5 Great Girls’ Getaways in Australia

[Emma Palmer]

Sometimes the solution to any problem you might be having, whether it’s at work, in your family life or someplace else, is a weekend away with all your best girlfriends. Wine, retail therapy, relaxing and a good catch up can fix just about anything! Here’s how you can have an amazing girls weekend away.

The Winery Weekend

Nothing quite says girls’ trip like a weekend away exploring different vineyards, drinking delicious wine and eating gourmet food. Australia is home to some of the most dazzling wineries and wine regions so there is something for everyone no matter your preference. In the last few years, wineries have become so much more than a place where wine is made. Visiting one is now a full-blown tourism experience. Whether you head to the Barossa to sip on shiraz, to the Hunter Valley for a full-bodied chardonnay or to the Yarra Valley for a satin-like pinot noir, you’re sure to enjoy yourself. Book a big house and make sure to organise transport so no one gets stuck as the designated driver!

The Party Trip

If you’re looking to let your hair down, then head to one of the big cities and get your dancing shoes ready. With endless accommodation options, including boutique hotels and serviced apartments, you can stay right in the centre of the action. Both Sydney and Melbourne have a great collection of small bars, live music venues and nightclubs as well as a great restaurant culture. Spend the days exploring the city(or sleeping in) and then spend your nights getting all dressed up together and hitting the town. This is your chance to go all out. If you want to find an amazing outfit to wear out each night, one great option is to rent designer and high-end dresses from a clothes-sharing platform. That way you can look incredible on the dancefloor (and on Instagram!) without blowing your whole budget for the weekend.

The Beach Getaway

There isn’t much sun, sea and salt can’t cure. For a rejuvenating holiday keep it simple. Find a house on the coast, enlist your group of friends, grab a good book and prepare for a weekend of sunbaking, swimming and switching off. Once the sun sets you can prepare a home-cooked meal together, open up a bottle of wine and enjoy some Netflix and chill. There are plenty of sleepy little beach towns to be found on the east and west coasts but some of the standouts include Killcare in NSW, Palm Cove in QLD, Aireys Inlet in VIC, Marion Bay in SA and Yallingup in WA.

The Adrenalin Adventure

Sometimes after nothing but sitting in an office all day, you can be more in need of a dose of adrenalin than a weekend of peace and quiet. Luckily, with so many diverse landscapes, Australia is just the place for this kind of girls’ getaway. Go horse riding in the Victorian countryside, skydive over Byron Bay, swim with whale sharks in Western Australia or get lost on a 4WD adventure. It’s one weekend getaway that’s sure to make you feel alive and get you through another week of work once you’re back in the office.

The Cultural Awakening

For the art aficionados and museum enthusiasts, the ideal girls’ weekend may be one full of culture, conversation and learning. Canberra and Hobart are both great destinations for this. At The Museum of Modern and New Art (MONA), just outside of Hobart, you’ll have an experience like no other. The art here is sometimes confronting and surreal but always unique. One thing’s for sure, it’ll give you plenty to talk about over a drink that evening. In Canberra, you can visit one of the many exhibitions on at the National Gallery of Australia or let your inner child run wild in Questacon.