HOW TO...
Choose a Summer Holiday Experience
There’s something in summer for every kind of traveller. Whether you’re after a low-key getaway or kicking it up a notch with some summer action, here’s how to choose your own adventure.
WORDS Tess Durack
PHOTOGRAPHY Rottnest Island Authority
Summer holidays – ask four different people what images those magic words conjure, and you’ll get four different answers: sheltered bays of calm turquoise water for snorkelling, or surfboard-perfect swells crashing onto dramatic shorelines; white sands and blazing sun perfect for endless afternoons reading on the beach, or the romance of outback vistas and picture-perfect wine country.
The key to choosing your summer destination? Decide what you want those key ingredients to look like, then find your match. Here are three options to satisfy everyone, from the most intrepid of explorers to those just wanting to kick back and listen to the sound of waves lapping the sand.
ROTTNEST ISLAND, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Clean onshore winds and multiple swell directions make beautiful Rottnest (Wadjemup) a favourite destination for experienced surfers. Go to Strickland Bay for a consistently good break or just to admire seasoned surfers working their magic. If you’re a beginner determined to use the summer to master the art, check out the aptly named Chicken Reef.
Intimidating swells and frothing breakers not your cup of tea? You’re in luck. Rottnest is full of secret coves and protected beaches perfect for those wanting more ripple, less rad. Try Parakeet Bay and Ricey Beach for clear, calm waters and a family-friendly vibe. With its famously adorable quokka population and rich history associated with its Traditional Owners, the Whadjuk Noongar people, Rottnest is the stuff summertime dreams are made of.
Board Rottnest Express to experience the Island’s beaches and coves.
WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, QUEENSLAND
The Whitsundays (Ngaro Country) are famous for their palette of pure white and aqua, but beneath that crystalline water, you’ll find a veritable rainbow of colour as jewel-like fish dart through vivid corals. It’s a sight that never gets old, even for the most experienced snorkeller, and it makes for an unforgettable introduction to the reef for first-timers.
While Whitehaven is the Whitsundays’ crown jewel and will have you uttering a stream of superlatives as you take in its generous swathe of beach and always-calm bay, there’s plenty more to the Whitsundays. For those who like the wind in their hair, the Whitsundays offer perfect conditions for sailors and their passengers and the islands themselves are a bushwalker’s delight. And if you haven’t quite got your sea legs but want to be on the water, glassy surfaces will have you paddleboarding and kayaking like a pro.
Swim, sail, snorkel, repeat with Cruise Whitsundays.
THE GRAMPIANS, VICTORIA AND THE HUNTER VALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES
Sand and salt not your cup of tea? Don’t worry – there’s more to summer than beaches.
For an abundance of wildlife and heart-stopping mountain vistas, Victoria’s famed Grampians (Gariwerd) are hard to beat. Traditionally known as Gariwerd, here you can get up close to some of the most significant rock art paintings in Australia. Bushwalkers and birdwatchers will be in heaven, but the Grampians also has plenty of breathtaking moments in store for those who prefer a gentle stroll over a rugged hike.
If beautiful food and world-class wines are a priority for your summer getaway, New South Wales’s Hunter Valley (Wonnarua) should be top of your list. Known for its varieties of Semillon and Shiraz, the Hunter’s soft hills and valleys will calm even the most frantic of travellers and is the perfect antidote to life’s busy schedule. Once you’ve satisfied your wine-loving tastebuds, villages like Broke and Wollombi will have you dreaming of a tree change while an abundance of innovative restaurants and luxury spas will keep you under the Hunter’s spell long after you’ve left.
Experience a taste of the Hunter Valley or the Grampians on the Great Southern’s Off Train Experiences.