Exploring the many faces of the Mornington Peninsula

There are golf courses galore; cellar doors with world-class restaurants and breathtakingly beautiful countryside. And best of all the Mornington Peninsula is just a one-hour drive south of Melbourne. 

The Green Olive at Red Hill

It is not so long ago that the peninsula was a sleepy hollow where Melbourne professionals had weekenders, or holiday homes. Other than over the busy summer holidays it was a haven of tranquillity.

But the secret hideaway of Melbourne’s movers and shakers is a secret no more. Over the past three decades winemakers and boutique food producers have descended – enticed by both the region's beauty and a cool-maritime climate.

The breezes from Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait ideal for producing fine wines, growing olives and making artisanal cheeses.

Year round, exploring the peninsula will lead visitors to lively produce markets and roadside stalls selling seasonal produce.

The list of wineries is a roll call of Victoria's finest boutique producers: Hurley Vineyard, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate, Eldridge Estate, Foxeys Hangout, Ocean Eight, Paringa Estate, Paradigm Hill, Polperro, Stonier, Crittenden Estate, Garagiste, Main Ridge and Yabby Lake among them.

Lunch at Yabby Lake Vineyard

Today there are over 170 vineyards and more than 50 cellar doors as you wind your way round the confusingly zigzag roads that traverse Red Hill, Merricks, Main Ridge, Balnarring and Moorooduc – and the varieties range from pinot noir and chardonnay to less common varieties including arneis and sangiovese.

Many of the best gourmet producers are members of the new Wine Food Farmgate initiative showcasing the best of the area, which is today the most expensive vineyard land in Australia. 

And the vignerons have helped create an area that now boasts dozens of appealing eateries and a range of great places to stay.

And it is very much a region on the move with something new to discover every time you visit, from cider producers, craft brewers in most unlikely settings as well as hot springs retreats and mazes. 

Apples at Mock Orchards

Yet there are still surprises to be stumbled upon; think hidden truffle groves that can only be explored with the aid of companies like Mornington Peninsula Experience Tours, or craft breweries – with Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Red Hill Brewery leading the charge. 

Visitors can arrange tours of the industrial-style Mornington Peninsula Brewery and learn more about the complex combination of malted barley and hops. This craft brewery is hidden away in an industrial estate but is hugely popular with locals and visitors alike with a constantly changing range of beers. The Brewery Bar is known for its gourmet pizzas and features live music on Sundays.

Also check out Bass and Flinders Distillery. Founded five years ago, this tiny artisan distillery is tucked away behind the Darling Park winery and offers tastings of small-batch gins and vodkas, among a large range of spirits, all made using local products.

# Mock Orchards: A rustic farm gate operation where visitors can arrive by car, horse or bike to sample a range of biodynamic ciders and fruit juices. The Mock family has been growing apples since 1895.

# Polperro: Open just a few months on the estate previously known as Vines of Red Hill, Polperro has a bistro serving refined yet casual food, a tiny wine bar, wine tasting room and four refurbished studio apartments with spa baths and vineyard views. Think dishes like duck cassoulet and mushroom brioche, or delicious smoked fish croquettes and wines under the Polperro and Even Keel labels.

Vineyards at Port Phillip Estate  

# Green Olive: This 27-acre sustainable farm is the closest thing Australia has to an “agriturismo” experience. Guests are offered the chance to sample and eat produce grown or raised on the property; ranging from sheep to olives.

And these relatively new experiences are only scratching the surface of what the peninsula has to offer.

The recently inaugurated Wine Food Farmgate trail is the perfect introduction to the region's many gourmet attractions. 

For more information: Mornington Peninsula Tourism, (03) 5987 3078, www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org. See www.winefoodfarmgate.com.au. 

# A version of this story first appeared in Golf Magazine Australia 

Combining a classic rail adventure with wild water rafting

I've done one of these adventures, and thoroughly enjoyed it - and I'm very keen to sample the second when the weather warms up in Tasmania. 

The West Coast Wilderness Railway has teamed up with King River Rafting Company to offer an exciting-sounding new journey: Steam, River and Raft.

This full-day experience offers guests the opportunity to ride the West Coast Wilderness Railway before being transferred to the King River for an afternoon of rafting and generous hospitality in beautiful natural surroundings.

The journey begins at 9am in Queenstown on board the historic steam train, where guests enjoy wilderness vistas as they traverse many bridges enjoying spectacular views of the majestic King River and Gorge, while receiving enlightening commentary about the region’s rich and colourful history. 

This is one of the best rail journeys I've ever done.

After venturing deep into the rainforest to Dubbil Barril station, guests depart the steam train and swap the comfort of the restored heritage carriages for inflatable rafts, kicking off their river adventure with the King River Rafting Company.

Experienced guides navigate guests through the gentle rapids and provide a packed lunch on the banks of river. The rafts then venture on through some more stunning scenery to Macquarie Harbour, where guests are collected and transported back to where the journey all began in Queenstown, returning at 5pm.

West Coast Wilderness Railway General Manager Michael Saville said there is a great appetite from visitors for new experiences on the West Coast of the Apple Isle.

“We are always looking for new ways to develop on our existing railway experience so we can continue drawing visitors across to Tasmania’s West Coast. What better way than to combine forces with our fellow tourism operators, the King River Rafting Company to provide this exciting new journey?

“We’re thrilled to share we’ve had an 85 per cent increase in passenger numbers from January 2014 to January 2015. In addition, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania (RACT), visitor numbers to the West Coast have grown by 40 per cent in the same period, which the RACT partly attributes to the re-opening of the West Coast Wilderness Railway.”

The Steam, River and Raft adventure resumes in the summer season and costs $230 per person, including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. The rafting is suitable for people aged 10-70. Maximum guests on each departure is 16 and bookings are essential.

For information and reservations visit www.wcwr.com.au, email enquiries@wcwr.com.au or call +61 3 6471 0100.

Has Singapore Airlines lost its way?

A decade or so ago just about everyone had a Nokia mobile phone. The Finnish company was at the cutting edge of phone technology and its competitors' offerings paled into insignificance. 

Then along came Apple's iPhone and Nokia paid a heavy price for its complacency and not keeping an eye on the opposition. 

After four flights on Singapore Airlines over the past week, it occurs to me that the one-time undisputed leader in the premium airline category seems to be suffering from similar complacency. 

Whereas the Singapore Girl was once "a great way to fly" she's now just average, a crone trailing in the wake of innovative and well-funded rivals like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar, who offer slicker service, better meals and wider entertainment choices.  

My flights took me from Melbourne to Singapore and on to Malé in the Maldives and back; legs of around seven hours and four and a half hours respectively. No much-vaunted A380s to be seen here.

And while none of the legs were shockers, only one was truly comfortable - the Malé to Singapore leg on a three-quarters empty plane. On others seats were cramped, the amenities pack a laughable pair of socks and dud toothbrush. 

Despite my being a Virgin Australia gold frequent flyer, Singapore completely ignored that fact on the first two legs, giving me the middle seat in a full row of three both times. Yep, that's partner priority for you. I got preferred aisle seats on the way back after asking their PR company for help. If you are dealing with Singapore it pays to insist on your rights.

And the service was sometimes lacklustre, too. Not rude, just not as glossy as we've come to expect from Singapore and its carefully polished image of smiling superiority. 

Apart from one stunning sambal fish dish, the food was also disappointing; all around me people were rejecting the soggy pasta salad and stale cake on the final leg to Melbourne. The food offerings on budget airline Air Asia are vastly superior to this dross. 

The wines offered in economy (where I fly 90% of the time) were a French red and two whites; generic and barely fit for purpose. Clearly not a priority for "the world's most-awarded airline".

I spoke to two Singapore Airways staffers, who indicated that aging equipment and budget cuts were to blame for the falling standards. 

The old-style IFE system on one Boeing 777-300 was almost impossible to listen to through the crackles, while on another leg it was hard to get a drink of water during the night after all the cabin crew disappeared. And the TV screens were nowhere near the size or quality of those in this supplied picture (above).

I'm not saying, for a minute, that Singapore is a dud airline. It still has a formidable reputation for the quality of its business- and first-class service. And its economy service is, well, serviceable.

What I am arguing is that whereas it was once the automatic first option of any economy-class traveller with a choice of carriers; that is no longer the case. I elected to fly Singapore this time over several others flying similar routes; but no more. There are several options as good, or better. 

It seems clear to me that Singapore Airlines is resting on its laurels after years of acclaim. Let's hope it doesn't end up going the way of Nokia, which was swallowed up by Microsoft. 

It somehow just seems wrong for an icon to risk becoming mediocre.        

Is this the best hotel address in Perth?

Perth is a city on the move; full of swagger and bravado. And its hotels can be much the same; all swish, no substance.

I've sampled several Perth hotels over the past couple of years and none has impressed me quite as much as the Best Western Premier Terrace Hotel in the heart of downtown.

The service here is top-notch; a personal greeting, someone to guide you to your room and carry your bags, a person on the desk who has time to chat and offer local suggestions. Free newspapers. Old-fashioned courtesy rules here.

Situated in Perth's West End, right on bustling St George's Terrace, the hotel was once the heritage-listed St George's House, built in 1892 by the Anglican Church and reborn three years ago as a boutique hotel with a quiet charm. 

The Terrace features seven suites and eight junior suites and is popular with business people, who enjoy the Bang and Olufsen sound and television systems, an iPad, Apple TV and Foxtel IQ, as well as the reliably good fast and free wifi. 

Less impressive are the many light fittings (I never learnt how to get the bathroom ones to work properly), although the bed was extremely comfortable. 

It's probably not the best place to bring your tetchy maiden aunt, however, with (tasteful) paintings in both rooms and public spaces that caused me to ask if the place had once been a brothel.    

The Terrace restaurant is a meeting place of the city's smart minds and bodies, both in suits and jeans, and a superb spot for a late afternoon wine or beer. 

There is an excellent wine list (over 500 labels) and on-site sommelier. I'm told that ladies who lunch enjoy high tea in the afternoons (and no doubt I would as well). 

It's a good lunch option, too, with a choice of seven dishes every Monday to Saturday from 12-3pm for $25 including a glass of beer, wine, soft drink, coffee or tea. 

I'm sorry I cannot be totally positive. When a fellow guest and I descended for breakfast at the advertised time of 6.30am, the cook was nowhere to be found. With an early flight to catch I had to settle for a breakfast juice from an apologetic young waitress.

It is testimony to how impressed I was by the hotel overall that this glitch would not prevent me from staying again. One Twitter contact described it as "the best Best Western ever". 

Not for nothing has it collected a swag of awards in its three years of existence, I guess. A range of packages are available, including two weekend nights from $499 for a couple in a deluxe room.  

Best Western Premier Terrace Hotel, 237 St George's Terrace, Perth, WA 6000. www.terracehotelperth.com.au.        
 

The perfect base from which to explore the gourmet Great Southern

If your idea of a bed and breakfast is a musty old house with a nosy landlady, lace curtains and shared bathrooms then Beach House at Bayside will come as a very pleasant surprise.

More luxury hotel than traditional B&B, the five-star Beach House at Bayside is located in a golf resort complex just 50 metres from Middleton Beach and 10-minutes drive from downtown Albany, the heartbeat of Western Australia's Great Southern region.

There are seven totally private and very modern suites here, all with en suite bathrooms and some with double spa baths.

The rooms are extremely well equipped (think bathrobes, air-conditioning, heated towel rails, minibars, and a selection of gourmet cakes and fresh fruit) in each room, along with fast and efficient free wifi. 

The breakfasts (choose from a buffet or a full cooked menu) are outstanding with offerings including smoked salmon and fresh local mushrooms and there is a room service menu for those who would like to lunch or dine on site. Choices range from gourmet platters to a hearty BLT. 

The little touches continue with free afternoon teas, complimentary port and chocolates after dinner and an honesty bar in the comfortable lounge, where guests can relax with a book, or choose from a range of DVDs.

The owners, Craig and Sally Pullin, both come from professional hospitality backgrounds and it shows. Craig has worked in several restaurants, while Sally worked in marketing for a five-star hotel in Melbourne.

They make themselves available to ferry guests without transport to local restaurants and are a mine of information about local attractions, including the wineries of the Great Southern.

With sand dunes and one of the state's best golf courses within walking distance, it is hard to imagine a better location, although a car is a must for anyone planning to explore the region.

The Beach House at Bayside, 33 Barry Court, Albany, Western Australia. 
www.thebeachhouseatbayside.com.au. Winter special rates are available from May 1-August 31.

How to save money when booking hotel rooms

There is nothing more annoying than finding you have paid much more than you needed to spend to stay at the hotel of your choice.

Anyone paying the full rate for hotels in the current economic environment probably has more money than sense.

With discount websites abounding, and hotels often willing to match or better online prices, it pays to shop around before booking a $400 room that someone cannier than you might have snared for $240. 

There are many strategies that can be used in order to cut costs and find the cheapest room available - and bookings website www.hotelscombined.com recently uploaded a guide to some of the best ideas; ranging from telling the reception clerk that it's your honeymoon, to waiting until the very last minute to book. 

Among their tips:

• Be flexible. By comparing several hotels in the same location you might find a cheaper price.
• Free extras: Keep an eye out for hotels offering complimentary breakfast, free wifi, or lounge access. These can all help save cash. 
• Book the standard. Standard rooms are generally the most affordable hotel rooms.
• Think independent. Look beyond the big hotel chains. Independent hotels can offer excellent rates and services and are often up to 50% cheaper than chains.
• Show you are loyal. Joining hotel loyalty programs or membership clubs can be a ticket to discounted rates or upgrades. These programs are usually free to join and you'll be able to take advantage of the benefits (better room placement or amenities, discount codes and sales) for your next stay.
• Check your rate. Make sure the rate you are being offered includes taxes and additional fees. 
• Know your seasons. Understand the peak seasons and the low seasons, and the events that will be occurring in the city you are travelling to at that time. These factors will affect the rate and availability of hotel rooms. 
• Plan in advance.  Booking at least 30 days in advance will ensure you get the pick of the widest range of hotel room options. Not only can room prices jump in the lead up to a particular date, but the availability and room choice will be limited.
• Extend your stay. Rates constantly change and you may find that it's cheaper to stay at a hotel from Saturday to Tuesday than from Wednesday to Friday.
• Shop around online. Research is the key and you should be sure to check out as many options as possible. There are hundreds of sites out there offering different rates and options. Hotels Combined claims to compare them all. 

My top tip is to check online for the best price at the hotel you want to stay at, and then ring that hotel directly asking them for a better price. Remember they will be saving around 20% in commission that they would pay Expedia or Wotif. Ring during the day and ask to speak to the reservations department directly, as it is unlikely desk clerks will have the clout to do this. They may think you are a cheapskate; but you'll have saved a whole heap of cash.