One day experience the buzzing restaurants, clubs, bars and shopping streets of Sydney. Sunny, sexy, sophisticated - Sydney basks as the shining star of the southern hemisphere. The stunning Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge are only a few things on offer. The next, escape outside Sydney to the Blue Mountains, one of the most spectacular World Heritage listed wilderness parks in Australia. These richly forested hills offer cliff top views across gum tree valleys and craggy outcrops, superb bushwalking, scenic drives and adventure activities, as well as historic towns built from timber and stone.

You can’t get more secluded than being on of Queensland’s exotic islands. The Great Barrier reef hosts the world’s best resorts, Hayman Island, Bedarra and Lizard Island Lodge. All are wonderful retreats for those intent on a little fishing, relaxing, snorkeling or their own private adventure.

For a true Sydney getaway, enjoy your own privately chartered sea plan and gourmet picnic on a deserted beach on the Hawkesbury River. Or take in the spectacular scenery of the Great Ocean Road to the south of Melbourne by way of a 1930s De Havilland Tiger Moth or a hot-air balloon.

World-class wineries and cellar door experiences are now as characteristically Australian as warm sun and booming surf. Tops on any luxury wine tour are the famed retreats and wineries of New South Wales’ Hunter Valley and the relaxed elegance of the Margaret River Region in Western Australia. Not to be missed is the scenic and boutique wine area of Victoria’s Yarra Valley just outside of Melbourne. The ultimate and largest wine growing territory is South Australia. Small family-run boutique wineries sit alongside major national companies in the states major wine producing regions of Riverland, Barossa, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills.

The Whitsundays are one of the world's best year-round aquatic playgrounds. Its calm and protected waters and i74 mostly uninhabited islands are nothing short of magical and offer some of the best sailing waters in the world. Skipper your own yacht or cruiser – and your own your way to the world’s best snorkelling, swimming, or scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef’s waters.

Nature was inspired when it created Australia. Animals you'll see nowhere else, plants that will amaze you - and scenery you'll never forget. There’s nothing more luxurious than experiencing nature in its purest, untouched form. Tasmania has its own style and pace, with innovating gourmet food and wine, unspoilt beaches and untouched landscapes.

Perched over the Chamberlain River on the edge of a gorge, the El Questro in Western Australia is one of the world’s most luxurious yet simple get-aways. Come here to revel in the area’s rugged Outback beauty. Go fishing in the wetlands and rivers, hike the rainforest of Pentecost Gorge, take 4WD safaris past towering red rocky ranges, or explore a rich lode of Aboriginal rock paintings. For pure isolation and an unspoilt aboriginal cultural experience, Arnhem Land, in the north-eastern corner of the Northern Territory, is rich in cave paintings dating back thousands of years amongst a rugged yet beautiful landscape filled with native wildlife.

Melbourne is the fashion capital of Australia. For the ultimate in shopping experiences, hurry to Melbourne’s Chapel Street the suburb of Prahran. A nirvana of Australian fashion and style, wander and take in the many clothing, homewares, jewellery, shoe, art and antique stores. After some serious retail therapy, jump aboard the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant for a moving feat on a restored historic tram around the city.

We all need time out now and again, and Australia makes good use of the naturally soothing properties of its forests and beaches to come up with a choice of spas and specialist health resorts that are among the world's best. For a luxurious country experience, head to the capital of Australia’s spa country, Daylesford outside Melbourne in Victoria. Queensland though offers the most in seaside, tropical experiences. In tropical north Queensland, exclusive areas like Palm Cove and Daintree offer exotic remoteness, while nothing matches the six-star Palazzo Versace on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Australia's art and culture have a vitality that springs from youth and from the rich multicultural mix of its population. Whether you're looking for classical galleries, contemporary theatre, heritage buildings or Aboriginal artworks, you'll be fascinated, entertained and surprised by what's on offer. The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin are tops on any discerning museum-goers list.