By John Rozentals.
Guests of Mantra Boathouse Apartments in the Whitsundays can takee advantage of a new live-music festival.
Tunes in the Marina is the creative solution to current event restrictions, where up to seven acts will take to the stage on the back of a ferry stationed in Port of Airlie — parked directly in front of Mantra Boathouse Apartments.
Two-night accommodation-and-festival packages are available from $1150 in a two-bedroom apartment with a balcony view over the performance.
Phone 07 4841 4100.
Samphire Rottnest: next door to the Hotel Rottnest.
Rottnest Island’s latest luxury accommodation offering, Samphire Rottnest, is due to open in October.
Named after the native samphire plants found on the island, the hotel encourages guests to immerse themselves in the natural elements and feel the sand beyond their toes.
Situated on Thomson Bay and next door to the Hotel Rottnest, the 80-room accommodation offers 16 spacious rooms positioned at the front-row, all with private balconies and views over the bay.
The development also includes lagoon-like pools — catering to adults and children — with day beds and umbrellas.
Visit samphirerottnest.com.au.
Rescheduled: Margaret River Region Open Studios.
Margaret River Region Open Studios has rescheduled to September 12-27.
More than 100 artists from around the region will opening their studio doors to welcome art lovers.
Now in its seventh year, MRROS features painters, sculptors, illustrators, jewellers, printmakers, glassblowers, ceramicists, potters, photographers, furniture makers, woodworkers, textile artists, metalworkers, mixed media artists and upcyclers who share a love of this beautiful part of the world.
Participating artists this year include Leon Pericles, Rachel Coad, Lauren Wilhelm, Patricia Negus, Ian Mutch and Christian Fletcher.
Visit www.mrropenstudios.com.au.
Fresh Tasmanian produce: celebrate the joys of seasonal home cooking.
We’ve had a lot of time lately to ponder the distance from farm to fork, to plot the course from grape to wine bottle. And there’s been precious time to slow down and slow cook.
In Tasmania, the distance from paddock to plate is never far, making it the perfect place to learn new skills and celebrate the joys of seasonal home cooking and hand making.
Pull on gumboots and head into kitchen gardens at a collection of highly regarded Tassie cooking schools in serene rural settings run by accomplished cooks and passionate teachers.
From fermentation to cooking over fire, sourdough baking to cheesemaking, there’s a culinary adventure waiting to happen in Tasmania.
Visit www.www.discovertasmania.com.au.
Le Jaques Cartier … the sixth and final ship in Ponant’s Explorer series.
Ponant expeditions cruise line has taken delivery of Le Jaques Cartier, the sixth and final ship in its Explorer series.
Combining a capacity of 92 staterooms and suites, all with a balcony or private terrace, state-of-the-art technology, respect for the environment and sleek design, Le Jacques Cartier is made for luxurious expedition cruising.
As with all the Explorer-series ships, Le Jaques Cartierit is fitted with the ‘Blue Eye’, a multi-sensory underwater lounge that allows guests to discover and experience the subaquatic universe.
Two portholes, shaped like the eyes of a cetacean, look out into the marine world.
Visit au.ponant.com.
French waterways: an inspirational tour.
European Waterways is looking to inspire virtual wanderlust with the launch of its brand-new six-part travel series that takes viewers on exclusive digital excursions exploring the history, culture and cuisine of the company’s luxury hotel barges’ scenic cruising routes in France and Scotland.
Sailing the canals and smaller waterways of the European countryside, the in-depth tours cover many of Europe’s famous attractions, from the hilltop medieval fortified city of Carcassonne and Chablis wine country, to the grandeur of the Scottish Highlands.
European Waterways’ virtual tours include visits to the Palace of Fontainebleau and historic sites such as Scotland’s Cawdor Castle, the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Real-life hotel barge cruise director Matthew Price brings his personable warmth and enthusiasm as host for the armchair travel series.
Visit www.europeanwaterways.com.
NOTE: Potential travellers should check the status of individual events and establishments with regard to the coronavirus outbreak.
