Australian Gourmet Traveller - (10)October 2019 (1)

THREEOFTHEBEST

WildlifeRetreatatTaronga,Sydney

Slatedtoopenlaterthismonth,theWildlife

RetreatatSydney’sTarongaZoowillgivegood

reasontoheedthecallofthewild.Builtinto

bushland,theaccommodationspans 62 rooms

andsuitesacrossfivesustainablydesigned

lodges.Includedintheovernighttariff,which

goestowardsAustralianwildlifeconservation,

is a two-coursedinnerfortwoattheonsite

restaurant,Me-Gal.Thesoundsoftheanimal

kingdomandtimbalewithfriednativesaltbush?

Whata match.taronga.org.au/retreat

ArkabaConservancy,SA

There’snomobilereception,televisionor

evenelectrickettlesatthe1850s-eraArkaba

Homestead.Setona workingsheepstation

withinSouthAustralia’sIkara-FlindersRanges

NationalPark,theentertainmentis moreabout

spottinga rareyellow-footedrockwallabyor

boilingtheBillytoa soundtrackofgalahs.Four

masterroomslookoutontothedramaticElder

Range,whileonthenorthernboundary,an

ancientnaturalamphitheatre,WilpenaPound,

is waitingtobeexplored.arkabastation.com

Mt Mulligan Lodge, Queensland

Opened in April in the untamed back country

of north Queensland, Mt Mulligan Lodge will

have guests reflecting on past and present

from the moment they arrive. The Indigenous

significance of its namesake, Mount Mulligan,

dates back some 37,000 years, so the lodge

works closely with Ganbina, a non-profit aiding

Indigenous high-school students. A per-guest

donation also goes to protecting the Great

Barrier Reef, which you can visit on the lodge’s

superyacht, Flying Fish. mountmulligan.com

Australian conservation stays

These luxe retreats combine environmentalism with creature comforts.

BadFish, Good Attitude

Sydney bodysurfer Rikki Gilbey, of

WAW Handplanes, has found a use

for the nasty rubbish washing up on

Australian beaches. He’s turning it

into handplanes, or “travel-sized

surfboards,” as he explains them to

newcomers. The BadFish range is

made from plastics collected from

beaches and domestic recycling

bins. “Australia has a big problem

with plastics recycling,” says Gilbey.

“We’re trying to prove that even the

most contaminated plastics can be

recycled.” Handplanes give extra lift,

speed and control in the waves. Plus

they’re easy to keep in the car, ready

for your next early mark. $89.95,

wawhandplanes.com.au/thebadfish

Boutique waterfront hotel Bannisters at Port Stephens has expanded with

the July launch of Spa Bannisters. Planned by acclaimed interior designer

Romy Alwill to reflect the hotel’s Palm Springs vibe, the spa has five treatment

rooms, three of which allow for couples and feature outdoor rain showers.

“We wanted to create a warm and nurturing spa environment that also feels

fresh, light and uplifting,” says Alwill. The spa is a welcome addition to the

year-old resort, which is a haven for food-obsessed travellers enjoying local

seafood at chef Rick Stein’s in-house restaurant. Forming a complete package

for a relaxing getaway, Spa Bannisters has half-day and full-day packages for

that ultimate “head-to-toe” luxe experience. Daily 9am-5.30pm, 147 Soldiers

Point Rd, Soldiers Point, NSW, (02) 4919 3800, bannisters.com.au

GOOD CLEAN FUN

26 GOURMET TRAVELLER

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