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Home / Business

When off the beaten track is a pat on the back

12 May, 2016 05:00 PM
El Questro Homestead, The Kimberley, Western Australia. Photo / Delaware North Companies

El Questro Homestead, The Kimberley, Western Australia. Photo / Delaware North Companies

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Incentive travel has a golden rule: always give travellers an experience they could not organise for themselves.

Australia is one of New Zealand's biggest markets for incentives - often because it is easier to organise an unparalleled and unable-to-be duplicated experience for those being rewarded for their performance.

Australia's off-the-beaten-track destinations make that sort of creativity easier, including:

Freycinet, Tasmania

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Extending south-east from Tasmania's coastline, the Freycinet Peninsula is a fully protected national park which includes the internationally-acclaimed and aptly named Wineglass Bay. Boutique luxury lodge Saffire overlooks the wide expanses of Great Oyster Bay, where calamari and squid spawn in the rocky outcrops; local farms produce fresh, succulent oysters in some of the world's cleanest waters; and fishing boats and trawlers bring in their daily catch of rock lobster, scallops and deep sea fish, dripping and salty-sweet straight from the ocean.

From every window, the pink-hued granite of the peninsula's Hazards Mountains provides a spectacular and ever-changing backdrop from morning to night. Incentive groups can book the entire 20-suite resort and enjoy a number of bespoke experiences, from tastings at the local winery to sampling freshly shucked oysters at the Freycinet Marine Farm. Saffire can also arrange chauffeured limousine transfers from Hobart or Launceston. www.saffire-freycinet.com.au

Uluru, Northern Territory

Rising above the desert as if planted by supernatural forces, the big red rock known as Uluru is Australia's spiritual heart. First-class lodgings here include Longitude 131 and the five-star Sails in the Desert. Corporate groups have been drawn to unique team-building activities such as indigenous dot painting workshops and private Sounds of Silence dinners.

A guided sunrise tour to the base of the iconic monolith awakens delegates to the magic of this sacred site. Scenic flights over Uluru, Kata Tjuta and beyond to Mount Conner, the region's 'other' distinctive monolith, offer an aerial perspective of the outback, revered as a 'must do' by those in the know. Until 31 March 2017, incentive guests can also experience dinner under starry skies at a Night of Field of Light, the light-art installation by internationally recognised artist Bruce Munro, where more than 50,000 frosted-glass spheres illuminate the landscape. Arriving by helicopter makes the experience even more spectacular. www.voyages.com.au

Kangaroo Island, South Australia

A short hop off the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island ('KI' to the locals) is a microcosm of Australian landscapes - pristine bushland, white sand dunes and rocky cliffs plunging into the wild ocean. Half the native bushland remains just as it was when British explorer Matthew Flinders named it in 1802; more than a third is protected as a national park.

Perched dramatically on a clifftop, the 21-suite Southern Ocean Lodge is the most luxurious accommodation on the island, the four-star Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge has 38 rooms overlooking the ocean at American River. Along with guided walks with naturalists, wildlife encounters and a range of adventures, KI is known for its superb organic food including oysters, abalone, artisan cheeses, honey, free-range eggs, marron, native spices, yoghurt and excellent wines. www.southernoceanlodge.com.au

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Kimberley, Western Australia

In the far north-western corner of Western Australia, this is one of the world's great wilderness areas, as beautiful as it is remote and rugged. But there's no need to rough it. The 36-passenger luxury super-yacht True North, equipped with helicopter, is available for exclusive use for corporate groups and can take your team to places only accessible by sea.

On just over 700,000 acres, El Questro Homestead offers activities including barramundi fishing or exploring remote areas by helicopter that only a select few have ever seen. Guests can arrive in style in one of the many air transfer options, such as a helicopter or spacious jet or take the scenic routes provided by a fleet of small airplanes, providing unparalleled views of the country below. A member of the Luxury Lodges of Australia network, El Questro Homestead offers just nine luxurious suites overlooking the river, catering for a maximum of 18 discerning guests at a time. www.elquestro.com.au; www.northstarcruises.com.au

Lizard Island, Queensland

Secluded, with 24 powdery-white beaches and a 1000-hectare national park, Lizard Island, on the Great Barrier Reef, is the most northern resort in tropical Queensland. Constantly ranked as one of the top hotels of the world, the resort has recently undergone a multi-million-dollar refurbishment.

Its 40 villas and suites are fanned by sea breezes; water activities are the name of the game here, including diving, snorkelling on one of the seven wonders of the natural world, game fishing, sailing, and scenic cruises across the crystal blue of the Coral Sea. Island walks and nature trails, degustation dinners on private beaches, top-shelf wines and spa treatments all add to its winning formula. Lizard Island is only accessible by air charter from Cairns, making for a memorable start and finish to any corporate event. www.lizardisland.com.au

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