Jetsettersblog

The historic Binna Burra Mountain Lodge on the Gold Coast is due to open 18 eco-friendly, luxury sky lodge apartments. The opening in January after an investment of A$12million (approx £7.5m) completes stage one of a 15-year redevelopment plan. The Sky Lodges are surrounded by World Heritage-listed Lamington National park and offer a luxurious accommodation alternative to the accompanying Mountain Lodge. The Sky Lodges are environmentally sensitive, solar-passive and energy efficient in their design and offer breathtaking views over the Coomera and Numinbah Valleys. Prices start from A$290 (approx £180) per night for a 1 bed studio sleeping 2-3 people. www.binnaburralodge.com.au

Wildlife lovers can now experience a brand new nature tour of Wilsons Promontory. Led by a park ranger who assists with the interaction and monitoring of the native wildlife in the area, visitors can spot the long-nosed potoroo and eastern pygmy-possum, as well as the more familiar kangaroos, koalas and wombats. The tours last four or seven days and are fully eco-certified, with participants actually contributing to the protection of the wildlife species. This is an exceptional way to take in an iconic national park of granite headlands, mountains, forests and fern gullies. Dates for 2012 projects are soon to be announced. Tours depart from Melboune with a maximum group size of 8 with prices from A$540 (approx £330) for a 4 day tour sharing a twin room. www.conservationvolunteers.com.au

From March 2-18 the Adelaide Festival arrives in the capital of South Australia bringing the city to life. Focusing on the contemporary, the festival highlights the best in opera, theatre, dance, music, cabaret, new media events, literature, outdoor entertainment and the visual arts, while also featuring master classes, forums and a purpose-built late night club. The Adelaide Festival, which has been running since 1960, also incorporates Adelaide Writers’ Week (3-8 March 2012), as well as a comprehensive and contemporary visual arts programme. www.adelaidefestival.com.au

Darwin in the Northern Territory will enjoy improved connections thanks to a new direct service with SilkAir – a wholly owned subsidary of Singapore Airlines. As of 26 March 2012, SilkAir will fly four times a week between Singapore and Darwin – the carrier’s first route into Australia. Darwin is Australia’s most northern city, making it the natural gateway to both the Outback and the country as a whole. Located just four hours’ flight from Singapore and two hours from Bali, Darwin is considered to be Australia’s most culturally diverse city. The city boasts a vibrant lifestyle centred around the outdoors, from al fresco dining and fine sunsets to beachside markets and sailing. www.singaporeair.com

Contemporary Hotels has added five properties to its collection of luxury beach houses, villas and apartments in and around Sydney. The new properties are a mixture of city, coastal and country retreats which are all within easy driving distance of Sydney. Apartment Noir is in the city’s bustling Darlinghurst district, Mending Wall is located in Mount Irvine in the Blue Mountains, just 2 hours drive from Sydney, Palm Beach Villa and Barrenjoey Villa are in Palm Beach, one of Sydney’s best known northern beaches and Bora Bora House is at Cottage Point just 35 minutes from the city centre. Prices start from A$385 (approx £238) per night for a stay of 5 nights or more (at one bedroom Apartment Noir). www.contemporaryhotels.com.au

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney will re-open on 31 March 2012 as a bold, new and expanded museum. Following an A$53million (approx £32.7million) redevelopment, the museum will be transformed into a major cultural centre for contemporary art and creative learning. The MCA is Australia’s only museum dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of today’s artists. The opening weekend (31 March and 1 April 2012) will see a week-long series of launch events including a dynamic schedule of free artist talks and public programmes. The museum will open with Marking Time, an international exhibition that will explore the ways in which artists visualise time and its passing across diverse media. www.mca.com.au

Truly remote, Berkeley River on the Kimberley Coast will be one of Australia’s newest luxury outback lodges, only accessible by air or water. Twenty ocean view suites will sit atop a coastal dune surrounded by native vegetation, with views over the Timor Sea, Reveley Island and the mouth to the stunning Berkeley River.

Guests will have the opportunity to indulge themselves in a touch of barefoot luxury by the sea and soak up the wide open spaces, fresh air and an abundance of nature. Access to the lodge will be by hour-long scenic transfers by float plane from Lake Kununurra in WA’s Kimberley region. Due to open on 4 April 2012, prices start from AU$1,792 (approx £1,110) per night in a one bedroom king size chalet with a minimum stay of 4 nights. www.berkeleyriver.com.au

Train journeys are one of the most romantic ways to travel and for honeymoon couples looking for the romantic journey of a lifetime, Great Southern Rail’s The Southern Spirit (www.greatsouthernrail.com.au) is just the ticket.

The Southern Spirit (www.greatsouthernrail.com.au) is an exclusive six day/five night rail journey from Adelaide or Melbourne to Brisbane, and vice versa, covering 2,810 kms as it winds its way through four states – South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Honeymooners can opt for the luxury ‘platinum service’ which includes plush, spacious en-suite private cabins, on-call Cabin Steward Service and in-cabin menu, as well as fine dining in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant car. By day the cabin is a private lounge but by night it is transformed into a luxurious bedroom complete with double bed.

Days are spent admiring the natural beauty of the diverse landscapes through which the train travels, from the rolling plains of the south to the stark beauty of the Red Centre. The Southern Spirit also makes a number of stops allowing guests to discover the beauty of The Grampians, the majesty of the Murray River, the vineyards of the Hunter Valley and the quaintness of Byron Bay.

In the evening, after a sumptuous dinner in the restaurant, honeymooners can retire to their cabin, dim the lights, pour themselves a glass of wine or champagne and sit back and enjoy the in-cabin entertainment. In the morning a leisurely continental breakfast is served in the cabins.

There are a limited number of departures remaining on the Southern Spirit until June and honeymooners wishing to include this trip in their Australian itinerary should ensure they register their interest or book well in advance due to the popularity of this route.

Fares for the five or six day train journey range from AUD$3,500 – AUD$6,800 (approx £2,357 – £4,579) depending on departure point and service level. These prices include Whistle Stop Tours and transfers. To book, either log on to www.greatsouthernrail.com.au or contact your local travel agent or tour operator.

Background
The Southern Spirit was launched in early 2010 with just two departures. This service increased to four departures, and now, due to demand, has further increased for the 2011/2012 season.

Great Southern Rail also boasts the world’s only two transcontinental services, namely The Ghan which operates north to south from Darwin to Adelaide, and The Indian Pacific which traverses east to west, Perth to Sydney. The Overland service completes Great Southern Rail’s portfolio of “Australia’s Great Train Journeys”.

The Southern Spirit guests can choose either a Gold or Platinum Service cabin.
The Gold Service cabin is a twin sleeper featuring ensuite facilities and a three-seater lounger which converts to upper and lower sleeping berths by night.
The Platinum Service cabin offers the ultimate in luxury rail travel. This spacious ensuite features a lounger that converts to a double or twin bedroom by night. Guests have on-call Cabin Steward Service and an in-cabin menu that make this a truly five star experience.

With an infusion of more than $21 million, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia and the Indigenous Land Corporation have begun the largest transformation of Ayers Rock Resort since its opening in 1982. Stage one entails an extensive refurbishment of all guest rooms and public areas at the five-star Sails in the Desert Hotel. All rooms will feature new furniture, curtains, linens, LCD TVs, carpet inspired by the topographical map of Uluru and artwork commissioned by local aboriginal artists. Refurbishment at Sails in the Desert is scheduled to conclude in May. Renovations will then extend to the other four hotels — Desert Gardens, Outback Pioneer, Lost Camel and Emu Walk Apartments.

On the reinvention of Ayers Rock Resort, Managing Director of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia Koos Klein said, “We are committed to exceptional guest experience and therefore we are looking forward to all the changes being made at Ayers Rock Resort. We have a new vision, new activities, with new directions — all complimented by the dramatic improvements and upgrades that are being made in 2012 on the property.”

Historically committed to community development, Ayers Rock Resort will now offer an indigenous training and employment program to attract employees locally and from across Australia. Furthermore, the Indigenous Land Corporation has committed to raising Indigenous employment at the resort to 50 percent by 2018, providing over 300 jobs for Indigenous Australians. Additional developments at Ayers Rock Resort include a new under-the-stars dining experience, Tali Wiru or Beautiful Dune, relocation and transformation of the Mulgara Art Gallery, a spa focusing on spiritual healing and desert meditation and a Welcome to Country Ceremony in the Ayers Rock Airport arrival hall.

After undergoing a recent upgrade, Orpheus, set in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, is reopening its doors on March 3. Located 50 miles north of Townsville (25-minute scenic flight), the island stretches across six miles of coastline, featuring a pristine National Park and surrounded by a World Heritage-listed Marine Park. The fringing reef surrounding Orpheus is one of the Great Barrier Reef’s most spectacular and diverse and, unlike other island resorts, guests aren’t required to travel offshore to experience it. It’s not uncommon for guests to swim alongside green turtles, manta rays and humpback whales.

Accommodating 34 guests at any one time; Orpheus offers absolute seclusion and can be booked in its entirety for exclusive use. The newly refurbished beachfront accommodation combines tropical sanctuary with a contemporary minimalist aesthetic. All accommodation types offer natural color schemes, Bose iPod docks, Daintree Essentials products, crisp white linen and private terraces on Hazard Bay.

The two dining areas, one al fresco-style and the other a restaurant, offer a light, contemporary and daily-changing menu that showcases the riches of the region. The island’s signature experience, Dining with the Tides, allows guests to have an intimate dinner for two on the pier under a starlit canopy. Prices start from $1,400 (twin-share) per night, which includes all meals, house wine and beers, and unlimited use of sea equipment. Flight time is approximately three hours from Sydney, 3.5 hours from Melbourne and 2.5 hours from Brisbane. For more information, call 011-61 (0)3 8644 4070 or email rachel@orpheus.com.au