2025's new restaurants, hotels, and experiences you won't want to miss

New openings 2025: The restaurants, hotels, and experiences to look forward to

A new year means a host of fresh openings around the country to get excited about. And 2025 promises a fantastic blend of culinary innovation, artistic brilliance, and immersive experiences to keep you entertained.

From flashy hotels to interactive art exhibitions, these are the openings to put in your diaries this year.

Accommodation

The Sundays

The first hotel to open on Hamilton Island since 2007, The Sundays will be the hottest new luxury destination in The Whitsundays. Opening in autumn at the northern end of Catseye Beach, the 59-room luxury accommodation boasts Coral Reef views and has been designed to deliver an elevated holiday experience, particularly for families. This includes a kid-friendly restaurant from Josh and Julie Niland from the seafood institution Saint Peter, practical room amenities like microwaves and freestanding baths, a swimming pool, and an Ice Cream Happy Hour.

The Lodge Wadjemup

Rottnest Island draws in visitors for its idyllic beaches and bays and its adorable resident quokkas. The newest spot to base yourself during your stay is set to be The Lodge Wadjemup . Named after the traditional owners’ name for Rottnest Island, the resort has received a $40 million redevelopment with 46 new boutique-style rooms and 56 refurbished rooms. The sleek lakeside resort will also feature a new restaurant, cafe, gelato bar, community space and two pools. The Courtyard and Lake Rooms are available now to book and the Stage Two (Poolside Rooms) are set to open by mid-2025.

The EVE Hotel Sydney

Redfern is getting a stylish upgrade on February 13th thanks to the arrival of boutique hotel The EVE in the lifestyle precinct, Wunderlich Lane. Conceived by SJB’s Adam Haddow, 360 Degrees’ Daniel Baffsky and Interior Architect George Levissianis, the accommodation is an oasis in the inner city. Think: a lush Palms Springs rooftop pool area, ultra-chic rooms with earthy tones, and a host of dining venues. Talk about this hotel has been particularly buzzworthy in Sydney for the last few months, as it will be opened by the hoteliers behind Brisbane’s Calile.

The EVE Hotel in Sydney's rooftop pool. — The rooftop pool area transports guests to Palm Springs.

Six Senses Burnham Beeches

The Six Senses group has a unique focus on wellness, sustainability, and meaningful experiences, and their first Australian outpost is slated to open mid-year in the Dandenong Ranges. This 22-hectare heritage-listed property will become a wellness and gastronomic haven with 43 luxurious guest accommodations across the mansion’s three main wings. The facilities here are impressive: a Six Senses Spa, library bar, plant-covered rooftop terrace, and a restaurant showcasing produce from the on-site farm and gardens.

Mondrian Gold Coast

Mondrian Gold Coast is the first Australian property from the renowned lifestyle hotel brand that has accommodations everywhere from Miami to Ibiza. The property is slated to open in early 2025 in Burleigh Heads with 208 design-led rooms, suites, Beach Houses and a Sky House all of which offer spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. The modern coastal accommodation will also house a pool club and restaurant celebrating coastal Italian cuisine.

1 Hotel Melbourne

One of the world’s most sustainable luxury hotel brands, 1 Hotels is arriving in Australia in Melbourne this May on the banks of the Yarra River. The sensitively designed 277 guest rooms and 114 residences will be enveloped within a nature-inspired, eco-conscious architectural framework. This pet-friendly accommodation will boast several dining options, a waterfront lobby bar, a Bamford Wellness spa, and an indoor pool.

25hours Hotel The Olympia

Sydney’s boutique hotel landscape is set to become even stronger with the highly anticipated arrival of the 25hours Hotel The Olympia , a cinematic-inspired sanctuary nestled in Paddington. The hotel is a reimagining of the historic West Olympia Theatre site and will offer 109 luxurious guest rooms, a rooftop bar, a central courtyard, a range of restaurants and cafes, live music facilities, a wellness offering and retail spaces.

Restaurants

Barragunda Estate

Opening in February, Barragunda Estate is a 40-seat restaurant set on a thousand acres from Bushrangers Bay to Green’s Bush on the Mornington Peninsula. Helmed by executive chef Simone Watts, the menu is centred on 100 per cent estate-grown produce, with all of the farming done with a regenerative approach. From their tables, diners can see the market gardens where the produce for their dishes was produced. The property also features an orchard with over 800 mature fruit trees and livestock including Wilitpoll sheep and Black Angus beef.

Golden Century at The Crown

To many diner’s dismay, the iconic Golden Century restaurant shut its Sussex Street doors in 2021. But the much-loved dining venue is set to make a triumphant return in January, relocating to the Crown Sydney . Diners can expect the restaurant’s signature Cantonese dishes including XO pippies, abalone steamboat, Peking duck, and salt and pepper squid all while taking in Sydney Harbour views.

Sydney Fish Market

After a complete waterfront transformation on Blackwattle Bay, the long-awaited refreshed Sydney Fish Market is set to open mid-year. The ultra-modern building will house a bevvy of retail and dining venues including a flagship venue from Luke Nguyen, a Cow and the Moon gelateria, and an outpost of Ho Jiak. At 90,000 square metres, it’s the largest fish market of its kind in the world and is expected to attract at least six million people every year.

Experiences

Dark Mofo

The news of Dark Mofo’s cancellation last year came as a shock to many of the festival’s loyalists. The closure was part of the team’s efforts to develop a renewed vision for the future. But the good news is, that future is now here! 2025 will see the festival make a full return, running from June 5th-15th, plus the solstice swim on 21 June. The full program will be revealed in April, but festivalgoers can expect the usual much-loved events including the Night Mass, the Winter Feast, the Ogoh-Ogoh, and the Nude Solstice Swim.

Sydney Marathon

If ever there was a year for Aussies to tick off the bucket list item of running a marathon, 2025 is it. That’s because the Sydney Marathon has been added as the 7th member of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, joining the iconic Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, TCS London Marathon, BMW-Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the TCS New York City Marathon. The event will take place on Sunday 31 August so start your training ASAP.

PS Australian Star Murray River cruises

Australia’s first five-star overnight riverboat and the largest paddle steamer in the Southern Hemisphere is set to launch this June. Cruises on the Murray River will run over 3, 4, or 7 nights passing through historic towns and showcasing beautiful natural scenery, including lush riverbanks, ancient cliffs, and serene waters. The boat itself features serene, modern interiors with 19 luxury staterooms, a restaurant, a bar, and outdoor seating areas.

Astra Illumina at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Light shows have become increasingly popular in Australia, and from February 2025, 27 hectares of rainforest at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary will glow for the Gold Coast’s first permanent light spectacular. The Astra Illumina project will see visitors go on an immersive night walk where light, audio, and projection technologies create a multi-sensory experience.

Which new opening will you be trying first? Let us know in the comments below.

From the Kimberley to Cape York, explore Australia’s epic and varied landscapes on curated and all-inclusive, intimate adventures via custom-built all-terrain coaches with Outback Spirit.

From the tip of the Northern Territory to the rugged coast of the country’s southernmost point, Australia is a continent ripe with diverse and distinct adventures that are captivating and inspiring in equal measure. Luckily, so many of them are accessible by car with epic road trips that showcase the journey as much as the destination. With Outback Spirit, the award-winning and eco-certified tour operator from leading experiential tourism group Journey Beyond, the road less travelled – accessible in custom-built all-terrain coaches chaperoned by expert local guides – is the only way to go.

From the dramatic jewels of the Kimberley in Western Australia to the remote stretches of Savannah Way in the country’s far north, Outback Spirit does all the hard work on all-inclusive, small-group tours that pause at an exclusive network of lodges and safari camps – so you can just enjoy the ride.

1. The Kimberley

With an otherworldly ambience that must be experienced to be understood, the Kimberley is a cornucopia of breathtaking cliffs, stunning gorges and exceptional waterways. A highlight of the 13-day Jewels of the Kimberley adventure is the spectacular 18-minute scenic helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungles. You’ll encounter a bounty of new perspectives elsewhere, too, between the astounding cruise through the Attenborough-approved Buccaneer Archipelago, humbling walks beneath ancient rock drawings, and evenings spent in the comfort of Outback Spirit’s exclusive-use, well-appointed Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.

Relax in Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.

2. Arnhem Land

The Traditional Lands of the Yolngu People reach into your heart and stay there. Outback Spirit’s 13-day Arnhem Land Wetlands & Wildlife tour was conceived in extensive consultation with Traditional Owners to guarantee a true immersion in Country. Explore the world’s largest outdoor rock art gallery; try your luck catching a metre-long barramundi; and discover pristine ecosystems from freshwater swamps to rocky escarpments. Relax each night in comfortable lodges exclusive to Outback Spirit, including the iconic Seven Spirit Bay Resort. Here, sophisticated luxury villas are perched on the bay’s edge overlooking clear, turquoise waters of Coral Bay.

Seven Spirit Bay in arnhem land — Enjoy the views at Seven Spirit Bay Resort.

3. Cape York

Travelling from Cairns to Cape York and back over 13 days, the small-group Cape York Wilderness Adventure tour runs from May to September, with unparalleled access to stunning sacred destinations and vibrant experiences on Thursday, Horn and Friday islands in the Torres Strait. The World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest is a star of the expedition, with the exclusive guided Dreamtime Gorge Walk with a Kuku Yulanji elder taking place beneath lush ferns, with the commanding rumble of Mossman Gorge in the distance.

tour guide at Mossman Gorge — Join the Dreamtime Gorge Walk. (Image: TEQ)

4. Margaret River

The nine-day Margaret River & Rottnest Discovery highlights fine wine, great food, art, music and local produce at Leeuwin Estate on the vineyard-packed banks of the Margaret River, pausing to explore the ancient underground caves and towering Karri timber forests. Start the journey with a ride on the iconic Indian Pacific and pop to Rottnest Island on the tail-end of the trip, with 10,000 quokkas to befriend and 63 gorgeous beaches to explore before lunch. With bubbles included, of course.

food and wine at Leeuwin Estate — Treat your tastebuds at Leeuwin Estate. (Image: Tourism WA)

5. Savannah Way

On this 15-day Leichhardt’s Savannah Expedition , Outback Spirit’s custom all-terrain Mercedes-Benz coaches cross two states from Cairns to Darwin. After visiting the most northerly camp of the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860/61 and visiting the see-it-to-believe-it Millaa Millaa Falls (refreshing swim optional!), you’ll indulge in three nights at the million-acre Lorella Springs Station, a sunset dinner cruise on the Gulf of Carpentaria and a dip in warmed thermal pools in the middle of the wilderness.

aerial of Millaa Millaa Falls — Dive into Millaa Millaa Falls. (Image: TEQ)

6. Central Australia

The captivating splendour of Uluru is the central focus of the eight-day Red Centre Explorer tour, which includes Alice Springs and Kings Canyon among its stops. Hosted on the sacred lands of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Anangu, this itinerary is grounded in the landscape, with visits to the critically acclaimed Field of Light installation, a multi-course dinner under the stars at Ayers Rock Resort, and a didgeridoo performance to accompany bush-tucker-packed snacks all within the shadow of the sacred geological site. Awaken early for a sunrise over the pindan plateau, the image of which will remain in your memory for a lifetime to come.

two people in front of the field of light — Marvel at the Field of Light installation (Image: Tourism NT/ Lola and Jira/ Uluru Kata-Tjuta NP)

7. Flinders Ranges

The remote South Australian landscape is your playground on the 11-day Outback South Australia tour, which takes in the sights (including Wilpena Pound and beloved Lake Eyre), sounds and flavours of the ‘festival’ state. At Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, cosmos chasers will enjoy a tour of the stars at the accredited onsite astronomical observatory as endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies bounce in the dark. The next day, guests will take to open-air 4WDs with expert guides for the Ridgetop Tour to explore the breathtaking, unique 1600-million-year-old landscape within the Flinders Ranges.

mist around Wilpena Pound in flinders ranges — See the impressive Wilpena Pound. (Image: Emile Ristevski)

8. Tasmania

Take in stunning views from Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (or, afterwards, from the comfort of Cradle Mountain Lodge) on the 12-day curated Tasmanian Wilderness Explorer itinerary. Taste the incredible food on Bruny Island and wander Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park. Traverse the glacial-formed Dove Lake on a 5.7-kilometre hike; soak up sombre history at Port Arthur; and pose with penguins in Penguin before settling in for the night at Outback Spirit’s suite of exclusive partner lodges.

Wineglass Bay in tasmania — See the spectacular Wineglass Bay. (Image: Chad Dewson)

Find your Outback Spirit with the 2026 season. Book now to receive Earlybird savings up to $2200 per person at outbackspirittours.com.au .

2025’s new restaurants, hotels, and experiences you won’t want to miss