Travel
From Melbourne's best-kept secrets to last-minute road trips to major international jaunts, we've got your travel needs covered
This wild Tasmanian island needs to be on your radar
Tasmania’s really having a moment right now. What with the plethora of cool locations, award-winning eateries and hot-to-trot festivals, it seems like everyone is singing the praises of our neighbouring isle. And while Hobart and Launceston are great, there’s something to be said about exploring outside the big cities. Specifically, the tiny islands that surround Tasmania, including Flinders Island. Photograph: Rob Mulally/Tourism Tasmania Flinders Island is that little speck on Tassie’s north-eastern coastline, on the opposite side of the Bass Strait to King Island. Flinders might not be as popular as King (known for its cheese and its golfing), but it’s bigger, wilder and more rugged. Think untouched national parks, private beaches, crazy good seafood and plenty of local characters eager to show you their beautiful backyard. Recently, Flinders Island got a big plus – a curated dining destination in the Flinders Wharf. It’s a licensed café and restaurant showcasing the best and freshest produce from the island. In the coming weeks, guest chefs like Agrarian Kitchen’s Ali Currey-Voumard (May 31–Jun 2) and Garagistes' Luke Burgess (Jul 5–7) are taking over the kitchen to deliver menus that are directly inspired by the local landscape. Photograph: Natasha Mulhall But it’s not just good food and fine wine that’s going on at the Flinders Wharf. There’s also a bunch of local businesses running inside these walls, including the zero-waste new Furneaux Distillery, Fli
The ultimate guide to the Bellarine Peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula has stood in the shadow of its eastern cousin for too long. Travelers are starting to realise that the rugged coastal region has just as much to offer as the Mornington, and and it's considerably less expensive. Whether you're looking for wineries, beaches, luxury accommodation or great food, the Bellarine is ready to assist.
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Wunderage
Every circus is set up basically the same, right? You take one big top (preferably red and white striped), add a stage for the performers, some seats for the audience and maybe some barriers to separate the two. Circus Oz isn’t one for doing things like everyone else though. Circus Oz is shaking up the rules of circus with Wunderage: an immersive new show with no seats and no barriers between you and the performers. In Wunderage the audience isn’t just watching the show passively from the sidelines – instead they see it unfold all around them. Through mind-boggling physical feats, humour and an inspiring live score, Wunderage treads a tightrope (literally and figuratively) between who we are and who we might become. Step into the performance space and discover a room filled with giant blue boulders and tightropes up to four metres high. The performers move freely throughout the space – it’s hard to predict where they’ll appear next as they effortlessly ride bicycles on highwires, do handstands on teetering towers and flip, twist and somersault off precarious platforms. Try to keep calm as the acrobats twirl majestically in aerial slings and clamber up and down Chinese poles. The show is a collaboration with Brisbane performance art group Company2, who have infused it with the group’s sense of poetic theatricality, humour and fondness for pushing boundaries. Wunderage is a playful, heart-warming show that explores the desire for people to be something they are not. Wun
Cosy igloos are popping up at this Melbourne pub for winter
Melbourne takes to winter like a duck to (icy) water. Over at the Auburn Hotel the team is fully embracing the city’s seasonal chill, but don’t expect the same old winter pub hallmarks. The Auburn Hotel is celebrating winter this year by setting up igloos in their beer garden. Yes, those super popular igloos are back again for 2019. From May 1, guests at Auburn Hotel will notice new additions to the beer garden: igloos. Don’t stress that you’ll catch a cold in these igloos though – they’re the non-icy kind and come complete with comfy chairs, cushions, faux-fur throws and candles for an extremely snug igloo experience. They’re also completely see through so you can enjoy those crystal clear winter night skies without the accompanying shiver-factor. Bit of a social butterfly? There are two igloo packages: the regular igloo (which can fit groups of eight or less for $49 per person) or the large communal igloo (which fits 12 to 28 people or can be booked exclusively for big groups). When you book a regular igloo package you get a drink on arrival (your choice of American Honey Bourbon Hot Toddy, Espresso Martini, wine or a pint of Hawthorn), a chef's selection tasting board and a chocolate and honey fondue pot to share. Photograph: Supplied If you're opting for the large igloo package, you'll get a three-course feast with canapés on arrival. There's salt and pepper calamari, cured meats, soft and hard cheeses, sticky chicken wings and mains like 18-hour braised lamb s
12 amazing holidays that will earn you Qantas Points to use towards your next one
It’s right about now, towards the middle of working year, that you’re probably craving a getaway. But before you rush to book accommodation on your usual go-to booking platform, stop to consider this: you could be earning Qantas Points for every dollar you spend^ on hotels. And you can use those points to book your next getaway. Qantas Hotels has more than 200,000 hotels to book internationally. They also have a Price Match Guarantee* so you never need to worry about paying more for your stay. So whether you’re taking the family on that dream trip, seeking a romantic retreat for you and your squeeze, celebrating with a group of your besties or living the high life at a hotel that everyone has heard of, book it through Qantas Hotels – and your Qantas Points balance will have the same healthy post-vacation glow as you do.
Win the ultimate trip to Dark Mofo with Spirit of Tasmania
Every year, Hobart comes alive with Dark Mofo, the weird and wonderful festival by the city's Museum of Old and New Art (Mona). Whether you consider yourself a first-timer or veteran of the winter celebration, this is one trip you won't want to sleep on. Spirit of Tasmania, the official travel partner of Dark Mofo, is giving away the ultimate weekend getaway in Hobart and one lucky winner will get to bring three mates along with them. Dark Mofo has become the modern equivalent to winter solstice rituals, with its annual programming of gigs, feasts, exhibitions and free installations accompanied by popular events like the fiery eight-night Winter Feast, late-night parties and of course the Nude Solstice Swim. What better way to start the experience than by travelling to Tassie via the Spirit of Tasmania? All you have to do for a chance to win is to tell us why you'd like to party at Dark Mofo and why Spirit of Tasmania is the best way to get there. The winner will receive a return trip on Spirit of Tasmania for four adults, departing Melbourne on Friday June 14 and returning from Devonport on Monday June 17. You'll get to share a four-bed porthole cabin, a car spot on the ship, and eight dinner vouchers for the Tasmanian Market Kitchen onboard the ship. Don't worry about finding somewhere to stay in Hobart, because you'll also receive two nights' accommodation in Hobart for June 15-16. Been kicking yourself over missing those sold-out events at Dark Mofo? If you win this