CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA DAY
Our friends across The Tasman will no doubt be drinking to Australia Day on Wednesday, January 26. To celebrate, we’ve rounded up an exciting new experience for each state — for when we’ve given Covid the old heave-ho.
NEW SOUTH WALES Lilypad, Sydney’s floating villa
Imagine a luxury studio loft, plucked from an upmarket Manhattan suburb and plopped on Sydney waters, and voila, you have Lilypad — a full-service floating villa just off Palm Beach. Following an extensive upgrade, this twoperson sanctum has recently reopened, boasting a new solar-powered sauna, wine cellar and a private tender to explore the city’s northern beaches. lilypadpalmbeach.com.au/stay
QUEENSLAND Adults-only sailing tours in the Whitsundays
A cut above, the Lady Enid is a 1961 rare timber yacht with a penchant for barefoot luxury in the Whitsundays. Entertaining a maximum of 24 guests, she alternates her daily route between nooks on Whitehaven Beach and the remote sandy cay of Langford Island. Expertly avoiding the crowds, with a fully licensed bar and ample snorkelling, it’s the champagne and charcuterie that seals the deal. ladyenid.com.au
SOUTH AUSTRALIA The Cube, Murray River
This compact aquatic cabin tickles the banks of Murray River with nothing but boats and birdlife on the water. An hour’s drive from Adelaide, egg chairs on the deck call for languid afternoons with good books and fine wine. You’ll be left undisturbed, aside from a motley crew of ducks and swans hell-bent on assessing your barbecue skills. thecubemurrayriver.com.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA Burnside Organic Farm Stay, Margaret River
Combining a vineyard, winery, avocado orchard and market garden, divide your time between wine tasting, feeding the farm animals and firing up the barbecue. Stay overnight and pick your own veges and herbs for dinner — a luxury that will only enhance the back-to-nature experience. There are two self-contained bungalows on site; one sleeps two, the other up to five. burnsideorganicfarm.com.au
TASMANIA Eat the Wild tours, Hobart
Foodies well versed in Tasmania’s acclaimed cuisine scene won’t want to miss the island’s latest culinary experience, Eat the Wild tours. And a wild ride it is. Encompassing a 12-seater coach-cum-kitchen, the minibus is driven by Josh Phillips (also your personal chef and regional guide) and stops at various impromptu venues such as old barns and wine growers’ sheds for a rustic meal. eatthewild.com/tours
VICTORIA Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto, Melbourne
Melbourne is the first city outside France to host Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto, an exhibit debuting at the beginning of last month, dedicated to the famed fashion designer. Hosted at the National Gallery of Victoria until March, domestic visitors can bask in the presence of more than 100 Chanel outfits, jewellery, cosmetics and perfume, spanning nine sections of haute couture excellence. Those of us unable to reach Victorian shores can virtually admire the exhibit online — youtube.com/watch?v=OA8Rn4kiwqsngv.vic.gov.au