The Australian Outback caters to all travel habits, Peter Robinson explores the six star to the no star Outback accommodation options.
Driving your own 4WD to the outback (and back) is one of the great satisfactions in life.
Coming home with a filthy, dirty, mud-encrusted or animal-dented car also sticks it up those aforementioned do-gooders who want to run you out of town for owning a 4WD in the city. And, since water restrictions practically make it illegal to wash your car these days, you should feel free to let that outback style linger.
Surprisingly, much of the outback can be toured in total luxury. Try El Questro in the Kimberley for starters. Stay at the homestead and enjoy fine food, helicopter flights, barramundi fishing and a host of other treats. This is one of the most expensive and exclusive places in Australia.
Luxury tented camps with full amenities and ensuites are springing up. Shabby motels are giving way to luxury cottages or farmstays.
In the Flinders Ranges, try Wilpena Pound Resort and Rawnsley Park Station. At the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna there’s legendary bush food and great rooms. Bamurru Plains on the Mary River floodplains in the NT is luxury on a working buffalo station, and at Uluru, Longitude 131 has won international acclaim. At the other end of the spectrum, you can take a swag and sleep under the stars.
Adventure is out there for the taking, but first you should have a vehicle that’s suited to the job. A soft-roader or SUV isn’t up to the task if you want the freedom to travel to most great outback destinations.
You and your 4WD need to ford rivers, mount rich red dunes, climb giant sandhills and handle the tyre-shredding punishment that the worst tracks can present. On this score, a comprehensive 4WD training course (see previous page) is highly recommended – and don’t forget the co-driver. Emergency, safety and survival information is essential.
A turbo-diesel vehicle is best for the range and durability afforded; just make sure you don’t own a lemon. It’s a long way to the nearest dealer for warranty service. Plan your journey – it’ll take longer than you think.
Grey Nomads take a year or more for their retirement lap of Australia, then come home to prepare another trip to fill in any gaps. At the other end of the scale, parents of young children should think carefully about long weeks on outback roads (you might have to wean them off TV first).
It’s a huge country out there, and almost all of it is outback. You don’t need to embark on the expedition of a lifetime to unleash the pioneering spirit – this is a pilgrimage we all need.
Just grab your Akubra, camera, Red Centre map and be prepared to get your 4WD dirty . . .
Whales breaching, fires crackling and slow-cooked feasts that make the cold so cosy, one might wish it lasted longer. Winter is no time to stay at home in NSW.
When the mercury drops, winter in NSW comes into its own. Beaches are quieter, the air is crisper and hearty food tastes even better when there’s ice on the windows.
Winter here isn’t for hiding away. It’s for long walks, deep baths, deeper reds and the kind of fireside lounging that feels simultaneously indulgent and entirely deserved after a day of exploring. From whale-watching up north to moodily lit bushwalks and pastry pilgrimages, we’ve mapped out your new favourite season.
From coastal walks to tasty delights, winter in NSW is a time to get out and about.
The Tweed
In winter, the NSW north coast has a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest migrations. From May to November, humpbacks cruise past the Tweed coast between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. Spot them from the Cabarita Beach headland or get up closer with a boat cruise.
Later, grab a table at Bistro Livi , where the modern Spanish menu features whipped salt cod on toast and spanner crab with curry butter and spelt flatbread. Stick around to poke through the artist studios and indie boutiques of M|Arts Precinct .
Browse the art. (Image: Destination NSW)
The next day, jump aboard the Indigenous Lunch Cruise with Tweed Escapes. You’ll cruise upriver listening to yarns from local Indigenous guides, stop at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Museum and tuck into lemon myrtle-crusted snapper.
Next, drive out to Farm & Co to pull apart some juicy smoked lamb shoulder with green olive tapenade while gazing out over the macadamia fields and avocado groves of this working farm.
End the day at Mantra on Salt Beach where you’ll enjoy beach access, a heated rock spa and a lagoon pool.
Taste modern Spanish at Bistro Livi.
Blue Mountains
The cold season is hands down the best time to visit the Blue Mountains. Temperatures are perfect – sunny enough for hikes, and crisp enough at night for snuggling up.
For a trip that equally soothes and stirs, start with a meditative meander through the national park’s eucalypts and Australian wildflowers. Brave the steepest passenger railway in the world, Scenic Railway , then hop the Skyway aerial cable car for unrivalled Three Sisters views.
Thaw out at the Japanese Bath House in South Bowenfels. Soak in steamy outdoor onsens filled with natural mineral water and mountain views, wander the rose and zen gardens, or sip hot drinks in the tea house.
Rug up for Blue Mountains Stargazing. (Image: Destination NSW)
Afterwards, head to Ates in Blackheath, where everything revolves around a 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven – like the wood-roasted duck with nectarines and Szechuan spice. Or visit Tempus Katoomba , which leans experimental and sustainable, serving up dishes like braised fennel with cumin, spiced yogurt and Aleppo pepper.
Rug up and head into the night with Blue Mountains Stargazing . Sessions are guided by astrophysicists, helping you understand what you’re looking at as you look into deep space.
Wrap it all up at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains – MGallery Collection . There’s a whiskey bar in the basement (and crackling fires that make a dram taste even better), indoor and outdoor pools and a day spa. Kids will love the mirror maze and ice rink, too.
End the day with delicious meals at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)
Southern Highlands
Good food and wine by the fire, experienced between sifting through second-hand treasures, is a winter vibe in Bowral.
Start with a lap around Dirty Janes , an antique and vintage market. Recover from your shopping frenzy at Bendooley Book Barn , where floor-to-ceiling shelves and a roaring fire set the tone for an afternoon of red wine or hot coffee.
When it’s time to eat, head to Hickory’s Restaurant & Bar , Peppers Craigieburn Bowral’s onsite restaurant. Try the crispy pork belly with Granny Smith crisps and apple gel, or ocean trout with wakame, lemon gel and pickled radish.
Wander the antiques at Dirty Janes. (Image: Destination NSW)
Another option, Onesta Cucina , does Italian with flair. For something more casual (with cocktails), Flour Bar swings between brunch and dinner, with an onsite bakery, over 400 wines and a hidden deli in the old bank vault.
Later, clamber Mt Gibraltar , where trails wind through eucalypt forest to views over Bowral and Mittagong.
Stay at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral , a century-old estate with open fires, elegant lounges and a nine-hole golf course.
Stay cosy at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral.
Penrith
Shake off winter inertia with an adrenaline boost out in Penrith. Kick things off with a kayak paddle on the Nepean River with Horizon Line, or head to Cables Wake Park , where cold-weather wetsuits take the edge off a wipeout.
For something a bit more cruisy, opt for the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler for slow-floating views and a hot cuppa.
Head out on the Nepean River. (Image: Destination NSW)
Refuel at Marcel Bar & Bistro , where reimagined European comfort food – like seafood risotto in bisque with little neck clams and Moreton Bay bugs – is king. Then check in at the Pullman Sydney Penrith , the area’s first international five-star hotel, to enjoy your well-earned rest.
