Australia is enormous, wonderfully varied and full of experiences that can feel completely different from one another.
One trip might take you from Melbourne’s famous coffee culture to the Great Ocean Road, from Sydney’s harbour to the beaches of the Gold Coast, or from the tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef to the vast landscapes around Darwin.
It’s a destination where city life, beaches, wildlife, food, wine, adventure and extraordinary landscapes all come together.
We’ve travelled extensively around Australia ourselves and have family connections in both Melbourne and Perth. We’ve explored the east coast by cruise, travelled the Great Ocean Road, visited the Great Barrier Reef and Port Douglas, spent time in Sydney and Melbourne, and travelled as far north as Darwin.
That experience means we don’t see Australia as somewhere you can simply “do” in a couple of weeks. It’s a country to choose from.
Our job is to work out which part of Australia is right for you, then create a journey that gives you time to enjoy it rather than spending your holiday constantly travelling between destinations.
Australia has been part of our own travels for years, with family giving us an especially good reason to keep returning.
Philip’s brother lives in Melbourne, so we’ve spent time getting to know the city properly, not just visiting the sights, but enjoying its famous coffee culture, restaurants and neighbourhoods.
We’ve travelled the Great Ocean Road, seen the Twelve Apostles and explored the coastline, while also heading much further north to Darwin, where the landscape and wildlife couldn’t feel more different.
We’ve cruised along the east coast, visiting Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef, and spent time around Port Douglas navigating those wonderfully confusing waters where you have to ask yourself whether you’ve spotted an alligator or a crocodile!
Sydney has been another favourite. We’ve enjoyed an open-air opera performance in the Royal Botanic Garden, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, explored The Rocks and spent plenty of time around the harbour.
We’ve also been lucky enough to experience Sydney from rather a good vantage point. Phillip’s sister apparently decided that our nice high-floor harbour-view room was better suited to her and promptly stole it for herself!
Phillip’s sister also lives in Perth, giving us a connection to Western Australia, and we’ve had clients travel extensively throughout the state too.
Australia is one of those destinations where every visit makes you realise just how much more there is to explore.
Australia has an incredible ability to change character.
Melbourne feels European, creative and obsessed with coffee. Sydney is all about the harbour, beaches, architecture and outdoor lifestyle. Queensland brings tropical forests, islands and the Great Barrier Reef. The Northern Territory feels wild and ancient, while Western Australia offers enormous distances, beautiful beaches and some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes.
And then there’s the wildlife.
Kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles, wallabies, wombats and an extraordinary variety of marine life are all part of the Australian experience.
For us, the appeal is the sheer variety.
You can spend a few days enjoying restaurants and culture in Melbourne or Sydney, then head into the countryside, along the coast or into the wilderness.
The challenge isn’t finding somewhere to go. It’s deciding where not to go.
Australia is made for road trips, but distances are enormous.
The Great Ocean Road is one of the classic shorter journeys, while other regions lend themselves to longer self-drive adventures.
We can build road trips around scenery, wildlife, food and wine rather than simply planning journeys from A to B.
Australia has some extraordinary beaches.
From Sydney’s famous coastline to Queensland’s tropical beaches and Western Australia’s huge stretches of sand, there’s something for everyone.
And with so much coastline, it’s easy to build a holiday around the water.
Australia’s wildlife is one of its greatest attractions.
Depending on where you travel, you might encounter kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, wombats, crocodiles, dolphins, whales and an incredible variety of birds and marine life.
Wildlife experiences can be built naturally into a wider itinerary rather than treated as separate excursions.
Snorkelling, diving, reef cruises and scenic flights all offer different ways to experience one of Australia’s great natural wonders.
For first-time visitors, we’d strongly recommend allowing several days in the region so you can enjoy the reef as well as the rainforest and tropical coast.
Australia’s food scene is a major part of the travel experience.
Melbourne is famous for its coffee culture, while Sydney has a fantastic restaurant and waterfront dining scene.
Outside the cities, Australia also has excellent wine regions, fresh seafood and a growing reputation for outstanding produce.
Sydney and Melbourne are the obvious choices for a first visit, but Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities can add a very different character to a trip.
We can help you decide which cities actually suit you rather than simply adding them because they’re on the map.