Travel guide Queensland

  It seems when you go on holidays that Mum’s handbag turns into everyone’s bag! The Annabel Trends Shoulder Bag was given a very good road test on our recent family holiday to Lithgow in the Blue Mountains.     When we travel we do a lot of walking with the kids. Everyone has their own camera (around their neck) and their own drink bottle; I make sure I carry snacks and treats to keep everyone going, too. Then there are the beanies, jackets, towels, sun cream and everything else that you carry just in case you need it! That not only weighs you down, but also makes it hard to find something at the bottom of the bag, with all the other stuff on top.   However the Annabel Trends handbag is extremely lightweight, yet strong and features long shoulder strap... Read more

  The Magna Play Magnetic Puzzles from Haggus and Stookles is a cute little metal suitcase that opens to reveal magnetic pieces in all shapes and sizes, designed to get kid’s imaginations working, as they create all manner of objects from fairies to robots to animals. To help them along, there is a booklet with easy to follow designs, but we found our girls got the hang of it quickly and were soon making up the most intricate things.   Each brightly coloured magnet is quite thick so they are easy for little fingers to gently put into place and pick up. When we covered over 1,700kms in three days, we found the Magna Plays to be the most popular toy, and the one that kept the kids the quietest as they thought about what to make next.   The girls would open the suitc... Read more

Lisa Monk is a marketing communications writer with a diverse background that includes experience in travel, hotel, finance, public relations and advertising. She has worked with Club Med, the Holiday Inn group and on a number of other travel projects on a freelance basis. Lisa has travelled throughout Australia, Asia Pacific, North America and Britain. Lisa now works with occupancy.com, which powers both takeabreak.com.au and rentahome.com.au, as the editor of the Holiday Inspirations website and newsletter, and other e-publications. She lives in Sydney with her husband and sons.   Kylie-Jane Degeling is a freelance writer who has lived in Adelaide,Yulara (Uluru), Alice Springs and Canberra, as well as five different countries throughout the world. After backpac... Read more

  We all love to relax and get away from the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life, but more and more we realise the fragility of the many wonderful eco systems that comprise the Australian continent. We want to be able to leave our troubles behind and there is an inspiring way to do that, make memories and leave only footprints on our stunning landscape.   We have rounded up five of the top eco-friendly destinations on takeabreak.com.au to help you choose a holiday that leaves you – and our country – in good shape.   Anketell Forest, NSW Anketell Forest has history, location and eco awareness all rolled into one lovely property. All the timber used in the extensions, fittings and furniture was salvaged from fallen trees and milled and handcrafted ... Read more

Once upon a time, planning a holiday was both time-consuming and expensive. It could involve a lot of map reading, phone calls and visits to bookshops or the library. Doing all that research and then developing an organised system to record all your findings was a major trauma. Thanks to the internet, everything is now so much easier - and often cheaper, too. For our Great Ocean Road accommodation, I went to the local travel agency and picked up a few tourist brochures on the areas we intended to visit. These are useful to get an idea of the significant sites and tourist spots, so I can choose to include them in our itinerary – or, in some cases, avoid them.   I then worked out a route using the NRMA Trip Planner, www.drivethere.com.au, which gives you the distance betwe... Read more

Staying at Cream Gables is unique as it top quality 4 star plus hosted accommodation and as host, I take great care to make sure that the guests have everything they need to make their stay a fantastic experience. I go out of my way to let them know how to get to wherever they wish to go... I ring tourist companies for them, check all the buses and transport to help them find their way around Brisbane and most of all provide a fantastic breakfast experience, where they dine with other people from all over the world and just have lots of fun. They get to choose from an extensive breakfast menu which they can enjoy at any time they want and usually stay for hours because they are really enjoying the company. Cream Gables is located in a fantastic position within walking dista... Read more

In a tranquil valley in the Gold Coast hinterland is a rural gem. The pretty country town of Canungra has the feel of yesteryear with the amenities of today. Plenty of old-fashioned hospitality awaits in this delightful destination, where you can choose to kick back your feet and soak in the atmosphere, or float over the region in a hot air balloon or hang glider.   When people move here, they tend to stay. Many descendents of the original pioneers live in the area, although industry has changed somewhat. The town started with timber as its primary industry, but by the 1940s that era came to an end when the mills closed. Instead of departing the area, many chose to try their hand at dairy farming, beef cattle, and eventually – vineyards. Today, Canungra boasts a variety of del... Read more

Bellthorpe Cottage is located on 120 peaceful acres just over an hour from Brisbane, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The one bedroom timber cottage is a great place to get away from it all and take in the relaxing atmosphere. The self-contained cottage has wide verandahs, a well-equipped kitchen, queen-size bed, wood heater and all you need to get away. At your doorstep is the wild life and amazing variety of birds. You can discover the rainforest, take in the sounds of nature, rest at the waterfalls, nestle in front of the fire, catch the cool mountain breezes, take a walk around and explore, chat to the farm animals, tour the district or just sit back and relax... but whatever you do, you'll enjoy the surroundings. The property is nestled in amongst rolling green hills with cattle gr... Read more

Bellthorpe Cottage is located on 120 peaceful acres just over an hour from Brisbane, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The property sits in its own valley, with its own spring-fed creek, its own rainforest and there are virtually no neighbours. There are the walking tracks that go through the paddocks, through the rainforest to the waterfalls. You can hear the quiet country hush - especially on star-filled nights. The one bedroom timber cottage is a great place to get away from it all and take in the relaxing atmosphere. The self-contained cottage has wide verandahs, a well-equipped kitchen, queen-size bed, wood heater and is eco-based to minimise the impact on the environment. Check out the wild life and amazing variety of birds, discover the rainforest, take in the sounds of nature, re... Read more

Imagine a winter's day surrounded by bush, horse paddocks and flat grassy areas overlooking a beautiful green valley. Then at night, sitting by the log fire sipping a wine (with your pet safely beside you) enjoying the quiet and serenty of nature. Imagine a balmy summer day, visiting our resident horse for a pat, playing outdoor games on the grass, exploring the bushy surroundings and swimming in the salt water pool. Then at night, enjoying a barbecue and bringing out the boardgames supplied or watching your favourite DVD. Knotsofarcottage is this perfect holiday of peace and privacy and yet is still only 10 minutes away from fully patrolled beautiful beaches plus all the lively activities in the Gold Coast. We also have our own 2 gorgeous German shepherds and always welcome well behave... Read more