Winners of past Australian Traveller giveaways

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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Here are the lucky winners of Australian Traveller’s past competitions.

Congratulations to our winners! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay in the loop on our latest giveaways. You could win anything from a luxury escape for two in Australia to the latest travel gear, luggage, experiences and more.

2025 Readers’ Choice Awards

The winner of the Intrepid Travel six-day exploration of Tasmania’s Cradle Coast was Dale Thomas.

The winner of the luxury stay at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa was Shauna Tracey.

The winner of the Pair’d festival getaway in Margaret River was Andrew Walker.

The winner of the ultimate K’gari adventure was Vicki Fox.

The winner of the supercar escape with Prancing Horse was Peter Gregory.

The winner of the seven-day Star RV motorhome getaway was Sarah Biggs.

The winner of the luxury Red Hill Escape was Prue Phillips.

The winner of the night at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney was Pauline K Hanson.

The winner of the luxe glamping stay for eight at Glenayr Farm was Rachel Anderson.

The winner of the Wildlife Retreat experience was Nicole Wincupp.

Christmas giveaway

The winner of the adventurous traveller prize pack was Jennifer Livingstone.

The winner of the beach traveller prize pack was Amanda Fraser.

The winner of the coupled-up traveller prize pack was Jacqueline Johnston.

The winner of the traveller wanting to disconnect prize pack was Carolyne Yeow.

The winner of the family traveller prize pack was Kim May Tini.

The winner of the foodie traveller prize pack was Justine Amy Gardiner.

The winner of the luxurious traveller prize pack was Kylie Servante.

The winner of the outback traveller prize pack was Mairi Taylor.

The winner of the sophisticated traveller prize pack was Amy Cooper.

The winner of the wellness traveller prize pack was Sam Wills.

Father’s Day giveaway

The winner of a Father’s Day prize pack worth over $10,000 was Karoline Willis.

Airnorth giveaway

The winner of an immersive Red Centre escape for 2 worth over $6800 was Jim Coutts.

Federal Group giveaway

The winner of a luxury weekend escape for 2 to Hobart worth over $3000 was Samantha Clifton.

Mother’s Day giveaway

The winner of a $3000 travel gift pack for Mother’s Day was Grace Chamia.

Kakadu National Park

The winner of the 4-night holiday to Kakadu National Park was Holley J.

Mega Holiday Giveaway

The winner of the Royal Caribbean cruise was Dannielle N.

The winner of the Virgin Voyages cruise was Naomi R.

The winners of the 10 double passes to the Josef Chromy Art of Sparkling Experience were Tim M, Millie E, Lou B, Vanessa S, Josh M, Katarina S, Alexia D, Romaine S. Gaylene N and Gina W.

The winner of the Sunshine Coast foodie getaway was Michael M.

The winner of the JW Marriott Gold Coast was Aimee B.

The winners of the 10 $200 vouchers with Qantas Hotels and Holidays were Cyan VG, Lorrae C, Suzanne M, Karen T, Jessica E, Terry C, Savanna Y, Jo B, Andrei D and Masayo U.

The winner of a two-night Lizard Island getaway was Gemma M.

The winner of the Sealink Rottnest Island seafood experience for two was Adam R.

The winners of the three family holidays to Uluru were Bron M, Mandy G and Lynn G.

The winner of the luxurious trip to the tip of Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula was Toni C.

The winner of the long weekend at Noosa Eat and Drink Festival was James S.

The winner of the Crystalbrook Collection luxury escape was Tara L.

The winners of the Quest weekend local experience packages were Monica P, Carla T, Jenny M, Angela R, Kate W, Mary-Anne D, Brent D, Sigrid K, Luana M C and Lisa B.

The winner of the ultimate ‘city meets paradise’ escape to Brisbane was Nicolle P.

The winners of the Victorinox Touring 2.0 Sling Bags were Gabrielle E, Bradley J, Scott S, Matt W, Renaldo R, Charlotte L-J, Larissa S, Claire S, Leanne C and Mayanna D.

The winner of the seven-night escape to Cocos (Keeling) Islands was Rachael A.

The winners of the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park overnight stays were Rebecca M, Ula L, Amelia M, Corinne B and Karen T.

The winners of the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park treatments at On The Park Rejuvenation Day Spa were Kate T, Leanne N, Carolyn F, Nancy H and Stacey M.

The winners of the 6 Accor Hotels experiences were Nikita H, Rebecca K, Angie J, Prue M, Stephanie D and Julie C.

The winners of Samsung’s best tech for travelling were Kiri W and Jenny C.

The winner of the K’gari and Lady Elliot Island adventure for 2 was Russell C.

The winner of the romantic trip for 2 on the legendary Ghan was Chantelle A.

The winner of the culturally immersive overnight package for two at Bundanon was Owen J-H.

The winner of the Wild Bush Luxury experience was Margaret A.

The winner of the AAT Kings tour to discover Tasmania’s wild side was Tahlia C.

The winner of the 5-night stay at Sheraton Grand Mirage Port Douglas was Andrew S.

The winner of the 5 Lancemore Hotels getaways was Zoe T.

The winner of the 7 nights of pure Whitsundays luxury was Perla L M.

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This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

    Chloe CannBy Chloe Cann
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    Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

    A curtain is slowly winched from the placid, teal waters just off Portarlington , like a floating garland beside our boat. The ropes heave with blue mussels, the star attraction of our tour. But as we reach to pluck our own, it’s quickly clear they’re not alone; a mass of weird and wonderful creatures has colonised the ropes, turning them into a living tapestry. ‘Fairy’ oysters, jelly-like sea squirts, and tiny, wriggling skeleton shrimp all inhabit this underwater ecosystem.

    We prize our bivalve bounty from the ropes, and minutes later the mussels arrive split on a platter. The plump orange morsels are served raw, ready to be spritzed with wedges of lemon and a lick of chilli as we gaze out over the bay. They’re briny, tender and faintly sweet. “This wasn’t originally part of the tour,” explains Connie Trathen, who doubles as the boat’s cook, deckhand and guide. “But a chef [who came onboard] wanted to taste the mussels raw first, and it’s now become one of the key features.”

    A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

    inspecting bivalve bounty from the ropes
    Inspecting the bounty. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

    It’s a crisp, calm winter’s day, and the sun is pouring down upon Valerie, a restored Huon pine workhorse that was first launched in January 1980. In a previous life she trawled the turbulent Bass Strait. These days she takes jaunts into Port Phillip Bay under the helm of Lance Wiffen, a fourth-generation Bellarine farmer, and the owner of Portarlington Mussel Tours . While Lance has been involved in the fishing industry for 30-plus years, the company’s tour boat only debuted in 2023.

    holding Portarlington mussels
    See how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

    It took more than three years to transform the former shark trawler into a dreamy, Hamptons-esque vessel, with little expense spared. Think muted green suede banquettes, white-washed walls, Breton-striped bench cushions, hardwood tables, bouquets of homegrown dahlias, and woollen blankets sourced from Waverley Mills, Australia’s oldest working textile mill. It’s intimate, too, welcoming 12 guests at most. And yet there’s nothing pretentious about the experience – just warm, down-to-earth Aussie hospitality.

    As we cruise out, we crack open a bottle of local bubbles and nibble on the most beautifully curated cheese platter, adorned with seashells and grey saltbush picked from the water’s edge that very morning. Australasian gannets soar overhead, and I’m told it’s not uncommon for guests to spot the odd seal, pod of dolphins, or even the occasional little penguin.

    The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels

    blue mussels off Portarlington
    Blue mussels sourced just off Portarlington.

    Connie and Lance both extol the virtues of mussels. They’re delicious. A lean source of protein and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc. They’re cooked in a flash (Connie steams our fresh harvest with cider and onion jam). And they’re also widely regarded as one of the most sustainable foods in the world.

    Portarlington mussels with lemon and chilli
    Mussels served with lemon and chilli.

    “Aquaculture is [often] seen as destructive, so a lot of our guests are really surprised about how environmentally friendly and sustainable our industry is,” Lance says. “[Our mussels] would filter 1.4 billion litres of water a day,” he adds, explaining how mussels remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. “And through biomineralisation, we lock carbon into mussel shells.”

    a hand holding a Portarlington mussel
    Mussels are a sustainable food.

    Despite their glowing list of accolades, these molluscs have long been seen as the oysters’ poorer cousins. “It was a really slow start,” explains Lance, who says that in the early days of his career, “you could not sell mussels in Victoria”.

    But word has slowly caught on. Chefs as globally acclaimed as Attica’s Ben Shewry and even René Redzepi of Noma, Denmark, have travelled to these very waters just to try the shellfish at the source, sharing only the highest praise, and using Lance’s mussels in their restaurants.

    guests sampling Portarlington mussels onboard
    Sampling the goods onboard. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

    According to Lance there’s one obvious reason why the cool depths of Portarlington outshine other locations for mussel farming. “The water quality is second to none,” he says, noting how other regions are frequently rocked by harvest closures due to poor water quality. “We grow, without a doubt, some of the best shellfish in the world.” And with Lance’s bold claims backed up by some of the industry’s greatest names, perhaps it won’t be much longer until more Aussies uncover the appeal of Portarlington’s mussels.