Top 4 Client Experiences of 2023

A journey unlike any other we’ve created, this raw journey through Australia’s outback saw our guests’ getting hands on hunting and hiking in the Top End of the Northern Territory at Finnis River Station. A wilderness oasis embedded within nature’s diverse labyrinth of rocky escarpments, giant termite mounds and coastal flood plains, the pair learned survival skills from a famed environmentalist and survivalist in an uncut version of outback Australia.

Together, the trio hunted wild animals both on land and in the waterways for meals, caught and tagged bull sharks to assist in conservation and hiked and trekked across The Station to test their endurance. After traversing the Station wilderness for several days, the group flew to an exclusive camp in the heart of Arnhem Land – one of the largest parcels of Aboriginal-owned land in Australia, taking in 37,000 square miles of untouched wilderness and culturally significant sites and only accessible for just a small handful of guests via permit each year.

A request for a very raw outback experience that would mentally and physically challenge two guests was unique for The Tailor; to have clientele request something that, by all other definitions, was ‘roughing it’, whilst still producing an elevated experience. The brief set Travel Designer Georgia’s imagination sparking, and the final journey was built with outstanding creativity and exclusivity as its core. Providing the clients with an experience unlike any other in the world, the journey left a lasting impact on the guests, and they went home with an unforgettable array of new skills, experiences and memories.

An experience specially selected for a husband passionate about cooking over an open flame, this one-of-a-kind private cooking class in the heart of Sydney with a celebrated chef was carefully curated and meticulously hand-picked. Chef-owner of the famed restaurant Firedoor in the eclectic suburb of Surry Hills, Lennox Hastie featured on the Netflix series Chef’s Table, demonstrating his work with the art of cooking by fire.

Selecting Lennox from a shortlist of celebrity chefs put forth by Travel Designer Sophie, the experience became the perfect day for a passionate gastronome. First treated to a private greeting and introduction by Lennox at Firedoor, the guests then embarked on an intensive, 45-minute masterclass in the kitchen, cooking alongside the famed chef. The experience was captured by a professional photographer and videographer for our client to take home and share with family and friends. A five-course dinner followed where the couple indulged in a meal featuring the specialties of Firedoor’s seasonal ingredients and primeval cooking style.

Created as a gift for a husband travelling through Australia by his wife, Sophie’s own passion for fine dining was able to shine as she explored and researched chefs that might appeal to the couple. This special experience is not only imbued with the passion of the guest and his love of cooking, but also the Travel Designer’s own epicurean interests and expertise.

Situated in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, this experience was suggested to a family of varying ages looking to challenge themselves with a dose of wilderness adventure. Traversing through the picturesque wilds of the Blue Mountains, the family abseiled down waterfalls and canyoned over moss-covered rock formations and through clear freshwater rivers. Alongside a two-time Guiness World Record Holder, the family navigated challenges and achieved things they never thought possible.

An absolute staple in any New South Wales itinerary, this experience is one much-loved and favoured by our guests and Travel Designers alike. However, it was the imagery and feedback from this family that quickly cemented this specific experience as one of our tops for 2023.

Described in feedback as ‘outside their comfort zone and just shy of their breaking point’, the family came away inspired, exhilarated and closer than before, having encouraged each other to achieve their goals in the lush green surroundings. It was rewarding in more ways than one as Travel Designer Cate was able to use her own knowledge of the experience to propose the excursion to the family, her passion paying off as they sung praises of The Tailor and their guide on their flight home.

A favourite due to its powerhouse combination of viewing the famed Quinkan Rock Art and an immersive experience into a modern-day Garden of Eden at the Botanical Ark, this experience was a favourite of Travel Designer Georgia’s, put together for a group passionate about conservation and sustainability, due to its seamless transition between the icons of northern Queensland.

Travelling to the best parts of untouched outback Queensland, guests began their journey with a bird’s-eye view of the Great Barrier Reef, white sand cays and coastline on a private helicopter journey towards the rocky cliffsides outside of the rural township of Laura. Here, they met with a member of the local Aboriginal community and their family, who introduced them to the land, their history and connection to Country before hiking towards the sacred Quinkan Rock Art site.

Regarded by UNESCO as one of the ten most significant bodies of rock art in the world, the Quinkan rock art contains large dramatic rock paintings that are dated between 15,000 – 30,000 years old. This special area is only accessible by permit from the Traditional Owners and only seen by a handful of people each year due to its remote location.

Flying from the site over the lush green vistas of the Daintree Rainforest, guests then embarked on a remarkable journey to Botanical Ark, a hidden oasis containing ethno-botanical (edible) plants from across the world brought to Australia by Alan and Susan Carle for preservation and research. A hands-on walking tour through the lush rainforest setting allowed the guests to further their appreciation and passion for conservation whilst tasting, smelling and touching rare and beautiful edible plants thriving in this private paradise.