Where To Go On The October Long Weekend

Plan the perfect October long weekend with help from this shortlist of dream jaunts.

All hail the long weekend. To be enjoyed this year on Monday 3 October, Labour Day celebrates the eight-hour working day, a feat achieved in the mid-19th century. One might argue the eight-hour working day has been subject to inflation over the years, but unpaid overtime won’t stop too many people making the most of a three-day weekend.

Here, some of the best destinations to consider when planning your precious long weekend. Since the public holiday only applies in New South Wales, South Australia and the ACT (other states observe theirs in autumn), we’ve limited the list accordingly. But hey, would taking Monday off be so bad?

Huskisson, NSW

Huskisson is a popular launch pad for all things Jervis Bay, the marine paradise that extends from Culburra in the north to Sussex Inlet in the south and east to Point Perpendicular. Home to Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay National Park and Jervis Bay Marine Park, the region is a highlight reel of natural wonders, but Huskisson alone could keep you well and truly happy over a long weekend. Owen Street, Huskisson’s main drag, is packed with cafes, restaurants and retail stores and the ‘Husky Pub’ has Sunday Sesh written all over it. And those beaches – perfection.

Swim with the seals in Jervis Bay (Photo: Jordan Robins)

Fleurieu Peninsula, SA

There is much to love about South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, but in October there’s a particular highlight worth seeking out. Southern right whales continue to splash about in the region’s waters until the end of the month with Victor Harbor the suggested vantage point.

The lure of Fleurieu stretches beyond spotting these majestic cetaceans. Sip world-class wines throughout the McLaren Vale region, explore spectacular coastline at Second Valley, enjoy the natural wonders of Rapid Bay, and return home with at least another long weekend’s worth of fun you didn’t get time for.

Central Coast, NSW

Just an hour north of Sydney, the Central Coast has always been a popular destination thanks to its generous coastline, and the reasons to visit just keep growing. The Boathouse Hotel Patonga is one such reason. The hotel opened late last year following a $5 million revamp and has since expanded to offer accommodation, making it an attractive one-stop-shop if checking in and staying put is your weekender style. If not, there are plenty of beaches, cafes and restaurants to check out, cool gallery spaces to roam and the creative charm of Long Jetty to explore.

The Boat House Patonga — Take a seat at Patonga’s Boat House

Canberra, ACT

While Canberrans themselves might be looking to get out of town for a long-weekend escape, the nation’s capital cuts an attractive figure for non-residents in search of a quick getaway. Far removed from the dull offering of bygone primary school excursions, Canberra is an on-trend amalgam of cultural delights, intriguing design and fantastic dining. Plus, until 14 October, Canberra shows off its spring credentials with Australia’s premier floral display, Floriade . Take Floriade, add moonlight and twinkling fairy lights, and you’ve got NightFest, the festival’s after dark offering, which runs from 3 to 6 October.

Hayman Island, QLD

A little further afield, but certainly worth the additional travel time, Hayman Island has recently reopened and is even dreamier than its luxurious predecessor. A $135 million overhaul, spurred by the damage caused during Cyclone Debbie in 2017, has upped the luxe factor while those world-famous views of the Whitsundays are hard to beat. Now operating as Hayman Island by InterContinental, the 166-room property puts everything at guests’ fingertips, meaning all you have to worry about is which of the resort’s five restaurants and bars to choose from. It’s a hard-knock life.

Lord Howe Island, NSW

Keen on those island vibes, but not so keen on going the distance? Lord Howe Island has got your back. The UNESCO World Heritage site, sitting pretty in the Tasman Sea about 600 kilometres off Port Macquarie, is a spectacular vision with pristine waters and lush rainforest just the beginning. Only 400 visitors are allowed on the island at any given time, there are no power lines or high-rise buildings and the island-wide speed limit is 25 kilometres per hour – this is a step back in time, in the best possible way. Direct flights to paradise are available from Sydney and Port Macquarie.

Limestone Coast, SA

Travelling along the state’s south-eastern coast from Coorong National Park to the Victorian border, the Limestone Coast is jam-packed with enough natural wonders to keep you occupied for a long weekend and then some. There’s the rugged coastline, of course. And then there’s the Coonawarra region, where terra rossa soils give rise to world renowned cabernet sauvignons. But, while you’re here, be sure to discover what lies beneath, too. The region sits on a subterranean labyrinth of caves and tunnels, which have been uncovered over the years, creating incredible attractions such as sinkholes, sunken gardens and fossil preservation sites.

Glamp under the stars at Belleweather Wines on the Limestone Coast

Mudgee, NSW

About three-and-a-half hours west of Sydney, Mudgee offers a slower pace than many holiday hotspots, but not at the expense of long-weekend necessities: great food, great coffee, great vibes. Add wide tree-lined streets, beautiful colonial buildings and that fresh country air, and you’ll return home rejuvenated and ready for the four-day week. And perhaps a little smug. Take the smug factor up a notch by bedding down in Australia’s first bubble tent , overlooking the vast Capertee Valley.

Bubble Tent glamping — Bubble Tent’s unique outer shell gives guests an experience like no other

Mornington Peninsula, VIC

Victorians might not be blessed with the October public holiday, but the state’s glorious Mornington Peninsula boasts strong long weekend appeal for interstate travellers. Less than 90 minutes’ drive from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), the Mornington Peninsula combines seaside charm with gastronomic delights and inviting cellar doors, making it a wonderful place to spend a few indulgent days.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock , one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915 . Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore , one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

The best October long weekend escapes