A special little Aussie hotel has been lapping up all kinds of praise, writes Melissa Hoyer.

An official Unesco City of Literature, Melbourne is also home to 'The Best Bookshop in the World'. In the run-up to its Writers' Festival in August, Dani Wright seeks out the city's best bookish spots.

I wish they were here, too. It's fun on my own, but the Gold Coast is always a great destination with family or friends.

As the name suggests, this five-star hotel is slap-bang in the middle of Brissy, and connected to Central Station.

You're on the Gold Coast, enjoying the sun, surf and nightlife.

In both New Zealand and Australia, we pride ourselves on our "big things" - whether it's a carrot in Ohakune or a banana in Coff's Harbour.

Just after we rolled back the clocks and settled again into the dark evenings and, in my opinion, the depressing half of the year, I amused myself with one of those silly online quizzes.

Daniel Clark, founder of travel app Townske.

Why aren't there any boomerangs on the Tiwi Islands? Because they never came back, our guide Thaddeus deadpans.

There is a spot at the highest point of Hamilton Island where time stands still.

The divide between Melbourne and Sydney is a bit like that of Wellington and Auckland.

Queensland's party island has a new lease on life and now provides a back-to-basics outdoors experience, finds Eli Orzessek.

Located about 45 minutes outside Tasmania's capital of Hobart, Bonorong is the anti-zoo.

Corazon Miller visits Fraser Island, a World Heritage Site that's been crowned the world's largest sand island.

I may have been slightly judgmental when I turned up for a standup paddleboarding lesson and discovered my instructor was a teenager.

Food options are limited on the island, so it's best to come prepared. The nearby Great Keppel Island Hideaway has a bar and bistro, but it's fairly basic.

On a hot air balloon ride over the Gold Coast you're treated to magical views, as warm ocean currents meet a lush green hinterland for 30km from Coolangatta to Southport.

A wildlife sanctuary on a plateau above Cairns teems with a colourful array of warblers, waders and raptors.

Queensland's Outback works to a very specific weather pattern and it's nothing so ho-hum as four seasons a year.

It's not all up, up and away in a hot air balloon, discovers Shandelle Battersby.

There's no better way to see Lamington National Park than from its canopy of flowering and fruiting trees.

Wander, linger, look out - just some of the reasons Pamela Wade feels free as a bird taking the overnight train from Brisbane.

Pamela Wade meets some cute Kiwi expats on an island near Perth.

Take a walk on the wild side without having to go all the way to Africa, says Lynette Eyb.

Overlooked Perth offers Anna King Shahab more dining options than she can possibly hope to sample at once.

An unexpected visitor sends Ewan McDonald scurrying for his life.

Graham Reid has an unexpectedly rewarding time in Newcastle, NSW.

A free guided tour in Perth's Kings Park is a great way to get a feel for the subtly beautiful Western Australian flora, finds Anna King Shahab.

If smashing plates or eating seafood is your bag, Megan Singleton finds fun for you.

Danielle Wright finds plenty on offer in Warrnambool, including the town's newest attraction, Maremma dogs.