The doctor is in: Q&A with Dr Chris Brown

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Bondi Vet and host of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here and The Living Room, Dr Chris Brown, is an intrepid traveller with a soft spot for home.

1. As a child, our family holidays were always to…

A different national park every holiday in our Jayco pop-top caravan. Dad’s a vet, so every trip would centre around a wildlife experience. He once put a piece of meat on a string and buried a beer can with stones in it, so if a dingo took off with the meat the can would rattle and we’d all wake up! It worked – I think the dingo got the fright of its life.

2. Now if I have time for a short break, I head straight to…

The beach. A favourite is Iluka on the north coast of NSW; it’s great for surfing and it’s pretty uncrowded up there.

3. My local’s tip for Bondi is…

Bronte Baths. They’re just as beautiful as Icebergs, if not more so. Also try Raw Bar Japanese, and the angel hair tuna pasta at Bondi Trattoria is pretty exceptional.

 

Discover more Bondi eats…Bondi Beach foodie faves from the Icebergs ace

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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4. I’ll never forget the time…

I was with a mate in Ecuador at these hot springs of all different temperatures. We found one with a lady sitting alone; it was absolutely freezing, and when my friend jumped in he squealed. I tried to share a joke with the woman by calling my friend a ‘grande senorita’ but it must be an Australian expression; she thought I was talking about her! I felt awful.

5. If money was no barrier, send me off to…

Lord Howe Island. I’d spend months surfing, earning a living treating the island’s cows and eating fresh fish and vegetables. They’ve got it good over there. It’s paradise.

 

Australia’s own slice of Paradise?…9 picture-perfect postcards from Lord Howe Island

6. The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done on holiday is…

The Hadaka Matsuri naked festival in Japan, held in winter. Fuelled on saké, we ran through the streets in mawashi (sumo nappies) as buckets of water were thrown at us! It ends with about 10,000 people at a temple where the goal is to catch lucky sticks that are thrown out by the priest to win a lot of money. I had them at one point but almost had my fingers broken off! It was crazy.

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7. My souvenir of choice is…

In-flight eye masks. I have hundreds! It’s a bit of a funny one, but eventually I’ll make something out of them.

8. The best bed I’ve ever slept in was…

At Bungle Bungle Caravan Park. It wasn’t the most comfortable but we could see the stars from the roof of our tent. I hardly slept because it was so amazing.

9. The last place I visited was…

The Azores, volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, studying sperm whales and the next place I am booked to go is… the Great Ocean Road, maybe by motorbike. It’s meant to be the best motorbike route in the country.

 

Read our guide on exploring The Great Ocean Road: Ultimate Escapes: The Great Ocean Road

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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Elizabeth Whitehead Elizabeth Whitehead
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    From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

    Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

    Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
    Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

    The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

    The Riverina

    Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
    Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

    The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

    North Coast

    Forest Sky Pier
    Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

    Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

    Golden West

    winery experience in new south wales
    Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

    Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

    Special event journeys

    meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
    Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

    Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

    For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

    Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.