Magical, Mystical Carnarvon Gorge Deserves to be Explored

Art Gallery at Carnarvon Gorge by Felicity Loughrey

The Carnarvon Gorge National Park is nine-and-a-half hour’s drive northwest of Brisbane and it’s totally worth it. GETTING THERE We drove and drove. The roads are paved the whole way. Towards the national park there are cows as big as cars strolling across the bitumen. On the trip, I spied emus and kangaroos. For the […]

Escape to the Redlands: Wellington Point to King Island

Walk to King Island landscape version

At certain times of day, visitors can walk on a kilometre-long sandbar from Queensland’s Wellington Point to King Island. It’s a really cool experience to walk across the bay on a sandbar to a deserted island of mangroves.

Australian Outback Charmer: Charleville, Queensland

Warrego River in Charleville

On a road trip from Brisbane to Longreach, we stopped by a handful of outback western Queensland towns. There were many delightful spots along the way. However, of all the outback destinations, Charleville charmed me the most. 

Outback Dip at Mitchell’s Great Artesian Spa

The Great Artesian Spa in Mitchell, Queensland

“It’s like Reykjavik’s Blue Lagoon but the Australian country town version.” That was me explaining the Great Artesian Spa in Mitchell, Queensland to my youngest son on our way there. And it turned out to be a delightful, refreshing, family-friendly pit-stop on an outback road trip.

Jimbour is the Middle of Nowhere Surprise

Exterior of Jimbour, photo by Felicity Loughrey

Jimbour is one of Queensland’s great pastoral estates. At the peak of construction there were 200 workers on site. And since this story was written Jimbour now offers tours of its grand interior. Tours can be booked online

Snorkelling Day Trip to Tangalooma Resort, Moreton Island

Tangalooma Resort, Moreton Island

A snorkelling day trip to Tangalooma resort on Moreton Island is (in my opinion) hands down the best one-off adventure from Brisbane. The day trip runs on a tight schedule, the feeling is total escape and the snorkelling is next level.

Picnics at Cottesloe Beach

Just a short distance from Perth is one of Australia’s most luxurious picnic suppliers – and a stunning white-sand beach, and stretches of soft green grass – for your blanket and hamper. Cottesloe Beach picnics are a wonderful escape, thanks to The Boatshed store, nearby.

Wild Swimming for Depression

woman swimming under water

Mark Harper, a doctor at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, in Britain, believes regular cold-water swimming reduces inflammation, which is associated with ailments from pain to depression. He is a cold-water sea swimmer himself. He believes you may not react as much to stress in daily life, if you swim outdoors regularly.

Kayak in Western Australia

Kayak - taylor-simpson-ROXggehIu7M-unsplash

You can hire a kayak if you want to try something different on your next holiday or weekend away, but do not want to commit to owning a kayak.