AS we slowly emerge from hibernation and look to resume travelling - within our home states, and then interstate - it's time to plan. With social distancing likely to be in place for some time, it makes sense to look where there's plenty of room to move. Here are our tips:
Queensland: Go outback. In September and October, the meteorological phenomenon referred to as the Morning Glory Clouds roll across the Gulf. They can be seen at Burketown in north-west Queensland and eastern Northern Territory - the Gulf Savannah. The cloud bank can be up to 1000km long, 1-2km wide and can travel at up to 60 kph. If you're keen to explore but don't fancy driving, consider a Heritage Tours small-group Cape York or Gulf Savannah tour next year. - burketown.com.au -
heritagetours.com.au
Victoria: Support bushfire affected regions. The Gippsland Lakes region with towns such as Lakes Entrance, Metung, Paynesville and Loch Sport will have the welcome sign out, as will the High Country towns of Bright, Beechworth, Rutherglen and Mansfield. Take your eskies to store the delicious bounty of food and wine. Murray River Paddlesteamers Echuca is steaming ahead, with the first of its six-night All The Rivers Run cruises on PS Emmylou scheduled for November.
murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.au - visitvictoria.com - visitgippsland.com.au - victoriashighcountry.com.au
South Australia: Go back in time. Join an Adnyamathanha Aboriginal guide for a walk into Sacred Canyon in the Ikara-Finders Ranges National Park and learn about cultural significance of the site and the ancient rock engravings. Bed down at the solar-powered Wilpena Pound Resort. Spacious well-equipped safari tents overlooking the escarpment let you experience camping without having to hammer in a tent peg or pole. - wilpenapound.com.au
Tasmania: Rug up. Off-season, you'll have many places almost to yourself - the snowy wilderness of Cradle Mountain and secluded retreats (Pumphouse Point on Lake St Clair, Thousand Lakes Lodge in the Central Highlands among them). Set off on hikes designed for winter such as the Overland Track, Three Capes Track or the Maria Island Winter Walk. There's hot tubs or fire-lit hearths at boutique boltholes including Ship Inn Stanley and The Granary. - discovertasmania.com.au
NSW: Pedal power. Get on your bike and head to the new Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail. The 22km sealed walking and cycling trail runs through a former railway corridor, crossing restored timber trestle bridges and stock overpass crossings. It is suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Tumbarumba Motel is a great place to stay. The region is acclaimed for its vineyards and winery cellar doors. - visitsnowyvalleys.com.au
Western Australia: In the pink. Off the coast at Esperance, one of WA's pink lakes can be found on Middle Island. You can be one of the few to visit by boat or helicopter to explore the ruins of a camp that once belonged to Black Jack Anderson, Australia's only known pirate, before moving on to the lake. - westernaustralia.com
Northern Territory: Follow the open road. There's something special about the red earth and vast plains of northern Australia. Coasting down the Stuart Highway, it's just you, the open road and the magnificent outback. For an epic journey, plan a route all the way from Adelaide to Darwin, stopping at Alice Springs, Uluru and Kakadu along the way. According to NT Tourism, if you haven't visited Australia's spiritual centre, climbed Ubirr for a Kakadu sunset, swum in some of the country's most spectacular water holes just outside of Alice Springs, cooled your heels where the outback meets the tropics in Katherine, driven the Explorers Way to Tennant Creek in the Barkly region or speared a fish with a local in Arnhem Land, then it's high time you did. - northernterritory.com
