I remember when I was in primary school and my parents picked me up from school in a new Toyota Kluger straight from the dealership. I remember thinking our new car was the most amazing, luxurious thing I’d ever experienced. There was air conditioning in the back! And armrests! That first ride was incredibly overstimulating.They still have that Kluger, but the car I spend the most time in these days is my trusty 1996 Ford Probe – a great car, but nowhere near as comfy as the big Toyota.And in a completely different universe to the 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost that drove me into work today.Rushing out the door as per usual, I was greeted by Luke O’Neill, luxury and performance driving coach, who was to be my chauffeur for the morning. O’Neill has years of experience driving some of the nicest cars money can buy, but even he reckons the Ghost is unlike anything else he’s driven.“I’m actually looking for a new car right now, and after having spent a few weeks with this thing, I’ve been spoiled… How does anything else compare?”This grey example of the new Ghost is one of only five cars in Australia. It certainly cut an impressive figure on my quiet suburban street, the Spirit of Ecstacy ornament shining in the sun and its twin-turbo V12 softly purring as I got in. As the rear suicide doors opened, I stepped into a world of leather, chrome and wood. Embarrassingly, I tracked in a bit of grass and dirt, my boots leaving smut on the pristine white floormats. I’m not used to being driven: even when I get a taxi or Uber I’ll normally sit in the front. In the back seat of a Rolls, I was a fish out of water.

The strangest thing about the experience was how normal it felt. Maybe normal’s not the right word… Tranquil is better, which O’Neill relates that the entire point of the Rolls experience.

“The entire philosophy of the car is that whether you’re driving or being driven, you leave the car more relaxed than when you got in.”

It’s so quiet inside the Ghost that I can hear my watch ticking. We’re talking at a whisper because to use our normal voices would be too loud inside such an automobile. The massive engine registers as but a hum – although when O’Neill put his foot down, it still managed to impress when it comes to performance. Rolls-Royce normally describe their cars as having ‘adequate’ horsepower, but “talking about horsepower is almost irrelevant” when it comes to these cars, O’Neill explains.Rolls-Royce describes the brand’s design philosophy as ‘post-opulence’. People expect a Rolls to be sumptuous, but it’s about going beyond that. Case in point: the Ghost’s eight-speed automatic transmission communicates with up to seven satellites multiple times a second in order to anticipate the road in front of you so that it always holds the right gear for the road conditions ahead. The ‘starlight roof’ – one of the brand’s most iconic modern features – also conceals an advanced speaker array, and the chassis has air channels that act as a subwoofer, so the sound system is phenomenal. The feature list is too long to recount.What’s unique about the Ghost is that it’s just as much designed for the driver as it is for the passenger. Every tiny aspect of the entire experience is centred around making things as effortless and comfortable for everyone involved. There are no compromises with a Ghost.Arriving at the DMARGE offices in Redfern, I almost had to be dragged out of the car… I could have melted into their seats, it was so comfortable. Sadly the rain that was forecast didn’t eventuate – I was looking forward to testing the umbrellas that are contained within the Ghost’s doorframes.

While I’m grateful that I was able to play-pretend as a British royal for the morning, the issue is that I’m now ruined for life when it comes to cars. It’s like stepping out of Plato’s Cave – I’m going to compare every other car I drive, ride in or see to the Rolls-Royce Ghost, and they’ll all come up short. Once you know how good a Rolls is, you’ll never settle for anything less. Hell of a problem to have, but there we have it.Guess I better start saving up, then.You can browse the Rolls-Royce range online here.

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The post I Was Chauffeured To Work In The Latest Rolls-Royce & It's Ruined Me For Life appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While news anchors or sports reporters can get away with slightly more inspired fashion choices, weathermen are a bit more restricted.You can’t have any strong greens or blues, because you don’t get greenscreened out. And where weather girls are almost encouraged to look somewhat titillating, it’s your job as a weatherman to be as entirely agreeable and unforgettable as possible.But when you’re replacing a colourful character like long-time Sydney weatherman Tim Bailey, you can’t just fade into the scenery. So Channel 10’s new forecaster Josh Holt decided to make a subtle sartorial splash – one that any fashion-forward man should pay attention to.Holt, who previously worked for the station in Brisbane presented last night’s weather forecast in a conservative grey suit… Offset by some wild Cuban heeled R,M. Williams Santa Fe boots.

‘Cuban heels’ describe men’s boots with a inwards-tapering heel, inspired by traditional flamenco boots. Cuban heeled boots were first popularised by The Beatles, then were adopted by the punk movement and have since enjoyed somewhat of a revival in the 21st century.It’s a slightly left-of-centre look that carries a certain type of swagger, and aren’t for the faint-hearted: US Senator and one-time prospective Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio was widely ridiculed for wearing such a ‘shagalicious’ style of shoe, at odds with his straight-laced character, The Guardian reported back in 2016.R.M. Williams remains one of the few mainstream boot manufacturers that offer a Cuban heel option. We’re glad to see that Holt took them up on it, frankly. Yeehaw.

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The post Trailblazing Australian Weatherman Takes ‘R.M. Williams & A Suit’ To New Heights appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In years gone by this offer would be the stuff of dreams for frequent flyers. Now it’s just another mark of this year’s brutal reality. Still, it’s better than losing your status altogether…

What is it? Qantas is offering to extend Australian and Kiwi frequent flyers’ status for another year, provided they book another Qantas (domestic Jetstar flights don’t count) flight on or after the 23rd of November 2020 and before the end of their membership year for travel.

Qantas’ “status support” page, which has been recently updated to reflect this new offer, now reads, “Throughout 2020, we’ve offered members a range of support mechanisms to retain their tier including status extension, followed by Status Credit boosts and the ability to earn them on the ground.”

“Now, as travel resumes we want to make sure you continue to enjoy the Qantas Frequent Flyer status benefits and privileges.”

“To help Qantas Frequent Flyers maintain their status, all Australian and New Zealand based members need to do is simply book and pay for an eligible flight on or after 23 November 2020 and before the end of their membership year for travel until the end of 2021, and we will extend their status for a further 12 months.”

“Plus, we’re giving eligible members a headstart on reaching their status goals beyond 2022 with the ability to rollover eligible Status Credits into next membership year.”

Not bad.

As for Qantas Frequent Flyers “who live anywhere apart from Australia and New Zealand,” Executive Traveller reports they “will qualify for an automatic 12-month extension of their status without even needing to set foot on a plane.”

“The airline says this will apply to members whose 2021 status reset date is between 31 March 2021 and 31 December 2021; they’ll also receive a status credit rollover to help jump-start their 2022 membership.”

RELATED: Qantas Adopts ‘Sneakerhead’ Approach To New 787 Dreamliner Delivery

This comes after the announcement of a new “strategic partnership” with Accor, apparently designed to give customers “greater rewards.”

The partnership will see mutual members of the two loyalty programs rewarded “at every stage of their travel journey.”

Scheduled to launch mid-2021, “it will be the first partnership of its kind between an airline and hospitality group in the Asia Pacific region,” Qantas announced last Thursday.

RELATED: Experts Warn Of The ‘Americanisation Of Business Class’ Following Virgin Australia ‘Noodlegate’ Saga

It’s not all sunshine and status boosts though – all these changes come in a climate where all airlines – Qantas included – are having to face tough realities, and make cut backs accordingly.

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The post Score An Extra Year Of Qantas Status With One Single Flight appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In the same way that you’re often more likely to find a romantic connection doing your grocery shopping than you are at a speed-dating session, social media platforms that aren’t expressly designed for flirting – Twitter, Facebook, even LinkedIn (rather concerningly) – are the real hotspots of modern dating culture, as opposed to dating apps, for example.Instagram is perhaps the best of all of them when it comes to finding love, thanks to its versatility. It’s got disappearing photos like Snapchat, the convenient messaging of Facebook, filters and polls and other fun stuff… But perhaps the most flirtatious feature of Instagram is the ‘Close Friends’ list.“If someone adds you [to] their Close Friends, it’s a sign they are interested in you… they want to get to know you and show you a side of them that isn’t available for the world to see. Kind of like a subtle sideways flirt,” relationship expert and advisor to Channel Ten’s The Bachelor Samantha Jayne shared exclusively with DMARGE.So far, so frisky. But a somewhat worrying development that’s emerged in the world of Instagram flirting – one that proves nice things will always be innovatively corrupted – is a trend we’d like to dub ‘inner circling’.

Instagram doesn’t put a hard limit on how many people you can add to your Close Friends list… But there’s also no minimum. What some sneaky singles have been doing is deliberately keeping their Close Friends list empty, save for one person – the person they’re interested in – to see how quickly they respond to their story.The same could also be done with a small ‘inner circle’ of the three or four people you have on your radar – the ‘Gatsbying‘ of 2020, if you will, yet even more devious.It’s a clever tactic. While there’s a degree of plausible deniability when it comes to opening private photos on Instagram (you could just take note of the notification and open the photo later in order not to appear so desperate), it’s harder to avoid a Close Friends Instagram Story post.Story posts shared only with Close Friends are denoted by a green circle around a user’s profile photo when browsing stories on Instagram’s landing page, but if you’re already browsing stories and stumble into an ‘inner circling’ trap – or if the ‘inner circler’ has put a public story before the ‘trap’ story in order to be extra devious – you’ve fallen for the ploy. Needless to say, this sort of microanalytical, manipulative (and overly complicated) method of flirting speaks volumes about the people who employ it.So: is it a mark of desperation, or a sign of genius? DMARGE got in touch with relationship advisor Samantha Jayne again to get her take.“Adding only one friend so you can see how quickly they respond is a little on the stalker side of things,” Samantha Jayne relates.

“It’s calculated and on the spectrum of obsessive. I don’t think it’s using the Close Friends [feature] for what it is meant to be used for. Wouldn’t it make more sense just to connect with the person on a more human level rather than [this] stalker behaviour?  Personally, I think it’s a no-no unless of course you have discussed it and you’re playfully doing this together.”

Thanks for putting me in ur close friends story… now how can I leave?

— (@modapolice) June 16, 2020

While it’s hard to tell if you’re the focus of an ‘inner circling’ trap (although if all that person is posting is thirst traps and messages that seem to be directed at you, you might be able to suss it out), you probably don’t want to be romantically involved with someone who’d employ such a questionable, neurotic, narcissistic tactic to see if you’re interested in them.Jayne’s advice?“Instead of making up meanings and guessing if someone likes you based on social media patterns of engagement, get out in the real world.”Wise words indeed.

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The post ‘Inner Circling’: The Sneaky New Dating Trend You Need To Watch Out For appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Passengers on international Qantas flights will be required to prove they’ve had a Covid 19 vaccination, once one becomes available, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said last night.

Speaking to A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw, Joyce said the move would “be a necessity.”

He also hinted Qantas would be far from alone in the policy.

“I think that’s going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the globe,” he said.

“For international travellers, we will ask people to have a vaccination before they get on the aircraft.”

“Certainly, for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country we think that’s a necessity.”

Joyce’s comments have sparked discussion over the legality of an airline mandating such things.

It wasn’t just maniacal conspiracy theorists discussing it either. As news.com.au points out, ABC presenter Tracey Holmes asked on Twitter: ‘Hello all my legal friends … is this legal?'”.

“Another journalist, The Australian’s cricket writer Peter Lalor, replied, ‘I hope so.'”

I hope so.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 23, 2020

Others took issue with the idea of balance.

Stop creating an argument for ‘balance’ about whether it is legal or not. Very common to require a vaccination cert to travel. You’re giving anti-vaxers oxygen at a time when science should be the winner. Not good enough.

— Chris Fitzgerald (@ChrisFi28994382) November 23, 2020

More broadly on Twitter, much debate was had. Some users were furious.

It’s not every day you decide to never fly with an airline due to their outrageous passenger vaccination compliance.

— Maximus (@MaxMill65838709) November 23, 2020

Others were more understanding.

Yup! Like daycares or pediatric offices that require full vaccination. Our pediatrician started explaining why when we were looking to make our choice. I stopped him barely into the explanation. Said I have PhD in cell biology, we’re on same page. And we’ll be using you.

— Semidore (@CommoNole) November 23, 2020

Others reckoned once a vaccine is available it will be common for countries worldwide to demand it of tourists.

Good luck with that. Especially when other airlines follow suit and bigger than that after prime tourism countries begin making the vaccination a requirement for a visa. Just like Yellow Fever, etc. Hope you enjoy booking domestic travel.

— Carl Hancock (@carlhancock) November 23, 2020

According to the BBC, “In August, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was likely that any successful vaccine would become ‘as mandatory as you could possibly make it.'”

“There are always exemptions for any vaccine on medical grounds, but that should be the only basis,” he told radio station 3AW, according to the BBC.

However, according to news.com.au, Morrison has walked these comments somewhat back (or at least tried to put 2GB radio station listeners’ minds at ease), saying the Government would not make vaccination “compulsory.”

“I mean, we can’t hold someone down and make them take it.”

In any case, Alan Joyce’s comments come at a time where Australia is having to think hard about its future.

The country shuttered its borders early in the pandemic and required those returning to quarantine.

“The country has more recently relied on lockdowns, widespread testing and aggressive contact tracing to push daily infections nationwide close to zero,” the BBC reports.

“Australia has recorded about 900 coronavirus-related deaths and almost 28,000 infections in total,” (BBC). This is very low compared to many other countries.

The big question is: how do we open ourselves up again to travel without throwing that all away?

A vaccine could be a smart solution.

Qantas prides itself on being a cultural first mover (or at least a company able to quickly read the national room).

We’d argue this vaccine talk is just another example of that. In our opinion, despite a few Twitter mad hatters, most of the country is stoked a vaccine is on the way, and keen to get back in the air as soon as safely possible.

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The post New Qantas Flight 'Rule' Proposal Offers Window Into Future Of Travel appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

For most, birthdays are a time for celebration, but many men find that they get to a point in their life where birthdays are more depressing than delightful.

It’s a sign that the clock is ticking; your hairline slowly retreating; your love handles becoming more like love handfuls; and a cavalcade of shitty presents that you probably paid for anyway (how did little Timmy buy me a bottle of Glenmorangie, I wonder)…

Mark Ruffalo is not one of those men. The now 53-year-old Hollywood star is embracing his later years with style, celebrating his big day with a relaxing bubble bath. It’s a simple but luxurious pleasure – and one more men should take advantage of, not just on their birthday.

 

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A post shared by Mark Ruffalo (@markruffalo)

It might sound obvious, but baths are a great way to relax and are one of the easiest ways to practice mindfulness or self-care. Provided you’re not some behemoth like The Rock and can’t fit in any tub smaller than a lap pool, taking a humble bubble bath is an easy, accessible way to treat yourself and incorporate a little touch of luxury into your day-to-day.

RELATED: The Embarrassing Mistake Every Tourist Makes In Japan’s Bathhouses

That’s not just hot air, either: a 2018 study conducted by researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany found that taking a hot bath each day is a more effective treatment for depression or insomnia than exercise.

It can also be good for your physical health as well as your mental health. According to PainScience, “immersion, buoyancy, heat, and vibration (if you’ve got jets) all have useful biological and sensory effects, many of which are useful to people with injuries, pain, anxiety, depression, and more.”

Prune up, we reckon.

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The post Mark Ruffalo Shares 'Luxurious' Birthday Ritual More Men Should Practise appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Canadian activewear specialist Lululemon has kicked off Black Friday deals a few days in early, in the US at least. Australia will likely have to wait until the official date of Friday 27th November, so Aussies, keep your eyes peeled.

For US fitness fanatics, however, there are some great deals to be had, and given Lululemon is currently marketing its deals as a ‘Black Friday teaser’, there could be more discounts headed our way.

If you’ve been looking to upgrade your gym or yoga wardrobe, there has never been a better time. Lululemon’s clothing range makes use of some high-tech fabrics to give you comfort and performance in equal measure during your workouts, and even has collections for you to rock after you’ve had your post-workout shower.

We’ve picked out some of our favourite pieces to get you started.

• License to Train Boxer 7″ 3-pack: $69 (was $98)
• ABC Pant Slim Tech Canvas: $89 (was $128)
• Precipitation Jacket: $119 (was $198)
• More Miles City Backpack: $119 (was $168)
• City Sweat Full Zip Hoodie Jacquard: $89 (was $138)

Shop The Full Lululemon Black Friday Sale

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The post Lululemon Teases Early Black Friday Deals, More Discounts Expected appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When you think about ‘summer cruisers’, certain types of cars come to mind.

You might be thinking about something big, American and lazy, like a Cadillac Eldorado or Ford Galaxie. Maybe it’s some sort of exotic convertible, like a Ferrari 488 Spider or MGB; an off-roader, like a Jeep or a Hummer or a Bronco; or perhaps even a road-trip-ready hippie van.

But all of those would be the wrong choice.

Classic American luxury cars might look great, but they’re thirsty and lack performance. A van with a bed in the back is also unlikely to have the get-up and go you need to really enjoy Australia’s greatest driving roads. And an exotic convertible seems great in theory until it breaks down or the soft top fails… And the only thing more intense than the Australian summer sun is an Australian summer thunderstorm.

No, what you need is something comfy, but reliable. Classy, but not wanky. Peppy, but not so finely-tuned that you’ll have to pop the bonnet on a scorching hot day. What you need is a classic Mercedes-Benz – like this beautiful 280SE on sale in the Sunshine State.

This piano-black, perfect German cruiser is a 1971 model. 70s Mercs have a reputation for being bulletproof, especially those with Mercedes’ dependable straight-six engines – which this one has. Powered by the M130, the largest variant of Mercedes’ stalwart M180 engine series, this 280SE isn’t going to break any land speed records. But what it is going to do is keep you cruising on and on – with less fuss than a hefty V8 or piddly four-banger. It’s also fuel-injected, a rarity for cars of this vintage.

This 280SE cuts a bold and impressive figure and looks similar to its bigger brother, the 600 ‘Grosser’, famously the car of dictators and despots across the world. Unlike the Grosser, you’ll look less like Idi Amin and more like David Bowie driving the 280SE. (Yes, Ziggy Stardust drove a Grosser too.) These 70s Mercs are not only famously comfy and reliable, but have a certain timeless appeal to them. They somehow feel more youthful than later models.

RELATED: Timeless Bondi Beach Photo Unearths Forgotten Era Of Australian Motoring

Inside, the 280SE is like a comfy living room: it’s got sofa-like seats with huge armrests, plus leather and wood as far as the eye can see. The column shifter is a great retro touch. Imagine winding the windows way down and lapping in the sun… All while being cosseted in gorgeous cowhide with lots of air vents blowing frosty air on your face. Now that’s better than a drop-top.

“Australian delivered with all the books and extensive service history,” according to the seller, this Merc’s only got 22,167kms on the clock and is listed for $34,990. A bargain, really.

Check it out on Carsales while sipping a Swift cocktail for maximum summer bliss.

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The post 'Perfect Summer Cruiser’ Retro Mercedes-Benz On Sale In Queensland appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s been a rough year. The global travel industry has been left dangling over a precipice, Australia’s local travel industry has been smashed (even if it is now slowly recovering) and to add insult to injury, the whole of Sydney now looks set to emigrate to Byron.

But what will summer look like with no international tourists? Though some international arrivals have been allowed in (after quarantining) for business or essential purposes (see: World Famous Strongman Struggles To Keep Fit In Australian Hotel Quarantine), on the whole, this is due to be an unprecedented summer of domestic travel, driven by domestic tourists.

Before we embark on a December Of Debauchery, though, there are some warning signs and pandemic lessons we ought to learn from Europe’s summer just gone (see below).

RELATED: Paris’ ‘Reactionary’ Response To 9pm Curfew May Be Most French Thing Ever

For those simply wondering what Australian summer will look like this year, however, here’s a rough picture.

The beach, the beach and the beach.

In other words: the return of the road trip.

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A post shared by It’s Beautiful Here. (@_itsbeautifulhere)

This comes as 9 Now reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing airlines to the brink of extinction and turning airports into very expensive plane parks” and as both Australia’s major carriers make significant cutbacks.

RELATED: Virgin Australia ‘Noodlegate’ Sparks Fears Over ‘Americanisation Of Business Class’

That doesn’t mean we won’t be moving though – just that we’ll be driving (mostly) to get to our destinations. As the ABC reports, “Australian holiday hotspots are booking out as travel is allowed again.”

Speaking on Traveller’s Flight Of Fancy podcast, travel writer Sheriden Rhodes told host Ben Groundwater and travel writer Michael Gebicki, “It’s maybe not going to look how it usually looks, but everyone’s more keen than ever to get out there [this year] and enjoy summer.”

Travel writer Michael Gebicki said he anticipated this summer will be one of surf and national parks, encouraging Australians wanting to get away over Christmas “to start planning now.”

Why? Pent up demand is seeing all the best Airbnb’s booking out fast, making organising a self-sufficient trip “quite difficult in a lot of places.”

“There’s a lot of appeal in the self catering holiday where you can control your environment rather than a hotel or resort which carries a little more inherent risk,” Gebicki said during the podcast.

Host Groundwater, as well as travel writer Sheridon Rhodes, also urged Australians to get booking pronto.

“Get going now or you might just miss out.”

Sheridon said you should “book well ahead for restaurants and experiences of any kind.”

“The further ahead planning you do the better experience you are going to have.”

It’s also important to remember that you don’t know if where you are right now (or where you end up going on holiday) will turn out to be a hotspot.

This means it’s a smart idea to book in your own state and talk to your providers about their options for flexibility.

As Rhodes said, “some providers are offering more than others.”

“Look for operators offering flexibility, cancellations, free change of date, and talk to them. Some are very generous, others are not.”

“Airbnb is just booked out everywhere. It’s almost impossible to get anything outside of the city that’s decent.”

If this happens to you Rhodes suggests you “go outside Airbnb,” and look at “Stayz or Home Aways or go directly to your destination’s tourism website where there are often a lot of the accommodations not listed on Airbnb.”

Worst comes to worst look just outside the city or town of your chosen destination.

Speaking about trends we are going to see more broadly, Groundwater said this summer is going to be a great time to appreciate what we have within a 2 or 3 hour radius of our own homes.

“I think road trips are going to be popular – and with really good reason.”

“Now is a really good time to take a break from flying and get back to those traditional summer holidays in some ways – this is what everyone was doing in the 70s and the 80s. That’s certainly how I spent my childhood holidays, driving around in a car and visiting national parks and little towns and in some ways I’m really excited to get back into that.”

Think: Boomerang Beach, Blueys, Byron.

The only difference? “The station wagon has turned into an SUV.”

In terms of destinations, the travel experts agreed the focus will be on the coast.

“People are going to flee the cities. It’s happening already but peak time is going to be crazy,” Rhodes said.

“Byron Bay I couldn’t even imagine actually… I think it’s going to be quite crazy – a mini Sydney up there.”

Looking at places that might get a little less traffic, the trio discussed ‘not spots’ Tamworth, Dubbo, and Orange, predicting perhaps this summer as the coast gets saturated we will start to see some seepage into the interior.

“Usually everyone wants to go to the coast over Christmas, but I think those country areas will be quite popular over the summer holidays as [some] people can’t get into the coast.”

Not to mention some of these country areas are seeing a boom in their own right. Take Bowral for instance, a town whose latest attraction proves why Power Couples were bailing on Sydney before the pandemic even hit.

It’s not just Bowral seeing a renaissance – the NSW South Coast has been gentrifying of late, with Gebicki pointing out the region has all the “lifestyle factors urbanites are looking for”, and reminding prospective visitors the seafood in places like Ulladulla is that good it gets freighted straight from there to Japan.

“You’ll never look at another oyster again.”

You’re also, with a little persistence, “Guaranteed to get a decent cappuccino in the morning.”

Tasmania is another option, but again – one more so set to be visited by those that already live there or near. If you can get there though Rhodes says it’s magical, reminding listeners to make sure to visit outside the Sydney to Hobart dates if you don’t want to go while it’s crowded.

Other options for those nervous to try their luck in the Big Ticket Towns but who still want a beach getaway are the “tweed coast or hinterland instead of Byron.”

Port Stephens is going to be “jam-packed” Rhodes predicted, as is Coffs Harbour.

A potential alternative to those two? Try Yamba, which is “a little less known and slightly harder to reach.”

Also: Bellingen.

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If you get in early enough you could also try the Whitsundays.

For those looking for a taste of the tropics, assuming you are allowed into Queensland (as DMARGE has previously reported, a matter of some controversy), you’ve got the intense heat of Port Douglas and Cairns which have – despite a stinger warning and limitations during summer months – beautiful rivers and swimming holes.

“Finger crossed we can get there.”

There are also indigenous experiences you can book, like hunting for Mud Crabs, Groundwater related.

As for Victoria, former Melbourne resident Groundwater said he believes all the towns along the  Great Ocean Road will be packed too, but that “if you look inland and north into the high country and alpine areas, Beechworth, Bright; King Valley, these kinds of places may be a great way to avoid the crowds and enjoy the weather as well.”

Canberra was also touted as an “up and coming” foodie destination with a cool wine scene and great hotels.

It’s not where we’d be keen to head anytime soon, but hey: to each their own.

Another city discussed was Brisbane. Rhodes said, over that peak summer period, Brisbane usually has some really bargain rates at hotels.

Her recommendation? Find one with an outdoor pool, that’s “onto the cleaning” and “Covid safe.”

“Brisbane in summer is amazing and usually empty – there are holiday houses for a good price and a lot happening in the city at that time.”

Kangaroo Valley was also touted as a good place to get a holiday house with friends.

Finally, the topic of national parks was discussed, with Gebicki pointing out “a lot of national parks allow wilderness camping if you want to get away from it all.”

“Even Kosciuszko – you can go out and pitch your tent and have a night in the wilderness and waking up in the morning to this beautiful landscape – something we don’t appreciate enough in Australia but it’s world-class.”

“Alpine wildflowers… High Country in the summer is beautiful.”

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On the topic of insurance, Gebicki left some useful thoughts in a Traveller article earlier this year: “You might consider it if you’re travelling by aircraft or another form of public transport. If it’s a road trip in your own vehicle rather than a hired car, the benefits are questionable.”

“If your travel plans were affected by the pandemic, for example if you were to find yourself locked out of your home state or forced into quarantine, travel insurance would be unlikely to cover any expenses you might incur.”

Your summer of fun awaits.

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The post Back To The 70s? What Australian Summer Will Look Like This Year appeared first on DMARGE Australia.