Britain’s Laura Robson has caused a stir at the Australian Open by wearing a rainbow hair elastic supporting equal rights – just days after tennis great Margaret Court made controversial comments about gay marriage.

But Robson, playing on the arena named after the Aussie tennis legend, denied she was making a formal protest against Court, whose staunch opposition to same-sex unions sparked threats of a rally at the grand slam event by gay activists.

“I didn’t see anything about a protest. I wore it because I believe in equal rights for everyone. That’s it,” said Robson, 17, after her first-round loss to Jelena Jankovic yesterday.

Meanwhile in Melbourne, the Australian Open continues and rumors about which players are gay continue to go back and forth faster than a fast serve.

Travelling the Tennis Circuit?  For help in finding lesbian and gay welcoming accommodation on the road, ask the tennis fanatics at Rainbow Tourism.

Rainbow Rambler on location in Bali

In Bali, I have spotted only a few lesbian travellers – but then, I’m off the beaten tourist trail.

Staying at the same resort recently, I chatted with Melbournians Diane and Mandy, who have visited Bali a dozen times in the dozen years they’ve been a couple – pretty much every year during school holidays for these teachers and explorateurs.

Asked why, they chimed together “For the culture.  We don’t even think about being lesbians, so the gay scene and nightlife are of no interest,” they echoed. From their past experiences in Indonesia, they feel comfortable as out partners. “We’ve seldom experienced hassles when checking in and requesting one bed – with knowing smiles exchanged.”

Where now, What now.  They sort out what to do differently each visit.  “We come to catch up with each other and leave computers and busy lives behind. We go exploring, enjoy interacting with locals and soaking up culture if not sunshine during wet season.”

If you’re coming during end of March and before Easter, you can experience something that will change your world.

The Bali Spirit Festival, 28 Mar to 1 April, is an annual celebration of yoga, dance and music. Held in Ubud, the cultural heart and wellness centre of Bali, there will be more than 100 workshops and world music concerts!

Di & Mandy would approve.

• Bali Spirit Festival
• RainbowTourism Bali Places to Stay
• Rainbow Tourism Bali

The Women Say Something forum is where women have the opportunity to hear from and ask questions from a diverse panel of women, featuring some of our communities most infamous personalities.

Dinner, entertainment and thought provoking conversation with some laughs thrown in. A great evening to connect, share and learn from other women.

As part of Mardi Gras Festival 2012, this is a night (22 February) not to be missed. Hosted by DJ Kate Monroe, panelists are being announced over the coming weeks and the names will not disappoint. It will sell out fast, say sponsors LOTL (Lesbians on the Loose) magazine and My Family car stickers.

It will be an interesting theme to explore with some exceptional women having their say.

It’s time to acknowledge the families we create, including the role our pets play, our friends play and those who become our families. It’s time to celebrate the communities we build and talk about why we do this. Lets look at the differences and reasons we create logical families as well as biological families and the roles we all play in supporting each other.

• For more info on Date, Time & Cost
• Mardi Gras 2012 Festival
• For Mardi Gras accommodation in Sydney, check out our Mardi Gras deals

In Bali, you have a choice of horse trekking on black or white sand beaches, depending on which side of the island you’re staying.  It’s a great way to escape the hustle and  bustle of the touristy areas for a few hours, getting you in tune with the true pace of paradise.

There are plenty of choices for gay-welcoming hotels, and the concierge or tour desk will help you organize a leisurely ride along the sparkling coast.

Or ask the Rainbow Tourism Concierge Dee who’s just moved to a mystic beachside hut where she rides a black pony at sunset…

The bamboo Green School in Bali is a shoeless classroom.

More and more, Bali is welcoming families with kids – in many cases lesbians with babies to teenagers. In many respects, the island of Bali is a kids paradise, and Moms are loving the experiences – from riding an elephant, feeding monekeys and snorkelling a torpedoed US Cargo shipwreck.

In Central Bali, The Green School is worth a visit. The first annual BambooPalooza holiday extravaganza featured Balinese cultural activities, musical acts, dancing and celebrations. Food, sports and gifts made by students at this international school were popular – including the American hairdressser offering fresh cuts n curls.

Sending your kids to the Green SuperCamp would also be a top draw to this Indonesian destination. It is held at The Green School for a week, providing transformational education in a spectacular setting. It’s all about nuturing young leaders of tomorrow on sustainable living.

• Kid friendly, gay welcoming accommodation in Bali.
• Top amusements
• The Green School
• Green SuperCamp
• Bali With Kids

Bali is a romantic, affordable and fun place for lesbians to holiday – even take the kids along. Most vacation villas, like Chandra Villas, are set up as self-contained luxury apartments, where you can cook in a fabulous kitchen and entertain around a pool without breaking the bank.

If you’re there for a week or more, why not learn to cook like a local? Indonesian and Balinese menus include meat dishes, with emphasis on pork, rice of course, and things like minced seafood on lemongrass sticks grilled on the BBQ.

The signature dish is Babi guling — roast suckling pig. This is a large ceremonial dish served with rice that is usually ordered several days in advance, but also often available at night market stalls and selected restaurants.

Learn to Cook the Bali Way classes are common around the tourist cities, but now you can have your own private cooking class in your own kitchen when staying at Chandra Villas Bali. Spend four hours with a resident cook, and you can create and indulge in your own menu.

Fitness & Food at Chandra Luxury Villas

Chandra Luxury Villas is part of the Hotel 8 Collection, whose member hotels are certified gay welcoming.

Tasmanian Tiger - Extinct?

The Tasmanian Tiger has never been officially or reliably sighted since the last one died in 1936 in a Hobart zoo. However, some locals believe the tiger is probably still out there in the wild.

I couldn’t help thinking about this as I drove through the small town of Deloraine, where the filming took place. (The Deloraine Deli in the centre of main street was popular with the actors and cinematography crew. Wonder if they knew it is a lesbian gathering place once a month, for the women’s group led by local resident Ros and her partner.)

Tasmania’s magical wilderness is likely to have renewed interest after the international film release. Local tour operators welcome an influx of visitors who want to explore the wilderness by 4WD or tramping. It should help put Tassie’s jagged mountains, wild rivers, and ancient forests back on intrepid itineraries being developed by enterprising operators like Tasmania i-Drive.

This month, the Rainbow Tourism Concierge jumped on board with this private touring 4WD and went dee-touring off the beaten track. After leaving Deloraine, we headed to Burnie, the fourth largest town in Tasmania. (Burnie is home of several LGBT organisations – but no gay bars or dance club – just gay friendly places like The Wharf Sportsmen’s Bar in Wynyard. The only female athlete on the wall of Aussie sports heroes is lesbian swimmer Dawn Fraser, pictured at her gold-winning performance at 1954 Olympics in Melbourne).

Heading west, there’s Table Cape, Sisters Beach and the Stanley Nut along the Bass Strait coast road. When you turn south at Smithton and stare at the Indian Ocean, the rugged terrain – and weather – changes again. One must be prepared for 4 seasons in a day, with wind cheater/raincoast always at hand.

The Western Wilderness – rainforests, mountains and rivers, Tassie Devils and Tigers. You’ll find them all here or so thinks The Hunter.

• The Thylacine Museum – A natural history of the Thylacinidae
• Rainbow Tourism Tasmania – West Coast World Heritage Area

Tasmania is a lesbian-friendly destination on many levels- environment, lifestyle, same-same laws.  If it’s not yet on your travel bucket list, add it!

Discover Tasmania – from Sisters Beach to Bruny Island.

• Rainbow Tourism Tasmania
• Rainbow Tourism Accredited Accommodation – Tasmania

PINKTOBER 2011 – Hard Rock Cafe Surfers Paradise – Gold Coast

 There are many itineraries to suit first-timers and repeat visitors to the Apple Isle, across the four corners of the state. Otherwise, travellers can create their own with the help of passionate tour guide and driver Vicki McBride.

Vic started Tasmania i-Drive in 2010 after partnering with “Doris” – a comfortable, leather-seated, fridge-on-board touring 4WD.

Whether you arrive by cruise ship, ferry, or by air, once in Tasmania, you should leave the driving to Doris and Vic (TasmaniaIDrive.com).

A day tour to Bruny Island, a food and wine tour of the Huon Valley, overnight trips to the North, West and East Coasts, and longer customised drives around the isle – all become memorable “wilderness sightseeing” experiences and voyages of discovery as Vic takes you to Tassie’s hidden gems. Like her Far South adventure to the southernmost point in Australia – closer to Antarctica than it is to Cairns – the gateway historical railway rides, and gourmet aquaculture indulgences, and Tasmanian Devil-filled wilderness and Blue Gum forests.

Tasmania i-Drive is a Rainbow Tourism recommended tour operator.

Lesbian or gay couples, 2, 4, or 6 friends, and Tassie curious nomads should jump on board.  Your Tour | Your Experience | Your Choice – TasmaniaIDrive.com.