Hobart makes Lonely Planet Top 10 City Destinations for 2013

Wowed by dining hot spots, natural beauty, friendly locals and the marvellous MONA, Winsor Dobbin says the time to visit Hobart is now.

While the rest of Australia expressed amazement at Hobart being named by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 city destinations for 2013, there was no such surprise among the capital's residents, who have long known they are on to a good thing.

There is a real vibrancy about Hobart these days.

According to Lonely Planet, Hobart's "allure has always been its natural beauty ... but the arrival of the world-class MONA museum has the waters rippling, hip tourists flocking and Hobart rousing from its slumber".

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/travel/all-hip-and-happening-20121109-292ym.html#ixzz2CphVNCIq

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Heading Off the Beaten Track

Each year hundreds of 4WD vehicles leave the bitumen for an offroad adventure! If you are looking to take on one of Australia's most challenging 4WD tracks, here are seven of the best:

The Cape-Telegraph Road / Penninsula Development Road, QLD

• The route to the northern-most point of mainland Australia
• Starts at Lakeland
• 743km - five days or more
• Best travelled April to October
• Archer River to Bramwell Junction is the longest distance between fuel and supplies (162km)
• Hard, rugged drive.
• Highlights include ancient Aboriginal art and the ruins of Somerset.

Simpson Desert, SA & QLD

• Birdsville to Dalhousie Springs
• 440km - four days or more
• Closed from last week in Nov until the end of Feb
• Always check conditions before setting out
• Mt Dare to Birdsville is longest distance between fule and supplies (511km)
• Extremely remote drive, crossing hundreds of dunes separated by salt and clay pans.
• Attach a flag to your aerial at all times for visibility in dunes. Dunes continualy moving with some steep drop offs. The grow in height as you travel east so crossing from west to east is best.
• Highlights include old ruins, The Knolls, Poeppel Corner (meeting of 3 states), Big Red highest of the sand dunes.

Binns Track, SA & NT

• Mount Dare to Timber Creek
• 2191km (at least 10 days) or break into four separate sections
• Always check road and weather conditions before trip
• Attach flag to your aerial in the dunes
• Longest distance between supplies and fuel - Mt Dare to Santa Teresa (344km)
• Highlights include Gregory National park, Simpson Desert, Old Andalo Homestead, rare acacia peuce trees, ancient rock carvings, Santa Teresa Aboriginal community, gem fossicking, Devils Marbles and more.