Fall in Love with Queensland

Get your heart pumping for Valentine’s Day with water-skiing, stand-up-paddle boarding and 7D-cinema, before putting your feet up to enjoy some of Queensland’s most relaxing spots.

Escape summer’s sting at Coolwaters Holiday Village

Coolwaters Holiday Village

Soak up the last days of summer at the newly refurbished Coolwaters Holiday Village on Queensland’s Capricorn Coast. Set 40 minutes out of Rockhampton on Causeway Lake, Coolwaters Holiday Village has cause for celebration opening a new pool, five waterslides, tipping buckets and interactive water activities. It’s not just the facilities that have experienced a makeover, 11 units have been fully renovated and five villas spruced up as part of the $3.5 million project.

Further Information:
Rates: Prices range from $38/night for a powered van site through to $185/night for a deluxe family unit.
W: www.coolwaters.com.au

Rest, relax, repeat at Dumaresq Homestead

Dumaresq Homestead

Swap the city for the country at Dumaresq Homestead, a 9000-acre working cattle and crop property on the Queensland-New South Wales border. The exclusive-hire homestead sleeps 12 guests with a fully equipped kitchen and cold room available for longer stays and catered events. Dumaresq Homestead has endless space to keep holidaymakers busy, with farm tours, walking tracks and 11 kilometres of the Dumaresq River to explore. BYO horse and explore the acreage, colourful sunsets and million-star nights before retiring your equine friend to the property’s covered yards.

Further Information:
Rates: 3 nights (up to 12 guests) $1400, 5 nights (up to 12 guests) $1800, longer stays available on application.
W: www.dumaresqhomestead.com.au

Discover the many jewels in the Whitsundays crown

Papillon Luxury Yacht Charters

Put the wind in your sails and discover the Whitsundays aboard one of Papillon’s two new luxury yacht vessels. The crew at Papillon Luxury Yacht Charters can design a bespoke itinerary for as many as 14 guests, catering to every sailor’s whim from personal chefs to private snorkelling experiences. Create your own itinerary through the Coral Sea to discover islands and reef at your leisure, or set sail for as little as a few hours to enjoy the spectacular Whitsundays sunset.

Further Information:
Rates: POA – price varies based on custom experience.
W: www.papillonyacht.com.au

Australia’s first 7D cinema opens on the Gold Coast

7D cinema

The glittering Gold Coast can add seven new dimensions to its resume with Australia’s first 7D cinema open in Trickett Street, Surfers Paradise. 7D cinema amplifies the 3D film experience with high tech seats and special effects that simulate the weather and the onscreen action. Dive the reef, take a thrilling tuk-tuk ride through the streets of China or take off into space, wearing only 3D glasses and from the comfort of your Ferrari-style bucket seat inside a six or nine person simulator. With no set session times, it’s as easy as turning up and choosing one of the ten films on offer.

Further Information:
Rates: $15 adult, $13 student, $12.50 per person (4 + people).
W: www.7dcinema.com.au

Comfort and class in Townsville

Papillon Luxury Yacht Charters

Get to know Townsville from the newly opened 4.5 star Best Western Islington Apartments, set just 15 minutes from the airport and five minute stroll to the city centre. Brimming with the amenities of a hotel that’s part of the world’s biggest hotel family, Best Western, guests can choose from 30 one, two and three bedroom self-contained serviced apartments. Added bonuses of free Wi-Fi and parking make this the perfect jumping off point to discover the region.

Further Information:
Rates: One bedroom apartment from $155 per night; two bedroom apartment from $210 per night.
W: www.bestwestern.com.au/townsville/hotels/best-western-islington-apartments

Find your inner balance in Raby Bay

Bay Island Stand Up Paddle

Test your balance and core strength with Bay Island Stand Up Paddle on the flat calm waters of Raby Bay, just 30 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD. If you are looking to add more power to your SUP session, join the weekend SUP Boot Camp and get the heart pumping with shuttle runs, kettle bells and tyre drags before taking it to the water on a SUP for an all-round workout. For something less intense – boost your balance with outdoor yoga on the foreshore before taking the moves you’ve learnt on dry land to the water atop a stand up paddle. Regular SUP lessons are held on weekends, public holidays and school holidays and private board hire is available for $15/an hour for those wanting to paddle solo.

Further Information:
Rates: Group lesson $55/hour; private lesson $99/hour; private hire $15/hour.
W: www.bayislandsup.com.au

Ski your way to a gold medal on the Sunshine Coast

Oz Ski Resort

Move over Sochi and forget the snow–strap on a pair of water-skis at Oz Ski Resort, the Sunshine Coast’s only fresh water ski boat facility. Set on a man-made lake at Coolum, adrenalin junkies can now test their water-skiing and wake-boarding skills without the need for a boat or Jet Ski. Catering for beginners right through to advanced water babies, Oz Ski Resort provides experienced coaches in one-on-one or group coaching sessions.

Further Information:
Rates: Casual visitors $55 lesson/ski; Groups $170 per hour (3-4 ski rides), 2 hours $250 (6-8 ski rides); Day Pass – 3 lessons $150, 4 lessons $190; 10 lesson pass $490.
W: www.ozskiresort.com

Let’s make cheese, please

Easy Cheesy

Fascinated about fromage? Chuffed about cheese? Easy Cheesy offers half-day cheese-making workshops in the Sunshine Coast hinterland village of Cooran. Led by master cheese maker, Dawn Couchman, the 3.5-hour workshops take budding cheese makers through the A-B-Cheese of the dairy world. Walk away with insights into what makes a good cheese, as well as your very own handmade ricotta, lime cheese, mascarpone and yoghurt.

Further Information:
Rates: Cheese making workshop $90 (includes morning tea and your take home goodies)
W: www.easycheesy.com.au

Pedal a pushy in Mooloolaba

Forget the sweaty scene of cycling and hire a Californian electric cruiser bike from the Electric Bike Centre in Mooloolaba. These colourful contraptions pedal like a normal bike but their motor can take you to speeds of 25-kilometres an hour, taking the sting out of hills and coastal winds. Available in both a single and tandem frame, these bikes are easy to ride and no licences or insurances are required to hop behind the handlebars.

Further Information:
Rates: Single electric bike: 2-hour hire $35, 4-hour hire $50. Tandem electric bike: 2 hour hire $45, 4-hour hire $60.
W: www.electricbikecentre.com.au