Tokyo keeps visitors coming back for more

Once tourists have visited Tokyo they cannot stay away.

 
The sprawling Japanese capital is a big favourite with return visitors, the latest Repeat Visitor Ranking list from digital travel platform Agoda reveals.

The list highlights the top 10 destinations across Asia that keep travellers coming back for more.

Based on bookings made during the first half of the year, Agoda reveals that Tokyo has claimed the top spot for the first time, overtaking now second-placed Bangkok.

Rounding out the top five are Bali, Seoul and Osaka. Da Nang, Kuala Lumpur, Fukuoka, Taipei, and Johor Bahru complete the top 10 list.

This year's rankings reveal the rising appeal of Japan and Vietnam as increasingly popular places people love to re-visit. 

Beyond Tokyo's ascent to the top, Fukuoka has entered the top 10 for the first time at number eight, signalling travellers' desire to explore beyond Japan's traditional tourist hubs.

Da Nang in Vietnam has climbed two spots to sixth place, with its stunning beaches, proximity to UNESCO sites like Hoi An, and excellent value, Agoda said.

Andrew Smith, senior vice president for supply at Agoda, said: "Asia is home to so many destinations that are worth revisiting, and what we're seeing is that travellers are building relationships with their favourite cities.

"The shift with Tokyo's rise to number one and destinations like Fukuoka and Da Nang gaining ground show that travellers are finding new reasons to return, whether it's seasonal attractions, undiscovered neighbourhoods, or simply great food."

See www.Agoda.com.

Image: Shibuya, Tokyo

Novotel to anchor new Sydney development

Booming Sydney suburb Castle Hill is to get its own branded international hotel. 

Global hospitality giant Accor has signed an agreement with Reve Group to operate Novotel Sydney Castle Hill, a new-build hotel within the landmark Nova Rêve mixed-use precinct north-west of the city. 

Scheduled to open in early 2029, the hotel will feature 143 rooms along with restaurants, cafes and bars including elevated dining with district views, a fitness centre, pool, and conference and events facilities. 

I don't see the Hills District as a holiday venue, so the hotel will likely cater for functions and conferences. 

The Hills District is one of Greater Sydney's fastest-growing precincts and the new hotel will be located within walking distance of Castle Towers and Castle Hill Metro Station. 

“The signing of Novotel Sydney Castle Hill is a testament to the resilient demand for trusted, internationally recognised hospitality brands in key economic and lifestyle corridors across the Asia-Pacific region," said Duncan O'Rourke, Chief Executive Officer, MEA APAC, Accor.

"As urban dynamics shift, integrated mixed-use precincts like Nova Rêve are becoming the blueprint for modern living and travel. By partnering with Reve Group, we are not only expanding our footprint in Australia but also reinforcing our commitment to delivering versatile, high-quality hospitality hubs that serve both global travellers and thriving local communities."

The hotel is being developed by Reve Group, a Hills District-based developer with more than 30 years' experience delivering residential and mixed-use projects across Sydney. The precinct will comprise 253 apartments across three towers, rising to 23 levels at its tallest point, more than 1,600 square metres of ground level shops and cafes, and almost an acre of landscaped communal gardens. 

The Novotel brand has more than 620 hotels in 70 countries. See group.accor.com

Meet an Australian wine label with a Japanese accent

There is a small wine producer in Victoria that our correspondent Rick Allen reckons is worth keeping an eye on. 

It’s called Shimora - a blend of surnames and, chances are, you haven’t heard of it, he writes.

It’s a boutique wine label still in its infancy, but one to watch.

Based high up at 760 metres in the Macedon Ranges – “it’s one of Macedon’s highest vineyards” - Shimora is the brainchild of two highly driven people, husband and wife team Phil Moraghan (above) and Dr Rika Shimo.

If the Moraghan name is familiar, yes, it’s the same Phil Moraghan who was co-founder and winemaker at Curly Flat, whose classy Macedon wines in the early 2000s gained immediate attention. 

Japanese-born Rika came to wine later but is now a qualified winemaker and viticulturist. 

She’s very much an over-achiever … passing her wine studies with distinctions, also a former linguistics academic, art lover and classical pianist.

Their goal: to own their own vineyard and wine brand, and make the best cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir they possibly can.

It should be noted that in 2026 Macedon was officially measured as Australia’s coldest wine region - and Shimora is in the coldest part of it. 

‘Cool climate’ barely does it justice.

Right now they are two vintages in, both very small at just a couple of hundred cases, but things are bubbling along nicely.

“We looked at more than 100 sites over several years before we landed on this one,” Moraghan said. “It’s a beauty.” 

The vineyard at Little Hampton, seven kilometres from Trentham, had to pass a lot of tests, none more so than being frost free.

“Frost free was crucial, but topography and soil quality were also key issues,” he said.

“The soil is excellent and had a lot of organic matter, but we still spent a lot of time improving it even further before we planted.”

Today there are 11 acres under vine, mostly pinot noir, but also chardonnay.

“We’ll stick with those. The only possible addition could be a small planting of riesling. We both love the variety, Rika especially.”

Moraghan believes in recent years climate change has made many cool climate pinots bigger and darker.

“I don’t want that," he says. "I’m after classic iron fist in a velvet glove. More delicate, light red pinots you can almost see through, but with loads of complexity.

“And those leaner, flinty chardonnays with white peach and citrus.”

If Curly Flat is any example, he’ll get it all right.

There is a second label called Rika & Me ($30) that uses Yarra Valley fruit, designed to offer bang for your buck. And they most certainly do.

And interestingly, they have also visited Japan and made koshu wine from the Yamanashi Prefecture on Rika’s home island of Honshu, which are available through their new cellar door, which is open by appointment.

“Koshu is interesting, long living, citrusy; they remind me of Hunter semillons requiring time to develop their full potential,” Moraghan says. 

I've asked to try the wines so will update this with my thoughts shortly. See https://www.shimorawines.com.au/

# Rick Allen is the Hunter-based wine writer for the Newcastle Herald.

Hotel deals can pay big dividends

I noticed someone on social media the other day complaining about the high cost of hotel rooms in Hobart.

I was surprised because hotels in Tasmania are usually very reasonably priced compared to Sydney, Melbourne and other Australian capital cities.

The trouble was that these folk had not done their homework and were looking to book city centre accommodation over the Christmas-New Year period, peak season in Hobart.

Not only does the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race fleet arrive at this time, but the popular Taste of Summer Festival is held on the waterfront.

It is the most popular - and expensive - time of the year, by far.

If you choose a quiet period then Hobart, and other medium-sized cities like Canberra, can offer excellent value.

One of my trusted PR operatives made contact today with two deals that reflect this.

# Breakfast and a slower start at Vibe Hotel Hobart

The Hobart Escape at the central Vibe Hotel Hobart (top image) starts from from $249 per night for two guests and includes, daily breakfast for two, valued at $60, and a generous 12pm checkout.

 
Book by October 31 for stays from now to August 31, 2027, but note an $80 nightly high-season surcharge applies from October to March inclusive. Blackout dates also apply. vibehotels.com

# A capital stay at Hotel Kurrajong Canberra

Settle in for a stylish Canberra stay at the heritage-listed Hotel Kurrajong Canberra (above).

The Canberra Escapes package includes a 15% discount on accommodation, breakfast for two, 50% off parking and a 12pm checkout. The ongoing offer also includes free cancellation until 2pm one day before arrival. 

Priced from $199 for a maximum of two guests per room per night, there is no pesky minimum night stay required. Terms and conditions apply, as do blackout dates. hotelkurrajong.com.au. 

Fancy a cheap European excursion?

Heading to the UK next summer? Fancy a few random days somewhere different? Bulgaria, maybe, or perhaps Montenegro? 

Budget air air carrier easyJet - known for its very low fares - is making a major summer 2027 push, adding 18 new routes from UK airports as it expands its footprint in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Montenegro and beyond.

The airline will also put easyJet holidays packages on sale across all 18 new routes, giving travellers the option to combine flights and hotels through a single booking.

Spain is the biggest focus, with six new routes including easyJet’s first-ever flights from the UK to Girona, near Barcelona.

The airline will launch Liverpool-Girona on March 28, operating twice weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays. London Gatwick-Girona follows on June 3 with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The airline is also expanding in Scotland.

Aberdeen will gain new services to Barcelona from March 31, twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Majorca from May 3, twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays. easyJet will be the only airline flying between Aberdeen and Barcelona.

Liverpool will also receive a new Murcia service from March 29, twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, while Edinburgh gets a new Bilbao route from March 30, operating Tuesdays and Saturdays.

France is also getting three new connections. London Gatwick-Ajaccio launches June 30, Bristol-Montpellier starts July 1, and Manchester-Bastia begins June 29. Each route will operate twice weekly, with easyJet the only airline serving all three city pairs.

Italy gets two new routes. Birmingham-Milan Malpensa launches March 29 with twice-weekly Monday and Friday flights, while Edinburgh-Rome Fiumicino begins March 30 with Tuesday and Saturday departures. 

Well-kept secret Montenegro is another expansion target, with Edinburgh-Tivat launching March 29 and Birmingham-Tivat beginning May 3. Both routes will operate twice weekly.

Edinburgh also gains a new Hamburg service from March 29, while Bristol adds Burgas in Bulgaria from May 28. Newcastle gets a newLarnaca service from March 31, operating weekly on Wednesdays.

Greece will see two additions: London Southend-Rhodes from April 27, twice weekly, and London Luton-Thessaloniki from May 1, with weekly Saturday flights.

Over 200 years of history in a bottle

The Eather family is this year celebrating 200 years of agriculture in the Hunter Valley. 

To coincide with that milestone, their Meerea Park wine label has crafted a rare special release of its benchmark BLACK Shiraz from the 2024 vintage. 

The story begins with Thomas Samuel Heather arriving in Australia on second fleet ship Neptune in 1790. He married a convict from the third fleet, Elizabeth Lee, settling near Windsor before arriving in Bulga. near Singleton, in 1826. 

Adjacent to Wollombi Brook he cleared land that become the Meerea property. Somewhere along the way the H was dropped from the family name. 

The Eather brothers, Garth and Rhys, have been making Meerea Park wines at Pokolbin for 35 years now - and the BLACK shiraz is released only in outstanding vintages.

The last was back in 2018. Only 1182 bottles were made and it sells for $350. 

It's an impressive wine. Inky and intense, complex, supple, well balanced and potentially long lived. Think asphalt and cassis. 

BLACK was originally meant to be a one-off commemorative wine, the 2011 coinciding with the 20th Meerea Park vintage release. The BLACK has subsequently been released from the 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2024 vintages.

The 2024 is made from the best three barrels of shiraz that year; open fermented with daily plunging and pumping over carried out. After 18 months in 67% new and 33% one-year-old French oak, BLACK was bottled with moderate filtration.

See www.meereapark.com.au 

New arts festival to enliven Tokyo over winter

Tokyo's streets, waterfronts, parks and public spaces will become a canvas for creativity with the launch of ARTE TOKYO, a new city-wide festival of arts and culture running from October 10 until the end of the year. 

The vibrant Japanese capital will take art beyond traditional galleries and museums. 

The inaugural festival promises to bring together art, theatre, music, performance, illuminations and entertainment across the city, encouraging visitors to discover Tokyo through culture as they explore its neighbourhoods and public spaces. 

The festival will centre on three main areas, Tokyo's Waterfront, Hibiya and Marunouchi, along with and Yoyogi and Shibuya. 

It will transform the Tokyo Bay waterfront into a stage as Odaiba Beach, waterfront parks and promenades will become settings for installations and interactive experiences. 

Visitors can also experience the festival from the water aboard the Arte Tokyo Cruise, connecting Odaiba and Tennoz from October 10 to December 20 - mainly on weekends and public holidays. 

From mid-November, ARTE TOKYO will bring contemporary art into the streets and public spaces of Hibiya and Marunouchi, from Tokyo Midtown Hibiya and Hibiya Park to Tokyo International Forum and the area around Tokyo Station. 

In December, Yoyogi and Shibuya become another major focus, with art and cultural experiences appearing throughout Yoyogi Park and surrounding public spaces. The program connects Yoyogi Park with Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando, encouraging visitors to explore an area where parks, shopping, entertainment and contemporary culture come together.

The festival also overlaps with Tokyo's winter light season, including Yoyogi Forest of Lights, Omotesando Illumination 2026 and Blue Grotto Shibuya 2026, which will illuminate a 900-metre stretch from Shibuya Koen-dori to Yoyogi Park.

ARTE TOKYO will also offer a different way to experience one of the city's historic landscapes.

To coincide with the inaugural festival and the 80th anniversary of Hama-rikyu Gardens, a special night-time art project is planned from November 25 to December 24. 

For more info see https://artetokyo.jp/en/

Surry Hills brewery gets a refresh

Sydney Brewery Surry Hills will re-launch its microbrewery, bar and bistro with a new design, new entertainment options and refreshed drinks and food menus from later this week. 

To celebrate, a new Hoppy Golden Pale Ale will make its debut.

Located at 28 Albion Street, and attached to Rydges Sydney Central, the brewery is just minutes from Central Station and the city centre, and within easy reach of the Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium.

The extensive refurbishment has given the facility "a more contemporary feel" with updated furnishings, a new pool table and a large new screen for live sport. 

Sydney Brewery Surry Hills launched eight years ago with industrial warehouse vibes, exposed brick and concrete walls and street art across the walls. 

"The upgrade reflects everything we love about this neighbourhood: its energy, its character and its people,” says Brittany Peacock-Smith, general manager of Rydges Sydney Central.

“We've put a lot of care into creating a space that feels fresh while staying true to what locals and our regular guests already love about it. We can't wait to welcome everyone back."

The Hoppy Golden Pale Ale. The Renovation Edition features the Surry Hills night skyline on its label. 

Menu offerings include Sydney rock oysters with cider mignonette and steak frites with chimichurri.

Sydney Brewery Surry Hills is part of Sydney Brewery's wider footprint, which includes venues in Alexandria, Rozelle and the Hunter Valley. 

See https://sydneybrewery.com/surry-hills/ 

West Australians bring a taste of Sicily to Darwin

Darwin boutique hotel The Leea has unveiled Lido, a renovated open-air poolside dining hub where the vibe aims to see the Top End meet coastal Sicily. 

The venue consists of three areas: The Garden, Poolside Deck and Indoor Caffè in the heart of Darwin’s CBD.

On the Lido Deck, guests can sip limoncellos and negronis in palm-filled gardens and enjoy dishes starring locally sourced produce.

Designed to share over a spritz or signature cocktail, Lido's antipasti e cicchetti dishes include burrata filled with creamy stracciatella, Humpty Doo figs, walnut crumble and vincotto; crispy calamari fritti tossed in semolina, lemon, parsley, Calabrian chilli salt and herb aioli; and arancini bolognese, a nostalgic nod to the classic Sicilian dish.

 At Lido’s helm is executive chef Samantha Bennett, an award-winning chef and Darwin local who brings an innate knowledge of the Territory's produce to her menus. 

Lido's menu was overseen by Prendiville Group director of food Russell Blaikie, who said the menu was designed to celebrate the Territory's unique produce and relaxed dining culture.

"Lido has been shaped by Darwin's laid-back energy and the Territory's tropical produce, which brings a flavour profile that feels unique to the city," he said. 

"The menu’s dishes have been lightened to match Darwin's climate. Lido's menu is accessible, vibrant and full of bold flavour, fresh herbs and citrus acidity that bring every dish to life - think pickled Humpty Doo mango paired with fresh local snapper. 

"Lido takes the Italian aperitivo ritual of social grazing, drink in hand, and fuses it with the Territory's easy-going nature, offering guests an NT take on a beloved hospitality tradition."

Lido and The Leea mark the first move into the Darwin market by family-run Prendiville Group, who bring decades of boutique hospitality to the Top End and are the team behind more than 20 destination-led venues including Samphire Rottnest and Tigerfish in Cottesloe in Western Australia. They also operate Sandalford Wines.   

The opening of Lido marks the completion of the first stage of The Leea's 18-month transformation of the former Travelodge. 

Lido will officially open to the public on Monday, October 12.

Check out: The Leea : A tranquil hotel in the centre of Darwin.

Images: Jillian McHugh

Stay off our mountain: Warnings for adventurous tourists

Tourists heading for Japan should make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, particularly if they have climbing its most famous mountain on their travel agenda. 

Japan authorities are preparing tougher controls on off-season Mount Fuji climbing, including imposing a potential helicopter rescue charge for hikers who get into trouble outside the mountain’s official climbing season.

Yamanashi Prefecture, which manages the popular northern route, plans to introduce the measures from September 2027 as authorities respond to a rise in climbers attempting the mountain when conditions can be significantly more challenging.

Under the proposed rules, anyone heading above Mount Fuji’s sixth station - at almost 2,400 metres - between early September and July would have to submit a climbing plan in advance. The document would include listing the intended route and equipment being carried, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Hikers rescued by helicopter during the off-season could also receive a bill for the operation. 

Japanese media group NHK reported Yamanashi is considering a charge based on helicopter fuel costs, estimated at around ¥8,000 ($95) for every five minutes of flight time. The final fee has not yet been set.

Neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture, which oversees routes on the mountain's southern side, is also preparing penalties for climbers who fail to register their plans during the off-season.

Authorities also plan to use barricades and sensors to restrict access and alert people attempting to climb when the mountain is officially closed.

Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki urged the public to avoid off-season climbs, saying the measures are intended to make people reconsider what winter conditions on Mount Fuji can involve.

Mount Fuji’s official climbing season runs from July to early September, when approximately 200,000 people attempt to reach the 3,776-metre summit each year.

Outside that window, climbing is already strongly discouraged because of snow, ice, severe weather and the absence of normal mountain services.

Yamanashi has recorded 21 climbing accidents and four deaths during the seven years through 2025. In April 2025, a Chinese university student was reportedly rescued twice within several days after attempting to climb from the Shizuoka side.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi set for opening

One of the great modern travel destinations: Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will open to the public before the end of the year. 

December 11 has been earmarked for the new major attraction to the UAE capital’s Saadiyat Cultural District. 

Travellers can now book visits through the museum’s official website, travel news hub Travel Mole reports. 

Admission will be around $26. 

The museum is located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, alongside Louvre Abu Dhabi and other major cultural projects including the Zayed National Museum and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.

Designed by the late architect Frank Gehry, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will focus on modern and contemporary art, particularly work from the 1960s to the present.

The collection spans painting, sculpture, photography, installation, moving image and new media. 

Various galleries will explore themes including abstraction, popular culture, land, language and storytelling, with works by artists including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, alongside artists from the Arab world, Africa and Asia.

The building itself is expected to be a major attraction. Covering 80,000 square meters, it includes 30 galleries, 11,600 square meters of interior exhibition space and 23,000 square meters of outdoor exhibition areas. 

Ten giant sculptural cones, reaching up to 88 meters, provide shade and natural ventilation.

New French venue for Redfern hotspot

Exciting news for Sydney gourmets with a new French bistro set to open in the hip Wunderlich Lane precinct on the border of Redfern and Surry Hills.

Baptiste Bistro, from the team behind The Apollo, Olympus and Cho Cho San, will open its doors in November.

The 80-seat French restaurant completes a trio of Apollo Group's venues at the precinct after the recent announcement of rooftop izakaya Tenjo.

Designed as a neighbourhood bistro for Redfern, Baptiste will bring an all-day French dining experience to Baptist Street, home of the hip EVE Hotel.

The new venue will be open seven days a week from 7am until late with happy hour offered twice daily. First from from 4–5pm and then 10–11pm.



The kitchen brigade will be led by Luke Papalia from Olympus, who has had stints at Pilu at Freshwater and Norma’s Deli.

The menu will be focused on French bistro classics like fresh goat’s cheese with chive oil and herbs; onion and olive tart, ham and cornichons; and Niçoise, Caesar and Lyonnaise salads.

Rôtisserie chicken will sit at the heart of the menu alongside steak frites, poached marron, and tuna steak au poivre, all served with pommes allumettes. Which is very unFrench. Bring on the frites.

An oyster station at the bar will offer fresh oysters alongside crudités, while the dessert menu stays firmly within French bistro territory, with crème caramel, profiteroles and rhum baba among the offerings.

The beverage program will see wines from classic and new-wave cult producers from France and Australia, aged bottles from the group’s cellar, and a daily selection of wines by the glass.

“We didn't want to open a restaurant that read as brand new, but a bistro that felt like it had been on the corner for years,” says owner and operator Jonathan Barthelmess.

See www.baptiste.com.au

Images: Nikki To.

French wine production to plummet in 2026

French wine production for the 2026 vintage is forecast to fall to almost 34 million hectolitres, putting the harvest 17% below its recent average after drought and heatwaves hit vineyards across the country.

The French Ministry of Agriculture estimates production of almost 34 million hectolitres for 2026, industry news hub drinks business reports.

Based on current estimates output is expected to fall 6% compared with 2025 and sit 17% below the 2021 to 2025 average. 

The ministry attributed the decline both to a reduction in productive vineyard areas and lower yields caused by the adverse weather, particularly drought and summer heatwaves.

The national figure masks considerable regional variation, however, with some wine regions suffering substantial reductions and others recording modest improvements following poor yields in 2025.

Repeated heatwaves and drought had caused widespread damage, with the average national temperature reaching 24.9°C in July, above the previous records cited for 2003 and 1976. 

Some 65% of France experienced what the ministry described as “unprecedented drought”, with water restrictions imposed in 95 departments and 79 classified as being in “crisis” at the height of summer.

In response, agriculture minister Annie Genevard announced an support plan worth more than €1 billion on September 4, intended both to compensate farmers for losses and help agricultural production recover.

The package includes an estimated €520m through France’s national solidarity compensation scheme, more than €300m in property tax relief on undeveloped land and €30m through the agricultural disaster scheme for uninsurable losses, including damage to vines and other perennial crops.

A further €235m agricultural recovery fund has been established to support farms facing difficulties financing inputs and recovering from the summer’s wildfires.

The latest production estimate comes as the French deliberately reduce vineyard area in response to declining consumption and wider difficulties facing the sector.

France is confronting two different pressures at once: structural oversupply in parts of the wine industry and increasingly unpredictable yields in the vineyards that remain.

Image: Silvia Arellano, Scop.io  

Hong Kong aims to further boost tourism numbers

Hong Kong is already a global tourism hotspot but attracting more visitors remains a major focus.

Enhancing the city's appeal as a destination for tourism and major sports and cultural events is a strong part of the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as announced by Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee earlier this month.

Lee unveiled measures to support the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism which will help develop Hong Kong as an East-meets-West Centre for international cultural exchange.

These included enriching the supply of high-quality tourism products, while bolstering infrastructure and ancillary facilities as well as deepening engagement with markets in the Chinese mainland and around the world."Hong Kong is blessed with a unique cultural vision, shaped by both Chinese and foreign influences," Lee said.

"We will continue to engage and collaborate with mainland and overseas culture, arts and creative sectors to consolidate Hong Kong's role as a hub for the exchange, collaboration and promotion of culture, arts and creativity.

"We will also host international cultural and arts exhibitions and performances to attract visitors to Hong Kong."

To support Hong Kong's film industry and promote "Film + Tourism", a Support Unit for Non‑local Film Productions will be set up to provide one‑stop services for mainland and overseas film crews filming in Hong Kong, aiming to attract the production of more quality films to promote Hong Kong.

Lee noted that the Kai Tak Sports Park has substantially expanded Hong Kong's capacity to host international events, with more than 170 sessions of international and local sports and cultural entertainment mega events having been held so far, attracting over 2.6 million spectators.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Rosanna Law, highlighted the growing trend of multi-destination tourism.

Law said that Hong Kong welcomed around 36.67 million visitor arrivals in the first eight months of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of about 11%.

"The proportion of overseas visitors travelling onwards to the Chinese mainland via Hong Kong has continued to rise, exceeding 20% in the first half of 2026," she said.

Drink pink; do some good

If you are in Sydney, love your rosé wine and would like to help out a worthy charity then here is an event for your radar.

Chiswick Woollahra is raising a glass to spring with Rosé Reverie, a one-night soirée of rosé, cocktails and seasonal bites on Sunday, October 18, in support of breast cancer research through Pink Bloom.

From 5pm, Chiswick’s private dining room will see guests invited to mingle, graze and make their way through a line-up of interactive wine experiences - including a cocktail spritz station, blind rosé tasting and experts from wholesalers Joval offering advice.

There’ll be plenty to eat along the way, with a generous selection of canapés including fresh oysters, zucchini flowers with goat’s cheese, smoked salmon with pickle and cream cheese and wagyu sliders.

Naturally, rosé takes centre stage, with Bianca Vigna Prosecco Rosé, Reverie Rosé, AIX, Rameau D’Or, Audrey Wilkinson Rosé and Giant Steps Circle Rosé all being poured throughout the evening.

Tickets are $59 per person, including all food and wine, with $10 from every ticket donated to breast cancer research through Pink Bloom.

Guests can secure their spot at Chiswick Woollahra.

Australians addicted to toxic plastics

If you are a regular visitor to your local beach then you've probably noticed more and more detritus.

Australia’s use of plastics has hit a record 4.2 million tonnes a year; and the oceans are paying the price.

Australians, it seems, prefer convenience over a pristine environment, figures provided by the Australian Marine Conservation Society suggest.

Australia uses a record 80,000 tonnes of plastic a week - the equivalent weight of one-and-a-half Sydney Harbour Bridges, and generates 1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste every year – about 38kg every second.

In fact, Australians sets an unwanted record of using 4,189,600 tonnes of plastic products and packaging in 2024-25, according to the latest Australian plastics flows and fates report, surpassing the previous high set during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AMCS is calling for future reports, now released annually, to include data on plastic pollution – as was previously reported in the 2019-20 plastic flows report.

AMCS Plastics Campaigns Manager Cip Hamilton said: “If you left the tap on and flooded the bathroom, the first thing you’d do is try to cut the water supply. Instead, the government's approach to managing plastic is to just keep mopping while the tap gets turned up and up.

"The only way to end plastic pollution is to cut back on how much plastic is generated.

“The federal and state environment ministers all agreed packaging reform was needed in 2022, again in 2023, and again last Friday. Ministers can agree and agree all they like, but agreement is not stopping a single piece of plastic from reaching our ocean. We need action.

“Some problematic single-use items such as lightweight plastic shopping bags have declined following state bans, but the use of thicker plastic shopping bags and plastic produce bags has shot up. 

"State and territory bans have been a great start and can work, but item-by-item bans will always be one step behind, playing endless whack-a-mole against a rising tide of plastic overproduction.

"This is precisely why we need strong national packaging laws that mandate reductions, set design standards and make companies responsible for the packaging they use.

“Our homes, our waterways, our beaches, and our ocean are drowning under a flood of plastic. Plastic entangles, starves, smothers and poisons marine life. Across Australia, sea turtle hatchlings have hundreds of pieces of plastic in their guts, seals and dolphins are being strangled, and our beloved corals are being suffocated."

Image: Colleen Hughson via BeachPatrol

New direction for popular Hunter Valley wine tasting facility

Leading Hunter Valley wine tasting facility Wine House has new owners and a new direction.

Well-known local couple Matt and Kylie White bring a range of wine industry experience and contacts to the Pokolbin facility and give Silkman, Valley Rising winemakers, and a line-up of Hunter icons, a new spot in the heart of wine country.

Wine House Hunter Valley operates as an independent regional cellar door and wine retailer, a single central destination where visitors can taste, drink and buy wine in one sitting.

Matt White has three decades of wine buying experience in Australia and the UK, while wife Kylie has a Hunter Valley specialist wine marketing consultancy.

Among the brands that will be showcased is Silkman Wines, with wines made by four-time Hunter Valley Winemaker of the year Liz Silkman, whose brand has never had a cellar door of its own.

“I've spent years telling people how good these small producer Hunter wines are and often having to explain there's nowhere to actually taste them,” says Kylie White.

"That's the piece that's been missing for brands like Silkman and many of the newer emerging wine brands who are making some of the region’s most awesome wines. Wine House closes that loop.”

Matthew White (below) has a massive knowledge of Hunter wines.

“Every wine on our tasting list is here because I've personally tasted it and rate it," he said.

Bringing back a line-up of truly iconic Hunter wines like Brokenwood Graveyard, Tyrrell's Vat 1, Maurice O’Shea, Thomas Braemore and the likes is something I think this region really needed – on tasting and all under one roof.

"And for brands without cellar doors like Riggs & Wiggs, Silkman and the newly formed Valley Rising winemakers many of which are even lesser known [think Aeon, Noman, Sabi Wabi, Thea, Gun Powder, Glover, Pokolbin Vintners and the likes] all doing extraordinary things with a tiny footprint - we're the place they can finally point people to.

 
"Naturally we’ll also taste and stock a great selection of other local independent icons to make it convenient for enthusiasts and novices to tick off the Hunter in a day or less.”

The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest and most-visited wine region and is home to more than 150 independent winemakers, many without a cellar door of their own.

 
The new-look Wine House also introduces one of the region’s largest local wine-by-the-glass lists, where guests can sit and enjoy being in the heart of the Hunter, choosing from over 35 wines by the glass, and over 100 by the bottle, alongside plates of food and coffees.

* Wine House Hunter Valley was founded in 1987 as the Small Winemaker Centre and was later rebranded Wine House Hunter Valley.

See www.winehousehuntervalley.com.au

The right hotel kit: to help you sleep better

Do you find it difficult to sleep in a hotel room?

Different bed, different pillows, different air, different light. All can make a difference.

Now hip Melbourne hostelry Hannah St Hotel is coming to the rescue. At a price.

Hannah St is inviting guests to check in, switch off and settle into a better bedtime routine with a new partnership with Melbourne-born MECCA brand kit:.

The design-led Southbank hotel has introduced a bespoke kit: sleep kit to every guest room, turning the traditional minibar into something a little more restorative.

 
Created for busy minds, late arrivals, time zone travellers and anyone who simply wants to slow down, the in-room kit brings three of the brand's sleep essentials together in the place they make the most sense, the media kit assures me.

Available to purchase from the minibar for $25, each sleep kit includes two serves of kit: Sleep Powder, a blackcurrant-flavoured night-time tonic with passionflower, hops and magnesium; a miniature Good Night Balm and Good Night Pillow Mist.

The kit is designed to be shared by two guests during an overnight stay or enjoyed by one guest across a two-night escape.

From October 1, the partnership will also become part of the hotel's suite turndown service. Guests staying in a Lookout Corner Suite, Melbourne Suite, Hannah Suite or Terrace Balcony Suite will find a 2ml Good Night Pillow Mist placed bedside with a supporting ritual card, ready for a final spritz before lights out.

Created in Melbourne in 2022, kit: takes a "stripped-back, no-frills approach to skincare and wellbeing, with modern formulas made for modern life".

The collaboration is the first hotel partnership of its kind for kit:, introducing the brand's sleep products in a setting where rest is not an afterthought but part of the stay.

* Hannah St Hotel is an independently owned hotel operated by TFE Hotels. It has been on my "to visit" list for a while.  

See www.kitsinkind.com.au and hannahsthotel.com

You'll need to be quick to snap up the new Tolpuddle releases; you might already be too late

Tolpuddle Vineyard has been one of Tasmania's great wine success stories, winning a swag of international awards and global acclaim for both its chardonnays and pinot noirs 

Planted back in 1988 by Garry Crittenden, Tony Jordan and the Casimaty family, Tolpuddle is actually an accidental success story. All the vines originally planted were intended for sparkling wines. But it is the site that stars over the clones. 

Since being purchased by Shaw+Smith duo Michael Hill Smith and Martin Shaw on a whim in 2011, the 32-hecrate Coal River Valley vineyard has become one of the most pampered in Australia. 

First under viticulturist/vineyard manager Carlos Souris, and now under former Oakridge vine whisperer Georgie Jacobs, Tolpuddle has being given impressive makeovers. 

From graftings to new plantings and new clones, this vineyard gets the full treatment. No vinous mani/pedis here. Nothing but the best. Constant attention. 

The soils are light silica over sandstone, perfect for high-quality chardonnay and pinot, but also very reflective of their growing seasons. Jacobs (below) describes 2025 as a "solid vintage" but once again attention to detail has paid dividends. 

All this is a precursor to the fact that the new-release 2025 Tolpuddle Chardonnay and 2025 Pinot Noir will be released to the public on October 1. And, as has become customary, it will be case of the quick and those who miss out. 

The wines will be available on allocation - and in some cases have already sold out. Winemaker Adam Wadewitz, one of Australia’s top winemaking talents, has delivered once again, as he should given the quality of the fruit.

The chardonnay is, as has become customary, world class. Feisty, intricate, textural, intense, concentrated but delicious and approachable, it will be much loved by Burgundy aficionados. 

All the elements come together despite its youth; freshness, coiled energy, citrus notes, minerality. Brilliant stuff. 

In the past, some Tolpuddle pinot noirs have been a bit arms and legs on release. The 2025 is one of the most complete I have seen at a young age. Classic dark cherry and wild strawberry notes for sure, but also some taut structure, deli and herbal hints and a winning approachability. There's some brambly elements, hints of spice, but, overall, elegance wins out.   

Both wines have an RRP of $118. See https://www.tolpuddlevineyard.com/ or beg and grovel at your local fine wine outlet. 

Images: Winsor Dobbin, Dearna Bond

Sydney says on-street dining is here to stay

 

The City of Sydney is to begin transforming close to 150 temporary on-street dining areas into high-quality footpath extensions in the latest stage of its outdoor dining program.

The works will follow extensive public feedback about proposed changes to the popular scheme.

"We know outdoor dining has become a valued part of Sydney's street life and culture," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“Both community and business have expressed strong support for our recent proposals which will make outdoor dining easier and boost the vibrancy of neighbourhoods and high streets.

"Now we're taking the next step. We’re replacing the temporary concrete barriers around current on-street dining spaces with attractive, permanent footpath extensions.”

There are currently around 150 temporary on-street dining spaces across the city being considered for conversion, on top of the spaces already planned for conversion as part of major street upgrades on Darlinghurst Road, Erskineville Road and Stanley Street.

The City of Sydney received more than 150 submissions from community members, businesses and organisations with strong support for increasing outdoor dining and making it easier for businesses to operate.

Community feedback highlighted the importance of maintaining accessible footpaths, managing noise impacts and considering the loss of parking spaces.

The final guidelines retain measures to ensure clear, continuous paths of travel for pedestrians and people with disability, while existing processes for assessing parking and traffic impacts will continue to apply.

The City of Sydney’s compliance approach will focus on communication and education for operators until February 1, 2027, except where enforcement action is needed because of significant public safety issues.

The Lord Mayor said by providing a reliable, clear path of travel, maximum space will be available for business while protecting access for people with disability and those pushing prams.

“Our priority is to ensure Sydney continues to have a thriving outdoor dining scene while maintaining sufficient space for others,” Moore said.

Since 2020, when the City of Sydney began offering public footpath and road space to businesses free of charge, over 2,600 applications have been approved. 

Most participating business have felt the effect, council says. Three-quarters of businesses have said the boost in customer numbers meant they needed to hire more employees, with more than one-third seeing a 20% increase in turnover.

“It’s wonderful to see people out on the streets, connecting with each other and enjoying their neighbourhood while supporting local businesses," the Lord Mayor said.

"These latest changes will further enhance outdoor dining experiences while making the city more accessible for those passing through our streets.” 

The City of Sydney has allocated up to $20 million in its long-term financial plan for the program.

Construction of the footpath extensions is expected to begin in early 2027 and take place progressively across the city over the next eight years. Hmm. 

Image: City of Sydney, Abril Felman

Qantas sets date for non-stop Sydney-New York flights

Qantas has confirmed it will launch non-stop flights between Sydney and New York from mid-2028. 

It will be the first ever non-stop commercial service between Australia and the biggest city in the US, as part of the Australian flag carrier's Project Sunrise.

Tickets for the inaugural Sydney to New York service are set to go on sale from August 2027. 

The new flights will cut more than three hours off the total travel time compared with current one-stop services today, connecting Australia's east coast to New York without a stop for the first time in history.

New York is the second Project Sunrise route to be confirmed, following the Sydney to London non-stop flights that begin in October 2027.

Qantas first flew to New York in 1958, as part of its inaugural round-the-world service, reaching the biggest city in the US from Sydney via Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco. Today the airline operates a daily one-stop service between Sydney and New York via Auckland.

The Project Sunrise flights will be operated by specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, fitted with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank that enables the aircraft to fly more than 16,000 kilometres, and up to 22 hours non-stop. 

Qantas will take delivery of 12 aircraft in total, each configured with 238 seats across four cabins.

The first test aircraft is currently in the final stages of its flight test program, and recently completed a record-breaking non-stop 24 hour and 24 minute flight from Melbourne to Toulouse, a first for any commercial airliner in the world, Qantas said in a media release. 

The first aircraft is expected to be delivered to Qantas in April next year.

Qantas says demand for travel between Australia and the United States continues to grow, with visitor arrivals from the US up 5% year-on-year. 

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said adding New York to Project Sunrise was a defining moment for Australia and the US.

“Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning," Hudson said. 

"Reaching New York non-stop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it's a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality.

“New York has always captured the imagination, and for generations, reaching it from Australia has meant breaking up the journey somewhere along the way. From 2028, our customers will be able to board in Sydney and arrive in New York around 18 hours later without stopping once, cutting around three hours off the current fastest travel time. That changes what's possible for travel between our two countries.

“Flying these distances is only worth doing if our customers arrive feeling their best, and that belief has shaped everything we've built. Over the past decade, working alongside experts, we've designed the aircraft and the onboard experience around the science of ultra long-haul travel, from the lighting to the meals to a world-first Wellbeing Zone. This is a fundamentally different way to fly."

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.

# My Hunter operatives popped in during the week. Their verdict: Promising,  but some teething issues in the kitchen and inexperienced waitstaff. 

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.

The project was conceived by Small Wonder 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," McArdle 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.”

Works 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 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 offer 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.

Hotel room designs get an F grade

Who designs hotel rooms?

It often feels like they have never stayed in a hotel themselves.

The last couple of hotels I’ve stayed in have had prime examples of design idiocy.

Like many folk nowadays I need easy access to a couple of power points next to the bed. 

I have a sleep apnoea machine and electronic gadgets that need charging.

In this day and age I do not expect to have to move a bedside table and dive under the bed to access them.

And what about walk-in showers? I’ve encountered a couple recently that are slippery as heck and require you to use both hands to use one of those odious “dispenser” pump packs with their often piss poor amenities. Give me a bar of soap. 

And how about providing a handle in the shower with which to avoid tumbling over, or, heaven forbid, a slip-free surface?

I could throw in impossible-to-understand lighting systems, see-in bathrooms, and shower controls that require an engineering degree just to get a comfortable water temperature and pressure.

But I’ll end with this week’s annoyance when I made the mistake of wanting a mid-evening snack.

The in-room mini bar was “on request” so I trekked down to reception, where I was charged $6.50 for the pleasure of selecting a tiny Snickers bar from a cardboard box that was thrust at me.

I can buy that same bar for $1.25 at my local supermarket.

C’mon hoteliers. Do better.

Meet a wine event designed for furry friends to enjoy

Fancy a weekend away with a furry friend or two ?

Following a sell-out inaugural event in 2025, Coonawarra’s Woof & Wine Walk is returning for 2026 - this time with an expanded weekend of wine, walkies and dog-friendly experiences.

Put the weekend of November 14-15 in your diary.

This year’s event will once again take guests and their four-legged companions along the Coonawarra Wineries Walking Trail, visiting six cellar doors (Brand’s Laira, DiGiorgio Family Wines, Ottelia, Redman Wines, Wynns Coonawarra and Zema Estate), with more competitions, an expanded prize pool and a finale at DiGiorgio Family Wines.

New for 2026 is Downward Dog Pup Yoga at Rymill Coonawarra on Sunday morning, encouraging visitors from Adelaide and Melbourne to bring their dogs, stay overnight and make a weekend of their visit to Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast.

The main event, the Woof & Wine Walk, returns on Saturday, November 14, from 10.30am-4pm, taking participants on a relaxed, self-paced trail between six of Coonawarra’s leading wineries.

Along the way, guests can enjoy premium Coonawarra wines, regional food and a collection of experiences created especially for dogs and their humans - from puppuccinos and puppy pedicures to paw-sonalised wine labels, dog treats, market stalls and plenty of opportunities to stop, sip and enjoy the scenery.

“People are looking for different ways to experience wine regions, with wellness, the outdoors and fun becoming an increasingly important part of the experience,” said event co-organiser Dan Redman.

“We want to create wine events that feel relaxed and approachable, attract new people to Coonawarra and give them another reason to spend a weekend in the region.”

Competitions will include the Best-Dressed Dog Contest, Canine Mini-Me Look-Alike Contest and Best Dog Trick.

The day will start and finish at DiGiorgio Family Wines, where participants collect their pup pack, tasting glass and walking map before setting off along the trail.

Guests are encouraged to return to DiGiorgio Family Wines for the 3.30pm grand finale and prize presentations. 

For those wanting to make a weekend of their visit, the fun continues on Sunday 15 November with a new Downward Dog Pup Yoga experience at Rymill Coonawarra.

Running from 9.30am-11am, the gentle one-hour yoga session is suitable for all abilities and welcomes participants to bring their dogs along.

The $45 ticket includes the yoga class, a cheese and tomato croissant, glass of Rymill NV Sparkling, tea and coffee, and homemade dog treats for the guest of honour.

“We really want to encourage people from Adelaide and Melbourne to make a weekend of Woof & Wine this year,” said event co-organiser Sally McDonald, from Zema Estate.

“Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast have so much to offer visitors travelling with dogs. With the walk on Saturday, Pup Yoga on Sunday and a growing range of dog-friendly accommodation nearby, it’s a great excuse to gather some friends, bring the dogs and spend the weekend in the region.”

Organisers have also compiled a guide to dog-friendly accommodation throughout Coonawarra, Penola and the surrounding Limestone Coast, encouraging visitors to book early and turn their Woof & Wine visit into a regional getaway.