Our edit of the travel experiences, events, and openings worth getting excited about right now. From a private Tasmanian island to an art-inspired dinner in Brisbane’s CBD, here’s what’s on our radar this season.
Where Art Meets Appetite
Sofitel Brisbane Central has launched something we haven’t seen in Brisbane before. 7 Paintings is an immersive dining experience running through Bistro Suzette’s private dining room until June 2026, where projection mapping turns each table into a living canvas and every course is inspired by one of history’s most iconic artists.
Executive Chef Alex Goyard has crafted a seven-course menu that moves from Michelangelo through Banksy, Picasso, Pollock, Warhol, Dalí, and Van Gogh, with each dish designed to evoke not just the visual language of the artwork but its emotional character. The Pollock course might be the most talked-about: an edible painting where guests literally recreate his drip technique on the plate using sauces in red, yellow, blue, and black. The Dalí dessert, a passionfruit crème brûlée with orange confit and meringue, lands exactly as you’d hope.
It’s available as a classic, vegan, or children’s menu, from $175 per person, and runs until June. A genuinely special Brisbane date night, and honestly a strong case for not waiting until you travel interstate for a memorable dining experience.
BOOK YOUR SEAT: sofitel-brisbane.com
A Private Island in Tasmania, Just the Eight of You
Picnic Island, Tasmania, one of Australia’s most extraordinary private island experiences, has just reopened after an extensive renovation and the addition of a brand new primary suite. The island accommodates up to eight guests across four beautifully appointed spaces, including two fully renovated copper-clad structures that sit within one of the country’s most untouched coastal landscapes.
At $16,000 AUD per night for the entire island, split between eight lucky guests, and all-inclusive means something here: a dedicated island host, a private skipper, a chef cooking with Tasmania’s exceptional local produce, premium Tasmanian wines and spirits, a custom-built Tasmanian boat for excursions, and curated daily activities tailored entirely to your group. No other guests. No other boats. Just Freycinet National Park on the horizon, Wineglass Bay within reach, and a resident Little Penguin colony as your closest neighbours.
To protect the island’s delicate ecosystem, bookings are capped at just 100 nights per year. That’s it. One hundred nights, shared between everyone who wants to experience it. 2026 bookings are open now, and with that availability, they won’t last.
The Gold Coast Just Got a New Level of Luxury
If you’ve ever wanted to take over an entire penthouse on one of Australia’s most iconic stretches of coastline, Rise Kirra Point has just made that very easy. The brand new flagship penthouse at Kirra Point on the Gold Coast opened in February 2026, and it is seriously impressive. Five oversized bedrooms, each with its own walk-in robe and ensuite. Seven bathrooms in total. A dedicated office, reading room, kids’ play area, media room, and a large outdoor entertainment terrace purpose-built for open-air dining against the Kirra coastline.
For those who like the details: there’s a fully appointed scullery for caterers and event operations, a private lift direct into the residence, and the whole property sits minutes from Gold Coast Airport. It’s been designed for multigenerational families, corporate retreats, and anyone who simply requires more space and privacy than standard luxury accommodation provides. A new benchmark for the Gold Coast, and one very much worth knowing about.
A Gin With a Conscience
West End distillery BY.ARTISANS has released something genuinely special just in time for Easter. Burrow & Bloom is a limited-edition botanical gin created in collaboration with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, inspired by the desert landscapes the Greater Bilby calls home, and designed to help protect them.
The botanicals tell the story: desert lime and lemon myrtle for bright citrus lift, saltbush and native thyme for savoury minerality, roasted wattleseed for warm red-earth depth, and a gentle touch of rose petal softening the whole thing into something dry, aromatic, and distinctly Australian. Best over ice or with a clean tonic.
Here’s the part that matters: each bottle contributes $48 directly to Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s bilby conservation and habitat protection work. With a maximum of 1,000 bottles available, the release could raise $48,000 for the cause. It’s available exclusively via pre-order until 12 April, after which production begins based on confirmed orders only, and no additional bottles will be produced. Bottles ship from around 1 May. At $120 a bottle, it’s a beautiful Easter gift that actually does something good.
PRE ORDER YOURS NOW: byartisans.com.au
Field of Light, Uluru: Ten Years and Still Glowing
Bruce Munro’s Field of Light at Uluru turns ten in April, and the anniversary celebrations are worth planning a trip around. What began as a temporary one-year installation on Anangu Country in 2016 has become one of Australia’s most beloved art experiences, drawing more than 750,000 visitors to the desert to walk among 50,000 solar-powered stems spread across an area the size of seven football fields. Following a major refurbishment in late 2024, it’s shining brighter than ever.
In March, Munro himself returns to Uluru for intimate Q&A sessions at Arkani Theatre, free with a resort stay, as well as exclusive VIP evenings at the installation where guests can hear him speak about the landscape that inspired it all. From April, new menus featuring native and First Nations ingredients roll out across the Field of Light dining experiences. And in Melbourne, a stunning public mural by Anangu artist Valerie Brumby and Wurundjeri muralist Alex Kerr will be unveiled on 26 March in Richmond, bringing the spirit of the installation to the city until 18 April.
If it’s been on your list for a while, the tenth anniversary is the moment.
ayersrockresort.com.au/field-of-light-celebrates-10-years
Noosa Food & Wine Festival: Book Now, Thank Yourself Later
The Noosa Food & Wine Festival returns 11 to 14 June 2026, and this year’s line-up is genuinely exciting. Nineteen restaurants are participating in the Restaurant Series, with collaborations pairing some seriously good names: Sum Yung Guys with Marion Grasby, Peli’s with George Calombaris, Makepeace Island with Humble on Duke, and Long Time from Bali making the trip across. On the main stage, Alessandro Pavoni and Gino D’Acampo join live cooking demonstrations and the always-entertaining PorkStar Live Cooking Battles, with DJs and a four-piece band rounding out the afternoons.
The Olsson’s Salt Culinary Stage returns with free workshops included in General Admission, covering chefs including Darren Robertson of Three Blue Ducks, Louis Tikaram from Stanley, and Matt Golinski. For front-row seats and hands-on sessions, Interactive Tickets are the upgrade worth making.
General Admission tickets for the Festival Village are on sale now. Restaurant Series tickets open to the public on Friday 13 March, with an American Express pre-sale from 10 March and a 24-hour subscriber pre-sale on 12 March. Several Signature Events are already sold out, so don’t leave this in the maybe pile.
