LATEST NEWS
Puffing Billy Running Festival – Can You Beat the Train?
Every year since the 1980s hundreds of people have been running against Puffing Billy. If you are in the Dandenong Ranges, east of Melbourne in September, it is a wonderful family event to attend - can you beat the train this year? What is Puffing Billy? Puffing Billy...
Virgin Australia Sets Date to Use COVID travel credits
Now is the time to book flights with your unused Virgin Australia travel credits. If you have unused Virgin Australia travel credits issued during the COVID pandemic, you are urged to check your account, with an expiry date now officially set. A recent announcement...
The 2026 Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition HAS BEEN WON!
Who doesn’t love a pie? A good old fashioned Australian meat pie from a good old town bakery! And with the amount of bakeries in every Australian town, we are spoilt for choice with the pies on offer. From plain mince beef pie to creamy chicken pie and even vegetable...
BOM declares ‘strongest ever’ El Niño weather event for Australia
Australia’s weather bureau has officially declared El Niño underway. And forecasters are warning the climate driver could intensify into the strongest event recorded in the modern era. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) confirmed on Tuesday (16 June 2026) the Pacific...
Sydney’s second airport is opening 25 October 2026
Sydney will finally have a second airport - the Western Sydney International Airport is opening on 25 October 2026. Yay! Mooted for years, it is almost a reality. And to celebrate tickets went on sale (10 June 2026) for the first commercial passenger flights. Another...
FIFA 2026 World Cup is Here: When to See Australia’s Socceroos
If you love your soccer, you are in for a treat. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here. Being hosted in Canada, USA and Mexico there are a whopping 104 matches between June 12’s opener and the July 20 final. There are 48 tournament entrants and Australia’s Socceroos are one...
Big Pineapple takes a slice of $25.5m boost for Queensland Tourism Icons
Queensland tourist icons are being developed from $80 million allocated from the Tourism Icons Investment Fund. The fund is a key part of the Destination 2045 plan to create jobs, attract new investment, and position Queensland as a world-class tourism destination for...
Dunk Island is back!
The wait is over. After 15 years, Dunk Island is finally open for overnight stays. Yep, Dunk Island is officially welcoming overnight guests again after being decimated by Cyclone Yasi in 2011. Dunk Island sits four kilometres off the Queensland Coast. More precisely...
Melbourne Airport is banning terminal drop-offs to combat congestion – what this means for travellers
Melbourne Airport is banning terminal drop-offs to combat congestion Melbourne Airport is saying goodbye to the 2 minute terminal drop-off. It’s expected later in 2026 saying goodbye at the terminal doors will be a thing of the past. Instead, Melbourne Airport will...
Qantas reduces flights and raises fares as fuel crisis bites
Not what we want to hear - QANTAS, Australia’s largest airline has suspended air routes as Iran war sends jet fuel costs soaring. Australia’s largest airline has cut domestic capacity and suspended four routes amid a fuel cost blowout. This is in response to the Iran...
Victoria in Bloom – Where to See the Autumn Colours
When Autumn arrives, the coolish weather sees the leaves change colour, and some are really beautiful. So where can you see the Autumn Colours in Victoria? Here’s a list of popular places to see Victoria in bloom in Autumn. They are listed in alphabetical order....
Kuranda Scenic Railway Train named among the World’s Best
The Kuranda Scenic Railway, which takes passengers between Cairns and Kuranda ranked 12th on a list of World’s best railway journeys by InsureandGo. The research to come to this conclusion involved analysing a number of things. Mostly, looking at how quickly scenery...
Booking.com suffers Data Breach – How This Could Affect You
This post was first published on my live and work abroad website LiveWorkPlayTravel. I have published it on Discover Australia Now as it is very relevant to people travelling Australia. Particularly those who use Booking.com to book accommodation - like myself. ...
Australia is launching a new Emergency Warning System in 2026 – AusAlert
Australia is launching a new emergency warning system in 2026. On Monday, July 27, don't panic, just prepare to hear a loud siren blast from mobile phones. Yes, millions of Aussies will receive a loud mobile alert on July 27 as part of the AusAlert trial. It’s part of...
Should You Cancel Your Travel Plans with the Fuel Crisis?
Fuel Prices are up, here’s how I’m handling it while travelling Australia Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know fuel prices have risen a LOT across Australia. And with the conflict on the other side of world with no end in sight, us Australians are...
Tourists Will Be Charged to See the Twelve Apostles
Tourists will be charged to see the Twelve Apostles. Is this a good thing? The Victorian Government has announced there will be a new and upgraded Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre opening in late 2026. To help cover the cost of operating and maintaining this new tourism...
New Ningaloo Booking System Trial
New Ningaloo Booking System Trial To say that Ningaloo, WA is a popular spot on any Big Lap of Australia or road trip around Western Australia is an understatement. So popular is Ningaloo that a new booking system trial has been launched. It means the Western...