Blogs

There was so much to see and do in our 7 days in Cairns and Far North Queensland last month, I had to write a 2nd blog. We transferred to our hotel with Cairns Limousines who are a wonderful local tourism operator. Cairns Limousines not only offer airport transfers but can also provide a more personalised private car service for bespoke day tours including the Atherton Tablelands, Kuranda, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. For accommodation we choose Crystalbrook Flynn, a gorgeous property in the Cairns CBD. Our room overlooking the water and cityscape provided a fantastic view. We loved the large balcony and the room itself was very tastefully decorated. Appreciated the little touches like a welcome note on the mirror, slippers, and complimentary water. Like the rest of the Crystalbrook family, this hotel believes in responsible luxury and creating sustainable experiences that enhance each visitors stay. Water bottles are READ MORE

With the year of Indigenous Tourism carried over to 2021 which I for one am happy to celebrate this two years in a row and lock downs lifted, this offered us a great opportunity this month to show our support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and undertake a couple of great tourism products plus enjoy a long overdue visit to Cairns and Tropical North Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over2300 km and is the world’s largest coral reef system. Cairns in Tropical North Queensland is certainly one of the many places you can enjoy an aquatic experience and immerse yourself in a living wonderland. Departing from Cairns, we went out for the day with Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel. They offer tours 3 days a week for snorkellers and divers visiting two premium outer reef sites. Today we venture to Yirrganydji Sea Country where Norman, Saxon and Hastings READ MORE

Took a few days out with lock down restrictions eased and did a road trip up to the Sunshine Coast to support tourism operators in this region. A 2 hour drive from the Gold Coast and although peak hour traffic we had a good run. It’s been years since we have been Mooloolaba and it was such a delightful stay. Highly recommend our accommodation, Sandcastles Mooloolaba Apartments. Our 1 bedroom self-contained deluxe apartment had everything that suited our needs. The owners were amazing and very friendly. We had a room with a balcony and great views up Mooloolaba Esplanade and further down the beach to the Mooloolaba Rock wall. Our direct line of sight was the SLSC, with the solar power on the roof, a bit distracting. I would recommend checking the location of your room at time of booking but the upside of this was it was just a READ MORE

The Goldy really does have some great food and beverage offerings. This month we raise a glass to the speakeasy’s, rooftop’s, laneways and water view bars and food venues. Some are oldies but goodies, others somewhat new and a few you might not have visited before. Whether it is icy old beers, mocktails, tapas or something more substantial we have got you covered. Mr PP’s Deli & Rooftop, located in Southport’s CBD in what was once the Postmaster Generals and his family’s home, this now cute Rooftop bar specialises in gourmet pizza’s and does some great antipasti. They also have vegan offerings for their food menu as well, just ask their friendly staff. You can book a spot upstairs in the Rooftop Bar, sip a cocktail and enjoy the outdoor weather or pull up a seat downstairs in the deli bar. This venue takes its name from the first Post READ MORE

Head South West to breathe in some cool mountain air and experience the warm hospitality of the O’Reilly family and their staff at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. This piece of paradise has been welcoming travellers for over 95 years and has so much to offer from Hiking to see breath taking Waterfalls, Bird watching, Guided Walks to Segway tours and Spa experiences. During the school holidays they also offer Eco Ranger programs for your rug rats. You will be amazed by the number of things to see and do in this rainforest eco system located inside the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park. We booked to stay in the very relaxing Mountain View Rooms and really enjoyed watching the sun set from our verandah looking at the view of the McPherson mountain ranges. For dinner would recommend the wood fired pizza from The Rainforest Bar. Loved the walking trail we took READ MORE

I get asked this a lot from visiting family and friends. What can we do, Where can we go? So, we are going from North to the South this time. If you want some great options for your next visit to the GC and only have a few days but want to squeeze in as much as you can? Here are a few suggestions. Start the day at the very top of the Goldy with a learn to surf lesson on the Spit with Get Wet Surf School, their friendly team guarantee to get you up on your board. You will have worked up an appetite after your lesson so make sure you stop in at the Seaway Kiosk to slam down a Fish Taco. For those with more time, pack a picnic or use one of the many BBQ’s in Doug Jennings Park which has recently undergone a major READ MORE

Got 24 hours to spend in Brissy and want to see and experience different food venues, shopping in a local setting close to the city, do you like understated luxury and of course the odd refreshing beverage or two? If you have said yes, then this itinerary is for you. Saturday, we checked into the Adina Apartment Hotel, located on the corner of George and Elizabeth Street. A gorgeously restored heritage listed art deco building. The lobby is spacious and inviting, staff friendly and welcoming. Originally a bank that opened in 1922. Tip – if you are driving and require parking, go up Charlotte Street and enter in the small laneway before the Pancake Manor. Follow all the way down and turn left where the laneway ends. You will need to buzz reception to advise you are checking in and they will provide details of where to park. This will READ MORE

Family pre-Christmas local get away and we choose The Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove. My last in house stay was 2016 when I worked on the Global GoPro Athlete Summit. It was lovely to be back and see all the new changes the resort had undergone in 2020. Most significant changes would certainly be all room categories having a total refurb. The room we choose was a Lagoon Pool room and loved this. The balcony allows you to sit and take in the lovely water views as the lagoon beach also sits beside the Coomera river. The décor and room layout was just so welcoming, clean lines with greys and white offering a modern and comfortable space to stay in. Love the opportunity to walk and with over 10 acres of sub-tropical gardens and more than 250 rooms the grounds are wonderful. So much Bird life, Wallabies and Kangaroos can be seen READ MORE

Christmas catch up with friends, so very grateful to have this opportunity to see our dear friends and spend time with them but when the decision came to a venue that was somewhat outdoors, fun and Covid safe we put our thinking caps on, did our research and settled on Topgolf Gold Coast. This is a state of the art golf driving range. The golf balls are micro-chipped, so they record the distance and speed of each ball. There are 11 targets on the range 18 – 219 metres away and then every section has a reader that detects the microchip in the ball. The reader then computes your score based on the accuracy and distance of the shot and sends this to the score board in your bay. Genuis! 3 levels so there is an abundance of space, booths where your group can play, relax, eat and drink so READ MORE

Less then a one hour drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast you will discover the green behind the gold. We spent the October long weekend spoiling ourselves with an escape to nature, long walks, amazing local cuisine and browsing the picturesque boutique stores on Gallery Walk. So much to see and do, right on your own doorstep. Tamborine Mountain, part of the Scenic Rim is made up of a number of small villages that stretch 8 kms along the ridge of the mountain. We stayed at Tamborine Gardens in a lovely cottage. This Wedding & Reception venue usually reserves rooms for the wedding party as it consists of 4 cottages hidden away in gorgeous garden settings. At the onset of Covid, the team at Tamborine Gardens really did pivot their business model from weddings and events and opened the 4 cottages up for mainstream bookings. So glad they did, READ MORE