Each year, the bustling town hosts the ten-day Tamworth Country Music Festival, which is both the largest music festival in the southern hemisphere and one of the top ten festivals in the world. Despite these close ties with country music (a relationship solidified by the construction of the famous 12 metres high Golden Guitar), there's a lot more than music to discover in this culturally rich and naturally beautiful country city. The breathtaking Tamworth region is dotted with pristine waterways and beautiful national parks, offering ample opportunities for bushwalking, rock climbing, paragliding and off-road adventures, fishing, and bird watching. Accessible by car, plane or train, and at only five hours from Sydney and seven hours from Brisbane, there's nothing to do but breathe in that fresh country air.

The picturesque Clare Valley is one place you will want to stay longer. From world-class wineries and food producers, the famous Riesling Trail cycling trail, to historic mining agricultural, and rail towns there is something for every-one. The township of Clare itself offers fine dining, panoramic views, and a variety of accommodation options. The Riesling Trail runs from Barinia which is just North of Clare to Auburn and bike hire is available from several outlets throughout the region. They are happy to pick you up or drop you off so you can make the journey your own. Possibly the most famous winery along the route is Sevenhill Cellars, founded by the Jesuit's in 1851 to produce sacramental wine, a function which continues today. Whilst you are there take time to visit the magnificent Saint Aloysius Church and crypt. From Sevenhill, you will find the drive to Mintaro extremely scenic. This area is known as the Polish Hill River, itself a notable wine sub-region. Settled in the 1850's the local history is recorded in the restored church, now museum. Mintaro is a Stage Heritage Listed area. Stroll the main streets of the little village where you will find beautiful old stone churches, antique shops, and art galleries. Whilst in the area make sure you visit the stately Martindale Hall, where you can tour the grand mansion dating back to 1879. The Mintaro Maze provides hours of fun for children of all ages. Approximately 30 minutes drive northeast of Clare, is the Copper mining town of Burra. The best way to explore this town is via the Burra Heritage Passport Trail which you can collect at the Burra Visitor Centre. To the North of Clare, you will find the picturesque rural towns of Jamestown and Spalding. Stop for a picnic in the beautiful Bundaleer Forest, or enjoy the hospitality at the magnificently restored North Bundaleer Home-stead.

The discovery of gold in central Victoria over 150 years ago has left a rich and lasting legacy in almost every town in the Goldfields. Tour the impressive Victorian streetscapes of Bendigo and Ballarat with their grand hotels and public buildings or explore the quaint shopfronts and miners' cottages in townships such as Maldon, Castlemaine, Heathcote and Dunolly. Learn about gold rush history at the region's historic attractions. Sovereign Hill, The Eureka Centre and the Central Deborah Gold Mine offer fascinating insights into life above and below the ground during the 1850s and 1860s. Take a break from exploring the goldmines at a stylish local cafe or restaurant. Local restaurants make the most of the fine local produce of the region, and you can also sample the local wines, olives, apples and more, direct from the farm gate or cellar door. The Goldfields region is an arts and cultural haven boasting some of Australia's finest regional galleries with rich collections of local and European art. See visiting exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ballarat and Bendigo Art Gallery and admire Edwardian and modern works at the Castlemaine Art Gallery. Take the kids to an event at the Central Goldfields Gallery, or hunt out smaller private collections and artist studios dotted all over the region. The region also offers many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Relax and unwind in one of the elegant park-lands and historic botanic gardens or embark upon the 210-kilometre Goldfields Track. The Goldfields region is within easy reach of Melbourne via the Western Freeway, the Calder Highway or the Hume Freeway and the Northern Highway.

The area surrounding Alice Springs is a land of deep chasms and gorges carved through rust coloured ranges. The desert landscape is punctuated by unexpected oases and waterholes and ancient meteorite craters. It is home to an ancient people whose culture is alive and well. Alice Springs sits at the junction of the East and West MacDonnell Ranges. The spectacular West MacDonnell National Park is home to many amazing natural attractions, such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge and Pound. The renowned Larapinta Trail runs 223 kilometres through the West MacDonnells and is one of the world’s great walks. To pioneering Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira, the West MacDonnells were his inspiration with their dramatic landscapes and ever-changing hues. Highlights of the East MacDonnell Ranges are Emily and Jessie Gaps, Trephina Gorge, Ndahla Gorge, Ruby Gap and Arltunga Historic Reserve. Arltunga was an important gold and gem prospecting area and for a while was the most important settlement in Central Australia. Now only a few restored stone buildings remain. Hermannsburg (an historic Aboriginal settlement, and the birthplace of artist Albert Namatjira) and Palm Valley (Finke Gorge National Park) are an easy drive from Alice Springs. Those looking to go further off the beaten track can explore the Simpson or Tanami Deserts, fossick for gems at Gemtree or Ruby Gap, or visit remote communities like Santa Teresa and Titjikala, where tours offer a chance to experience Aboriginal culture and watch artists at work. A visit to the iconic Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, home of the monolith Uluru / Ayers Rock, situated 461 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs on the traditional lands of the Anangu Aboriginal people, is an unforgettable experience.

Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, is a warren of laneways that reveal buzzing bars, galleries, live music venues, acclaimed restaurants and designer boutiques to those who dare to delve. It's also a city with a passionate love of sports and relishes any opportunity to party, boasting an action-packed calendar of events. Set on the Yarra River and reaching to the shores of Port Phillip Bay, sophisticated Melbourne is, at first sight, a balanced grid of neatly angled streets. But beneath this sense of restraint lies a restless creative energy. The CBD comprises many precincts - enclaves with distinct charms. Some are just a lane or two, while others cover a suburb or a busy CBD street. Spend time experiencing the richness of Melbourne in the creative Flinders quarter, the city arcades, the arts and adjoining sports precincts, Chinatown and the Paris End of Collins Street. Visit some of the city's iconic streets in Fitzroy, St Kilda, Carlton, Richmond, Toorak and South Yarra. Melbourne's melting pot of cultures is reflected in its restaurants, cafés and bistros serving a dizzying spread of great cuisines, from the substantial and classic to the exotic. World-renowned restaurants plate up alongside cheap and cheerful ethnic eateries and cafés-cum-laboratories dedicated to the city's obsession with coffee. Explore the inner city shopping centres and venture down arcades and laneways to uncover locally designed originals and the best of international fashion brands in stores as notable for their design as the wares on show. Leave time to admire the elegant Victorian-era streetscapes and gardens, take in a film or food festival and add a visit to one of the many galleries and opulent theatres. Be sure to include a cocktail or glass of wine in any of Melbourne's famed bars.