CLOSE QUARTERS

From glacier-topped mountains and fjords to spectacular waterfalls and grand country estates, New Zealand ticks all the boxes for a short-haul trip that delivers

- MICHAEL HARDEN.

AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLERS HAVE HISTORICALLY had an issue with distance, envious of those in the northern hemisphere with access to vastly different destinations only an hour or two – rather than a punishing 24-hour long-haul – away.

How lucky they are with their option to spend a long weekend at Lake Como or the Swiss Alps.

Might I suggest that we’re missing something obvious here? Simply glance towards New Zealand, and you'll discover a unique culture of luxury lodges in some of the planet’s most spectacular, pristine scenery, just a handful of hours away.

As far as travel hacks go, this one’s hard to beat. Pining for glacier-crowned mountain ranges, monumental fjords, black sand beaches, waterfalls tumbling into wide stony rivers and historic country estates meticulously repurposed as singular accommodation? It’s all there, a brief flight and a frictionless border away.

Add that Aotearoa has some of the world’s best produce – and more than its fair share of talented chefs doing brilliant things with it – and it suddenly seems a little embarrassing to be sulking about the short-haul options enjoyed by our neighbours further north.

Here are some great examples to consider, proving that the traditional envy has long passed its use-by date.

WHAREKAUHAU COUNTRY ESTATE, PALLISER BAY