Australia

Australia – only half a day from the West Coast. Enjoy your inflight movies, meals and a couple of naps, and before you know it, you will be Down Under. Here the seasons are reversed, so when it’s winter in North America, it’s summer in Australia. Imagine Santa delivering his goodies on the beach!

Sydney Tourism Australia

In addition to being a superb honeymoon or vacation trip, a visit to Australia may be a wonderful investment opportunity. Both opals and Aboriginal art continue to appreciate. We can even arrange an opportunity for you to “noodle” (fossick) for opals. Or, a visit to an Aboriginal community where you may purchase art directly.

Australia is bright, both literally and figuratively. It’s a place where colours are true, skies are tall, and the sunlight shifts perspectives wherever it shines. This cultivates an infectious candour and optimism. Much of the land is still untamed. Since Australia has different climatic zones, it is a year-round destination. When is the best time to visit? The answer depends on where you wish to visit and what you’d like to do.

Where else can you:
• Dive the longest Barrier Reef in the world
• Stare a great white shark in the eye from the safety of your cage
• Explore the remote far north coastline on an expedition cruise
• Ride in a drover’s saddle on an Outback Station
• Take your camel for a walk by the Rock
• Sleep in an underground hotel

You can see a lot of Australia in two weeks. Explore the cities, experience the Outback, dive the Great Barrier Reef, laze on a tropical island, snorkel with a whale shark, learn to surf, trek through rainforests, study the wildlife, make friends with the locals, sample Australian cuisine…

Favourite Places

Sydney

Sydney, Australia is one of the world’s most vibrant cities. The natural beauty of the harbour, Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge, paired with 240 days of sunshine each year and the friendly Aussies make this city tops among sophisticated travellers. Sydney is the gateway to the majestic Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley wine country, and the beginning of the famous Pacific Coast Drive.

In Sydney:
• Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Sail the Sydney Harbour – one of the most beautiful
• Want to feel really special? We can charter a private yacht for you.
• Visit the Sydney Fish Market: sign up for cooking classes or dine al fresco
by the wharf
• Attend a performance at the Opera House
• Take a day tour to the beautiful Blue Mountains and see the Three Sisters
• Enjoy wine tastings in the Hunter Valley wineries on a day tour.
www.sydneyaustralia.com

Melbourne

Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne is known for its glorious architecture, hotels, and theatres, trams, designer shopping, and exquisite gardens and parks.

Meander through Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, containing 60,000 plant species in a landscape based on 18th century English tradition.

Melbourne holds world-class sporting events, such as The Melbourne Cup (horse racing), when on the second Tuesday in November, the entire country stops to watch.

In Melbourne:
• Watch the vendors hawk their wares at The Queen Victoria Market
from nearly 1,000 stalls
• Dine on the roving Colonial Tram – an elegantly restored 1927 tram
• Treat yourself to an evening out at the Victoria Arts Centre
• Follow the locals to South Yarra to shop for designer label stores
• Hop on a tram to St. Kilda, Melbourne’s beachfront. Enjoy the pubs, bars and nightlife on Fitzroy and Acland Streets, beachside dining at Donovans and The Stokehouse.
www.visitmelbourne.com

Adelaide

Adelaide with its relaxed cosmopolitan lifestyle is renowned for having the largest number of restaurants per-capita serving top quality cuisine and wine. With over 700 restaurants, your choice includes African, Argentinean, Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Malaysian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Russian, Spanish, Swiss, and, modern Australian. Adelaide is the gateway to the Outback: Flinders Ranges – a drive about 4 to 4 ½ hours from Adelaide. The famous Ghan Train now winds its way from Adelaide through the Red Centre to Darwin, stopping at Alice Springs enroute.

Kangaroo Island, one of the world’s most exciting wilderness experiences, is only a half hour flight from Adelaide.

In Adelaide:

Adelaide's Central Market South Australia Tourism Commission

Sign up for the early breakfast and tour at Adelaide’s fascinating Central Market. Opened in 1870, the market bursts with colour, tempting aromas, and boasts more than 80 traders. The Market is a multicultural melting pot offering Asian, European, Middle Eastern and organic specialty items, that may be impossible to find elsewhere. This is truly a foodie’s heaven.

• Visit the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Australia’s longest running Aboriginal-owned and managed multi-arts centre.
• Chat with a famous Australia winemaker hologram at The National Wine Centre, where you are taken on an interactive multi-media journey through the history of wine-making.
• Explore Hahndorf and the Barossa Valley
• Fly via a one-hour charter to the outback of Flinders Ranges and stay at the award-winning Prairie Hotel in Palarachina (population: seven).

Kangaroo Island Seals South Australia Tourism Commission

Visit Kangaroo Island, a must due to the exceptional touring, outstanding guides, nature at its finest: koalas, platypus, wallabies, echidna, little penguins, pelicans….quality of food, wine, and accommodation. At Seal Bay, watch as a mother seal, returning after three days at sea, locates her offspring. You don’t have to be an animal lover to appreciate, the spectacle of sea lions arguing amongst each other, waddling in for a swim, or body surfing on to the beach. Reached by air or sea from Adelaide, a visit to KI will be the highlight of your trip Down Under.
www.southoz.com

Tasmania
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, head to Tassie. Like to drive yourself? Tassie is the perfect fly/drive destination, especially delightful in the spring and fall.

Set aside at least a week to fully explore this temperate island. From the cozy comfort of your cabin at Cradle Mountain Lodge to the awesome beauty of Cradle Mountain and tranquil Dove Lake, to the romantic seaside town of Strahan, the hauntingly beautiful and wild Gordon River, to the white sand beaches and the famous curve of Wineglass Bay, Tassie will enchant you.

Enjoy walking? Tassie is an ideal choice for a walking holiday. Here’s why: hundreds of walking trails, fully guided walks for a few hours to several days, spectacular coastal or alpine scenery, excellent facilities in national parks, and trackwork that’s as good as it gets.

Enjoy golf? With more than 70 golf courses, Tassie is a wise choice for a golfing vacation. You’ll find a warm welcome for members of registered golf clubs. There are eleven major 18-hole courses, including the championship courses of Royal Hobart, Tasmania Golf Club, and Launceston Country Club. Green fees range from around
AUD 25 on country courses to AUD 70 at major courses.

In Tasmania:

Get up close and personal with a Tasmania Devil at Trowunna Wildlife Park.

Visit Salamanca Place – 1830’s sandstone warehouses now home to galleries, artists’ studios, shops, restaurants and cafes. On Saturdays shop the famous Salamanca Market.

• Take a guided tour of Port Arthur, the famous penal colony.
• Visit the Museum of Antiquities at the Moorilla Estate followed by wine
tasting and a scrumptious lunch
• Kayak the beautiful Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park
• Admire the murals in Sheffield
• Soak in the hot baths at Aquarius Roman Baths in Launceston.
• Hike Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain.
www.discovertasmania.com

Tops for Adventure Lovers

Australia and adventure go hand in hand. Bright sunny days, clean air, and a temperate climate combine to encourage participation in outdoor activities.

Australians are outdoorsy sporting people. Everywhere you turn, Aussies and visitors are snorkeling, scuba diving, bushwalking, bird watching, 4x4ing, rappelling, hang gliding, parasailing, hot air ballooning, fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, surfing, horse riding, camel riding, rollerblading, caving, spelunking, windsurfing, river rafting, canoeing, sailing, rowing, kayaking, camping, jogging, bungy jumping, motorcycling, biking…and you can join them. Adventure is as Australian as meat pie.

Horse Ride

Mount up. Ride through some of the most beautiful red rock formations you’ll ever see. Listen to the crunch of the red clay beneath your horse’s hooves. Gaze at the beautiful azure skies. Hear the wind. You are in another world, far from mundane cares.

Immerse yourself in the beauty that is Australia.

Canoe

Do you canoe? Want to? Rise at dawn, climb into your canoe, pick up your paddle and off you go. As the sun rises you will see the full spectrum of the sunrise above you and reflected on the water. The only sound you will hear is the lap of the paddle as you glide through the calm water.

In Australia there are so many exquisite locations to canoe: up top at Katherine Gorge, the Mitchell River at Wrotham, the lakes in Tassie….

Hang Glide

Have you ever yearned to try hang gliding?

You can do it in Tassie in a controlled setting with cable hang gliding. Walk up the platform – hang on to the bar – lift off – you’re on your way!

Raft

Whether you are a beginner rafter preferring the gentle bubbles or advanced ready to ride Grade 5 rapids, Australia has rapids to suit. Tasmania is an island of rivers – the Franklin, Derwent, Arthur, Picton, the South Esk, Mersey and Meander Rivers.

Raft the Franklin in Tassie, one of the world’s great multi-day rafting adventures. The full trip takes ten days. Or opt for the full day: descend the Great Ravine with its cluster of awesome rapids. Visiting Hobart leave time for a ride on the nearby Huon pine-fringed Picton River, where you can have a taste of white water rafting on a day trip.

Surf

Ever looked at the surf and wished to be out there? Want to learn to surf? Australia is
home to some of the best surfers in the world.

Take a class or two at Bondi and get out there!

Bike

Join a group of fellow bikers and cycle through Tassie, stay at charming B&B’s along the way, stopping to chat with the locals over afternoon tea. The terrain can vary from captivating sea views to stunning mountain topography, to charming laid back towns.

Self drive

Fasten your seat belt, put the key in the ignition, turn it, foot down on the accelerator; off you go.

Drive the Great Ocean Road and visit the Twelve Apostles. Drive the Pacific Coastal drive from Sydney to Brisbane. Turn off the main road, take a 4WD safari into the rugged mountains and spectacular rainforests. Enjoy quaint towns along the route. Have a beer with the locals. Browse arts and craft galleries. Take a day trip from Adelaide to the German town of Hahndorf or the wine country of Barossa. Tooling around Australia in your own car affords a new adventure each and every day.

Get off the beaten path:

• Take a soul-inspiring walk by Dove Lake or a deserted Cobourg beach

• Slide down a sand dune on Ocean Beach

• Join the drovers on a million-acre cattle station

• Visit a remote Outback pub and share a yarn with the locals

• Deep sea fish the feisty Marlin

• Canoe the magnificent Katherine Gorge and camp out under a star studded sky

• Gasp in awe at a breathtaking sunrise as you float over Central Australia

• Sail bareboat or enjoy the pampering of your crew as you cruise the Whitsundays through mesmerizing waterscapes where lush rainforests tumble down to the glistening seas

Whatever adventure activity fills the bill, we know where you will enjoy your experience
the most in Australia.

The Outback

Underground Living – Coober Pedy is unlike any other town. Miners here quickly discovered that living underground offers respite from scorching summers. Here you can fossick for opals. Learn about opals and opal mining at the interpretive centre, watch an opal cutting demonstration before purchasing your own opal. Stay overnight in an underground room at the Desert Cave Hotel.

Spring and fall are good times to visit the Ayers Rock area. Rise early for your Liru walk. Your Anagu leader will teach you the area’s geology and Aboriginal plant use. Watch as he demonstrates ancient skills such as making kiti (busy glue) and carving wooden implements with only a sharpened stone. Hear the tragic fate of Lungkata, the emus thief. In the afternoon, visit the Mutitjulu Waterhouse; sit in a traditional brush shelter and hear the Anagu tales of desert survival.

Discover the Olgas and its Valley of the Winds on an afternoon hike where at times you will feel engulfed by sheer walls. As the day winds down, relax and sip a glass of champagne while watching the changing colours of the Rock as the sun
sets. Then enjoy a gourmet barbeque by lantern light. Afterwards, the lanterns are turned off and there is silence under a canopy of stars. A night you will never forget!

The Top End – The Top End is Darwin and Kakadu; it’s the incredible 13 sandstone gorges of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge), sculpted over the centuries by the Katherine River. The views are awesome! Just south of Katherine, hidden in the lush forest, is a small peaceful oasis with crystal-clear water and a tropical beauty unmatched in all of Australia. Laze in the thermal pool of Mataranka, with the palm trees swaying overhead and tropical birds singing – sheer bliss!

Wrotham Park Lodge – This premium outback lodge is located 300 kilometres west of Cairns, a 40-minute flight away. The Homestead and ten guest Quarters are located on a spectacular red earth bluff high above the banks of the Mitchell River. The lodge caters to a maximum of 20 guests, providing an unparalleled outback experience that brings together wilderness, wildlife and a hint of luxury. Here you can immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of vast landscapes and engage in the experiences of the outback stockman.

El Questro – El Questro Wilderness Park is considered one of the world’s most unusual holiday destinations. A million acres in size, El Questro was developed in 1991 to provide a superior Australian holiday destination. El Questro is situated in the East Kimberley, 100 kilometres west of Kununurra. The Homestead has five rooms plus the Chamberlain Suite, a suite which hangs 15 metres above the river, allowing you an eagle’s view of the 400 million-year-old sandstone banks. You can sink into an antique bathtub that sits on the suite’s deck and spot eagles, noisy corellas or just look at the stars. Sheer magic!

Aboriginal Experiences

Australia is a patchwork quilt of diverse Aboriginal cultures. There are hundreds of different languages, customs and laws, each woven together to tell a story that is more
than 40,000 years old. According to current scientific theories, Aborigines have occupied Australia for over 60,000 years, possibly more than 100,000 years. Thus, Aboriginal culture is said to be the world’s oldest living culture. In the Northern Territory alone, Aboriginal people make up almost 30% of its 200,000 population and own nearly 50% of the land. The Aboriginal people will help you see the land in a different light through their Dreamtime stories, dance, and paintings.

Guniya Titjikala – Be a guest within a remote desert Aboriginal community. Intimate and exclusive experiences, designed for guests, range from Aboriginal art, culture, landscapes, Dreamtime, to bush tucker. Or merely sit down in the dirt with the locals and share cultures. At night you will sleep in your deluxe safari tent with polished timber flooring above the sandy red dunes.

Bathurst Island - From the city of Darwin, take a scenic flight to Bathurst Island, where you spend the day with the Tiwis. Visit the Nguiu community with its arts and crafts centers. Enjoy Billy tea and damper as you watch Tiwi women weave and paint.
Learn about traditional bush tucker, bush medicine, and the complex rituals of the Pukamini Poles.

The Ngarrindjeri Aborigines – The Coorong, located 200 kms southeast of Adelaide, is home to the Ngarrindjeri Aborigines. The Coorong, a place of ever-changing moods, is subject to spectacular natural light shows, such as black rainsqualls streaming across the green water channel, the molten sun sinking over golden water, and the stark dunes colouring everything in changing shades of orange and pink. Today the descendants of the Ngarrindjeri are still connected to these lands and are sharing the magic of land and culture with visitors to the Coorong Wilderness Lodge.

Share some moments with the Ngarrindjeri Aborigines:

• Kayak with your Ngarrindjeri guides and explore the dunes while learning about the Ngarrindjeri people
• Learn the art of Ngarrindjeri basket weaving
• Bush walk and learn about the environment, animals, bush medicine, food and plants of the Coorong

Scuba

Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. Sign up for a day trip to the Outer Barrier Reef, a multi-day liveaboard dive cruise, or dive right off your Barrier Reef island resort.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a scuba diver’s paradise, stretches for more than 2,500 kilometres, covers approximately 345,000 square kilometers. It is made up of more than 1,900 individual reefs, 70 coral cays, 1,500 types of fish, 4,000 types of mollusks, 350 types of echinoderms, and 400 types of coral.

The waters of the Great Barrier Reef offer excellent visibility – exceeding 100 metres in some places. The waters of the inner reef, which don’t usually exceed 40 metres, are comparatively calm, shallow and warm. On the outer and oceanic reefs, you can witness coral disappearing into the void hundreds of metres below.

Explore vast underwater gardens and forests. Experience awe-inspiring wall diving. Among world-class shipwreck dive sites in Queensland are the SS Yongala near Townsville and the RMS Quetta off Mt. Adolphus Island, just northeast of Cape York. Night dive and see colourful new corals and brilliant glowfish. And, if you’re lucky to be in the water the night following a full moon in October – November, you can witness the burst of technicolour as the coral polyps spawn – unforgettable!

How to experience the Reef:

Island resorts – many of the Reef’s islands offer resorts and off-shore diving.

Relax on a luxurious Great Barrier Reef Island Resort. There are over 20 Great Barrier Reef island resorts from which to choose; among them are: Lizard, Hayman, Bedarra, Orpheus, Daydream, Hinchinbrook, Heron, Fraser, Hamilton, Dunk, Brampton. Each has its own personality.

Choose upscale Lizard for its myriad pristine beaches, scuba diving, and big game fishing. Ask us about the special offer which includes private transfers including the flights plus 3 nights at both Lizard Island and Silky Oaks Lodge. Stay in the Sunset Point Villa on Lizard and enjoy million dollar views.

Stay in the Sunset Point Villa on Lizard and enjoy million dollar views of the sunset every night.

Want to relax by the pool and be served sorbet in the afternoon? Choose Hayman Island for true sybaritic pleasure. Sign up for Hayman’s seaplane excursion and dive a pristine reef. Dine in any of Hayman’s outstanding restaurants: La Fontaine – Classic French cuisine, Oriental – exotic Asian specialties, La Trattoria – casual al fresco Italian and Mediterranean dining with live music, and Azure – all day casual dining offering Australian seafood and contemporary cuisine.

Day Boats – high-speed catamarans will whisk you to the Reef from the mainland or the islands. Ask us about the Ocean Spirit departing from Cairns, the Quicksilver departing from Port Douglas. Visit Moore Reef and Fitzroy Island: travel to the Outer Reef aboard a luxury air conditioned fast cat; enjoy a one hour stop on tropical Fitzroy Island with a guided rainforest tour. Then out to the reef. Dive right in on an introductory scuba dive.

Specialist Day Boats – high-speed vessels specifically designed and equipped for scuba diving. Snorkellers are often welcome as well.

Learn to Dive – Pro Dive Cairns leads in all types of scuba diving education catering for the novice to the experienced. Learn to dive programs include 4/5 Day Learn to dive courses, 2/3 Day Ocean Referral Courses, 2 Day Pool plus School Referral Course, and
Refresher Courses.

The courses are conducted at their purpose built diver training facility in the centre of Cairns, which features a 4-metre deep pool – Cairns deepest diver training pool. The open water training dives are conducted on the Great Barrier Reef where the visibility is usually between 10 and 30 metres.

Pro Dive Cairns also offers certified divers Advanced Rescue, Divemasters, Instructor and specialty certifications.
www.scubapro-dive.com

Unusual, new, and upcoming live-aboard specials:

Mike Ball Dive

Yongala Wreck and Great Barrier Reef – 4 nights – Includes one day at Wheeler Reef and two days at the amazing SS Yongala. The Yongala rests at 30 metres; the uppermost deck, at 15 metres. The wreck is covered in spectacular hard and soft corals that attract turtles, bull rays, sea snakes, sharks and other huge fish.

Join a Minke Whale expedition (season June/July) since 1996 with a 98% success rate. Guests are encouraged to participate in a Minke research project being conducted by James Cook University.

Far North Adventure – Spoilsport – October – November 2007 – Join Spoilsport and travel to the far northern Great Barrier Reef. Dive remote, pristine and rarely visited locations such as Great Detached, Wreck Bay, Mantis Reef, Tijou Reef and Raine Island. This area offers spectacular congregations of marine life, including sharks, manta rays, and turtles during the breeding season.

Wake of the Navigators – new 2007 – Join the Wake of the Navigators’ expedition co-hosted by the Museum of Tropical Queensland’s Maritime Heritage Section. Assist the research team with archaeological surveys. Participate in seminars on the great explorers, navigators and mutineers. Dive the RMS Quetta, HMS Pandora, SS Meca.

Great White Shark (February – October) – featuring Falie, a 45m beautifully restored tall ship, 3 to 9 nights (specialized cage dives). Become one of the few divers who come face to face with the ocean’s ultimate predator. Departs Adelaide or Port Lincoln, South Australia.
www.mikeball.com

Spas

Workdays can be tedious; everyday stress can build up in our bodies. Are you yearning for a few days of rest and relaxation? Now is the time to treat your body to that extra level of pampering it deserves.

Each of us can benefit from a visit to a spa. A visit to a spa may completely change your lifestyle: the way you think, eat, feel, function. Ask us to add a resort spa stay to your vacation.

You will return with improved energy, mental function, greater agility, and overall well-being. These benefits can become the foundation of a new healthy lifestyle.

Types of Spas

Hotel/Resort Spas
Facility at a resort or hotel sometimes including a gym and sports such as golf, swimming, scuba diving, windsurfing, and tennis.

Destination Spas
Here the focus is on providing health and wellness treatments. Guests usually stay several days to a week. Spa cuisine is offered and many destination spas offer mineral, thermal, or seawater hydrotherapy treatments.

Holistic Retreats
These retreats have a holistic approach to health. In addition to providing exercise options, they may offer stress management, and how to quit smoking therapies as well.

Yoga retreats
A type of holistic retreat, concentrates on the spiritual you, and offer yoga classes, and vegetarian cuisine.

When we plan your itinerary with you, we will be pleased to suggest a spa which offers the individualized treatments
and programs you are seeking.

Australia combines the soothing properties of its rainforests, beaches, and seas with the ancient knowledge of the Aboriginees to create a range of spas and specialist health resorts that are rated among the top spas and health resorts in the world.

Our extensive knowledge of Australia combined with feedback from our local contacts and clients allows us to recommend the following spas and retreats as some of the best of the best:

Queensland
From mystical Aboriginal treatments and the healing waters of the world’s oldest rainforest, Queensland spas offer the ultimate in pampering.

Daydream Island
Daydream Island’s Rejuvenation Spa offers a wide array of spa treatments. You will benefit from the expertise of a naturopath and a range of innovative computerized health analyses found only in Australia.
www.daydream.net.au

Palm Cove
Outrigger Resort and Spa – Stately melaleuca trees welcome guests into a world where the air is scented with fragrant gardenia. Its Sanctum Spa is a comforting haven offering signature massages, revitalizing facial treatments, and nurturing body wraps.
www.outrigger.com

Tropical North Spas
Daintree Ecolodge Spa – nestled in a tropical rainforest, this spa offers a complete program of mental and physical therapies, including massages, body wraps aromatherapy, facials, meditation, yoga and relaxation. Their treatments incorporate the use of the signature Li’tya – a unique range of Aboriginal natural products and treatments using indigenous wisdom, medicines, herbal remedies and spirituality.
www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au

Healing Waters at Silky Oaks Lodge – located in the Daintree Rainforest, seeks to renew and create well being by offering a range of signature treatments based on a centuries’ old healing tradition. Guests benefit from the mineral filled waters of the Mossman River.

One of their leading Signature Treatments is Healing Waters: Body, bathing and facial – this complete rejuvenating and pampering experience begins with a full body massage, followed by an aromic mineral-rich salt body polish before you soak away any remaining tension in a warm bath. Providing a renewed sense of well-being, an indulgent facial with a thermal infusing day mask to firm the skin, is the finale to this rejuvenating therapy. www.silkyoakslodge.com.au

Great Barrier Reef Island Spas
Hayman Island, Australia’s leading private Whitsunday island resort, is home to Spa Chakra Hayman. Therapies highlight the Geurlain Methode – a patented facial and body massage technique performed in the Champs Elysees Guerlain Institute since 1938. There are thirteen individual treatment rooms including a wet treatment room. There are two separate relaxation lounges including a meditation suite and a relaxing hydrotherapy area.
www.hayman.com.au

Lizard Island’s Azure Spa by combining ancient secrets
and essential elements with therapies seeks to provide harmony between health, beauty and nature. Therapies blend marine and other natural elements to balance the physical and emotional body.

The Azure Spa utilizes the healing properties of Sodashi, a highly-respected Australian natural skin and body care product known for its healing and relaxation properties. Phytomer products are also featured. Phytomer is formed by marine ingredients allowing you to benefit of the re-mineralizing, balancing and relaxing virtues of the sea.
www.lizardisland.com.au

Gold and Sunshine Coasts
Cape Eden – Located in the beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland rainforest offers a unique environment to distress and rejuvenate. With a holistic philosophy, Camp Eden offers a six day individually designed health and fitness program. With an average of 30 guests per week – half the number of the staff – everyone is assured of one-on-one attention and specialized treatment.
www.campeden.com.au

Palazzo Versace is home to the spectacular Salus Per Aquum Health and Beauty Spa, which radiates the essence of ancient European spas. Here you will experience a range of beauty, massage, health and fitness options to calm the mind and body, soothe the soul and renew your spirit.
www.palazzoversace.com.au

New South Wales Sydney
Solar Springs – South of Sydney in the Southern Highlands, this long established health resort, proffers a holistic approach to physical and mental health involving exercise, diet and relaxation therapy.

A dietician is available to conduct a personal analysis of your dietary intake. You are then given a computer printout highlighting all aspects of diet including intake of fat, fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Classes at Solar Springs include aquaerobics, bushwalking, power walking, cycling, tai chi, yoga meditation and archery.
www.solarsprings.com.au

Victoria
Located in Victoria’s spa country, the new state-of-the-art Salus Spa at Lake House us surrounded by waterfall fed
streams. This area is known for its hot springs. Salus sparkling mineral water is offered to spa goers. Here the ritual of bathing and taking the waters is thoroughly indulged.

Salus Spa offers nine treatment areas including hot mineral water tubs in private tree houses overlooking Lake Daylesford.

Solas Spa has three levels: the top level has four private treatment rooms, the second level has treatment rooms and a lounge and level one offers Vichy shower rooms which are excellent for couples.

If you are a guest at the stately Lake House in Daylesford, you will enjoy an extra level of comfort as you only need to “robe up” for the walk from your suite to the spa.
www.lakehouse.com.au/salusinfo.html

Tasmania
The Waldheim Alpine Spa at Cradle Mountain Lodge exudes the natural purity of the Tasmanian wilderness. Here they use Sodashi, complemented by a selection of Tasmanian made spa products. Sodashi is a Sanskrit word which means wholeness, purity and radiance. If you wish to share your spa experience with your partner or friend, please request your therapies be conducted in the spa’s spacious double treatment room.

The Sanctuary has a steam room, sauna, hot tub and cool plunge pool as well as a relaxation lounge. Combining hot and cold water therapies promotes healthy blood flow and increases circulation.

Entry to The Sanctuary is complimentary with your spa treatment.
www.cradlemountainlodge.com.au

Rail Adventures
Australia is a land where on many of the rail journeys you can still see straight through to the horizon without obstruction. Your journey by rail is dramatic, private, and gregarious. It is here you will be able to meet the Aussies and get to know them, especially if you are travelling on the The Indian Pacific or The Ghan.

Among the overnight rail journeys throughout Australia are:

* The Indian Pacific – From Sydney to Perth
three nights aboard
* The Ghan – From Adelaide to Darwin – two nights aboard
* The Sunlander – From Brisbane to Cairns - overnight

The Indian Pacific – Two Oceans, One Great Train Ride

You depart from Sydney, through the rugged Blue Mountains, Broken Hill (the “true” Outback), Adelaide, the Nullabor Plain and Kalgoorlie, before arriving in Perth.

You’ll spend three nights aboard, plenty of time to make new Aussie friends.

The Ghan
On The Ghan you travel into the heart of Australia. From the rolling hills of Adelaide to the rusty reds of the Red Centre, then north to Katherine, and the tropical city of Darwin, your journey will truly amaze you. Ask us about pre and post touring exploring the Red Centre and/or the Katherine regions. The transcontinental journey from Adelaide to Darwin covers 2,979 kilometres during which you will spend two nights onboard.

Private carriages available

For the ultimate great train experience aboard either The Ghan or The Indian Pacific reserve one of the stylish, self-contained carriages for yourself, your family and friends.

One choice would be The Sir Forrest Carriage, named after the explorer who made the first crossing of Western Australia by land in 1870. This carriage, available on either The Ghan or The Indian Pacific routes, accommodates up to six guests in one double bedroom with ensuite bathroom, two twin cabins with ensuite facilities. There is an additional bathroom, kitchenette/bar and generous lounge area with leather lounges and large picture windows; large screen television, video/DVD.

Your guests may dine in the Gold Kangaroo Restaurant at no extra cost. Private charters may be arranged between Adelaide and Darwin and Sydney and Perth.

Gold Kangaroo Service on The Ghan and Indian Pacific

Twin cabins have a comfortable three-seater lounge which converts to upper and lower sleeping berths at night, plus a private bathroom with toilet, wash basin and shower. Cabins are serviced by your own steward (each morning a wake up ‘cuppa’ is delivered to your cabin). All meals are included in the Gold Kangaroo Service fare. Dining in the Gold Kangaroo Service aboard the Indian Pacific is especially inviting in the beautifully decorated and luxurious Queen Adelaide Restaurant Car.

The Sunlander – Queenslander Class

Discover the real warmth of Australia in Queenslander Class on The Sunlander, a delightful rail journey along the spectacular coastline between Brisbane and Cairns. Sleep in a twin berth compartment with all the comforts of home. Relax in the lounge car, dine in the restaurant car with your scrumptious meal prepared by an experienced onboard chef.

Add a relaxing Australia train journey to your itinerary. Leave the driving to the engineer, dine on mouth-watering Australia cuisine accompanied by the finest Australia wines as you take in the vast countryside, join the locals in the lounge car for some Aussie hospitality and entertainment. At the end of the day be lulled to sleep by the peaceful cadence of the rail wheels on the tracks. Now this is bliss!

Air Cruising – the hassle-free way to see Australia’s vast continent. In only 12 days you will be able to visit: Sydney, Longreach, Katherine, Katherine Gorge, Arnhem Land, Darwin, the Kimberley Region, Broome, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, the MacDonnell Ranges, Alice Springs, Birdsville Hotel, and back to Sydney. Conquer the distance, enjoy a commanding view of the outback, the wetlands, rainforests and untamed coastlines of Australia. All your touring: cruising, hot air ballooning, aerial sightseeing flights, entrance fees, porterage, tips, taxes, luggage handling, and the services of an experienced Journey Director and flight crew is included!

Want to include air cruising as part of your visit to Australia? We can tailor tours to exclusive locations such as El Questro Station (Kimberley), Coconut Island (Cape York), and Strahan (Tasmania).

One of the best selling air cruising tours is Mungo Dreaming. Here you visit the real outback and meet real Aussies and Aboriginals with your own Aussie tour guide. This three-day tour features exciting coastal ocean views, massive outback contrasts, plus the added bonus of the Mungo Aboriginal experience that traces the origins of mankind. Signing up for this tour is sure to provide you with bragging stories for years.

Another air cruising tour, designed especially for the first-time visitor to Australia, covers private touring to the most sought-after destinations: Meet up with sea lions on a Kangaroo Island beach, view the opal mines at Coober Pedy, experience Ayers Rock (Uluru) and snorkel the sparkling waters of the Great Barrier Reef on both Lizard and Hayman Islands.

Adventure Expedition Cruises Are Booming – Cruise the Top End!
Experience one of the world’s most awe-inspiring environments on an expedition cruise. Couple that with a few days in Broome, and you have a great vacation.

Based in Broome, North Star Cruises is the longest established charter cruise operator in the vast northwest coast of Australia. The 12-day/13-night Kimberly Wilderness Cruise takes in the remote Kimberley coast between Broome and Wyndham. Tenders offer daily small group excursions and activities such as fishing for barramundi, hiking, wildlife encounters, rock art viewing, and swimming in the billabongs. On Wilderness Cruises, the ship carries its own helicopter – a seven-seat Bell 407, which affords you access to largely unexplored wilderness areas.

Join an exciting voyage of discovery and adventure. The Oceanic Princess, catering to only 76 passengers in 28 cabins, has a cruising speed of 14 knots. An experienced expedition leader and guest lecturers will guide you as you explore seldom-visited areas, some only accessible via the sea. Zodiacs will take you through dramatic river gorges to remote reefs, islands, and island communities.

Whether your interest lies in natural history, wildlife, geology, culture, snorkeling or scuba diving, a cruise on the Oceanic Princess will be a rewarding experience.

Orion Expedition Cruises – Orion Expedition Cruises has released details of expeditions on the Orion through March 2007. The Orion sleeps 106 guests in 53 staterooms and suites, has a 92-seat movie theatre, gym, sauna, library and outdoor whirlpool.

Orion’s advanced technology sets new standards in sustainable marine environmental practices. The Orion explores the Kimberley, East Timor, the Tiwi Island, and Arnhem Land! From Darwin in 2006-2007 Orion will again offer a 10-night voyage to East Timor and to the East Kimberley (Wyndham is the gateway to the Ord River, Lake Argyle, the Bungle Bungles and El Questro Station).