From the Editor

Lately, I’ve been inundated by people who want me to play travel agent for them. They don’t know where to go. They don’t know what to do.

Me? I don’t know where to go next. We’ve been creating a magazine that’s focused on Australia for the past 10 months and I’m constantly excited by all that our glorious, sunburnt country has to offer.

And I’ve been remembering the wonderful trips I’ve had here over the years. These are 10 of my favourite holiday experiences – and I love that I share some favourites with CEO Alan Joyce (see page 16). 1. Swimming with humpback whales at Ningaloo, Western Australia. So mind-blowing I’m going back with my family to swim with whale sharks. 2. Glamping on Wilson Island, Queensland. Watching turtles lumber in from the sea to lay their eggs is positively life-affirming.

3. Living it up at qualia on Hamilton Island, Queensland. Because... qualia. 4. The barefoot luxury of Orpheus Island, also in Queensland.

5. And the remote beauty of another Queensland isle, Lizard Island. 6. Lunching at Brae in Birregurra. Dan Hunter’s food is extraordinary. The fact he creates it in bucolic Victoria makes it even more so. 7. Salty summer weekends at Currarong. Dear friends have a holiday house at this hamlet on the NSW South Coast. It’s all about long, lazy days punctuated by dips at the beach (or the rockpool) and platters of oysters from Greenwell Point.

8. Sharing the sand with sea lions on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. KI has wildlife, great food and drink and a raw, untamed coastline. 9. Living in the moment at Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory. If you haven’t been to the spiritual heart of Australia, you’re missing out on one of the world’s greatest wonders.

10.Discovering Tasmania, my new home. I love Freycinet and Bay of Fires. But there’s a whole state to unwrap and I can’t wait to begin exploring. Where will you go next?

Kirsten Galliott Editor-in-Chief

kirstengalliott

Our writers are not armchair travellers. Even in a pandemic. Rest assured any assistance we accept from the travel industry in the course of preparing our stories does not compromise the integrity of our coverage.