This December, there is no better way to elevate your year-end getaway than with Australia’s unique experiences and extraordinary stays. Embark on the ultimate vacation – whether it is letting your spirit fly at Australia’s most iconic music festival, unwinding at an outdoor thermal pool, or stargazing at an off-grid tiny home. With something for everyone, Australia is bound to take your year-end itinerary to the next level.

“December is a popular time for international visitors to travel to Australia. With stunning views, relaxing retreats, and endless adventures, Australia is the ideal destination for every traveller to satisfy their wanderlust and end the year with truly memorable experiences. Australia is always ready to receive travellers with an Aussie welcome as warm as our summer days,” said Brent Anderson, Regional General Manager, South & South East Asia (SSEA), Tourism Australia.

Below is a monthly roundup of upcoming events as well as the latest tourism experiences, restaurant openings, and exciting new stays. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like more information on these or other uniquely Australian experiences!

Upcoming Festivals & Events

• Woodford Folk Festival (Woodford, Queensland):  One of Australia’s greatest all-music, all-entertainment events, the iconic Woodford Folk Festival is now ushering in its 35^th edition. Taking place over six days and nights, it is the largest gathering of artists and musicians in Australia, and held at a former barren dairy farm that has been lovingly regenerated to create a habitat for butterflies and wildlife. Fall in love with great music, electric vibes and an infectious community spirit, and be sure to catch the festival’s most spectacular showcase, the Fire Event on New Year’s Day. From 27 December till 1 January 2023.
• Harvest Rock Festival (Adelaide/Tarntanya, South Australia): Feast your eyes and ears on the world’s leading artists at Harvest Rock – a two-day, live music experience happening in the heart of Adelaide, set to taste as good as it sounds. Jack White, Groove Armada, The Avalanches and Courtney Barnett headline Adelaide’s newest live music festival. Expect a dedicated stage for chef and bar stars to showcase their skills, a marquee serving up curated bites, and a food-truck park. From 19 till 20 November.
• Valo Adelaide 500 (Adelaide/Tarntanya, South Australia): The Adelaide Street Circuit is world renowned both for the excellent racing and the race atmosphere that takes over the city. The 2022 VALO Adelaide 500 will be returning to the streets of Adelaide as the season finale event for the Repco Supercars Championship. Don’t miss the action-packed weekend featuring charity luncheons with Supercar drivers, driver autograph sessions, exotic vehicle displays, and much more. From 1 November till 4 December.
• Lost Paradise (Glenworth Valley, New South Wales): For the first time in three years, Lost Paradise returns to Glenworth Valley with an exciting line-up: Arctic Monkeys, Lil Nas X, Ben Böhmer and more. Beyond the music, the festival also offers a range of activities running morning through night, including whimsical communal dining, yoga, talks, workshops, healing arts and Indigenous experiences that are sure to keep your mind and body stimulated. From 28 December till 1 January 2023.

Explore New Experiences

• Alba Thermal Springs & Spa (Mornington Peninsula, Victoria): An hour’s drive from central Melbourne, find your sanctuary at Alba. Dedicated to respecting the natural environment while offering a luxurious spa experience, Alba is located on a beautifully landscaped 15-hectare property and offers an array of spa services in serene and spacious treatment rooms. Find contemporary bathing experiences with a diverse selection of indoor, open-air, and outdoor thermal pools, and a menu of spa services created to renew, repair, and recalibrate. At its restaurant Thyme, enjoy meals using locally sourced, seasonal produce with a menu designed by award-winning chef Karen Martini.
• Ningaloo Coast Turtle Nesting (Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia): Each year from November to March, female turtles make their way up the beaches off the Ningaloo Coast – one of the world’s major breeding areas for sea turtles. Don’t miss the chance to get up close and personal on a night tour with Jurabi Turtle Centre, and watch the turtles make their long arduous journey up the beaches to lay their eggs, before the hatchlings scramble down to the water’s edge six weeks later. Expand your experience of Ningaloo with a snorkelling tour to discover the marine life wonders that call Ningaloo Reef home.
• ART ROLL (Gold Coast, Queensland): From hidden laneways to hip cafes, seaside staircases, and striking inner-city buildings, the urban landscapes of the Gold Coast has transformed into a city-wide gallery for all to experience. ART ROLL Gold Coast showcases an honour roll of Gold Coast Street art, curated into a free, self-guided tour on wheels. Lace up your roller skates and pump up those bike tyres to follow a map that stretches from the city’s north to the southern end of Coolangatta.
• THE LUME: Monet & Friends Alive (Melbourne/Narrm, Victoria): THE LUME Melbourne invites you on a spellbinding journey through the vibrant world of French Impressionism at Monet & Friends Alive. In a bold symphony of light, colour and sound, animated masterpieces ripple across 3,000 square-metres of gallery space, evoking the sensation of becoming part of the art yourself. Running till 31 January 2023, Monet & Friends will take you on a truly multi-sensory experience designed to invigorate the senses by combining sight, sound, aroma, taste, and touch to transport you back in time to the very heart of this artistic period.
• Yananurala (Sydney/Warrane, New South Wales): Experience an enthralling connection to Country right in the heart of Sydney. The new nine-kilometre curated Yananurala walk from Pirrama (Pyrmont) to Wallamool (Woolloomooloo) covers eleven interpretive markers highlighting historically significant Indigenous Australian people and places. The name Yananurala is derived from Gadigal language translates to ‘walk Country’. Led by Indigenous curator Emily McDaniel, the walk is part of the Eora Journey that brings Aboriginal histories and stories to life through public artworks and installations.

Hip New Places to Eat & Drink

• Arbory Afloat (Melbourne/Narrm, Victoria): Melbourne’s beloved floating bar and restaurant, Arbory Afloat, has rebirthed on the Yarra River for its seventh season. Inspired by the alluring Balearic Islands of Spain, Arbory Afloat has been reimagined into an enchanting waterfront paradise, layered with party-in-the-sun classic cocktails and Spanish-inspired fare. Boasting two bars across two levels, the lower deck features a new combination of timber dining banquettes, low and high dining tables, double daybeds, a new lux undercover dining area and three 80-year-old olive trees.
• Martha Hardy’s Kitchen (Adelaide/Tarntanya, South Australia): Martha Hardy’s Kitchen is Mount Lofty Estate’s new a la carte restaurant for both in-house guests and visitors to the stunning Adelaide Hills venue, which has become a destination for dining in South Australia known for its epicurean delights. Named after historical custodian Arthur Hardy’s wife, who served sides of lamb and whole legs of beef at the Estate’s social events in the 1850s, a must-eat is definitely the restaurant’s signature slow cooked lamb.
• Bassendean Hotel (Perth/Boorloo, Western Australia): After two years and a $7 million renovation, the historic Bassendean Hotel is back serving patrons as a cornerstone of the local community, while still paying respect to the 1930s pub’s heritage and character. Enjoy live music and entertainment amongst its cosy lounges, saloon bars, a speakeasy, state-of-the-art sports bar, and family-friendly courtyards. Its revamped dining menu serves up a fresh take on pub faves and signature dishes such as a classic Berkshire pork chop, grazing platters, and fish and chips beer battered in the Bassendean brewed Nail Ale.
• Tweed River House (Tweed River, New South Wales): Perched on the lush green banks of the Tweed River with sweeping views of Wollumbin/Mt Warning and hinterland ranges, resides the Tweed River House, a stunning bistro located in picturesque Murwillumbah. Celebrate the best of the northern river’s growers, farmers, fishermen and providores; on a seasonal journey recreating the great nouvelle cuisine classics of the provinces of France.
• Noori on the Mid Coast (Port Noarlunga, South Australia): Tucked away like a hidden gem at the end of an alleyway, Noori is the newest bar to open in Port Noarlunga, joining the coastal town’s growing list of must-visit venues. Jacob Barter, the hospitality enthusiast behind the bar, tells a great story behind each carefully selected wine, spirit, and beer. For the bar menu, chef Annika Berlingieri plates up pintxos, Gazander oysters, and cheese toasties to accompany the wide range of creative beverages.

Exciting New Stays

• Stella the Stargazer (Gippsland, Victoria): Embark on an off-grid accommodation experience in this uniquely Victorian ‘tiny home’. Fitted with everything a hotel guest needs, and nothing they don’t, Stella is all about quality over quantity and highlights the superior results that can be achieved with upcycled and hand-made materials. With a roll-out sleeping platform for stargazing and a shower with operable glass louvres, guests will be immersed in the beautiful landscapes that will surround them.
• Wander (Kangaroo Island, South Australia): Kangaroo Island is home to breath-taking diversity, striking coastal rock formations, and a vibrant vanguard of locals who celebrate and protect this iconic destination. Stay in sustainable luxury and simplicity with Wander – four WanderPods rest atop the northern bluff overlooking Snelling Beach and the biodiverse waters of the Great Australian Bight. Discover expansive swaths of protected native lands, beautiful storms that sweep across untouched bushland, and an ever-renewing case study in the resilience of communities formed in the crucible of distant lands.
• Stowaway (Kangaroo Island, South Australia): Stowaway Kangaroo Island has launched two brand new luxury retreats, nestled among nature on a coastal working sheep farm, have launched on the beautiful Kangaroo Island. Expanding on the success of Stowaway’s existing two luxury abodes, The Hide and The Snug are designed as the ultimate couples retreat, a place to relax, unwind and reconnect.
• Moonshine Holiday (Byron Bay, New South Wales): Moonshine Holiday specialises in personalised wellness holidays in the Northern Rivers, with guests invited to create a bespoke, restorative retreat style experience in the comfort and privacy of a luxury home. The retreats are perfect for individuals, couples, small groups, a family getaway or a corporate trip. Each stay includes access to exclusive masterclasses that aim to aid guest’s personal development and restore their energy, mind, and spirit.
• The Grove Quindalup (Margaret River Region, Western Australia): Nestled amongst five acres of lush hinterland bush, The Grove is an award-winning, architectural home that seamlessly blends its chic interior spaces with the stunning views of the surrounding forest. Accommodating up to eight guests, with four rooms and two master suites with private ensuites, this luxury escape is sure to become a yearly ritual to unwind and reconnect with loved ones.