It's Beautiful Bruny Day

This deal includes two nights' accommodation in a luxury waterfront pod at North Bruny including breakfast supplies, the use of all facilities including barbecues, a fire pit, two-person kayaks and fishing gear as well as two-day car hire supplied by Drive Car Hire with pick up and drop off from either downtown Hobart or the airport. From $1,160 per couple.

Get Me Outta Here

This deal includes a three-night break with breakfasts, all inclusions as above and three days of car hire. From $1515 per couple. 

Stay Calm and Be Spoilt on Bruny
Three nights in 4.5 star accommodation, including breakfast provisions, arrival in style with Above and Beyond Seaplanes from Hobart to Quarantine Bay – a 200-metre stroll to your waterfront pod, three days of car hire with your car pre-delivered, and a three-hour Pennicott Wilderness Journey including lunches. This cruise (above) explores the spectacular rugged coastline of Bruny, taking in Australia’s highest sea cliffs and join the search for seals, dolphins, migrating whales and sea birds. From $2,893 per couple.

For details of all three packages visit https://freespiritpods.com/bruny-island-tour-from-hobart/

The couple’s move is likely to shine a spotlight on the county of Norfolk – which has long remained one of Britain’s undiscovered treasures.

Ever gaped at the jaw-dropping scenery featured on Stephen Fry’s ABC-TV series Kingdom or at Gwyneth Paltrow walking along Holkham Beach at the end of Shakespeare in Love?

Both, along with Eyes Wide Shut, Tomb Raider, The Duchess and even Dad’s Army are among the many TV shows and movies filmed in the county.

It is here British royals have had their holiday home, Sandringham, for four generations; where Hollywood star Johnny Depp owns a 13-bedroom rural retreat and where the coastline has been described by Fry as the “most beautiful part of Britain bar none”.

Kingdom was filmed in and around the market town of Swaffham and seaside town Wells-next-the-Sea but England’s most easterly county of Norfolk is full of similarly delightful villages – and the ancient regional capital city of Norwich (below) is less than two hours from London by train.

Despite its many charms, Norfolk has traditionally struggled to match the pulling power of better-known and more-publicised regions like the Lake District and the Cotswolds.

Norwich claims more medieval churches than any other city in Europe, and is surrounded by a network of rivers and lakes known as the Norfolk Broads, while rural Norfolk is a seductive slice of England as she used to be; dotted with small villages and rustic ale houses.

Back in the 11^th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London – and one of the most important places in the United Kingdom.

Today it is a sleepy market town best known for its Premier League football team, Norwich City, and its celebrity supporters, among them part-owner and TV chef Delia Smith and writer and TV personality Fry.

The city also has a bizarre link to Australia, a local factory having provided many thousands of kilometres of metal netting for the rabbit-proof fencing scheme.

Norfolk is a country area to which city folk migrate for the summer. It has some of the best beaches in Europe, country walks and much to fascinate history buffs; including over 1000 years of royal history stretching from William the Conqueror, who established Norwich Castle as a royal palace soon after his triumphs in 1066, to the current monarch.

Sandringham, in the west of Norfolk, was purchased by Queen Victoria in 1862 and has been a home away from home for monarchs Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II. The ground floor of the house, museum, gardens and country park are all open to the public.

The museum in the old stables and coach houses contains a car museum with exhibits including a 1900 Daimler Phaeton, reputedly the first automobile owned by the royals.

Norfolk is easy to get to on Britain’s network of motorways; around two hours’ drive from London if the traffic is kind, but once you arrive you’ll find nearly all the roads are single-lane, many little more than country tracks.

Norfolk remains quiet and unspoiled – because when Britain planned its motorway network in the 1950s and 60s the major arterials were nearly all designed north-south and not a single one traverses the county.

That has, in many ways, stunted progress. Norwich remains the county’s only city and seaside resorts such as Great Yarmouth (with its old-style seaside funfair) and Cromer (below) look very much like 1950-60s film sets and are places where simple pleasures like donkey rides are still popular.

Norwich is a smallish but charming medieval city. With its castle, cathedral and winding shopping streets it has, predictably, been named as “the city that time forgot.”

Norwich simply strolled into the 21^st century at its own pace – and is all the more appealing for that; ending up a fascinating blend of old and new. It is best explored in the first instance by open-topped bus so you can get your bearings, then on foot.

Don’t miss the pedestrian shopping streets and laneways, many of them cobbled, which date back several centuries. Many of the half-timbered Tudor houses in Elm Hill have stood for over 500 years.

The city is traversed by the meandering River Wensum, a somnambulant little waterway that also runs past Carrow Road football ground, where the local “Canaries” now host giants of the game like Manchester United and Liverpool.

Norwich Cathedral is almost 1,000 years old and is surrounded by a 20-hectare "Cathedral Quarter" (the largest in England), while the castle now houses an art gallery and museum of local history that focuses on local icon Queen Boudicea, who led a rebellion against the Romans.

For those with shopping in mind, Norwich Market with its 200+ stalls is the largest daily open-air market in the country, while Jarrold’s is a traditional department store and the Royal Arcade noteworthy for its Art Nouveau design. The city also buzzes during the annual beer festival each October, one of an array of festivals throughout the year.

Many visitors to Norfolk come to spend a few days cruising the Broads, which were formed when medieval peat diggings created shallow lakes that were joined by cuts and dykes to the rivers Yare, Bure, Wensum and Waveney.

Pick up a small boat at Wroxham or Hoveton and cruise past the many windmills, tea rooms, riverside pubs and quaint villages. This is a farming county, where hunting is also popular and the local seafood excellent (including the famous oysters and mussels from Brancaster, below, and crabs from Cromer). Norfolk is also known for its many historic houses, including Holkham Hall, Blickling Hall (where Anne Boleyn, one of Henry’s VIII’s eight wives was born), Sandringham House and Felbrigg Hall.

Three Norfolk pubs were nominated in the 2013 Great British Pubs awards: the Murderers, in Timberhill, Norwich, for best sports pub; the Brickmakers in Norwich, for best entertainment; and the Jolly Sailors at Brancaster Staithe, for best family pub.

The county is also something of an under-rated gourmet destination with top restaurants including St John’s, The Assembly House, Roger Hickman’s, The Library, The Last Wine Bar and The Maid’s Head Hotel (which dates back to the 13^th century and offers 40 wines by the glass) in Norwich and rural destinations such as Titchwell Manor, the Hoste Arms and the Parson Woodforde. And if you’ve worked up a thirst, there are dozens of micro-breweries and cider producers.

A final word of warning: away from Norwich, the locals speak in a broad country accent that can be difficult to decipher. Yes, those accents on Kingdom and other TV shows are real. It is a source of some pride that some Norfolk folk have never been to the big smoke. And by that they mean Norwich, not London.

As the receptionist at the Virginia Court Hotel in Cromer said to me: “We know we are living a little in the past, but we are happy there.” Amen to that.     

Qantas operates direct daily services from Sydney to London. To book visit www.qantas.com or call 13 13 13. Fares vary seasonally. Trains from London's Liverpool Street Station leave every 30 minutes and take just under two hours. A car is recommended for exploring the county.

Staying there:

The Holiday Inn Norwich City is heaven for sports fans and is just a short walk from the city centre. Several of the rooms directly overlook the football pitch. The pitch view rooms not only offer views of the Premier League action, they also come with high-speed internet access and flat-screen TVs. There is a good on-site restaurant and bar (the breakfasts are very good).  www.holidayinn-norwichcity.co.uk

Titchwell Manor Hotel, dating back to 1896, is a delightful coastal boutique hotel outside the hamlet of Brancaster in North Norfolk. There are just 27 rooms and a superb on-site restaurant that has become a gourmet destination thanks to chef Eric Snaith’s modern English menus, which specialise in local shellfish. The Titchwell bird reserve and Royal West Norfolk Golf Course are both close by. www.titchwellmanor.com.

Virginia Court Hotel in Cromer is a traditional British seaside hotel refurbished and comfortable in a lovely old resort with its own traditional seaside pier. An ideal base from which to explore the North Norfolk Coast and seaside towns including Holt and Sheringham. www.virginiacourt.co.uk.  

Wroxham Barns, a short drive north of Norwich, is a leisure complex that’s home to a very good restaurant, a brewery and cider shop as well as craft studios and artists workshops. www.wroxhambarns.co.uk.

See www.visitnorfolk.co.uk and www.visitnorwich.co.uk.    

continued

Settled by the Romans in 43 BC, Lyon is bisected by the Rhone and Saône Rivers which converge to the south of the historic city centre forming a peninsula known as the Presqu'île.

The original medieval city (Vieux Lyon) was built on the west bank of the Saône at the foot of the Fourvière hill. Today this region is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the old town you’ll still find some surviving silk workshops, an industry for which the city was once renowned.

But for many visitors, culture comes a distant second behind gastronomy as a reason for visiting. The legendary chef Paul Bocuse, who has several restaurants in town and was named chef of the 20^th century, is just one of the many famous Lyonnais pan handlers. But it is not all haute cuisine. Lyon is dotted with small, friendly restaurants serving traditional local dishes and wines, which are known as bouchons.

The food in these lively establishments is usually red-meat dominated; think charcuterie dishes like rosette Lyonnais and saucisson de Lyon or hearty fare like andouilletes (tripe sausages often smothered in mustard), the traditional chicken casserole known as coq au vin, tripe cooked with onions or the small pike mousses known as quenelles.

Cervelle de canut is a cheese spread much beloved by the locals with curd mixed with chopped herbs, shallots, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar.

On my most recent visit to one of my favourite French cities, we dined at Cafe des Federations, a lively, jovial little spot where you drink local wine from small carafe bottles known as “pots” and a massive platter of charcuterie is slapped down in front of you on arrival.

This is the real deal: checked tablecloths, closely-packed tables and sausages hanging from the ceiling. You eat what you are told here, although you do get a choice of hearty mains; dishes like black pudding with apple, calf head with ravigote sauce, cake of chicken livers (and delicious it was, too) and stew of pork cheeks. The owner here is a friend of Sydney chef Guillaume Brahimi, so it might pay to name drop a little. Set menus here start from just 19 euros.

Other similarly-styled bouchons include La Meunière; Daniel et Denise, Chez Hugon and Le Poêlon d'Or, as well as the character-filled Restaurant Le Musèe. 

More sophisticated (and expensive) dining choices include the venerable Le Mère Brazier, where Bocuse did his apprenticeship, Auberge de I’lle, La Rotonde Leon de Lyon and Le Maison Clovis. In all, the Lyon region has 14 Michelin-starred establishments

The Auberge du Pont de Collonges, super chef Bocuse’s main restaurant is out of town on the banks of the Saone. The only time I have eaten here I was disappointed – but I was dining as part of a large group. Far more affordable, and enjoyable, are his small brasseries dotted around town: Le Sud, Bistro de l’Est, Le Nord, L’Ouest etc.  

Plenty to see

Among the “must see” Lyon sights are: The Roman ruins on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica, St John Cathedral with elements from the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th centuries; Old Lyon, the Medieval and Renaissance quarter, with its quant cobbled streets, shops, and dining and the majestic Place Bellecour, one of the largest town squares in Europe and a great spot for people watching.

The 19^th-centruy Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the neighbouring metallic tower, a mini Eiffel Tower, overlook the city from the hillside while the Fine Arts Museum is one of the largest in France. Also don’t miss the former Roman amphitheatre.

At the foot of the Croix-Rousse hill in the old quarter, take a stroll through the many “traboules”, passageways that traverse the old silk workers’ quarter. For those who love shopping, major stores including Printemps and FNAC can be found in the Bellecour district with the Carre d’Or, or golden square, home to no fewer than 70 luxury brands. The 19^th-century Passage de l‘Argue is a step back in time with old fashioned millinery stores and cutlers.

Lyon is a terrific walking city but the integrated public transport system comprising metro, tramways and buses is extremely easy to navigate. You’ll need to catch a tram or bus to visit the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the city’s best covered market.

This is paradise for anyone who loves gourmet goodies. Among the stalls not to miss are Mère Richard, a decadent cheese shop, Sibilia, a stunning charcuterie, and the chocolates and sweets at Sève.

If you are into food it is a delight to spend a few hours here tasting the many local specialities from the 56 merchants, many of whom also have small restaurants or cafés attached to their stalls. An alternative is the Saint-Antoine Market, a food market along the banks of the River Saône from Tuesday-Sunday. There is also another, smaller, market in the Croix-Rousse quarter, also from Tuesday-Sunday.  

If you want to get out of town, the Kanpai group offers a range of half- and full-day wine tours to Beaujolais and the northern Rhone. See www.kanpai-tourisme.com. And if you don’t have time to do some tasting you can pick up some well-chosen bottles at the Cave Valmy, probably the best wine store in town.

THE FACTS

Getting there: Etihad Airways flies 24 times weekly from Australia (Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne)  to Abu Dhabi, with seamless connections to Paris and other European capitals. www.etihad.com.

Getting around: You don’t need to drive on the wrong side of the road. France has 31,000km of railroad tracks that cover virtually the entire country. Choices include the ultra-fast TVG trains, as well as scenic and regional services. Regular France Rail passes start at $263 for three-day pass and $340 for a five-day pass – and premium passes are also available. Visit Rail Europe www.raileurope.com.au or contact your local travel agent. Rail Europe can organise train passes and tickets in France, Italy, the UK, Switzerland, Spain, and across the continent.

Lyon has two major railway stations: Lyon Part-Dieu, which was built to accommodate the TGV services and has become the principal railway station for long-distance trains; and Lyon Perrache, which is an older station that primarily serves regional rail services.

Where to stay: Hotel Le Royal Lyon, 20 Place Bellecour 69002 Lyon. www.lyonhotel-leroyal.com has just 74 rooms, is luxurious and superbly situated on the city’s major square, just a short walk from both the Saône and the Rhone. Other good options include the mid-price Globe & Cecil Hotel and Hotel des Artistes, which is well situated near bars and restaurants but in a calm setting.

For more information: www.lyon-france.com.

1. It is never too early to book your flights  and accommodation. July and August are peak holiday times in Europe and  flights are invariably full at that time of the year. Book and confirm your  flights as soon as possible to make sure you are not disappointed – and try to  select your preferred seats in advance if that service is offered by your  airline. Consider flying from Australia to other destinations in Europe and then using rail or budget airlines to get to London if that is cheaper. When it comes to accommodation, do as much research as possible before making a payment. Check out the www.tripadvisor.com website for reviews and try to get friends to take a look at your choice. There can be many untruths on websites  and it is all too easy to turn up to a luxury hotel and find there is a  building site next door, or the promised room refurbishments are still  underway. Many London hotels plan price hikes and to introduce a minimum  numbers of nights for stays during the Games. Book before these are  introduced.   

2. Turn off data roaming on your mobile phone  and do not turn it back on again until you are safely back on Australian soil.  Data roaming charges can come to thousands of dollars on just a short overseas trip if you send a  few emails and check a few times for local news. Look at the  possibility of getting a British or global roaming SIM card and leave a message bank notification for anyone calling you that they should ring your new  number. Even a handful of calls and a  few SMSs made in the UK can add hundreds to your bill. Companies like TravelSIM (www.travelsim.net.au) or GoSIM.com issue you with a new SIM card that simply  replaces your regular Telstra, Optus or Vodafone SIM. If your service is  locked, however, you will need to contact your service provider to get it  unlocked so it will accept another SIM. Do this well in advance, however. I am  still waiting for Telstra to get back to me about unlocking my iPhone – and  I’ve been back from London for several weeks.

3. If you are arriving at Heathrow Airport, as most Australians do, splurge on the Heathrow Express train. If you are tired and jet-lagged you are an easy target, so it pays to avoid traffic jams, taxis queues or a long trek into town with commuters on the tube. The express  train travels between Heathrow and central London's Paddington Station in just  15 minutes. Trains leave every quarter of an hour and you can even buy a ticket on board. www.heathrowexpress.com.

4. Look at commuting from regional areas to  London to save on hotel costs. There are many  attractive regional cities with direct rail access to central London within a one  or two-hour commute. Places like Peterborough and Norwich are within casual   commuting distance. Attractive towns within an hour of London on the train include St Albans, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Oxford. Find a hotel or rental accommodation that’s close to a station and you will spend as little time travelling as someone crossing from one side of London to the other. Rail fares in Britain are best booked as far in advance as possible, and rise dramatically for travel on the same day as you book – but most can be booked online. Many of the trains  have free, or affordable, pay as you go wi-fi so you can send some emails or catch up on what has been happening back home on the internet.

5. Be prepared for transport delays and plan ahead. While the London Transport system has been much improved and offers seamless links between bus, underground and overground, there can be works  going on, particularly at weekends, with lines sometimes completely closed. There are usually alternative routes available, but it can take time – which could mean you miss that 100 metres final you paid so much to watch. On a recent  trip to London, overhead wiring issues at Wembley meant my train was over two hours late getting to Birmingham – and even later getting back. Virgin Trains  offered no refund, either, so allow plenty of time if you absolutely,  positively have to be anywhere at a specific time - and suss out an alternative route in advance.   

6. Don’t be afraid of fast food. There are  several fast food outlets in Britain that offer affordable and palatable meals  without breaking the bank. The sandwich chain Pret a Manger has outlets all  over London and while its sandwiches are wrapped in plastic they are made on site at each restaurant every day and choices like Tandoori chicken and  cucumber with yogurt sauce are actually quite tasty. Fish and chips, although  it can be hard to find the traditional cod, is also often a good choice, while  kebab restaurants are another good option – with London having a large Turkish  population.   

7. Do your research as it can be hard to find internet cafes. They are often hidden up dodgy-looking stairways or in gloomy basements, but when you discover one they usually offer an hour of internet access for between £1 and £2. Often, however, the printer will not work, or the guy manning the facility will have minimal English. Britain is using a lot of imported labour from places like Poland and Estonia – and this will only increase during the Olympics. The good news is that you can find a lot of free wi-fi, sometimes offered by local councils. Fast-food outlets like Starbucks and McDonalds offer free wi-fi, so you can check your emails for the price of a cup of coffee, or use software like Skype to phone home. Also check out tourism offices and local libraries. Many will offer free internet access (usually limited to an hour) to visitors.

8, Look out for lunchtime specials – and don’t be afraid to try hotel restaurants.  Many British restaurants offer lunchtime deals, or set menus at far below the cost of dinner, so it can pay to have your main meal in the middle of the day. Good pubs often serve very good food to their lunchtime clientele, while good hotels often offer bargain dining. In central London, one of the hottest places to eat in London right now is the new The Balcon restaurant in the Sofitel London St James Hotel (www.thebalconlondon.com). Chef Vincent Menager combines British and French traditions with dishes like shepherd’s pie with foie gras (which is gloriously rich). The charcuterie bar here is an ideal spot for a snack and a glass of wine in comfortable surroundings.

9. Unless you have several suitcases or are in a screaming rush avoid traditional London black cabs. While they are clean and fast and the drivers are wizards at avoiding traffic black spots or hold ups, nothing can burn a hole in your budget like a couple of trips in a cab – particularly at night. A trip from central London to a suburb like Southfields can cost £35 or more – and the underground doesn’t run all night. Buy a pre-paid Oyster card which works on all buses, underground and overground trains and saves you money on standard fares. Oyster cards be recharged at most stations and can also be used on the very useful all-night bus services. And despite what you might have heard, public transport in London is quicker and more efficient  than you might imagine – just don’t expect a smile in the morning from your fellow travellers.

10. Get online and download maps, apps and more to your phone or laptop before you leave Australia. And check out online bargains in the lead-up to the games. Not all London hotels are expensive – it just pays to pick the right one.  Who would have thought, for instance, that you could stay in a centrally located new-build hotel for just £45 per night? Or that one of London’s most gracious hotels would be offering accommodation for just £159 a night, with a lot of extras thrown in? The two hotels in question are The Tune Hotel Westminster (www.tunehotels.com/our-hotels/westminster-london), just a short walk from Waterloo Station, and the venerable The Athenaeum (www.athenaeumhotel.com.) on Piccadilly overlooking Green Park. Both offer exceptional value at different ends of the scale, but I also paid almost £130 for a hotel room at Paddington that I would not wish upon my dog.

# Qantas operates direct daily services from Sydney to London. To book, visit www.qantas.com or call 13 13 13. 

Six great city breaks

The Olsen Hotel - Melbourne
Opened in 2010, The Olsen is a lovely city oasis on Chapel Street, right in the centre of the shopping and cafe action in South Yarra but wonderfully removed from the hustle and bustle. One of Melbourne’s three Art Series hotels - along with the Cullen and the Blackman - it showcases many original works by leading Australian artist John Olsen, both in the rooms and public areas. A massive canvas representing the Yarra River and its flora and fauna dominates the lobby area. This is a boutique-style hotel despite its 229 rooms and suites – and has two on-site restaurants; the casual Blue Bottle and upmarket Steer Bar and Grill, as well as a day spa. There is a gym and spectacular glass-bottom pool for those wanting exercise, while all accommodation has large flat-screen TVs, wireless internet access and kitchenettes. The beds are awesomely comfortable. Several of South Yarra’s best restaurants are but a short stroll away. The level of service at The Olsen is outstanding – the staff could not have been more helpful. Art lovers may want to book a tour with Art Series curator Jane O’Neill, who runs a selection of tours under the Art Aficionado Tours brand.
The Olsen Hotel, 637-641 Chapel Street, South Yarra. (03) 9040 1222. www.artserieshotels.com.au/Olsen

Pullman Reef Casino - Cairns
Want to get away from it all but keep active? Cairns’ revamped Pullman Reef Hotel Casino offers plenty of options. Situated in the heart of Cairns, overlooking Trinity Inlet, it has a range of dining and entertainment choices just a short stroll from the wharf where visitors catch dive boats to the Great Barrier Reef. Each of the 128 rooms features its own private garden balcony and spa bath, and there is a rooftop swimming pool and full gym. Charming rooms have a tropical ambience with plantation shutters, light timbers and plenty of space. The adjacent casino complex houses the Vertigo Bar, a popular spot for cocktails, and the Velvet Underground nightclub along with a range of gaming tables. The hotel’s signature restaurant, the stylish Tamarind, features an Asian/Western fusion menu and is regarded as a local “must do”. It is open nightly. Check out dishes like Vietnamese rice paper rolls, a salad of prawn and blue swimmer crab, or Penang duck curry. There’s a good wine list and the service, too, is spot on. Other on-site options include Flinders Bar & Grill and Cafe China while there is free computer access in the lobby.
Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, 35-41 Wharf Street, Cairns. (07) 4030 8888. www.reefcasino.com.au.

Grand Mercure Mount Lofty House – Adelaide Hills
Grand Mercure Mount Lofty House is one of the best places to stay in the Adelaide Hills – and it’s just a 15-minute drive from the city centre. A landmark building with spectacular views of the Piccadilly Valley and its vineyards, the elegant country house-style boutique hotel is set in five acres of English-style gardens and has just 29 rooms. There’s a lovely pool area – the ideal spot to relax after a hard day of tasting - along with a floodlit tennis court. Several of the very comfortable rooms have spa baths and verandas and the on-site Piccadilly restaurant has a good reputation with new chef Girard Ramsey building an impressive reputation. While the gorgeous old hotel has all modern luxuries like complimentary in-room wireless broadband, sleek LCD TVs and an Italianate swimming pool – it’s the authenticity of the 1850s country manor that resonates with those lucky enough to stay there. Rooms are double the size of modern day hotel rooms and are furnished with comfy throw cushions, plush duvets, and opulent Victorian-era style furnishings.
Grand Mercure Mount Lofty House, 74 Mt Lofty Summit Road, Crafers. (08) 8339 6777. www.mtloftyhouse.com.au.

Shangri-La Hotel - Sydney
Sometimes it can be quite a treat staying in th heart of a vibrant for a weekend of indulgence – and you certainly can’t beat the quite extraordinary views from some of the newly refurbished rooms at the five-star Shangri-La Hotel in The Rocks. There’s a bird’s eye look at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and unobstructed views of the Opera House and the ferries moving in and out of Circular Quay. It is a quintessentially Sydney scene – one of the most famous views in the world. Within walking distance of most city attractions, the hotel boasts some of the city’s largest rooms – and all have water views. Altitude restaurant, 36 floors above the city, was awarded a hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and the Shangri-La also houses Australia’s first CHI spa. There are 563 rooms and suites in all, but service remains slick and friendly, making this a great base from which to enjoy a break just a few kilometres from home.
Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney (02) 9250 6000. www.shangri-la.com/en/property/sydney/shangrila

The Hotel Charles - Launceston
Businessman Josef Chromy is something of a legend in Tasmania; a penniless Czech migrant who made millions through smallgoods and started several of the state’s leading wineries, including the one that bears his name, which boasts a spectacular cellar door facility and on-site restaurant at Relbia, just down the road from Launceston Airport. His latest venture, opened last year, is the Hotel Charles in Launceston, on the fringe of the CBD and with many of its rooms offering views of the Tamar River. Part of a new complex on the site of what was an old hospital the building has an Art Deco exterior with modern, well-equipped rooms and apartments at sensible prices. On-site facilities include a restaurant, guest lounge, function/conference room (for up to 100 delegates), private dining room and boardroom - all with Wi-Fi/internet connections. Restaurant Esca specialises in using local produce when possible –think dishes like Cape Grim rib fillet, wilted Swiss chard, spinach and hand-cut chips.
Hotel Charles, 287 Charles Street, Launceston. 03)6337 4100. www.hotelcharles.com.au.

Red Centre

The number of visitors to the region is set to soar later this year with Penola, the only town in the region, having close links with Mary MacKillop, who is scheduled to become canonised as Australia’s first saint on October 17. The Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre in Penola is the region’s major drawcard, along with the many cellar doors.

Coonawarra, though, has plenty to offer throughout the year thanks to a series of annual food and wine festivals that include the Coonawarra Vignerons Race Day festival each January, After Dark, held each April, the Cellar Dwellers events in June and the Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations every October.

Some of the biggest names in wine are to be found here: Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Bowen Estate, Hollick, Yalumba The Menzies and Brand’s Laira. Add family-owned operations like Rymill, Redman, Zema Estate, S Kidman, Majella, Patrick and Koonara, add great red producers like Katnook Estate, Leconfield, Balnaves and Parker Coonawarra Estate, and any serious wine lover will be in his or her element.
A glass or two of the 2008 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon should be enough to convert any doubters.

Penola has a population of 1200 and Coonawarra is home to just a couple of hundred people – but this is no sleepy backwater. There are close to 30 cellar doors and several spots to eat and drink, including the new Terra Rossa Wine Club in Penola, which serves local wines and tapas and has built a strong following in just 12 months, and a couple of good local pubs.

On the main street is the Koonara cellar door, which also sells kitchen goods and homewares, as well as local produce. It doesn’t get any more country than this.
Even better, many of the cellar doors are manned by winemakers, such as Greg Clayfield at Zema Estate, or members of the family whose name is on the label.
At Fodder, a popular Coonawarra café that serves superb pizzas, you’ll be served by former Rymill winemaker John Innes, or his wife Melissa, both of whom are hugely enthusiastic about the region and its wines.

Looking for fine dining in a small rural town can often be a thankless task, but not in Penola, where Pipers of Penola is run by chef Simon Bowen, a member of one of the region’s most famous winemaking families, and his wife Erika. Both formerly worked at the Lake House in Daylesford and have created one of the best restaurants in regional Australia. Wild rabbit and mushroom pithiviers served with shallot purée are a triumph, as is roasted duck breast with shitake mushrooms and truffle dressing. www.pipersofpenola.com.au.

Just down the road is Upstairs At Hollick, which has long been regarded as one of Australia‘s best winery restaurants. Sample dishes featuring local produce, including daily specials, like crispy skinned local pork belly and artichoke purée, which are accompanied by wines from a list of local and imported bottles. Diners can enjoy vineyard views or look in on the winery through a glass wall. www.hollick.com/upstairs.

Must@Coonawarra, Merlot and Verdelho Townhouses, Punters Vineyard Retreat, Yalumba The Menzies Retreat, the Alexander Cameron Motel and Chardonnay Lodge all offer accommodation in and around the vines – and there are also several excellent self-catering cottages from which to choose for those who want to spend a few days enjoying the atmosphere of one of the country’s friendliest wine regions.

Lord Howe Island Delights

Arajilla Retreat resort and Capella Lodge are the two top-end resorts. Both are small, with around a dozen rooms each, and there are also guesthouses and self-catering cottages.
One of Arajilla’s major attractions is the Arajilla Ayurvedic Spa, which offers a range of facials and massages based on ancient Indian principles. An abhyanga massage “using hot ayurda oil to soothe, calm and nurture the body” left me feeling clear of mind and detoxified, if still a little stiff of leg, after a walk to one of the island’s many summits proved rather more strenuous than I had anticipated.
I would have been far wiser to opt for a quiet walk along some of the most beautiful and deserted beaches to be found anywhere in Australia, although many adventurous holidaymakers tackle the 875-metre Mount Gower, which is regarded as one of the world’s best day walks.
The pleasures here are very simple ones; as is the journey, a 90-minute direct Qantas Link flight from Sydney or Brisbane, or an even shorter skip across the pond from Port Macquarie.
From Arajilla, just 50 metres above the rock pools and golden sands of Old Settlement Beach, we took advantage of the complimentary free bicycles to pedal our way to Ned’s Beach where we threw stale bread into the water - much to the delight of several dozen kingfish, multi-coloured wrasse and slippery mullet, several of which were surprisingly large and extremely tame.
Ned’s Beach - which was named Australia’s cleanest in 2004 - is also a great spot for a pre-dinner drink.
There are only a handful of vehicles on Lord Howe and the speed limit of 25kph is enforced by the one policeman who also fulfils the roles of customs agent, immigration officer and harbour pilot. That said you may still have to get out of your car to shoo somnambulant mutton birds off the road – their favoured resting place because the tarmac is warm.
Arajilla Retreat, our base, is a leafy, comfortable, up-market resort that recently reopened after undergoing refurbishments. There are three styles of suites, offering one and two bedrooms, while tariffs include three meals a day and pre-dinner drinks. The food is nicely presented by competent and friendly staff.
Standout dishes during our stay included prawn and fish cakes with cucumber daikon salad and ginger dipping sauce; truffled mushroom risotto with rosemary and crumbly cheddar and kingfish in kaffir lime broth with snake beans and fresh coriander. Wines are selected by Nick Butler of Orange’s Union Bank Wine Store (think Tim Adams, Majella and Heartland). There’s also that essential for visitors from the inner west: a good coffee machine.
During the day, most guests choose to walk, cycle, play golf or bowls, or head off on boating excursions to fish for kingfish or garfish, snorkelling with turtles or exploring coral reefs in glass bottomed boats.
Light picnic lunches and barbecue packs are available from Arajilla for those wanting to explore the island at a leisurely pace. Snorkeling and light fishing gear are free to guests, although many prefer to simply sit under a Kentia or Banyan tree and enjoy the sub-tropical ambience.
Settled in 1838, Lord Howe has been a whaling port, palm plantation and, since the 1940s – when guests arrived on Catalina flying boats from Rose Bay – a holiday retreat for a lucky few who want to both wind back the clock and wind down.
THE FACTS QantasLink has regular air services to Lord Howe Island from Sydney, Brisbane and Port Macquarie. Phone 13 13 13 or visit www.qantas.com.au.
Arajilla Retreat offers a range of packages and three levels of accommodation from $520 per night per person all inclusive. Children under six are not accepted. Phone 1800 063 928, or see www.arajilla.com.au.
For further information phone 1800 240 937 or 13 20 77, or see www.lordhoweisland.info and www.visitnsw.com.au.