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	February 2007hire of Busse In This Issue We hope that you enjoyed our special birthday issue of Holiday Inspirations - jam-packed with hundreds of wonderful places to stay, at 15% and 25% off normal prices. It is not too late to take advantage of these specials - just click on the discount link to browse through your discounted holiday options! Once again school holidays are creeping up on us - check the dates for your diary opposite to see when the Spring break falls in your state. Why not book up some accommodation in the region of your choice and take advantage of the great activities highlighted in the Things to Do section below. The TakeABreak Awards are on again - and they are voted by you! See What's New & What's News for more information and check out the fabulous properties on our list of  finalists. Our Delightful Destination this month is the spectacular Simpson Desert, our Editor's Choice is Avaleen Lodge Motor Inn near Nowra, NSW and our Spotlight is on 'Henry Higgins' in beautiful Rye, VIC. This month we bring you more reviews, from visitors who have actually stayed at Gloucester Art House in the historic Barrington Tops region of NSW and Howards Hill B&B in Cape Schanck, Victoria. Enjoy planning your next holiday! Australian Traveller sneak peek... A Walk on the Wild Side At the National Zoo and Aquarium, AT’s Quentin Long samples the working life of a zookeeper and fulfils his lifelong dream of becoming a terrified dribbling mess for a day . . . More Walk on the Wild Side... Click here for an exclusive Australian Traveller subscription offer for TakeABreak users   Editor's Choice Avaleen Lodge Motor Inn, Nowra NSW The glorious south coast of NSW is a treasure trove of things to see and do, with a sparkling array of white beaches, the emerald green hinterland and myriad small towns and villages full of great shops, restaurants and links to our rural past. The Avaleen Lodge Motor Inn is perfectly placed to help you make the most of your time on the south coast, and is ideally set up for families, groups and business travellers, with its different accommodation options. More about Avaleen Lodge  Hot Deal on AT subscriptions - last chance! Our terrific new partner, Australian Traveller magazine. describes itself as "Honestly Australian" as they only feature independent journalism. It is Australia's premier travel magazine focused entirely on great places to travel in and around our wonderful country.  We're featuring a story from AT's top journalists over the next few issues on Holiday Inspirations - so keep your eyes peeled.   If you would like to enjoy the magazine on a more regular basis then click here for an exclusive subscription discount for TakeABreak users. And don't forget to forward this newsletter on to your friends so they can get this great deal too! This is the last month we will be offering this deal - so act now! Hot Property Walton House, Huonville, TAS Walton House offers a superior B&B experience. The accommodation has been purpose built to embrace the character of the original home (c1900) and unlike traditional B&B accommodation there are no guest areas shared with the hosts, plus a separate guest entrance to the property ensures privacy. More on Walton House What's On Red Desert Live!  Broken Hill, NSW, 11 & 12 October Red Desert Live! is the beginning of a new era of music, food, film and art in the cultural capital of the outback. As the sun goes down over the desert and the stars light the stage for an awesome night out, you'll have music to stomp your feet to, food for your belly, and film and arts galore in an experience you won't forget in a hurry. Red Desert Live! has snagged the cream of the crop with blues, roots & country acts including Jeff Lang, The MClymonts, Blue King Brown, The Backsliders and a whole lot more. Make time while you are there to drop into the award-winning  Bells Milk Bar & Museum for a milk shake blast from the past. Places to stay in Broken Hill Kings Park Wildflower Festival, WA, 1 - 31 September To see spectacular displays of wildflowers you don’t even have to leave the city. Kings Park and Botanic Garden is home to the wildflower festival for the whole month of September with different activities happening daily such as art and garden workshops, dancing, singing and much more. Places to stay in Perth Things to Do Explore all Australia has to offer with Day Tours and Cruises. Blue Mountains Scenic Day Tour with River Cruise, NSW If you are in Sydney on a short stay, this tour will suit. Visit all the essential Blue Mountains tourist destinations - Echo Point and the Three Sisters, the Scenic Railway , the Candy Store at Leura, cuddle koalas, walk under rainforest canopies and ride the steepest rail incline in the world  (own expense). Great Ocean Road Tour - Full Day, VIC Dramatic, powerful, dangerous and majestic. How can words describe some of the world's most impressive coastline along the Great Ocean Road? Your day with us extends from golden sandy beaches to the stark brutality of wave-torn cliffs, backed by mountain ranges reaching skywards from the sea. Classic Kuranda Experience, QLD With the Classic Kuranda Experience you will be visiting Kuranda Scenic Railway, Kuranda Village, Rainforestation Nature Park and Skyrail, Kuranda, Queensland. You will have free time in Kuranda to explore the many shops and markets as well as enjoy traditional Aussie BBQ lunch. Swan Valley Indulgence Cruise, WA Enjoy a leisurely 2 hour scenic river cruise from Perth to the Swan Valley. On board start with a morning tea, then enjoy tastings of Swan Valley premium wine with cheese and biscuits. By coach we then spend the day indulging our way through Perth's Valley of Taste. More great experiences Australia-wide  Upcoming events More great events around Australia 5th birthday specials... It's not too late to take advantage of our birthday specials ... check the website for hundreds of properties offering 25% and 15% off their normal rates to help us celebrate our 5th birthday.	Delightful Destination The Simpson Desert, NT Spread across three states, this vast expanse of red desert covers around 170,000 square kilometres. Unlike the deserts you see in movies and cartoons though, this is not barren land with flowing sands. Rather, there is an abundance of hardy plant life throughout the Simpson Desert, able to thrive in the harshest of conditions while sparingly drinking the 130 millimetres of annual rainfall. More about the Simpson Desert  Hot Deal!! Escape to Christchurch... and its amazing backyard this spring! Take a 3 hour direct flight to Christchurch and experience the stunning scenery in full bloom this spring. Located on the east coast of the South Island, Christchurch is renowned for its delightful parks and gardens, old English charm and hidden laneways laced with contemporary bars & restaurants. On the city’s doorstep Canterbury boasts majestic alps, extinct volcanoes, markets and vineyards, natural thermal hot pools and glistening Pacific waters – the perfect blend for a relaxing spring escape. To explore more, visit www.newzealand.com Spotlight On 'Henry Higgins' Rye, VIC Rye, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, has long attracted visitors from far and wide and it is easy to see why… glorious views, sweeping beaches, a feeling of being away from it all and yet so close to all the delights that a sophisticated city like Melbourne has to offer.  “Henry Higgins” is the perfect place to make the most of Rye and all its attractions. This recently renovated two storey home is set among the privacy of tea trees and is situated on one of the highest points of Rye Back Beach, giving panoramic views of the Mornington Peninsula from Arthurs Seat to Cape Schanck Lighthouse. More about 'Henry Higgins' Property Review - Gloucester Art House Gloucester Art House, Barrington Tops, NSW Quality accommodation in a beautiful setting on the banks of the Gloucester River This is a fantastic house in a bushland setting that abounds with birdlife.  The Gloucester River runs through the bottom of the property, giving you all the ambience of being deep in the country, yet within a short walk to town. The art works displayed throughout the house give it a magical feeling and everything is supplied to ensure you have a great stay. Overall rating: Outstanding Read more about Gloucester Art House Property Review - Howards Hill, VIC Howards Hill B&B, Cape Schanck, VIC This is a property that offers so much… it is a farm stay, a B&B, has a self-contained barn and of course, the stables. Howards Hill B&B is the perfect place for the perfect break, and has something to suit almost everyone.  From the moment you arrive you will be filled with the serenity of the location in glorious Cape Schanck and the property is set in 30 acres amongst ancient grass trees and manna gums. Overall rating: Outstanding Read more about Howards Hill What's New & What's News Great website for parents Here is a gem of  a website for parents of kids under 12 - www.kidspot.com.au  It has  a wealth of information from tips for fussy eaters to developmental milestones plus plenty of advice for parents of school age kids and even easy dinner recipes!  There is a great market where you can buy and sell outgrown baby and kids things, and a social network to meet other mums in your local area. TakeABreak Awards are back! Our 2008 awards to the best of the best places to stay are underway.  The best part of these awards is that the results are determined by guests who have actually stayed at each property. TakeABreak evaluates each holiday property based on a range of criteria including guest comments, ratings and reviews by actual guests who've visited the accommodation. This means the awards will go to the properties where guests have the best experiences and get the best service. Click here for a list of finalists - we will be announcing state winners next month and national winners in November. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY    STATE   WINTER SCHOOL BREAK   PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA      27 Sept - 12 Oct 27 Sept - 12 Oct 27 Sept - 5 Oct 20 Sept - 5 Oct 27 Sept - 12 Oct 6 - 21 Sept 20 Sept- 5 Oct 27 Sept - 12 Oct     Queens Birthday (WA) 28 September 2008 Labour Day (NSW, ACT & SA) 6 October 2008 Environmental Care Clean Beaches now searchable We have long supported the Keep Australia Beautiful Tidy Towns initiative and are proud to announce that we will now be promoting their Clean Beaches, in the same way that we promote Tidy Towns - as a theme in the drop down list with it's own website address. The national winner of Australia's Cleanest Beach is The Strand at Townsville and we again congratulate the state finalists: WA – Scarborough Beach SA – Kingston, South East TAS – Freer’s Beach, Port Sorell VIC – Frankston Foreshore NSW – Tathra Beach, South Coast QLD – The Strand, Townsville Through the Australian Clean Beaches Awards, Keep Australia Beautiful is able to recognise local community and individual efforts that are helping coastal areas to become environmentally, economically and socially sustainable communities. Why not see how you can be part of sustainable tourism? Go to Keep Australia Beautiful for more information on the Clean Beaches initiative. More on Keep Australia Beautiful. Holiday Hints Thinking family-friendly for your holidays? What makes a holiday family-friendly? Here are some ideas about things you should ask in advance - to help you have the best holiday you can: * Does the property have childrens games/videos etc, if so for what age groups? * Is there a games room suitable for children? (what age groups) * Are there local activities, or activities that are suitable for children? * Does the property have a playground, or is there one nearby? * Is there a fenced/safe backyard for children? * Is there have a kids club or can you assist in arranging babysitting? * Does the property have a portacot (if more than one how many)? * Do they provide a high chair? * Do they have childrens plastic cups, plates, knives, forks etc? Obviously, your needs will depend on the age of the children in your care, so think laterally. For the best holiday you can have, ask before you book.
	Your suggestions and comments are welcome at any time, just write to us at suggest@takeabreak.com.au. To ensure you keep receiving Holiday Inspirations, please add inspirations@takeabreak.com.au  to your safe contacts list. Holiday Inspirations, TakeABreak, Take A Break Away and the Take A Break Logo are trademarks of Take A Break Away Pty Ltd (ACN: 109 691 929). Listings We are always looking for new holiday properties in popular areas to join us. If you stay somewhere that is not listed on our site they can list themselves at www.TakeABreak.com.au/listingyourproperty.htm For complimentary listings on our Events and Things to Do sites, go to www.Events.TakeABreak.com.au and www.ThingsToDo.TakeABreak.com.au respectively. Copyright This material is Copyright Take A Break Away Pty Ltd 2004/2005/2006.  Feel free to share Holiday Inspirations or any of the resources on our web site with your colleagues and friends, just keep the copyright information and links intact. Requests to publish tips or articles should be directed to media@takeabreak.com.au Give a Gift to a Friend Help your friends and business colleagues find just the place to get away, and take a well-earned break. Please feel free to forward Holiday Inspirations. Your recommendation is how we grow! Subscribe or Unsubscribe If you wish to be added to or removed from Holiday Inspirations, go to  http://www.takeabreak.com.au/unsubscribe.htm Contributions and Comments Want to contribute an article or tip for future editions of this newsletter or comment on an aspect of the site?  Please send an e-mail to media@takeabreak.com.au