Broome beckons

Located in northern Western Australia, Broome is renowned for Cable Beach, a huge stretch of white sand and crystal blue waters. The best way to see Cable Beach is by watching the sun set or rise from the top of a camel.

For those who like to see the beach with more speed than a camel can afford, you can access the sand at the northern end with a four-wheel drive.

Finish off your Cable Beach tour by treating yourself to the breathtaking view from the cliff at Gantheaume Point - see if you can spot the dinosaur footprints that have been set in the cliffs. Gantheaume Point also has a lovely rock pool called Anastasia's Pool.
One of the world's greatest spots for pearls, Broome's Willie Creek Pearl Farm is a great place to discover more about these natural wonders. Check out how they're induced, grown and valued.

Be sure to visit the beautiful corrugated iron-roofed shops and restaurants in Broome, as well as Sun Pictures - the oldest operating outdoor cinema in the world.
Aboriginal art is also a great aspect of Broome, and there are numerous galleries to see around town.

After exploring Broome, relax by the magnificent swimming pool at the new Mercure Hotel Broome, which overlooks the sparkling blue waters of Roebuck Bay. The hotel is walking distance from the heart of Broome, and Cable Beach is 10 minutes away.

Mercure Hotel also boasts a great view of the natural phenomenon that occurs between March and October, known as Staircase to the Moon. It's caused by a full moon reflecting off the exposed mudflats at Roebuck Bay during low tide, creating an illusion of a staircase reaching to the sky.

Colourful Coffs Harbour

Ditch the electric blanket and ugg boots and head to Coffs Harbour, where the Great Dividing Range meets the sea on the north coast of NSW.

It's the perfect place for the whole family to escape to. Not only are the beaches fantastic, there's so much to do, from the obligatory photo in front of the Big Banana to the circus school at the Novotel Pacific Bay Resort.

Located on the shores of Charlesworth Bay and fringed by hinterland ranges, golf fairways and natural bushland, the Pacific Bay Resort offers three swimming pools, walking trails and a spa, where the Express De-stress neck and shoulder massage is highly recommended.

There are a range of activities on offer, including surf school camp, ocean rafting and kayaking, massage workshops, frangipani plaster painting and the Zip Circus flying trapeze school, where you can learn to swing, jump, hang upside down and fly through the air on the flying trapeze. Your big goal at circus school is to make a knee-hang catch by the end of class.

Sample the region's fresh seafood at Saltwater Restaurant at Emerald Beach. With unrestricted ocean views, if you're lucky you might be able to spot a whale out near Groper Island.

The Pet Porpoise Pool is a must-do while you're in Coffs Harbour. It's an interactive marine park where you can have the chance to shake fins or play ball with a dolphin, receive a kiss on the cheek from a friendly seal and hand feed tiny fairy penguins.
In 1969 the Pet Porpoise Pool began as a marine rescue and rehabilitation facility.

Some of their current ‘stars' were rescued from the wild and were unable to return, others have been born at the pool in successful breeding programs. So, among the fun, one message the Pet Porpoise Pool people like to get across is education to protect our marine heritage.

Bondi bliss

You've had a long week and all you want to do is relax. Well, there's no better place for that than on iconic Bondi Beach. Up to 40,000 people can descend on Bondi on a summer's weekend, but in late winter, early spring you'll have much more room
to move and explore this legendary stretch of coast. You may even get to see one of the boys from Bondi Rescue.

Try a refreshing ale at the famous Icebergs. You may feel guilty as you watch people do laps in the Bondi Baths below, but rest assured, thanks to amazing views towards North Bondi, the feeling is momentary.

Take a stroll along the 3.5km Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk, where you'll be treated to a lot more than stunning ocean views. This is where the cliff-face tarpaulin home of Jhyimy ‘Two Hats' Mhiyles mixes with the palaces of the rich and famous.

When it's time to freshen up, there's no better place than the Swiss-Grand Resort & Spa in Bondi. Designed to mimic a Hungarian palace on the Danube River, everything about this hotel spells extravagance. All suites have a private balcony and the Swiss- Grand also boasts a Balinese-inspired day spa, where you'll be treated to a massage overlooking the beach.

From sushi at Raw Bar to European flavours at North Bondi Italian Food, the array of cuisine at Bondi Beach is amazing. Or indulge in a mojito before retiring to Swiss-Grand Epic Brasserie to dine on an array of food options.

By Laura Culbert  

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