My 10 Shot ‘Vitamin Me’ Boosting Dream Holiday in Queensland

outback queensland holiday

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. Mainly about where I’m going to go with the $5,000 Tourism Queensland will award one lucky blogger to spend on a lovely Queensland holiday.

You see Tourism Queensland have just announced their new competition and I want in. All you have to do is write about how a dream holiday in Queensland would boost your ‘vitamin Me’ levels.

What is Vitamin Me?

For me a vitamin Me boost means relieving all stresses and strains, restoring me to serenity then sending me home relaxed, restored and rejuvenated in body, mind and soul.

Vitamin Me is what puts a spring back in your step and the twinkle back in your eyes when the treadmill of life grinds you down.

Fortunately Queensland, with its superb scenery, wildlife, fine food and wine plus diverse culture has vitamin Me in abundance so it’s simply the best place to get your mega vitamin Me booster.

Vitamin Me Boosting Idea #1

My first vitamin Me boosting thought was Haggerstone Island (I wrote about it here) but the flights will chew up most of the budget and besides, I already live in the tropical Queensland beach paradise of Noosa.

Vitamin Me Boosting Idea #2

My second vitamin Me boosting thought was to nip back to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat so we can do all the rainforest walks we missed last time, enjoy the spa and speed off on a Segway tour.

Vitamin Me Boosting Idea #3

Then I remembered my mum is visiting us this Easter and I really, really want to go to Carnarvon Gorge.

So my third vitamin Me boosting thought was to hire a big motor-home, load up the family and make the 10 hour drive there. But then I got real. Even a 15 minute drive with the three Candy kids can be trying. Factor in granny too and it could be the last road trip we ever make.

My Ultimate Vitamin Me Boosting Dream Holiday

outback queensland holiday

So I needed to choose somewhere near or in South East Queensland which is still new and exciting. During our trip to the Granite Belt we really enjoyed our Queensland outback experience and are keen for a revisit.

I loved O’Reilly’s and the Granite Belt but I live to visit new places so, after a wee bit of travel research (I’ve awarded myself a PhD in that), I struck gold in the form of Spicers Hidden Vale, “an Australian adventure getaway offering true country hospitality” situated on a 12,000 acre cattle farm in South East Queensland.

10 Shots of Vitamin Me

Here are the 10 super shots of vitamin Me I’ll get at Spicers Hidden Vale luxury outback retreat:

Vitamin Me Shot #1. Stunning Queensland outback scenery – I love the tranquil rural environment of the outback and the star-gazing is supreme.

Vitamin Me Shot #2. New experiences – We’ll try clay target shooting and take a hot air balloon flight for a bird’s eye view of the outback because I secretly want to try them and I know the kids will love it too.

Vitamin Me Shot #3. Fresh air and healthy outdoor activities – Apart from lovely country walks there’s also mountain biking, tennis and a pool.

Vitamin Me Shot #4. Adventure activities – There’s plenty to keep us busy like archery and horse-riding.

outback queensland holiday

Vitamin Me Shot #5. A bit of petting – We don’t have any pets but we love animals so I can’t wait to pet the chickens, goats, cows, alpacas and camels. Adorable.

Vitamin Me Shot #6. No cooking – The restaurant menu readers like a treat and I might have them pack a picnic hamper for us one day too.

Vitamin Me Shot #7. Easy to get to – It’s just a 60 minute drive from Brisbane and about two and a half hours from our home. I reckon if we plug the kids into their iTouches and iPads then put some decent sounds on we just might be able to get there without killing each other.

Vitamin Me Shot #8. Adult pampering – Yes, there’s a spa so I will definitely be sneaking off there for the signature treatment ‘Salt of the Earth’. I may take my mum too if she behaves.

Vitamin Me Shot #9. Exploring a new area – There are heaps of new places to explore nearby and, if they play their cards right, I might take the kids to the Darling Downs Zoo.

Vitamin Me Shot #10. Fun family time – Kindly provided by all of the above which I think will make everyone, from Kiara, aged 7, to my mum, aged 75, very happy indeed. Plus I’ll get bonus points for taking mum away. The poor woman treks from England to Australia to visit us every year only to spend her “holiday” doing the laundry for the entire Candy family so she’s going to love this and will be enjoying her own vitamin Me boost too.

So that’s my vitamin Me boosting dream Queensland holiday. Just the thought of lying here by the pool is giving me a mini vitamin Me boost so the real thing will see my vitamin Me records soar to record levels.

outback queensland holiday

Then, with all the brownie points accumulated after treating my mum and the kids to all that good stuff I think I can head to Spicers Tamarind Retreat in Maleny for a night with the Mucho Man while granny looks after the kids.

Oh and by the way, if Tourism Queensland are good at maths and notice I want to take six people on holiday (me, the hubby, three Candy kids plus granny) when the competition rules clearly state four people only then I’ll just get rid of a couple of my family members. No worries at all.

Or maybe I should just head up to Haggerstone Island solo. Now there’s another thought…

Dreaming of your boosting your Vitamin Me? It’s easily done. Visit Tourism Queensland’s website and start dreaming about your Queensland holiday.

Or find out how to enter the competition yourself here but hurry scurry, it ends on the 10th February.

Would you go to the Queensland coast, outback or hinterland for your vitamin Me boost? Or maybe you have another idea? Leave a comment, we’d love to know!

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26 Comments

  1. Leanne Berry February 7, 2012 at 8:55 am - Reply

    Oh Annabel
    What a nice way to start a Tuesday dreaming about a vitamin ME boost – thank you. I love Qld and wouldnt mind where you took me :)

    Everything crossed that you win!!!

    Cheers

    Leanne

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 9:06 am - Reply

      Hi Leanne,

      Well that’s true enough, anywhere in Queensland would do the trick:)

  2. Nikki @ Styling You February 7, 2012 at 9:17 am - Reply

    I can see you sitting on that pool lounge. Tranquility plus! Great entry Annabel. Good luck!

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 9:27 am - Reply

      Thanks Nikki:) Yes, I might chain myself to it permanently!

  3. Desolie Page February 7, 2012 at 9:20 am - Reply

    Too many options, even just here in SE QLD.
    But I’ll opt for the hinterland, perhaps Atherton Tableland. Of course, Sunshine Coast hinterland gives lots of luscious and decadent choices.
    Hope you get to visit many interesting places so you can share with us.

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 9:28 am - Reply

      Hi Desolie,

      Oh, now I want to go to the Atherton Tableland. I’ve heard of it but don’t know much about it… I can feel some more travel “research” coming on;)

  4. Sally Foley-Lewis February 7, 2012 at 9:41 am - Reply

    Yes, yes and yes!
    Your post makes me homesick for Qld. I’m very fortunate to have lived and worked in a few places across Qld and travelled a fair bit of the sunshine state (old school: can’t bring myself to say ‘smart-state’)
    Sally

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 12:35 pm - Reply

      Hi Sally, come visit soon! Sounds like no matter where you go in Queensland you’ll love it:)

  5. Jen Gresham February 7, 2012 at 2:34 pm - Reply

    I loved my one and only visit to Gold Coast, Australia. LOVED it! But it’s probably a little too far to go right now. So I’m thinking my Vitamin Me vacation is in Norway during the summer. My ancestry is from there, and the pictures of the fjords are so beautiful. I’m gonna make it happen!

    But if granny can’t go on yours, I might re-think whether the plane flight is too long. That resort looks gorgeous!

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 4:33 pm - Reply

      Hi Jen,

      Ah now I have never visited Scandinavia but I’d love to. That will be a fantastic trip and I wish you could join us on ours!

  6. Linda ~ Journey Jottings February 7, 2012 at 4:20 pm - Reply

    I’m a rainforest freak – Love the shady-glady cool and the rich greens… but on the other hand, I’ve always fancied going bare-boating in the Whitsundays…
    Now you’ve got me thinking!! ;)

    • Annabel Candy February 7, 2012 at 4:34 pm - Reply

      Hi Linda,

      I love the rainforest too… the birds were fabulous at O’Reilly’s. I would love to go boating with you… but not so much with my kids;)

  7. Cat Matson February 7, 2012 at 9:10 pm - Reply

    Coast, coast, coast for me … I love the Sunshine Coast … but recently I’m falling more and more in love with the far north coast …. being by the ocean, with QLDs white sand and blue ocean … yes, that’s my Vitamin Me boost :-)

  8. Leon Noone February 8, 2012 at 1:43 am - Reply

    G’Day Annabel,
    ” I am sitting in my dingy little office…” as Banjo Paterson wrote. Very tempting stuff, I can tell you.

    My two favourite regions of Australia are FNQ and north eastern Victoria. But Sydney is my favourite place. We moved here from Melbourne in 1969. It really is a wonderful place to live provided that you don’t want to go anywhere in a hurry.

    We started “engaging” with Sydney when we first arrived. I was working very long hours in a new job. We had a young family. So we tried to keep one day free each weekend to explore the place.

    It didn’t take us long to realise what a spectacularly beautiful place we were living in. Years ago, we worked out that you could go out every weekend for at least two years and, within 50 km of the CBD,visit a different spot each time. Each spot would be enticing and beautiful. Extend the 50 km to 100 km and you’d be hard pressed to find all the truly great spots.

    We’re surrounded by Vitamin Me. And we’re still discovering new places.
    Strange thing is that it seems the majority of people who were born or raised here don’t know about even half the places that we do.

    If you ever choose to do anything on Sydney beyond “The Bridge” and “The Opera House.” I could make a few suggestions.

    Regards
    Leon

    • Annabel Candy February 8, 2012 at 12:41 pm - Reply

      Hi Leon,

      I’ll take you up on that because I do feel I’ve only seen the touristy side of Sydney. It is a great city though.

      I find I’m always sharing local tips with people who’ve lived in my area (Sunshine Coast) for donkeys years even though I’m the new kid on the block.

      Sounds like you’re an explorer too. I hope to revisit Victoria and Tropical North Queensland soon.

      The problem is I just want to go everywhere;)

      • Leon Noone February 14, 2012 at 3:36 am

        G’Day Annabel.
        “Yeah Man” as the old Fletcher Henderson tune used to say.

        There’s now a sealed road right through the Victorian “high country.” You can drive from Wodonga all the way down to the Princes Highway in Gippsland. The Ovens Valley from Wangaratta through Myrtleford and beautiful Bright is a great trip. And make sure that you visit Beechworth.

        Sydney: you could spend a week just in and around the Harbour. Here are a couple of suggestions. Go to Bradley’s Head late on a Summer afternoon as the sun’s setting below the harbour bridge. Have a look at the Pacific Ocean from Middle Head by Tanya Verstak Park. Nearby is Georges Head. This has only become accessible to the public in the last couple of years since the army left. Quite breathtaking. If you’re particularly energetic you can walk down the couple of hundred steps from Georges Head to Balmoral Beach on the harbour

        The one place you must go is West Head; Commodore Heights to give it its formal name. A very well travelled American friend called it ‘the best urban seascape in the world.’ Seems that half the people in Sydney don’t even know it’s there!

        If possible, go on a Saturday afternoon in Summer when Pittwater is chockablock with yachts. Then there’s Kuring-Gai Chase and Royal National Park and, and,….

        If I continue, I’ll be a candidate for the longest blog comment in history.

        Best wishes
        Leon

  9. barbara February 8, 2012 at 7:55 am - Reply

    Some day… some day… Australia. I am in serious need of some vitamin ME, let me tell you. But it was nice to dream along with you. Good luck!
    b

    • Annabel Candy February 8, 2012 at 12:42 pm - Reply

      Hi Barbara,

      I’d love to get you over here for a Vitamin Me fix;)

  10. Seana Smith February 8, 2012 at 12:25 pm - Reply

    Could you lob out another child and take me instead!!??

  11. Dave Doolin February 8, 2012 at 12:53 pm - Reply

    Looks almost as nice as California… Hah! Just kidding, a little. I bet Queensland and California are pretty similar though, in terms of Vitamin ME.

  12. Sonia Marsh/Gutsy Living February 9, 2012 at 3:20 am - Reply

    Of course I need some Vitamin Me in Queensland. Why do you think I keep telling my sons to work in Australia for a year and fall in love with an Australian girl, so I have even more reason to visit. Good luck.

    • Annabel Candy February 10, 2012 at 7:40 pm - Reply

      Hi Sonia, lol, oh I wish I had a daughter their age and could help you out with that one;) Sounds like a grand plan!

  13. Swordfighter Creative February 16, 2012 at 11:31 am - Reply

    My partner and I enjoy taking long drives in random directions. Only last weekend we did the drive out to Mt Mee, along Mt Mee road and through Ocean View and Dayboro. The country out there is breathtaking. Even just doing the drive gave me a good dose of Vitamin Me.

    We continued onto Mount Glorious, and if you’ve never been it’s well worth the drive especially if you’re into rainforests. There is some lovely quaint cafe’s tucked away in amongst the rainforest. We also found a lookout in the D’Agulair National Park where you can just see Lake Wivenhoe through the tree line.

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