freelance writer & editor
Just over nine years ago, the worst bush fires in Australia’s history devastated the small town of Marysville, a scenic hideaway at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, only 90 minutes from Melbourne. Since this terrible event, known as Black Saturday, Marysville has well and truly risen from the ashes. Determined residents have rebuilt
Cycling along the jetty, I spot a dark flash in the water just outside my villa. A pectoral fin breaks the surface. It’s a black tip reef shark. Not too huge; about a metre long. I park the bike by the front door and fumble for the keys in the depths of my tote, still
The second annual Parrtjima – A Festival in Light has opened in Alice Springs, home of the Arrernte. Illuminating Alice Springs Desert Park for 10 nights, the free outdoor public event showcases contemporary art by talented Aboriginal artists from around Central Australia. Derived from the Arrernte group of languages, Parrtjima (pronounced Par-CHee-ma) suggests shedding both
Only an hour’s drive from Melbourne, Woodend is a small town in the Macedon Ranges. It was settled during the gold rush in the early 1800s and was the main thoroughfare for prospectors heading up through the Black Forest to Bendigo and Ballarat. Today, it’s a quiet town, but has a quintessential Australian village atmosphere
When I first ventured into the outback, I wanted to discover the real Australia. I wanted to see the red earth, the corrugated roads, and the billion-year-old rock formations. Having travelled to many remote places before, I thought I was well-prepared for a few weeks travelling through the great Australian outback. Oh, how wrong I
Sweden’s most primitive hotel – Kolarbyn Eco-lodge – gives ‘roughing it’ a whole new meaning. Hidden in the heart of a spruce forest, this unique eco escape offers guests a wild hotel experience without all the trimmings. Nestled in between the tall, slim evergreens on the shore of Lake Skärsjön are twelve grass-rooved wooden huts,
It’s completely normal to feel rising levels of panic when you have a trip with kiddies looming on the horizon. The feelings of excitement when you booked the holiday soon turn to fear and trepidation as the departure date approaches, but it needn’t be like that. Travelling with kids is a breeze when you have
Since 2012, when the number of travellers traversing the globe hit one billion in one year it’s clear the travel industry is bigger than anyone imagined. And with the increase in traveller numbers comes a growth in travel options. When it comes to adventure travel, there are so many wonderful experiences to choose from these
Sitting in the darkened amphitheater with flashes of light from smartphones occasionally lighting the room, I listen intently to the speaker on stage, hanging on every word. It is April 2012, and the Future of Tourism conference is in Melbourne for one night only. Run by G Adventures and Planeterra, the evening conference highlights the
Linda McCormick munches her way through a city dumpling tour. ‘So, how do they get the soup inside the dumpling?” I asked, biting through the white luscious surface to let the salty contents pour forth. With a smirk, our guide, Monique, replied: “Ha, I was just waiting for someone to ask. Someone always does.” Her
Gliding upriver, a fire-breathing monster seeks revenge on St Colmcille, the founder of Derry, for banishing it to the depths of Loch Ness 1,500 years previously. A dramatic confrontation ensues on the River Foyle as monster and monk battle it out once more, culminating in an explosive fireworks display marking the end of The Return
Stepping out of the elevator that took us from the cool Singaporean underground to the hot and humid city above, the view that greeted us was like something from the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar. I knew it looked good in photos, but never expected it to be this good. I’m a sucker for science fiction, and