Overview
With international trips off the cards for the next little while — even if a travel bubble with New Zealand does eventuate by the end of the year — it's time to throw the focus back onto the stunning scenes and world-class landscapes found right here on home soil. After all, this big ol' island of ours is brimming with enough natural beauty to give any international destination a run for its money. And now the folks at Tourism Australia have come up with a new way for you to scratch that domestic travel itch, without even leaving your front door.
The organisation has just dropped an impressive new video series, tipping its hat to the unique sights, sounds and textures of Australia. The flicks really endeavour to engage your senses and make you feel like you're there, too, with the videos made using high-tech 8D audio — a sound engineering treatment designed for listening through headphones, which makes music and effects sound as though they're coming from every angle.
Each of the six videos is themed around a different colour, evoking various emotions based on the striking hues of Australia's natural scenescapes. For example, the soothing Blue: A Moment of Joy mini-escape takes punters crashing through waves at Esperance in Western Australia, gliding over the sparkling waters of the Great Barrier Reef, swinging by Hervey Bay for a spot of whale-watching and frolicking with seals in South Australia's Baird Bay.
Hutt Lagoon, Tourism Western Australia
The Magenta: A Moment of Freedom video envelops audiences in the romantic sunsets and vibrant tones of destinations like Hinchinbrook Island National Park, the Kimberley and Hutt Lagoon, while White: A Moment of Peace is a minimalist's dream, featuring calming shots of Lake Eyre's salt plains, Fraser Island's glistening sands and Mount Kosciuszko's slopes drenched in snow.
Whether you're allowed to trek interstate just yet or you're simply planning for the day when you can, these virtual escapes should offer a good dose of domestic travel inspiration — no long-haul flight required.
Check out all six video escapes at the Tourism Australia website, or via the YouTube channel.
Top images: via Tourism Western Australia and Tourism & Events Queensland