Journalist and co-host of Network Ten’s Studio 10 and host of Shark Tank talks about her love of camping and how to hit Fortitude Valley.
1. As a child, our family holidays were always to…
Cheap and cheerful spots where we would pitch a tent and get back to nature. One of my favourite places to go as a kid was Second Lagoon on Bribie Island, where you can camp almost on the beach, just behind the dunes. Falling asleep to the roar of the ocean is heaven!
2. Now if I have time for a short break…
I love to pop down to the Gold Coast to unwind. Tallebudgera Creek and Palm Beach are gorgeous, easygoing places.
3. My local’s tip for my home town brisbane is…
To make sure you grab some brunch at a cool cafe in Fortitude Valley before taking a stroll along the Riverwalk in the sunshine. Finish the day with a cheap beer at Merthyr Bowls Club at New Farm on the river – they do great food, too.
4. My souvenir of choice is…
A fridge magnet. I’m a sucker for these from faraway places – the gaudier, the better.
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
AI Prompt
5. My carry-on is usually filled with…
A spare change of clothes, a book and a pack of cucumber and aloe make-up wipes, which are great for a quick ‘truckie shower’ if you want to feel fresh in a hurry.
6. My travel wardrobe always consists of…
A super comfy pair of walking shoes. I love getting to know new places on foot.
7. When I’m on the road, I’m listening to/watching…
A new podcast or documentary on my iPhone, but if I’m on a plane for any extended period of time then it’s trashy reality telly all the way!
8. My last holiday read was…
Murder in Mississippi by John Safran. It’s a murder mystery that I could not put down when I visited Positano in Italy a couple of years back. I was pregnant with my son, Paul, so I took that trip a little easier, soaking up the sun and reading by the beach.
9. I can’t leave home without my…
Cucumber and aloe wipes! The next time you’re on a plane for 14 hours, you’ll know why.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
10. My favourite Australian restaurant is…
A little Italian joint called Il Perugino in Mosman, Sydney. The staff are warm, the food is authentic and it’s a special place for my hubby and me – he proposed after dinner there.
11. The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done on holiday is…
Well, I’m actually pretty sedate on holidays. I’d rather chill out and recharge than chase an adrenaline high. While my husband has run with the bulls in Spain, the most daring thing I’ve done is get a fish pedicure in Thailand.
12. The last place I visited was…
Zurich, Switzerland (stunning place, so expensive!) for three days and we haven’t really had a holiday since having our son (born December 2015). I think we’re at that phase of our lives where our trips will be very kid friendly. I just have to convince my city-slicker husband to give camping a go.
Watch Sarah on Shark Tank, which airs Tuesday evenings on TEN.
Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?
Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.
Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.
1. E-Mountain biking
Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)
For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.
As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.
2. HI Fitness Club
Stretch out with reformer pilates.
If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.
I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.
3. Walking trails
Get the blood pumping on a morning run.
We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.
While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.
4. Spa wumurdaylin
Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.
In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.
It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.
5. Sunrise yoga
Start your day on the right foot.
Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.
Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.
6. Getting out on the water
Try your hand at a host of watersports.
Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.
Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.
Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.
7. Take a swing
Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.
For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.
