Bazhong, Sichuan Province, calls to lovers of autumn hues

With its brightly coloured dying leaves; hints of orange, yellow, and red on the ground and a chill in the air, autumn is a popular time to travel from New England in the US, to The Cotswolds in England

China, too, wants its spot on the autumn travel calendar.

The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival runs from October 1 to November 18 in the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province.

Located in south-west China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%.

Each autumn, 680 square kilometres of mountain forests create what local tourism operatives dub "a dazzling palette".

Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, help turn the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as "Asia's longest natural red carpet," the region has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travellers and is widely recognized as one of western China's signature autumn attractions.

The tourism here caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel.

The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds often rolling beneath visitors' feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail.

A major highlight of this year's festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85km, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities.

Murphy snares big gig at Hollick

Sean Murphy has been involved in the wine industry all his working life. 

Now the experienced Limestone Coast vineyard operative and winemaker has landed a gig as the new head winemaker at Hollick Estates. 

The appointment represents something of a homecoming as Murphy worked with Hollick during the mid-2000s. 

He now returns in a leadership role with more than two decades of regional winemaking experience and a deep understanding of the vineyards, varieties and conditions across the Limestone Coast region. 

Raised in Padthaway, Murphy's connection to the wine industry began through his family’s vineyard and viticultural businesses. Those early experiences led him to pursue a career in winemaking.

He began his winemaking journey at Mount Benson in 2003 while studying wine science at Charles Sturt University. He moved to Coonawarra in 2005 and has most recently worked as winemaker for Ladbroke Grove. 

Wine is quite literally in Sean’s blood; he says he has never held a job outside the wine industry.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to Hollick Estates and taking on the role of head winemaker,” he said. 

“Coonawarra is an exceptional wine region, and Hollick has a proud history and a strong connection to its vineyards and the wider community. Having worked here earlier in my career, it feels very special to return with the experience and perspective I have gained over the past two decades.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside the vineyard and winery teams, building upon Hollick’s established style and exploring the opportunities ahead.”

Hollick Estates director Cameron Ding said: “Sean’s extensive regional knowledge, hands-on viticultural background and genuine affinity with the Limestone Coast made him a natural fit for the role.

“Sean brings a wealth of experience, an intimate understanding of the Limestone Coast and a genuine respect for the vineyards and people behind the wines.” 

Murphy succeeds Jordan Cory, who led Hollick Estates’ winemaking program for the past four years.

Meet the newest winery restaurant in the Hunter Valley

The Hunter Valley has a new dining and drinking destination with the opening of Lucia Roche Estate in time for the spring season.

The new Pokolbin eatery pairs stone-fired Italian-influenced cooking from former Savoy Grill chef Jack Zideluns with estate wines.

The menu showcases pizzas and Italian-inspired share plates and seasonal produce.

Lucia is open for lunch, dinner and drinks, aiming to offer everything from an afternoon bite to a long lunch or evening meal.

Zideluns says he grew up with recipes and traditions passed down through his Italian family, and his Nonna.

“Some of my best memories of food are sitting around a table with family, with plenty of dishes in the middle and everyone helping themselves,” the chef says.

“That’s a big part of what I want Lucia to feel like. The food is considered, but it isn’t precious. We have access to great produce here in the Hunter, a stone-fired oven at the heart of the kitchen and some incredible wine on our doorstep, so there’s plenty to work with.”

Among the dishes are burrata with romesco sauce and freshly baked pizza bread and Prosciutto Rucola pizza with prosciutto, rocket, parmesan, fig and San Marzano tomato.

On the drinks side, the list spans estate wines, the venue’s own Lucia Lager and cocktails including the Amalfi Sour.

Joining Zideluns is venue manager and licensee John Samway, a qualified wine professional with experience across restaurants, hotels, cellar doors and wineries.

Samway will oversee the wine and broader beverage offering, while operations manager Sam Harman, a qualified chef with more than 20 years in hospitality, will oversee the broader operation.

“We want Lucia to be somewhere people can gather and settle in, there’s no rush to order or to leave," says Samway.

"It should feel special enough that you want to make a plan to come here, but relaxed enough that you can spend a few hours over good food and wine.”

Lucia will open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner, giving both Hunter Valley visitors and locals a new option for pizza, pasta, wine and cocktails in the centre of the wine tourism region.

For more info see https://luciarocheestate.com.au/.

Get to the meat of the matter at Darling Harbour

Love your meat dishes? 

At Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney’s award-winning ABODE Bistro. Bar is next month teaming up with Vic’s - The Chef’s Butcher for a four-week dining series celebrating Australian farmers, producers and premium meats.

Running from October 5 until November 1, each week will see the spotlight on a different dish paired with a signature cocktail. 

Guests are invited to join on a weekly adventure, travelling from the North Coast of New South Wales to Brunswick, Western Australia, and celebrate the tastes, provenance and stories of each region through food and cocktail pairings.

Highlights will include Paroo kangaroo with a lemon myrtle cocktail and White Rocks veal osso bucco with a spiced negroni.

ABODE, meaning ‘home’, champions local, seasonal produce and specialises in food that is made to be shared. 

The new partnership with family owned Vic’s – The Chef’s Butcher, which has sourced exclusively from Australian farmers and producers since 1966, brings greater focus to the provenance, quality and people behind each cut.

Other pairings include Maremma duck leg confit served with a crisp whisky apple sour and Kurobuta pork chop complemented by a classic ginger highball.

The menu can also be enjoyed alongside ABODE’s weekday Happy Hour, running from 4:30-6:30pm, Monday to Friday, with $2 Nambucca oysters, selected beers and wines from $6 a glass and $15 cocktails.

Bookings and walk-ins welcome. To book see HERE

Small Wonder opens a spectacular new Tasmanian wine tourism venue

Tasmania has a new wine and gourmet tourism drawcard with the opening over the weekend of the Small Wonder cellar door, restaurant and wine library in the Tamar Valley.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff cut the ribbon on the new development, a striking building on the site of what was previously Goaty Hill Wines at Kayena in the Tamar Valley.

The project was conceived by Small Wonders owners, Singapore-based couple Angus Davidson and Tracy Wong-Davidson, whose Overstory company also has properties in Margaret River, Western Australian.

Overstory CEO Paul McArdle said the project aimed to be not only a wine ambassador but also a tourism ambassador for Tasmania.

“When we bought the farm it was conventionally farmed and we converted it to organic so we can run it regeneratively,” co-owner Angus Davidson said. “We firmly believe that healthy soil leads to healthy plants, healthy plants lead to healthy grapes and healthy grapes lead to better wine.”

The winemaking at Small Wonder is the responsibility of Ockie Myburgh, formerly of Josef Chromy, with Russian/Canadian chef Konstantin Putkin heading the kitchen team.

Chef Putkin is working with local producers including Summerlea Farm, Springfield Deer Farm, Littlewood Farm, Seven Springs Farm and Wattle Hill Olives.

At the cellar door, guests will be able to taste six wines from the Small Wonder portfolio for $25pp, with the tasting fee waived upon any two-bottle purchase - a wise decision. 

Winery Tours will also be available for $50pp, which gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at the Small Wonder winemaking process before wrapping up with a tasting in the cellar door.

The Wine Library will also host bookable wine masterclasses which will run every eight weeks for groups up to 20. The space will also be available for private event bookings.

"Since we opened as Small Wonder in 2021, it was a priority to remain part of the community," McArdles says.

"The new cellar door and restaurant is a chance to build on what we are already offering, introducing something a little different while retaining our well-known welcoming atmosphere.”

Artworks from Tasmanian artists Stephen Bond, Alicia King and Paul Snell have been placed across the venue.

Combining organic vineyard practices and minimal-intervention winemaking, Small Wonder Wines
employs practical initiatives like composting grape marc, encouraging beneficial insects, and reducing
chemical inputs.

“Solar power, energy-efficient systems, and thoughtful estate design allow us to protect the land while making exceptional wine,” says winemaker Ockie Myburgh.

The design of the Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant has been led by Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore) and local Tasmanian firm Edwards + Simpson.

The building is clad in locally sourced and hand-cut bluestone to blend into the natural environment while inside features Quartzine stone bar tops, textured plaster, and dappled glass with satin nickel framing.

In the kitchen, Putkin and his team have implemented systems that eliminate around 90% of single-use plastics by switching to compostable wraps, bags and other environmentally responsible alternatives.

Outside, The Garden will offer a casual, a la carte dining menu which is set to include options such as croquettes with local Pyengana Dairy cheddar, caramelised leek, fermented jalapeno and black garlic mayonnaise; house buttermilk Nichols Poultry fried chicken with fermented cherry hot sauce; and Fork it Farm cured meats, local cheeses and house-fermented pickles.

The Garden will also host live acoustic music sets each Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

“The winery tours will offr a chance for guests to have a deep-dive into our winemaking process here at
Small Wonder, and see first-hand how closely our winemaking team and kitchen work to create a
cohesive experience,” says venue operations manager Chris Morrison. 

“We’re also keen to become a destination for wine education in the region through our regular wine
masterclasses. 

"It’s a great opportunity for guests to ask more about wine and the process behind it in a

fun, relaxed setting.”

The Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant is at 530 Auburn Road, Kayena, Tasmania. 

The cellar door is open daily, 11am to 5pm, and the restaurant Thursday to Sunday from 11.30am with last seating 2.30pm. The Garden, with views of the vineyard and Tamar River, is open daily, 11am to 5pm with food available until 3.30pm.

Full details at www.smallwonderwines.com.au

Images: Anson Smart and Winsor Dobbin

Americans don’t want to go home from New Zealand

Guess what? Folk from the US think that rules don’t apply to them.

American passport holders top the list of people who have overstayed their visa in New Zealand over the last three years, Radio New Zealand reported this week.

Overall, an estimated 19,153 people in New Zealand are overstayers, Immigration New Zealand figures show.

Over the past last three years, the visas of 6559 people expired without them leaving the country.

The general manager of immigration compliance and investigations Steve Watson said the numbers  confirmed the number of overstayers remains very small.

"Each year, INZ processes around one million visa applications and 1.6 million New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority requests and sees around 3.6 million non-New Zealand citizens arrive in New Zealand," he said.

"The vast majority of people who come to New Zealand to visit, work or study comply with their visa conditions and either leave before their visa expires or obtain a further visa to remain lawfully in New Zealand."

Of those who had overstayed since 2023, a total of 925 were from the US. The largest percentage of those overstaying compared to visas issued was Tonga, with 666. 

China, the UK and India complete the top five countries for overstayers.

INZ said a snapshot shows 0.13% of temporary visa arrivals in the last three years went on to overstay their visas.