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.

North of Adelaide, the Stuart Highway undulates through a bucolic landscape of cereal fields, sheep farms and vineyards.

The hit TV show Thunderbirds could have been set in Cairns. Any one of the surrounding mountains could double as International Rescue's hideout.

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.

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.

Following the broken lines, Jennifer Ennion shifts into overdrive to reveal the highlights of Australia's open roads.

Floral carpets put spring in Anna King Shahab's step on this coastal trail.

Native-born Australians ignore elegant, artistic Adelaide - and Mark Chipperfield is glad.

David Leggat pauses to stretch his legs while on one of Australia's most picturesque road journeys, between Melbourne and Adelaide.

A slowly disappearing railway is a thing of surprising beauty for Fergus Blakiston in South Australia's Outback.

Around Margaret River, the wines came first, then the food. Anna King Shahab relishes every tasty mouthful.

Prepare for a rich mixture if you explore the Melbourne haunts of Shihad's Tom Larkin.

Michael Burgess has a rather un-Manly introduction to the tricky balancing act known as stand-up paddleboarding.

It's easy to find yourself smiling at a baby saltwater crocodile, discovers Caris Bizzaca, from well behind the fence.

Winston Aldworth rides the rails from Sydney to Perth.

Faced with gunning either a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, Dylan Cleaver opts for both.

Elisabeth Easther rides the iconic train between Darwin and Adelaide, and finds a wealth of delights, both above and below ground.

Mother Nature is on fire in the far northwest and the best way to see her relatively untouched splendour is from the air, writes Belinda Feek.

Wynne Gray scores a seat at a victorious netball game and a ride home in a Maserati.

Hot, quirky and sometimes sophisticated, Gertrude is a Fitzroy food hub attracting a lot of attention, writes Jesse Mulligan.

With a little help from a new friend,Wynne Gray makes it to his hotel in Newcastle.