“FNQ” – Australia’s best value destination
news to use AUSTRALIA At The Movies Outback WA's Red Dog screen test Featured locations include Millstream Pullman Hotel
There’s no denying that the Aussie dollar is strong, but Australia still offers plenty of bargains. The best can be summarized in three letters – FNQ, or Far North Queensland. UK tourists were pioneers of Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas, seduced by the tropical climate, the rainforest and, of course, the Great Barrier Reef. But it’s not just the natural attractions which make it so attractive. Cairns now has an enviable reputation for its restaurants, none better than the Pullman Hotel’s Thai fusion Tamarind restaurant. The Pullman is Accor’s signature hotel in Cairns, and perfectly located for tours to the Reef. For those who want city centre convenience with resort-style facilities (including a lagoon size pool), the Novotel is perfect, while Mercure Harbourside has recently fully refurbished and must offer Cairns’ best value accommodation. To me, however, the ultimate FNQ destination for UK visitors is Palm Cove. Just 20 minutes from Cairns airport, but you could be 1000 miles away. A sleepy little beachside village, with towering shady melaleuca trees, Palm Cove offers great restaurants, a netted beach, exotic spa centres and two outstanding hotels – Novotel Palm Cove Resort (ideal for those who love action) and Grand Mercure Rockford, in the heart of the village. See you soon – the sun is shining!
Neale.Herridge@accor.com
and Karijini National Parks, Dampier and Point Samson. “While most people are familiar with
the big cities and recognisable Australian icons, Red Dog is the latest film to draw attention to some of the lesser-known highlights of the country,” said Ben Briggs, Austravel’s brand manager. The operator has an 11-day Western
BY STEVE HARTRIDGE Red Dog, the latest in a line of recent
movies to use Australia's dramatic scenery as a backdrop, is set to put Western Australia's rugged outback firmly in the frame. Based on a book by Louis de Bernières – best known for being the author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – the movie premiered at the London
Australian Film Festival in May and will be released in Australia in August. The story follows the true tale of a canine, Red Dog, who unites a local community while searching for his long- lost master. The film was shot on location in one
of the most picturesque, remote and thinly populated regions of Western Australia, the Pilbara.
Frontier Tour that takes in the key film locations and more. Priced from £4,229pp, for travel in September 2011, the package includes return flights from London-Heathrow to Perth, 10 nights’ accommodation and most meals. Tour highlights include Western Australia's Nambung National Park, The Pinnacles, Geraldton, Murchison River Region and Wooleen Station, Denham, Monkey Mia, time at the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, Cape Range National Park, Karijini National Park, Hamersley Gorge, Millstream National Park and Broome.
www.austravel.com
Hayman Island back in business Authentic NT The Nitmiluk Group has started
Upmarket Whitsundays’ resort
Hayman Island is preparing to reopen on August 1 in time for the Australian spring and summer. The private island resort, which has
been closed since February after being hit by cyclones, will unveil its new exclusive beach villas. The eight beachfront villas all feature
a private pool and offer uninterrupted views of the Coral Sea. Other accommodation at the five-
star resort includes rooms, suites, penthouses and a beach villa, all with private terraces or balconies.
IN BRIEF
Park8 adds rooms in Sydney The Park8 Hotel, an Epoque
Hotels property, has opened in Sydney’s CBD. The boutique hotel, previously known as the Central Park, has 36 oversized rooms and loft apartments. Other Park8 Hotel properties are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane.
www.epoquehotels.com
76 June 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
AirWalk opens in Tasmania The 25-bed Tahune AirWalk
Lodge, south of Hobart in the Huon Valley, has opened amongst the tall trees of the southern forests. The lodge has three bedroom wings with rooms for backpackers and family rooms. Guests can walk through the three-storey high canopy of a Tasmanian wet forest.
www.adventureforests.com.au
Perth twilight cruises Departing three times a week and
aimed at those short on time, a new 90-minute Captain Cook twilight cruise could be the perfect suggestion for those wanting to see Perth from the water. Including a captain’s commentary and a complimentary drink, the tour is offered from $A25.
www.captaincook.com.au
Guests in the suites enjoy a personal concierge service while Beach Villa and penthouse guests have a butler service.
www.haymanisland.com/au
work on its Cicada Eco Lodge, in Nitmiluk National Park near Katherine in the Northern Territory. The 18-room lodge will open in May
2012 and will target those in search of an 'authentic indigenous cultural and natural Australian wilderness experience'. Located 300kms south of Darwin, the lodge, a joint venture between the Jawoyn people and Indigenous Business Australia, will offer guests park tours and access to unique sites and experiences.
www.cicadaeclodge.com
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