Author name: Paul Beames

Let the canyon wattle rustle us into the Grand Canyon Walking Track, Blue Mountains, I’m reminded how this loop still surprises even the most seasoned bushwalkers. The Grand Canyon Walking Track isn’t some polished Scenic World attraction — it’s the real deal: wet stone, narrow ledges, rainforest gullies, and sandstone walls that rise like ancient […]

Wandering through the bush, with leaves crunching beneath my boots, I step into the world of Featherdale Wildlife Park in the Blue Mountains, and it hits me just how many people rush past Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park without realising it’s just a stone’s throw from some of the best and most varied Aussie wildlife in

Let the sandstone breeze roll across the ridge as we wander into the world of Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah, I’m reminded how different this place feels compared to the valleys below. This garden sits high in the UNESCO World Heritage Area, on a basalt-capped peak that shapes everything you see—from cool-climate conifers to

The first glint of wine country light comes to the fore, and suddenly we’re looking at Hunter Valley Verdelho — and I’ll tell you upfront: this white wine has a whole lot more personality than your average traveller I’ve carted around the valley. Verdelho is the sort of drop that thrives on tropical fruit flavours,

I’m going to be straight up with you – Cabernet Sauvignon Hunter Valley Wine may not be the star of the show up here, but what it lacks in flash, it makes up for in quiet charm. Stranded between a Semillon tasting and a pub lunch, it’s a wine worth keeping an eye out for.

Stepping into a Hunter morning as we dip into the world of Hunter Valley Chardonnay wine, I can tell you flat out – this isn’t your ordinary Australian white wine. Hunter Chardonnay has its very own swagger going on – all about savoury depth, soft and subtle acidity, and stone fruit flavours, with just enough

Rolling into Hunter Valley Wine Country with Shiraz Hunter Valley Wine on my mind, I’m reminded how this part of New South Wales always manages to deliver a glass that tastes like a real place and real people. You can feel it in the air — warm, earthy, peppery — the same way those old

As the Oberon pines whispered us towards my first slow walk through Mayfield Garden, I knew straight away it’s not the kind of place you “pop into”. You’re entering Australia’s most extensive, fabulous climate garden, on a private family estate in the heart of the Oberon Central Tablelands of New South Wales. With crisp air,

As I let the valley light stretch across the escarpment and pull into Fairmont Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains, I am reminded of how good it feels to breathe in real mountain air. As soon as you step inside this MGallery Collection property, the crispness of the Jamison Valley settles on your shoulders. Fairmont Resort

Letting the morning dawn on a hilltop in the Blue Mountains markets unroll a fresh tale for the local markets in the Blue Mountains, I reckon there’s no better way to get into the swing of these mountain towns than by wandering through a proper Blue Mountains market. You stroll in thinking you’ll just pick