Tag Archives: Australia

Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, Australia

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Of all the hotels I have visited around the world, a few stand out in my memory. Halcyon House made a lasting impression, with its fantastic bright beachy design, stylish innovative cuisine and prime seaside location. A recently renovated and transformed former surfer motel, this special hotel has already won a handful of prestigious awards.

I spent an afternoon enjoying lunch at the hotel’s destination restaurant, Paper Daisy, and relaxing by the pool. The décor is decidedly blue, from the crisp staff outfits to the books on the shelves.

The chef, Ben Devlin, is one of Australia’s most talented young chefs, having previously worked at Noma and Esquire. The menu reflects the seasons, and local produce is the main focus. The dishes are creative and thoughtful, sophisticated cooking without unnecessary fuss… which perfectly suits the setting.

Highlights included raw & preserved vegetable salad with fresh ricotta, a beautiful rainbow of ingredients paired with creamy homemade cheese. The Wagyu grade 9 rump with curry leaf, sesame and sugarleaf was the winner from the main course section of the menu. Irresistibly velvety-soft meat with a caramelised crisp edge dressed with Asian herbs.

Desserts are simple with a tropical theme. I loved the Stonefruit tart with caramelised white chocolate and nectarine, a satisfying contrast of sweetness and acidity. With our meal we opted for a refreshing Australian white, ideal in the hot climate.

After lunch we dozed by the pool and dreamt of staying in one of the eclectic Halcyon House rooms. I can’t think of a more idyllic place to spend a summer holiday.

If you are lucky enough to be staying at Halcyon House there are lots of interesting and quaint towns nearby, each with exciting eateries and independent shops to explore. Here are a few of my favourites:

Byron Bay – grab a flat white and healthy, organic brunch dish at Bayleaf, or head to The Farm for a wholesome lunch.

Brunswick Heads – Fleet is a trendy restaurant run by a husband and wife, with innovative contemporary cuisine and carefully selected Australian wines. Be sure to book ahead as the small venue fills up fast.

Mullumbimby – for a delicious wood-fired pizza and lovely local atmosphere, take a short drive to Mullimbimby’s Milk & Honey. The rustic pizzas are huge so get one to share between two.

Newrybar – this tiny village’s highlights are all on one street. Harvest serves inventive and tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner and sells its produce at the deli next door. Shopaholics will love the tempting homeware and gifts at Newrybar Merchants.

Coolangatta – avoid Surfer’s Paradise and Gold Beach and instead head to Coolangatta for a quieter, more picturesque, white sand beach.

Brisbane – often forgotten in favour of Australia’s larger cities, Brisbane is a great stopover city as you head further north. Head to Esquire’s casual eatery Esq for a tapas style dinner, and chic café Morning After for great coffee and food. Lone Pines Koala Sanctuary is a wonderful place to meet Australia’s best loved animals in a friendly environment.

The Best of Port Douglas, Australia

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Much of Australia’s East Coast seems to exist purely for tourists with tacky design and fast food outlets lining the streets. Port Douglas is different, a charming seaside town with a laid-back vibe, boutique shops and independent restaurants (such as Harrisons restaurant and Origin Espresso cafe).

There are a few lovely hotels in the area, though I recommend staying at the characterful and unique Artist’s Treehouse. This quirky three-bedroom house was once the home of Tina and Matt Gonsalves, and their gorgeous art collection still adorns the walls. You will find everything you need here and more, from cooking and washing facilities to the collection of interesting books, games and DVDs. This creative sanctuary provided the perfect home for my three days in Port Douglas, and it was a refreshing break from hotels and hostels. The couple also have a few other properties in the area, all eclectically decorated and available to rent from Airbnb or directly.

Port Douglas is the best base for Great Barrier Reef exploring. After extensive research I decided to take the ‘Outer Reef Cruise’ with Quicksilver. It is a 90- minute journey to the Agincourt ribbon reefs where Quicksilver have a spacious reef activity platform. From here you can snorkel, dive or see the underwater world from the comfort of their semi-submersible boat. This location is an optimum place to see the colourful coral, tropical fish and, if you are lucky, you might even spot reef sharks, turtles and stingrays. A buffet lunch and snorkeling equipment are provided.

For a bit of pampering head to QT, the town’s most stylish hotel. I enjoyed a blissfully relaxing custom facial at their spa. My therapist Tara used a range of the soothing Uspa products to deeply cleanse and moisturise my sun-worn skin. As she used the vitamin C rich lotions I could feel my skin tingle, and the radiant effects were clearly visible after the treatment. QT is also popular with guests and locals for its Bazaar buffet brunch. Order a freshly made omelette or waffles, or just enjoy the comprehensive exotic fruit and cereal selection.

Many tourists visiting Port Douglas will fly in and out of nearby Cairns. If you find yourself with a day or two here, dine at Tamarind for upmarket Thai cuisine, sample the award-winning coffee at Blackbird (order a ‘magic’) and try the delicious organic lunch dishes at Noa.

I recommend hiring a car in Cairns and driving to Port Douglas along the Captain Cook Highway for one of Australia’s best coastal drives. It takes just an hour, but you may like to stop for photos at Palm Cove on the way. A rental car will also give you the freedom to venture out for the day from Port Douglas to see some of the stunning local sights. Mossman Gorge is an important and beautiful area, famous for its ancient rainforest and Aboriginal history. A little further North is spectacular Cape Tribulation, where Daintree National Park meets the Great Barrier Reef. Spend a day exploring the rainforest and beaches, and be sure to stop off for a homemade cooling snack at Daintree Ice-cream Company.

Great Opera Hits, Sydney Opera House

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As a young singer I occasionally got the opportunity to sing in England’s most prestigious opera houses and concert halls. Sydney Opera House, however, always seemed like a fairytale venue, thousands of miles away, on the other side of the world. This year I spent the festive season far away from home, in the heat of the Sydney summer sun. Suddenly a trip to the world’s most iconic opera house didn’t seem so impossible.

On Boxing Day afternoon I visited the magnificent white building to see a special ‘Great Opera Hits’ show. In the 90-minute concert we saw four upcoming young singers perform some of the most familiar operatic solos and duets, accompanied by Guy Noble on the piano. Carefully programmed to ensure it was accessible for tourists and families, this recital of famous songs was tuneful and enjoyable.

Pianist Guy Noble was a witty and informative host, introducing each artist and aria with cheeky anecdotes and facts. The two-part concert featured four singers who took turns to perform individually and together. Luke Gabbedy had a comical and dramatic personality onstage. His warm and rich tone was evident particularly in Bizet’s ‘Toreador’s Song’ from Carmen. Mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley had a bright and clear voice which perfectly suited the Rossini aria ‘Una voce poco fa’. The audience particularly relished her duet with soprano Natalie Aroyan, as their voices soared harmoniously for Delibes’ celebrated ‘Flower Duet’. Simon King tackled two legendary tenor arias with emotion and grace. He finished the concert with Puccini’s epic ‘Nessun Dorma’ to rapturous applause, before the ensemble returned to perform Verdi’s ‘Brindisi’ from La Traviata as a lively encore.

Though I would always prefer to see a full opera, I admire Opera Australia and the Sydney Opera House for creating a show that makes this elevated art form so pleasurable and entertaining for visitors from all walks of life. So although I didn’t have my traditional Christmas comforts this was a special festive treat I will never forget.

More information on Sydney Opera House here. Great Opera Hits continues until 20 March 2016, book tickets here.