Australian Traveller February - April 2022

AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS of being told to stay put and holiday here, our international borders are open once again. Finally! And while I am as happy as the next long-haul-starved traveller about the prospect of jumping a flight to wherever, the motivation behind this issue is to entreat you to think twice before trading here for there just yet. You see, we at Australian Traveller never viewed travelling in our own country as a pandemic-induced consolation prize. To us, getaways spent in Byron Bay or Bruny Island weren’t stand-ins for parts more exotic (the Amalfi Coast and the Galápagos Islands perhaps). On the contrary, we took heart in the fact that our wide, diverse country was no longer playing second fiddle to overseas locations, just because they are overseas. That…

A GUIDE TO THE BEST CARAVAN HIRE COMPANIES From budget to luxe and from small to large, consult our guide to the best caravan hire companies (like Camplify – ‘Daisy’ pictured above) to get you on the road in style. THE TOP SEVEN SKINNY-DIPPING SPOTS AROUND AUSTRALIA Enjoy nature au naturel at the following places deemed the best spots for skinny dipping in Australia – including Sydney’s Lady Bay Beach, pictured. A GUIDE TO VISITING NOOSA NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDS Noosa boasts million-dollar views and five-star accommodations, but some of its best assets are free to enjoy, and that includes Noosa National Park. AN ECO-CONSCIOUS TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO THE COFFS COAST The Coffs Coast has been declared NSW’s first ECO Destination, certified by Ecotourism Australia. Discover a guide for visitors who want to venture to the Mid…

DEPARTING DARWIN at the crack of dawn reaps rich rewards on an Ethical Adventures ‘Flood Country’ tour of the Alligator Rivers Region, and the land of the Bininj people, in Kakadu National Park, one of three new experiences from this Northern Territory operator committed to conservation and responsible tourism. As one of 10 guests on this immersive cultural and wilderness day tour, described as a ‘nibble at the edges’ that nonetheless leaves you sated, you’ll greet the sunrise on the Adelaide River floodplains before journeying on to the East Alligator River. Here, you’ll glide upstream through this living landscape on a Guluyambi Cultural Cruise captained by a countryman from across the river in Arnhem Land, where you’ll touch down during the 90-minute cruise; before taking a guided Aboriginal rock art walk at…

ACE HOTEL SYDNEY Historic buildings make for atmospheric hotels and the old Tyne House building is no exception. Ace Hotel Sydney will be anchored by the iconic heritage building on an inner-Sydney site that once contained Australia’s first ceramic kilns. Melbourne-based firm Flack Studio has given the hotel a personality that vibes off its Surry Hills locale. Ace Hotel Sydney is the brand’s first stake in the southern hemisphere and, true to its renegade spirit, aims to give the hotel a real sense of place. The 1915 building was derelict for about 40 years before Ace Hotel saw its potential and pounced. With reservations open now from May, the 264-room hotel has embraced an almost cinematic colour palette with natural textures and tones. acehotel.com/sydney THE LANGHAM, GOLD COAST Slated to open in 2022…

Wharf Bar, Manly Beach Sydney’s Manly institution Wharf Bar is up and running again after extensive renovations, including the addition of Bar Tropic, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar overseen by executive chef Francois Poulard (ex-Chiswick). Do order the cold seafood platter, which includes spanner crab salad, scallop ceviche, tiger prawns, kingfish crudo, freshly shucked oysters and flatbread. wharfbar.com.au Rodd & Gunn Purveyor of New Zealand style, Rodd & Gunn has expanded its offering from chinos to cappuccinos with the opening of The Lodge Bar at Myer Chadstone, Melbourne. After browsing the menswear, customers can take a seat at the terrazzo bar or relax into a comfortable chair and sample a raft of New Zealand wines, spirits and specialty coffee. Expect classic bar fare from chef Matt Lambert such as grilled cheese and…

NOTES FROM NAPLES The newest jewel in the crown of Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf – a Sydney icon with wool-boom beginnings as the city’s first wharf and now a first-class dining precinct – is a slice of Italy in the shape of fine diner, Il Pontile. The waterside restaurant is helmed by fourth-generation Italian restaurateur and chef Mario Percuoco and reflects his native Naples in its location and menu. Lunch or dinner might kick off with fresh oysters and proceed with an antipasti of burrata con nettarine e nocciole (burrata with peach and hazelnuts), before moving onto a primi dish of linguine al cartoccio (linguine baked in a parcel with mixed seafood), and a secondi of guazzetto di pesce (fish fillet of the day sautéed with cherry tomatoes and clams). There will…