Australia

While I love travelling overseas, Tourism Australia’s recent campaign for locals to Holiday Here This Year has really resonated with me.

Okay, so I might have a New Zealand trip coming up, but that was booked last year, before our country’s tourism economy dipped significantly, largely due to the bushfire crisis.

Other than New Zealand, my husband and I won’t be going overseas, and have instead planned a few smaller trips in our minds, maybe to Queensland or northern New South Wales. We love the East Coast, so later in the year it might be a nice place to go (we’re thinking Byron Bay or the Sunshine Coast).

A weekend getaway

Last weekend, we took a trip to Phillip Island, Victoria. It’s a beautiful place, with so many drawcards, including the pristine beaches (Smiths Beach, YCW, Forrest Caves to name a few), a newly renovated Winery, which we were told was recently bought by 3 young couples who (obviously) know the market really well, food and wine galore (Isola Di Capri, Cape Kitchen, Rusty Water Brewery are some examples) and a laid back feeling of being with nature. It’s a quiet place with clean air and plenty native Australian gum trees, visible from most aspects.

For locals, it is worth spending at least a few days. For overseas visitors, I would recommend spending at least a week. The town of Cowes is right on the coast and is a beautiful spot to grab a bite to eat and a glass of wine, while looking out to sea. Go for a stroll to the end of the pier with a gelato in hand and watch the local kids jump into the water, or look out across the stretch of blue-green ocean to the mainland.

It’s only an hour and a half or so drive from Melbourne, or there are buses you can jump on to get there. I encourage locals to take their dog, who is bound to a have a wonderful time splashing in the waves and running along the beach during doggy friendly beach hours in the summer. During the winter months when only the seasoned wet suit clad surfers tackle the rough waves, dogs are allowed on the beach at any time in most places.

Choosing somewhere to stay

I would even recommend staying outside of Cowes, for that real beachside experience. If serenity is what you are after, I would suggest checking the Moto GP calendar, as the side of the island where the track is can get very noisy on race days, but in my opinion is the best side to stay. There are so many houses for rent, many at affordable prices. It’s a great place for a group of friends wanting to have a good time, or a family looking for an escape from city life.

For locals, it’s a small slice of paradise that isn’t too far away, and for overseas visitors, the relaxed vibe definitely make it worth the visit. I should also mention the penguin parade, the chocolate factory, the go karts and the amusement park if you’re looking for more reasons to go. When planning your holiday research which side of the island will suit your needs best, and how far away you want to be from the main town, and you’ll be set.

Please leave a comment if you have anything else to add, I would love to hear from you!

The bushfires ravaging Australia are beyond catastrophic.

A significant portion of the country is on fire and the Australian community is rallying together to do what we can. Whether it’s donating food, money or helping out in the devastated regions, there are a lot of people out there striving to make a difference.

On Tuesday 6^th January I went to work in Melbourne CBD and as soon as I stepped off the train, I was hit by the coat of smoke that covered the city. I walked through it on my way to work, and on my lunch break I watched a violinist play passionately, with an almost colourless backdrop. As the afternoon went on, I noticed the cloud of smoke gathering around my building, slowly closing us in.

The people

Firefighters and residents alike are experiencing the trauma first-hand. These people are in the front line, defending their land against notorious flames. Firefighters from all over have come together to save our soil.

After learning from the unfortunate events of Black Saturday back in 2009, residents seem to understand the severity of these fires and the likelihood of beating them. People are being told to evacuate, it is not safe to stay, and, in most cases, they are doing just that.

The animals

The loss of native Australian fauna is absolutely devastating. Our koala population has reduced to 5%, which leaves me lost for words. The animals have a very low chance of survival, and those that have been burned are likely to be euthanised. There are not enough resources to cope.

I saw a headline about the Mallacoota fires recently, that described the events of December 30, the sound the koalas made as they burned. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of these beautiful creatures suffering.

The rest of Australia

If you can donate, please do – places like the Red Cross and the CFA need as much support as they can get. You can also donate directly to the World Wildlife Foundation – Australia, where proceeds will be put towards re-homing animals affected by the fires.

We can hope with all our might that the fires are over soon, but it is only just the start of summer.

Our “leaders” really need to face the facts and think about what they aren’t doing to save our country at the expense of our environment, our people and our livelihoods.

I read a powerful article yesterday that called out the need for Australia’s climate change policies to change urgently, labelling the Government’s position as a ‘destructive stance’. I couldn’t agree more.

The country is devastated. Coming back from this won’t be an easy feat. In a couple of days, the heat is expected to hit us again, and there is a high chance that some of the biggest fires will merge. There are leaders at state level doing as much as they can in providing support to communities who need it. But what is missing is a national strategy to work towards the prevention of events like this, instead of solutions for the damages that the lack of prevention has caused.

Holiday Here This Year – Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia

Our bushfire crisis