Christmas Island is seeking a more sustainable future, with its first commercial food forest, dedication to marine rubbish clean ups and novel efforts to safeguard its red crabs; all on island initiatives worth celebrating.

Once a teenage nightlife hotspot, then a hipster posing zone, Leederville has now settled into its skin as an affable urban village.

As the Margaret River Region becomes one of only a handful of certified eco destinations in Australia, Fleur Bainger dives into the wine-focused nirvana – known for sophisticated cellar doors and celebrity chefs – and finds an inspiring devotion to eco-consciousness.

A laid-back outback town with hidden treasures? In Western Australia, Fleur Bainger finds Kununurra’s far-flung retreats, magnificent rock formations and colossal waterfalls are the rewards for those who go in search of them.

The Pilbara’s strong Aboriginal pulse beats through every landform in its red dirt expanse and across its island-scattered ocean. We trace the region’s songlines, which have linked ancient rock engravings with local wonders and distant parts of Australia for tens of thousands of years.

Cruise to the intriguing Houtman Abrolhos archipelago to explore far-flung fishing communities, captivating coral gardens and a very dark past.