Six ways to stay entertained for those staying home this winter
Not everyone is travelling abroad for the northern hemisphere summer. Cosy up in winter on a rail trip with Journey Beyond, or indulge at The Victoria & Albert Guesthouse in the Blue Mountains.
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or Australians opting to roam close to home this winter, here is Life & Leisure’s selection of key events and top destinations to keep you suitably relaxed and entertained.
QUAFF WHILE YOU LISTEN | Few things go together better than music and fine wine. The founder and chief executive of Handpicked Wines, William Dong, has signed a three-year agreement to sponsor the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as a Platinum Partner, and also as Presenting Partner of the SSO’s Cocktail Hour concerts – intimate recitals held in the Sydney Opera House’s Utzon Room.
Handpicked Wines boss William Dong with Sydney Symphony Orchestra members Alexandra Osborne and Tim Nankervis at the Handpicked Cellar Door in Chippendale, Sydney. Dominic Lorrimer
Dong, originally from Hong Kong and educated in the United Kingdom, morphed from businessman to vigneron in 1996, going on to acquire Handpicked in 2003 as part of his DMG Fine Wine portfolio. “I studied maths at university, but the allure of fine wine, especially those that reflect the unique character of premium wine regions, drew me in,” Dong says.
In 2004, Handpicked pushed into global markets, including China. The acquisition of Capella Vineyard in 2012 in the Mornington Peninsula – and the creation of its inaugural vintage in 2013 – helped Dong expand his vision to start creating wines that “speak eloquently of their terroir.”
He added the Handpicked Cellar Door in Chippendale, Sydney about a decade ago, and has a similar concept in Melbourne’s Collins Street. As part of the sponsorship, Dong is looking to feature SSO musicians in small, intimate performances mixed with wine tastings, with the working title of Symphony of Taste.
“The partnership with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is more than just a collaboration; it’s a celebration of shared values,” Dong says. “Just as musicians meticulously interpret a score to convey its essence, we meticulously craft our wines to capture the essence of each terroir.”
See handpickedwines.com.au for updates, including the popular cellar door Raclette Suppers, held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
I HEAR THE TRAIN A-COMIN’ | Trainspotters rejoice: rail is back, and luxury trains are now rolling ’round that bend sporting multi-million-dollar refreshes designed to tempt even the most hardened rail sceptic.
In this week’s bumper travel issue of Life & Leisure, Brook Turner enjoys the ride aboard the newly fitted-out Eastern & Oriental Express by Belmond, while looking at what LVMH has done with Belmond (formerly known as Orient Express Hotels) since acquiring it in 2019 for $US3.2 billion.
Journey Beyond’s new “Gold Premium” twin cabin, pictured in its daytime configuration.
At home, Australia’s Journey Beyond has just released its new Gold Premium cabins, finished with walnut timber and polished brass details, along with Indigenous prints on the upholstery.
It sits between Platinum and Gold, and Gold Premium travellers have access to their own exclusive lounge and dining carriages. Journey Beyond operates the Indian Pacific, the Great Southern, the Overland – and the Ghan, which celebrates 95 years of operation this year.
If you are heading to Europe, Golden Eagle Luxury Trains will launch a new four-day Paris to Istanbul (and four-day return) route in 2025; for more, visit goldeneagleluxurytrains.com
The three-night, 2979-kilometre journey from Darwin to Adelaide aboard The Ghan is priced from $5365 per person (all-inclusive) in Gold Premium for October departures.
Joan Masterman pictured in the early 2000s at Standing Camp, which is set to re-open after being closed for a few years.
GLAMPING BACK AT FRIENDLY BEACHES | Often referred to as “the invisible lodge”, Friendly Beaches is tucked away deep in Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park on a 130-hectare private plot along the beach.
British author Nicholas Shakespeare told The Australian Financial Review in 2016 that “seeing Freycinet Peninsula changed my life. The silence, the seclusion, the beauty of the beach. It’s heart-stopping.”
The lodge’s much-loved co-founder, Joan Masterman, passed away in Sydney on March 8, aged 86. Her family will continue to run the award-winning lodge.
Friendly Beaches comprises two lodges that can sleep up to 12 guests, and a cosy communal area. The standing camps at Cooks Corner and Bluestone Bay will soon reopen for glamping.
A four-day, three-night all-inclusive walk is $3350 per person. Readers can enjoy 20 per cent off by using the code “AFR” when booking before June 30.
Mount Victoria’s grand Victoria & Albert Guesthouse has undergone a refurbishment.
BLUE MOUNTAINS MAKEOVER | The Victoria & Albert Guesthouse in the Blue Mountains is being returned to its former glory. The hotel, built in 1914, has 20 rooms, nine of which have been fully renovated.
“From the vibrant hues to mesmerising wallpapers curated by renowned Australian designer Catherine Martin, each room is a canvas of playful sophistication,” says Shane McLucas, who owns the property with his partner, Michael Sheargold.
The Victoria & Albert Guesthouse is at 19 Station Street, Mount Victoria, a 2-hour drive from Sydney, or take the train from Central. Renovated rooms cost around $220 a night, including breakfast.
COBB AND CO REBOOT | August will mark 100 years since the last horse-drawn Cobb & Co mail coach hurtled along the dirt tracks of outback Queensland.
The Cobb & Co Festival in Queensland will celebrate the centenary of Australia’s last horse-drawn mail run.
Head to Roma and the wider Maranoa region from August 16-25 to enjoy the 10-day Cobb & Co Centenary Festival – including a re-creation of their final mail run in Australia (in 1924) along the 76-kilometre Cobb & Co Way, between Surat and Yuleba.
See cobbandcofestival.com.au for event details and updates.
SCENIC BITES | Discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse II has 10 restaurants on board for 228 passengers, guaranteeing something for everyone. Choose from Lumière Restaurant & Champagne Bar for modern French cuisine and Asian fusion, for example, or the Chef’s Table @ Elements, or Night Market @ KoKo’s.
The latter is food editor Jill Dupleix’s firm favourite following an overnight Sydney-Newcastle sailing. “The Night Market concept is just so alive, the food is cooked in front of you, and delivered with personal back-stories and charm,” Dupleix says.
Eclipse II is in local waters for months to come. Discover the itineraries at scenic.com.au
The 13-day Secrets of Indonesia: Spice Islands & Raja Ampat cruise sets sail from Darwin on September 7, priced from $18,235 per person.
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