Welcome to New Editions

Greetings all,

I noticed as we were putting this newsletter together that this issue offers several opportunities to travel with friends. While travelling solo can be a great revelation about ourselves and others, there is nothing nicer than finding the time to share a journey, a meal, a great glass of wine or a memorable experience with a friend. There is a great quote that says “ A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles” – nothing truer said I think.

In this newsletter read about some great walking experiences including the opportunity to join renowned landscape photographer, Grenville Turner, on a specially designed photgraphy tour incorporating Bay of Fires and Cradle Mountain.  Or plan your own exclusive departure on our walks in Tasmania. If you can get ten friends together we’ll even give you a discount!  And the foodies among you should consider heading down to Quamby Estate in September for a Gourmet Weekend and the opportunity to enjoy some of Tassie’s great food and wine.  Two of Anthology’s good friends, Anthony Dennis, Editor, Travel+Leisure magazine and Kim Seagram, owner of Stillwater restaurant in Launceston are going to host the trip for us. I will be there for that one too.

Or take the time to check out Wilpena Pound on the National Landscapes website – speaking of great places to travel with friends – get a gang together and head out to Wilpena for some walking, cycling, flying or sitting on the verandah with friends. 

Happy travels.

Grant Hunt
CEO

An exclusive Gourmet Weekend at Quamby Estate

Join Anthony Dennis, Editor, Travel + Leisure for a weekend of great Tasmanian food & wine – September 2009

Quamby Estate has joined with the team from Travel + Leisure magazine and Kim Seagram, owner of award winning Launceston restaurant, Stillwater, to create an exclusive gourmet weekend in Tasmania. Hosted by T+L’s editor, Anthony Dennis, stay at Anthology’s historic and luxurious Quamby Estate for two nights with dinner at Stillwater, one of Tasmania leading restaurants.

Walking Tasmania - a photographer's dream

This October we are offering a unique opportunity to join renowned photographer and friend of Anthology - Grenville Turner on a specially designed walking tour through some of Australia’s most pristine wilderness to learn more about landscape and documentary photography and capture images of Tasmania’s diverse environments. Here you will leave only footprints and take only photographs.

Accompanied by two experienced guides Grenville will take the group on a 10-day walking tour to visit alpine vistas of Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park and the coastline of the Bay of Fires. During the day you will walk into remote and untouched wilderness environments and capture images of your experiences with the flora and fauna. At night you will join the group in ad hoc workshops to review your day’s work and share photographic exploits.

Travel with friends and Save

Travel in a group of ten people - save 10%

Cradle Mountain Huts and Bay of Fires Walks depart daily between 1 October and 1 May each year, with a maximum of ten people per group walking with two guides. You can guarantee an exclusive departure by booking ten people together in one walking group. Plus, everyone will save 10% on the tour price.

Learn to Fly Fish in Tasmania

Come fly (fish) with us at beautiful Quamby Estate

Located at the heart of Tasmania’s famous northern rivers region, Quamby Estate is the perfect place to stay as you discover bountiful fly fishing within the area. We have packages available for experienced fly fishing enthusiasts.

Or if you’ve never tried it before, you can learn the art of fly fishing with the experts. Spend a guided-tuition day with Daniel Hackett from River Fly while enjoying the full river-based experience and return to Quamby Estate to settle in for a delicious meal and luxury accommodation as you unwind from the day’s adventures.

Wilpena Pound - located within the Flinders Ranges National Park

Early in August, the Federal Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson and SA Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith dropped by Wilpena Pound for a cuppa and to launch the Flinders Ranges’ inclusion in the National Landscapes program.

The Flinders Ranges is one of Australia’s nine National Landscapes in a Tourism Australia program to promote and conserve Australia’s natural wonders.

Special offer from our friends on the Great Ocean Road

Both Feet offers Anthology Travellers Collective members – 10% savings

Dana from Both Feet is a long time friend of the team at Anthology. As an exclusive offer she has agreed to extend to our guests a 10% discount on any Great Ocean Walk departing before the end of this year. This is a great region for walking offering beautiful coastal scenery, spectacular cliff tops, secluded beaches and of course the world renowned 12 Apostles rock formations.

It's official - we are "unique"

Our spectacular Bay of Fires Lodge has won the Best Unique Accommodation award in the 2009 HM Magazine Awards for hotel and accommodation excellence.

The Lodge was among eight finalists including the Q Station retreat at Manly (highly commended), Injidup Spa Retreat in WA, Peppers Seven Spirit Bay in the NT and Southern Ocean Lodge in SA.
 
We were also honoured to have another Anthology property in the finalists list - Wilpena Pound Resort in SA.
 
The "Unique" property award reflects Anthology's philosophy of providing unusual and truly memorable experiences for our guests in amazing parts of Australia. We couldn't be more delighted to take home this gong.

And we've got some talent

Grenville Turner has just released a wonderful new book entitled "Akubra is Australian for Hat". The book is a series of images depicting Australian people and their hats, as well as comments about their lives and why they wear their hat. The reasons are many. It provides shade from the Australian sun, acts as a fan on a hot day, is an effective fly swot and can even be used as a jug to water the horse. 

Wilpena Pound Resort's very own Keith Rahseed graces the cover of the book wearing his Akubra RM, uniquely styled with pink band. Keith reckons he wears his hat on his mum's advice when he was a kid... "She used to say you wear a hat to keep your brains inside your head and not to fry 'em."

You'll find Grant Hunt inside the book too. Available for sale now in book stores Australia-wide.