Archive for the ‘Girls' weekends’ Category

If you’re into wineries, good food and quaint villages, you’ll find your little slice of heaven in the outer east of Melbourne. There’s some lovely drives that can be done in a day, so make sure you mark these down as must-sees.

Healesville: Only about 60km from the CBD of Melbourne, Healesville is in Yarra Valley country and is notable for its wonderful wildlife sanctuary which is home to many Australian native animals including koalas, Tasmanian Devils, kangaroos, a variety of birdlife, reptiles and much more. It’s idea for picnics too. The township of Healesville is also a great base from which to launch nearby winery trips at Domaine Chandon and Rochford Wines. Getting to Healesville from Melbourne is a breeze – just follow the Eastern Freeway out for half an hour, turn right onto Springvale Rd and not far away is Maroondah Highway which takes you straight there.

Yarra Glenn: In the heart of food and wine country, this little township can’t be missed for all its charms, and magnificent wineries including Tarrawarra Estate, De Bortoli and famous Yering Station for some sweeping views of the Yarra Valley and a chane to take home some tasty cheeses and wines. Only 50km east of Melbourne’s CBD.

The Dandenongs: A train called Puffing Billy, majestic gardens, and the wondrous tall trees and ferns of the national and state parks are the highlights of the beautiful Dandenongs, and don’t forget the little, quaint townships such as Olinda, Emerald and Sassafras for morning tea and a browse in antique shops. Less than an hour from Melbourne. It gets a bit windy up in the Dandenongs, but nevertheless, it’s a terrific drive. Very hilly, as opposed to the wonderful flat cruising around Healesville and Yarra Glenn.

AUSTIN BONHAM

I’ve always preferred to drive to Melbourne than fly – I just like my independence, the freedom of the road and the convenience once I get there.

The direct route down the Hume (highway) can be a little tedious, mind you – just as well I’m comfortable behind the wheel! A new touring route has officially opened, however – the Sydney to Melbourne Touring Route. It’s not a new road, just a new slant on familiar territory, opening tourists’ eyes to what’s special in the states of NSW and Victoria.

Keen to try out the multi-day ‘Mega Drive’, I arranged campervan hire through DriveNow, picking up my camper in Sydney. After meandering through Sydney’s southern suburbs, we diverted through the gorgeous Royal National Park, emerging at Stanwell Tops and the start of the spectacular Grand Pacific Drive. This new road skirts the spectacular Wollongong escarpment, with a bridge hovering above the pounding ocean and offering spectacular views down the coastline.

I’m always blown away by the beauty of the south coast beaches, particularly where the emerald green countryside edges onto cliffs and beaches. Gerringong and Gerroa are particular favourites; and further south, I’m totally in love with the villages of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba, famed for antiques, history and, of course, cheese!

As you edge towards the border, the beaches keep getting more and more enticing – Narooma, Merimbula and Pambula.

Eden, once centre of the whaling industry, is now a great place to spot these marine giants; and make sure you stop off at Ben Boyd pub for a real blast from the past.

Over the border, Lakes Entrance is a great place for boating, fishing and beachside recreation. After this, the drive heads inland, emerging onto the Great Alpine Road at Bairnsdale. As much enamoured with mountain scenery as we are with beaches, we deviated a little for the Alpine villages of Dinner Plain and Mt Hotham before heading to Anglers Rest for a stop off at our favourite pub, the Blue Duck. Up the road from there is The Willows, a lovely rural property featuring historic cottages and brilliant horse riding through spectacular High Country scenery.

The touring route then scouts north again, reaching the mighty Murray River and the historic towns of Echuca-Moama. Here we jumped on board a paddlesteamer, reliving the romance of colonial days.

Then it was south again through Bendigo, where more gold was found between 1850 and 1900 than anywhere else in the world. This history is all showcased at a family favourite, Sovereign Hill, our final stop before hitting the road to Melbourne.

It may have taken a little longer than the usual 10-hour haul, but the drive gave us new appreciation of some of the most fantastic parts of two great eastern states.

ANGELA DE LEON

For those looking for a short getaway, this five-day experience has to be experienced first hand to be believed. After some to-ing and fro-ing between several destinations for our escape from the daily grind, Margaret River ticked all the boxes: beautiful scenery, some premier Australian wineries and great food for five long-standing friends to catch up, recharge and reconnect.

We each had relaxation in mind, but being spoilt for choice with activities and a plethora of “things” to discover, we were bound to find much more than merely pretty beaches, vineyards and long lunches. And find more we did – from boutique wineries to giant trees, the pace for this holiday was suitable for everyone. With such variety, everyone was catered for.

Getting there and the experience

Fortunately for us, all domestic carriers fly daily to Perth which gave us a host of options, particularly as three of us were travelling from Melbourne and the other two were from Sydney and Adelaide. Upon our strategically scheduled arrivals at Perth airport, we hopped into our ready-and-waiting Toyota Tarago, courtesy of Drivenow. It was unanimously decided that our first night was spent in the lap of luxury at the historic Melbourne Hotel in Perth, complete with a long overdue and drawn-out dinner at the renowned onsite Melbourne Restaurant, which catered for five weary travelers from the east coast extremely well (check out the wine list!)

DAY 2

On Day 2 we hopped into the people mover (sunnies well affixed) and after checking out Kings Park, the Swan River and the inner suburbs of Perth, we departed Perth and travelled along the spectacular coastline to Busselton. Nestled in Geographe Bay 229km (three hours) south of Perth, Busselton is home to beautiful beaches, top fishing spots, caves, coastline beauty, untouched bush surrounds and, of course, it’s on the doorstep to the renowned Margaret River wine region. An overnight stay at Martin Fields Beach Retreat provided a perfect casual end to a busy day of travelling and sightseeing.

DAY 3

Day 3 of our Margaret River adventure took in stunning Cape Leeuwin and it’s eye-catching Lighthouse. Worth a look while you’re here is Caveworks and Mammoth Cave to witness some impressive limestone formations. All done by lunchtime, we meandered off to explore the Margaret River township and finished our afternoon on the lawns of the picturesque Leeuwin Estate, tasting some local wine and fare. Ah, the serenity …

DAY 4

Day 4 was an early start to get to the Valley of the Giants in Albany. This included the famous Gloucester Tree (which is used as a fire lookout) and the amazing Canopy Walk – a magnificent walk literally among the tree canopies, 40m above the ground. Also, the giant Karri and Tingle trees have to be seen (and climbed!) to be believed. Accommodation in Albany is easy to arrange – there’s an array of self-contained accommodation on offer for a group like ours. On this occasion it was the Dolphin Lodge where we parked our well travelled Tarago and rested our weary heads after another beautiful day in WA.

DAY 5

On Day 5 we were up early to make the most of our 409km trip back towards Perth. We took in more of the same stunning scenery and broke the trip up with a sumptuous luncheon at Xanadu Wines. Only five minutes from the coast, Xanadu was worth the detour. We treated ourselves on our last night in the West by staying at the glorious Richardson Hotel, complete with a dining experience at the Opus Restaurant.

In summary, there’s no better way to explore an unknown region than with people whose company you enjoy, who can also read a map and are happy to drink some bevvies with you. This is a trip for old friends.

ROSETTA BAKER

The brochure promised pristine beaches, wide open skies and the dream of forgetting civilization for four days – an ideal getaway for two busy mums. In reality, the Bay of Fires Walk in Tasmania ticked all those boxes and more: no meal preparation for four days while exploring one of Tasmania’s remote coastlines, kayaking along beautiful Anson’s River and enjoying gourmet food soon proved why this is one of the world’s most popular holidays.

For us, this was a chance to experience the best of both worlds. Firstly, a beautiful drive in one of Australia’s best states for breathtaking views for a couple of days, and, secondly, to experience one of the world’s great walks.

Our week started the moment we landed at Launceston airport. After a swift collection of cases sans little folk, we hopped in our Hyundai Getz thanks to DriveNow with Avis offering the best deal this time around.

Some great short drives

As a precursor to our walking adventure, we decided to spend a couple of days relaxing at historic Ashton Gate with a couple of short drives out of Launceston for some R&R before our hard work by foot. An easy drive south of Launceston led us into the heart of the northern Midlands where the first settlers built their country residences and nurtured wonderful plants, hedges and farmed the land. Next day another short drive took us to Devil’s Heaven Wildlife Park home to native and exotic animals including, Tassie Devils, wombats, eagles, alpacas, roos and emus.

A walk to remember

Day 1 of the Bay of Fires Walk was part preparation of our gear and backpacks and then travelling by mini bus to our starting point at Stumpy’s Bay. The adventure started off with a relatively easy four hour walk along Cod Bay and around the coves off George’s Rocks to the Forester Beach camp for the first night’s accommodation in twin share floored tents. The camp was clean, well organized and environmentally sound: clever Australian made-composting toilets by Clivus Multrum, rainwater tanks and carrying out any rubbish means minimal impact on local ecosystems. Day 2 started early and was the hiking highlight of the trip – with a mix of rocky headlands, ridge lines and sand dunes the day’s sightseeing was diverse and a joy. After seven hours we arrived at the Bay of Fires Lodge. The warm shower on arrival was heavenly and the three course meal prepared by our guides was welcomed with open arms… and mighty apetites! Day 3 started with a sumptuous hot breakfast before hiking out to a collection point for a day of kayaking along Anson’s River. The day was capped off with a leisurely walk back to the lodge from the South along Abbotsbury Peninsula before enjoying another beautiful meal at the lodge. Day 4 commenced with a gentle walk away from the Lodge through a gorgeous forest of Peppermint Eucalypts before enjoying our last picnic lunch before returning to Launceston.

Returning to civilization

After unpacking at the Bay of Fires Walk base at Quamby Estate and sharing a bottle of bubbly with our guides and the rest of our group, we hopped back on the mini bus to return to Launceston and this time put ourselves up at Kurrajong House. Hosts Julie and Graeme showed us to our room and suggested some local eateries – well aware that we may be seeking some basic fare after our gastronomical adventure.

The choice for eateries in Launceston on a Monday night surprised us. After a bit of a scout around we settled on Toro’s on York – a Spanish restaurant with a beaut offering from tapas to light entrees and more substantial mains. After a good graze and few sangrias we hiked back up York Street to Kurrajong for our last night in Tassie. After returning our DriveNow hire car back to Avis at the airport, we hopped on our on-time Virgin Blue flight and were greeted at Tullamarine by two happy husbands and the young ones.

In short, this escape is ideal for busy people. 10 out of 10. Just beautiful.

ROSETTA BAKER