Go for gold down under and explore Australia's stunning beaches on gorgeous coast

Scottish Sun

4 days ago

And don't forget to take in the iconic cityscapes too
SURF'S UP Go for gold down under and explore Australia's stunning beaches on gorgeous coast
"WOULDN'T it be nice if we were younger … and wouldn't it be nice to SURF together?"
Well, kinda.
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The main beach at Byron Bay
Credit: Getty
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James and his son Adam get ready to hit the surf at Byron Bay
I'm closing in on the big 5-0 so decided it was now or never if I was ever to become one of the Beach Boys.
And where better in the world to make your surfing debut than on Australia's famous Gold Coast.
If you've had a bash on the board yourself, you might know that 'wipeout' is surfing jargon for falling off.
Well, I was a total wipeout. Point Break? I very quickly got to breaking point.
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Still, what a laugh and my son Adam, 28, saved the family reputation by staying afloat long enough to catch a few waves.
The spot for this amazing adventure was Byron Bay.
We were Down Under visiting Adam and his girlfriend Karen in Brisbane but we just had to cross the Queensland border to check out New South Wales.
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Basq House hotel;'s welcoming pool
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The rooms are classy and spacious
After a quick jaunt down Highway 1 — the longest in the world at 9,000 miles and amazingly follows the entire coastline of Australia — we arrived at our base, the brilliant Basq House.
The 32-room boutique hotel opened last autumn — a gorgeous little hideaway in the heart of Byron's village centre.
Calm, sophisticated and with super-friendly staff we felt instantly at home, enjoying cocktails by the pool and, later, fizz in the library with inviting floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
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SUNEXCL Zara and Mike Tindall put on loved-up display as they soak up the sunshine at Byron Bay on Australia holiday
Talking of books, we received a gorgeous coffee table book detailing the history of Byron Bay as a welcome gift from the hotel.
Flicking through we discovered the maiden voyage of TSS Wollongbar II arrived here from Glasgow on 11 January 1923.
That journey took six weeks — fortunately we landed in Oz a little over 24hrs after jetting out from our home city.
Byron Bay is the wellbeing capital of Australia and it's easy to see why — it oozes chill.
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There is sunset and sunrise yoga sessions everywhere, surfers of course, and generally just a laid-back hippy vibe that I instantly fell in love with.
You need to check out Cape Byron Lighthouse, sitting on Australia's most easterly point. It was so good we unintentionally visited twice in a day.
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The top of headlands at Byron Bay with famous white lighthouse of the most eastern point of Australian continent
Credit: Alamy
First, we headed up at sunset but it was so wet and cloudy we couldn't see a thing so returned later that sunny afternoon and it was well worth the effort.
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Sadly after that we had to pack our bags and 'wave' goodbye to Byron Bay and the surf.
But the adventure didn't stop there — next stop was Sydney.
Arriving late on a Friday we planned to do what every droopy-eyed tourist does and dump our bags at the hotel and head for the world famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
But we instantly realised QT Hotel was no ordinary hotel.
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As we got out of our cab on bustling Market Street, they were doing a glam photoshoot right outside the front door.
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QT hotel in one of Sydney's trendiest areas
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Rooms come with a generous minbar
Then there's the hotel itself — wow! Part art deco masterpiece, part old department store and further part heritage theatre, this place is truly one of a kind.
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Even better we had been upgraded to an executive room with luxurious king-size bed, designer bathroom — walk-in rainwater shower and bath complete with luxury toiletries.
And, most importantly, a very generous mini bar. We could have chilled there all night but we were mad keen to take the 20-minute walk to the harbour.
The Bridge and Opera House are two of the most famous and iconic spots in the world so we happily joined the throngs of tourists to take our selfies.
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James and Rachel at the Opera House
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The famous Mr Wong restaurant is a Sydney icon
After just two or three hundred snaps, we headed for another Sydney institution — Mr Wong's restaurant.
No matter where my wife Rachel and I are in the world we always find a spot for our 'Friday night Chinese' and this classy joint ticked all the boxes.
That said, on flicking through the wine list I clocked a $185,000 bottle of red.
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Unfortunately, it wasn't our wedding anniversary so we opted for a $75 bottle. The Singapore Noodles were top notch too.
As we left they were shooting a music video on the narrow lane — 'that's Sydney for you' we were told. What a place!
Next morning we were up bright and early but unfortunately it was pouring down so our sunset kayak under harbour bridge was cancelled. Apparently it rains for six months a year here — who knew?
Instead, we took the red route bus tour taking in fascinating spots with names like Woolloomooloo Bay and Barangaroo.
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GO: AUSTRALIA
GO: NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA
GETTING THERE: Qantas fly from Glasgow, via Heathrow, to Sydney. See qantas.com for best fares.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at Basq House in Byron Bay, which is on TRAVEL + LEISURE best new hotel's hot list, start from £189 a night. See basqhouse.com.au and rooms at QT Sydney from £143. See qthotels.com.
MORE INFO: For more on visiting Sydney, see sydney.com and for Byron Bay and other destinations in New South Wales see visitnsw.com.
Australia of course has a diverse history. It pays respect to its Aboriginal heritage everywhere you go — including bus tours and theatre performance — while 20 per cent of Aussies have convict heritage.
To be fair, some of their pricing is criminal — expect to pay up to £10 a beer in some places.
That afternoon we did the Opera House tour and were luckily allowed to take pics inside.
The architecture and extraordinary story of the Opera House is a fascinating one and it was amazing to learn about its controversial history and array of stars who have performed there including Bob Dylan, The Cure, Nelson Mandella and our very own Billy Connolly.
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A quick cab later we were on the other side of Sydney Harbour, this time for Handa Opera's Guys and Dolls.
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The couple enjoyed a musical extravaganza at Handa Opera
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The Squire's Landing
Here you take your seats under the stars — and under bats flying overhead (no kidding) — for the Broadway Musical spectacular - with fireworks every night. If there's a more spectacular backdrop to a show anywhere in the world I've yet to see it.
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Sunday lunch was at Squires Landing on the waterfront.
James Squire was a convict on the first fleet but perhaps more importantly he was Australia's first brewer and his two-storey restaurant and brewhouse was a fabulous spot for a few beers.
Then we took a boat over to Manly Bay — like Byron Bay famous for its surfing, relaxed atmosphere and coastal vibe. It's also the birthplace of the famous Budgy Smugglers — not that I was tempted to wear a pair.
Next morning we savoured our last breakfast at the hotel's Parlour bistro — a little taste of Paris where the poached eggs and avocado are to die for.
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Another cab and we arrived at world famous Bondi Beach. From there we took the well-trodden trail to Coogee Bay ending up at McIver Ladies Baths.
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James takes a load off at the famous Bondi Beach in Sydney
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Surfers head down to Bondi Beach
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James and Rachel loved the Bondi to Coogee Coastal walk
Credit: Alamy
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James at his near namesake baths
If you clock the name at the bottom of this page you will see why a bloke like me had such an interest in ladies baths. Despite that, they still wouldn't let me in. Bloody women!
With that, we had to wave bye-bye to the Bondi Beach Boys (and girls) as we headed off to our next stop — Bali.
Round, round get around, I Get Around…