The Pines Daylesford

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Address	Hill St Daylesford
Phone	(03) 5348 1255
Website	http://www.weekend.com.au/
Email	stay@cottagedirectory.com.au

The Pines Daylesford - A beautifully restored miner's cottage in the heart of Daylesford.

Accommodating six guests in two queen size rooms -one with a four poster bed - and one twin bedroom.

Relax in the comfortably furnished living room and if you feel inclined utilise the fully equipped kitchen with microwave and dishwasher.

The house is warmed by hydronic heating and an open fire. The bathroom features a clawfoot bath.

Take a stroll to the Convent Gallery or try out one of the many restaurants and cafes in the main street.

Torquay Holiday Rentals Accommodation

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Address	50 Sagittarius Street Torquay
Phone	(03) 5261 5579
Website	http://www.torquayholidays.com.au/
Email	info@torquayholidays.com.au

Torquay contains one of the world's most famous surfing location, BELLS BEACH!

Surfers from all over the world are drawn to Torquay and the surging swell of Bells Beach.

Torquay offers a range of attractions including varied walks from lush bush lands tracks or soothing beach and coastlinetrails.

The surrounding forests of Torquay play host to a number of rare and endangered fauna. There are a multitude ofHeritage spots and museums to visit.

Learn more about the surfing genre at Torquay’s Surf world Museum. Explore potteries, galleries and craft shops inspired by Torquay’s breathtaking scenery. More than that just a beachside town, it is the stuff legends are made of. Home to some of Australias greatest surf icons and natural spectacles.

Darwin, Australia

Establishing a European settlement on Australia's remote northern shores was never going to be easy. It took four abortive attempts over a period of 45 years before DARWIN (originally called Palmerston) was surveyed in 1869 by the new South Australian state keen to exploit its recently acquired "northern territory". The early colonists' aim was to pre-empt foreign occupation and create a trading post, a "new Singapore", for the British Empire.

Things got off to a promising start with the arrival in 1872 of the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL), following the route pioneered by explorer John McDouall Stuart in 1862, that finally linked Australia with the rest of the world. Gold was discovered at Pine Creek while pylons were being erected for the OTL, prompting the inevitable goldrush, and the construction of a southbound railway. After the goldrush subsided, a cyclone flattened the depressed town in 1897, but by 1911, when Darwin adopted its present name, the rough-and-ready frontier outpost had grown into a small government centre, servicing the mines and properties of the Top End. Yet even by 1937, after being razed by a second cyclone, the town had a population of just 1500. The first boom came with WWII after Japanese air raids destroyed Darwin once again – this time at a human cost of hundreds of lives (more bombs were dropped on Darwin than Pearl Harbour, a fact long concealed from the jittery nation). The fear of invasion, and an urgent need to get troops to the war zone, led to the swift construction of the Stuart Highway, the first reliable land link between Darwin and the south of the country.

Three decades of guarded postwar prosperity followed until Christmas Day, 1974, when Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin. By 3am the worst was thought to be over as winds that had raged since midnight began to abate. Instead, the becalmed eye of the storm was passing over the part-ruined city, only to return with even greater fury from the opposite direction. Lampposts were bent flat along the ground, houses were ripped from their piers, and at the Yacht Club mangled remains of boats filled the car park. Mercifully, a low tide meant that only 66 people lost their lives, but Tracy marked the end of old Darwin, psychologically as well as architecturally. For many residents this was the last straw and having been evacuated they never returned. Indeed, the myth of Darwinian resilience is just that: the town has always accommodated a transient population, happy to "give it a go" for a couple of years and then move on. The surrounding land is agriculturally unviable and Top End beef is among the poorest in Australia; most is exported as live cattle to Asia.

But since the mid-Nineties Darwin has been making a concerted effort to take itself seriously as Australia's commercial "gateway" into Asia. With the help of the tourist boom, kicked off by Kakadu's exposure in the film Crocodile Dundee, as well as some thoughtful refurbishments in Mitchell Street and the Mall, Darwin has shaken off the bland feel of a company town armoured against the climate. A spate of cool new outdoor eateries now allow you to appreciate the tropical ambience so that where once the city centre had all the life of a late night CBD, now it can be as lively as any other Australian capital. The long talked about Darwin rail link with Alice and Adelaide has finally become a reality, with the first freight due to run in 2004, followed hopefully by a passenger service.

Day-trips from Darwin include the popular Litchfield Park as well as the Aboriginal-owned Bathurst and Melville islands, a thirty-minute flight from town. Also worth a visit are either Crocodylus Park on the edge of Darwin or the Darwin Crocodile Farm south of town which makes a good day out when combined with the Territory Wildlife Park. It takes more than a day to appreciate Kakadu.

Hobart, Australia

Amazingly diverse and stunningly beautiful, Hobart sits at the foot of Mount Wellington and on the banks of the Derwent River . A city of contrasts, and Australia's smallest and most southerly city, Hobart offers sophisticated nightlife and World Heritage wilderness within a geographically compact area. Settled by the British in 1803, Hobart's convict heritage remains evident in the architecture, with many unspoiled Georgian and Victorian buildings. An increased demand for inner-city living has seen recent growth of townhouse and apartment-style developments.

Central Hobart & The Queen's Domain Here, the ambience of yesteryear blends with today's conveniences. Stroll around the business district and enjoy the charms of the Cat and Fiddle Arcade's animated clock, or visit the oldest theatre (Theatre Royal) in Australia. To the north lie the Botanical Gardens and Government House . In close proximity is the sporting centre of Hobart, the Queen's Domain , home of the aquatic , tennis and athletics centres.

The Waterfront & Salamanca Dominant in early days, the waterfront has recently enjoyed a resurgence of popularity. Many sandstone buildings, such as Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and Parliament House , reflect the area's historical roots. This is a popular dining and nightlife area with sidewalk cafes and restaurants intermingled with galleries, craft and gift shops. The fun Socrates for Curious Minds is located here as well as many cafes. On Saturday, Salamanca Place transforms into the legendary Market . Constitution Dock is the finishing point for sailors in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Gasworks Village features Australia's best commercial whiskey distillery .

Battery Point A short walk from Salamanca is the historic suburb of Battery Point , originally home to the whalers and mariners of Hobart Town. Original charm remains as tiny cottages and grand mansions interweave into one enchanting suburb. Many of the houses in this slice of history are National Trust listed and are fine examples of sandstone building. Whilst largely residential, the area also offers a myriad of antique shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and some exquisitely restored accommodation.

Mount Wellington Bushwalkers and photographers are rewarded by the views from the summit of Hobart's famous backdrop . A great way to explore the mountain is by foot on one of its many tracks. Snow is commonplace in winter, and possible in summer. To warm up, call in for a drink at Australia's oldest brewery, Cascade , where the beer is made using water from the mountain. Nearby are the magnificent Woodstock Gardens blooming with color and fragrance.

Southern Suburbs The Kingborough area includes towns such as Kingston , Margate , and Snug . At Woodbridge discover all the undersea world has to offer at the Marine Discovery Centre. A ferry from Kettering across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel will take you to beautiful Bruny Island, where you will encounter rainforest and wetland areas, sandy beaches and native wildlife. This is a favorite holiday destination for Tasmanians keen to take advantage of pursuits such as fishing, diving, swimming and even camel riding.

Huon Valley Waterways, wilderness, arts and crafts feature prominently in the Huon . The majority of Tasmania's fruit is produced here and roadside stalls offer bargains. Access to the Hartz Mountains National Park with its Alpine heathlands, dolerite ranges and glacier-carved lakes is through this valley. The Park has the distinction of being the closest World Heritage Area to any capital city in Australia. Hastings Caves , with their magnificent limestone formations, are also located nearby.

Northern Suburbs Once a working class area, North Hobart has been transformed into a gastronomic delight with its restaurant strip offering a diverse selection of cuisines. Further north, Glenorchy is home to venues such as the Entertainment Centre and the Showgrounds . Elwick Racecourse hosts The Hobart Cup, Tasmania's premier horse race. Chocoholics beware—the Cadbury Chocolate Factory is near, as is the miniature Swiss Village of Alpenrail .

Eastern Shore Journey across the Tasman Bridge to the Eastern Shore and Bellerive Oval , home of international cricket matches. Bellerive is another riverside suburb, and meandering around Bellerive Village is a boardwalk that provides an idyllic scene for a Summer Jazz Festival . This side of the Derwent features some of Hobart's best beaches including Seven Mile , <>East Coast & Richmond Spectacular coastlines and pristine beaches are commonplace on this coast where pursuits such as swimming, fishing, surfing, diving, sailing, walking and horse-riding are popular. Tasmania's cool climate is ideal for wine-making and both the East Coast and Richmond are premier locations for vineyards which welcome cellar door sales and tastings. Richmond is a truly historic village with Australia's oldest bridge , oldest Catholic Church and oldest postal building. It has retained the charm of a bygone era with slate and sandstone buildings, and there are many craft shops and galleries.

Derwent Valley North lie the golden hopfields. Vineyards, trout fishing and nature reserves are all on offer. You can even feed the fish at the oldest southern hemisphere hatchery at Salmon Ponds. Tasmania is one of the last temperate wilderness areas in the world and there is no better illustration than at scenic Mt Field National Park with its breathtaking waterfalls, ski fields and excellent walking tracks through rainforests, many ideal for the novice bushwalker. The South West World Heritage area lies further to the west.

The grand old city of Hobart offers both locals and visitors a unique combination of a leisurely and laid-back lifestyle with striking landscapes, unspoiled wilderness and clean waterways. This city will charm with its beauty and delight with the warmth of its welcome.

Canberra, Australia

In 1912 Walter Burley Griffin, an American landscape architect from Chicago, won the international competition for the design of the future Australian capital: his plan envisaged a garden city for about 25,000 people, which took into account the natural features of the landscape. There were to be five main centres, each with separate city functions, located on three axes: land, water and municipal. Roads were to be in concentric circles, with arcs linking the radiating design. Construction started in 1913, but political squabbling and the effects of World War I prevented any real progress being made. Little building had been done, in fact, by the time Griffin left the site in 1920, and only in 1927 was the provisional parliament building officially opened. By 1930 some one thousand families had settled in the capital. Then the Depression set in, World War II broke out and development slowed again. After more years of stagnation, the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) was finally established in 1958, and at last growth began in earnest.

In 1963 the Molonglo River was dammed to form a lake 11km wide, the artificial Lake Burley Griffin that is the centrepiece of modern CANBERRA. Numerous open spaces and public buildings came into existence, as a real city started to emerge. Slowly, the Civic Centre near London Circuit began to live up to its name. The population grew rapidly, from fifteen thousand in 1947 to over one hundred thousand in 1967; today, it is more than three hundred thousand. This population growth has been accommodated in satellite towns with their own centres: Woden, 12km south of the Civic Centre, was built in the mid-1960s; five years later Belconnen was added in the northwest; and in the mid-1970s Tuggeranong in the south. It was this sprawl that fostered Canberra's image as "a cluster of suburbs in search of a centre".

Inevitably, modern Canberra is mainly a city of civil servants and administrators. There are plenty of service industries – especially ones aimed at feeding and watering all those politicians and visitors – but little real industrial activity. Canberra gained self-government in 1989, with only the Parliamentary Triangle – the area bounded by Commonwealth Avenue, Kings Avenue and Lake Burley Griffin – remaining under federal control; the self-financing responsibilities that this entails have placed a premium on tourism revenues. And indeed, the main reason to come to Canberra is for the national mus-eums and institutions you can visit – top of the list is the National Gallery, and the stunning New Parliament House, opened in 1988 and certainly one of the principal tourist sights, with its original architecture intended to blend into the landscape. Canberra is also trying very hard to present an image to counter its reputation as the domain of dull bureaucrats. It hasn't succeeded yet: most Australians still regard Canberra as "pollie city" – a frosty, boring place where politicians and public servants live it up at the expense of the hard-done-by Australian taxpayer. They also complain about its concentric circular streets, which can make driving here seem like a Kafkaesque nightmare, and about the contrived, neat-as-a-pin nature of the place.

But the image-makers have a point, and Canberra is a far more pleasant place than it's usually given credit for. The city has wide open spaces and many parks and gardens, with the impressive architecture housing the national institutions set in astonishingly well-groomed surroundings, so that you can pad barefoot through the grass from the National Gallery to the National Library, peacefully admiring the gum trees. Right on its doorstep are forests and bushland, with unspoilt wilderness just a bit further afield in the Brindabella Ranges and the Namadgi National Park; skiing in the Snowy Mountains or surfing on the coast are only a few hours away. Sadly, in late 2002, this natural bush setting, combined with extreme drought conditions, precipitated Canberra's worst bushfires for fifty years. The area to the west of the city was hardest hit. Mount Stromlo Observatory was completely gutted and in all over five hundred homes were destroyed and four residents were left dead. Remarkably, though the CBD was covered in a pall of smoke for several weeks, none of its buildings was damaged by the fires.

Canberra's nightlife is also a great deal better than you might expect considering its reputation, in term time at least: the two universities here (and the Duntroon Military Academy for officer material) mean there's a large and lively student population (good news for those who have student cards, as most attractions offer hefty discounts). The city is said to have more restaurants per capita than any other in Australia – which is saying something – and there are plenty of pubs and nightclubs to choose from, too. Many of them, though, are tucked away in hidden corners of the city or in the satellite towns. Surprisingly perhaps, Canberra also holds the dubious title of Australia's porn capital, due to its liberal licensing laws, which legalize and regulate the sex industry.

Adelaide, Australia

ADELAIDE is always thought of as a gracious city and an easy place to live in, and despite a population of around one million and a veneer of sophistication, it still has the feel of an overgrown country town. It's a pretty place, laid out on either side of the Torrens River, ringed with a green belt of parks and set against the rolling hills of the Mount Lofty Ranges. During the hot, dry summer the parklands are kept green by irrigation from the waters of the Murray River on which the city depends, though there's always a sense that the rawness of the Outback is waiting to take over.

The original occupants of the Adelaide plains were the Kuarna people, though their traditional way of life was destroyed within twenty years of the landing of Governor John Hindmarsh at Holdfast Bay in 1836. The colony's surveyor general, Colonel William Light, had visionary plans for the new city. After a long struggle with Hindmarsh, who wanted to build around a harbour, Light got his wish for an inland city with a strong connection to the river, formed around wide and spacious avenues and squares. Postwar immigration provided the final element missing from Light's plan: the human one. Italians now make up the city's biggest non-Anglo cultural group, and in the hot, dry summers, Mediterranean-style alfresco eating and drinking lend the city a vaguely European air. Not surprisingly, one of Adelaide's chief delights is its food and wine, with South Australian vintages in every cellar, and restaurants and cafés as varied as Sydney and Melbourne's, only much cheaper.

Outwardly conservative, Adelaide nonetheless takes advantage of South Australia's liberal traditions, with a nudist beach, relaxed drug laws and 24-hour hotel licences. It's the free and easy lifestyle within an ordered framework that's so appealing; Adelaide may not be an obvious destination in itself, but it's a great place for a relaxed break on your way up to the Northern Territory or across to Western Australia.

Brisbane, Australia

Cutting dramatically through lush coastal plains, the Brisbane River coils like a snake around the cosmopolitan chic of Queensland's unique sub-tropical capital. Developed as a penal colony in 1824, the city spent years in the shadow of its southern neighbors. However, following the Commonwealth Games and Expo in the 1980s, investment skyrocketed, cementing Brisbane's future as a place of wealth, beauty and excitement.

Brisbane's architecture is a mix of the modern and the old with impressive Renaissance style and timber Queenslander dwellings sharing a berth with the modern giants. Despite being close to the ocean, this is very much a river city, and the footpaths and waterways are a delightful way to explore this majestic metropolis.

Central Business District

Dominated by the impressive City Hall , Brisbane's business center is a remarkable dichotomy of style. Unlike other Australian cities, the life of the central area does not fade with the sunset. Bars and clubs swell with numbers, attracting large crowds with entertainment each night. The spectacular Conrad Treasury Casino looms proudly over the river, whilst Queen Street Mall 's garnished modern decor greets shoppers, diners and people-watchers with open arms. Built in 1828, the Old Windmill and Observatory are some of Brisbane's oldest buildings and Parliament House , built to French Renaissance style in 1868, is a classic example of the city's historical prowess.