Down Under low down

From deluxe accommodation in Byron Bay to Vinotherapy in Victoria, here’s the low down on all that’s new, different or of interest Down Under this month.

New deluxe accommodation in Byron Bay, New South Wales
The stunning new Beach Suites will be Byron Bay's latest luxury accommodation offer. Due to open in December, Beach Suites Byron offers studios, suites and penthouses in the heart of Byron on the bay. For the utmost privacy, four top floor penthouses each have their own large heated rooftop pools filled with captured rainwater, while individual heated plunge pools, wide beachfront decks and gas barbecues allow guests to live like an Aussie.
Beachsuites.com.au

Indulge in Vinotherapy at Natskin, Victoria
Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort in the Yarra Valley is offering a unique treatment at its on-site Natskin Spa. The spa offers Vinotherapy treatments which use a specially designed mud made from pinot noir grapes - a great antioxidant that helps eliminate toxins from the body. The spa also offers a variety of water therapies to induce relaxation and well-being, plus a wide range of skin and body treatments, including stone treatments, milk hydrotherapy and lomi lomi massage.
Balgownieestate.com.au

New Priory Country Lodge, Tasmania
The Priory Lodge, set to open in early 2008, is a sister lodge to Tasmania’s award-winning Islington Hotel. The Lodge is located in the historic town of Bothwell, an hour north of Hobart and deep in the heart of Tasmania’s sheep country and the gateway to the highland fishing lakes. The Lodge contains four bedrooms, a hunt room, library, dining and breakfast rooms, reading room, movie room, sauna and barbeque area. Bothwell is an historic town on the Clyde River, home to Australia’s first golf course (still in operation) and the place where Australia’s first herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle grazed.
Islingtonhotel.com

Grand new style at Hervey Bay, Queensland
Visitors seeking luxury in Australia’s whale watching hub, Hervey Bay, can now stay at the newly opened Grand Mercure Apartments Allegra Hervey Bay. The apartments opened last month and are located at Shelly Beach, where guests can enjoy spectacular views across the Great Sandy Strait to the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. The 49 fully self-contained apartments are set amidst luxury resort-style facilities.
Allegra-herveybay.com.au

Visit wineries in style with Melbourne Wine Tours, Victoria
Be whisked away from Melbourne in a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce to the cellar doors of boutique wineries where guests taste superb wines and meet the winemakers. Melbourne Wine Tours showcases the outstanding wineries within easy reach of Melbourne for one- or two-day tours travelling in the luxurious comfort of a classic Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Bentley or Daimler. Uniformed chauffeurs ensure the most is made of the day by sharing their extensive knowledge of wine and wine makers, fine food, craft and arts, local history and Australia's unique and fascinating wildlife.
Melbournewinetours.com

New Chic in the City tours, New South Wales
Discover where the best dressed Sydneysiders and visiting celebrities shop. An afternoon with Chic in the City ensures fashionistas get the inside scoop on Sydney's sought after fashion labels coveted by the most stylish. Travel in style as a chauffeur hosts small groups and the style-savvy hostess escorts guests to the most glamorous hand-picked boutiques, showcasing collections from internationally celebrated Australian designers, up-and-coming labels, great cult buys, one-off and exclusive pieces.
Chicinthecitytours.com.au

Hog Bay Hill on Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Situated on Australia’s answer to the Galapagos, Hog Bay Hill offers new accommodation on the beautiful Kangaroo Island. With spectacular views over the sea and the picturesque township of Penneshaw, Hog Bay Hill is the epitome of casual, relaxed and stylish island living. Hog Bay Hill’s three new suites are perfect for those who like to experience the wildlife of Kangaroo Island without giving up their creature comforts. Rates from $240 per room per night based on two people sharing an Island Suite.
Hogbayhill.com

New Restaurant amuses Perth, Western Australia
Restaurant Amusé is the new mouth-watering Perth product of husband and wife team Carolynne and Hadleigh Troy, who together bring experience in a range of world-class UK restaurants - such as The Greenhouse, La Noisette, The Berkeley Square and The Landmark London. The restaurant seats just 32 and the five course menu, at a set price of $75 per head, changes every couple of days.
Restaurantamuse.com.au

Numerous new spas, Queensland
Four new day spas have recently opened in north Queensland. Coconut Beach Resort at Cape Tribulation has opened Ocean Spa on the shores of Coconut Beach (coconutbeach.com.au); The Day Spa at Shantara Resort and Spa in Port Douglas (shantara.com.au); Cairns International Hotel’s latest addition, The Spa, (cairnsinternational.com.au); and Peppers Blue on Blue Resort on Magnetic Island off Townsville has now opened its on-site day spa, endota (peppers.com.au). So for some special spa days head to Queensland!

Discover the hidden stories of Freycinet, Tasmania
Pure Tasmania’s newest experience, Wineglass to Wine Glass, offers guests the chance to uncover the history, nature and food and wine of the Freycinet Peninsula. The tour starts at Freycinet Lodge and takes explorers up to the Wineglass Bay lookout, down to the pristine shores of Wineglass Bay beach and across the peninsula, learning about the native animals and Aboriginal middens dating back tens of thousands of years and the original Great Oyster Bay people of the region. At secluded Hazards Beach a gourmet lunch of local seafood, beef and quail, fine wines and specialty Tasmanian cheeses is served before an afternoon of feasting, rambling, ocean dipping and relaxing before taking a half-hour cruise back to Freycinet Lodge.
Puretasmania.com.au/wineglass

New overnight fishing tours, Northern Territory
Ever find a day on the water isn’t quite long enough to catch a ‘big one’? The release of one- and two-day fishing charters from Darwin should guarantee that you’ll never need to conjure up another excuse for ‘the one that got away’. The tours take budding fishermen up to 100 kilometres offshore to fishing hotspots including the Perron Islands, Melville Island and a few secret locations where fishing fans can stay up all night.
Fishdarwin.com.au

For more information about Australia visit Australia.com.