This March, Australia's natural beauty is transforming as we enter autumn – a season of breathtaking views and unparalleled experiences. Gear up for a jam-packed trip Down Under with an abundance of festivals, exciting offerings, dining options, and spectacular stays. From the world's first sensational light spectacle in Uluru to picturesque stays for the perfect retreat, there's nothing like Australia!

Upcoming festivals & events in Australia

Bask in the magic of Autumn – leave your worries behind and immerse yourself in these upcoming festivals happening Down Under. Whether your interest lies in fashion, arts, adventure, or science, Australia has something special for you to look forward to.

Melbourne Fashion Festival (Melbourne, Victoria): Celebrate fashion and creativity at this annual celebration of Australian fashion, arts, ideas, and creative endeavour. Running for nine days, the festival presents world-class runways featuring Australia's most-loved designers, shopping events and experiences, styling and beauty workshops and more. Highlights include the Envision Runway, with established designers presenting sustainability-focused collections, the Urban Oasis Runway, which celebrates leading and emerging First Nations designers alongside established street and conceptual designers, and more. From 3 – 11 March.

Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media (Adelaide, South Australia): Exclusive to Art Gallery South Australia, this exhibition reveals an unseen side of celebrated Pop artist Andy Warhol, featuring photographs, experimental films and paintings, and works by his photographic collaborators and creative contemporaries. Through his lens, discover the candid, collaborative, and social elements of his photography. From 3 March – 14 May. 

Ten Days on the Island (Tasmania): Ten Days on the Island is Tasmania's state-wide arts festival, a wild and welcoming carnival of creativity with something for everyone. The 2023 program continues its strong focus on new Tasmanian work but also features projects from further afield, including Te Wheke-a-Muturangi, a giant floating octopus from Māori mythology that will take over Kangaroo Bay on Hobart's Eastern Shore for the duration of the festival. The event will also commemorate its 20th anniversary with a multitude of programs ranging from engaging theatre to a compelling experience at the Festival Hub at Hedberg.  From 10 – 19 March.  

World Science Festival Brisbane (Brisbane, Queensland):  Returning this year is World Science Festival, Brisbane, with five days of mind-blowing exploration of the world we live in. Get ready to be informed, inspired, and convinced by the wonder and value of science. Hosted by Queensland Museum, a leader in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the festival provides an authentic and compelling experience to inspire, enrich, and empower participants. Don't miss out Curiosity Brisbane, a dynamic offering of public art, conversations, tours and workshops that explore the connectedness of art, science and technology. From 22 March – 2 April.

Explore New Experiences

This month's roundup of new experiences in Australia brings a world-first-light spectacle at Uluru as well as intimate moments with wildlife and explorations of unique local cultures for your next big adventure. Dive into the captivating beauty of Australia that will beckon you to come back for more.

Wintjiri Wiru (Uluru, Northern Territory): This May, an ancient story takes flight at Uluru. Immerse in a breathtaking light and sound show at Ayers Rock Resort which brings to life a chapter of the Mala ancestral story. Brought to you by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, delve into the beauty of ancient Anangu storytelling with state-of-the-art drone and laser light technology. Designed and produced by world-renowned Media Architecture studio RAMUS, the Wintjiri Wiru experience will illuminate the Central Desert with a spectacle of lights, projections and lasers shining on the spinifex and mulga, connecting the earth and sky to offer an expansive experience of light and sound in the presence of Uluru. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has consulted Anangu custodians to bring the Mala story to life. Two Wintjiri Wiru sound and light shows will run every night from March until December (from 11 May in 2023), with one show a night operating in January and February. Complete your experience of Uluru's wonders with the Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner and a second show, After Dark.

Exmouth Adventure Co (Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia): For all wildlife lovers out there, now until March is the time to observe the wonders of the turtle hatching season in Western Australia's World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Region. Exmouth Adventure Co, known for its eco tours, now offers a Summer Sunset Turtle Watching Tour. Watch nesting turtles in their natural habitat at the water's edge as they inch up the beach and start to dig their nests. Held in small groups of 10 people, join the intimate experience at Jurabi Coastal Park – tours take place three times a week until March 2023.

Riddle Me Adventures (Tasmania): Tour the vast mountain ranges and rugged coastline of Tasmania via an inquisitive itinerary that surprises you at every turn. Riddle Me Adventures is a mystery picnic tour that beckons you to solve riddles to reveal the next destination – all while collecting delicious produce from local eateries. Participants are led to collect local knowledge on the best spots, the hidden gems and the hottest spots to visit before they arrive at their destination. After an adventure around Tasmania, spread out your new picnic mat and indulge in delicious Tasmanian produce you've foraged at your final location.  

Dive, Spear and Sport (Gladstone, Queensland): Located at the southern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Dive, Spear and Sport @ 1770 has teamed up with the two coastal towns of Agnes Water and 1770 to offer the ultimate diving experience in one of the world's ocean wonders. Dive anywhere from 10m to 48m below sea level to explore reefs, shipwrecks, and the incredible marine wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef. For the adventurous folks, the brand-new state-of-the-art dive training facility offers a range of activities for all levels of divers and free divers. Take the plunge and enjoy a dive ranging from recreational scuba diving trips to the reef to intermediate opportunities to sunken wrecks.

Wupa@Wanaruah (Hunter Valley, New South Wales): Discover the Hunter Valley's Indigenous history and culture on Wupa@Wanaruah's free and self-guided tour. Facilitated by Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation and supported by a diverse range of local Hunter Valley venues, the tour is more than just an exhibition of Aboriginal art but also an inclusive experience. The tour takes explorers through a variety of venues with local Indigenous art on display, from cellar doors to hotels, with the tour offering a range of accessibility options. Discover the beauty and depth of Indigenous history that the Hunter region has to offer.

Hip new places to Eat & Drink

Plotting out where to eat on your trip? From a paddock-to-plate dining experience to a disco-inspired bar, Australia has the perfect dining experience to offer. This March, discover the delicacies available Down Under, accompanied by stunning views and vibes for an extraordinary gastronomic affair.

Check out this month's hip new dining spots below.

The Artisan Farmer (Nabiac, New South Wales): A three-and-a-half hour drive from Sydney, The Artisan Farmer is a fresh new hangout in the town of Nabiac that brings a true paddock-to-plate dining experience. Everything served at this ultra-local bakery, café, and butchery is produced on-site, be it the herbs grown in the garden, the coffee roasted, or the beef in the burger. With a dedication to creating vibrant culinary experiences centred on locally grown and sourced produce, The Artisan Farmer authentically delivers a dining experience like no other.

Such and Such (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory): If you're travelling in a group, Such and Such is the perfect spot for you. Designed for company, the restaurant serves up dishes made to share, with a luxurious 80-seat venue for everyone to sit back and relax. Get the full laidback experience with a glass of wine from an extensive wine line boasting premium international and Australian drops. Oysters, pasta, and whole fish are among the highlights of the tastefully luxurious a la carte menu, all locally sourced from producers that share the team's focus on sustainable, quality cuisine.

Dolly (Adelaide, South Australia): Book a date night at this disco-inspired bar in Unley, one of Adelaide's trendiest suburbs. The sleek new location is just south of the CBD, the perfect spot for a night of drinks. Dolly offers share-style snack bites and a crafty cocktail menu that features inspired creations like The Parton with gin, elderflower, macadamia and pineapple. Whether you're looking to have a drink, something delicious to eat, a boogie with friends, or all of the above, Dolly brings all the vibes with a touch of disco.

Maison Lassialle (Margaret River, Western Australia): Maison Lassialle is a fine French patisserie in Margaret River that brings a taste of Paris to the Western Australia wine region. The patisserie recently launched a High Tea offering, available on Thursdays between 11:30am and 1:30pm, served in the French-themed café and gardens. The menu features French favourites such as foie gras Gougère, macarons and panna cotta, with vegetarian and vegan options also available. Pop by this location and unwind with a sweet treat.

Exciting New Stays in Australia

Looking for a room with a view? Australia is renowned for spectacular sceneries, and these spectacular new stays are built to showcase these amazing sights.

Whether it's glamping in the midst of private picturesque forest trails and open fields or modern beachfront living with unspoilt ocean panoramas, these spots have the wow factor to complete an incredible itinerary.

Serenity Gully (Bridgetown, Western Australia): Serenity Gully is where nature meets luxury. A new luxury off-grid glamping experience overlooking Bridgetown and the Southern Forest and Valleys region, Serenity Gully is one of the few accommodations that offers an immersive experience of the magnificent Jarrah forest. A perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, soak in an outdoor stone bathtub on your tent's private deck as the songs of native birds serenade you and a gentle breeze whispers through the leaves of the towering Jarrah forest surrounds. Serenity Gully is also one of the few accommodations offering private walking trails of 478 acres of private picturesque forest trails and open fields filled with grass trees, banksia, and wildflowers.

Private Properties: Marmaduke and Oceanic (Dawesville and Margaret River, Western Australia): Beachfront living with ocean panoramas doesn't get any better than Marmaduke and Oceanic, Private Properties' two new holiday homes in Western Australia. Warm and cool converge at Marmaduke – a modern beach house that awards guests with perfectly framed views of the dreamy Gnarabup coastline. Located on the shores of Melros Beach near Mandurah, Oceanic in Dawesville is a modern contemporary beach house that is spacious yet intimate, great for families or close friends. It's easy to spend hours (or days) watching the waves roll into the shore, especially on Oceanic's large upstairs viewing deck and adjoining master bedroom.

Burrawang House (Southern Highlands, New South Wales): New South Wales' Southern Highlands is known for its lush rolling hills and green pastures, and the new Burrawang House is the best place to experience the region. Tucked away in one of Australia's most beautiful villages and surrounded by 100-year-old trees, the new luxury country retreat marries the aesthetic and feel of an old estate with the amenities and quality of a modern home. With large entertaining spaces and amenities, you'll find it hard to leave this luxury home, but guests are encouraged to explore the village and enjoy a truly rural escape within walking distance of a great pub and cafe.

Sugar Rock Ranch (Eden, New South Wales): Wake up to some of Australia's wildest landscapes in Sugar Rock Ranch, deep down on the Far South Coast of New South Wales. Surrounded by the Beowa (Ben Boyd) National Park, the ranch is only a stone's throw from the Pinnacle rock formations that are sky high and deep in colour; the coastlines are filled with long empty beaches where the oceans really are that sapphire blue they boast to be. A rustic cabin set on a cattle homestead in stunning Sapphire Coast bushland, the ranch marries the features of an urban hotel with the authentic feel of a lovingly hand-built cabin.