Few travel relationships run as deep – or as affectionately barbed – as Australia’s with Britain: a shared monarch until recently, an incendiary Ashes rivalry, and enough family trees crossing the equator that “doing the UK” remains a bona fide rite of passage. Hundreds of thousands of Australians visit annually, chasing grandparents, gigs, grey skies and history.
But there’ve been some changes to the travel rules that are worth clocking. Since the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme rolled out, most Australians now need one before flying, children included. It costs £20, covers multiple trips over two years or until your passport expires, and usually clears within minutes via the UK ETA app. All you need is a digital photo and to answer a few questions. It’s recommended to apply three working days ahead. Dual UK or Irish citizens are exempt, but must travel on their UK or Irish passport, not their Australian one. At the border, expect an e-gate scan, not a stamp.
With entry sorted, there are four fabulous Karma boltholes to explore in the UK – London earns its keep at Karma Sanctum Soho, a rock and roll hideout with a rooftop hot tub; then there’s Karma St Martin’s on the sand-fringed Isles of Scilly; Karma Salford Hall trading tarmac for Tudor grandeur and Cotswold hedgerows; and finally Karma Lake of Menteith in Scotland’s gorgeous Trossachs countryside.
