Dear HBO, the next White Lotus season belongs in Australia, here’s why

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Over to you Mike White.

Let’s be honest: The White Lotus has always been about two things – jaw-dropping locations and the rich behaving badly. And while HBO has stuck loyally to the Four Seasons franchise, it’s time to expand the map (and your loyalty program) for season four. Australia is calling, and it’s ready to serve every sun-soaked, passive-aggressive, Aperol-fuelled, luxury-laced moment you could dream of.

Sure, we’ve got a Four Seasons in Sydney (and no offence to Circular Quay, but it’s giving suit conference energy). But the real drama – the type Tanya would’ve thrived in – lives in our wild, wonderful, ludicrously luxe lodges. Australia is practically a ready-made casting call of locations, each ready to deliver its own brand of chaos, secrets and slow-burn resentment.

So, HBO, consider this your set location shopping list. Each of these incredible Aussie stays is ready to be your next White Lotus location, each with its own unforgettable vibe.

Sun Ranch, Byron Bay, NSW

Sun Ranch Byron Bay
Sun Ranch would be perfect for The White Lotus drama.

Cue the cowboy hats, crystals and unresolved family trauma. At Sun Ranch, it’s all linen and microdosing as Byron’s most spiritually connected guests gather for a week of “healing" aka passive-aggressively judging each other’s hat game and ayahuasca experiences. I can see Jaclyn absolutely falling for the hot-but-questionable yoga instructor, while the rich teens plot revenge on their dads for dragging them to Byron instead of Europe. Expect surf lessons, healing circles and someone dramatically riding off on a horse.

Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Qld

Lizard Island aerial
What could go wrong on an isolated island?

Nothing says “disaster pending" like total isolation. Set on the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island is so exclusive that someone could disappear and no one would notice until sundowners. Saxon is spiralling when he realises there’s no phone reception, no wi-fi… and his crypto wallet is crashing. Meanwhile, Lochlan insists he’s thriving, but his thousand-yard stare by day two says otherwise.

Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island, NSW

Capella Lodge pool Lord Howe Island
Capella Lodge serves as the ideal backdrop for Mike White’s drama.

Scenic perfection and family dysfunction? Capella Lodge is ready. The plot? A family reunion no one asked for. The setting? Too isolated to storm off, but just close enough to plot each other’s downfall over wine on the deck. The siblings are feuding over the family’s empire. Someone gets too close to the cliffs but was it really an accident?

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Bullo River Station, NT

Bullo River Station, NY
Swap white linen for Akubras at Bullo River Station. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Forget yachts this season swaps white linen for Akubras. At Bullo River Station it’s all dirt, danger and intergenerational wealth as cashed-up travellers take on the outback. There’s a tense cattle muster, a helicopter arrival and a dinner where everyone pretends they’re not terrified of dying out here. Piper is running the station now. Don’t ask how.

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, WA

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef
Enjoy the chaos from your hammock at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef.

There’s nothing like communal dining to guarantee a dinner party explosion. At Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, everyone eats together under the stars – and that’s where the real bloodbath happens. Someone definitely hooks up with someone else’s partner in a tent, Victoria attempts (and fails) to snorkel and passive aggression reaches new heights.

Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree Rainforest, Qld

Silky Oaks Lodge
Someone might get eaten by a crocodile if The White Lotus airs from Silky Oaks Lodge.

The Daintree Rainforest is dense, the secrets are deeper. At Silky Oaks Lodge, Chelsea books a “spiritual cleansing" for Rick and he ends up sobbing in the creek. Chelsea gets lost on a nature walk and an illicit affair bubbles over in one of the suites. Also, someone might get eaten by a crocodile.

Mt Mulligan Lodge, Qld

Mt Mulligan Lodge infinity pool
Mt Mulligan Lodge’s infinity pool will definitely feature heavily in the season.

It’s remote. It’s eerie. It’s perfect. Mt Mulligan Lodge serves big ghost-town energy and someone’s definitely hallucinating their dead ex in the infinity pool. There’s a mining disaster backstory, naturally, and at least one séance. The season finale? A dust storm reveals exactly what’s been buried out here.

Sequoia Lodge, Adelaide Hills, SA

Sequoia Lodge Adelaide Hills
This season will include plenty of wine.

Wellness, wine and barely concealed contempt. At Sequoia Lodge, the couples’ therapy retreat is going spectacularly badly. Picture it: Jaclyn gets way too into hot pool bathing, Laurie refuses to leave the wine tasting, and what was supposed to be a vow renewal between Kate and Dave turns into a screaming match. Someone ends up in the wine cellar… permanently.

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Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tas

Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge
The moody vibes will be central to the plot. (Image: Emilie Ristevski)

Moody. Misty. Murder-adjacent. Welcome to Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmania, where someone accidentally pushes their partner into a glacial lake. Is it an accident? Is anything, really? Every shot looks like a Scandi-noir thriller, and the cold only makes everyone meaner.

qualia, Hamilton Island, Qld

qualia Long Pavilion Entrance
qualia screams The White Lotus.

You want helicopters, yachts and a surprise wedding no one’s excited about? Welcome to qualia. Someone sails off into the Hamilton Island horizon screaming, Chloe secures the wrong rich husband, again, and the wedding ends with multiple betrayals – and that’s before the midnight swim.

The Calile Hotel, Brisbane, Qld

The Calile Brisbane
Someone will definitely end up floating in the pool.

Think pastel poolside perfection meets TikTok-induced identity crises. At The Calile, it’s all pastels, designer shades and arguments about who gets the best pool shot. Rick is low-key losing his mind while everyone else is just vibing. Someone ends up floating in the pool.

Marramarra Lodge, Hawkesbury, NSW

Marramarra Carter House
The White Lotus needs some riverside representation. (Image: Isaac Tseng)

The ultimate cliffhanger? A secluded riverside lodge where secrets float in by boat. Someone’s long-lost child turns up. There’s nowhere to run, the family has way too much history and the river knows everything.

HBO and Mike White, it’s time. Australia is ready to serve The White Lotus energy. We’ve got the scenery, the scandal and more than enough stunning lodges to host your next beautiful disaster. Now come where the stakes (and the wildlife) are wilder. Bring sunscreen, pack a hat and maybe a body bag.

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Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her 4+ years at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? South Australia and The Kimberley.
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The perfect mid-week reset an hour from Melbourne

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
    Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

    Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

    walking trails in the Yarra Valley
    You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

    A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

    holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy
    Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

    a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy
    A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

    I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

    Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

    Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate
    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

    As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate, I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

    oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate
    Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

    On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

    I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

    kangaroos in Yarra Valley
    Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

    the Yarra Valley vineyards
    Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

    Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

    COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

    It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

    A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

    legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway
    The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

    The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

    I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

    The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

    After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

    Playing there

    the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley
    Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art. Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

    Eating and drinking there

    Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

    seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station
    The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)