New Tourism in Queensland August 2017

QT Gold Coast's Yamagen

Are your tastebuds tingling? Is your sense of adventure peaking? Well if not, then wait 'til you see what's new in Queensland this month – you'll be booking your tickets and packing your bags faster than you can say 'holiday'! There's new ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef, tales of a bygone era to be told and many new digs to whet your appetite. Read on for new ways to explore Queensland in August:

Bucket List Beauty

Tick off a bucket list adventure 500 metres above sea level. Amytis Gardens Retreat and Air Fraser Island are offering a one-of-a-kind Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island experience. Indulge in the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland with three nights in a deluxe chalet nestled high in the hills amongst 16 acres of eucalypt trees, complete with a breakfast basket each morning and $50 credit towards the Amytis Day Spa, and then fly to world heritage listed Fraser Island, landing on 75 Mile Beach to meet your 4WD hire. Set off down the sand highway for a day of exploring, before returning with Air Fraser Island to relax by the fire with a glass of wine. Rates start from $598.50 per person twin share.

More information:
Anita Conroy
Amytis Gardens Retreat
P: +61 7 5450 0115
E: amytis@bigpond.com
W: www.amytisgardens.com.au

Rewriting history in Cairns

History buffs rejoice! The highly anticipated Cairns Museum has opened its doors to the public showcasing the city's past through four main galleries: Cairns Over Time, Old Cairns and the School of Arts, Living in the Tropics and Changing Cairns. The museum was curated by Jo Beasley and Jo Willis, installed by Michael Marzik accompanied by the master of material, Michael Marendy. Located in the School of Arts building in the heart of the city, the museum covers three floors and houses a large veranda doubling as a function space. If you're keen to get to know this tropical town, you can visit for $10 a day for adults and $5 for kids under 14, or locals can buy a $25 annual pass. Cairns Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am til 4pm, and closed on Sunday.

More information:
P: +61 7 4051 5582
E: info@cairnsmuseum.org.au
W: www.cairnsmuseum.org.au

Stay clam…

Long-time Cairns dive operator, Divers Den, has introduced a new, purpose-built vessel located in Port Douglas. AquaQuest, a 25-metre catamaran, offers diving and snorkelling day trips to the Outer Great Barrier Reef for seasoned pros and first-timers. Heading 62km offshore, the tours visit two different locations with nine locations to choose from including Agincourt, Opal and St Crispin's Reefs. For divers, AquaQuest is the only day trip vessel in Tropical North Queensland with on-board nitrox filling facilities and buddy diving system. Departing from the Port Douglas Reef Marina daily, the tour runs from 8.00am until 4.30pm, with prices starting from $176.50 for kids aged 4-14 and $236.50 for adults.

More information:
Pip Miller
Publicist, Pip Miller PR
P: +61 419 681 543
E: pip@pipmillerr.com.au
W: www.diverseden.com.au

Craft-y

Take a funky fresh microbrewery and add it to the Port Douglas Reef Marina, mix it with a brewery tour and you've got yourself a recipe for a good time. The popular Hemingways Brewery has commenced Brewery Tours at their waterfront digs, where they craft beer that is inspired by their tropical surrounds, using the purest sacred water from the Mossman River. For $25 per head, beer-lovers can enjoy the freshest local craft brews on a tasting paddle and get the low down from Hemingways' expert brewers on the process. The tours run for one hour from 11.00am on Monday's and Wednesday's and enclosed footwear is required.

More information:
Tara Bennett
Executive Officer, Tourism Port Douglas & Daintree
P: +61 7 428 581 404
E: eo@visitportdouglasdaintree.com
W: www.hemingwaysbrewery.com

Pasta la vista, baby!

As they say, out with the old and in with the new! The iconic chef-hatted restaurant, Harrisons by Spencer Patrick, has fully adopted this notion, with new location and new fit out. Now open in the Sheraton Grand Mirage in Port Douglas, the dining hotspot oozes elegance with overhanging chandeliers, a new cocktail bar and lounge and alfresco dining. Choose from culinary delights like caviar served with sour cream and fried potato skins, or tortellini of endeavour prawns served with pickled cabbage, bacon, pork and prawn broth. Harrisons by Spencer Patrick seats up to 125 and is open daily from 12pm for lunch and dinner.

More information:
Tara Bennett
Executive Officer, Tourism Port Douglas & Daintree
P: +61 7 428 581 404
E: eo@visitportdouglasdaintree.com
W: www.harrisonsrestaurant.com.au

O-fish-ally open!

A Gold Coast dining icon has undergone a major facelift – QT Gold Coast's Yamagen restaurant has been reimagined, redesigned and refurbished, reopening its doors as one of the city's hottest new Japanese izakaya's. The 76-seat space introduces an innovative menu that fuses traditional Japanese cuisine with new flavours reminiscent of downtown Tokyo. Think sashimi tacos, yellowfin tuna tartare and master kobe wagyu. The new-look restaurant is a sleek oriental feel with pops of red and blue tones and features 15-seat sushi counter for exclusive dining. Eyes on the bar menu and you'll spot a long list of craft beers, top-shelf sake, Japanese whiskies and a range of unconventional cocktails. Yamagen is open for dinner 7 days from 5.00pm, located inside the QT Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise.

More information:
Kobi Facto
Director of Communications, QT Resorts and spaQ
P: +61 419 652 446
E: kobi_facto@evt.com
W: www.qthotelsandresorts.com/gold-coast

Toot toot, beep beep!

Thought you could only ride a Tuk Tuk in Thailand? Think again! Just Tuk'n

Around have been tooting their way around Airlie Beach with half-hour and one-hour informative tours for visitors, and have now introduced a progressive dinner concept that takes guests to some of the best eateries spots in town. Their new tour is set over three hours, transporting food-hoppers to Sorrento for pizzas and sundowners, then onto Shucks for oysters and Denman Cellars for share platters, finishing at KC's Chargrill & Bar for live music. Itineraries can be tailored to suit guests and daytime tours are available for booking. Three-hour tour prices start from $99 including food.

More information:
Deborah Friend
PR and Communications Specialist, Tourism Whitsundays
P: +61 7 4948 5917
E: pr@tourismwhitsundays.com.au
W: www.justtuknaround.com.au

You're knot gonna' believe it…

Another notch has been added to Mirage Whitsundays' luxury belt with the July 1 opening of their lavish new day spa. Inhale serenity and exhale your woes as you step foot into Tranquility @ Mirage. Mirage Whitsundays is located on the water's edge of Airlie Beach, with luxury apartment and villa accommodation starting from around $550 for two nights in an apartment per couple (minimum two-night stay).

More information:
Ben Clifford,
Marketing Manager, Mirage Whitsundays
P: +61 7 4948 1940
E: admin@miragewhitsundays.com.au
W: www.miragewhitsundays.com.au