All Posts By

DennisW

Jul
07
2019
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The Chair’s Where? Ararat, a beauty in country Victoria

By Melbourne / Victoria /

TIME TO DISCOVER ARARAT Only a two hour trip from Melbourne is the rural township of Ararat, a local service town and gateway to the Grampians. A town of contrasts, I would highly recommend hiring a car or Melbourne motorhome rental and spending a few nights exploring multiple attractions including the darker side of this unique township. ARARAT IN A NUTSHELL Ararat has its fair share of bric-a-brac, curio and antique stores. Supermarkets, specialty shops, cafes and hotels all make for a good day’s browsing, shopping, eating and sampling the odd beverage or two. A short drive will take you to the Grampians which are a chain of mountains with their own unique views, activities and opportunities. Like so many towns in this broader area, it started as sheep grazing country in the 1830s but the discovery of gold in the 1850s was the true inspiration for the town’s growth. With such growth came the Chinese prospectors who stamped their…

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Nov
11
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Coramandal Peninsula, New Zealand

By Auckland / New Zealand /

TIME TO DISCOVER CORAMANDAL PENINSULA So you have flown into Auckland in New Zealand and picked up your motorhome rental or car. You’ve done the local sights. Been over the bridge, checked out the harbour, had several doses of traditional indigenous experience and eaten at some great local cafes. But New Zealand is so much more than Auckland and its immediate locales. Indeed, a steady two hour drive can take you to the Coramandal Peninsula. Now this truly is a region suited to a few nights stay as you move from Wahai beach to Whitianga. Why? LOCATION You don’t have to go far in New Zealand to find some great views. The mountain climbs as you head to and through the Coramandel, so allow for a photographic delight. The walking tracks, the waterfalls, the intricately balanced ecology make for a learning curve at every step. But for me, it was about the east coast of the Coramandal. HIGHLIGHTS Waihi beach. Whether…

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Oct
18
2018
Recommended for Campervans
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The Chair’s Where? Balranald in southern New South Wales

By New South Wales / Sydney /

So you have been to the coast, done the theatre and eaten at enough gourmet restaurants. Looking for something different and feel like a road trip to somewhere unique? Well then, I suggest you pick up a motorhome, or fuel up a car and head to Balranald in southern New South Wales. Oh… may I suggest you bring some sturdy shoes or boots, you will discover why a little later. LOCATION Balranald is strategically placed just over the border in NSW.  It is a bit over 400km from Melbourne, and a bit over 500km from Adelaide. It is near to Swan Hill, a tourist attraction of its own standing.  All routes to Balranald are sealed bitumen roads and give access to assorted wineries, view and photos, farm produce like free range eggs, antiques, arts and crafts and a myriad more similar opportunities. DISCOVERY CENTRE Having arrived in Balranald can I suggest an immediate visit to the Discovery Centre. Here are…

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Jul
23
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Port Fairy in Victoria

By Melbourne / Victoria /

  TIME TO DISCOVER PORT FAIRY Across the length and breadth of this great land there exist numerous iconic, historical and must visit townships. This is especially so of our coastal areas as we remember the importance of fledgling sheep farming, aquaculture, whaling and the like as economic factors vital to the growth of a prosperous and viable nation that we now have. What were once economic hubs have often morphed into wonderful tourist oriented townships – just waiting for you to visit. One such township is Port Fairy, Victoria. Indeed, it is recorded that in 1853, 19 foreign ships and 56 coastal vessels entered the port. Exports that year included wool, gold and wheat. So jump in your Melbourne car rental and get ready to visit a town that represents the type of place that made the State of Victoria become a reality. A VICTORIAN COASTAL GEM This coastal port represents all that is good about old historic sea…

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Jul
13
2018
Recommended for Campervans
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The Chair’s Where? Silo Art Trail, Central Victoria

By Melbourne / Victoria /

So you are based in Melbourne, staying in Melbourne or you have just arrived. You have done the footy, the restaurants, the coast. It’s time to get out and about and flex your driving muscles. But where to go? Why not try something different and mix a good drive, a great stay, and a terrific art experience all into one and the same. Are you keen? Yes, then jump in your Melbourne car rental and set your GPS to the Wheatbelt region of Victoria TRAVEL WEST Whether you use the Calder Highway or the Western Highway, you are assured of some great opportunities for visiting wineries, antique stores, ‘famous’ bakeries, and assorted fishing, art, sculpture and alternative distractions. But ultimately, you need to travel through to the Yarriambiack Shire, based either side of Hopetoun. At this point some wondrous art is made available to you. Art that is 40 metres high, art that is as unique as the townships nearby,…

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Jun
14
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Beachport, South Australia

By Australia / South Australia /

Limestone Coast splendour The Limestone Coast of South Australia is a truly wonderful destination to visit. Magnificent sandy beaches, serious cliffs and rocky outcrops, blowholes, caves and being at the end of the world renowned Coonawarra wine district makes this a ‘bucket list’ location. Proximity helps, as both Melbourne and Adelaide are a comfortable and drive-able distance from this locale. The Limestone Coast extends for a couple of hundred kilometres, so never fear that you will get crowded in, or miss out on a spot. There is room for every one, so jump in your Adelaide car rental or bring your motorhome or campervan, tow your caravan, bring your family, bring your relatives and bring your friends. Along the way OK, so you have picked up a hire vehicle and made plans to explore the Limestone Coast area. Why not turn “getting there” into “an adventure”? Wineries, antique shops, arts and crafts boutiques will all compete for your attention as…

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May
08
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Fraser Range, Western Australia

By Australia / Perth / Western Australia /

Home on the range So you have decided you want something a bit different. You have decided you are happy for a “good drive” to get to somewhere different. You have hired a Perth campervan or you have booked accommodation and sorted a Perth car rental. You have checked the map, worked out fuel locations, worked out shopping opportunities and you have pegged some terrific sightseeing opportunities to keep you interested on the trip. Wow! I can only think of one place you’re talking about… Fraser Range Station and Caravan Park. Location and history For starters, the Fraser Range Caravan Park is set in the Great Western Woodlands of West Australia. This is the western end of the Nullabor, and constitutes the largest temperate woodland in the world. Many travellers, heading either east or west, pass by the gates of the Fraser Range station. Originally founded by John Forrest while doing an expedition from Perth to Adelaide in 1870, it…

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Apr
21
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Merredin, Western Australia

By Perth / Western Australia /

So, you have arrived in Perth after a nice flight, you’ve gone to the Perth airport car rental kiosk to grab your vehicle of your choice and then you have been to the more well-known destinations like Mandurah, Bussellton, Jurien Bay and the like. You will have seen plenty of ocean, long sandy beaches and lots of coastal attractions but surely that’s not the end of your journeys? Surely it’s time to go a little inland and explore a true wheatbelt town? Yep. Time to broaden your travel horizons and head to the township of Merredin. Location The township of Merredin is a comfortable three-hour drive from Perth. The route is well signed on a major road with all necessary fuel, shopping and sightseeing available to break up the drive. Merredin is part of the wheat belt and as such is a town steeped in tradition and history. The wheat belt consistently acts as a major provider of revenue to…

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Mar
29
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Arno Bay in South Australia

By Adelaide / South Australia /

Not too many of us haven’t heard of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. This peninsula has been tagged the ‘Seafood Frontier’ and for good reason. With iconic fishing industries based around Port Lincoln, with aquaculture developing kingfish, tuna and mulloway stocks, fishing charters abundant, an abundance of prawns and the world-renowned Coffin Bay Oysters, it is no wonder people flock to the many quaint and historical villages that front this coast line. Shaped like a triangle, the Eyre Peninsula has a sea coast on both the east and western sides ensuring a visitor can pick the ‘wind and weather’ to suit the occasion! Arno Bay So we have all heard of Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Coffin Bay, Streaky Bay and the like. All great and well known as feature places on the Eyre Peninsula. But have you entertained a visit to Arno Bay? Being some 530km from Adelaide, this venue makes for a good road trip by car or motorhome….

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Feb
05
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Coolum Beach, Queensland

By Brisbane / Queensland /

The state of Queensland is a high profile tourist destination visited by locals, domestic and international visitors alike and Coolum Beach is no exception. Queensland is a truly great destination with an array of tourist attractions often based on natural drawcards such as ‘the reef’, the rainforest and the Outback. A truly common theme for Queensland is an emphasis on ‘sun, sand and surf’. Where better to enjoy this trifecta than the Sunshine Coast. Sunshine Coast The ‘Sunny Coast’, as it is called by the locals, is a favourite of many.  A wonderful tourist mecca, flanked by rolling green hills, the eerie shapes of the Glasshouse mountains, long stretches of golden beach all giving way to the deep blue sea. An hour’s drive from Brisbane via the motorway from Brisbane airport, or by flight direct to the airport at the Sunny Coast where you can hire a car or campervan, this magnificent location is readily accessible to all. Coolum Beach…

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Jan
30
2018
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The Chair’s Where? Conway Beach, Queensland

By Queensland /

Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour are well identified tourist destinations along the central Queensland coast.  Alive with resorts, upmarket shopping, scenic attractions and the like, these centres are a busy and cosmopolitan part of the broader tourism of Queensland. But the central Queensland, Whitsunday region has some terrific hidden gems that will tempt even the most discerning of traveller. One such gem is the beautiful Conway Beach. Location Situated only 39km from Airlie Beach, this small township is truly a hidden gem. Largely populated by retirees, the settlement is nestled in a large bay as beautiful as anything else the Whitsundays has to offer. A sweeping tranquil bay, with a golden sand beach, water the colour of aquamarine and flanked by green coloured hills… the view is amazing. Easy access is gained along a bitumen, two lane road that runs through rain forest and gently hilled areas making for great photo opportunities. There is birdlife in abundance. The Hub Without…

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