10 ways you can see Australia on wheel and wing

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We’ve rounded up the best ways to traverse the country on road, off-road and from the air: from the exhilarating to the epicurean and sometimes both at once.

1. Wheel around the wildflowers

VARIOUS LOCATIONS, WA

Western Australia surely has one of the most spectacular wildflower seasons in the country.

 

You’ll be compelled to snap away as the dusty red landscape turns into a veritable patchwork quilt of colour.

 

If you’re not keen to self-drive, throw your lot in with Luxury Outback Tours’ seven-day wildflower itinerary, where you also have the chance to travel to some of the state’s most engaging sites, such as Wave Rock, Cape Le Grand and Esperance.

2. For those who just like to tag along in the sand

Love to drive, hate to navigate?

Yep, we can do without those arguments that make you dream of ejecting your spouse onto the side of the road.

 

Happily, there are some incredible 4WD tag-along tours that alleviate the stress and leave you with the scenery.

FRASER’S ON RAINBOW BEACH, QLD

You don’t even need your own 4WD for this three-day tour, which takes you along Fraser’s stunning sands, into the rainforest and through creeks.

 

Included is all food and camping equipment, so you just need to bring yourself, your licence and a sense of adventure.

 

Oh, and if you’re a little apprehensive about putting wheel-to-sand, we recommend a Girls Got Grit preparatory course.

DIRK HARTOG ISLAND, WA

An island with a history that spans guano mining, pearling and sheep grazing, Dirk Hartog Island is now used more sustainably for tourism.

 

Discover rock pools, blow-holes, a salt lake called Rose Lake, and long stretches of beach with impossibly clear waters.

 

The island’s isolation will make you feel like the last people on Earth.

 

The ‘Return to 1616’ tag-along tour incorporates restoration of the vegetation and habitat and includes 4WD, accommodation and meals.

3.  It’s Australia’s (better) answer to Big Sur. And, we know you love it

GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC

Sometimes the journey is just as much about the ride as the sights.

 

And when it comes to the Great Ocean Road, you, our readers, vote for it each year in our People’s Choice Awards, so we assume you’ve perhaps done the drive more than once.

 

Next time, why not leave the driving to someone else and spend a day cruising around in absolute coastal style in a 1974 VW Kombi Transporter Microbus?

 

Take Hike & Seek’s Great Otway National Park tour and return via the Great Ocean Road in style. Surf’s up, dudes.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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4. Ride the rainforest and sleep in a pod

BLUE DERBY PODS RIDE, TAS

A brand-new experience has just launched in Tasmania’s Derby that will have mountain bikers eagerly donning their helmets.

 

The existing trails are already a hot spot for adventurers on two wheels, but the new Blue Derby Pods Ride will add an extra level to the experience with a three-day itinerary that includes fine Tassie food and wine, and accommodation in unique architecturally designed pods.

5. Arriving Bond-style by seaplane is a dream we all share

OUTBACK FLOATPLANE ADVENTURES, NT

It’s not just the seaplane that we love about Outback Floatplane Adventures’ Ultimate Tour, no, you get to travel in all the vehicles, including a helicopter, airboat (that other Bond-looking contraption with a giant fan that propels you from villains, or crocs) and luxury cruise vessel.

 

It’s a bird’s-and-fish-eye view of tropical Northern Territory’s breathtaking scenery and wildlife, and is a guaranteed boast-worthy trip.

6. Rolling in the streets

ADELAIDE, SA

Adelaide’s vibrant food truck scene has flourished since 2012, with a diverse array on city streets for mid-week lunches and large public events on weekends, including the frequent Fork On The Road food truck cluster events.

 

“Variety is the magic ingredient," says Mohamed Bensaid, of Moorish Bites.

 

“We introduce a whole world of different ethnic foods that you just can’t find in restaurants."

 

Here’s our pick from across the board:

 

1. Moorish Bites, Meloui: A luscious Moroccan pancake filled with spinach and feta cheese, or with eggplant, chicken, lamb or marinated fish.

 

2. La Chiva, Chivita de Chorizo: Feisty Colombian chorizo patties packed in soft bread rolls with lettuce, coriander, smoked salsa sauce and mayonnaise.

 

3. Bodri’s Taste of Hungary, Kurtosh Kalach: This towering Hungarian chimney cake is made from scratch in the van, with ribbon-like dough wound around a cylinder, covered with sugar and baked to form a crisp, caramelised crust.

7. When money ain’t nothing but a thing

“If only there was a tour that ticked off Australia’s greatest beauties, full of wine and good food, where I could travel in supreme comfort in a private aircraft," laments the gourmand high flyer.

 

If this sounds like you, bemoan your sorry existence no more, for there is just such a tour.

 

Dipping in and out of the sky to feast on the fare and fair landscapes of the Mornington Peninsula, Barossa Valley, Tamar Valley and Freycinet Peninsula (to name a few), this seven-day High Flyers Gourmet Trail from Ultimate Winery Experiences will only set you back a cool $10K or thereabouts.

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8. There really is no better way to see it all: Four bucket list road trips

1. The Big Lap: It’s still the big dream: take three months off work, kit out a motorhome and circumnavigate this land.

 

2. The Kimberley Dream: A 4WD journey along the mighty Gibb River Road.

 

3. The Explorer’s Way: Cut the country in half, from Adelaide to Darwin.

 

4. The Nullarbor: It’s the horizontal line in the sand and the classic drive.

9. Go the big distances with the little guys

REX, QLD

Outback Queensland can teach you a thing or two about significant distances.

 

While many opt to drive from Brisbane to Birdsville and around to Bedourie and Boulia, there is another way to see the north-east piece of our nation’s puzzle.

 

Rex is nothing if not regional, and will get you to Winton and back if dinosaur bones are your thing, or to Birdsville for the bash, and to legendary Longreach.

 

So if breaking an axle on a dirt road isn’t your idea of seeing the country, consider the alternative way to get to these amazing outposts.

10. Because mixing booze and bikes can surely never be a bad idea

TOUR DE RIESLING RAIL TRAIL, CLARE VALLEY, SA

What to do with a defunct railway track in wine country?

 

Well, if you’re in the Clare Valley, you throw down some gravel, buy some electric bikes and turn it into a wine tour that Passes incredible wineries such as Skillogalee and Sevenhill.

 

While you’re in the mood: Take a gourmet cycle through Mudgee with Tour De Mudgee Cellar Doors or leave the Lycra at home for the Tour de Gourmet Escape in Milawa.

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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7 pinch-me moments I had at the new Monarto Safari Lodge

    Katie Carlin Katie Carlin
    Monarto Safari Resort’s new Safari Lodge delivers so much more than a memorable stay; it’s packed full of unforgettable moments.  

    Just a year after the 78-room Monarto Safari Resort opened, the new Safari Lodge brings a more intimate and exclusive overnight African safari experience to Australia just outside of Adelaide. But just how similar is it to an African safari?

    Consider these pinch-me moments I had during my stay and decide for yourself. 

    1. Cheetah sightings at check-in

    monarto safari lodge cheetahs
    Spot cheetahs before you even check in.

    Safari Lodge is set within the Wild Africa precinct of the expansive, open-range Monarto Safari Park. I expected to see animals, but I didn’t expect to see two cheetahs stalking the fenceline just behind my tent at check-in.

    I cross the paddock to get a closer look. Both are now perched like a sphinx on a hill overlooking the 20 premium tents that make up Safari Lodge. I stand here, locked in place, waiting to see if they make a move. After 10 minutes like this, I turn to get settled into the tent but throw a final look in their direction; they’ve slinked back down, now barely visible in the grass. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about this encounter later tonight. 

    2. Sipping champagne as a giraffe sips from a waterhole

    giraffes at monarto safari lodge
    Enjoy champagne while meeting the locals. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The all-inclusive stay includes a 2.5-hour Sunset Safari that takes guests into the Wild Africa precinct onboard a purpose-built Safari Land Cruiser for a chance to see free-roaming herds of African animals up close.

    The safari drive culminates in a champagne and canapé stop in a fenced and sheltered viewing area of the precinct. A chance to watch the sun set as animals gather around one of the many waterholes. And we’re in luck! Two giraffes are stripping leaves from a nearby tree as three white rhinos graze to my right. One giraffe starts galloping, in that funny head-bobbing way giraffes do, to the water’s edge. It splays its legs and bends its long neck down to start slurping up water. I find giraffes endlessly entertaining, and sipping champagne while watching the scene play out is the icing on the cake. 

    3. A rain shower with views of a waterhole where African animals gather

    monarto safari lodge King Safari Tent
    Enjoy views from the King Safari Tent.

    I am staying in tent 17, one of the best positioned tents for animal encounters, due to its proximity to the waterhole. Not only does the spacious 71-square-metre King Safari Tent feature a king bed, lounge area, separate dressing room with kitchenette, coffee machine, kettle and fully stocked mini bar, and ensuite bathroom. But you can even glimpse the waterhole from the rain shower. It’s thoughtful details like this that keep you connected to the safari experience no matter where you are located.  

    4. Feeding lions from within a caged dome

    Lion 360 experience at monarto safari resort
    Step into the Lion 360 experience. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    Monarto Safari Park isn’t a zoo. Set across 1500 hectares of South Australian bushland, it’s an expansive safari experience. It’s been designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours and long-term species management. Entry is included for guests, but I’ve decided to upgrade my experience with tickets to Lion 360. 

    Senior Keeper Rachel Hemming herds 15 of us into a domed cage for the unique lion feeding experience. She leads Monarto’s care and conservation breeding programs for their iconic big cats. “Make sure you don’t get too close to the edge of the cage; the lions like to mark their territory,” she warns. 

    She starts making cat-like calls to Kubwa, Kashka and Kito, the three male lions lazing somewhere out of sight behind the tree line in the distance. The promise of food eventually lures the lions over. I’m in awe of their size as they pace back and forth, pausing to take the meat as it’s fed to them via tongs.

    In her excitement, one lady has inched too close; a lion takes aim and hits his mark before she realises her mistake. I see her leaving the gift shop with a new jacket not long after the tour ends. 

    5. A swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board

    Monarto safari Lodge swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board
    Tuck into a poolside treat. (Credit: Katie Carlin)

    The Safari Lodge reception is also home to a restaurant and bar, heated swimming pool and several private plunge pools available to book. After a morning spent at Monarto Safari Park, a dip in one of the private plunge pools sounds too good to skip.

    I change into my swimmers and make my way to the lodge. A generous charcuterie board arrives shortly after I slip into the pool. I’m told floating trays are already on order, but picking at the selection of cheeses, meats, nuts and fruit while perched on the edge sipping champagne is just as indulgent as it is having it float in the water. I never make it to the gym or pickleball court beside the lodge, but I have no regrets. 

    6. A front-row seat to a male rhino rejected by two females

    male rhino grazing
    Watch a rhino’s unlucky day. (Credit: Lucas Alexander)

    Louis Tonkin, our Wild Africa Tour host, is giddy with excitement when he spots the three white rhinos on our Sunset Safari drive. He has an inkling that we’re about to get a show.

    He pulls to the side and tells us what terrible eyesight white rhinos have, struggling to spot a motionless animal or object even from a short distance. However, they make up for it with acute hearing and an incredible sense of smell. Which explains why the larger male rhino is methodically creeping towards the two disinterested females grazing metres in front of him, then suddenly freezing on the spot. He’s hoping one will be open to mating with him. He takes another wary shuffle forward and suddenly the smaller of the two turns and charges towards him, butting him hard with her head. It’s a firm no. The male, denied, sheepishly backs away. 

    7. Watching a dazzle of zebra from the comfort of a luxury safari tent

    monarto safari resort zebra
    Wildlife encounters abound.

    Rain clouds loom, and the wind is howling, but thankfully it hasn’t deterred the zebras. I’m brewing a cup of Monarto’s Serengé-T – a vanilla rooibos blended with Daintree black tea and butterfly pea flower when I spot them. Six zebras are prancing across the plains for a drink at the waterhole. I watch their antics from the deck of my King Safari Tent, wrapped in a merino blanket made by Australian-owned Grampians Good Co. and marvel at the fact I get a front-row show to these wild animals. 

    After they disappear from view, I sit with the sketch pad and pencils I find in the cupboard and start drawing some of my most memorable animal encounters from the weekend – starting with the two hippos I saw ravenously munching on grass at dusk as we made our way out of the Wild Africa precinct last night. This really is as close to an authentic safari experience as you can get outside of Africa. 

    Start planning a wild stay in the luxurious Safari Lodge at monartosafariresort.com.