Maria Island, Dream Destination

THE CLIMB TO THE TOP of Mount Bishop and Clerk, the highest point on Tasmania’s Maria Island, is said to reward intrepid travellers with panoramic views over the top of the island’s eucalypt forests. To the west, we’re told, lies the Freycinet Peninsula; to the south, over the distant horizon, lies the icy landscapes of Antarctica. We take it on trust. Because the peak we’ve conquered today is a cloud-covered triumph. We hear the ocean and the wind, we can even smell its Antarctic purity, but we can see not much further than arm’s length.  Read more…

Sunset cruise in Nitmiluk, Northern Territory

A SUNSET CRUISE in Nitmiluk has it all. Beauty, mystery and romance fill this spectacular and ancient gorge, formed over 120 million years ago in the Northern Territory's Nitmiluk National Park.

Also known as Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk literally means 'cicada place'. It was named by a dragon-like creation figure called Nabilil, who travelled across the land, arriving at the entrance to Nitmiluk when the cicadas were in full song. Read more...