Dear HBO, the next White Lotus season belongs in Australia, here’s why

Over to you Mike White.

Let’s be honest: The White Lotus has always been about two things – jaw-dropping locations and the rich behaving badly. And while HBO has stuck loyally to the Four Seasons franchise, it’s time to expand the map (and your loyalty program) for season four. Australia is calling, and it’s ready to serve every sun-soaked, passive-aggressive, Aperol-fuelled, luxury-laced moment you could dream of.

Sure, we’ve got a Four Seasons in Sydney (and no offence to Circular Quay, but it’s giving suit conference energy). But the real drama – the type Tanya would’ve thrived in – lives in our wild, wonderful, ludicrously luxe lodges. Australia is practically a ready-made casting call of locations, each ready to deliver its own brand of chaos, secrets and slow-burn resentment.

So, HBO, consider this your set location shopping list. Each of these incredible Aussie stays is ready to be your next White Lotus location, each with its own unforgettable vibe.

Sun Ranch, Byron Bay, NSW

Sun Ranch would be perfect for The White Lotus drama.

Cue the cowboy hats, crystals and unresolved family trauma. At Sun Ranch, it’s all linen and microdosing as Byron’s most spiritually connected guests gather for a week of “healing” – aka passive-aggressively judging each other’s hat game and ayahuasca experiences. I can see Jaclyn absolutely falling for the hot-but-questionable yoga instructor, while the rich teens plot revenge on their dads for dragging them to Byron instead of Europe. Expect surf lessons, healing circles and someone dramatically riding off on a horse.

Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Qld

What could go wrong on an isolated island?

Nothing says “disaster pending” like total isolation. Set on the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island is so exclusive that someone could disappear and no one would notice until sundowners. Saxon is spiralling when he realises there’s no phone reception, no wi-fi… and his crypto wallet is crashing. Meanwhile, Lochlan insists he’s thriving, but his thousand-yard stare by day two says otherwise.

Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island, NSW

Capella Lodge serves as the ideal backdrop for Mike White’s drama.

Scenic perfection and family dysfunction? Capella Lodge is ready. The plot? A family reunion no one asked for. The setting? Too isolated to storm off, but just close enough to plot each other’s downfall over wine on the deck. The siblings are feuding over the family’s empire. Someone gets too close to the cliffs – but was it really an accident?

Bullo River Station, NT

Swap white linen for Akubras at Bullo River Station. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Forget yachts – this season swaps white linen for Akubras. At Bullo River Station it’s all dirt, danger and intergenerational wealth as cashed-up travellers take on the outback. There’s a tense cattle muster, a helicopter arrival and a dinner where everyone pretends they’re not terrified of dying out here. Piper is running the station now. Don’t ask how.

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, WA

Enjoy the chaos from your hammock at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef.

There’s nothing like communal dining to guarantee a dinner party explosion. At Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, everyone eats together under the stars – and that’s where the real bloodbath happens. Someone definitely hooks up with someone else’s partner in a tent, Victoria attempts (and fails) to snorkel and passive aggression reaches new heights.

Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree Rainforest, Qld

Someone might get eaten by a crocodile if The White Lotus airs from Silky Oaks Lodge.

The Daintree Rainforest is dense, the secrets are deeper. At Silky Oaks Lodge, Chelsea books a “spiritual cleansing” for Rick and he ends up sobbing in the creek. Chelsea gets lost on a nature walk and an illicit affair bubbles over in one of the suites. Also, someone might get eaten by a crocodile.

Mt Mulligan Lodge, Qld

Mt Mulligan Lodge’s infinity pool will definitely feature heavily in the season.

It’s remote. It’s eerie. It’s perfect. Mt Mulligan Lodge serves big ghost-town energy – and someone’s definitely hallucinating their dead ex in the infinity pool. There’s a mining disaster backstory, naturally, and at least one séance. The season finale? A dust storm reveals exactly what’s been buried out here.

Sequoia Lodge, Adelaide Hills, SA

This season will include plenty of wine.

Wellness, wine and barely concealed contempt. At Sequoia Lodge, the couples’ therapy retreat is going spectacularly badly. Picture it: Jaclyn gets way too into hot pool bathing, Laurie refuses to leave the wine tasting, and what was supposed to be a vow renewal between Kate and Dave turns into a screaming match. Someone ends up in the wine cellar… permanently.

Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tas

The moody vibes will be central to the plot. (Image: Emilie Ristevski)

Moody. Misty. Murder-adjacent. Welcome to Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmania, where someone accidentally pushes their partner into a glacial lake. Is it an accident? Is anything, really? Every shot looks like a Scandi-noir thriller, and the cold only makes everyone meaner.

qualia, Hamilton Island, Qld

qualia screams The White Lotus.

You want helicopters, yachts and a surprise wedding no one’s excited about? Welcome to qualia. Someone sails off into the Hamilton Island horizon screaming, Chloe secures the wrong rich husband, again, and the wedding ends with multiple betrayals – and that’s before the midnight swim.

The Calile Hotel, Brisbane, Qld

Someone will definitely end up floating in the pool.

Think pastel poolside perfection meets TikTok-induced identity crises. At The Calile, it’s all pastels, designer shades and arguments about who gets the best pool shot. Rick is low-key losing his mind while everyone else is just vibing. Someone ends up floating in the pool.

Marramarra Lodge, Hawkesbury, NSW

The White Lotus needs some riverside representation. (Image: Isaac Tseng)

The ultimate cliffhanger? A secluded riverside lodge where secrets float in by boat. Someone’s long-lost child turns up. There’s nowhere to run, the family has way too much history and the river knows everything.

HBO and Mike White, it’s time. Australia is ready to serve The White Lotus energy. We’ve got the scenery, the scandal and more than enough stunning lodges to host your next beautiful disaster. Now come where the stakes (and the wildlife) are wilder. Bring sunscreen, pack a hat – and maybe a body bag.