Travel guide

One thing we learned on our family trip to Lithgow is that anything can happen in the Blue Mountains! Keep in mind that mountain weather can change quickly so pack accordingly.   While in Lithgow we stayed at the beautiful Majic Views Bed and Breakfast. More like our own little apartment than a normal B&B, this lovely place boasts two bedrooms and a massive spa with views that truly are majestic. The girls loved running around on the lush green grass and playing with Janda, the resident friendly black Labrador.   Our first stop was a trip to the glow worm tunnel and our kids loved the drive through the dark rock tunnel as it wound through the mountain. Walking down the valley through the rainforest was awesome, however the sight of a ferny creek flowing into the glow wo... Read more

The Corner Country of outback New South Wales lies to the north and west of Broken Hill. It follows the rugged Barrier Ranges towards Tibooburra, sweeps west across the Mundi Mundi plain and merges with the sand dunes of the Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields, where it is bordered by the Wild Dog Fence. With vast and often rugged landscapes of desert ranges, gibber plains, mesas and dune fields, the area provides habitat for many native animals and birds. Rain can spectacularly transform the Corner Country and create carpets of spring wildflower colour, and happily, this has happened regularly since the ten-year drought broke at the beginning of 2009. The Corner Country is famously known for having the most remote communities in the state, Milparinka and Tibooburra, as well as Cameron Corner,... Read more

  It seems when you go on holidays that Mum’s handbag turns into everyone’s bag! The Annabel Trends Shoulder Bag was given a very good road test on our recent family holiday to Lithgow in the Blue Mountains.     When we travel we do a lot of walking with the kids. Everyone has their own camera (around their neck) and their own drink bottle; I make sure I carry snacks and treats to keep everyone going, too. Then there are the beanies, jackets, towels, sun cream and everything else that you carry just in case you need it! That not only weighs you down, but also makes it hard to find something at the bottom of the bag, with all the other stuff on top.   However the Annabel Trends handbag is extremely lightweight, yet strong and features long shoulder strap... Read more

  The Magna Play Magnetic Puzzles from Haggus and Stookles is a cute little metal suitcase that opens to reveal magnetic pieces in all shapes and sizes, designed to get kid’s imaginations working, as they create all manner of objects from fairies to robots to animals. To help them along, there is a booklet with easy to follow designs, but we found our girls got the hang of it quickly and were soon making up the most intricate things.   Each brightly coloured magnet is quite thick so they are easy for little fingers to gently put into place and pick up. When we covered over 1,700kms in three days, we found the Magna Plays to be the most popular toy, and the one that kept the kids the quietest as they thought about what to make next.   The girls would open the suitc... Read more

Lisa Monk is a marketing communications writer with a diverse background that includes experience in travel, hotel, finance, public relations and advertising. She has worked with Club Med, the Holiday Inn group and on a number of other travel projects on a freelance basis. Lisa has travelled throughout Australia, Asia Pacific, North America and Britain. Lisa now works with occupancy.com, which powers both takeabreak.com.au and rentahome.com.au, as the editor of the Holiday Inspirations website and newsletter, and other e-publications. She lives in Sydney with her husband and sons.   Kylie-Jane Degeling is a freelance writer who has lived in Adelaide,Yulara (Uluru), Alice Springs and Canberra, as well as five different countries throughout the world. After backpac... Read more

When you visit the small town of Pambula Beach you can surf, fish or walk the rock pools, or take a visit to the wetlands centre. Merimbula, in contrast, is the retail heart of the area and opened as a port in 1855, originally serving as a gateway to the Montreal goldfields. Top 5 things to do and see   Oyster farming - and eating! The Merimbula area is famous for oysters, and you can enjoy an oyster farm tour at Wheelers Oyster Farm and learn how oysters are processed and stored for consumption.   Merimbula Wharf Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf Restaurant is in a historic wharf building just around the headland from the surf beach. You can make it a day out by taking some chairs, and then fish from the wharf, where the water is so clear you can see the fish!   Fishing... Read more

  Bega is set amid lush green farmlands and is around a 6-hour drive from Sydney. The town is famous, of course, for being the home of Bega Cheese.   The Bega Cheese Heritage Centre is just one reason to visit this area, and although Bega isn’t on the coast, nearby Bermagui and Tathra make up for this, so lovers of the sea can enjoy their fix, too!   Top 5 things to do and see   Bega Cheese A visit to Bega is not complete without a trip to the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, where you can sample and buy from a range of cheeses, find out about the history of the Bega Valley, as well as the history of cheese and how it’s processed. You can also enjoy a great feed, including icy cold milkshakes.   Bermagui Bermagui is famous for deep-sea fishing - ... Read more

Eden is a lovely seaside community and the last large town heading south from New South Wales into Victoria. It is steeped in the history of whaling (from 1828 to 1930), is now a commercial fishing port and home to a huge variety of marine life. For touring, adventure or a family getaway, Eden has something for everyone.   Top 5 things to do and see   Eden Killer Whale Museum - www.killerwhalemuseum.com.au Eden and Twofold Bay have a long and rich whaling history, based on shore-based whaling stations and Old Tom, whose skeleton can be found in the Eden Killer Whale Museum. The museum, established in 1931, and one of the oldest in NSW, is a delight for both adults and children and a great place to learn about the history of Old Tom and whaling, before you move on to ... Read more

  We all love to relax and get away from the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life, but more and more we realise the fragility of the many wonderful eco systems that comprise the Australian continent. We want to be able to leave our troubles behind and there is an inspiring way to do that, make memories and leave only footprints on our stunning landscape.   We have rounded up five of the top eco-friendly destinations on takeabreak.com.au to help you choose a holiday that leaves you – and our country – in good shape.   Anketell Forest, NSW Anketell Forest has history, location and eco awareness all rolled into one lovely property. All the timber used in the extensions, fittings and furniture was salvaged from fallen trees and milled and handcrafted ... Read more

  Lake Macquarie is one of Australia’s largest coastal salt water lakes, four times the size of Sydney Harbour. It is a fabulous aquatic playground for boating, skiing, fishing, swimming and more and includes more than 90 villages between the coast, lake and mountains.   This is such a vast area, with so many things to do and see, and so close to Sydney!     Top 5 things to do and see   1. Caves Beach The caves at Caves Beach rate a first mention. Accessible from the southern end of Caves Beach at low tide, an area carved out by the sea with multiple caves, water channels and rock pools. You can even walk through some of the caves. You could literally spend hours here sitting in the shade, or the sun, climbing over rocks and discovering all the life ... Read more