FUN IN THE SUN
Welcome to sunny Sydney, or what some folks like to call the ‘City of Villages’ that refers to the distinct localities and communities that reside within the boundaries of this modern metropolis. The capital of the New South Wales state is home to approximately 5.1 million inhabitants, as well as an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of unique experiences that draw in millions of tourists each year, with many of these pleasure-seeking individuals returning again and again just to relive the wonders of the breathtaking beaches, generous open spaces, first-class restaurants, world-class shopping and exciting nightlife that thrive here.
Our adventure in this lively city begins at the Sydney Airport, a bustling air terminal situated in the pretty suburbs of the capital. It is mid-May, the cusp between fall and winter, where sunny days are best spent experiencing the great outdoors and chilly nights are meant for huddling indoors with good food and even greater company. After an eight and a half hour long non-stop flight, our rumbling tummies beckon us to head towards the inner west city fringe suburb of Alexandria to explore the sights, smells and tastes that surround The Grounds of Alexandria.
The Grounds of Alexandria. Photo by Anna Kucera
Nestled within a former industrial precinct from the 1920s, which is now a thriving urban sanctuary frequented by trend-seeking locals and tourists alike, this popular cafe and coffee roastery is renowned for its scrumptious menu of baked goods, fresh juices and rich coffee – the perfect recipe for those in need of a little extra perk in their step. To escape the bustling crowds, we head towards a private room located towards the back of the establishment that also houses a coffee research and education facility, where one can observe the hypnotising movements of aromatic coffee beans merrily rolling around in massive coffee roasting machines. Just outside, throngs of enthusiastic visitors can be seen fawning over the nearby gardens that blossom with colourful flowers, heirloom vegetables, fragrant herbs and fresh fruit.
BOUDDI CALLS
With our bellies full of grub, we depart the grounds to the head for the peace and quiet of the Bouddi Peninsula, which many believe is named after the ancient Aboriginal word for heart. Located approximately 41km away from the bustling capital, we decided to forgo the two-hour long road trip by hitching a ride with Australia’s largest seaplane operator, Sydney Seaplanes. Perfect for thrill-seeking travellers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city, this exhilarating experience involves taking to the skies in a fleet of beautifully refurbished de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers and Cessna Caravans aircrafts. As the plane ascended to 1,000ft, all that’s left to do is to soak up the magnificent vistas that include stunning views of the famous Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
After an exhilarating 30 minutes of soaring in the cloudless skies and passing over the famous boat owners’ paradise Pittwater, the seaplane gracefully glides to a stop on the tranquil waters of Hardys Bay. We bid our pilot adieu before making our way towards the serene sanctuary of Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Spa. Resting over a tranquil acreage of perfectly manicured grounds, this stylish coastal retreat is home to several private suites, cottages and villas – each fitted with oversized rooms and muted colour palettes a la the famous Hamptons Long Island in New York, making it an ideal weekend getaway for well-heeled guests to relax in complete peace and privacy while immersing themselves in the wonders of nature.
Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Spa on the Central Coast.
Surrounding the vicinity of the hotel is the renowned Bouddi National Park, one of the last temperate rainforests on the Central Coast and home to natural wonders like the peaceful Putty Beach, the mystical Maitland Bay as well as various vantage points where keeneyed visitors can spot massive humpbacks during the whale migratory season. For truly magnificent views, a visit to the Marie Byles Lookout is highly recommended. Named after the fearless conservationist and trailblazer who played an instrumental role in establishing this national park, it was also at this site that local artist Stephen Copland was inspired to capture the wondrous beauty of the pristine natural landscape on canvas, which led to the creation of his popular Bouddi series.
DOWN IN THE VALLEY
Rejuvenated from our blissful experience at the Bells at Killcare, the next day begins with a pit stop at the relaxing The Fat Goose Cafe to indulge in a hearty breakfast, before making our way to the largest museum in Australia, the Gosford Classic Car Museum. Founded by local millionaire developer and classic car enthusiast Tony Denny, this dream garage showcases an incredibly diverse collection of approximately 450 vehicles with an estimate worth of AUD70 million. Visitors to the museum will be able to gawk at all kinds of unique models in various shapes, makes and sizes, which includes speedy Ferraris, luxurious Lamborghinis, powerful Jaguars, cool Chevrolets and even a jet-powered land speed record vehicle that was once piloted by local speed-king, Roscoe McGlashan.
The Gosford Classic Car Museum is the largest automotive museum in the Southern Hemisphere.
Time passes by quickly in the museum of motoring history and, soon, it was time to make our way over to the next rendezvous point. With our minds still racing with images of incredibly rare cars and motorcycles, we depart from the dream museum to head towards the land of plenty known as Hunter Valley. Regarded as the oldest wine region in Australia, with grape vines believed to have existed since the early 1820s, it is here where some of the industry’s most well-known winemaking families have reaped from the bountiful harvests that grow on this fertile land. Fast forward to today and the valley is now home to a thriving community of not just premium wine producers but also restaurants, lively markets, boutique breweries, galleries, heritage towns, relaxing spas and elegant accommodations.
Mere moments before sundown, we arrive at the impeccable Château Élan, an award-winning five-star resort that resides in the very heart of this bountiful valley. Standing at the grand entrance of the establishment, we took a moment to pause and appreciate our newfound surroundings as the glowing orange orb steadily disappears over the horizon, casting growing shadows across the terrain while the blue sky transformed into a mélange of yellow, pink and purple – a picturesque end to what has been an eventful day.
High above, the stars will soon make their presence known in the night sky, signalling it is time to indulge in a fabulous feast at the resort’s The Legends Grill, where fantastic dishes are created with the utmost care before being washed down with copious amounts of exquisite local wines. For whiskey fans looking for the perfect nightcap to end their evening, there’s always the elegant Whiskey Bar 1820. Located just beside the hotel’s main lobby, this debonair space is said to be home to largest collection of Johnnie Walker Scotch whiskey in the entire Asia-Pacific.
The world-renowned The Vintage Golf Club.
Exhausted from all the merriment, we eagerly return to the decadent King Room villas that would serve as our home for the next couple of days. Each of these elegant villas come complete with grand marble bathrooms as well as luxurious king-sized beds which face towards a private terrace, allowing one to awaken to extraordinary views of kangaroos lounging about on the lush green fairways of the nearby championship The Vintage Golf Club designed by the legendary Australian golfer turned entrepreneur Greg Norman.
THE AIR UP THERE
It is day break in the land of plenty and we find ourselves adrift in a colourful hot air balloon courtesy of Balloon Aloft, the most experienced hot-balloon operator in the entire country that has been offering daily sunrise flights for over 35 years. Despite sharing the ride with over a dozen or so passengers, the group is lulled into silence as the basket steadily ascends thousands of feet in the air. Guided by the wind, passengers during this tranquil experience will be able to soak up breathtaking views of the surrounding sub regions of Pokolbin, Lovedale, Rothbury and Broke. The view from above truly offers a perspective unlike any other, as the surrounding landscape transforms into a surreal painting in alluring autumn shades of green and yellow.
After an hour-long ride of coasting the immense blue skies, our pilot decides to pull the cord on this whimsical journey by expertly navigating the balloon towards a large open field. The grass is still damp with morning dew as the basket glides in for a soft landing, before the group pitches in to pack up the massive floatation device. Before long, it is time to celebrate a morning well spent by indulging in a gourmet champagne breakfast on the deck of Restaurant Cuvee that overlooks fields of vines used to grow the glorious golden-skinned grapes of the award-winning sémillon wine.
Delightfully crisp and refreshing on the palate, this delicious liquid sunshine is best experienced by signing up for the educational and entertaining wine tours that can be found in premium cellars such as Tempus Two Wines, Tyrrell’s Wines and Brokenwood Wines. If wining and dining is what you’re after, pop by Muse Kitchen and Emerson’s Cafe & Restaurant to indulge in savoury and sweet seasonal dishes that have been lovingly created using the freshest local ingredients found in the valley. For the very best of both worlds, a luxurious lunch spent at Usher Tinkler Wines will make anyone’s taste-buds sing with joy. Set inside a charming chapel from 1905, visitors to this quaint establishment will be especially pleased by the house speciality that involves massive wooden trays brimming with a plethora of delightful cheeses that are paired with a variety of smoky meats, freshly plucked grapes and pickled treats.
Beautiful cured meats and cheeses at Usher Tinkler Wines.
LIGHTS WILL GUIDE YOU HOME
To cap off our memorable trip around New South Wales, we depart from the natural splendours of the valley and head towards the bright lights of the Harbour City to witness the official launch of Vivid Sydney – the world’s biggest festival of light, music and ideas that takes place over a course of 23 days in various precincts scattered throughout the city. Organised by Destination NSW, this annual festival illuminates the city upon sundown, changing the cityscape into a psychedelic wonderland of neon lights, groovy sounds and enchanting experiences.
The lighting of the sails at Vivid Sydney. Photo credit: James Horan.
We hastily make our way to the veranda of the trendy Quay Restaurant just in the nick of time to catch the lighting of the sails, which features a unique live audiovisual performance entitled Audio Creatures designed by the contemporary creative Ash Bolland. By six o’clock sharp, all eyes are focused on the distinctive silhouette of the Sydney Opera House as it metamorphosed into a mesmerising otherworldly creature that appears to have been summoned from another dimension.
Pressed for time and eager to experience what else this world-famous spectacle has to offer, we decide to explore the nearby Circular Quay, a popular tourist hotspot that is home of the famous Sydney Writers Walk and Museum of Contemporary Art. Like moths drawn to a flame, curious visitors here can be seen congregating at various installations to be amused and enlightened by the whimsically strange designs. Among the highlights at this year’s festival was Dreamscape, the current Guinness World Record holder for the world’s largest interactive lighting display. Created by 32Hundred Lighting, this incredible feat comprising 124,128 light bulbs transforms the entire Circular Quay precinct into a monumental cohesive canvas of light.
Over in Darling Harbour, crowds young and old gather in awe as a mysterious fog descends upon Cockle Bay in preparation for the extraordinary spectacle called the Magicians of the Mist. Those in search for a little more peace and quiet can be seen migrating towards the majestic grounds of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Located five minutes away from the worldclass InterContinental Sydney, this 201-year-old park features several surreal installations inspired by nature and designed to transport visitors into a world of fantasy and imagination. Standing in the middle of it all, it is mindboggling to think how the entire city will soon revert to business as usual by the light of the morning sun. Nevertheless, one can always be certain that no matter what time of year you choose visit, this amazing city will be sure to make your journey worthwhile.
