AUSTRALASIA NEW SOUTH WALES DESTINATIONS
LEFT: Fam trip winners on Bondi Beach
FAR LEFT: Backstage tour of Sydney Opera House
that matters. Migrating sand reveals a midden site, or in the local language, a murra, meaning campsite. “People would have sat and feasted here thousands of years ago,” says our guide, Andrew. “Such is the strength of our spiritual connection to the land, this is our Uluru. The land gave birth to us all. But you can’t own the land. Who owns their mother?” His calm, easy manner means an hour or two in his company will not only inform and entertain, but put you at ease on a quad bike, no matter what your level of experience. He adds: “The land gave us our language. From that, we created
Flight file
Ellie Fazan finds out what it’s like to take the world’s longest passenger flight
People feasted here thousands of years ago. Such is the strength of our spiritual connection to the land, this is our Uluru
a well-kept-secret. The pretty dining room has the feel of a traditional French country restaurant, with the valley dropping away to reveal views of the Tallavera Grove vineyard. We arrive to find Sally arranging
white roses and bold blue hydrangeas, while Robert is in the kitchen whipping up a heritage tomato salad and filet mignon with red wine jus. “I wake up every day and wonder what I’m going to cook,” he says. “It’s instinct, driven by colour and temperature of the season.” Our next stop is Pepper Tree Wines,
a tranquil country retreat also founded by the Molines along with two other couples, and set along a sweeping driveway that leads to a grand 19th-
century convent-turned-boutique hotel. The cellar door is in a pretty spot
next to the kitchen garden, and we sit under a vine-draped canopy with delicious cheeses and a selection of exceptional wines, from a brilliant shiraz viognier to a startlingly fresh ice wine. In such a bucolic setting, you could forget you’re in Australia – at least until a mob of kangaroos bounces across the lawn.
w MYTHBUSTING Kangaroos aren’t the only natives here in New South Wales. Despite the perception that this state is lacking in Aboriginal culture, just an hour away in Port Stephens, Sand Dune Adventures is a thriving local enterprise set on native title land and owned by the indigenous Worimi community. It started out in 2009 with eight quad bikes and the goal of protecting the community’s land and the stories, culture and heritage of their people. It now has 115 bikes, a community centre, and a Qantas Excellence Award in Aboriginal Cultural Tourism. Here, it’s what’s beneath the dunes
Airline: Qantas Cabin:Premium economy Route: Sydney to London, via Perth The verdict: After a shower, a relaxing stretch class and a hot dog from the outdoor barbecue in the new International Transit Lounge in Perth, I’m feeling relaxed and ready for the 17-hour journey ahead. It’s the first time I’ve flown non-stop from Australia and I’m bizarrely excited. After taking off, I relax into a comfy seat as flight attendants hand out glasses of fizz. Although I’m in the middle of the middle row, at 22.8 inches wide and with a 38in seat pitch and 9.5in recline, the seat feels surprisingly spacious. At meal times, cabin staff lay a white table cloth over our fold-out tables, and food – designed to increase hydration and reduce jet lag – ranges from a hearty beef stew to zingy Asian chicken salad. The wines are all Australian and specially selected by a sommelier. Healthy snacks are
available throughout the flights, and there’s coconut water and kombucha to aid hydration, as well as bespoke herbal teas. I’d love to offer a verdict on the entertainment available on board, but the truth is I slept most of the way back! Did you know? Qantas has plans to introduce non- stop flights from London to Melbourne and Sydney. And with its new focus on ultra-long-haul flights, the airline has partnered with the University of Sydney to research air-travel health and wellbeing. The next step involves trials with frequent flyers using wearable technology to collect data to make the journey even better. Book it: A return fare from London to Perth is £864 in economy, £2,097 in premium economy; flights from Heathrow to Sydney via Singapore cost from £714 in economy or £2,220 in premium economy.
qantas.com
10 January 2019
travelweekly.co.uk65
PICTURE: DESTINATION NEW SOUTH WALES/HUGH STEWART; SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; TOURISM AUSTRALIA/ARCHIE SARTRACOM
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