New Signature Experiences of Australia to recommend to different client types
With Australia fans willing to spend more on a premium holiday once borders reopen, now’s the time to explore its updated array of Signature Experiences, says Abra Dunsby
With Australia’s borders closed to UK travellers since last March, many clients will be desperate to plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip there.
The trade-commissionable Signature Experiences of Australia have been created to appeal to clients seeking high-end, memorable moments on their stay.
During lockdown, Tourism Australia added a range of new Signature Experiences in preparation for when UK clients return, and in anticipation of them being ready to spend more on their trip.
Sally Cope, regional general manager for the UK and Northern Europe at Tourism Australia, explains: “We know from our own consumer research that Australia continues to rank among the top destinations for our key audience in the UK that we actively market to.
“They are clients that like to travel frequently and spend more on premium experiences than the average traveller. After such a long period during which long-haul destinations have been off limits, we’re expecting that they’ll want to spend those savings on even grander travel experiences to create memories that will last a lifetime.”
The Signature Experiences are grouped into eight categories and appeal to special interests, such as golf, fishing and wildlife. Here we round up some new additions to the programme, providing plenty of fodder to help agents and operators craft original, premium itineraries.
LUXURY LODGES OF AUSTRALIA
Treehouse stays at Silky Oaks Lodge
Neighbouring the World Heritage-listed wilderness of Daintree national park and with views over the Mossman River, it’s no wonder that Silky Oaks Lodge has long been regarded as Tropical North Queensland’s most luxurious rainforest hideaway.
The lodge will reopen in December after a major refurbishment that has added further sumptuous flourishes, with a re-imaged main lodge hub and six treehouse-style suite categories.
Guests who stay at the lodge can also enjoy exclusive day use of the nearby gorge, including by kayak; head into the rainforest on a variety of walking trails ranging from 30 minutes to two hours; and take part in an array of local indigenous experiences. silkyoakslodge.com.au
ULTIMATE WINERY EXPERIENCES OF AUSTRALIA
Private helicopters and tastings with Vasse Felix Estate
Vasse Felix Estate on the Margaret River has a new day trip from Perth that allows guests to try out the winery’s delicious Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays in inimitable style. The Icon Experience kicks off with a private helicopter transfer from Perth to Vasse Felix, taking in stunning views over towering Karri eucalyptus forests and the Indian Ocean. Upon arrival at Vasse Felix, guests will be greeted by chief winemaker Virginia Willcock and taken on a guided vineyard tour, followed by a private tasting at wine museum The Vault. Then they’ll meet the chef behind the winery’s award-winning restaurant and enjoy a five-course degustation long lunch, before a helicopter transfer back to Perth. The Icon Experience is price upon request. vassefelix.com.au
Wine tasting and more at Printhie Wines
Orange in New South Wales is renowned for producing impeccable wines thanks to the high elevation created by extinct volcano Mount Canobolas, and clients visiting the area can try some for themselves at award-winning Printhie Wines, a new addition to the Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia collective.
Guests can take part in various activities through Ultimate Winery Experiences. They include the Printhie Picnic, where guests can wander the estate with a map to pick out the best picnic spot, eat and then take a guided tasting; and Winemakers at Work: a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery, followed by a tasting and private three-course lunch, with private chauffeur hotel transfers. The Winemakers at Work experience costs £950pp. printhiewines.com.au
Luxury accommodation, food and wine with a new partnership
Lon Retreat and Spa on the Bellarine Peninsula has teamed up with Point Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula to offer a package that combines luxury accommodation with world-class dining and great wines.
The Lon to Leo three-day experience includes two nights’ accommodation in a luxury suite at Lon Retreat and Spa, plus a day’s sailing trip over to Port Phillip Bay in Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula. Guests will then be whisked to the Point Leo Estate to enjoy a sumptuous three-course a la carte meal in the one-hat (Australia’s equivalent of Michelin star) restaurant, Pt. Leo Restaurant, followed by a bespoke wine tasting.
Later, guests can meander through the 19-acre Sculpture Park and enjoy views of Phillip Island from the vineyards before departing for the return journey and final night at Lon Retreat & Spa. Prices are from around £855 per couple. ptleoestate.com.au/lon-to-leo-experience
DISCOVER ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES
A host of new tours
Discover Aboriginal Experiences, a collective of authentic indigenous guided tourism offerings, has four new members. On Borrgoron Coast to Creek Tours, in the ruggedly beautiful Dampier Peninsula guests can discover the mangroves, creeks and tidal flats of King Sound and experience the Bardi people’s special relationship with the land and sea alongside Bardi local Terry Hunter.
Also based in the Kimberley, Kingfisher Tours hosts luxurious tours by air, land and sea led by passionate local guides; in New South Wales, Bundyi Cultural Tours takes clients deep into the Wagga Wagga region with Wiradjuri man Mark Saddler, who shares his cultural heritage on walking, coach, 4x4 and motorcycle tours; while further north, on the Coffs Coast, Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours takes visitors on a stand-up paddle boarding trip through scenic local waterways, with bush tucker tastings. bit.ly/3mPt9yo
AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE JOURNEYS
Wildlife and quirky accommodation on the Murray River
On this three-day guided wildlife adventure from Murray River Safari, guests will explore the iconic Murray River and Riverland Ramsar Wetland of International Significance and enjoy a range of activities. The wetland is teeming with wildlife, from wild koalas and brush-tailed possums to red kangaroos and around 180 bird species, including emus and wedge-tailed eagles.
Clients will explore the area by canoe, on foot and on a safari driving through dunes, while accommodation comes in the quirky form of a modern houseboat. Prices start from £980pp based on two sharing. bit.ly/3FAjvrZ
Help wildlife recover from the effects of the bushfires in Victoria
Clients looking to get involved in conservation efforts in rural Victoria and help fight the long-lasting effects of the bushfires can join one of Echidna Walkabout’s new tours, which range in duration from two to 14 days.
Options include the two-day Koala Recovery Experience, where clients will plant koala-friendly trees to help populations recover, and the four-day Wildlife Journey tour, where they can help remove ghost nets from beaches and conduct bushfire-recovery wildlife surveys in the biodiverse forests, receiving a certificate of thanks for helping wildlife conservation. Prices for the Koala Recovery Experience start from around £615 per adult. echidnawalkabout.com.au
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