How a surprise proposal in Uluru won this couple a trip back to Australia

Eleven years ago, beneath the Milky Way and with the ancient silhouette of Uluru standing quietly in the distance, Sherman Sim got down on one knee before the woman who would become his wife. 

Today, the photograph capturing that moment has won Sim, 38, and his wife Stefanie Tan, 35, a pair of Singapore Airlines business-class tickets back to Australia through The Straits Times’ Take Me Back to Australia contest.

For the couple, the timing could not have been more fitting.

This year marks their 10th wedding anniversary – a milestone that has prompted reflection on a country that shaped some of the most important chapters of their lives. 

The couple’s story began in 2011 while they were studying at the University of Queensland. Between classes and university life, Australia became the backdrop to their earliest memories together. They snorkelled in the Great Barrier Reef, watched penguins come ashore at Phillip Island and had all their favourite haunts mapped in the hidden corners of Brisbane. 

“Australia was the starting point of our relationship. We had so many good memories there already, so it was a no-brainer for me to propose there too,” he says.

But Sim wanted something a little different. 

“Everyone talks about the Sydney Opera House or the Great Ocean Road,” he says. “I wanted somewhere that felt unique to us.”

That somewhere was Uluru.

A once in a lifetime experience in Uluru

In 2015, he quietly planned a trip to Australia’s Red Centre. The highlight of the itinerary was an evening at the Sounds of Silence dining experience, where guests gather for dinner under the vast outback sky, overlooking the ancient monolith of  Uluru. 

As daylight faded and the desert cooled, thousands of stars gradually emerged overhead.

What Tan did not know was that Sim had spent weeks preparing for the occasion. He had even arranged for a videography team from Singapore to secretly document the proposal.

Then, with Uluru standing silently in the background and the Milky Way arching overhead, he got down on one knee. The photograph from that night remains one of the couple’s most treasured keepsakes.

 Now parents to two children aged eight and four, the couple travels very differently from those carefree student days. Still, the magnetic pull of Australia remains unchanged. The family returns to Brisbane every other year, the vibrant cultural hub of South Bank being one of their favourite parts of the city.

“We love staying there,” says Sim. “The weekend markets bring the whole area to life.”

He speaks fondly of strolling past flower stalls, browsing handmade products and watching the Brisbane River flow by.

As avid fans of Australia, Sim and his wife have also visited many of the other states. For Sim, different states offer different charms. “Melbourne appeals with its cafe and hipster culture, while Perth – which we visited after the birth of our first child – offers a slower, more laid-back pace,” he says. “The Gold Coast brings a different kind of excitement, from theme parks to sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.”

As the family prepares for another trip Down Under – this time courtesy of their contest-winning entry – Sim sees it as more than just a holiday. It is a chance to celebrate a decade of marriage in the place that has accompanied every stage of their journey together.

“Melbourne is the perfect destination for our winning trip because it mixes cosy laneway cafes, rooftop bars and hidden jazz spots that we look forward to experiencing,” says Sim.

“We’re also looking forward to easy day trips along the Great Ocean Road and Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs, and revisiting Phillip Island, which we first explored as a couple.”

Thinking of your next holiday adventure? Start planning your trip Down Under at australia.com.

In partnership with Tourism Australia