Small Wonder opens a spectacular new Tasmanian wine tourism venue

Tasmania has a new wine and gourmet tourism drawcard with the opening over the weekend of the Small Wonder cellar door, restaurant and wine library in the Tamar Valley.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff cut the ribbon on the new development, a striking building on the site of what was previously Goaty Hill Wines at Kayena in the Tamar Valley.

The project was conceived by Small Wonders owners, Singapore-based couple Angus Davidson and Tracy Wong-Davidson, whose Overstory company also has properties in Margaret River, Western Australian.

Overstory CEO Paul McArdle said the project aimed to be not only a wine ambassador but also a tourism ambassador for Tasmania.

“When we bought the farm it was conventionally farmed and we converted it to organic so we can run it regeneratively,” co-owner Angus Davidson said. “We firmly believe that healthy soil leads to healthy plants, healthy plants lead to healthy grapes and healthy grapes lead to better wine.”

The winemaking at Small Wonder is the responsibility of Ockie Myburgh, formerly of Josef Chromy, with Russian/Canadian chef Konstantin Putkin heading the kitchen team.

Chef Putkin is working with local producers including Summerlea Farm, Springfield Deer Farm, Littlewood Farm, Seven Springs Farm and Wattle Hill Olives.

At the cellar door, guests will be able to taste six wines from the Small Wonder portfolio for $25pp, with the tasting fee waived upon any two-bottle purchase - a wise decision. 

Winery Tours will also be available for $50pp, which gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at the Small Wonder winemaking process before wrapping up with a tasting in the cellar door.

The Wine Library will also host bookable wine masterclasses which will run every eight weeks for groups up to 20. The space will also be available for private event bookings.

"Since we opened as Small Wonder in 2021, it was a priority to remain part of the community," McArdles says.

"The new cellar door and restaurant is a chance to build on what we are already offering, introducing something a little different while retaining our well-known welcoming atmosphere.”

Artworks from Tasmanian artists Stephen Bond, Alicia King and Paul Snell have been placed across the venue.

Combining organic vineyard practices and minimal-intervention winemaking, Small Wonder Wines
employs practical initiatives like composting grape marc, encouraging beneficial insects, and reducing
chemical inputs.

“Solar power, energy-efficient systems, and thoughtful estate design allow us to protect the land while making exceptional wine,” says winemaker Ockie Myburgh.

The design of the Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant has been led by Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore) and local Tasmanian firm Edwards + Simpson.

The building is clad in locally sourced and hand-cut bluestone to blend into the natural environment while inside features Quartzine stone bar tops, textured plaster, and dappled glass with satin nickel framing.

In the kitchen, Putkin and his team have implemented systems that eliminate around 90% of single-use plastics by switching to compostable wraps, bags and other environmentally responsible alternatives.

Outside, The Garden will offer a casual, a la carte dining menu which is set to include options such as croquettes with local Pyengana Dairy cheddar, caramelised leek, fermented jalapeno and black garlic mayonnaise; house buttermilk Nichols Poultry fried chicken with fermented cherry hot sauce; and Fork it Farm cured meats, local cheeses and house-fermented pickles.

The Garden will also host live acoustic music sets each Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

“The winery tours will offr a chance for guests to have a deep-dive into our winemaking process here at
Small Wonder, and see first-hand how closely our winemaking team and kitchen work to create a
cohesive experience,” says venue operations manager Chris Morrison. 

“We’re also keen to become a destination for wine education in the region through our regular wine
masterclasses. 

"It’s a great opportunity for guests to ask more about wine and the process behind it in a

fun, relaxed setting.”

The Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant is at 530 Auburn Road, Kayena, Tasmania. 

The cellar door is open daily, 11am to 5pm, and the restaurant Thursday to Sunday from 11.30am with last seating 2.30pm. The Garden, with views of the vineyard and Tamar River, is open daily, 11am to 5pm with food available until 3.30pm.

Full details at www.smallwonderwines.com.au

Images: Anson Smart and Winsor Dobbin

Americans don’t want to go home from New Zealand

Guess what? Folk from the US think that rules don’t apply to them.

American passport holders top the list of people who have overstayed their visa in New Zealand over the last three years, Radio New Zealand reported this week.

Overall, an estimated 19,153 people in New Zealand are overstayers, Immigration New Zealand figures show.

Over the past last three years, the visas of 6559 people expired without them leaving the country.

The general manager of immigration compliance and investigations Steve Watson said the numbers  confirmed the number of overstayers remains very small.

"Each year, INZ processes around one million visa applications and 1.6 million New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority requests and sees around 3.6 million non-New Zealand citizens arrive in New Zealand," he said.

"The vast majority of people who come to New Zealand to visit, work or study comply with their visa conditions and either leave before their visa expires or obtain a further visa to remain lawfully in New Zealand."

Of those who had overstayed since 2023, a total of 925 were from the US. The largest percentage of those overstaying compared to visas issued was Tonga, with 666. 

China, the UK and India complete the top five countries for overstayers.

INZ said a snapshot shows 0.13% of temporary visa arrivals in the last three years went on to overstay their visas.

Hotel room designs get an F grade

Who designs hotel rooms?

It often feels like they have never stayed in a hotel themselves.

The last couple of hotels I’ve stayed in have had prime examples of design idiocy.

Like many folk nowadays I need easy access to a couple of power points next to the bed. 

I have a sleep apnoea machine and electronic gadgets that need charging.

In this day and age I do not expect to have to move a bedside table and dive under the bed to access them.

And what about walk-in showers? I’ve encountered a couple recently that are slippery as heck and require you to use both hands to use one of those odious “dispenser” pump packs with their often piss poor amenities. Give me a bar of soap. 

And how about providing a handle in the shower with which to avoid tumbling over, or, heaven forbid, a slip-free surface?

I could throw in impossible-to-understand lighting systems, see-in bathrooms, and shower controls that require an engineering degree just to get a comfortable water temperature and pressure.

But I’ll end with this week’s annoyance when I made the mistake of wanting a mid-evening snack.

The in-room mini bar was “on request” so I trekked down to reception, where I was charged $6.50 for the pleasure of selecting a tiny Snickers bar from a cardboard box that was thrust at me.

I can buy that same bar for $1.25 at my local supermarket.

C’mon hoteliers. Do better.

Meet a wine event designed for furry friends to enjoy

Fancy a weekend away with a furry friend or two ?

Following a sell-out inaugural event in 2025, Coonawarra’s Woof & Wine Walk is returning for 2026 - this time with an expanded weekend of wine, walkies and dog-friendly experiences.

Put the weekend of November 14-15 in your diary.

This year’s event will once again take guests and their four-legged companions along the Coonawarra Wineries Walking Trail, visiting six cellar doors (Brand’s Laira, DiGiorgio Family Wines, Ottelia, Redman Wines, Wynns Coonawarra and Zema Estate), with more competitions, an expanded prize pool and a finale at DiGiorgio Family Wines.

New for 2026 is Downward Dog Pup Yoga at Rymill Coonawarra on Sunday morning, encouraging visitors from Adelaide and Melbourne to bring their dogs, stay overnight and make a weekend of their visit to Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast.

The main event, the Woof & Wine Walk, returns on Saturday, November 14, from 10.30am-4pm, taking participants on a relaxed, self-paced trail between six of Coonawarra’s leading wineries.

Along the way, guests can enjoy premium Coonawarra wines, regional food and a collection of experiences created especially for dogs and their humans - from puppuccinos and puppy pedicures to paw-sonalised wine labels, dog treats, market stalls and plenty of opportunities to stop, sip and enjoy the scenery.

“People are looking for different ways to experience wine regions, with wellness, the outdoors and fun becoming an increasingly important part of the experience,” said event co-organiser Dan Redman.

“We want to create wine events that feel relaxed and approachable, attract new people to Coonawarra and give them another reason to spend a weekend in the region.”

Competitions will include the Best-Dressed Dog Contest, Canine Mini-Me Look-Alike Contest and Best Dog Trick.

The day will start and finish at DiGiorgio Family Wines, where participants collect their pup pack, tasting glass and walking map before setting off along the trail.

Guests are encouraged to return to DiGiorgio Family Wines for the 3.30pm grand finale and prize presentations. 

For those wanting to make a weekend of their visit, the fun continues on Sunday 15 November with a new Downward Dog Pup Yoga experience at Rymill Coonawarra.

Running from 9.30am-11am, the gentle one-hour yoga session is suitable for all abilities and welcomes participants to bring their dogs along.

The $45 ticket includes the yoga class, a cheese and tomato croissant, glass of Rymill NV Sparkling, tea and coffee, and homemade dog treats for the guest of honour.

“We really want to encourage people from Adelaide and Melbourne to make a weekend of Woof & Wine this year,” said event co-organiser Sally McDonald, from Zema Estate.

“Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast have so much to offer visitors travelling with dogs. With the walk on Saturday, Pup Yoga on Sunday and a growing range of dog-friendly accommodation nearby, it’s a great excuse to gather some friends, bring the dogs and spend the weekend in the region.”

Organisers have also compiled a guide to dog-friendly accommodation throughout Coonawarra, Penola and the surrounding Limestone Coast, encouraging visitors to book early and turn their Woof & Wine visit into a regional getaway.

Global tourism proves resilient

International tourism grew modestly in the first half of 2026, with global arrivals up by 0.4% even as insecurity in the Middle East, elevated oil prices, and broader inflationary pressures tested the sector's resilience.

The latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism showed an estimated 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2026, some 3 million more than the same period last year. 

While global arrivals increased by 2% in Q1 2026, they then dropped by 1% in Q2, following a 3% decline in April. That drop was largely due to the calendar effect of the Easter holiday period starting in March and because of the impacts of the Middle East conflict.

Globally, arrivals then dropped 3% in June. That was driven by a 6% decline in Western Europe, partly due to a heatwave in some destinations.

South-East Asia recorded 5% fewer arrivals in June as a result of weaker demand from Asian markets, geopolitical tensions, air travel disruptions through the Middle East, and increased travel costs.

Some destinations in Oceania (-6% in June) were also impacted by Typhoon Sinlaku in Q2.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais said: "The latest data shows a sector absorbing real pressure and finding a way forward. Tourism has not stopped growing, but that growth is fragile. The Middle East situation has touched destinations far beyond the region itself and serves as a clear reminder that, in such a connected world, resilience needs to be built everywhere and not just when a crisis begins."

The World Tourism Barometer breaks down performance by region and sub-region. The data shows:In the first half of 2026, Africa (+4%) and Europe (+3%) recorded solid growth in arrivals, while the Americas saw a 2% increase, with mixed results across sub-regions.

Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific grew by 1% over this six-month period but remained 11% below 2019 levels as disruptions to air connectivity, higher air fares, and uncertainty affected intra-regional demand.

The Middle East saw a 22% drop over this period, as it was directly impacted by Iraeli and Iranian aggression. 

Although the conflict has negatively affected international tourism in the Middle East and other regions since early March 2026, disruptions to air traffic gradually eased in May and June following the announcement of a ceasefire. 

That resulted in the reopening of some air routes and led to an uneven rebound in consumer sentiment.

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Reimagined Novotel St Kilda starts a new chapter

St Kilda has a new showpiece hotel with the opening this week by hotel owner and hospitality group ERDI of Novotel St Kilda. 

The deal extended a growing partnership with global hospitality group Accor and marks a new chapter for the landmark Fitzroy Street property, which has previously been known as the Saint Kilda Beach Hotel and Rydges St Kilda..

ERDI has played a key role in the development of Novotel St Kilda as part of the broader St Kilda Collective, a partnership between Fortis, ERDI and Ondas, supported by the City of Port Phillip. 

Novotel St Kilda joins ERDI's growing portfolio, which includes Pullman Melbourne City Centre, Novotel Geelong and Mercure Melbourne City Centre.

“This is a significant moment for ERDI and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for this landmark St Kilda property,” said Ricky Jeffs, CEO and executive director of ERDI. 

“This transformation represents a significant investment in both the hotel and the future of this iconic location, and it builds on the successful partnership we have developed across our broader hotel portfolio with Accor.

“Our vision has been to completely reimagine the hotel and create an experience that feels connected to the character, energy and lifestyle of St Kilda. From the redesign of the guestrooms and public spaces through to the new restaurant and expanded events offering.” 

The hotel complex also features the launch of Urban Kitchen & Bar, a stand-alone all-day dining venue. 

“Reopening a property in a destination as iconic as St Kilda is a fantastic opportunity,” said Christos Pavlidis, general manager of Novotel St Kilda. “With the strength of the Accor brand and the vision and support of ERDI behind us, we have a great opportunity to create something really special.”

Novotel St Kilda features 80 completely redesigned rooms and suites. Rooms include 75-inch televisions with Foxtel, Nespresso machines, local minibar products and bathtubs in select rooms, alongside 24-hour reception, self-check-in, secure parking and a light-filled internal garden atrium.

Novotel St Kilda is offering 25% off bookings, starting from just $224 a night with bookings available via novotel.com.