Australia From The Inside Out

Life on Sydney’s Northern Beaches: Manly Magic

For the first couple of years I lived on the Northern Beaches, in Manly, in an apartment on a street with the ferry at one end and the ocean at the other. It was the kind of set-up you dream about when you are commuting in the rain in London.

Life very quickly fell into that relaxed, beachside rhythm that Sydney does so well:

• Early-morning bootcamps on the sand, with dolphins sometimes playing just offshore and the sun climbing up over the headland.
• Runs along the coastal paths, the smell of salt and eucalyptus in the air.
• Grabbing a coffee, reading your book and just sitting in the sun in shoulder season when the tourists had thinned out and Manly felt like a big village again.

Those years gave me a deep understanding of what it actually feels like to live there, not just visit. I know which cafés are all about the view and which are about the coffee, where to walk, swim and eat like a local, and how to fit that into a realistic Australia itinerary.

Swapping Beaches for Balcony Life: Surry Hills and Paddington

As much as I adored Manly, I am not someone who can stay still for long. So, still in Sydney, I moved across to the inner east: the Surry Hills / Paddington area. Same city, completely different life.

I lived in a little terrace house with a wrought-iron balcony on a leafy street that felt quintessentially Sydney. This side of town had a totally different energy:

• An incredible café, bar and food scene on your doorstep.
• Galleries, boutiques and tiny wine bars tucked away on side streets.
• The ability to walk into the CBD and Darling Harbour for work.

Living in two contrasting parts of Sydney means I can talk in detail about the pros and cons for different types of travellers: families vs couples, beach lovers vs foodies, those who want a neighbourhood feel vs those who want to be in walking distance of the main sights.

Flat Whites, Brunch and Seriously Good Thai

One of the first things that strikes you when you live in Australia is how seriously they take food and coffee. Not in a fussy, formal way, but in an everyday “this had better be good” kind of way.

After a while, you get used to silky flat whites, speciality roasters on seemingly every corner and breakfast menus that make brunch feel like an occasion in itself: smashed avocado, corn fritters, fruit-packed bowls and pastries that would not look out of place in a high-end bakery.

Sydney’s food scene, particularly Asian, is outstanding. Fragrant curries, Korean heat, incredible sushi and all the little details done right are just part of normal life. It is one of the reasons I am so confident tailoring itineraries for food-focused clients: I know which neighbourhoods and areas will make them happiest and how to give them that “live like a local” feel.

Turning Weekends Into Adventures: Why We Lived on the Road

About six months after I moved, I convinced my boyfriend to join me. Once he arrived, every spare weekend or holiday became an adventure.

Our Australian colleagues thought we were slightly bonkers. Many had barely seen their own country, while we were drawing up route maps and ticking off tiny towns they had never heard of.

We fell in love with hiring campervans: sometimes standard vans, sometimes 4x4s so we could get into the national parks properly. That freedom to pull off when you saw a viewpoint, to sleep under a huge sky, to cook dinner in the middle of nowhere, is what made us fall for “the real Australia”.

Those trips now form the backbone of the bespoke Australian itineraries I build: not just ticking off Sydney, Melbourne and the Reef, but stitching in the kind of out-of-the-way experiences most visitors never reach.

The Top End: Darwin, Kakadu and Litchfield

One of our first big campervan adventures started in Darwin. From there we headed out into the Northern Territory, driving through:

• Kakadu National Park: vast landscapes, wetlands, ancient rock formations and incredible night skies.
• Litchfield National Park: waterfalls, swimming spots and that feeling of being a tiny speck in very big country.
• Remote territory like Katherine and into the Kimberley in Western Australia.

I have never seen stars like it. I have also never seen mosquitoes like it! We saw crocodiles, experienced traditional Aboriginal culture in remote towns and felt the thrill and the slight terror of driving through water crossings hours from the nearest settlement.

For clients considering the Top End, I can give very honest, first-hand guidance on:

• The realities of remoteness and road conditions.
• How to balance “wild” experiences with comfort.
• What it is actually like to camp, drive and sleep out there.

Into the Red Centre: Adelaide to Uluru by Road

Another unforgettable campervan trip took us from Adelaide all the way up through the middle of Australia to Uluru, the Red Centre.

We started in Adelaide itself: a city with a slightly British feel in its architecture, a beautiful cricket ground where we went to watch international cricket on the grass, and a wine scene that made my wine-obsessed husband very happy. The surrounding wine regions are a paradise for food and wine lovers, from the cool-climate vineyards of the Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Eden Valley to the iconic reds of the Barossa and McLaren Vale.

From there we drove north, hours and hours on long, straight roads where you might only pass a couple of vehicles. One of the strangest and most fascinating stops was Coober Pedy, an opal-mining town so remote and extreme that many people live underground. Staying overnight there in a cave, chatting to locals about their lives and how few visitors they see in a year, was like stepping into a different world.

Eventually we reached Uluru (Ayers Rock). Seeing it change colour at sunrise and sunset is every bit as powerful and emotional as the pictures suggest. We also spent time in Aboriginal communities and art centres in Alice Springs, learning more about the culture, history and pain of the region. It is beautiful and confronting all at once.

Because I have done this drive, I can talk realistically about:

• How long you actually need between Adelaide and Uluru.
• Where it is worth stopping and where you can push on.
• How to combine the Red Centre with wine, wildlife and city time without it feeling rushed.

Western Australia: Perth, Margaret River, Denmark, Albany and Esperance

Western Australia deserves its own love letter. We flew to Perth, picked up a camper and then explored both south and north of the city.

The South West: Wine, Forests and Empty Beaches

Heading south, we wound our way through and beyond the Margaret River region, known for its world-class wineries and relaxed coastal towns. Then we kept going as far as Esperance, stopping in places like Denmark and Albany along the way.

This stretch of coast gave us:

• Some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen anywhere in the world: remote, vast, often almost empty, with sand that squeaks and water in impossible shades of blue.
• Campsites where kangaroos and wallabies would hop along the beach at dusk.
• Evenings cooking fresh seafood that fellow campers had caught that day and shared around.
• Skies so dark and clear that the stars felt almost close enough to touch.

If you want an itinerary that combines serious wine, spectacular scenery, quiet beaches and that feeling of being far from everything, this coastline is unforgettable.

The Coral Coast: Wave Rock, The Pinnacles and Up to Monkey Mia

We also went north of Perth, driving up the coast all the way to Monkey Mia. On the way we took detours inland to see natural wonders like Wave Rock and stopped to wander through the surreal landscape of The Pinnacles.

The further north you drive, the more dramatic the contrast becomes between red earth, turquoise water and blindingly white sand. We watched the sun sink behind strange rock formations, saw dolphins and other marine life, and once again were treated to those extraordinary outback night skies.

These experiences mean I can help clients understand whether Western Australia is right for them, and if so, how to choose between the south-west, the Coral Coast or, ideally, both.

Tasmania: Wild, Rugged and Wonderfully Different

One of the most memorable holidays we took from the mainland was to Tasmania, and it felt like discovering a whole new side of Australia again.

Tasmania is wild and rugged, with a fascinating and often challenging history. The landscapes feel raw and untouched in places, with dramatic coastlines, misty forests and national parks that reward anyone who loves walking and being outdoors.

The wildlife is a real highlight: we saw wombats trundling around as if they owned the place and, of course, the iconic Tasmanian devil. There is something very special about seeing these animals in their natural environment.

Tasmania also has its own distinct wine and food scene and some beautiful arts and cultural experiences. From cool-climate vineyards and excellent local produce to galleries and quirky museums, it feels both deeply Australian and yet quite separate to the mainland.

If you have the time, I would highly recommend adding Tasmania into a longer itinerary. It works brilliantly for:

• First-time visitors who want something a bit different to the classic east-coast route.
• Returning travellers who have already “done” some of mainland Australia and are ready to go deeper and wilder.

East Coast Classic: Sydney to Noosa

Closer to home base, we took a campervan from Sydney up to Noosa, tracing the coast of northern New South Wales and into Queensland. Highlights included:

• Under-the-radar coastal towns in NSW, as well as more “everyday” cities like Newcastle, which give you a sense of real Australian life away from the icons.
• Byron Bay, which absolutely lives up to the hype, especially if you know how to explore beyond the main streets and embrace the lighthouse walks, surf culture and hinterland. And the shopping here is dangerous!
• Rolling on into Brisbane, which is a fantastic river city for a few days: brilliant food, strong coffee culture, evolving neighbourhoods and plenty of green spaces.
• Ending up in Noosa, combining national park walks, sophisticated dining, amazing cocktails and calm lagoon-style beaches.

Because I have driven this route, slept in these holiday parks and explored the side roads, I can design east-coast itineraries that feel both iconic and personal.

Side Trips, Island Escapes and Penguins in the Wild

On top of the longer trips, I packed in as many shorter adventures and day trips as possible, many of which now feature in the trips I build:

• Jervis Bay, with its classic Australian postcards of white sand, luminous water and beautiful coastal scenes.
• Nearby Berry, a quintessential farming community with gorgeous farm shops, bakeries and boutiques. In winter, staying somewhere with a roaring fire in or around Berry is such a lovely way to experience Australia in the cooler months.
• The Blue Mountains, an easy train ride from Sydney with seriously stunning hiking.
• Wine-tasting escapes to the Canberra region and the Hunter Valley.
• Time on Fraser Island or Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays for that classic white-sand, turquoise-water experience.
• From Melbourne, heading to Phillip Island to see the penguin colony return to shore at dusk, completely in the wild, and discovering the lovely wine region around Phillip Island as well.

I have also done the “big ticket” Sydney experiences with a local’s eye: New Year’s Eve logistics, where to stay, how to avoid feeling herded and how to structure island or reef stays so they feel indulgent rather than rushed.

Arts, Culture and Sport: Living, Not Just Visiting

Australia for me was not just beaches and road trips. It was:

• Going to Melbourne to watch the Australian Open and figuring out all the hacks around tickets, where to stay and how to enjoy the tournament without blowing the budget.
• Evenings at the Sydney Opera House, not only for opera but for live music: I once watched Sting perform there, then sat on the Opera House steps, one of those only-in-Sydney moments.
• Taking in a movie at the various outdoor cinemas that pop up in the summer, with enviable views of the harbour and a cold wine in hand.
• Doing hands-on things like cooking classes, learning new skills, taking fitness seriously outdoors and generally living life outside.

All of this means I can help clients build in experiences that go deeper than a standard sightseeing list: tickets, timings, neighbourhoods, practicalities.

Returning With Children: Seeing Australia Through Their Eyes

A few years ago I went back to Australia, this time with my children. It was incredibly special to show them my old life. Some of the absolute highlights for them were:

• A day at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary just outside Brisbane, where they saw so many koalas up close, along with wallabies, crocodiles and other native wildlife.
• Discovering how well Brisbane is set up for families, with boat trips on the river, splash pads to cool down in, and neighbourhoods designed with playgrounds, cycle paths and open spaces.
• Visiting Taronga Zoo in Sydney and realising that the giraffes might just have the best view of any zoo animals anywhere, looking back across the harbour to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
• Catching the ferry to Watsons Bay for what we all agreed were some of the tastiest fish and chips on the planet, eaten looking out over the water while defending them from very determined seagulls.
• Walking the coastal route from Manly back towards The Spit, with constant views, little beaches and rock pools to explore.

We also took them on a campervan road trip, so they could experience that sense of freedom for themselves: sleeping in the pop-up roof, toasting marshmallows under the stars and waking up in holiday parks where you might see camels on the beach at Port Stephens or kangaroos grazing nearby. Because we mixed simple, “back to nature” campgrounds with bigger family parks, I can now advise families on:

• Campsites that feel wild and under the stars, where the magic is in the silence and the sky.
• Holiday parks with big bouncing pillows, swimming pools and kids’ facilities that make life easier on longer trips.
• How to balance those two styles within one itinerary so everyone, grown-ups and kids, gets what they need.

Why This Matters for My Clients

Australia is not just a destination on my website. It is part of who I am.

• I have lived there, on both sides of Sydney, commuting on ferries and sitting in traffic, doing food shops and gym classes and chasing the perfect flat white.
• I have driven thousands of kilometres across multiple states, on sealed roads and dusty tracks, through national parks and tiny towns.
• I have slept in city apartments, terrace houses, 5* hotels, holiday parks and campervans under vast skies, both pre-children and as a family.
• I still have friends and former colleagues living in Australia, and I draw on their up-to-date local knowledge alongside trusted partners and suppliers.

When I design an Australia itinerary, it is always tailored to the person in front of me, grounded in lived experience and supported by excellent on-the-ground partners to make everything run smoothly. Whether you care most about big landscapes, tiny wine bars, wildlife, the best Thai food or finding the perfect campsite for marshmallow toasting with the kids, we build the trip around you.

If Australia is on your wish list and you would like to tap into that insider knowledge to craft something truly special, I would love to help you plan it :-)