Innholdsfortegnelse for August - October 2017 i Australian Traveller

WILD AND LUXE If glamping in the wilds is your thing, then pack your bags for Wildfest’s three-day festival package, held on a private property in Joadja, Southern Highlands, between 27–29 October. 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 INSTA-RETRO FIRST THERE WERE POLAROID-STYLE INSTANT CAMERAS, THEN THERE WERE SMARTPHONES. NOW THERE’S THE INSTAX SQUARE SQ10 FROM FUJIFILM. SHOOT WITH THE BENEFITS OF DIGITAL, BEFORE PRINTING YOUR SHOTS ON INSTAGRAM-SHAPED INSTANT FILM. PERFECT FOR THOSE OF US TORN BETWEEN OUR LUDDITE INSTINCTS AND OUR IPHONE ADDICTIONS. FUJIFILM.COM.AU PACK A BAG TIME TO WANDER Planning on exploring some wide open spaces on foot? There’s no…

A storied history The lofty MACq 01, situated at the water’s edge of the Derwent River on a dock in Hobart’s old wharf area, taps into the desire of visitors to go beyond typical short-break pursuits and be immersed in the storied history of the island state.The property has fashioned itself as the country’s first ‘storytelling hotel’, where the generous, colour-infused rooms, considered culinary offering and funky public spaces share equal billing with the resident Master Storyteller and his staff of full-time storytellers, who weave an evocative picture of the characters and events that shaped the city. macq01.com.au IN THE BOX SEAT The Chen, Art Series Hotel Group’s eighth offering, will form part of Whitehorse Towers in the up-and-coming Melbourne neighbourhood of Box Hill. Featuring the works of Chinese Australian…

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 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…

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…

From rugged coastline vistas to endless back country roads to pretty towns filled with historic cottages and restaurants serving up local cold climate wines, cheese, and seafood, Gippsland has become a destination of note for Australians looking for the ultimate short break. And now with a booming arts scene set to invigorate it even further, it’s time it was on your must-do list. Here, we journey through Victoria’s stunning artisan heartland. VISIT: WALHALLA  In the 1860s, Walhalla, located at the southern tip of Baw Baw National Park in Gippsland’s north, became one of Australia’s booming gold rush towns. Today, the town presents an historical journey through Victoria’s rich heritage, as well as being the gateway to the National Park and one of Victoria’s most beautiful mountain ranges. SEE: RENÉ MAGRITTE:…

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…

The twin peaks of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird rise as if from the ocean as you approach 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…

NAME: OSTERIA OGGI LOCATION: ADELAIDE DESIGN FIRM: STUDIO -GRAM 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 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…

Geelong Library and Heritage Centre (GLHC), by ARM Architecture NICKNAMED ‘THE DOME’, THE GLHC IS IN FACT A SPHERE; PARTIALLY BURIED WITH ITS SURFACE CUT AWAY TO FIT IN BETWEEN THE GEELONG GALLERY AND THE GEELONG PEACE MEMORIAL. DESIGNED BY ARM ARCHITECTURE, THE CUBISTIC AND COLOURFUL LIBRARY WAS THE ALIA MEMBERS’ CHOICE WINNER AT THE 2017 AUSTRALIAN LIBRARY DESIGN AWARDS. 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 LANDSCAPE. 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…

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 treats to sustainable fish and chips. Here, your ultimate guide to sampling the delights at your fingertips in four ways. 1 DATE NIGHT There are a few basic requirements that ensure any date night has the potential to become the perfect night out; from good food to a fabulous atmosphere, with a cosy coffee thrown in to end the evening in style. FIRST THINGS FIRST Given the…

 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.” These Australian flavours are ironically more exotic to us than, say, the dragonfruit, guava, or chipotle. 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…

Deeper offshore we found mussel beds, easy enough to twist off the rocks. 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 I relished the opportunity to cast our phones aside and drive to a place where the ocean is sapphire blue and you can pick up a dozen delicious oysters from a roadside stall for under $10. That is our idea of heaven, but we wanted more than just buying our meals – we wanted to physically catch our own. We’re both competent at fishing and were keen to try something more hands-on, but how would we know where to look? What to bring? Or what to do with it when…

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. THE FIRST TIME I WAS IN AUSTRALIA IN 1967, I WAS INSPIRED BY… the long ocean beaches around Sydney, the Harbour Bridge and the still-being-built Opera House, chocolate malted milkshakes and Aussie burgers in milk…

SEPTEMBER 2 MOULD – A CHEESE FESTIVAL MEAT MARKET, NORTH MELBOURNE, VIC A celebration of cheese in farmers’-market-meets-festival style, presented by Bottle Shop Concepts with Nick Haddow of Bruny Island Cheese. Sample produce from across Australia, and go all-out with raclette and cheese-flavoured gelato. mouldcheesefestival.com 21 SEPTEMBER – 8 OCTOBER OZASIA FESTIVAL ADELAIDE, SA Australia’s leading international arts festival dedicated to all things Asia, incorporating theatre, dance, music, film, talks and visual arts. ozasiafestival.com.au UNTIL 22 OCTOBER ARCHIBALD, WYNNE AND SULMAN PRIZES ART GALLERY OF NSW, NSW It’s that time of year again. Spot famous faces and admire the always-impressive artistry on display at Australia’s popular portrait, landscape and sculpture exhibition. artgallery.nsw.gov.au AUG–SEPT 25–3 HORIZON FESTIVAL OF ARTS & CULTURE SUNSHINE COAST, QLD The Sunshine Coast’s signature multi-arts festival…

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 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…

Restaurant bashing has become a very public sport, but you’ll seldom hear the other side of the story. 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…

 Thank you for your email. “I think people need to have a stronger sense that we work to live, we don’t live to work .” I am currently on annual leave, returning Monday 25September. 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…

HAVING YOUR HOTEL made in China isn’t usually something to crow about. But Tribe Perth is rather proud of the fact it was constructed in only two weeks, something made possible by its pre-fabricated, modular rooms that are stacked up like Lego. Not that you’d know. The eight-storey building that opened in May in West Perth’s corporate zone blends in effortlessly, with its jet black, shiny cube-shaped glass exterior. And then you saunter inside to find a designer wonderland with a modern luxe vibe. Neon lights reflect in black columns as shiny as patent leather; chairs fluffier than a poodle sit beside a giant chesterfield in emerald velvet; spray paint splashes plush lobby stools and multi-directional director’s lights illuminate the airy entry space. I feel cool by association. So do…

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…

THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE YOUR TRAVEL DOLLARS STRETCH AS FAR AS POSSIBLE CAN SEEM LIKE A LOT OF HARD WORK,TRAWLING THROUGH ENDLESS WEBSITES 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 BECAUSE 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…

The waters are ripe for wildlife spotting: albatross, sea eagles and colonies of fur seals populate the area. 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…

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…