Other activities in Australia
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Milawa Cheese Company
The excellent Milawa Cheese Company is 2km north of Milawa. It offers cheese tastings and a bakery and cafe. It excels at soft and washed-rind cheeses. The restaurant here is fabulous – a must-stop on the ‘Gourmet Road’. For good measure, in the same building is Milawa Chocolates, offering handmade chocolates.
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Peter Lehmann Wines
Another multiawardwinning winery, with classic Barossa Shiraz and Riesling. Mind you, the Semillon is equally fabulous. This is probably the best range of consistent and affordable wines in the Barossa. Buy a bottle of anything and enjoy it with a picnic in the winery grounds. There's a parkland walk from the cellar door along the Para River to Richmond Grove.
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Kingfisher Bay 4WD Hire
If you want to hire a 4WD while on the island, Kingfisher Bay 4WD Hire has a medium-sized fleet, from Suzuki Sierras to Landcruisers.
Advantages: Complete freedom to roam the island, and escape the crowds. Disadvantages: Having to drive in conditions where even experienced drivers often have difficulties, and being responsible for any vehicle damage.
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Botanic Gardens
Highlights at the Botanic Garden include a restored 1877 palm house, the new waterlily pavilion (housing the gigantic Victoria amazonica ) and the fabulous steel-and-glass arc of the Bicentennial Conservatory, which recreates a tropical rainforest. Free 1½-hour guided walks depart the garden cafe at 10.30am daily.
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Adventures With Altitude
Adventures with Altitude runs fabulous hiking, biking ($15/60/90 per hour/half-/full day) and horse riding ($80/150/200) jaunts. You won’t get lost, and you’ll see all the good bits: trout-filled rivers, historic huts, snowgum forests, gold mines, wildlife and views. And you get fed! Bike hire ($15/40/60) is also available.
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Frontier Homestead
Frontier Homestead stages one-hour rides, with extra options to lollop in the morning with breakfast ($85/53 adult/child) or the evening including dinner ($115/85). Prices include transfers from Alice, and you’re also free to wander around the minimuseum on site. The homestead is on the Ross Hwy about 5km southeast of Heavitree Gap.
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Mt Zero Olives
Planted in 1953, the olive grove at Mt Zero Olives produces olives, olive oils (including infused varieties), tapenades and other gourmet products in a picturesque setting. There are tastings and farm-gate sales daily, and an excellent cafe that opens on weekends and holidays. It’s on the northern fringe of Grampians National Park.
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Coral Bay Ecotours
This respected, ecocertified outfit offers popular glass-bottom boat cruises (one/two hour cruise $30/45) with stops for snorkelling, as well as five-hour wildlife-watching cruises ($140) where you can swim with manta rays. It also has 1½-hour sunset cruises ($40), whale-watching cruises in season ($125), and you can book scenic flights here.
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Lighthouse Tours
On the northwestern corner of Kangaroo Island, CapeBorda is topped by an 1858 lighthouse, standing tall above the rippling iron surface of the Southern Ocean. There are walks here from 1.5km to 9km, and lighthouse tours departing at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm daily (plus 3.15pm and 4pm during summer holidays).
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Bay of Fires Walk
For those who fancy a deluxe wilderness experiences, the Bay of Fires Walk conducts a fully catered four-day walk ($2000 per person) from Boulder Point south to Ansons Bay. Trips run from October to May, and accommodation includes two nights at the company’s magnificent ecofriendly Bay of Fires Lodge.
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Bush Tucker Gourmet Breakfast
The Bush Tucker Gourmet Breakfast with the koalas at ecocertified Bungalow Bay Koala Village lets you try guava champagne and breakfast in the company of some friendly native birds and creatures. If you’re not an early riser, there are animal petting and photo opportunities during the day (10am, noon and 2.30pm).
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Adrenaline Park
Located a few blocks north of Cavill Ave, this park has everything to make your head spin and stomach churn. The most popular rides are the Sling Shot and aptly titled Vomatron. For traditionalists, there’s also a good old bungee jump with Bungy Australia.
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Pieter Van Gent
Heavenly Muscat, picnic-lunch wine tours by bike, tastings in the barrel room (11.30am Saturday) and accommodation.
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Bundaberg Rum Distillery
Wake up and smell the molasses! Tours at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery follow the rum’s production from start to finish and, if you’re over 18, you get to sample the final product. The one-hour, wheelchair-accessible tours run every hour on the hour. Note, you must wear closed-toe shoes.
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Skillogalee
Quite possibly our favourite SA winery (OK, so it is our favourite), Skillogalee is a small family outfit known for its spicy Shiraz, fabulous food and top-notch Riesling (a glass of which is like kissing a pretty girl in summer). Kick back with a long, lazy lunch on the verandah (mains $20 to $30).
reviewed
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Domain Chandon
Situated on the Maroondah Highway, between Coldstream and Healesville, Domaine Chandon is an example of mass wine tourism done well. The winery - a subsidiary of Moët & Chandon - has a superbly designed reception area overlooking a superb vista where visitors can sample and buy wines.
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Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania
The D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon River south of Hobart are wide, deep and tantalising places to set sail, with more inlets and harbours than you could swing a boom at. For casual berths in Hobart (overnight or weekly), contact the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Sandy Bay.
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Thredbo Snow Sports Outdoor Adventures
Has a diverse range of high-energy activities including snowshoeing, snow climbing, telemark and back-country alpine touring. It also hosts a cool five-star snow camping expedition where you snowshoe to a secret camp site, feast on gourmet cuisine and test your snow survival skills overnight.
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Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Fancy some pétanque with your plonk? This barnlike, 1894 cellar door has a grassy picnic area, and there’s a roaring fire inside in winter. Sample reasonably priced stickies (dessert wines) and the popular Reserve Shiraz. Whites include a citrusy Viognier and aromatic Riesling.
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Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail
Following a 1901 railway line, the 38km Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail is a lovely cycling trail. The whole route takes about three hours one way, but it’s relatively flat and can be done in sections. The trail starts about 1km from the Lilydale train station.
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Megalong Australian Heritage Centre
The Megalong Australian Heritage Centre is a display farm heaven for little tackers – visitors can feed and pat sheep, ducks, ponies and alpacas. There’s guided horse riding ($45/85 per person for one/two hours), plus farm shows and activities during school holidays.
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Coiltek Gold Centre
If you’d like to learn the tricks to unearthing a gold nugget, Coiltek Gold Centre runs full-day prospecting tours (one/two people $120/200), which include hire of a metal detector and showing you what to look for. They also sell and hire out prospecting gear.
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d’Arenberg Wines
A favourite spot in the Vale for lunch, ‘d’Arry’s’ relaxes atop a hillside and enjoys fine views. The wine labels are part of the character of this place: Stump Jump Grenache Shiraz, Dead Arm Shiraz, and the Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc are our faves. Book ahead for lunch.
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Adventure World
Adventure World, packed with kids and teenagers, has white-knuckle rides such as ‘Bounty’s Revenge’, a giant boat that swings around in an arc, plus pools and waterslides. Open daily during school holidays and throughout December, it’s 18km south of Perth.
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Port Douglas Yacht Club
Ever dreamed of sailing on a yacht? Well, the benevolent folk at the Port Douglas Yacht Club run sunset sessions each Wednesday, and it’s a fun and free way to get a taste of boating life. Register at the Yacht Club at 4pm; boats leave at 5pm (BYO drinks).
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