OUR HISTORY
Celebrating more than three decades of success
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
The leaders in bespoke luxury travel Down Under
OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS
In-the-know locals with endless creativity and connections
When Southern Crossings began in 1986, we saw the dramatic landscapes of Australia, New Zealand and the islands of Fiji as the perfect canvas to create personally designed luxury travel, catering to the most discerning travellers – an entirely new concept at the time.
Nearly four decades later, we continue to lead the way in tailor made luxury vacations and UltraLuxe travel experiences to the Southern Hemisphere. We enjoy consistent praise for attention to detail and impeccable levels of service, exceeding the expectations of even the most exacting of clients. Above all though, it is the personal touch that keeps our clients coming back to book their next trip with us. We are proud to say that every holiday we design is still unique to each client – starting with a blank canvas each journey is tailor-made to create their trip of a lifetime.
Awards & Accolades
We are widely regarded by industry experts as a ‘destination specialist’, the best‐in‐class for bespoke luxury travel and UltraLuxe experiences in the regions that we service.
We are proud to be an invited member of several elite travel industry groups, very honoured to have been recognised with numerous prestigious award nominations, and delighted to have featured in dozens of coveted luxury travel magazines and media.
Meet the team
Our people are our greatest asset and collaboration is at the heart
of everything we do at Southern Crossings.
Our Team
The leading luxury travel experts Down Under won’t tell you where to go or what to see – they listen.
They won’t simply respond to your requests, they will work to understand the motivations that move you and anticipate the needs you haven’t yet thought of.
Each carefully crafted itinerary begins with a blank canvas to ensure every moment is individually designed to connect travellers with their personal passions and deliver the tailored experiences of which memories are made.
Every new travel request is discussed collaboratively by the Southern Crossings travel design team; all sharing their individual ideas, combined knowledge and different perspectives; to curate tailored itineraries that benefit from their collective expertise and connections.
The Southern Crossings team also works closely with the inspirational locals and leading tourism suppliers who bring clients’ travel dreams to life. It is this team approach that also ensures every Southern Crossings moment is delivered with silky smoothest attention to detail, almost as if they heard your requests before you even asked.
Visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji with us.
Our Team in New Zealand
Our Team in Australia
Sarah Farag
Owner & Director, Southern Crossings New Zealand
With a family history that she can trace back to the legendary Pink and White terraces in the pioneering days of tourism in New Zealand, Sarah Farag was raised in the ‘land of the long white cloud’ by parents with an insatiable passion for globetrotting; and she now loves travelling the length and breadth of New Zealand with her own children at every opportunity. It seems almost inevitable that Sarah would pursue a career in travel – but that was more than two decades ago, and she now heads up the talented team at Southern Crossings New Zealand – living out her dream of sharing the region’s vast treasures and little-known hidden gems with visitors from around the globe, and from down the road.
Sarah shares her vast knowledge generously and insightfully to craft individually tailored itineraries that are executed with the finest attention to detail. Her ‘Little Black Book’ bulges with the talented Kiwi chefs and winemakers, fly fishers, golf pros, wildlife experts and more who can open doors to authentic adventures and provide her clients with personalized windows into the enviable local lifestyle.
Sarah Farag’s unrivalled connections, combined with her natural gift of being able to truly read clients’ passions, enable her to incorporate the thoughtful touches and bespoke travel experiences that wow both first-time international visitors and life-long locals alike – and which have also secured her place on respected lists of the world’s leading travel specialists including: Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure and Town & Country.
Town & Country Travel Guru for New Zealand
Stuart Rigg
Owner & Director, Southern Crossings Australia
With a travel career that has spanned continents and industry sectors, but which has always been inextricably connected to the lands Down Under, it was almost certain that British-born Stuart Rigg would one day call this corner of the planet his home.
Stuart established Southern Crossings’ Sydney-based Australian operations in 2001 and now leads a talented team who share his passion for personalized travel that really resonates, and his unwaivering commitment to the highest standards of service.
Well-travelled and well-connected, Stuart has a true appreciation of discerning travellers’ desires and a clear understanding of travel industry needs, enabling him to truly deliver on the company’s mission of “enriching and inspiring by creating extraordinary journeys”. A mantra that also rings true for Stuart personally in his quest for uncovering great Australian experiences that also ‘do good’, and filling discerning travellers’ itineraries with the moments that life-long memories are made of.
From a hit of tennis with one of the greats of the game, a walk through the wilderness with a world-renowned wildlife expert or a private masterclass with one Australia’s most highly celebrated chefs, Stuart’s connections – from both within and beyond the travel industry – can open the doors that others can’t and tailor personalized experiences others haven’t even thought of.
It is Stuart Rigg’s ability to make the seemingly impossible, possible and access the inaccessible, that have earned him invitations to sit on a collection of respected industry panels, and a place on coveted international travel lists, including the Wendy Perrin WOW List (since 2014) and Conde Nast’s list of the world’s leading Travel Specialists (since 2011).
paul groves-berry
Owner & Director, Southern Crossings Australia
Born and raised in Melbourne, Southern Crossings’ General Manager, Paul Groves-Berry grew up uncovering Australia’s hidden gems through childhood family holidays. He now delights in sharing the local travel tips more recently collected during travels with his own young family, to be able to showcase the very best Australia has to offer, and really bring it to life.
Having started out guiding groups of travellers throughout Europe, Paul’s travel career is founded on customer service. He has a clear understanding of what it means, and what it takes, to exceed travellers’ expectations. His true appreciation of the transformative power of travel, irrespective of age, interests or budget, fuels Paul’s passion to ensure that every Southern Crossings itinerary delivers memory-making experiences that have the capacity to change lives for the better.
Before joining Southern Crossings in 2017, Paul’s international travel experience, gained across a variety of industry sectors and roles, honed his people and process, mentoring and management skills. These, combined with a meticulous eye for detail and unwavering commitment to professionalism, enable Paul to lead the Southern Crossings team, both strategically and by example, to deliver on the company’s mission “to enrich and inspire by creating extraordinary journeys”.
