Each autumn, the deciduous trees in the town of Bright and the surrounding countryside put on a breathtaking display of colour. From its location on the beautiful Ovens River in the valley below Mount Buffalo, Bright's avenues of elms, chestnuts, poplars and scarlet oaks combined with the gardens of local residents for the autumnal display. Let Bright's great outdoors entertain you year-round thanks to its proximity to the Alpine National Park and the snowfields of Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Mount Buffalo. Road cycling and mountain biking enthusiasts flock to the area, whether to cruise the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail or tackle the 7 Peaks Alpine Ascent. Hiking, kayaking and even ballooning are guaranteed the keep the heart-rate pumping. Follow the walking and bicycle paths around the town and view its picturesque natural setting from lookouts over the valley and surrounding mountains. Along the river trails, you'll find great fishing spots that are renowned for trout as well as safe swimming holes for a refreshing dip on warm summer days. The concentration of food and wine from the Alpine Valleys is one of Bright's most popular attractions with excellent wineries, stunning produce, award-winning restaurants and a casual café culture to sate an appetite. Time your visit to coincide with the High Country Harvest Festival. Join in the fun, pick up new recipes and meet the makers of some of Victoria's finest food, wine and craft beer. Other popular local events include the Bright Autumn Festival and the Bright Spring Festival. Bright is 308 kilometres from Melbourne on the Great Alpine Road. Access is from the Hume Freeway at Wangaratta. You can also reach Bright via the Princes Highway through Bairnsdale and then onto the Omeo Highway and over the High Plains on the Great Alpine Road.

Explore the beautiful Murramarang National Park near Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. There are great surfing, swimming, walking, camping and fishing opportunities. Spanning 44 kilometres of dramatic coastline, Murramarang National Park is the ultimate spot to soak up some sun and explore the cliffs, headlands and pristine beaches of the New South Wales South Coast. Be sure to pack your swimmers to hit the surf, your binoculars to spot peregrine falcons and sea eagles that soar high above the cliffs and your fishing rod to catch your dinner. This is one of the rare spots in Australia where the spotted gums grow right down to the ocean, offering plenty of shade in the warmer months and a stunning backdrop for a nature escape all year round. It’s a great place to spend the day. If you’d like to stay longer, there is a choice of campgrounds, including caravan and motor home sites and a range of facilities. If you don’t feel like camping, you can book yourself into park accommodation at the Depot Beach cabins or Pretty Beach cabins.

From Queensland's largest selection of fashion and award-winning food and drink to countless entertainment options, The City truly offers a discovery in every direction. You know you've arrived in Brisbane when you catch a glimpse of the iconic Story Bridge as a CityCat glides underneath, creating glistening ripples in the winding Brisbane River. The City's most recognisable natural landmark takes centre stage and is lined with Brisbane's finest alfresco restaurants and bars, offering unmasked views and complimenting the city's celebrated outdoor lifestyle. There are over 1,000 stores to choose from in the famous Queen Street Mall, plus it's surrounding streets Adelaide, Edward and Elizabeth. Offering the State's largest collection of flagship stores and unique boutiques, truly making The City Queensland's premier shopping destination. Once you tear yourself away from shopping you'll discover the largest collection of Good Food Guide-awarded restaurants, cafes and bars in Queensland, there are hundreds of options to whet your palette. You won't find it hard amusing yourself in The City. There's The City Sounds program - Australia's largest free music program showcasing Brisbane's emerging and established music talent across the Central Business District every week. Plus another 1,000 or so events that take place throughout The City every year, plus cinemas, salons, day spas, a casino, galleries, a bowling alley and historic sites. Take a break in the inner-city sanctuary of the City Botanic Gardens, home to lush stretches of green grass and exotic and native plants. Relax at Roma Street Parklands, the world's largest subtropical garden in a City centre. Getting around The City is an effortless journey due to its compact nature. With major attractions, restaurants and hotels clustered around the river peninsula, Brisbane is most easily explored on foot with the streets laid out in a grid-like system, leaving little chance for disorientation.

In Busselton's calm turquoise bay you can take a 1.8-kilometre stroll or train ride over the Indian Ocean on the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere. And below the waves, Australia's best artificial reef can be viewed by stepping into the Underwater Observatory or getting suited up for a diving tour. Twice voted Western Australia's Top Tourism Town, and just a short hop from the Margaret River wine region, Busselton gives you plenty of reasons to take the 2-hour-and-40-minute drive or 50-minute flight south from Perth. Its iconic, heritage-listed jetty was originally built in 1865, and a ticket to ride with the Busselton Jetty Experience takes you all the way to the end to get a glimpse of the colourful fish and tropical corals that have made it their home, thanks to the warm waters of the Leeuwin current. Along the north-facing shoreline, the tranquil waters, white sands, lush lawns and shady pine trees of the main swimming beach offer the perfect setting for a family day beside the sea. Here, and along a 30-kilometre coastline of immaculate beaches, you can try your hand at fishing, water skiing, snorkelling, scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking or sailing in the calm waters of Geographe Bay. A short walk from the main beach brings you to Busselton's main street, where you can browse boutique fashion, designer homewares, surf gear and antiques. Take a detour down Fig Tree Lane and you'll find yourself in a quaint little retail enclave of fashion, beauty and refreshments. For a spot of culture, step inside the Busselton Museum, Old Courthouse or the beautiful St Mary's Church and be transported back to the 1800s, when Busselton was established as one of Western Australia's first settlements. Housed in the old prison and courtroom, the modern ArtGeo Gallery and Courthouse Arts Complex now celebrates freedom of expression, displaying the works of South West and Western Australian artists. All tastes and budgets are satisfied with a huge array of tours, restaurants and accommodation. And for the best views in the bay, be sure to check out Busselton's string of beachfront resorts.

The white salt plain of Lake Ballard creates a dramatic setting for the largest outdoor art gallery on Earth. This extraordinary natural landscape was selected by world-renowned artist Antony Gormley to display his Inside Australia exhibit, a collection of 51 individually cast black chromium steel sculptures, stretching across 10 square kilometres. You can reach Lake Ballard by car in one hour and 45 minutes from Kalgoorlie or in 45 minutes from Menzies. Day Tours are also available from Kalgoorlie. Each sculpture represents a resident of Menzies. For a fantastic overview, climb the hill and see the sculptures disappearing into the distance, each connected by the footprints of visitors. The exhibit forms part of the self-drive Golden Quest Discovery Trail, which takes in eerie gold rush ghost towns, historical gold mining sites and the former home of US President Herbert Hoover in Gwalia. The best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon when the sculptures' shadows stretch across Lake Ballard. Allow at least two hours (it will take considerably longer to view all 51 sculptures as they are spaced 500 metres apart), always walk with a friend, and carry water as the heat can be extreme during summer.