From the Editor

My head is spinning with ideas. Take away the possibility of overseas travel and you’d think the options would suddenly feel limited. But in creating a magazine focusing on Australia (and a smidge of New Zealand), I’ve been overwhelmed with choices.

There are so many places to visit right here in Australia. You’ll discover the evidence in this issue, which features 52 getaways. A year of holidays? Well, we can dream...

During the past couple of months, I’ve found myself dreaming about past holidays. Yes, I’m remembering the luxurious stays (I would love to be checking into a villa at Qualia on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays right now!) but the escapes I’m feeling most nostalgic for are the ones of my childhood. Endless days at the beach, a lunch of peeled prawns and bread and afternoons spent reading in a quiet corner.

And the thrill of not knowing what the day would bring. We’re now so used to having everything planned that it’s easy to forget the sweet joy of random discovery. And isn’t that what travel is all about?

One of my best holidays as a child was spending a couple of weeks with my grandparents in their campervan. We drove from Hervey Bay, 300 kilometres north of Brisbane, all the way to the Snowy Mountains in southern NSW. Along the road, we stopped overnight in small towns. Dinner was a barbecue. My sister and I slept on the floor of the van.

It was heaven. And while seeing snow for the first time was undoubtedly exciting – as was careening down the slopes of Perisher on a toboggan – it’s the togetherness I remember most. The songs we made up as we drove long distances, the laughter that permeated every conversation. (Fights with my sister? I have blocked them out entirely.)

And time. Precious time with people I love.

We will never forget the COVID-19 crisis but I hope we don’t forget the wonderful times that come after it, either.