UPFRONT | NEWS

White Sands Estate has all the entertainment you need

East Coast hideaway

A stay at White Sands Estate on Tasmania’s gorgeous East Coast is far from boring. The picturesque holiday enclave, located between Bicheno and St Helens, boasts self-contained cabin accommodation close to the beach, as well as a boutique brewery, funky bar and bistro, a fine dining restaurant and Tasmanian produce providore.

If that’s not enough, there’s also a cinema, a heated pool, a tennis court, a canoe lake, a private beach and a boat ramp. Next year, the Estate will be expanding with 60 new hotel rooms and several luxury cabins. www.white-sands.com.au

Queensland is gearing itself up for the solar eclipse

GORGE GETAWAY Maud Creek Lodge is an exclusive new retreat offering a boutique homestead-style experience near the magnificent Nitmiluk Gorge, a maze of ancient waterways sculpted by the Katherine River in the Northern Territory. You can stay in an ensuite room in the original homestead or in a private cottage, where you can enjoy the pristine views from your lodge balcony.

A guided walk with Nitmiluk Tours will take you to lookouts at the rim of the gorge, secluded swimming holes, palm-filled valleys and rock art sites. Rates start from A$230 (£152) per night. www.maudcreeklodge.com.au

Drink in the views at Maud Creek Lodge

NEW BEACH HOUSE Beachfront property, Cassini Beach House, has opened on Kangaroo Island. Surrounded by native scrub, the supermodern house can accommodate up to 10 people and boasts stunning beach views www.southaustralia.com

MAKING A SPLASH Rainbow Springs in Rotorua, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation parks, has opened a thrilling new family-friendly eco-experience. The Big Splash explores New Zealand’s ecological evolution and ends on a high with an adrenaline-boosting 12-metre plummet down a waterslide. The park, set in 22 acres of beautiful native trees and streams, has also added a new 384seat, free-flight bird show auditorium. rainbowsprings.co.nz

MUSICAL FUN The Australian premiere of Legally Blonde, the musical, takes place at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on 4 October 2012. An all-star cast has been announced with Lucy Durack to play Elle Woods and Rob Mills in the role of Warner. legallyblonde.com.au

UP, UP AND AWAY

Outback Ballooning are resuming hot air balloon flights from Rawnsley Park Station in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. Flights cost A$370 (£244) per adult and will be available until the end of October. The experience includes transfer to the launch site, a 60-minute flight above the Australian outback, and a bush breakfast. www.outbackballooning.com.au

SURF’S UP

Manly and Freshwater Beaches in New South Wales have been listed as an official World Surfing Reserve. Manly and Freshwater are regarded as the birthplace of Australian surfing, and the honours were awarded in a ceremony attended by surfing champion Kelly Slater. World Surfing Reserves (WSR) recognise and help protect the world’s finest surfing sites.

Going down Going up

NIET TO THAT!

Russia has threatened to restrict UK flights over Siberia that are bound for Australia in retaliation for the EU’s decision to start charging airlines for their carbon emissions. Russia’s deputy transport minister has spoken about limiting EU airlines’ use of the routes over Siberia and giving preference instead to carriers from Japan, China and other Asian nations. This could limit flights to Australia because it would force airlines to take a longer, more costly route.

MAJOR CASH COW

A seven-year-old steer in Queensland officially has the world’s longest long-horns, and his owners hope the prized beast could turn into a major tourism cash cow. ‘JR’ entered the Guinness Book of World Records with his massive horn-span of 2.77 metres, a whopping three times larger than your average steer. This is one bull you don’t want to grab by the horns...

www.getmedownunder.com

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