Latest news with #MelissaWoodley
Time Out
04-07-2025
- Time Out
This sunny coastal town is Australia's top trending destination for a winter road trip
The humble road trip is kind of a quintessential Aussie cultural practice. While some travellers plan their route around the coolest Airbnbs in the country, others hit the road in search of beachfront campsites where they can fall asleep under the stars. Sure, summer is the most popular time for campervan adventures in Australia, but new data shows Aussies are chasing the sun this winter, with a fresh list of the top trending road trip destinations. The cool cats at Camplify gathered data from more than 1,700 caravan bookings for between June and August 2025 to determine the ten most popular winter road trip spots across the country. It's clear we Aussies are dreaming of sunnier days, with our sun-soaked West Coast dominating the top ten. More than one in four Aussies are road-tripping in Western Australia this winter, with the stunning coastal town of Exmouth claiming the top spot. It accounted for almost ten per cent of all winter bookings on Camplify – and with average temps sitting at a balmy 24 degrees from June to August, it's not hard to see why. Our Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, recently visited Exmouth – and she hasn't stopped raving about it since. In fact, it could be her favourite Aussie destination of the year. While there, she ticked off a bucket list swim with whale sharks (the world's largest fish), searched for black-footed rock wallabies at Yardie Creek, and hiked through the fossil-crusted Mandu Mandu Gorge, a place that's been inhabited by humans for about 30,000 years. Humpback whale season has also just kicked off, making winter an even more magical time to visit. Just a 1.5-hour drive from Exmouth, Coral Bay ranked as Australia's second most popular winter road trip destination, claiming more than five per cent of bookings. Further south, the picturesque resort town of Kalbarri ranked third, while other Western Australian gems like Monkey Mia, Margaret River and Esperance also made the top ten. On the East, Mundi Mundi – an expansive outback plain in far western New South Wales – ranked as Australia's fourth most popular winter destination. In late August, the region comes alive for the annual Mundi Mundi Bash, where music lovers camp beneath vast desert skies and groove to the sounds of iconic Aussie artists like Missy Higgins and the Hoodoo Gurus. Feeling inspired to hit the road? You can check out Australia's top winter road trip destinations listed below. Don't forget to pack the snacks! The top 10 winter road trip destinations in Australia Exmouth, WA Coral Bay, WA Kalbarri, WA Mundi Mundi, NSW Sunshine Coast, QLD Broken Hill, NSW Monkey Mia, WA Gympie Muster, QLD Margaret River, WA Esperance, WA 🌊
Time Out
01-07-2025
- Time Out
This Australian beach has been named among the world's greatest of all time
It might not be peak beach season in Australia right now, but with the winter solstice behind us, each day brings us a little closer to the season of sun, surf and sand. While everyone has their favourite stretch of shoreline they're looking forward to hitting up this summer, one Australian beach continues to outshine the rest. It's just been named by National Geographic as one of the most iconic beaches in the world – the kind of place you need to visit at least once in your lifetime. You can probably guess the beach from its swirling white sands and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Yep, Whitehaven Beach, tucked away in the heart of the Whitsunday Islands, just earned a spot on Nat Geo 's list of the 14 best beaches of all time. Located off the coast of Queensland, this slice of paradise is surrounded by one of the country's most revered national parks and the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. The publication said: 'Within this internationally recognised archipelago of coral cays, mangrove forests, lush mountains and barrier reefs of uncommon biodiversity, Whitehaven Beach is the islands' most celebrated destination.' Time Out Australia's Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, had the chance to visit Whitehaven Beach last year and agrees it's a must-see at least once in your life. She recommends hiking to the top of Hill Inlet to admire the ever-changing tidal patterns from above, then following the trail down to the beach to sink your toes into that famously soft silica sand and cool off with a swim (stinger suits are recommended from November to April).
Time Out
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Three of the world's most underrated museums to visit in Australia, according to Time Out editors
Whatever destination you're looking at, Time Out's ' best things to do ' lists almost always feature a must-see museum. These cultural institutions hold the secrets of our favourite cities, preserving treasures from centuries past while offering glimpses of what our planet could look like in the future. To mark International Museum Day (May 18), Time Out's editors shared some of their favourite underrated museums around the world that often hide in the shadows of their bigger counterparts. Three Australian museums feature on the list, and we think they're well worth adding to the itinerary for your next city break. Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney 'Hidden in the grounds of the University of Sydney, this treasure trove of a museum hasn't been around all that long (it opened in late 2020), but it has been generations in the making. The curation is more poetic than analytical – bringing together diverse artefacts from archives of art, historic antiquities, and scientific specimens – offering visitors a fresh perspective, and challenging colonial narratives.' – Alannah Le Cross, Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Editor MOD, Adelaide 'This free, futuristic museum is like no other in the country, blending art and science in a super interactive way. Across the museum's seven interactive spaces, you'll find all sorts of touchscreens, drawing pads and building blocks designed to challenge how we think about the future. Here, you'll also find Australia's first Science on a Sphere: a glowing six-foot, 3D video globe that morphs into different planets – one day it's the Earth, the next, the moon or even Mars.' – Melissa Woodley, Time Out Australia Travel and News Editor Museum of Desire, Melbourne 'This newcomer to Melbourne's museum scene is an adults-only, multi-sensory space designed to celebrate all things love, pleasure, and yes, sex. With more than 25 amorous activations, it's all about flirty fun with an aim to switch up social norms around desire and sexuality.' – Leah Glynn, Time Out Melbourne Editor
