Looks like Australian Traveller’s Instagram community has been loving their summer holidays to death. The colours that have been passing through @austtraveller (from both us and our talented followers), proves beyond any debate that Australia is the most diverse place on earth to travel around and get your eye-candy fix.
Help us discover more vibrancy by hashtagging the best of your travel-related Instagrams with #austtravellermag . Meanwhile, here are the pick of the ‘grams that made us smile In January (seems like we’re particularly loving Tassie this month)!
1. The Breakaways, Coober Pedy
Sure it’s hot out here but the sexy sandstone shades of the artfully beautiful ‘Breakaways’ are just so damn cool! This mind-blowing landscape is 30km north of South Australia’s Coober Pedy.
2. Poles apart, Melbourne
Superb and just a little bit trippy post-holiday snap from@jarrodhydephotography – taken from Port Melbourne. He’s just returned from his travels around Tassie. Tough for some.
3. Blue oyster bar, Tasmania’s east coast
Simple, fresh and perfect way to start the weekend on Tassie’s east coast – that’s if you’re oyster fan. Outstanding colours from the legendary @maxdoylephotography
4. Turtle nursery, Mon Repos beach, Queensland
Tentative first steps (or are they flips?). This bubba Loggerhead turtle struggles towards the sea on Mon Repos beach (near Bundaberg). Privileged! From the prolific @laurenepbath
5. A Coral dunescape
Loving this dunescape at Gnaraloo on the Coral Coast.@waexplorer reckons these dunes almost make up for not having any snowy mountains in Western Australia. Almost.
6. Aurora lights up the south
The Southern Lights are popping up their pretty little faces at the moment down in Tassie. Thanks to Aurora Australis chaser @kathrynleahy
7. City in pink
This no-filter snap shows that you don’t have go to the outback to see the legendary pink lakes of Australia. @lauraalycebell dips her shoes in at Melbourne’s Docklands! Seriously wow! Not toxic either, as one follower quipped.
8. Bussleton beauty
Geographe Bay certainly shaking its beauty… a little bitty piece of the 2km long Bussleton Jetty, 220km south-west of Perth (longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere).
9. The pinnacle of yacht hiking
Our view from the very, very top of ‘Bishop and Clerk’ (620 steep metres above sea level) on Maria Island, off Tassie’s east coast. Yes, we hiked up here. And, yes, we finished the day with a three-course gourmet dinner on a 75ft luxury yacht. Nice shot@elliottjameselliott
We round up the luxe, the lovely and the latest places to stay in regional Victoria.
1. Hotel Ernest, Bendigo
The elegantly styled Hotel Ernest oozes heritage charm.
Settle into this artful lodging in the city centre for a boutique stay with heritage roots dating back to 1864. Each of the 10 suites in this former bank is elegantly styled and furnished with covetable works by Australian artists. Ernest is also home to the much-lauded Euro-style Restaurant Terrae, so be sure to book into the two-level diner during your visit.
2. Norsu Cabin, Macedon
Settle into this Scandi-inspired abode. (Image: Nick Skinner)
Country cabin dreams come to life under the sweet timber A-frame of Norsu . Sleeping eight guests, this Scandi-inspired abode is so meticulously styled it’s received knowing nods from The Design Files and is everything a modern log cabin should be, including cosy fireplace, fire pit, modern appliances and French linens. Perfect for logging out of daily life for a moment.
3. Islay House, Woodend
Bed down at the gorgeously restored heritage Islay House. (Image: Tiffany Warner)
Lean all the way into a country luxe state-of-mind with a stay at the gorgeously restored heritage Islay House . This bed and breakfast sleeps up to nine guests and is just a short walk from town, but you’ll want to spend most of your time curled up fireside in the elegantly styled rooms as you admire the collection of antiques.
4. Nerissa Rye, Mornington Peninsula
Indulge in barefoot luxe at Nerissa Rye. (Image: Eve Wilson)
This Rye beach pad is just a 10-minute walk from 16th Beach, and while a morning walk is lovely, returning to the barefoot luxe vibes of this four-bedroom escape is just as enlivening. Bright, open and welcoming, this is the place to settle in for endless cups of tea and a good book between beach jaunts.
5. Hotel Vera, Ballarat
Modern meets bygone elegance.
This Ballarat beauty set in a 1900s mansion is all bygone elegance edged with modern style. Just seven boutique suites, each with its own distinct personality, makes it a singularly luxe stay. Sister to Bendigo’s Hotel Ernest, Vera is similarly bequeathed with a stand-out fine diner, Babae, which plates up the best of the region’s produce.
6. Hotel Sorrento, Port Philip Bay
The Amalfi-style beachside Hotel Sorrento at Port Philip Bay.
The historic and iconic clifftop Hotel Sorrento at Port Philip Bay is mid-refurb and will reopen 1 December 2025, just in time for Amalfi-style beachside stays.
7. The Idle Lake House, Lakes Entrance
Soak up lakeside serenity. (Image: Kate Enno Photography)
Enjoy a ripple of serenity when you step aboard this water-top abode on the Gippsland Lakes. Once a Chinese restaurant, this spacious and stylish two-bedroom stay offers unbroken gazing of the shimmering surface in a beautifully private bay. Lounge on the deck and enjoy the onboard bathhouse; come evening, sit by the sleek suspended fireplace.
8. The Monty, Anglesea
Bed down at the vintage motel, The Monty.
Palm Springs makes an entrance on the Great Ocean Road with the opening of The Monty in October 2025. Its vintage motel meets modern muse at this playful boutique stay complete with pool and a vibrant Mexican cantina. You’re just a stroll from the beach here, which tells us it’s ripe for summer vacays this season.
9. Trentham Waters Resort, Mildura
The bright and retro-style bedroom at Trentham Waters Resort.
Another new property lands in regional Victoria in time for an endless summer with Trentham Waters Resort expected to open by February 2026. Breezy, subtly retro and brightened by the big Mallee sky, this river’s-edge escape is perfect for settling in for a spell with one-, two- and three-bedroom villas. There’s a lagoon-style pool, riverside hot tubs and onsite dining for all your relaxation requirements.
10. Crowne Plaza, Geelong
Sink a cold one at the Trattoria Bar.
Geelong is getting its own Crowne Plaza in 2026. Its arrival on the waterfront will make it the city’s largest (and newest) hotel with 200 contemporary rooms and suites, a Skybar, all-day dining, indoor pool and gym, and event spaces. Keep it on your radar.
11. Re’em, Yarra Valley
Sip and soak in tranquillity.
With verdant Yarra Valley views that take in the linear beauty of tended grapevines, the 16 suites and rooms at Re’em are set amid the Helen & Joey Estate and invite sipping and sitting in tranquillity. The onsite restaurant deftly balances Chinese and Australian flavours and if you’re staying over the weekend, be tempted out of your stylish room for yum cha that features delicate handmade dumplings and vineyard vistas.
12. Arapiles Clubhouse and Crash Pad, Grampians
Spend an overnight stay in the Natimuk stone house. (Image: Bianca Jackson)
These 1880-era mountain-adjacent digs have been tenderly restored to provide rock climbers and Grampians country wanderers a chic place to rest. You’ll find four bedrooms in the Natimuk stone house, as well as a heated pool out the back and plenty of luxe embellishments. There’s also a two-person ‘Crash Pad’ in the confines of the Clubhouse with its own separate entrance.
The Crash Pad offers a resting place for rock climbers and Grampians country wanderers. (Image: Bianca Jackson)
