Tasmanian tourism project goes up in smoke

Things can move glacially in Tasmania - and sometimes they just don’t move at all.

Take a multi-millon dollar tourism project designed to boost visitation to the Huon Valley in the far south of the state following major bushfires in February 2019.

Seven years after those fires, with not one brick laid, proponent DarkLab announced that it will cease further work on the Transformer project at Ida Bay with activities to be wound up by the end of July.

Despite receiving approvals from Huon Valley Council and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife in 2023 and 2024, an increase in projected costs, particularly in relation to visitor service structures, has rendered the project untenable.

DarkLab CEO and creative director Leigh Carmichael said: “It is with a heavy heart that we make this announcement today. We have given the project every opportunity to succeed, but after seven years’ work we have made the decision not to proceed.

“We would like to thank the far south community for their support, and we are disappointed that we have been unable to finish what we began. It’s difficult to walk away from the unrealised potential.

“We would like to thank the Huon Valley Council, the State Government, and the Federal Government who have worked patiently with us throughout this process, along with the artist and many people who have worked on the project since its inception.

“Unfortunately, the environmental and economic landscape is very different from when we were first asked to look at this project back in 2019. The long approval process, Covid and rising construction costs have all worked against us this time.

“While we still believe a catalyst project is urgently needed to spark further tourism visitation and investment in the Huon Valley, the timing for this project is no longer right.

“We will now focus on working with the Office for the Arts to acquit the Federal Government grant and ensure the funds are returned in full. 

"DarkLab, with [Mona owner] David Walsh, will cover the costs incurred in attempting to realise the project.”

Transformer was to be a site-specific commission by American artist Doug Aitken, a pavilion with a reflective interior, creating a lens consisting of angles and facets, a kaleidoscope that interacted with the landscape over the changing seasons.
 

Virgin Australia offers flyers more flexibility

Don't you hate it when you arrive at their airport early and your carrier has two earlier flights to your destination. 

You either pay up to catch and earlier flight, or sit around for an hour or two until your scheduled light departs. 

No more waiting if you are booked on an eligible fare with Australian carrier Virgin Australia. 

Virgin is the only Australian airline to offer eligible guests travelling on a domestic economy flex fare the ability to access Fly Ahead, enabling them to switch to an available earlier same-day flight through the Virgin Australia app, with no change fee or fare difference.

The new app feature offers a significant shift from traditional flexible fares, which typically require travellers to pay a change fee and fare difference when changing flights. 

Virgin Australia Fly Ahead can offer savings for frequent travellers, particularly those flying for business.

The value of that added flexibility is already clear, with data showing more than 44,000 Virgin Australia guests moved to earlier flights over the past 12 months, saving a combined 143,000 hours in airport dwell time. 

Expanding the Fly Ahead app feature, launched for high-tier Velocity Frequent Flyer members in May 2026, to domestic economy flex fare guests means more travellers can get on their way sooner. 

Virgin Australia group executive Libby Minogue says the expansion of Fly Ahead reflects the airline's commitment to listening to guests and delivering meaningful flexibility.

"At Virgin Australia, we listen closely to our guests, and one thing we hear consistently, particularly from our business travellers, is that they want more flexibility and control when plans change," Minogue says. 

"That's why we're proud to be the only Australian airline offering superior flexibility to our flex ticket holders, allowing them to switch to an available earlier same-day flight via the Virgin Australia app, without incurring a change fee or fare difference. 

"The change will help our guests get home sooner, make an earlier meeting or maximise their time."

For more info visit here.

Popular culinary festival returns to the Great Southern

One of Western Australia's most remote culinary festivals will return next year. 

Taste Great Southern will return to the Great Southern region from Thursday, March 4, to Sunday, March 7. 

 
Following a successful 2026 festival, Taste Great Southern will once again invite guests to explore the region's acclaimed wines, premium produce, extraordinary landscapes and vibrant hospitality scene through a curated program of events spanning Albany, Denmark, Mount Barker, Porongurup, Frankland River and surrounding communities.

Festival director Erin Molloy said the festival continues to strengthen the Great Southern's reputation as one of Australia's most compelling regional food and wine destinations.

"Taste Great Southern has become one of Western Australia's most distinctive regional food and wine festivals because it offers something truly authentic," she said.

"It brings together world-class chefs, winemakers, producers and storytellers in a way that could only happen in the Great Southern.

" We're excited to build on the momentum in 2027 and continue showcasing the incredible people, produce and places that make this region so special."

State Minister for Tourism and the Great Southern, Reece Whitby, said the Great Southern is one of Western Australia's most remarkable tourism destinations, and Taste Great Southern brings it to life through world-class food and wine experiences.

“Taste Great Southern's 2027 program builds on the festival's ongoing success, offering fresh experiences that celebrate the region's exceptional produce, passionate people and breathtaking landscapes," Whitby said. 

"Events like this play a vital role in driving visitation to WA's regional destinations, strengthening the Western Australian economy, supporting local jobs and businesses, and highlighting the State's visitor appeal.”

The full Taste Great Southern 2027 program and tickets will be released later this year.

See tastegreatsouthern.com.au 

Image: Ann and Tom

Meet a new name on the Yarra Valley wine scene: e'Stellar

There is a new name in the Yarra Valley wine firmament.  

e’Stellar is owned by members of one of Australia’s highest-profile wine families but will operate independently. 

Joe and Cathy Casella, of the Australian winemaking empire Casella Family Brands, began their Yarra journey in 2017 when they purchased Graeme Miller’s historic Dixons Creek site. 

In 2025, they added the neighboring Mandala vineyards, unifying the two properties into a single 40-hectare project named e’Stellar Estate. 

It is a stand alone personal project for the couple, managed completely separately from the corporate Casella Family Brands portfolio. 

The project builds on the legacy of the Henkell family, who first planted the celebrated Mandala site in 1980, and the neighbouring Dixons Creek Estate established by Jimmy Watson Trophy winner Graeme Miller. 

Steering the project is winemaker and GM Martin Siebert, whose background includes vintage work in Burgundy and two decades at top-tier Yarra Valley producers Yarra Yering, Coldstream Hills, and Tokar Estate. 

Siebert found a 15-year-old museum sparkling base, resting on lees, in storage, from the original Graeme Miller days, which has been disgorged and released as the limited e’Stellar Legacy Sparkling ($60). 

While reviewing old records, Siebert unearthed invoices indicating half of that parcel of sparkling wine was quietly resting on lees at the contract facility. Upon requesting a sample bottle to be disgorged for evaluation, Siebert and the team realized they were sitting on a vinous treasure,

There are 11 wines included in the first release, divided across two core tiers ($32 and $45): the e’ Range ($32): chardonnay, pinot noir, rosé, and cabernet syrah and e’Stellar Range ($45): chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, blanc de blancs, and sparkling rosé NV. 

A new cellar door by Q+Co Design Studio is currently under construction for a launch in the coming months, the estate's commercial footprint is already anchored by the property's existing dining establishment: DiVino Ristorante.

Operating under the new e’Stellar banner, the Italian pavilion has called this site home for seven years and welcomes guests from Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner.

The debut 2025 e’Stellar Estate wines are now available online, before the cellar door experiences open to the public in the coming months.

More info at https://www.estellarestate.com.au/.

Hotel chains are deep diving into customers' motivations

Guests are being judged, and their motivations analysed, by major hotel chains. 

New research by the Luxury Group by Marriott International challenges common assumptions about Gen Z travellers, uncovering diverse motivations and definitions of luxury travel.

As Gen Z rises as a defining force in luxury travel, one long-held assumption no longer holds: there is no single Gen Z traveller.

A new report from the Luxury Group by Marriott International in Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC), reveals a generation comprising four distinct luxury mindsets, with each redefining luxury on their own terms, from cultural immersion and personal wellbeing to digital disconnection and heritage-driven exploration.

Drawing on insights from 2,800 affluent travellers across eight Asia Pacific markets, including 1,200 Gen Z respondents aged 18 to 29, the report signals a decisive shift. 

Luxury travel is no longer anchored by demographic factors, but increasingly shaped by intention, identity, and personal meaning.

"Luxury today is no longer defined by a singular standard. It is deeply personal," said Oriol Montal, regional vice president of luxury. 

"Our research reveals that affluent Gen Z travellers are not just participating in luxury travel. They are reshaping it, driven by a desire for meaning, wellbeing, and authentic connection. As the definition of luxury continues to fragment and evolve, understanding these emerging perspectives will be critical for shaping the next generation of travel experiences."

The research shows today’s affluent Gen Z travellers are no longer passive participants. Rather, they are deliberate architects of their journeys. More than half fund their own trips, while nearly half plan every aspect of their journeys themselves. 

Immediate family remains their preferred travel companions (51%), while small-group travel has grown by 17%, signalling a shift toward more intimate, shared experiences.

They also bring sophisticated expectations to every journey. Cultural immersion and engagement with local communities influence destination choice for 87% of respondents, while culinary discovery (86%), proximity to nature (86%), and wellness (85%) are key priorities shaping travel decisions.

At the same time, Gen Z travellers expect luxury to be seamless. Time inefficiencies and communication gaps are among their biggest frustrations. 

Technology, meanwhile, is playing an increasingly important role in trip planning, with 23% already using AI tools for travel inspiration and planning.

The report identifies four Gen Z archetypes whose definitions of luxury diverge significantly: 1) The Connoisseur Traditionalist (34%), 2) The Future Proofer (30%), 3) The Quiet Luxurist (20%), and 4) The Cultural Reclaimer (16%). 

If you'd like to know more, the full report is available to download.

New technology to aid hotel guests

Leura Gardens Resort in the NSW Blue Mountains will be the first hotel in Australia to launch digital wallet key technology, allowing guests seamless access to the hotel’s rooms and facilities with a tap of their phone.

This new system provides guests with a convenient alternative to physical key cards, while still offering traditional options for those who prefer them.

Owner Dr Jerry Schwartz has been trialling keyless technology for several years and will utilise cutting-edge door lock and software solutions developed by Vingcard - a leading innovator of advanced technologies tailored to the needs of the hospitality industry - at Leura Gardens Resort.  

With Vingcard’s cloud-based Vostio Access Management technology, the property can automatically generate digital wallet-compatible keys that are securely delivered to guests' devices via advanced encryption.

The digitalised room keys are automatically activated when a guest checks in electronically and are ready to use as soon as their room becomes available, allowing guests to go straight to their rooms and access them with a tap on their phones.

The room key is stored in a wallet on any iOS or Android phone and is similar to the technology used for concert or plane tickets.

The key works without needing to download or open any app, navigate to a special screen, or unlock the device.

The same digital wallet-based key can also be used to access the hotel's facilities for even greater convenience. 

If guests choose to extend their stay, the key is automatically updated, eliminating the need to visit the front desk.

While the technology has been used in hostels in Australia, Leura Gardens Resort is the first full-service hotel or resort in Australia to successfully introduce it.

"The hotel industry in Australia has been slow to adopt the technology, which is surprising given that we use our mobile phones to board planes and enter sports and concert venues,” said Schwartz.

“I’m convinced that entering a hotel room with a digital key on your phone will become another extension of that, and the innovation at Leura Gardens will become a template for the wider industry.

“This is all about enhancing the guest experience. Some people will prefer to go to the front desk and check-in in person, but others want a more seamless experience. We are catering for both groups.

“Our guests will be able to use the technology without needing to use an additional app. Instead, arriving guests will receive their ‘room key’ by downloading it from their check-in confirmation email and adding it to their smartphones.”

See https://www.leuragardens.com.au/