Chris Smith heads west to his favourite stretch of sand, receives a decidedly chilly reception in a Sydney bar, and finds a new way to camp out in style.
Camping for Cheats
No wonder the outdoor stores don’t know about the recession yet. From what I’ve witnessed firsthand this year, the greatest stimulus package consists of the trusty tent – poles, pegs and all. And if it’s not your cup of billy tea, don’t put the Coleman on eBay just yet, because I’ve discovered a way of going camping, cheating, and loving it.
Take off this weekend to a place on Sydney’s Central Coast called Patonga. An Aboriginal word meaning “oyster", that’s a dish which rightly matches the almost toffy experience. There’s no huffing and puffing on the knob of a blow-up mattress. Most campers elect to electrify their upmarket portable beds, complete with inbuilt deflation switch. Don’t worry about being invited to share a cold VB in the next tent, this is yuppie heaven; it was prawn wontons on ancient Chinese plates!
There may be a ban on open fires, which rules out the trusty billy can, but have no fear: 100m up the road are the best skim lattes on the coast. The campground is more like Sydney’s Norton Street or Melbourne’s Lygon Street on a Sunday morning.
And forget about the primitive camp grill, battling with sandflies and burnt sausages; the luxurious Patonga Hotel brings city cuisine to the bush.
This is cheap-as-chips camping with a little bit of guilt – but after the second dozen-plate of Patonga oysters, that vanishes into the moonlit sky. I’ll be back.
Cold as Ice
If I wanted to surround myself in walls of ice and freeze my bits off, I’d attack a halfpipe at Mt Buller. That’s my conclusion after visiting Sydney’s Minus 5 Ice Bar at Circular Quay recently. It was in the aftermath of a long lunch and birthday celebration, so it was destined for disaster from the start. The Ice Bar is one expensive frost; a smallish tomb of kitsch sculptures, frozen to a bar full of alcohol. Do not attempt this in the morning.
Maybe it’s the tourist precinct, or the high cost of NSW electricity, but entry fees slip up to $40-odd per person . . . and that’s just for a wander inside the ice-block and two rough cocktails.
What made me shiver more than the temperature was the wardrobe of snow-gear they required you to don. The boots, pants, gloves and coat with hoodie must have had at least 7000 grimy bodies inside them. Yuk. And the price of the Russian Mules we were conned into buying must have been the KGB’s idea of revenge against the West.
The concept was quirky enough for a look, but next time, if offered, I’ll seek the real thing and break a leg. Now there’s value for your buck.
Best Beach
It’s time to set the record straight on Australia’s best beach. I’m so sick of hearing about “heavenly Whitehaven" in the Whitsundays, or about how iconic Sydney’s crowded Bondi Beach is. Forget those. Go west, young man, to the magnificence of Injidup Beach in gorgeous Margaret River.
I’ve only been the once, but recently friends Rob and Kim returned from a wine, forest and beach odyssey there, and reminded me of where God goes to swim. There’s no contest. Firstly, it’s on the west coast, the only side of mainland Australia where the ochre sunset across the rolling waves makes a bad day brilliant.
Secondly, it’s seductively secluded, surrounded by national parks, crystal clear water and smothered at either end by colossal sand hills – and, yes, the view from the top does show that the Indian Ocean is forever.
And thirdly, if you really have to leave Injidup, there are Karri forests and Hamelin Bay nearby, Margaret River’s 60-odd incredible wineries, great food in world-class restaurants (think Leeuwin Estate) and some very sophisticated accommodation (think Cape Lodge).
And don’t leave without visiting Mammoth Cave. I’ve been inside three times now – that’s a total of 510 steps – and I can’t wait to return.
But first stop will always be Australia’s best beach, Injidup, as spiritual as it is unforgettable.
*Got a question or a comment for Chris? Email csmith@australiantraveller.com and tune in to 2GB 873 every weekday afternoon.
Whether you’re after the perfect family holiday or after something a little more romantic, Accor has the stay for you.
Nothing sets the tone of your holiday quite like the accommodation you’ve chosen. After all, who can imagine a wellness retreat without an on-site day spa, or a sprawling family resort without a kids’ club (or babysitting service)? The truth is there are as many ways to holiday as there are types of travellers – but happily, there’s accommodation for every type of traveller.
Fun family holidays
A successful family holiday requires plenty of space – not to mention essential amenities, like a fully equipped kitchen and laundry, a central location near plenty of activities and attractions, and those all-important beaches. The following properties all fit the bill and were designed with kids in mind.
1. Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas
Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas is perfect for a family getaway.
Will it be a day of snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, horse riding along the golden sands of Cape Tribulation, or trying your hand at watersports at Four Mile Beach? For those checked in at Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas , the correct answer can only ever be ‘all of the above’ – but only if you can convince the kids to get out of the hotel’s lagoon-style swimming pool.
Featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments (some with private swim-up pool decks), the hotel is also conveniently located moments from the town centre.
2. Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
Send the kids to Kid’s club, and head to the restaurant.
Kids’ club: the two words most parents of little ones long to hear. With Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour , however, that’s only the beginning. This eco-friendly hotel (which is famous for its spacious rooms) pulls out all the stops, serving up a 10-metre outdoor pool, tennis court and a signature restaurant, The Ternary .
When the kids are screaming ‘Gold Coast theme parks’ but your body needs a little Byron Bay downtime, the answer arrives in the form of Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff , an airy resort located in The Tweed. Some of Queensland and New South Wales’s top beaches and attractions are only a short drive away.
Featuring one- and two-bedroom suites, a tennis court and a lagoon-style pool (plus a children’s wading pool), guests also have the option to rent a bike, book a treatment at the onsite day spa, or organise child-minding for date night.
Couples getaways
Remember those candlelit dinners when you first got together? Or what about those long walks along the beach and lazy sleep-ins – complete with room service?
If you’re still searching your memory, it’s time to hit reboot on romance by booking a hotel geared around good food, good times and more than a little privacy.
Top tip? Book the Romance Getaway Package , which includes a bottle of French champagne, breakfast in bed and a leisurely 2pm check out.
2. Mondrian Gold Coast
Enjoy classy surrounds at The Mondrian.
The Gold Coast suburb of Burleigh has all the ingredients needed for a romantic escape. And the best place to explore it all from is the stunning beachfront lifestyle precinct, Mondrian Gold Coast .
Stay in one of 208 accommodation options, including studios, suites, homes and houses. Taste your way through the levels of dining options, from authentic Italian and surf-to-plate seafood, and dive into the lively pool club. Or relax with a restorative treatment together at the spa.
City escapes
Nabbing a front-row seat to urban life (and momentarily feeling like a local) is as easy as checking into a city hotel and letting the streets around you set the pace for your next holiday.
Laidback retreats and coastal getaways will always have their place, but here you can step straight into galleries and boutique stores, roll into restaurants and tumble out of bars – all before watching the sun rise across a gleaming skyline.
A convenient location, of course, is key.
1. 25hours Hotel The Olympia
Book into Sydney’s newest boutique spot.
Hotels are all too often about retreating from the city they’re located in, but at Sydney’s newest boutique spot, 25hours Hotel Sydney The Olympia , a stay is all about immersing yourself in the area. Channelling the energy and creativity of its Oxford Street location, the hotel’s bold and playful design is a nod to the building’s arthouse beginnings as West’s Olympia Theatre. Guests can choose to stay in either a light and airy Dreamers room or the more dramatic Renegades option.
This is home to two stand-out bars (one of them on the rooftop) and a cafe serving Lune croissants, as well as The Palomar , a hot dining spot that serves as a love letter to the Mediterranean.
2. Hyde Melbourne Place
Be steps from Melbourne’s best attractions.
Some of Melbourne’s finest restaurants might be on Hyde Melbourne Place’s doorstep, but there’s no need for guests to venture out the front door for a bite to remember. The innovative brand’s first Australian offering is not only home to three distinctive venues (including an atmospheric rooftop restaurant), but is also the winner of a Michelin Key 2025.
Conveniently located in the east end of the city’s CBD within moments of the city’s iconic laneways, accommodation ranges from a soothing General Admission Queen to the spectacular Headliner Suite (many with balconies overlooking the city buzzing below). A high-end fitness space and Peach Pilates streamed straight to your in-room tablet are available too. Our top tip? Call ahead for a Sonna Brightening LED Face Mask and say yes to winding down with a meditative ritual designed to support skin health, clarity and calm.
Tranquil retreats
There’s no question 2026 is going to be your year, but it would be foolish to hard-launch this new and improved you without first taking some time to relax, rejuvenate and reflect on how you can find better balance in the year to come.
It’s time to treat yourself to a wellness getaway that’s designed around peace, natural beauty and more than a few spa treatments.
1. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
Relax into Pullman Bunker Bay Resort.
Kangaroos at dawn, Margaret River wineries at noon and a long evening of life-affirming massage treatment come the late afternoon; there’s a lot to love about a stay at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort . And that’s without even touching on the resort’s secluded beachfront location.
Whether you check into a studio villa or a three-bedroom, three-bathroom villa, the views stretching out over the lake or garden will help you hit reset as you ponder the important questions: should you take a drive to nearby Geographe Bay to enjoy the dive of a lifetime, settle in for a long and lazy day in the resort’s heated infinity-edge pool, or make booking after booking at Vie Spa to try its extensive range of massages, facials and treatments?
The cherry on top? The resort has a complimentary – albeit seasonal – kids’ club, too.
2. Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge
Connect with yourself and nature at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge.
Welcome to the ultimate alpine wellness experience, a luxurious lodge nestled in the lush peaks of Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, where ‘forest bathing’ takes on a whole new meaning.
Offering quick and easy access to some of the region’s most iconic walking trails (not to mention a window to our most striking flora and fauna), every cabin and suite at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge – some with their own fireplace – is designed to help you exhale.
Say yes to a wealth of included activities, such as an evening wildlife safari, a guided Crater Lake mountain walk or the Aboriginal Heritage & Bush Tucker tour. Unwind by retreating to the famous Waldheim Alpine Spa , where treatment rooms overlook rugged mountains and ancient forests.
Wellness has never looked – or felt – so luxurious.
