accommodation the range of accommodation in australia is as diverse as the landscape itself in the big cities you can stay in boutique properties often in restored historic buildings luxury hotels with iconic views bed breakfast guesthouses tucked away in unlikely city centre locations or charming small establishments well away from the hustle and bustle farmstays are perfect for those keen to taste rural australian lifestyles while outback stations in the country s most remote and beautiful locations let you spot the unique native wildlife muster cattle or explore rock art with an aboriginal guide there are permanent tented camps for those in search of pristine locations while the great barrier reef is a paradise for snorkelling diving cruising or just spoiling yourself throughout the brochure you will find some of our favourite places to stay these are just a taste of the many available climate in the southern half of australia the seasons are usually the opposite of those in the no
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experience aboriginal culture a third of the people of the northern territory are aboriginal and we have chosen to work primarily with guides and aboriginal groups who take small numbers of visitors into areas that would otherwise be inaccessible where learning of their values and creation stories will add another layer to this already remarkable territory the most astounding rock art sites in arnhem land are protected by the regional aboriginal elders and our local partner sab lord safaris page 39 is granted exclusive access to many of them at the red centre you can visit the gunya titjikala community page 43 who allow small groups of visitors to stay and enjoy traditional food dancing and storytelling giving an authentic experience aboriginal culture can also be experienced in other parts of australia and again where possible we use aboriginal guides such as arthur at angorichina station page 63 or willie at mungumby lodge page 29 who will introduce you to sacred sites rock art and
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coffs coast although famous for its bunches of bananas there is far more to this region that stretches from nambucca heads to woolgoolga with coffs habour sandwiched in between from the high headlands and bluffs that dot this coast you may see migrating humpbacks passing close to the shore with boambee heads offering one of the best vantage points pacific rollers wash the string of golden beaches and local seafood is a highlight from a dining extravaganza to that `just caught taste coupled with piping hot chips and a wedge of lemon down at the harbour bellingen is a relaxed alternative town with a bias towards arts and crafts and the lovely renovated dairy displays the works of some of the local artisans this coastline between the stunning hinterland forests of the great dividing range is definitely worth a stop lily pily bellingen this simple yet stylish country house offers a secluded stay in beautiful surrounds home-baked teas welcome you on arrival and each of the three rooms has
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daintree rainforest cape tribulation this dense precious rainforest sports a million shades of green outlandish fungi shining in the dark and a chorus of curious sounds an environmental jewel that dates back 100 million years making it the world s oldest it reaches from mossman through cape tribulation to cooktown and plays host to a bewildering variety of plant animal insect bird and reptile life across the daintree river the dense forest overhangs the twisting road that leads to cape tribulation named by captain cook in rueful acknowledgement of the trouble he experienced navigating the great barrier reef breathtakingly beautiful with rugged mountain ranges and rainforest that tumbles down to the beach there are endless ways to explore kayak gently along the shoreline rise high into the canopy on a crane giving an amazing perspective or take an interpretative walk accompanied by the guides who are only too happy to share their passion for the area crocodile spotting in the daintree
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northern territory the top end the deep reverberating sound of a didgeridoo rugged sandstone cliffs etched with ancient art work lush thick vegetation huge wetlands and roaring waterfalls all this and more can be found in the vast outback landscapes of australia s top end tropical darwin is the capital city and the essential starting point to explore the northern territory s national parks the most famous is kakadu to the east the largest in the country sheltering wildlife and wetlands as well as aboriginal rock art sites dating back tens of thousands of years well off the tourist trail the remote cobourg peninsula and garig gunak barlu national park can be reached only through aboriginal-owned arnhem land well worth the journey as they are rich in wildlife the closest park to darwin is litchfield national park rife with natural swimming holes and waterfalls head south and the nitmiluk national park contains the stunning katherine gorge carved by the katherine river into thirteen soari
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kata tjuta kings canyon and watarrka national park southwest of alice springs is watarrka national park a scenic landscape of rugged ranges and gorges that serves as a refuge for an array of plants and animals kings canyon is australia s largest and most spectacular carved into a rocky plateau with vast sweeping views its richly coloured sandstone walls plummeting to the `garden of eden where tranquil pools cycads and a maze of eroded domes are sheltered from the remorseless sun overhead kings canyon resort watarraka national park within the boundaries of the national park this modern resort has gone to great lengths to minimize the impact on its surroundings yet offers an excellent standard of accommodation each of the numerous guestrooms is spacious and comfortable and some have the added luxury of a spa bath with a view over the rugged desert the resort is renowned for its `sounds of firelight dinner served beside an open fire against the backdrop of a starspeckled sky uluru-kata
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bungle bungle range the kimberley one of the world s last unspoilt regions this time-worn land shelters great beauty in its rugged isolation pristine beaches fringe the indian ocean and through the wet season from november to april mighty rivers burst to life thundering in waterfalls and feeding pockets of lush rainforest amongst the arid desert vast open plains complex cave systems and ancient boab trees the bird and wildlife here is astonishing and the local people are friendly unpretentious and proud of their history broome derby and kununurra are the main gateways but outside of these areas the experience of the remote outback is more important than the accommodation where your choices are limited most roads in this area are unsealed and require a 4wd vehicle so to explore the area you ll have to choose between travelling alone linking up with a small convoy of vehicles led by an experienced guide or joining a small group guided tour our specialists will be able to advise which wil
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fleurieu peninsula cape jervis on the fleurieu peninsula is the hopping off point for the ferry crossing to kangaroo island known for its wineries lovely coastline scenic hinterland and fresh local produce this region and its close proximity to adelaide makes it a popular getaway the remote southern coast is lined with rugged headlands and bubbling creeks that cut deep into the rock and offer clifftop views to kangaroo island the western coastline on gulf st vincent is just as spectacular with many beaches and the holiday towns of normanville and aldinga beach some of the villages scattered on the peninsula date back 160 years and mclaren vale at the heart of the wine region produces olives and fine wines coorong national park a chain of stunning shallow lagoons are delicately separated from the southern ocean by a narrow sandy dune peninsula almost a hundred miles long in this beautiful park the fragile ecology is fed by the rich waters of the murray river and supports an array of bir
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yarra valley and dandenong ranges less than an hour from melbourne the richly fertile yarra valley is dotted with fruit orchards and flower farms peppered with vineyards and sheltered by the verdant dandenong ranges here the puffing billy steam train winds its way through fern glades and mountain ash trees from belgrave to the lovely village of emerald the william ricketts sanctuary a place of beauty and spirituality has an amazing collection of aboriginal sculptures and a short distance to the east the upper yarra valley extends beyond warburton in a wild tumble of rocky mountain streams and nature at its most beautiful and unspoiled monreale estate dandenong ranges in the heart of the dandenong ranges monreale estate is just a short drive from the yarra valley vineyards six cottages set in rambling watergardens surrounded by a galaxy of colourful flowers are individually decorated with open wood fires and spa baths breakfast hampers can be delivered to your cottage and the hosts cher
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strahan gordon river strahan is located at the head of macquarie harbour on the world heritage-listed west coast of tasmania where there is nothing but vast stretches of wild ocean until the southern tip of argentina in this hostile environment an isolated penal colony settlement was situated on sarah island in the middle of macquarie harbour and it was to here that the worst of the worst european convicts were sent to work and die felling huon pine so valuable for ship building on the banks of the mighty gordon river the harbour mouth is named `hell s gate because of the fearsome reputation held by the penal colony within built up on the back of the local timber industry strahan is now one of tasmania s quaintest towns with its old timber buildings scenic port and natural backdrop of weathered mountains and thick native bush taking a cruise out of hell s gate into the southern ocean and upriver into the world heritage-listed franklin-gordon wild rivers national park is an awe-insp
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