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Open skies to city lights: The Kimberley to Vivid Sydney 2019

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Experience the contrast of the rugged coastline and burnt red outback of Western Australia to the bustling city of iconic Sydney and Vivid Sydney 2019.

When to go? May & June 2019

Start your journey in Perth with a special night out, the city has a burgeoning food scene so let us book a dining experience to suit your tastes whether it’s modern Australian or a menu based on the indigenous six seasons.

A far cry from the city find yourself amid the vast and ancient landscape of the East Kimberley region where sits the untamed natural beauty of El Questro nestled amongst burnt-orange cliffs and lush green lawns. Your scenic flight transfer over the spectacular Bungle Bungles from Kununurra will deliver you to one of Australia’s last true frontiers.

Bungle Bungles - HeliSpirit
Fly over the Bungle Bungles

April and May offer the best time to see the waterfalls in full flow after the monsoonal wet season so spend the day in a majestic setting at the top of one of the highest falls, Amaroo, accessible only by private helicopter. Take an enthralling guided walk before enjoying a swim and picnic in the isolated beauty. The edge of the waterfall provides a window to breathtaking views across an endless landscape and the return fight takes you over Explosion & Chamberlain Gorge.

A private flight will deliver you to the remote town of Exmouth from where you’ll take to the skies by microlight for an exhilarating Birds Eye View of the world heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. Take a sneak peek at your accommodation Sal Salis, an exclusive bush camp hidden in the dunes overlooking the pristine beaches and coral reefs before making your entrance.

Spend a day on private charter to experience the Whale Sharks and other marine life such as Manta Rays that call this rugged coast and the turquoise waters home. You’ll have the chance to swim with these amazing gentle giants and to complete this unique experience; find yourself in the company of a world renowned Marine Biologist whose knowledge and enthusiasm is contagious.

Vivid Sydney 2017 Photo: James Horan

Journey from the starry skies of the outback to experience the bright lights of the big city and the largest festival of its kind in the world, Vivid Sydney 2019. You’ll be perfectly placed at the heart of it all in the coveted location of the Park Hyatt Sydney but to really immersive yourself step on board an exclusive private cruise of Sydney Harbour. Designed specifically, you’ll have the best opportunity to experience the dynamic program of light installations on the Sydney Opera House, Fort Dennison, Harbour Bridge, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. For a further exclusive experience ask us too about a private meeting with one of the artists themselves.

REMOTE OUTBACK ADVENTURE TOP END, KIMBERLEY & NINGALOO

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Alquemie is very pleased to announce its first small group air safari for clients who would like to experience Australia’s remote outback by private air charter over 16 incredible days in May 2019.

Starting in Darwin, this air safari takes just 8 guests to far flung locations like Kakadu and Arnhem Land, the Bungle Bungles, Mitchell Falls, Ningaloo Reef and much more.  Accommodation ranges from luxury lodges to remote rustic beach camps with incredible experiences.

This small group hosted air safari is perfect for couples who wish to meet like minded people or for those that wish to see this incredible part of Australia by charter flight but would prefer to share the air costs.

With just 8 places we expect this tour to sell out quickly.

View the full itinerary here. 

 

16 DAY HOSTED SMALL GROUP AIR SAFARI BY PRIVATE JET
Dates: 13 – 28 MAY 2019

Highlights

Meet and engage with traditional Aboriginal elders, a modern day urban Indigenous chef and Aboriginal artists living in a remote and restricted community near abundant rock art galleries.

See Australia’s spectacular outback and coastal scenery by air, land, and water with expert guides and local, authentic characters leading you to magical spots in the middle of nowhere.

Discover the wealth of Australia’s unique wildlife.

Swim with whale sharks, the ocean’s gentle giants, in the pristine turquoise waters of Ningaloo Reef.

Stay at exclusive wilderness locations chosen for their breadth of interesting experiences including a bush campsite in the heart of Kakadu, a working cattle station, a cliff-top retreat on 700,000 acres of stunning outback, an award-wining rustic seaside camp accessible only by air or sea, and a desert-meets-the-ocean luxury tented camp.

Swim with whales at Sal Salis

Posted on by Nicola Billens

From August to October  guests at Sal Salis will have the opportunity to swim with whales at Ninglaoo Reef. 35,000 of these giants migrate along our coast each year and guests have the chance to share the water with them.

In addition to swimming with humpback whales, the crew & the Sal Salis spotter plane will be searching for opportunities to interact with whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, dolphins, dugongs and sea birds.

The luxury camp of Sal Salis
The beach front luxury camp of Sal Salis where you can swim with whales

Guests will need to be confident swimmers, able to snorkel and swim freestyle as the whales are found in the open ocean so may be swimming in current and swell.

To swim with whales at Sal Salis please contact your Alquemie advisor.

About the Humpback whales of Ningaloo Reef

To swim with the whales at Ningaloo Reef is the experience of a lifetime. Humpback whales are gentle giants that weigh up to 40 tonnes and range from 12 to 16 metres in length. An estimated 30,000 Humpback whales visit this region annually from June to November during their annual 11,000km migration from Antarctica. They were once hunted to the brink of extinction during the whaling days when whale oil was prized. Whilst they have recovered to numbers around 80,000 globally, they are still negatively affected by noise pollution, shipping, fishing and other marine dangers. Humpback whales are popular whales to watch due to their breaching and other distinctive surface behaviours.

Paspaley – Experience the most beautiful pearls in the world

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Recently Paspaley opened it’s Pearl Room doors to the Alquemie team and we had the privilege of a behind the scenes look at what goes into creating some of the most stunning jewellery on the planet.

As pearling pioneers, Paspaley has dedicated over 80 years to the perfect pearl. Today, this family owned business is the source of the rarest and most valuable pearls in the world. They are sourced in the Kimberley, one of the most pristine and remote locations on the planet.

Paspaley nurtures their pearls on a remote network of farms stretching more than 2500km across the north-west coast of Australia. With a sophisticated fleet of purpose built ships, they are one of the few companies to still dive for wild pearl oysters.

After they are lovingly harvested the pearls go through a serious selection process. Only a few make the grade to become part of an exquisite piece of Paspaley jewellery.

Guests of Alquemie are invited to discover the magic and beauty of Paspaley’s Australian South Sea pearls through a selection of behind the scenes experiences in Sydney, Darwin and Broome that are off-limits to the public.

These include:

The Pearl Room (Sydney)

Guests will travel in a heritage elevator to the basement level where within the refurbished bank vaults of the Paspaley building is The Pearl Room. In this room, which is not open to the general public, the Paspaley company’s sorting and grading operations are housed. The Pearl Room is also home to some of the most important pearls ever found including The Unique Collection – a selection of particularly special Australian South Sea pearls chosen for their exceptional shape, colour and lustre and The Kuri Bay Collection – a collection of Australian South Sea pearls from the first harvests at Australia’s oldest pearl farm, Kuri Bay.

The Paspaley Pearl

Pearl Grading (Broome)

In the Broome boutique guests will gain an understanding of The Five Virtues – the traditional method by which all fine pearls are graded. In a hands-on session, guests learn the steps involved in this highly skilled practice, and begin their journey to becoming true pearl connoisseurs.

Unique Paspaley favourites

Paspaley Pearl Farm Tour (chartered from Darwin)

In our opinion the best way to experience Paspaley is to do a private trip out to their pearl farms on the Kimberley coast, travelling in one of their Grumman Mallard flying boats and accompanied by one of their pearling experts. Discover the pearl farming process and the techniques used to produce the world’s rarest and most valuable pearls.

 

Romancing the Pearl itinerary

A Paspaley pearl experience can be woven in beautifully with a holiday in the Kimberleys. Contact your Alquemie Advisor about building a bespoke itinerary that oozes romance and crescendos in a unique piece of Paspaley jewellery.

Wild Food Adventures in the Southern Highlands

Posted on by Nicola Billens

The Southern Highlands are only a short heli ride or an hour and a half drive from Sydney but are a world away. The scenery ranges from rolling farmlands and vineyards to lush eucalyptus forests and rainforest microclimates. On a Wild Food Adventure you’ll explore local villages and hiking trails, taste bush foods, swim in waterfalls, cycle through vast forests, take in the view from above via helicopter or sample some of the cool climate wines the region has become famous for. 

Here are a few of the fabulous Wild Food Adventures on offer. Note that they all have a similar theme – delicious food and wine! Stay for the day or linger longer – there’s so much to do you’ll not want to leave.

FIRE | FORGE | FROTH

An artisan experience that is truly unique! Learn the skills of a Blacksmith with fire and forge in his workshop followed by lunch at an awarded Beer Brewing House to sample the local craft ales.

You’ll receive a 3-hour forge lesson from the Blacksmith on how to make your own fire poker, twisted skewer or drawn ‘S’ hook which you get to take away with you. This is followed by a visit to Southern Highlands Brewing Tap House where you can sit back and enjoy their locally brewed 4 beer sampler. Each beer is perfectly matched with a shared plate dish from their award-winning chef. 

PADDLE | DINE | VINE

Enjoy a Canoes, Champagne and Canapes adventure at Yarrunga Creek as you discover the wildlife of the sunken forest  then dine on a two-course French cuisine lunch and Mount Ashby wines at the Mount Ashby boutique vineyard.  Roam the Bowral Produce Store (circa 1918) which houses 17th to 19th century French and local antiques. At the end of the day explore Cherry Tree Hill’s award-winning quality boutique wines and snack on shared plate of local produce as you taste the vast varieties of wines.

WATERFALLS | WANDER | WINE

Explore the natural beauty of the 40 Foot Falls in the Southern Highlands, followed by VIP access beyond the cellar door to taste cool climate wines from the region, and lunch near the antique stalls of Old Bowral.

Your day begins with a guided walk through stunning tall trees and traces parts of the old Boxvale Tramway Trail that used to haul coal through the Nattai gorge. The 40 Foot Falls at the end are the icing on the cake. Afterwards you’ll taste award winning cool climate wine at Artemis Vineyard, where you’ll meet the winemakers and explore this family run boutique winery.

Then enjoy a paddock to plate lunch with matching wines at Harry’s on the Green, nameed after the renowned English nurseryman and horticulturist, Sir Harry Veitch who dispatched daring plant hunters to foreign lands to find exotic treasures for his wealthy London clientele. Following lunch, discover over 75 dealers of antique and vintage wares at Dirty Janes. Finally roam through the iconic Book Barn and enjoy a VIP tasting with charcuterie or cheese platter at Bendooley Estate.

WINE | WINE | FINE DINE

This day is a food lovers’ dream which includes exploring picturesque vineyards, VIP access to taste cool climate wines from the region and dining at a 2 hatted award winning restaurant, Biota Dining.

Your day will include tastings at Gourmet Traveller Magazine’s “Best Tasting Experience” cellar door at Tertini Wines with alternative varietals on offer and also the Saint and St Maur Lot41 Series at the picturesque St Maur Vineyard. You’ll dine at hatted award-winning restaurant – Biota Dining (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) / Bistro Officina (Fri, Sat, Sun) or Katers (Tues, Wed, Thurs) enjoying an unforgettable shared plate lunch experience of local wild and farmed produce. You’ll meet the winemakers at Centennial Vineyards where up to 35 wines are on offer and enjoy shared plates of cheese, olives and dips with VIP access beyond the cellar door.

 

A Walking & Creativity Retreat in Margaret River

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Enjoy a 3, 4 or 7-day bespoke Walking & Creativity Retreat in Margaret River.  Walk along selected sections of the Cape to Cape track, be inspired & replenished by the natural beauty of the region and explore your creativity under the guidance of local artists.

Walks and creativity sessions are tailored to each guest.

Creative sessions could include painting, sculpting, textiles, weaving, pottery, theatre, writing, glass-blowing, drawing and photography. Other activities available are sound healing, yoga, canoeing, dance and wine-tasting.

Below is a sample 4 day itinerary.

Day 1 – Perth to Margaret River – walk 5km – wildflowers – canoeing

Let us drive you from Perth to Margaret River via Meelup Beach to enjoy brunch before a fun canoeing experience.
Walk from Cape Naturaliste to Sugar Loaf Rock – one of the most photographed coastal features in this region. Look out for whales and more unique wildflowers.

Day 2- Wilyabrup Cliffs – walk 5km – yoga – painting session

Start the day with gentle yoga. Walk along the spectacular Wilyabrup cliffs before a local cuisine degustation at one of the oldest wineries in the region & taste world-renown wines before our 3-course meal. During the afternoon create your own colourful canvas in a painting session with award-winning local artist.

Day 3- Boranup Forest – walk 9km – sculpture session

The stunning Boranup forest will take your breath away as you walk and feel deeply reconnected to nature.
Create your own site-specific sculptures deep in the heart of the Karri trees with our award-winning, international environmental sculptor to guide you.

Relax in the afternoon with free time to reflect & take in the beauty of our surroundings.

Day 4- Cape Leuwin walk

Walk through another magical stretch of Karri forest, coastal woodlands & heath all the way to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse &
enjoy lunch at the White Elephant overlooking Gnarabup Beach. Explore Margaret River town before our drive back to Perth.

The Great Beach Drive

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Capture the dramatic coastline, scenery and wildlife and indulge in an unique once in a lifetime experience driving on over 70 kilometres of golden sandy beaches from Noosa to Rainbow Beach on Queensland’s Great Beach Drive. Accessible only by 4×4 vehicles, it’s an experience that can only be described as exhilarating.

Your local and experienced guides take you to the best-kept secrets of this coastline, and their knowledge makes it an experience to remember.

Rainbow Beach is famous for its stunning coloured sands, which were once used by the Gubbi Gubbi people for their artwork and boomerang decoration.

The trip also stops at the secluded and serene Honeymoon Bay, Red Canyon where the red and yellow sands form this unique pinnacle in the sand dunes, a pristine rainforest at Freshwater and the Lighthouse at Double Island Point.

This stretch of stunning sandy beaches features two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves side-by-side, with the Great Sandy Biosphere and Noosa Biosphere offering a unique combination of both beach and bushland.

Highlights

40 Mile Beach

A pristine stretch of white sand with stunning headland views all the way from Noosa to Double Island Point.

Red Canyon

Here, red and yellow sands form a unique canyon in the sand dunes where you will enjoy magnificent views over Teewah Beach – a landscape you will never forget.

Freshwater

A scenic and relaxing picnic ground in the Great Sandy National Park where we might be visited by Lace Monitors (Goannas), who love being photographed.

Lighthouse

Double Island Point Lighthouse offers breathtaking 360-degree views across the Pacific Ocean and scenic surrounds of the Great Sandy National Park. It is here we often spot pods of dolphins, turtles, sharks, manta rays and the majestic Humpback Whales (season is June-October). We are the only operators with access to the lighthouse, allowing you to see parts of this popular spot otherwise missed. 

Coloured Sands

This world famous attraction has more than 40 different shades of colour. The tour includes a demonstration of the traditional techniques used by the Aboriginal people (with respect to the Gubbi Gubbi people) to create artwork and decorate boomerangs.

Honeymoon Bay

This area boasts a saltwater lagoon with some of the most scenic landscapes in Australia. Here we stop for a refreshing break where you can swim in the protected waters of the bay, or body surf on the longest right hand breaks in Australia all year round.

Rainforest

A beautiful and unique rainforest drive through sand dunes.

Dialogue in the Dark – A unique Melbourne must-do experience

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Dialogue in the Dark is more than a just a tour of Melbourne. It is a sensory journey set in total darkness – an incredible experience where you step out of your comfort zone and take on the challenges of a bustling, simulated Melbourne in the dark.

The aim of Dialogue in the Dark is to give full sighted people the experience of getting about the world as a person with low vision or blindness. It’s one of the most unique tours I’ve ever done, and it was profoundly life-changing whilst being incredibly fun at the same time.

All the guides have low vision or are blind and my guide Jenny made me feel comfortable in her world as I stepped into the dark corridor equipped only with a white cane. As the light faded away my other senses heightened – the noises, the smells, and my sense of touch. Jenny led the way using her voice or tapping an object, guiding me through the streets of Melbourne and inviting me to explore my surrounds. We visited iconic places, explored every day objects that are taken for granted and covered the city in a way I’d never thought possible given it was just a simulation in a room.

Jenny had a wealth of knowledge about Melbourne’s culture and history and a great sense of humour. She also made me feel confident in my skills to navigate around as a person with blindness, in addition to being open about her story and situation.

As a Melburnian I thought it was a terrific way to explore my native city and experience some of the highlights. For visitors I think it would be perfect to start a Melbourne itinerary with a morning at Dialogue in the Dark, follow it with a trip on the nearby Melbourne Star Observation Wheel for an orientation over the city and then visit the sights in real life later in the day.

 

Dialogue in the Dark™ is presented in partnership with Guide Dogs Australia and is located not far from the city centre in the Docklands area. For more information about it click here.

 

 

Kangaroos at the snow? Take a day trip to Australia’s High Country.

Posted on by Nicola Billens

You might find it hard to believe but it does actually snow in Australia. We even have ski fields. Granted, it’s nothing like the Alps of Europe or the Rockies of North America, but that’s exactly why you should put it on your Australian to do list.

Our alpine region is home to a unique variety of flora and fauna found nowhere else in Australia.  There’s really nothing like the beauty of seeing snow on gumtrees. You may even be lucky enough to see a wombat burrowing in the snow or the occasional kangaroo looking a little lost.

Our mountains (perhaps just big hills to some of you from the Northern hemisphere) are located in NSW and Victoria and some can easily be visited on a day trip by helicopter so you can discover our little winter wonderland down under.

Here are a few facts about snow in Australia

The Australian Alps receive more snow than Switzerland!

The world’s longest continuously running ski club is in Australia (Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club).

Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest mountain stretches to 2,228 metres above sea-level.

Mt Buller is one of the busiest ski resorts in Victoria and only 3 1/2 hours drive away (or 1 hour helicopter ride) from Melbourne. With 22 lifts and around 80 kilometres of ski and snowboard terrain, this resort is open from early June to mid September each year, depending on the snow. There are even dog sled tours!

Mt Hotham, a Victorian ski resort in the Great Dividing Range, is upside down. The ski in / ski out accomodation is nestled at the top of the mountain not the bottom so when you ski out, you head straight down, not to the chair lift.

Perisher in in the heart of the Snowy Mountains in NSW is the largest ski resort in the Southern hemisphere.

Snow in Australia at an old settler hut on Mt Bogong
An old settler hut on Mt Bogong

A snow-shoe safari at Mt Sterling

Only an hour’s chopper ride from the centre of Melbourne takes you to Victoria’s High Country where you’ll discover the alpine wonderland and snow in Australia. On route, you’ll get an incredible sense of the vastness of the country.

As you take flight out of Melbourne, passing through our vibrant and creative city you’ll see just how flat the surrounding landscape is, with only a few dots of elevation to be seen – the Dandenong Ranges to the East, and the You Yangs and Grampians far to the West.

The scenery changes as we approach our destination – Mt Sterling a nature lover’s winter paradise. With no lift system, recreational activities consist mainly of snow shoeing and cross-country skiing, and is a great way to be immersed in the Australian snow.

 

We land at the famous “Craig’s Hut”as featured in “The Man from Snowy River” movie. After some short refreshments, you’ll be kitted out with snowshoes for an incredible guided snow safari through wintery bushland.

Upon return, a  delicious catered feast, complete with High Country wines and mountain tales await you, and you’ll have time to explore and be photographed with this icon of the High Country.

On your final leg we fly over the Mt Buller Alpine Resort so you can see an Australian ski field in action before heading back to Melbourne.

Note: This experience is weather dependent and available May to October and snow coverage cannot be guaranteed.

A wallaby in the snow in Australia
A wallaby in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildlife, kayaking and walking – The ultimate Freycinet Adventure

Posted on by Nicola Billens

This ultimate adventure offers a truly unique experience. Picnic island, spectacular coastal wilderness, Wineglass bay and so much more. Discover the feeling of freedom and rejuvenate in the fresh sea air of Freycient National Park.

Kayak to Hazards Beach in Freycinet National Park
Kayak to Hazards Beach

Over 4 days experience a true escape with this ultimate Freycinet Adventure. This unique adventure is so much more than just a walking tour. This hosted experience includes wildlife, kayaking, walking, boat tours and plenty of relaxing. The base camp is on a private island (Picnic Island). It is completely unique and has a truly a spectacular outlook of Freycinet National Park.

View of Tasmania mainland from Picnic Island

This trip starts with the stunning drive from Hobart to Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula. From here you’ll board our Aqua Taxi and head out to our exclusive island accommodation. Once you’ve settled in, experienced guides will take you through your exciting itinerary for the next few days.

Included is kayaking, walking, boat trips and wildlife encounters. Your accommodation will be in a luxurious cabin overlooking the water on the island. Your meals are prepared lovingly in the ‘birdhouse’ on the island by the passionate guides and include local produce and Tasmanian wines.

Highlights

  • Private evening penguin colony tour
  • Aqua Taxi tour on the Freycinet Peninsula taking in pristine deserted beaches
  • A picnic at Wineglass Bay
  • Sunset Kayak Tour
  • Oyster Tasting
  • Walks within Freycinet National Park including Mt. Graham & Mt. Amos

Accommodation

Accommodation on Picnic Island in Freycinet
Accommodation on Picnic Island

Your unique accommodation will be a highlight of this experience. Situated 800m offshore from Coles Bay & Freycinet National Park is Picnic Island. This architecturally and environmentally sensitively designed lodge makes this experience a true escape. Each sleeping quarter is decked out with a comfortable queen been with stunning water views. The common area (The Birdshouse) boasts a wood-fire, dining and lounge area.

Sundowner will have a new meaning for you. We also share the island with a colony of little penguins and some other spectacular visiting wildlife.

Itinerary

Day 1: Your transfer from Hobart is included. You will be collected from your hotel and taken on a picturesque drive up the East Coast. On arrival, the Aqua Taxi will shuttle you out to the island for a late lunch. Optional afternoon short walks in Freycinet National Park.

Day 2: An Aqua Taxi will take you down to Hazards Beach to enjoy some coastal walks within Freycinet National Park. The guides will take you on a hike from Hazards Beach to Wineglass Bay for a picnic lunch. After dinner, is optional penguin viewing on the island.

Picnic Island is the ideal base in Freycinet National Park

Day 3: The morning consists of a walk up Mt. Freycinet (5.5 kms) which has picturesque views of the whole Peninsula. You will undertake the award winning Freycinet Paddle -3 hour guided sea kayaking tour at twilight.

Day 4: Included is oyster tasting at the local Marine Farm followed by a transfer back to Hobart. There is also plenty of ‘island time ’to enjoy a spot of fishing off the jetty, birdwatching, or relaxing around the island.

All walks/activities are optional.

For more information about this 4 day Tasmanian itinerary contact your Australian specialist at alquemie@alquemie.com.au.