Category Archives: Australia The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s major wine-growing regions. Pokolbin, less than 200 km north of Sydney, is the centre of the Hunter Valley Wine Country, and a popular destination for weekend getaways and short breaks. With well over 100 vineyards – most with cellar door sales and tastings, and many hosting weddings, musical performances, or conferences – the area boasts restaurants, boutique shops, […]  Once again, Thredbo, that little village, high – ok, so it is only 1365m, but in Australia, that is high – in the Australian Alps, has dished up some great festival music. Cool blues in the January heat (Thredbo Blues Festival 2015) and hot traditional and contemporary jazz in the crisp Autumn air (Thredbo Jazz Festival 2015) […]  It is supposed to be a nice summer walk to Mount Tate from Guthega Dam on the Snowy River in Australia’s High Country. I wouldn’t know. Three times I’ve driven over the bumpy dirt roads to Guthega, on the back side of Blue Cow Mountain, in search of the unmarked circuit through Consett Stephen Pass and across the […]  The world has gone mad. This last year has been a turbulent one: wars, acts of terror and insanity, massacres and tragedies – at home and overseas. The floods and droughts that accompany climactic extremes seem more common; the forced displacement of people is at its highest since the second world war; and the unprecedented ebola outbreak has claimed over 7000 […]  It is easy to hit over-load while travelling: too many wonderful sights, engaging activities, interesting people, and novel tastes and smells… This can be especially the case after spending time in an environment so sublime that it transports you, producing a nature-induced “peak experience”. We had just driven the length of Australia’s Great Ocean Road, a drive through scenery so magnificent that […] |
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