Fantastic food accompanied by truly great wine is always on the menu in Australia.

There are endless settings for outside dining, whether it’s dinner in the desert under the big, starry skies at uluru or a feast of ocean catch in the heart of Sydney or Melbourne. Or perhaps you’ll take a private plane or helicopter to lunch at one of the famous wineries in the Hunter or Yarra Valley.

New South Wales
Sydney, Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley
Sydney offers fabulous fusion food, world-class shopping and a lively nightlife with the breathtaking backdrop of the spectacular harbor. See a performance of opera, ballet or theater at the world famous Opera House. Wander the cobblestone streets of The Rocks, the harborside quarter where modern Australian settlement began. Kayak under the Harbour Bridge, walk the winding, sea-sculpted cliffs from Bondi to Bronte or visit Manly’s beaches, bars and restaurants by ferry.

A 90-minute drive from Sydney is the blue-hazed beauty, dramatic cliffs and deep canyons of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Soak up the panoramas on a trek along the Six Foot Track, go mountain biking, horse riding and scale the sandstone cliffs. If you prefer to relax while enjoying the awe-inspiring views, be sure to stay at Lilianfels Blue Mountain Resort and Spa, the only officially rated five-star hotel in the Blue Mountains. Dine at the award-winning restaurant Darleys, stroll the two acres of English-style gardens and visit the health spa — providing all the benefits of an enriching regime and a complete experience for mind and body.

A two-hour drive north of Sydney is Hunter Valley Wine Country. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Brokenback Range, the area now yields more than 140 wineries and cellar doors, embracing areas such as Pokolbin, Rothbury, Broke Fordwich, Lovedale, Wollombi Valley and Mount View. If you are craving something new to do, you may wish to experience a glorious sunrise from a hot air balloon, horse ride through a vineyard, browse through galleries and antique shops or see the Valley by horse and carriage, bicycle or even limousine.

Northern Territory
Darwin, Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta
Soak up Darwin’s balmy weather and the melting pot of food and cultures in the city’s many outdoor festivals and markets. Then explore the region’s dramatic history — from World War II air raids to Cyclone Tracey — in the museums and galleries. Sail Darwin Harbour at sunset, cruise next to crocodiles and bushwalk through monsoon forest.

World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is where you’ll find wildlife, water-falls and one of the world’s largest areas of accessible rock art. Bushwalk, spot rare and spectacular wildlife and plunge into sparkling waterholes. Explore the many rich and detailed Aboriginal rock art galleries. See Namarrgon, the Lightning Man at Nourlangie Rock and some of the world’s finest examples of X-ray art at Ubirr Rock in Kakadu’s north-east.

Lose your breath at Uluru, which rises 1,142 feet from the desert and matches the light and weather with shades so vivid they upstage the sunset. Learn about Uluru’s cultural significance as you walk around its base with an Aboriginal Anangu guide. Get up close to the grandeur of nearby Kata Tjuta — sacred russet domes formed through millions of years of erosion — on the Valley of the Winds Walk.

While in the Red Centre, stay at the luxurious, eco-sensitive, romantic, five-star Longitude 131°. Fall asleep under the sweeping canopy of your luxury tent, wake up to your own private view of the sun rising over Uluru, enjoy a quiet drink and fine dining at the Dune House and dining under the stars at Table 131.