Paronella
The larceny more or less ceased after that.
Park opened in 1935.
Sadly, fire gutted the ballroom back in the ’70s,
incinerating not just the stunning polished wooden
floors and gold-trimmed curtains, but many of
the mid-20th century collectables too, such as a
1200-piece diamond-cut mirror ball, which cost £49
back in the day (the whole park originally cost the
couple around £120).
In many ways, Paronella Park was ahead of
its time, featuring one of Australia’s first hydro-
electric projects, which supplied power to the park

(it’s working again now). The fountains are
gravity-fed and the original construction was
accidentally eco-friendly; with many of the
building products sourced locally, from the clay
and sand to the use of abandoned railway tracks
for structural reinforcement.
After a lot of elbow grease and a few setbacks
(including a pasting by Cyclone Larry in 2006),
the park lives large again, more an attraction for
its kitschy moss-covered history, its five-hectare
rainforest setting and its sheer ‘who knew this was
here?’ factor than a pleasure garden these days.
On The Darkness Falls Tour, torch in hand,
Paronella would be a sublime setting for a horror
film. The creepily lit moss-covered structures
assume an entirely altered personality and the
trails offer nocturnal bounties to the curious;
turn off the torch and search for glowing fungus
and fireflies among the sky-high karri pines and
undergrowth (at the right time of year).
GETAWAYS | Paronella Park
So while the micro-bat strewn Tunnel of Love
lies closed, in need of some structural love, and
you can’t swim under the main falls anymore,
thanks to a couple of saltwater crocs who visit
from time to time, thousands of punters a week
revel in the park’s folklore. Mark and Judy see the
park as a work of art, maintaining and preserving
it, with big plans afoot too – watch this space.
Naturally, Paronella is a popular wedding
hotspot (hosting about 15 a year) plus there’s
about one proposal a week too (they’ll leave
the waterfall lights on if you ask nicely). Perhaps
visitors are trying to channel the spirit, the
unrestrained joie de vivre from another aeon,
or perhaps the love of José and Margarita itself.
“Some people say there’s a presence here,”
says Mark. “Once, after dark, I heard people
talking and looked around and no one was there.
I don’t believe in spirits… but there is something.”
A haunted castle? No way, José.
DETAILS
Getting there
Find the park at 671 Japoon Road
(Old Bruce Highway), around
20 kilometres south of Innisfail.
Playing there
Entry is $45 for adults, $24 for
children or $128 for two adults
and two children. Day visits don't
require pre-booking, but book
ahead for a night tour.
Eating there
Eat at the park's cafe, or head just
up the road for a pub meal on the
verandah of Mena Creek Hotel.
Staying there
The park has six basic cabins for
hire, plus a caravan and camping
ground. paronellapark.com.au
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 101
 LET
IT

BEE
 GETAWAYS | Tasmanian honey

It’s the QUINTESSENTIAL TASTE of Tasmania

and the excuse for BEE PUNS galore: we

head out on the trail of LEATHERWOOD

HONEY in the state’s western WILDERNESS.

W O R D S DAV I D L E V E L L P H OTO G R A P H Y B R O O K J A M E S

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 103
 “Leatherwood has a wonderful floral
bouquet. It’s quite a challenging,
sophisticated flavour: spicy and complex.
Like oysters and opera, it’s a bit of an
acquired taste.”
 GETAWAYS | Tasmanian honey

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

The distinctive bloom of the
leatherwood tree; Each tier of a beehive
contains eight to 10 frames that bees fill
with honeycomb; A site with 16
hives can house up to 1.3 million bees.
OPPOSITE: A Tasmanian Honey
Company beekeeper inspecting hives in
the Tasmanian wilderness between
Tullah and Queenstown.

HAVE I BEEN LURED to some secret pagan rite in this lonely

forest clearing? Mysterious figures, masked and white-clad, puff
smoke from burners while attending a cluster of squat white
pillars against a backdrop of towering trees. The air hums with
an unearthly intensity and countless blurred black dots zoom in
all directions. No, not Beelzebub. Bees.
If this is nature worship then it’s the most practical, no-nonsense
kind: the summer harvest of leatherwood honey, an utterly
organic delicacy only obtainable in Tasmania’s western wilderness.
Standing in a buzzing cloud, a beekeeper hands me a sticky lump
of golden honeycomb. I flee like an animated cartoon bear, trailed
by bees, until I’m far enough from the hives to risk lifting my mask
for a hurried bite.
It’s delicious beyond description, this ‘distillate of the
wilderness’, as apiarist Julian Wolfhagen calls it. His Tasmanian
Honey Company, founded in 1978, is one of six outfits producing
85 per cent of the state’s honey, of which some 70 to 80 per cent
is leatherwood. Even more than the pink-eye potato, perhaps,
leatherwood honey is the quintessential taste of Tasmania.
“Leatherwood has a wonderful floral bouquet,” says Julian. “It’s
quite a challenging, sophisticated flavour: spicy and complex.
Like oysters and opera, it’s a bit of an acquired taste.”
Hailing from a Midlands farming family, Julian has always
found bees fascinating. “My grandfather had hives – and wonderful
old beekeeping books from the 19th century, which added a bit of
mystery to it.”
It’s a clear February day and Julian’s team are checking their
West Coast Range sites between Tullah and Queenstown. “Being 1

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 105
 THIS IMAGE: Lake Rosebery at
Tullah, close to some of Julian
Wolfhagen’s hive sites.
OPPOSITE (clockwise from top
left): Unlike other trees, leatherwood
can’t recover from bushfire; Frames
are inspected; Honeybees arrived in
Tasmania with British colonists;
Bees forage leatherwood for nectar
within a three-kilometre range;
‘Supers’ full of honeycomb are
loaded onto a truck .

Once pointed out, leatherwood in bloom is

unmistakable: white flowers peppering the
thick forest like summer snowdrops.
 GETAWAYS
out in complete nature – there’s no better place,”
says Julian. “And working in a symbiotic relationship
with an insect is a pretty cool thing to do. I love bees.
There’s always something new to learn and they’re
only doing good, pollinating plants.”
We’ve just driven the B28, Tasmania’s most wildly
scenic road. Stark mountains studded with pink
rocks loom roadside; cobalt lakes are framed by more
distant peaks. But as much as Julian’s beekeepers
relish being here, nobody’s standing around
rhapsodising (except me; that’s my job). Six men,
16 hives and up to 1.3 million bees add up to furious
activity – especially from the bees. Looking like a
chest of drawers from Vinnies, a beehive is basically
a stack of white wooden boxes, each containing eight
to 10 frames that the bees fill with honeycomb.
The lowest two boxes are for the bees. The others
(‘supers’) are ours. The bees don’t necessarily agree,
so smokers packed with burning pine needles are
puffed liberally as a calm-bee-down during collection.
Their most obvious vexation is ‘bee bouncing’ –
whacking supers against metal frames to jolt out the
thousands inside in a bee-wildered clump. This is
a vital prelude to checking frames for honeycomb,
loading the truck with full supers and putting
empties on the hives. Back at base the honey is
extracted by centrifuge, filtered and bottled.
Beekeepers lease sites from land managers such as
Forestry Tasmania and the Parks & Wildlife Service.
Hives are left alone for a couple of weeks while the
bees forage for nectar, ranging as far as maybe three
kilometres. Their innate navigational genius and
habit of spending nights in the hive ensure they
| Tasmanian honey
aren’t lost; at season’s end the hives are trucked
home overnight. The honey is guaranteed to be
leatherwood, I’m told, being the only tree flowering
this time of year (February).
Once pointed out, leatherwood in bloom is
unmistakable: white flowers peppering the thick
forest like summer snowdrops. It’s actually two
Eucryphia species (lucida and milliganii), both unique
to Tasmania, although a South American relative
named ulmo also yields a distinctive honey. “It tastes
somewhat similar,” says Julian. “But not the same,
fortunately – not quite as good!”
Although leatherwood dates to dinosaur days,
its native pollinators are non-hiving insects such
as march flies. Honeybees reached Tasmania with
British colonists, but leatherwood wasn’t targeted
before West Coast settlement blossomed with
mining just over a century ago. And the business only
truly got underway in the mid-20th century, when
new roads gave forest access to hive trucks. In other
words, it’s a taste 70 million years in the making.
H E A D I N G TO T H E H I L L S
In the north-west, sleepy Mawbanna is tucked
14 kilometres inland between coastal Burnie and
Smithton. The road twists through forest before
opening onto vistas of rolling hills and a horizon
garlanded by the blueish peaks that inspired
Robbie Charles’ father, Rueben, when he founded
Blue Hills Honey in 1955.
“Dad was the first to export leatherwood to
Japan, back in the early ’60s,” says Robbie, who
made a beeline to the family business from school. 1
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 107
“The Savage River pipeline opened in ’67 and that’s our
biggest area now. We run, probably, 1000 hives there.”
Blue Hills are the northernmost of the six main firms,
with 1800 hives across the Tarkine wilderness. “Our
leatherwood has a really soft finish,” says Nicola Charles,
Robbie’s wife and Blue Hills’ manager. “Each region has
its own profile; we think our pH is a bit more neutral than
some of the other leatherwoods. You do get terroir.”
You get big variations in output, too; Mother Nature
is a fickle business partner. A cold, wet or windy summer
– hello, 2017 – plays havoc with supply. Bees don’t forage
in the rain, or fly much below 15ºC, and leatherwood
needs about 20ºC to flower.
“This is the nicest day we’ve had for three weeks,”
says Robbie, glad to see sunshine as he works his hives.
“If we’d had this weather before we would have a lot of
honey by now. What we’ve got now is about half a crop,
but another fortnight like this and they might fill again.”
Weather isn’t the only challenge. “There’s been a lot
of leatherwood territory lost over the years,” says Nicola.
“Some areas are difficult to get to. Bridges have washed
out in flood and we’ve had to fly bees in.” Other novel
solutions include the touristic West Coast Wilderness
Railway, which third-generation apiary R. Stephens
uses to get hives into forest outside Strahan.
Unlike other trees, leatherwood can’t recover from
bushfire. Every burn whittles down reserves, and 2016
was a shocker, with 72,000 hectares razed in the north-
west and Blue Hills evacuated. Given this, it seems
incredible that leatherwood isn’t a protected species,
but it’s still extensively logged – mostly as eucalypt
bycatch. “We used to run 1000 hives within 10 miles
of Mawbanna and it all got logged out,” Robbie says.
“Once they clear-fell and burn it, leatherwood doesn’t
regenerate. Rather than being a mixed forest, they turn
it into a dry eucalypt forest. Then when there’s a fire they
wonder why it all burns. They change the whole ecology
of the place.”
This has wider implications than the survival of a
boutique industry. As Tasmania’s richest and most reliable
nectar flow, leatherwood sustains the bees that underpin
the state’s entire pollination-dependent agriculture.
And supply will never be secured by plantations, because
leatherwood needs a century or so to yield a productive
nectar flow. As Julian says, “People who invest money like
to get a return while they’re still alive.” 1
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: Leatherwood is
endemic to Tasmania;
The honey industry began in
the mid-20th century when
new roads gave forest access
to hive trucks; A frame drips
with bees and honeycomb;
A beekeeper tending to a hive;
On closer inspection.
GETAWAYS | Tasmanian honey

As Tasmania’s richest
and most reliable nectar
flow, leatherwood
sustains the bees that
underpin the state’s entire
pollination-dependent
agriculture.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 109
 With leatherwood
a wild resource, profound
understanding of its home
range is paramount.
 GETAWAYS | Tasmanian honey

CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: Beekeepers check on
leatherwood blooms near
hives in the Tyndall Range
area; Visit the Melita
Honey Farm in Chudleigh;
Julian Wolfhagen, founder
of the Tasmanian Honey
Company; Frames filled
with honeycomb.
OPPOSITE: A hive of
activity at a Tasmanian
Honey Company site.

DETAILS
With leatherwood a wild resource, profound
understanding of its home range is paramount.
“Every site is a different microclimate, which affects MELITA HONE Y FA R M
the rate bees collect,” says Anthony van Bohemen, Tasmania’s top honey ‘cellar door’.
one of Julian’s beekeepers. “Bees are sensitive to slight Honey galore, and the honey
variations of temperature and it takes time to learn the ice-cream repays an hour’s drive
personality of each area.” from Launceston. 33-39 Sorell
“I spend a lot of time driving, just looking at the Street, Chudleigh;
environment,” Julian considers. “You really have to know melitahoneyfarm.com.au
your country and look at the trees and understand botany, B LUE HILLS HO N E Y
weather patterns, and be able to know where honey will be.” A small shop, with plans to add
We can only hope there’ll always be enough leatherwood tours. 1858 Mawbanna Road,
trees for Tasmania’s beekeepers to keep on knowing where Mawbanna; bluehillshoney.com
honey will be. Even if we can never know the West Coast TASMA NIA N H O N E Y CO M PA N Y
as deeply, our appreciation of its natural wonders can be Visit the gift store and enjoy
as heartfelt. And nothing enhances that appreciation like tastings; just 18 kilometres south
tasting the produce that speaks of this wild, pure country of Launceston. 25a Main Road,
most truly, most deeply, most sweetly. Perth; tasmanianhoney.com

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 111
 E V E RY B O DY
LOV E S T H E
SUNSHINE

There’s a CREATIVE
UNDERCURRENT changing the face
of the SUNSHINE COAST.
We DIAL IN to find its EPICENTRE.

WO R D S C E L E S T E M I T C H E L L P H OTO G R A P H Y K A R A R O S E N L U N D
 GETAWAYS | Sunshine Coast

“The coast has found the value

in creativity. Over the last five
years we’ve gone from being a
place with nothing to do to a place
where we’re spoiled for choice.”
P H O T O G R A P H Y: G L A S S C O F F E E H O U S E & S U R F G A L L E RY ( T H I S P A G E )

THIS PAGE: Making

surfboards at Glass Coffee
House & Surf Gallery.
OPPOSITE: An Alexandra
Headland Streetscape.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 113
A LOT CAN HAPPEN in five years. It feels like only yesterday that
there were no late-night music venues on the Sunshine Coast, and
locating a cafe that didn’t belong to a franchise was an impossible
mission. The Maroochydore CBD was in the doldrums and visitors
to the coast were mostly operating on autopilot, driving straight to
Noosa’s golden sands.
Trying to find a restaurant with any atmosphere, or being seated
after 7pm, was also a challenge. The heart of the coast was equally
blessed and cursed, with local surf clubs and fish and chip shops still
retaining much of the holiday romance – and patronage – that has
kept the place kicking since the Sunshine Coast was officially given
its sunny moniker 50 years ago.
That’s all changed – and the catalyst was a brownie. Three years
ago, baker Alita Johnson put the finishing touches on one of her
cakes and placed it on the counter of the beautiful new cafe-cum-
photographic gallery she had just opened with partner Matthew
O’Brien on Maroochydore’s Ocean Street. Instagram went into
meltdown. The sheer creativity lavished onto the top of each of
her mini brownies and baked cheesecakes – swirls of frosting, edible
petals, crunchy macadamia praline and drippy caramel – at TOME
were unmatched by even the most fervent sweet tooth’s fantasy.
Monthly night markets had started up a year before on Ocean
Street, too – the passion project of local not-for-profit, the
Maroochydore Revitalisation Association (MRA) – to inject some
life back into the CBD. So, fuelled by sugar, pop-up bars, and the
opportunity to embrace life after dark with two hands, locals and
visitors to the coast sat up and started paying attention.
“I think the coast has found the value in creativity,” says James
Birrell, director of Maroochy Music and Visual Arts Festival
(MMVAF) and vice president of the MRA. “Over the last five years 1

Events like the Big Pineapple

Festival in the grounds of that
iconic ’80s ‘big thing’, have put
creativity back on centre stage.
 GETAWAYS | Sunshine Coast

THIS PAGE: Matching your

van to your apartment, Alex
Heads-style. OPPOSITE
(clockwise from top): Boy
and friend hit the waves at
Maroochydore Beach;
Lifeguard tower at
Maroochydore; The
heritage-listed Big Pineapple.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 115
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Surfboards for
sale; Straight from the surf at Maroochydore Beach;
Sundown over Cotton Tree Beach; Grab some Mexican
street food at La Canteena on Ocean Street; Low tide at
Alex Heads. OPPOSITE: An evening surf at
Maroochydore Beach.
 GETAWAYS
we’ve gone from [being] a place with nothing to
do to a place where we’re spoiled for choice.”
While on one hand the Sunshine Coast
is all about sun, surf and sand, clean eating,
SUP yoga, and farmers’ markets, on the other,
you’ll find chic new whisky bars, local craft
breweries, and underground live music venues
all contributing to a new creative undercurrent,
driven by young entrepreneurs.
Events like MMVAF and the Big Pineapple
Festival – a music festival in the grounds of that
iconic ’80s ‘big thing’ – have put creativity back
on centre stage, and the core of the Sunshine Coast
back on the radar for travellers.
“People are craving experience and I think
events are developing and jumping onto whatever
experiences are in vogue,” says James. “We’re really
trying to put the visual arts on the same pedestal
as the music, which is difficult as the audience is just
used to going to a music festival.”
Sara Dillon, co-owner of Little Boat Espresso,
faced a similar challenge when she first opened her
Marcoola cafe. “It took ages for people to change.
I mean, people would just look at our menu [which
| Sunshine Coast
includes dishes like okonomiyaki pancakes with
pork belly for breakfast] and walk away,” she says.
“They wouldn’t even give it a go, just because
we didn’t want to do bacon and eggs. It was quite
heart-wrenching at the start, but I just didn’t see
the point in doing something everyone else was
doing, and I still don’t.”
Creating mini destinations within the coast –
away from the tourist strips of Mooloolaba and
Noosa – is what businesses like Little Boat do
best, and when Sara and her business partner,
Leon Russell, opened sister cafe, Winnie, in the
under-the-radar town of Woombye in February
this year, it didn’t take long for word to spread.
“On the weekends we get smashed with people
from Brisbane coming up for day trips,” says Sara.
“I guess because it looks cute!”
The upside of the renewed energy and creativity
bubbling away on the coast is the sense of pride
that emanates from these businesses, and in turn
prompts more young locals to have a go. “Rather
than people moving away, which we’ve thought
about as well, now I feel like I should stay here
and build something,” Sara continues. 1
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 117
 Building a platform to showcase the Sunshine Coast’s surf history
was one of the underlying motivations for Mitch Surman when he
and partner Brydie Blackburn (along with friends who have since
sold their share) opened Glass Coffee House & Surf Gallery in
Cotton Tree in late 2014. Here, salty-haired patrons congregate
under umbrellas out the front or munch on avocado toast inside,
surrounded by surf paraphernalia. “I don’t always get time to tell
people why the boards are in the roof,” says Mitch. “But because we
have a lot of those boards – one of my friends is a collector – we’re
able to showcase what was made back then.
“There’s such a rich history in surfboard design, and surfboards
in general, on the coast that I wanted to showcase that and pass
it on.” But it’s not just the old logs on display – Mitch is also a
surfboard shaper, inspired by those who came before him and
making his own stamp on the industry with his MS Surfboards
creations; lined up like nine-foot pieces of art inside the cafe.
Dreamy surf photography by close friend Sebastian Robison
adorns the walls in large white frames.
Having a place to display their wares was also the driving force
for the boys behind local craft beer label, Your Mates Brewing Co. CLOCKWISE FROM
Matt Hepburn and Christen McGarry quit their jobs in 2013 TOP LEFT: Fresh from
the waves at Alex Heads;
and officially launched Your Mates out of a Moffat Beach shed in
A salty-haired local;
2015. Since then they’ve sold over 30,000 litres of beer and in An Instagram-able cake
September last year they seized the opportunity to expand their from TOME; Excellent
brewing empire in a disused storeroom to Nambour. Bear Bones Espresso
coffee at TOME.
What was once the thriving epicentre of the coast in the 1920s,
OPPOSITE: Soak up
the old sugarcane town suffered a stigma for years until creatives some holiday vibes at
blew out the cobwebs and started opening quirky bars, live music 1 Alexandra Headlands.
GETAWAYS | Sunshine Coast

Whether making art

with food, craft beer
or a music festival,
there’s cause for
celebration in this
pocket of the coast.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 119
 “I think a lot of people have understood
that if they express themselves creatively
it helps define the identity of the coast.”
 GETAWAYS | Sunshine Coast

CLOCKWISE DETAILS
FROM LEFT:
Co-owner of Little Boat
Espresso and Winnie,
Sara Dillon; Winnie has
Getting there
become a destination cafe Maroochydore is a 90-minute
for Brisbane daytrippers; drive from Brisbane. There are
Beachside living in Alex direct flights to the Sunshine Coast
Heads; A light
installation at MMVAF;
Airport in Maroochydore from
An Ocean Street mural; Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
OPPOSITE: Nice
night for it: dog walking Staying there
on Maroochydore Beach.
TOP SPOT MOT E L A classic
low-line motel close to the
action. topspotmotel.com.au
B REEZE MOOL O O L A B A Luxury
resort with hinterland or ocean
views. breezemooloolaba.com.au
RIVERSHORE Glamp by the
Maroochy River at Big4 Rivershore
Resort. rivershore.com.au

Eating there
TOME Arrive too late and risk
missing out on one of TOME’s
utterly Instagram-able cakes.
facebook.com/tome.cake.coffee
W INNIE A 15-minute drive from
Maroochydore. facebook.com/
winniewoombye
GLA SS COFFE E H O USE & SUR F
GA LLERY For coffee, food and
venues, wholefood cafes and co-working spaces. sleek boards by MS Surfboards.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: H AY L E Y J E N K I N ( W I N N I E ) ; M I T C H L O W E ( M M VA F )

Having a beer in The Basement feels just like hanging facebook.com/glasscoffeegallery

out at a friend’s house in the late ’80s. The brick-
lined flagship is filled with tall concrete-topped tables Playing there
and overstuffed brown leather lounges, while a vinyl NIGHTS ON O CE A N
collection beams out Fleetwood Mac and Bob Dylan Tailor-make your perfect
and a pool table takes pride of place. Here the Mates’ progressive dinner down Ocean
full range is poured freely, while also giving a stage to Street. The markets are held on
local musicians and comedians. the second Friday of each month.
“I think a lot of people have understood that if nightsonocean.com.au
they express themselves creatively it helps define YOUR MATES BR E W I N G CO.
the identity of the coast and each little experience Play pool with a tasting paddle of
or art piece or moment that happens helps build four brews close at hand. Saturday
that identity,” says MMVAF director, James. is the night to hear live tunes.
“Everyone’s celebrating creativity and becoming yourmatesbrewing.com
quite entrepreneurial about it.” MAROOCHY M USI C A N D
Whether making art with food, craft beer or a VISUAL A RTS FE ST I VA L Catch
music festival, there’s cause for celebration in this Alison Wonderland, The Presets,
pocket of the coast, with its magnum opus seemingly Bernard Fanning, Gang Of Youths
just around the corner. If you start looking, you may (and more) at the third iteration
be the first to find it. of MMVAF. mmvaf.com

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 121
REPLENISH ,
EAT AND
R EPE AT

SO LOVELY that it’s been attracting

holidaymakers since the 1800s, AND WITH
contemporary TWISTS TO SUIT every taste,
DAYLESFORD is the town with it all when it
WORDS LARA PICONE comes to a COUNTRY escape.
 GETAWAYS | Daylesford

THIS IMAGE: Stroll

through the gorgeous
19th-century Convent, which
houses a gallery and cafe.
OPPOSITE: A quiet street
in Daylesford, a town with
a legacy built on gold.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: L A R A P I C O N E ( F L O W E R S ) ; R O B E R T H O C K ( T H E C O N V E N T )

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 123
City dodgers, mostly from Melbourne,
bring with them a pulsating energy and
enthusiasm for their adopted home.
 GETAWAYS
WHEN WE ARRIVE IN Daylesford, it’s already been spring
for a couple of months, but the town seems unconcerned
with trifling matters such as adhering to the seasons. Besides,
the Victorian town fringed by the cuddly sounding Wombat
State Forest, is more suited to puffer jackets and puffs of
smoke curling from chimneys than balmy days.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: S H A RY N C A I R N S ( L A K E ) ; L A R A P I C O N E ( L A K E H O U S E )
“It’s a bit of a chick’s town, isn’t it?” observes my husband
after a 10-minute stroll up the main street. I return his
comment with the only correct response… an exaggerated
eye-roll. But he has a point. With a cluster of knick-knacky
homewares stores and day spas as prolific as suburban
Thai restaurants, Daylesford does initially present as the
holy grail of hens’ weekends.
But it’s unfair to write it off as appealing to just one
sex. Although Daylesford could easily play backdrop to
a British countryside TV drama, there’s a refined style
to the lavender-scented soaps, and ordering a macchiato
doesn’t elicit raised eyebrows.
This idyllic town, first established in 1854, was built on
gold. Once the mines were abandoned, the legacy of a town
once aglow with bullion remained in its grand buildings.
The addition to this lofty architecture of a quaint influence
from Swiss Italian migrants, a distinctly European feel,
and the highest (85 per cent) concentration of mineral
springs in Australia, means Daylesford, Hepburn Springs
and their surrounds have been attracting holidaymakers
since gentlefolk first popped open their parasols in the
1800s and declared the area delightful.
Let’s also not forget the town’s location; a stone’s throw
from the Macedon Ranges, where excellent wine and
wonderful produce abound. And where there’s good wine,
food, and genuinely heart-skipping property prices, you’re
going to find a procession of tree-changers eschewing their
| Daylesford
CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT: Lake
House is designed for
leisure; Choose your
tipple at Wine and the
Country. OPPOSITE:
Take your time to
explore the grounds of
Lake House, including
its beautiful namesake.
office-cubicle careers to write that book they always knew
they had in them, or finally begin that more creative but
less lucrative vocation their parents/spouse/voice-of-reason
always dissuaded them from pursuing. These city dodgers,
mostly from Melbourne, bring with them a pulsating
energy and enthusiasm for their adopted home, resulting
in wonderful restaurants, shops, and polished hospitality.
When it comes to travel, first impressions are often as
useful as the paper knickers you’re given at day spas. And,
after a good-sized beer and matching fish and chips at the
Daylesford Hotel, my husband had seen the error of his
assumptions and reversed his opinion. After two days, he
was as delighted with the town as any ‘chick’ would be.
So even if you’re not the type to languish in artesian waters,
Daylesford’s history, architecture, elegant gardens and
destination-making food and wine will please you. Here
are a few not-to-be-missed experiences.
TA K E A C L A S S AT N ATA S H A M O R G A N ’ S
DOLLHOUSE IN THE FOREST
If you could choose to be a flower anywhere in the world,
you’d do well to be a part of Natasha Morgan’s garden
on her property, Oak and Monkey Puzzle, just outside of 1
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 125
Daylesford. Although, you may not make the cut:
“Every plant in my garden has to be spectacular for
it to be here,” says the woman who calls herself a
‘place maker’. Formerly an architect and landscape
architect, Natasha is now, essentially, a creator of
beauty. Her wonderland-style garden and achingly
perfect white wooden home (once a post office)
makes one’s own dwellings seem frightfully mediocre.
When I arrive, the lovely, pixie-faced Natasha is
making a pork roast for a bunch of people who are
learning to make a dry stone wall in her backyard. The
students get the knowledge, Natasha gets a wall and
everyone gets a pork lunch (with bubbly crackling).
It’s just one of the workshops she runs from her
exquisite property. If you don’t have anywhere to
build a wall in your urban life, you can also learn,
among other things, the arts of shibori, garden design,
fermenting, and carving in stone.
Natasha leads me outside where her gorgeous
garden gives way to a forest behind. She shows me
the nissen hut and shipping container she is preparing
to turn into accommodation and I make a mental note
to return when they’re up and running.
Before I reluctantly leave, Natasha bundles her
homemade cordials into my arms and advises me
to make an elderflower gin and tonic. The three
large bottles make for slightly awkward carry-on,
but turn out to be entirely worth it.
PERFECT THE ART OF LEISURE AT LAKE HOUSE
A pre-dinner note by culinary director Alla
Wolf-Tasker confirms that spring has come late to
Daylesford. For this reason the produce on the Lake
House menu, which the restaurateur proudly sources
locally, lingers somewhat in winter. We couldn’t care
less; such is the elegant symphony of flavours that
entertain our palates throughout the tasting menu
of such things as tempura of Moreton Bay bug in
CLOCKWISE
nori, and signature smoked eel in pancetta. A gin and FROM TOP
tonic with a glassy round of candied cumquat reminds LEFT: The road to
me of Natasha’s elderflower cordial. Wombat Hill Botanic
You could come here just to delight in the award- Gardens; A luxurious
bedroom at Lake
winning restaurant and marvel at the achievement of House; Lunch at
revered chef Alla and her pure tenacity, which, over Wombat Hill House;
four decades, has turned what was once just a creek Regional wines at
with a Chinese market garden on its banks into a Wine and the
Country; Art lines
location of astounding beauty. But you’d miss half the the walls of The
experience, because staying here is bucket-list worthy. Convent; Allan Wolf-
Take your time to explore the grounds. Stroll the Tasker in his studio;
manmade lake and watch the mist rise from the water Belvedere Social.
in the early morning, admiring the stringy barks,
silverbirch and old varieties of fruit trees. Visit artist
(and Alla’s husband) Allan’s studio on the property.
And, of course, in the wellness capital of the country,
enjoy a treatment at the on-site Salus spa.
If you’re feeling gold rush-style flush, spring for
the Atrium Villa and pretty much emerge only for
dinner. Everything you need to languish in a robe
for a large part of the day is here: a fireplace, plenty
of books, a deep bath, wine and whisky (probably
don’t combine those last three).
 GETAWAYS | Daylesford

DETAILS

Getting there
Daylesford is a one hour and
40 minute-drive north-west
of Melbourne.

Staying there
LAKE HOU SE
CLOCKWISE You can’t beat a stay at
FROM TOP LEFT: Alla Wolf-Tasker’s delightful
Spectacular blooms at
Oak and Monkey Puzzle; property, with its gorgeous
Walk around pretty Lake grounds and award-winning
Daylesford; Stroll the restaurant. lakehouse.com.au
grounds of The Convent;
Daylesford’s grand old
street frontage. Playing there
OAK AND MONKEY PUZZLE
Take a class in anything from
dry stone walling to shibori at
Natasha Morgan’s property.
natashamorgan.com.au
THE CONV E N T
Three levels of art in a
19th-century mansion, with
a cafe and leafy surrounds.
DON’ T STOP WIT H T H E FO O D AN D WI N E TA K E A WA L K O N A N E X T I N C T VO L C A N O conventgallery.com.au
Of course, now you’ve eaten at Lake House you Long after the site ceased being a volcano, the
might not see the point in any further culinary manicured and well-tended Wombat Hill Botanical Dining there
C A I R N S ( A L L A N W O L F -TA S K E R ) , R O B E R T H O C K ( T H E C O N V E N T )

pursuits. But, this will pass, and must, because Gardens were established in 1863. The dome- WOMB AT H I L L H O USE
B O TA N I C G A R D E N S A N D O A K A N D M O N K E Y P U Z Z L E ) , S H A RY N

Daylesford has a lovely selection of places to shaped gardens look down on Daylesford but if As well as dining at Lake
P H O T O G R A P H Y: L A R A P I C O N E ( L E A F Y R O A D , W O M B AT H I L L

enjoy a meal.
Belvedere Social, on Vincent Street, is a good
place to reflect on what gold rush-era Daylesford
might have been like, and then to decide that 21st
century Daylesford, where you can spend a lazy
few hours with a bottle of Punt Road gamay, is
probably much better. Pair it with a bowl of mussels
and beef carpaccio and your afternoon is made.
Because wine and the country complement
each other so well, some clever people have
opened a bottleshop where you can drink
your purchase on the premises. Wine and the
Country sells regional wines, gin and vermouth
and has a small cabinet of local cheese and other
morsels. It’s handily located very close to Lake
House, just make sure you take it easy crossing
the road if you’ve sampled your purchases
somewhat liberally.
you feel like a loftier viewpoint, clamber up the House, stop into Alla’s other
Pioneers’ Memorial Tower (built in 1938) to see lovely eatery in the Wombat
the town in miniature. Having made such strenuous Hill Botanic Gardens.
efforts, rewards await at Wombat Hill House store wombathillhouse.com.au
and cafe, which happens to be another Alla Wolf- B ELVEDERE SO CI A L
Tasker-run eatery. Enjoy a produce-driven menu
Mosey on for a stroll through The Convent. This and craft cocktail list at this
gorgeous 19th century mansion was initially built central Daylesford location.
as a private residence but was later bought by the belvederesocial.com.au
Catholic Church and filled with nuns. Today the
nuns are long gone and in their place is a gallery, Drinking there
a cafe, and a steady procession of brides come THE W INE A N D T H E
wedding season. COUNTRY
Inhale the scents of the garden, filling your Drink your purchase on
lungs with country air, which seems particularly the premises or enjoy in
restorative in Daylesford, before heading back to the nearby comfort of
city life with a blueprint for your own tree change your Lake House digs.
taking shape. wineandthecountry.com.au

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 127
C
O
A C
S L
T I
A M
L P H O T O G R A P H Y: S E A N S C O T T ( M A I N I M A G E )

E
An aerial view of
Tasman Island and its
lighthouse, which sits off
the tip of Cape Pillar.

S
 GETAWAYS | Tasman Peninsula

A taste of BUSHWALKING in the Tasmanian

WILDERNESS, without the hard schlep: a THREE CAPES

and Tasman Peninsula TREK LEAVES us primed FOR MORE.

WORDS IMOGEN EVESON

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 129
 The waters are ripe for wildlife
spotting: albatross, sea eagles and
colonies of fur seals populate the area.
130 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 GETAWAYS | Tasman Peninsula

FROM MEDIEVAL BELL TOWERS in Europe to

remote mountainsides in Mongolia; there’s always someone,
somewhere, climbing something. And to what end? It’s a
quandary that hits at the foot of another steep ascent. So
far, the Cape Hauy track has felt like a punishing series of
steps – up, down, up and round again like an Escher drawing
– that have coincided with a late-in-the-game realisation
that I’m really not much of a hiker. It’s lucky, then, that
the Three Capes and Tasman Peninsula trip I’ve signed up
to is fairly gentle in terms of Tasmanian hikes. A series of
invigorating day walks, it’s a chance to dip in and out of the
Three Capes Track: the four-day, 46-kilometre cliff-hugger
that opened in December 2015 and has quickly become one
of Australia’s essential coastal walks.
Over three days, I’m exploring the best bits of the CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: Colonies of
Tasman Peninsula – the small thumbnail of land that lies Australian and New
a little over an hour’s drive from Hobart to the south-east Zealand fur seals live on
and, apart from its rugged good looks, is well-known for the rocky shores of
being home to the Port Arthur Historic Site. Along with Tasman Island;
Returning from Cape
11 fellow hikers (mostly from all corners of Australia, plus a Hauy; The still waters
few travellers from overseas) and two guides, I’ll be walking of Ladies Bay at Port
through some of the most striking parts of the Tasman Arthur Historic Site.
National Park coast. But rather than being an overnight OPPOSITE: Spotting
sea caves and striated
hike, whereby you carry your sleeping bag and food on your cliffs during the
back and spend nights in huts along the way, our base for two wilderness cruise.
nights is the same comfortable B&B, we have a minibus to
shuttle us between walks, and our third day isn’t really a walk
P H O T O G R A P H Y: TA S M A N I A P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E S E R V I C E ( F U R S E A L S ) ;

– it’s a cruise. Which will suit this rookie fine; a fact that day
one’s uphill challenges soon makes clear.
We spend the first morning visiting Port Arthur before
heading to nearby Fortescue Bay, where our guides Pip 1
IMOGEN EVESON (ALL REMAINING)
 CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: A jet-powered boat
rides the choppy waters;
Saying hello to a Bennett’s
wallaby at the start of the
and Will prepare a picnic lunch. It’s a peaceful spot that
marks the start of the day’s nine-kilometre loop, where bush
fringes a crescent of sand and still water, and a Bennett’s
wallaby says hello – lingering conspicuously while we

J O U R N E Y S ( TA S M A N I S L A N D C R U I S E ) ; TA S M A N I A P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E
Cape Hauy track ; A view of eat. We pause for long enough to breathe in the air: that
the penitentiary at Port distinctively Tasmanian-grade oxygen that leaves eyes
Arthur. OPPOSITE:

P H O T O G R A P H Y: T O U R I S M TA S M A N I A & P E N N I C O T T W I L D E R N E S S
The shimmering waters brighter and spirits higher. As we start winding our way

S E R V I C E ( F O R T E S C U E B AY ) ; I M O G E N E V E S O N ( A L L R E M A I N I N G )
of Fortescue Bay. towards the cape, the air becomes spiked with aromatics:
a tessellation of eucalyptus, heath and pine. The sun beats
down through the gaps it can find in the overstory and the
track’s ups and downs reward with glimpses back to the
shimmering bay, or dramatic views of the ancient coastline.
The 180 million-year-old dolerite columns and cliffs
that characterise Cape Hauy and much of the Tasmanian
landscape itself make this a popular area for climbing and
abseiling. Upon reaching the cape we get vertigo simply from
looking at the slender sea stacks that shoot from the ocean
just metres from the cliff-edge: the so-called ‘Candlestick’
and ‘Totem Pole’ are catnip for daredevil climbers.
Back at Fortescue Bay, we are shuttled to our home for
the next two nights; a homey B&B with a large wraparound
verandah overlooking the peaceful Little Norfolk Bay.
With five guest bedrooms, a dining room and a cosy living
room, it’s comfortable, inviting and a little quirky.
In the morning, our resident hosts Lorella and Lynton
cook a buffet breakfast in their big country kitchen: 1
 GETAWAYS | Tasman Peninsula

We pause for long enough to breathe in the air:

that distinctively Tasmanian-grade oxygen that
leaves eyes brighter and spirits higher.

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 133
 The track’s ups and downs reward with
glimpses back to the shimmering bay, or
dramatic views of the ancient coastline.
a hearty and delicious spread that includes cereals, breads,
preserved and fresh fruit, soft boiled eggs and compotes made
with fruit from their orchard garden. We make sandwiches and
wraps from the ingredients our guides have prepared and tuck
them into our daypacks ready for the walk ahead to Cape Raoul.
Cape Raoul is one of the namesake ‘Three Capes’ – but as
it is not yet linked to the official track (construction work is
underway for this extension), walkers on the Three Capes Track
can currently only view it from a distance. Which is a shame for
them, because it’s gorgeous: a 14-kilometre round trip through
tall stringybark forest, old she-oak woodland and coastal banksia
scrub, with moments of great beauty and drama unfolding on the
way. The first of these comes after a steady ascent: the bush falls
away to reveal a panorama of primordial cliffs and Cape Raoul
itself stretching out into the ocean. We sight world-renowned
big wave surfing spot Shipstern Bluff and, not too far off on
the horizon, Bruny Island. Walkers who venture here during
spring and autumn might also spot migrating whales. A plateau
daubed with coastal heaths and dwarf banksias – capped pink and
CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: Bush meets sea (and a
sliver of sand) at Fortescue
Bay; Dolerite columns, the
‘Totem Pole’ and ‘Candlestick’,
at Cape Hauy; Heritage B&B
accommodation; A long way
down – reaching the tip of
Cape Raoul; Pink mountain
berries; The coastline viewed
from the Cape Hauy track .
& P E N N I C O T T W I L D E R N E S S J O U R N E Y S ( TA S M A N I S L A N D C R U I S E ) ;
( F O R T E S C U E B AY A N D M O U N TA I N B E R R I E S ) ; T O U R I S M TA S M A N I A
T O U R I S M TA S M A N I A & LY N T O N B R O W N ( B & B ) ; I M O G E N E V E S O N
yellow – marks a natural pause in the landscape and, while all is
P H O T O G R A P H Y: TA S M A N I A P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E S E R V I C E
calm today, you’ll often find it surrendered to the intense winds
that Cape Raoul is known for; some of the strongest in Australia
have been recorded here.
Our guides provide great lessons in both the Tasmanian bush
and common sense: “shout out if you start to feel any hot spots
on your feet”, Pip had said before we started out. Three hours
in, I do, and she swiftly produces a bandage that prevents it from
turning into a blister. The pair point out yellow-tailed black
cockatoos and green rosellas, as well as edible and not-so edible
bush foods: we taste mountain berries – bright pink, high in
vitamin C and bittersweet – but leave the gleaming purple apple
berries to dangle on their stalks. Conversations among the group
inspire talk of other hikes in Australia and around the world:
(ALL REMAINING)
“The more you walk the more you discover how much there is
to walk,” Pip says. We’re travelling with Tasmanian Expeditions,
whose dynamic guides shepherd small groups of hikers on all
manner of trails through the Tasmanian wilderness, including
the more challenging Overland and South Coast tracks. Pip’s

time is split between guiding walks and kayaking
tours, while Will is also a student of ecology
and conservation: both people you want to have
on your team. And while this trip for me is an
induction into more serious bushwalking – my
sights now set on overnight hikes – for others in
our group it is a gentler jaunt. With the relative
luxuries of a B&B stay, meals provided, and our
guides taking care of logistics, it’s a chance for
the more experienced walkers to take their foot
off the pedal and focus on the best bits.
Once at the cape, we settle down near the
edge to eat our sandwiches and soak in the
awesome view: blue sea and sky on an epic scale,
jagged dolerite columns rising from the waves
that crash at their base.
The next day, we find ourselves at the feet
of these capes: riding the choppy waters on
a white-knuckle cruise. It lends a different
GETAWAYS | Tasman Peninsula
perspective to the sea cliffs and columns: it’s
even more humbling to be in their shadow.
We buckle in to our jet-powered boat and set
out on the three-hour Tasman Island wilderness
cruise, heading for the highest vertical sea cliffs
in the southern hemisphere at Cape Pillar that
stretch 300-plus metres out of the water. The
weather has turned moody and feels all the
more appropriate for it. We dip in and out of
archways and deep-sea caves and get buffeted
by waves – the closer to the front of the boat
you sit, the more ‘rollercoaster’ it feels. The
waters today are considerably tame: on wild
days, the swell in the Southern Ocean likely
reaches around 18 metres (but don’t worry –
in such extreme conditions, the boat would
not venture out).
The cruise travels between Port Arthur
and Eaglehawk Neck, and the exact route 1
WHEN TO GO
There’s a good reason to walk
the Three Capes and Tasman
Peninsula in each season. Prime
trek time is between November
to May, however you can choose
your timing based on seasonal
highlights of the area, such as:
Spring
One of the top seasons for
whale watching, with various
plant species in bloom, the
coastal heath in flower, and
typically sunny days.
Summer
The warmest time to walk,
with the most stable weather
and longer daylight hours.
Spectacular clear skies mean
trekkers can enjoy the expansive
views from the coastline.
Autumn
Also an ideal time to view the
migrating whales off the coast,
and autumn wildflowers add
bursts of white, pink and yellow
to the shrubbery along the track.
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 135
 FROM TOP: An
aerial view of the
stunning Cape Hauy;
Walking a section of the
Three Capes Track .
depends on the day’s weather and wind conditions.
The waters are ripe for wildlife-spotting: albatross
and sea eagles, diving gannets, cliff-nesting
cormorants and peregrine falcons all populate
the area. Today we see albatross and sea eagles,
in addition to the colonies of Australian and New
Zealand fur seals that live on the rocky shores of
Tasman Island. We circumnavigate this small patch
of land and steal a glimpse of the precipitously
placed lighthouse and keepers’ cottages that
once comprised one of Australia’s most isolated
lightstations. The lighthouse is automated today
– still a beacon for seafarers entering Storm Bay,
including those sailing the Sydney to Hobart Yacht
Race – but the island has remained uninhabited
since the last keeper moved off in 1977.
The Three Capes and Tasman Peninsula
walk is a chance to feel Tasmania at its end-of-
the-world wildest, without throwing yourself
completely to the wind: maybe next time. After
all, the more you walk the more you want to walk.
And this in itself answered my earlier question.
What is the point of climbing to the top of things?
In this case, it was to hit that sweet spot: the
home run back down the trail when the afternoon
sun is soft and honeyed, the eucalyptus smells
even sweeter and you don’t feel the pack on your
shoulders anymore.
HOW TO TRAIN
The more effort you put into
training in the time leading
up to your trip, the more you
will enjoy your experience.
“Trek training is more than
just walking,” Oscar Bedford,
a Tasmania Expeditions guide,
writes in the company’s
comprehensive guide to getting
ready. “It’s preparing the body
for the increased intensity of
undulation, terrain, pack weight,
kilometres walked and overall
endurance.” For an introductory
to moderate walk such as
the Three Capes and Tasman
Peninsula, it’s recommended
that trekkers have a reasonable
degree of fitness and spend a
couple of hours, a few times
a week, doing some extended
walking while carrying a
daypack weighing five to
seven kilograms.
 GETAWAYS | Tasman Peninsula

DETAILS

Getting there
The Three Capes and
Tasman Peninsula trip
departs from and returns
to Hobart. We preceded
our walk with an overnight
stay at Hobart’s The Old
Woolstore Apartment Hotel;
comfortable, converted
heritage digs close to the

180 million-year-old dolerite columns city centre and waterfront.

oldwoolstore.com.au
and cliffs characterise the capes and much Playing there
of the Tasmanian landscape. The walk is graded at level
four (out of 10) which means
you can expect introductory
activity with several moderate
stages. Training in advance
is recommended (see
break-out box). Tasmanian
Expeditions has more than
30 years of experience in
offering off-the-beaten track
experiences in wilderness
P H O T O G R A P H Y: TA S M A N I A P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E S E R V I C E ( C A P E
R AO U L , TH R E E C A PE S TR AC K); J E S S E DE S JAR DI N S (C A PE PI LL AR);

regions of great natural

beauty, plus a commitment
to sustainable travel practices.
Our guides were passionate,
knowledgeable, and the trip
was well-researched and
paced. tasmanianexpeditions.
com
IMOGEN EVESON (ALL REMAINING)

What to pack
CLOCKWISE Tasmanian Expeditions
FROM TOP: The provides a detailed gear list
vertiginous Cape Pillar for the walk and highlights the
– which lays claim to the
‘layering principle’ – which is
southern hemisphere’s
highest sea cliffs; Vibrant key to trekking in Tasmania.
dwarf banskias found en Essentials include lightweight
route to Cape Raoul; walking boots (with ankle
Between the devil and the
support), a quality waterproof
deep blue sea; The fruit of
the purple apple berry jacket and pants and a small
glistens in the sun. backpack (30-40 litres).

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 137
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 CULTURE
inner beauty . towns . people . walkabout . what’s on . let’s go…

OSTERIA OGGI
This light-filled diner, an Adelaide
favourite, has recently scooped a
prestigious design award for its subtle
treatment, in muted tones and textures,
that takes cues from the piazzas
of Italy. Turn over for more.
P H O T O G R A P H Y: P E T E R C L A R K E

L I G H T
A TIRED OLD office space in the Adelaide city
centre IS REVITALISED as a light and bright
EATING SPACE that takes its cues from the
unaffected, HUMBLE BEAUTY of Tuscany.
NAME:
OSTERIA OGGI
OSTERIA OGGI has been heaped with
praise since opening just a few short years
back, as much for its luminous design as its
modern interpretation of traditional Italian
combinations and tastes. The latest such
accolade was presented on a world stage when
designers Graham Charbonneau and Dave
Bickmore, co-founders of the South Australia-
based Studio -Gram, won the World Interiors
144 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
CULTURE | Inner beauty
U P
L O C AT I O N :
ADELAIDE
News award for Restaurant Interiors in
February. Recognising designs that have made
the biggest impact on the cultural landscape
around the world, coming away with a gong
was huge news. But the duo were humble in
victory, congratulating Osteria Oggi’s owner
Simon Kardachi, who commissioned them.
It is easy to see what the judges loved; the
light-filled diner, formerly a run-down office
CLOCKWISE
FROM FAR LEFT:
Muted shades are used
to subtle effect; Osteria
Oggi was transformed
from an office space
to a light-filled diner;
The design evokes Italian
piazzas; Communal
tables run through the
centre of the space.
DESIGN FIRM:
STUDIO -GRAM
P H O T O G R A P H Y: P E T E R C L A R K E
space, has a humble beauty that belies the
exacting effort and time that has been put into
realising it. Referencing the piazzas of Italy,
layers of texture (wood, concrete, textiles
and flagstones) and muted shades combine
throughout, with long communal tables
running down the centre of the space, and
intimate curved booths hugging the walls.
76 Pirie Street, Adelaide; osteriaoggi.com.au
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ECO Retreat

CULTURE | Towns
8 9am: A yummy breakfast
O N E
F I N E
4
D A Y
C owa r a mup
7 Let a LOCAL show you around
their town for an INSIDER’S
GUIDE to all the best bits.
CLAIRE PARKER AND JEREMY GOOD
recognised the potential for a craft brewery to
flourish in Cowaramup, Western Australia.
1
The small Margaret River town has been their
home since they opened the Cowaramup Brewing
P H OTO G R A P H Y: E L E M E N T S M A RG A R E T R I V E R (COW O N A S T I C K ,
Company over a decade ago. Its 800-litre
brewhouse (where they make six handcrafted
ales and lagers), bar and restaurant complements
the region’s already diverse offerings.
THE NITTY GR I T T Y:
WHERE EX AC TLY: In the south-west of Western
Australia, three hours’ drive south of Perth.
3 P O P U LATIO N: The most recent data released from
COWA R A M U P B AY, C A N DY COW )
2011 was 1131 but the small town is experiencing
significant growth, particularly in young families.
WHAT’ S IT ALL ABOUT: Cowaramup is right in the
heart of the Margaret River wine region, the closest
town to a number of wineries including Vasse Felix,
6
Howard Park and MadFish. It’s also near Cowaramup
Bay, a popular swimming and surfing beach.
9
WHY GO : It’s a chance to explore a quirky small
town that retains a uniquely rural feel, central to
the internationally famous Margaret River region.
5
Claire’s hit list
Start your day at the B LACK SHE E P D E LI (1),
on the main street, with corned beef hash served
with poached eggs and spinach, a coffee or Red
Sheep juice (beetroot, berries, ginger and red apple).
10am: Cycle the old rail line
Hire a bike from the Golden Jersey service station.
A short cycle via Pioneer Park, home to the Cow
on the Stick (2), leads to a bush track that used to
house the old railway line, the WADA N D I T R ACK .
Formerly known as the ‘Rails to Trails’, it winds
through some of the most beautiful bush (3),
farmland and vineyards in the Margaret River region.
12pm: Lunch at the brewery
Head five minutes out of town to COWA R A M U P
B REW ING COMPAN Y (4) to experience a tour
of our brewery and learn about the brewing
process.The tour starts with a wander through
the hop garden followed by a private tour of the
brewhouse. After, enjoy a tasting of each of the six
beers brewed onsite matched with a delicious menu.
2pm: Take in the historic town
Start at the S ETTLER S RID GE O RG A N I C W I N E S
(5) cellar door on the main street before checking
out THE CLARITY TRIB E ’s organic wellness products.
Continue to SA HA RA N DAZ E , a Moroccan
concept store, before checking out MOON H AV E N ’s
soaps and lotions.Walk next door to the C A N DY
COW sweet shop (6) – a must, especially if you
have kids in tow – then visit MUK AU G I FT WA R E
& GA LLERY (7) for unique gifts and art.
3pm: A dip in the ocean
A visit to Cowaramup isn’t complete without a
trip out to COWARA MU P B AY (G R ACE TOW N )
(8). Famous for its world-class surf breaks, there’s
also an easily accessible swimming beach suitable
for families with small children.
4:30pm: Treat yourself
Head back into town for some well-deserved
pampering at COWARA W ELLB EI N G CE N T R E .
6:30pm: Dinner time
Choose between the COW TOW N CL A SSIC
C A FE or the recently opened B A K E H O USE ’3 8 (9)
for dinner; both restaurants offer delicious menus.
Bedtime: Rest your head
Stay at THE N OB LE GRAP E , a cosy boutique
guesthouse far enough from its famous neighbour,
Margaret River to ensure a quiet and relaxing
haven away from the busy tourist centre.
AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 147
W H A T I T ’ S R E A L L Y L I K E …
to be a shoemaker
From his WORKSHOP and store in Sydney’s Strand Arcade,
ANDREW MCDONALD and his team of SHOEMAKERS
create CUSTOM-MADE FOOTWEAR and accessories with
character and originality. Here, he shares SOME INSIGHTS.
I usually get into work somewhere between 7:30
and 8 o’clock. The first thing I do is flick on the lights, sit
down at the computer and choose some music. Then I would
probably look at all the unanswered emails, just do all that admin
stuff. Then I start to prepare my shoemaking for the day, my work
plan for everybody. That’s my favourite time in the morning –
when everybody’s here it’s like the circus begins. The days can be
hectic because it’s managing the workshop, the digital side of the
business and the customers.
My workshop moved to the Strand Arcade five
years ago. And I was in Paddington for 14 years before that.
The Strand approached me and initially I wasn’t sure. But I think
what really attracted me was the heritage of the building. It’s
always been a kind of home for Australian design and the curatorial
effort at the time was very much focused on developing this
concept of a standalone arcade that specialised in artisan
craftspeople. It was creating a unique shopping identity that was
different from your Westfield, your shopping centres, and drew
from the heritage of the building.
I’ve been making shoes for 27 years. Before that
I freelanced as a photographer for 10 years, after studying
photography at Sydney TAFE. And I worked as a medical
photographer at the University of Sydney veterinary science
faculty. Then I moved to England and worked at Guy’s Hospital
in London and stepped into more commercial work. And that’s
where my first interest in shoemaking came from. I met a
shoemaker, Paul Harnden, and I did a story on him. And then he
made some shoes for me. I came back to Australia, went to college
and learnt how to make shoes.
I loved the idea that you could be working with
your hands but you’re actually making something
that is tangible. Photography is kind of different. I photograph
the shoes for the website and Instagram, and so I could always satisfy
that interest – but it was just the idea that I could make something
that is useful. It had a practical use and I could somehow improve
the quality of people’s lives.
The [custom-made shoemaking] process begins when
a customer comes in and I take their measurements.
Then they choose a style and a material, and we create the story.
Then they come in for a series of fittings. My favourite part of the
[physical] process? I have to say pulling the upper over the last.
You make the pattern and then before this, everything is two
dimensional. And then you pull it over the last and it becomes
three dimensional, and the life begins.
The three key elements in a shoe? That the design
works for you, it’s a design that you feel comfortable in and that it
complements what you wear. That the material of the shoe makes
you feel good. Not only that your feet feel comfortable but the rest
of your body does too, you’ve got good posture, it makes you smile.
And then the composition of the materials, the construction and
the type of materials. That they’re durable, with no synthetics, are
sustainably sourced and use vegetable tans; all that stuff, you know?
 CULTURE | People

CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: The pattern
cutting stage of the
shoemaking process;
Andrew McDonald in
his workshop and store in
Sydney’s Strand Arcade;
Andrew takes a
customer’s measurements.
OPPOSITE: Andrew
works with the finest
tanneries to source
leathers with a natural
finish and vegetable tan;
He’s been making shoes
for 27 years.

AT the core of it all is that I need to have a very

tactile, highly contextualised image of the
people wearing my shoes. If I don’t, I don’t have a market.
I see people in a restaurant, I know the brand of clothing they’re
wearing, I know what they look like; I’m visualising that person.
My customers are split between creatives and
business people. Your classic architects or designers or people
who have an interest in design… Or they’re finance people,
barristers or surgeons. It seems to attract those three professions,
I don’t know why. It seems they’re looking for a creative outlet of
some kind. Some escape from the trappings of corporate life or don’t have any kind of soul or feeling. There’s nothing you can
the pressure of being a surgeon or whatever… have a connection with. And I think that’s something people
They’re coming for the experience and I think are increasingly looking for – having a connection to your
that you can walk in here and there is a palpable environment, yourself, the products you wear.
texture you can smell, you can feel. I think they’re More and more I think that I’m in the
looking for something that’s got a bit of grounding for them. relationship business. My business is about maintaining
There’s a personal connection within the product. People talk a relationship, or building a relationship with individuals and
about ‘oh there’s a trend back to handmade’. It’s always been there, maintaining that over a period of time. I’ve got a few that are over
I just think people have got greater awareness of it now. And I 20 years old. This guy here [whose shoes I’m mending] has been a
think the awareness has arisen out of the fact that people have customer for 25 years. That’s what it’s about for me.
gone, ‘well you know, you can buy something handmade and really When I first started out I was kind of following
the cost is pretty much the same, or not much more than if we the design lines, the silhouettes, the colours of
bought the equivalent luxury brand’. The digital age allows you to the market at the time. The trends that were happening
I N T E R V I E W : I M O G E N E V E S O N ; P H O T O G R A P H Y: J O N AT H A N C A M Í

navigate beyond commercial brands and choose for yourself.
I think the awareness is definitely a reaction to
everything else being the same. Even in luxury goods
the products are pretty uninteresting when you think about it.
Beautifully made, sure, but there’s nothing that you look at and
go ‘ah that’s art’, or ‘that hits me in the soul, I feel that’.
I don’t mean to say that what it was like then is
better than now, but it was different. You went to
buy things and you met the person who made the thing, so you had
a greater understanding of the process. You had a texture of the
person. I think now there’s a highly mechanised aesthetic out there.
People have this expectation of everything to have this line of
perfection, and that
line of perfection is
derived from
machinery. I’m not
saying all things, but
a lot of things made
by machinery are
pretty cold, they
then. It took a long while to find a sensibility and then I realised it
would be great to just draw from my environment, what’s around me.
So I’m always thinking about the colours you see in the environment
in the desert, that kind of scorched, stained, streaked palette.
So what I’m trying to do with the design is take
the classics and twist them a little bit. For me,
I’ve got to have a design that’s a bit different. But the other thing
[that’s important to me] is the surface texture of the leather, and
honouring the integrity of the leather. I work with really great
tanneries so that I can find leather that is the natural finish, it’s
vegetable tan, it has no fillers, it has no structure or paint put on
it to create a continuity. I want to see the skin for all its scars and
I want to honour the scars. I want something that is what it is and
not something else. There just doesn’t seem to be any point for me
to make shoes or use leather that everyone else uses. You’re not
really creating any point of difference.
Visit A.McDonald Shoemaker on the second floor of The Strand Arcade
in Sydney for ready-to-wear or custom footwear and accessories. Andrew
also runs five-day shoemaking courses, during which beginner students
can design and make a pair of shoes. andrewmcdonald.com.au

AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM 149

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11

R ICK ST EI N
The ENGLISH CHEF on why he fell in love
with the coastal town of MOLLYMOOK
and turned it into a DINING DESTINATION
with RICK STEIN at Bannisters.
7
1. As a child, our family holidays were always to... Cornwall,
to our Art Deco house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean over Trevose
Head, not far from Padstow where I run The Seafood Restaurant.
2. Now if I have time for a short break in Australia, I head
straight to… Mollymook with my wife Sas and my step children Zach
and Olivia. Curiously to me it’s a mix of the best of Australian landscapes
and South West England. Being an avid swimmer, I am very taken with the
white sandy beaches of the South Coast. 3
3. The first time I was in Australia in 1967, I was inspired by…
the long ocean beaches around Sydney, the Harbour Bridge and the
6
still-being-built Opera House, chocolate malted milkshakes and
Aussie burgers in milk bars. 9
4. My favourite Australian city is… rather obviously, Sydney. It’s
one of the nicest cities to go walking in and we love to do the Spit to
Manly and have a beer at the Manly Wharf Hotel.
5. My carry-on is usually filled with… as little carry-on luggage
as possible, something I pride myself on; just an iPad, book, headphones,
yellow notebook, yellow pen and cinnamon chewing gum.
6. When I’m on the road, I’m listening to… the BBC’s Desert
Island Discs; I just finished Barry Humphries. I also just finished a
history of Mexico audiobook because I’m filming my latest TV series,
Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico.
7. The last thing I read on holiday was… All the Pretty Horses by
Cormac McCarthy.
8. I can’t leave home without my… bag of wires for my iPhone,
iPad, MacBook and iWatch.
9. My favourite Australian restaurant is… Long Chim Perth.
10. I set up a restaurant at Bannisters, Mollymook because…
my wife Sas, who has been holidaying there since she was a teenager,
introduced me to Mollymook and I ended up sharing her love for this
special part of the NSW South Coast.
11. What I love most about Australian food is... its exciting
mix of cooking styles from all over the world, along with the best
local ingredients. bannisters.com.au 2
 CULTURE | What’s on

SEPTEMBER 21 S E P T E M B E R –
8 OCTOB ER

2MOULD –
OZ A S I A F E S T I VA L
ADELAIDE, SA
Australia’s leading
international arts festival
dedicated to all things Asia,
A CHEESE incorporating theatre, dance,
music, film, talks and visual
F E S T I VA L arts. ozasiafestival.com.au
M E AT M A R K E T,
NORTH MELBOURNE , VIC
A celebration of cheese in
farmers’-market-meets-festival U NTIL 22 OCTOB ER
ARCHIBALD, W YN N E
style, presented by Bottle Shop AND SULMAN PRIZES
Concepts with Nick Haddow A RT G A L L E RY O F N S W, N S W
It’s that time of year again.
of Bruny Island Cheese. Sample
Spot famous faces and admire
produce from across Australia, the always-impressive artistry
and go all-out with raclette on display at Australia’s popular
and cheese-flavoured gelato. portrait, landscape and sculpture
mouldcheesefestival.com exhibition. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

W H AT’S ON
The FOOD FESTIVALS, art exhibitions,
cultural extravaganzas and FASHION BLOCKBUSTERS
you don’t want to miss in the coming months.

9–30 SEPTEMBER
B R I S B A N E F E S T I VA L
BRISBANE, QLD
Brissie’s top arts fest has
an eclectic program that
includes headliners London
Grammar, a riverside firework
extravaganza and loads in
between. brisbanefestival.com.au

AUG –SEPT
2 3 A U G U S T – 19

2 5 –3
HORIZON FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER
P R I M AV E R A 2 0 17 :
YO U N G A U S T R A L I A N
A RT I S T S
M C A , S Y D N E Y, N S W
An annual exhibition that
OF ARTS & CULTURE brings together the work
S U N S H I N E C O A S T, Q L D of eight artists aged 35 and
The Sunshine Coast’s signature multi-arts under, this year’s theme
festival combines film, comedy, street art, music explores natural and human-
made archives under the title
and more over 10 days. horizonfestival.com.au
Ancient Futures. mca.com.au

152 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M
 F RO M 15 S E P T E M B E R
SONG LI N E S: TR AC KI NG
THE SEVEN SISTERS
N AT I O N A L M U S E U M O F
AU STR ALIA , C ANB E RR A , ACT
Using a digital dome to portray
stories told in rock art, the ancient
WA song saga of the seven sisters
is explored in this Aboriginal-led
exhibition. nma.gov.au

19 – 2 2 O C TO B E R
FERMENT THE
F E S T I VA L
ADELAIDE, SA
Cheese, chocolate, charcuterie.
Wine and whisky. All
fermented, all here. The bill
includes an al fresco dinner
designed by top Adelaide chefs.
fermentthefestival.com.au
27 AUGUST – 7 NOVEMBER
D I O R , PA R I S ( FA S H I O N H O U S E ), J O H N G A L L I A N O ( D E S I G N E R), R E D S I L K A N D WO O L D R E S S , S P R I N G − S U M M E R 2 0 0 9,

THE HOUSE OF DIOR: SEVENTY

A R T W O R K : T O M P O L O , S T E P B A C K T O S T E P O U T, 2 0 16 ( P R I M AV E R A ) ; P H O T O G R A P H Y: L A Z I Z H A M A N I ( C H R I S T I A N

SEPTEMBER
YEARS OF HAUTE COUTURE
1–2 N G V I N T E R N AT I O N A L , M E L B O U R N E , V I C

In another creative coup, Melbourne’s NGV presents

an exclusive exhibition curated in collaboration
BIRDSVILLE RACES
BIRDSVILLE, QLD
with the House of Dior. It explores the story of the
prestigious Paris fashion house through 140 pieces of
For a weekend like no other, head to Birdsville for the
couture dating from 1947 to today. ngv.vic.gov.au
famous two-day racing carnival, an outback bucket
list item of mythical proportions. birdsvilleraces.com
10 AU G U S T – 24 S E P T E M B E R
A B O TA N I C A L
WONDERL AND
S TAT E L I B R A R Y O F W E S T E R N
AU S T R A L I A , P E RT H , WA
From wildflower painting to
embroidery and pressed seaweed,
this delicate exhibition celebrates
WA’s rich plant life. slwa.wa.gov.au

10 –27 AU G U S T 9 SE P T – 2 OCTOB ER
DA RW I N F E S T I VA L MUDGEE WINE &
VA R I O U S V E N U E S , F O O D F E S T I VA L
HAUTE COUTU RE COLLECTION)

DA RW I N , NT MUDGEE, NSW
A multicultural, and multi-arts Wine, food and fresh country air
festival defined by the NT’s are a given at this long-running
Indigenous cultures and its NSW gathering. Throw street
proximity to south-east Asia. festivities and special wining and
Music, theatre, dance and more dining events into the mix for a
spring up across the tropical city. buzzing three weeks in Mudgee.
darwinfestival.org.au visitmudgeeregion.com.au
 CULTURE | Let’s go...

FRESH AIR , VAST The only time I go for a

V I S TA S , T H E FA N C Y GO I N G F O R A WA L K walk is to the station to
OPEN TRAIL, catch the train to work
OUR WONDERFUL O R M AY B E A H I K E?
and then back via
AUSSIE WILDLIFE?
A B S O L U T E LY. Woolies on my way home.

I’M A SE ASONED WALKER

Right, you’re keen. Are LOOK , WALKING
DIDN ’T YOU KNOW? LIKE
we talking a couple of HANNIBAL PREPARING TO
IS THE BEST FORM
OF EXERCISE – BUY
hours to a day, or a CROSS THE ALPS, I’LL DUST YOU RS E LF A FITB IT
serious multi-day yomp? OFF AND OIL MY BOOTS. AND LIVE LONGER.

I LOVE RED DIRT BUT

Are you up for desert, coast, MORE PEOPLE LIVE
I LIKE TO HIT MY or that green bit in between? ON THE COAST FOR A
10,000 STEPS ON THE REASON: SEA AIR. TA S M A N I A’ S
THREE
WEEKEND IF YOU CAPES TR ACK
KNOW WHAT I MEAN . IT’S TIME I TESTED MY METTLE IS JUST THE
T I C K E T: W I L D,
AND TICKED OFF ONE OF FANCY A ONCE- D R A M AT I C ,
IN-A-LIFETIME PRISTINE
AUSTRALIA’S WORLD FAMOUS
TRAIL OR A MORE COA S T.
WALKS; NO MATTER IF IT’S MANAGEABLE
FOREST, DESERT OR MOUTAINS. ROUTE?

What are the easier options? LET’S DO IT - YOU

I’m not quite ready to base a ONLY LIVE ONCE AND
year’s leave around a walk . I HAVE THE TIME.
Sounds like you’re looking
for a walk that’s within
easy reach of a city?
VOLCANIC RIM OR How about the best of the Red
GR AND C ANYON? Centre or a real odyssey in
Western Australia?
NOT AS
STUNNING AS
AND I WANT TO
THE USA’S,
LOOK LIKE A
LOCAL WITH NEW
SURELY?
TRAINERS AND A volcano sounds pretty LET’S HEAD I ’ M RE ADY TO
ACTIVE WEAR dangerous, but spectacular WEST. CHANNEL ROBYN
DAVI DSON .
nonetheless.

EVEN DON’T
TA K E
MORE SO! WORRY IT ’ S
TRY S Y D N E Y ’ S WEEKS THE C ANYON S
NSW’S BLUE E X T I N C T, A N D
BONDI TO WALKING AND RED
M O U N TA I N S YES QLD’S
COOGE E , YOU ’ LL THE FORESTS VALLE Y FLOORS
ARE SCENIC RIM
FIT IN THERE. A N D C OA S TA L OF THE
B R E AT H TA K I N G IS RIDDLED
TA K E A TOW E L TRAILS OF THE L A R A P I N TA
– EXPLORE WITH
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