The doctor is in: Q&A with Dr Chris Brown

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Bondi Vet and host of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here and The Living Room, Dr Chris Brown, is an intrepid traveller with a soft spot for home.

1. As a child, our family holidays were always to…

A different national park every holiday in our Jayco pop-top caravan. Dad’s a vet, so every trip would centre around a wildlife experience. He once put a piece of meat on a string and buried a beer can with stones in it, so if a dingo took off with the meat the can would rattle and we’d all wake up! It worked – I think the dingo got the fright of its life.

2. Now if I have time for a short break, I head straight to…

The beach. A favourite is Iluka on the north coast of NSW; it’s great for surfing and it’s pretty uncrowded up there.

3. My local’s tip for Bondi is…

Bronte Baths. They’re just as beautiful as Icebergs, if not more so. Also try Raw Bar Japanese, and the angel hair tuna pasta at Bondi Trattoria is pretty exceptional.

 

Discover more Bondi eats…Bondi Beach foodie faves from the Icebergs ace

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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4. I’ll never forget the time…

I was with a mate in Ecuador at these hot springs of all different temperatures. We found one with a lady sitting alone; it was absolutely freezing, and when my friend jumped in he squealed. I tried to share a joke with the woman by calling my friend a ‘grande senorita’ but it must be an Australian expression; she thought I was talking about her! I felt awful.

5. If money was no barrier, send me off to…

Lord Howe Island. I’d spend months surfing, earning a living treating the island’s cows and eating fresh fish and vegetables. They’ve got it good over there. It’s paradise.

 

Australia’s own slice of Paradise?…9 picture-perfect postcards from Lord Howe Island

6. The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done on holiday is…

The Hadaka Matsuri naked festival in Japan, held in winter. Fuelled on saké, we ran through the streets in mawashi (sumo nappies) as buckets of water were thrown at us! It ends with about 10,000 people at a temple where the goal is to catch lucky sticks that are thrown out by the priest to win a lot of money. I had them at one point but almost had my fingers broken off! It was crazy.

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7. My souvenir of choice is…

In-flight eye masks. I have hundreds! It’s a bit of a funny one, but eventually I’ll make something out of them.

8. The best bed I’ve ever slept in was…

At Bungle Bungle Caravan Park. It wasn’t the most comfortable but we could see the stars from the roof of our tent. I hardly slept because it was so amazing.

9. The last place I visited was…

The Azores, volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, studying sperm whales and the next place I am booked to go is… the Great Ocean Road, maybe by motorbike. It’s meant to be the best motorbike route in the country.

 

Read our guide on exploring The Great Ocean Road: Ultimate Escapes: The Great Ocean Road

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6 reasons the best way to experience the Kimberley is by cruise

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

    Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

    The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs.
    Adventure starts where the road ends.

    1. Discover Broome, and beyond

    Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

    At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

    If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures, screening since 1916.

    Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea.
    Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

    2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

    Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

    At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

    Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

    Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

    A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters.
    Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

    3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

    You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

    Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

    4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

    These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

    If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

    Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

    A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs.
    Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

    5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

    Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

    A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance.
    See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

    6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

    You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

    Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

    If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

    aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia
    Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com.

    The doctor is in: Q&A with Dr Chris Brown - Australian Traveller