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Issue #14 MAy/june 2016
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airfares to canada ESCAPE New York Truffle hunting Southern Downs road trip What’s new What’s next What’s on TRAVEL-WISE STYLE
Johnathan Thurston
Rock star of rugby league
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ROCKHAMPTON
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contents 24
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Brisbane Airport News New flight services; why BNE’s a world best airport; currency for a good cause and more
Brisbane Insider Lego for adults; sneak peek behind-thecurtain at QPAC; Winter Racing Carnival ready to race; nominate a spot on the Brisbane Monopoly Board; guiding lights for refugees
Fun to be Greek Growing up Greek is a great source of material for comedian Soulla Pants
Johnathan Thurston The Cowboys co-captain is at the top of his game but he’s not done yet
Style 12 Floral escape
Kellie Mobbs is inspired by nature to create a travel-friendly wardrobe
ESCAPE 16 Manhattan and more
After the major attractions, discover the gems across the river
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WIN airfares to Canada
Celebrating Air Canada’s direct flights between Brisbane and Vancouver
20 Thrill of the hunt
Winter is the best time to go in search of highly prized truffles, and enjoy the spoils
24 Time to chill
Breathe in the cool country air of the Southern Downs for a mid-year recharge
26 Travel extra
Canyoning in Cairns; Copenhagen style guide; Kokoda trek preview; must-have camping app and more
FOOD & DRINK 29 What’s next?
Welcome to your free BNE magazine, brought to you by Brisbane Airport
N
ew airline services are bringing regional cities within an hour’s journey from Brisbane, making it even easier to travel further on a short break ... but that’s just one way to be inspired as mid-year approaches. We explore the Southern Downs; sneak a peek behind the scenes of Brisbane’s premier performance space; sit in on a Food Lab; learn how Lego’s grown up and more – and you can too ...
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Food Lab is a delicious experiment; escape to the country
30 Feast on the beach
A surf before brekky – the best of food and wine in Noosa; Nordic fare; new sky bar and more
WHAT’S ON 32 Films in the outback
Winton festival celebrates dinosaurs on screen; surprise stars at Cabaret Festival; secrets of a monster maker and more
34 Todd scores a 10
Todd McKenney sings Peter Allen; Queensland Ballet dances to Gershwin; Gloria Steinem talks travels; Cindy Sherman’s brilliant portraits and more
35 Events calendar
Find out what’s happening in the city
MY BRISBANE 36 Gus Eagleton, artist
Insider’s guide to Brisbane
GALLERY 38 Day in the life
Passengers in transit at Brisbane 10 Airport
NEED TO KNOW 40 Destination map 42
Helpful information for visitors to Brisbane Airport
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Brisbane metro map
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BNE magazine is published bi-monthly by Brisbane Airport Corporation. Brisbane Airport Corporation, Media Manager: Leonie Vandeven Managing Editor: Heather McWhinnie email: editor@bnemagazine.com.au Designer: Stephen Bryett Advertising sales: Chris May, call 0401 312 312 or email: advertising@bnemagazine.com.au
Cover photography by Cameron Laird ©2016 Brisbane Airport Corporation. The contents of this publication are not for reproduction, redistribution or reuse by any means whatsoever or in any form whatsoever without express permission of the publisher. Advertising: all advertisements in BNE magazine are the responsibility of advertisers. Advertising is accepted on the understanding that it does not contravene the Trade Practices Act. Responsibility is not accepted by BNE magazine for statements made or the failure of any product or service to give satisfaction. The publication of any material or editorial does not necessarily constitute endorsement of views or opinions expressed. While every effort is made to avoid errors, some information contained in the publication may be superceded.
NEW Air NZ lounge Air New Zealand has opened the doors to its new, bigger guest lounge at Brisbane Airport International Terminal. The lounge caters for up to 200 people with spaces that include a café area with self-service food buffet and beverage station, a children’s play area and family space, quiet nooks, business table and bathroom facilities. The Brisbane Airport lounge is part of a $100-million program to develop the airline’s lounge network around the world and new lounges already have been completed at Sydney and Auckland international airport terminals. The new Air New Zealand Brisbane Airport lounge is located on the upper level of the International Terminal next to gate 81, near the escalators and food court.
More flights to
Christchurch Qantas has boosted flights between Brisbane Airport (BNE) and Christchurch with three times weekly services now available yearround. A fourth weekly service will be added during peak Australian and New Zealand school holidays to meet demand. Brisbane Airport had been offering close to 100 weekly flights to five destinations across the North and South Islands and the extra flights are expected to add 28,000 seats a year to the total, boosting visitor numbers across the Tasman even more. New Zealand is currently the largest overseas visitor market for BNE, accounting for almost a third of overseas visitors to Queensland in 2015. New Zealand is also the most popular destination for Brisbane residents travelling overseas, with one in five outbound travellers crossing the ditch last year.
4 | BNE May/June 2016
BRISBANE AIRPORT NEWS
Via
Vancouver Air Canada’s first direct flight between Brisbane and Vancouver takes off on 3 June and within weeks flights will take off daily. The new B787 Dreamliner flights not only provide a direct connection to Canada but offer a gateway to more than 100 cities across North America, including onward connections to New York (see our travel story on page 16). See www.aircanada.com
Take off to Coffs Harbour
BNE’s the best
Brisbane Airport (BNE) has been named Best Airport Australia/Pacific in the global Skytrax World Airport Awards 2016 announced in Cologne, Germany. BNE also ranked 4th in Best Airports in the World (servicing 20-30 million passengers) and stepped up to 17 in the list of the World’s Top 100 Airports, up from number 20 last year (Sydney and Melbourne followed at 23 and 25 respectively). At the awards announcement Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said Brisbane Airport “is clearly delivering some of the best airport service standards to satisfy customers”. The Skytrax Awards are based on more than 13 million airport survey questionnaires completed by airline customers of 106 different nationalities across 550 airports worldwide from June 2015 to February 2016. The survey evaluated traveller experiences from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security and immigration through to departure at the gate. Brisbane Airport has also retained its ranking as Australia’s best airport for quality of service 12 years in a row in a survey by national consumer and competition watchdog, the ACCC.
Brisbane travellers can now fly direct to Coffs Harbour daily with regional airline Fly Corporate, owned and operated by 40-year veteran charter airline Corporate Air. Flight time is just an hour and departs 5.30pm Sunday to Friday from Brisbane and at 7.15am Monday to Saturday from Coffs Harbour. Corporate Air has serviced the central and south eastern coast since 1972 and introduced the new flights in response to demand for a regular service between the two cities by the Coffs Harbour business community. It also means the Coffs Coast of northern NSW, approximately halfway between Brisbane and Sydney, is now within easy reach for a short getaway from Brisbane to enjoy fishing, surfing, nature trails, whale watching and adventure activities. Introductory airfares from $139 one way are available online at www.flycorporate.com.au
GLOBES
of good fortune Got some spare change or foreign currency you have no use for? Drop it into one of Brisbane Airport’s Currency Collection Globes and it will add up to a valuable donation to help Johaan Kaa. Brisbane Airport has launched its version of a ‘crowdfunding’ campaign to help the father-of-three from the southern bayside suburb of Alexandra Hills whose life changed overnight when he left work early one Friday afternoon with flu-like symptoms and ended up in hospital the next day fighting off a meningococcal infection that almost took his life. By the time he went home almost six months later he was wheelchair-bound and his hands and feet had been amputated. Kaa has spent the last year rebuilding his life with wife Phillipa and their three young children which has meant moving to a house better suited to his special needs, relearning everyday tasks most of us take for granted (like typing emails) and learning to walk again with prosthetic legs. When Brisbane Airport heard his story they decided to step in to help raise funds for the next step in his rehabilitation – prosthetic hands. The costs are daunting for Kaa and his family – estimated to be about $40,000 per hand – but the good natured Kaa has won the hearts of his community with his positive attitude. Already one day of fundraising in his local community of Redlands has raised $12,000. Brisbane Airport aims to add to that with the money collected from its Currency Collection Globes this year. Look out for them in both the Domestic and International passenger terminals and drop in a donation in any currency. BNE BNE March/April May/June 2016 | 5
Ready to race
When the gates open on Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival from 14 May to 11 June visitors to Eagle Farm Racecourse will see the results of almost two years of major works to upgrade the track and facilities. More than $10 million has been spent on the track, $12 million on vehicle and pedestrian tunnels and $25 million on the infield stables, and that’s just part of a $1.2 billion masterplan to transform the surrounding land into a residential, commercial and retail precinct. The Brisbane Racing Carnival, sponsored by Channel Seven, is one of the richest in Australia and this year more than 500 horses will compete for a total prize pool of almost $10 million over five weeks of racing at Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses. But, of course, that’s not the only competition – the fashion stakes are just as high and more than 200 entrants are expected to vie for the title of Best Dressed. Winners or losers, everyone will be celebrating – quaffing more than 30,000 glasses of sparkling as they party in hot spots such as the two-storey Birdcage at Eagle Farm for Treasury Casino and Hotel Ladies Oaks’ Day and AAMI Stradbroke Day. Tickets start at $20 each for general admission (up to $730 per person to get into the Birdcage). For information and bookings see www.brc.com.au
Names for the game The Story Bridge, Anzac Square and Rocking Horse Records in Queen Street Mall are just a few of the suggestions locals have put forward to go on the board of the new Brisbane Monopoly game to be released for sale before Christmas. It will join other Australian versions already on the market – so far Melbourne is the highest selling edition in this country since the original so that’s the city to beat. Make your property suggestions until 31 July at www.facebook.com/brisbanemonopoly or email info@winningmoves.com.au
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BRISBANE insider
Back stage pass
Photography by Cherie Patrick
BUILD IT and they will come Like many Lego fans Ross Allen got his first set as a boy and he’s never really lost the passion – apart from a bit of a break in his teens he’s been building, and collecting, ever since. Today he reckons he’s got about 300,000 Lego bricks in various forms in a room that’s bursting at the seams, and even more stored in tubs in the shed and wherever they will fit. Allen still has the first set he ever owned – one that his dad gave him – a Shell petrol station complete with its own tanker that he loved because he could pull up his Matchbox cars outside. Since then Allen has become a more serious collector and buys from all over the world, mostly on eBay, adding sets from the ’60s and ’70s to his more modern collection of Lego Technic sets. If it’s been a while since you last looked at Lego it’s become a whole lot more sophisticated, with gears and computerised
parts that replicate working models. The place to see just how far Lego land has come is the Brisbane Brick Event on 14 and 15 May at the Royal International Convention Centre, Bowen Hills. Allen will be among the Lego enthusiasts displaying some of their best work which includes a Lego machine that solves a Rubik’s Cube puzzle. Allen will also display a full city scene and some of his Technic collection of working vehicles. Many of the displays are the builder’s own creation rather than built from sets and some are feats of engineering that have the visitors enthralled. “It really does have the Wow factor,” says Allen, whose teenage daughter will also be displaying some of her own collection. “To see the expressions on their faces is what I get out of it, whether it’s a 5-year-old boy or a man in his 70s they get so much joy from it.” Tickets $15 adult, children under 15, $10. See www.brickevents.com.au
Thousands of people saw The Lion King at QPAC last year, making it the highest grossing show in the centre’s history, but few in the audience probably knew that some major changes were made to the Lyric Theatre to accommodate the performance. For example, seats were pulled out to allow for the two aisles the performers walked down during the show and new aisle lighting and carpet were put down, then taken up again and the seats restored once the show finished its season 18 weeks later. When the Bolshoi Ballet was in town 65 crew were needed on stage to manage scene changes and during Phantom of the Opera, one star had to change costume behind a bedhead. With the help of a wardrobe team they did it in a minute and a half! These are just a few anecdotes from behind the scenes of Brisbane’s premier performance space that you might learn on one of its weekly tours, operating every Friday from 10.30am to 11.30am (excluding public holidays). Tours include information about the centre’s history and architecture, and stories about some of the stars who have performed there, from Rudolf Nureyev to Geoffrey Rush and Julie Andrews. Tickets $15 adult. Buy at the QPAC café on the day or to book, call 3840 7444 or send an email to tours@qpac.com.au
QPAC Concert Hall
Light the way Brisbane’s refugee communities have been working for months to make jumbo size lanterns in all sorts of shapes – some taking up to 40 hours each to complete – to lead this year’s Luminous Parade on 10 June. The event is an annual welcome to refugees and migrants, hosted by support agency MDA, and will start from South Bank’s Cultural Forecourt (5.40pm) for
a ceremonial circuit through the parklands ahead of a concert at 6.30pm. MDA helped more than 4000 new arrivals from more than 65 countries to settle in Queensland last year and connects them to employment, education, training, housing and volunteering opportunities. Find out more at www.mdaltd.org.au
BNE May/June 2016 | 7
FEATURE
fun to be
GREEK
Soulla Porfyriou didn’t think that growing up Greek in Brisbane was so unusual until she started telling funny family stories as ‘Soulla Pants’ at open mic nights … and found she had a budding career as a stand-up comedian
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ost people who have seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding (and its sequel) think it’s a romantic comedy but to me – and others I know with a Greek family heritage – it’s more like a documentary of our life story. We all recognise someone from our family in the characters on screen. The movie is so spot on about what it’s like to be a girl in a Greek family that when I watched it for the first time I wondered if someone had sent my journal to the film’s writer, Nia Vardalos. But surely that’s not possible. Is it? I was the fourth child to be born in our family and when my siblings and I were little, my mother would show her love by stuffing our faces with food. She’d have a buffet of love waiting for us at all times and be so proud when we finished off the mountain of food on our plates. Of course she had a surefire way of making us clear those plates – a spectacle we never got tired of watching over and over again. She’d grab our empty plate, smash it on the ground and scream “opa!” then clean it up ... Truly, well almost, except for the smashing plates thing, we don’t do that ... anymore. My three older siblings are a lot skinnier than me, so it was pretty obvious that I was the favourite and a regular visitor to the buffet of love. Now I know there’s nothing wrong with having more cushion for the pushing, I just wish I had a better excuse for being overweight than blaming my loving mother. I wish I could tell people I’ve been five months pregnant for the past five years and my epic rear cheeks are
8 | BNE May/June 2016
twins which kick every time I walk or twerk. During primary school I realised I was different to the other kids, particularly at lunch times. My lunch box had the usual items inside like sandwiches and fruit but my sandwiches sometimes had Greek food in them. Nothing wrong with that, I thought, until some of my friends freaked out at the pink stuff they thought was melted strawberry ice-cream oozing out between the bread slices. I told them it was a Greek dip called tarama (even though I didn’t even know what it was made of back then). When my mother told me it was made from fish roe that freaked me out, so I just told my friends tarama was Greek for strawberry ice-cream. Kids these days think they have it tough at school. That’s nothing. When I was at primary school my mother also made me go to Greek school on Saturdays so I could learn Greek language and Sunday School on Sundays to learn Greek Orthodox ways! I went to school seven days a week. Plenty of Greek families still do that today. It’s like a rite of passage that has continued through generations – but I decided it wasn’t for me. I had a plan. Every Saturday and Sunday I would throw the biggest tantrums before and after my classes and eventually, surprisingly, I wore my mother down. No more weekend classes. It’s still a blessing. Whenever Mum asks me to do something in Greek I have no idea what she’s saying. When I was a teenager I noticed Greek people tended to stick together, even when
Soulla Porfyriou photographed by Marc Grimwade at the Greek Club, West End
SOULLA PORFYRIOU is a stand-up comedian with Brisbane’s Sit Down Comedy Club. She has been performing as ‘Soulla Pants’ ever since a friend dobbed her in for an open mic session when she was 17 – and they’re still friends! She’s still telling funny stories about growing up Greek at gigs across Brisbane and interstate, including the Adelaide and Perth Fringe Festivals, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and she’s been the support act for seasoned comics such as Akmal and Merrick Watts. Look out for her next performance at www.standup.com.au
it came to dating. My two older siblings found Greek partners – model offspring – which puts a lot of pressure on me and my other brother. It isn’t exactly ‘arranged’ that we marry other Greek people like it was for my grandparents in the old days but, in a modern Greek family, it’s just ‘recommended’ to marry other Greeks. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t interested in Greek boys, mainly because most of the ones I knew back then had the same surname as me and belonged to the same family tree, no matter how distant the branch. At high school there was one Greek boy (not related) in my grade who I looked at and saw a geek but who my mother looked at and saw a future son-in-law who would make lots of little babies with me and grow the family olive tree. Of course, at that age I was obliged to do the opposite of everything my mother wanted, so for five years whenever my Mum invited him to my birthday parties, pushed me to talk to him, or dragged him to our house (a lot) for dinner, I ignored him, gave him dirty looks for no reason and generally treated him like the plague. He was probably a nice guy. I think he owns a café franchise now, drives a BMW and has three children. Today, my other brother, now engaged, and I have non-Greek partners and my parents seem to have mellowed. My current boyfriend has lasted four years and has a relatively easy time. It wasn’t always like that. I remember my mum threatened to make a souvlaki out of my first boyfriend. My mum is definitely the emotional one in the family but shouting is often a sign of a happy marriage. One night my Mum was yelling at my Dad, not really in anger, and he just let her go on. I think he likes to let her be the crazy one. As we watched her rant away I looked at Dad and said,
“You know she’s going to divorce you one day, even after 40 years of marriage.” He looked at me and, without missing a beat, he said, “Is that a promise?” Deadpan. I know he didn’t mean it. He just doesn’t get emotional ... about anything. My Dad is one of those old-school Greek fathers who sits quietly in the corner at family events with a Turkish coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He’s a man of few words and we have about one conversation a year. This year it was in the car when I had to drive him to the doctor. About 10 minutes into the journey he said, “Are you on your opens [driver’s licence]?” I looked at him and said, “I’m 27, I’ve been on my opens for five years.” Then I stopped and kicked him out of the car ... that’s what we’ll be talking about next year. As a young Greek woman today I find life a bit difficult in certain situations. For example, managing the hair that grows in places the sun doesn’t shine requires heavy duty equipment, so instead of calling a beauty salon I call Jim’s Mowing service. In extreme cases, like just after winter, I feel like I’m wearing a full body stocking under my clothes, so Jim uses extreme measures ... like back burn. I have a part-time job in a supermarket and I work in the deli section which is perfect because I love feta and olives, so I’ve become expert at quality checking these items, and checking and checking and checking until I’m sure they’re perfect and I’m full. I have just completed my studies and now I’m a qualified art teacher looking for a school. So far, I’ve done a few days of relief work but things didn’t go well at one school. During the class a student pulled out his e-cigarette instead of a paintbrush and began to smoke in the classroom. What a relief! I haven’t taught since.
Let’s go Greek Everyone gets a taste of Greek life, from the honey puffs and dolmades to zorba dancing, bouzouki playing, plate smashing, grape stomping and more at Paniyiri – Queensland’s largest cultural festival – on 21 and 22 May at Musgrave Park and the Greek Club, Edmonstone Street, West End. Television stars and celebrity chefs will be part of the entertainment which includes a Greek style Dancing with the Stars competition and cooking demonstrations. In honour of the festival’s 40th anniversary a cookbook has been compiled with recipes by chefs from restaurants all over Brisbane and Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) hosts a retrospective of the films of Greek director Theo Angelopoulos until 22 May. Tickets for Paniyiri, $11.50 adult plus fee (online). For the program, the cookbook and tickets see www.paniyiri.com
BNE May/June 2016 | 9
Johnathan Thurston He’s had one of his best years ever. He’s idolised by fans and his awards and accolades are too many to list, so what’s next for this North Queensland Cowboy?
Photography by Cameron Laird 10 | BNE May/June 2016
Story: Heather McWhinnie
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ROCK STAR OF RUGBY LEAGUE
ven if you don’t follow football, you can’t be a Queenslander if you don’t know who Johnathan Thurston is – or JT as almost everyone calls him. He attracts a crowd wherever he goes with fans clamouring for pictures, autographs or just to touch their idol. To most onlookers he’s at the top of his game, at heights even beyond some of the most revered in rugby league. He’s been named World’s Best Player three times – more than one of his own idols, Darren Lockyer – he’s won the Dally M Medal four times, he’s scored more points and kicked more goals in his State of Origin career than any other player, he’s won most Player of the Year Awards at his beloved North Queensland Cowboys club and he’s their all-time leading points scorer. Thurston has been the team’s captain since 2007 and co-captain with Matthew Scott since 2011, leading the team to its first history-making premiership last year. But it’s been a long road to the top – for the club and Thurston. His passion for the game began when he was just a boy, earning $2 a game as a ball boy at his dad’s club matches and playing footy every chance he got with his mates. Growing up in an extended family of uncles, aunties and cousins there were always family barbecues and people to kick a footy with – mostly in the neighbour’s front yard. He admits his mind was more on football than on his schooling in those primary school years but that changed when he had an opportunity to move to St Mary’s College in Toowoomba, a school with a strong rugby league reputation. He was knocked back initially because his grades weren’t up to scratch and even at 15 Thurston recognised it was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to lose if he wanted to be noticed in rugby league circles. So he went back to Brisbane, got his grades up and went back to St Mary’s where he stayed for years 11 and 12. “That’s when it clicked for me that this was a good opportunity to work hard and dedicate myself to rugby league and to my studies as well. I had put all my eggs in one basket in rugby league but I knew I had to work extremely hard to get to where I wanted to be.” There’s no doubt Thurston had plenty of drive and determination to succeed even back then, writing out his goals to keep him on track, but even as a stand-out player the opportunities didn’t come easy. He was knocked back by major league coaches until he offered to play for free to prove himself. Ironically, in 2013 he signed a $5 million four-year contract with the Cowboys reported to be the richest deal in rugby league history. And he’s still writing out that list of goals every season. For the last few years the goals have been pretty much the same: selection for representative teams (tick), World Cup (Thurston played in the winning Australian side in 2013 and was named Man of the Match), and the Cowboys making the finals (tick). This year playing for the Kangaroos is back on his list, another World Cup next year and, hopefully (negotiations are in progress), another year with the Cowboys in 2018. In the last five years Thurston has really found his mojo. “I just want to play my best footy. I always try to be better each day. When I was in my 20s it was a lot of trial and error and when you’re just coming through you just rely on your talent and hard work. I’ve always trained extremely hard and now I’ve got my routines that I know work for me and if I’m doing that on a daily basis I’m playing my best footy and that flows on to achieving those goals,” he says. He’s also learned from some of his own role models. “Locky (Darren Lockyer) once told me ‘preparation is the key to success’ and that’s always stuck with me. It’s embedded into me now and that’s what I live by and try do on a daily basis,” he says. Mal Meninga, his coach for State of Origin, has also been a great mentor.
“I appreciate his honesty. When my form hasn’t been great heading into an Origin series and I’ve had self-doubt about whether I should be in the side or not, he’s given me the confidence that I deserve to be in the side and that’s helped me play the way I have. Having him in your corner and reassuring you gives you the confidence to go out and play the best you can.” He’s also learned that being a good leader is not all about game play and he’s found his role models in team mates such as Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith. “Locky and Smitty are quite similar, it doesn’t matter what the scoreboard says their demeanour on and off the field is the same. They are cool, calm and collected no matter what the situation is and that’s something that I’ve tried to adapt over the years. I tend to play with my heart on my sleeve and with a lot of emotion but I’ve learnt from those two boys that if I’m looking frustrated or rattled on the field then that’s going to have a negative effect on those around me and they are probably going to react to that. I can still get emotional on the field but I think I’ve toned it down a lot over the last few years and I understand my role within the team. I’d like to think it’s made a difference to those around me as well.” His off-field demeanour, too, is inspiring to others and, while fans might treat him like a rock star, those around him says he’s just a regular guy, down to earth, with great integrity and respect for his fellow man and a willingness to listen. What little spare time he has he shares with the community, travelling to remote regions in Far North Queensland (he’s co-owner with Peter Collings of regional airline Skytrans, rescued from liquidation last year and now flying new routes, employing more staff and winning multi-million dollar commercial contracts) and mentoring kids in programs such as ARTIE which focuses on improving education outcomes for Indigenous children. Thurston visits schools to talk to kids about goal setting and the importance of staying at school and making healthy lifestyle choices. “They have such a great opportunity in front of them with all the programs that are available now. None of those were around when I was at high school and I just try to steer them in the right direction and try to give them confidence and encourage them to take advantage of those opportunities,” Thurston says. That also meant checking report cards one year while he was overseas in the UK playing in the Four Nations tournament. The kids sent their report cards over to him and he went through them all and wrote a little message on each. Later, when those same students turned in their next report cards he saw the effect in higher grades, many of them As. “I was blown away by how much they had been working,” he says. Thurston also gives his time to the Cowboys Learn Earn Legend program for Indigenous students which has a 95 per cent success rate for keeping kids in school through to year 12 and the Deadly Kindies program to encourage Indigenous parents to enrol their children in kindergarten. Having his own family, too, has changed Thurston. He says it has added to the calming influence on his demeanour and he has learned to separate his footy from his home life, making him more clearly focused when he’s out on the field. Thurston married his partner Samantha in the off season last year on the stunning Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays (pictured) with only their daughters Frankie, 3, and Charlie, 1, and parents as witnesses. It’s an insight to the real Johnathan Thurston. He may be the rock star of rugby league but, like any doting dad, at the end of the day he just wants to spend time at home with his family. BNE May/June 2016 | 11
STYLE
floral
ESCAPE 1
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extile designer Kellie Mobbs grew up surrounded by nature in the foothills of Broken Bago Mountain and spent lots of family time camping, bushwalking and being active – a passion her family continues to share today when they get together from their scattered locations to meet up for occasional weekends of good food, fun and adventure. Her design studio also sits on the edge of a national park on Brisbane’s city fringe, so inspiration was not far away when 3 Mobbs came to create her latest collection for her Bago Studio label, called Floral Escape. Her prints are a burst of glorious colour on high performance fabrics that are made for an active lifestyle of cycling, travelling, hiking, everyday exploring – even dancing if you want to – all things Mobbs likes to do. So, she wanted clothes that she could cycle in or walk in or travel in and not feel she was dressing down and her collection is for others who want to do the same. See the full collection and buy online at www.bagostudio.com
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3 These Bago Studio garments are made with fast-drying, non-iron, easy care, moisture absorbent fabrics for active lifestyles. 1. Bushwalk dress $179 2. Walking Through the Grass dress $179 3. Floral Dance ponti skirt $129; Archer turtleneck top $89 4. Adventure shell top $125; Twill track pant $159
Photography by Shaelah Ariotti
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BNE May/June 2016 | 13
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Once you’ve seen the major attractions in New York City it’s time to go exploring and there are some great finds across the river, as Tim Richards discovers
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N
ew York, New York! As the old song says, it’s a hell of a town. But there’s more to explore in the Big Apple than the well-worn tourist trails to the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park and the elevated walkway known as the High Line. At street level Manhattan and in the city’s other boroughs there are boutique tours, quirky sights and great places to eat and drink. After you’ve given your regards to Broadway, here are some other places to check out.
1. MANHATTAN’S HOT COFFEE SPOTS
You may be surprised to find that one of Australia’s greatest exports to the USA is ... coffee! Or rather, the Australian way of setting up a café and preparing the beverage. In American cafés you generally queue to order and there isn’t much food on offer, so the Aussie model, with table service and excellent casual dishes served alongside a quality flat white, has been a great success. One of the best choices in Midtown is Little Collins at 667 Lexington Ave (littlecollinsnyc.com). With its
The Australian way of setting up a café, with table service and excellent casual dishes served alongside a quality flat white, has been a great success sleek industrial look, it could have been dropped in from Brisbane’s West End; try the Charcoal Chook sandwich, with mashed peas, bacon, caramelised onion and chipotle mayo, alongside top espresso. Other great Australian-owned Manhattan cafés include Two Hands in Little Italy at 164 Mott St (twohandsnyc.com); Bluebird in the East Village at 72 E 1st St (bluebirdcoffeeshop.com) and Bluestone Lane has several outlets (bluestonelaneny.com).
2. VILLAGE PUB CRAWL
TandAmore N
Until it became gentrified in the late 20th century, Greenwich Village was the bohemian home to a vast array of great writers. From Edgar Allen Poe and Mark Twain to Jack Kerouac and Dylan Thomas, all the literary greats hung out at Village bars. The Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl revives the days when these drinking holes were a key element in the creative process, visiting three long-lived establishments and detailing their connections to famous writers, starting at the White Horse Tavern. Within these atmospheric taverns and on the walk between them, actor and tour guide Eric Chase quotes key passages and poems, saying “We’re here to learn
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ESCAPE about the writers, the artists, the drinkers and the thinkers”. It’s an entertaining and inspirational afternoon, punctuated with beer breaks, that will have you revising your library list. Tour departs 1pm Saturdays, fee US$20. See www.literarypubcrawl.com
3. NEXT BEST IN BROOKLYN
Everyone knows that Williamsburg is the hipster heart of Brooklyn, across the East River from Manhattan. The problem is, the district has become so popular that it’s lost its edge. Where to go? East – to the district known as Bushwick. Still a patchwork of residential neighbourhoods, light industrial zones and commercial strips, this area is now attracting arty types priced out of Williamsburg. The result is a fascinating ’hood dotted with street art, cool eateries and cutting-edge bars and shops. Catch the L train to the Morgan Avenue subway station to check out the artist’s studios within the BogArt building at 56 Bogart St (www.56bogartstreet.com); locally made clothing and art at Better than Jam at 20 Grattan St (www.betterthanjamnyc.com); the wood-fired pizzas of Roberta’s at 261 Moore St (www.robertaspizza.com); and the contemporary cocktails of Tutu’s at 25 Bogart St (www.tutusbrooklyn.com). Walk along Wyckoff Avenue to enjoy great coffee at Wyckoff Starr, 30 Wyckoff Ave, (www.facebook.com/wyckoffstarr) and authentic Mexican food at budget taco outlet Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos, 271 Starr St. Finish the day at Northeast Kingdom, 18 Wyckoff Ave (www.northeastkingdom.com), a restaurant which specialises in dishes created from locally-grown (sometimes foraged) ingredients.
4. WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
They say two things are certain – death and taxes. This Brooklyn institution, within a former nightclub in the gritty Gowanus district, is devoted to the former. Founded in 2014, its collections focus on funerary art and other “intersections of death and beauty”. So far it’s hosted exhibitions of historic anatomical waxworks, death masks, biological curiosities under glass and magicians who claimed to contact the spirit world. There’s always something interesting on display. Visitors can also browse the well-stocked library with its many volumes exploring esoteric subjects and even have a snack and a drink at the café on the ground floor. After all, you only live once. At 424 Third Ave, Brooklyn, admission US$8. See morbidanatomymuseum.org
5. DISCOVER QUEENS
To the north of Brooklyn is Queens, a somewhat overlooked part of NYC. However, this borough contains some gems such as the Queens Museum. Refurbished and reopened in 2013, this art gallery and museum is housed within one of the few buildings left over from the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Around it stretches Flushing MeadowsCorona Park, reached via the Mets-Willets Point station on the 7 subway line. This sprawling green swathe was home to both the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs, and a remnant of the latter is the impressive Unisphere sculpture, a steel globe of the world in a pool outside the museum. Inside its walls is an eclectic collection of Tiffany lamps, along with contemporary art. What’s of most interest, though, is the collection of memorabilia from the World’s Fairs and the Panorama of the City of New York, left in place from the 1964 fair. The Panorama is a huge architectural model of New York City, spread across almost 900 square metres of floor space which is regularly updated. Visitors can inspect its 900,000 model buildings from glass walkways high above. At New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, entry US$8. See queensmuseum.org Air Canada begins direct flights from Brisbane to Vancouver from 3 June with its non-stop B787 Dreamliner service opening up a new gateway to North America. From Vancouver Air Canada provides onward connections to more than 100 cities in Canada and the US, including New York City via Newark Airport. For flight information see www.aircanada.com
Tim Richards was assisted on the ground by nycgo.com
PREVIOUS PAGE: Detail of the Panorama architecture model at Queens Museum. FROM TOP: Two Hands café is an Aussie success story; NYC skyline from Long Island; Z Hotel’s shuttle bus ferries guests to Manhattan; Morbid Anatomy Museum is a hidden gem in Brooklyn; Bluestone Lane’s ‘heavenly’ café on the Upper East Side; the literary pub crawl starts from the White Horse Tavern in Greenwich Village; the Unisphere outside Queens Museum.
WHERE TO STAY THE POD HOTELS have been designed for travellers on a budget, colourful and comfy with the things you need without the frills – so free WiFi, media connectivity and flat screens are included and accommodation options cater for solo to family groups. Pod 39 (below) at 145 East 39th St and Pod 51 at 230 East 51st St, Midtown. See www.thepodhotel.com
Z HOTEL NYC is just steps from the Queensboro Bridge, across the East River from Midtown Manhattan on Long Island. The hotel’s colourful re-purposed school bus also provides free transport to and from Manhattan every hour, or it’s just one stop away on the subway. Great views from the rooftop bar and floor-toceiling windows in rooms. Free bicycles also available and a free guests wine hour 6-7pm weekdays. At 11-01 43rd Ave, Long Island City. See www.zhotelny.com
THE JANE has quite a history; completed in 1908 and originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms, the survivors of the Titanic stayed at the hotel in 1912 until the end of the American Inquiry into the ship’s sinking. During the ’80s and ’90s the hotel was part of downtown New York’s bohemian culture and in 2008 it was restored to mark its centenary. The Jane has continued to house guests with more dash than cash ever since. At 113 Jane St, West Village. See www.thejanenyc.com
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The
thrill of the hunt Christine Salins rugs up against the chill in the Southern Tablelands to join the hunt for highly prized truffles
T
here was a time when the only people mad enough to visit Canberra in winter were politicians, children on school excursions and skiers on their way to the snow but a weirdlooking fungus highly prized by chefs and food lovers is changing that. Canberra is rapidly becoming the place to go for truffles, not the chocolate variety but the nobbly sort that grow underground near the roots of trees (mostly oaks and hazelnuts) that have been inoculated with the necessary spores. Dogs are trained to sniff out these treasures and, whether it’s because of their elusiveness or their unique aroma and flavour, the truffles they find can fetch as much as a few thousand dollars a kilo. Since the first truffle farms, called ‘trufferies’,
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were established in and around the National Capital a little over a decade ago, truffles have been found to thrive in the region, where the frosty mornings, sunny days and dry climate provide perfect growing conditions. Australia now has more than 150 trufferies, with plantings in every state, but the harvest in Canberra can extend for up to 14 weeks, twice as long as in most regions. The truffles are harvested from June to August – the best time to join in the hunt and experience the excitement of the chase, but you’ll have to rug up very well indeed. Jayson Mesman, new owner of The Truffle Farm just 10km from Canberra Airport, is predicting an early season on his property and will host truffle hunts from 3 June to 3 September.
In France, where truffles are part of the lexicon of fine cuisine, pigs were traditionally used to sniff out the truffles but while Mesman keeps pigs on his farm – weighing in at a hulking 120kg each – they can be too boisterous and too fond of eating the truffles to be trusted on a hunt these days. Instead, dogs are more commonly used to detect the truffle scent (Mesman has a team of six), guiding the handler to the spot under the tree where a little bit of gentle digging reveals the pot of gold a few inches below. The Truffle Farm has more than 3000 trees, including French and English oak as well as hazelnut trees, over 10 hectares or almost a quarter of the 41 hectare farm. The local climate almost replicates the conditions in Perigord, France, but it takes
Jayson Mesman at The Truffle Farm
Pigs, traditionally used to sniff out truffles, can be too fond of eating them to be trusted on a hunt these days
much more than that to successfully grow the highly prized ‘Black Winter Truffle’ or ‘Perigord Truffle’ found at Canberra’s trufferies and not all truffles taste the same. At The Truffle Farm a massive investment has been made in creating the right balance in the soil to produce truffles with a rich and intense flavour which is in great demand from buyers in Australia and in Japan, Mesman’s key export market. “There is also a taste distinction between the trees, with hazelnuts producing truffles, on our farm at least, that have undertones of chocolate which we tend to favour in our dessert dishes,” says Mesman. And that’s another part of the truffle treat – the chance to taste the spoils of the hunt. During the season many of Canberra’s
restaurants host truffle-inspired events while The Truffle Farm will host classes by resident chef for the season Damian Brabender, who has earned a reputation for his fine food at Canberra’s much lauded Sage Restaurant. Mesman wants visitors to discover that truffles are available for everyone, in spite of their lofty value, and classes include tips on how to buy truffles as well as how to get multiple uses from them in a range of dishes. Less than an hour from Canberra and just across the border in NSW Matt Sturgiss, of Tarago Truffles, says they generally find between one and seven truffles under a tree each season, ranging from a few hundred grams in size to half a kilo or so. Matt’s parents, Anne and Denzil, planted the first of their 4300 oak trees in 2002 and for the past four seasons have BNE May/June 2016 | 21
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Found at The Truffle Farm
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invited the public to join in their hunts. It can be tough getting out of bed on a winter’s morning in Canberra, and to say that the air was bracing when I set off for Tarago along the Bungendore Road is an understatement. However, as I joined 20 other eager folk on a hunt last season, excitement quickly took hold. There’s not just the element of surprise – will we or won’t we find any? There’s also the knowledge that if you do, they are worth a fortune. They’re not mine to keep but I do get to taste them, and that’s excitement enough for anyone who loves food. Denzil and Matt and their two faithful companions, Daisy and Utah, led us systematically along the rows of trees. At one point, Utah made a sudden dash across three rows for a small truffle that Denzil nearly missed. The dogs are trained using rewards, and so long as they have a good nose, almost any breed can be trained. Eighteen-month-old Dusty, rescued from a pound and in her first season of hunting, was already proving to be “pretty smart and switched on”. The evidence was in the dozen or so truffles she found in the few hours before the bitter cold drove us back to a shelter where Anne had prepared hearty soups. The strong wind made it hard for the dogs, as it blows the scent away, but at least a few people in our hunt group were able to get down on their hands and knees and dig out a truffle or two.
They are earthy, musty and sweet – what a wine taster might describe as ‘ forest floor’ Truffle stuffed brie at The Truffle Farm
Soup at Tarrago Truffles
Walking in the brisk country air sharpens the appetite and while Anne served hearty pumpkin and cauliflower soups with truffle shaved on top, Matt washed the truffles we had found. It was the first chance for most of the ‘hunters’ to taste these little beauties and everyone was surprised by their intense flavor – vaguely mushroom- and beetroot-like, they are earthy, musty and sweet – what a wine taster might describe as “forest floor”. Somehow, they magically transform a dish, intensifying the flavour of almost anything they are paired with. The Truffle Farm, Mt Majura Road, Canberra ACT, see www.thetrufflefarm.com.au Tarago Truffles, 173 Willandra Lane, Tarago NSW, see www.taragotruffles.com.au The 2016 Truffle Festival 1 June to 31 August, for program see www.trufflefestival.com.au Canberra information, see www.visitcanberra.com.au
Jayson Mesman’s glossy hunters at The Truffle Farm
• Shangri-La’s new concept brand Hotel Jen • Spacious modern rooms with city and parkland views • Free fast Wi-Fi for up to 3 devices • Jen’s Alice App - Order room service on your way to the hotel!
• Espresso machines in every room • Great location only 5 minutes walk to CBD • Sky Garden & Bee Hives- kitchen supplies • Rooftop gym with panoramic views
Hotel Jen Brisbane. 159 Roma Street, Brisbane 4000 QLD | T: +617 3238 2222 | E: hjbb@hoteljen.com | W: www.hoteljen.com/brisbane BNE May/June 2016 | 23
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Time
to
chill
A short break to the Southern Downs is a great escape to the country if you take it slow, writes Heather McWhinnie
First Frost, photography by Chris McFerran
O
n a country drive to Warwick recently I learned a few things. To look skyward, for example (more unusual now we are so techno-focused). The sky above Warwick really can look stunning. I admit it didn’t look quite like the one pictured above when I cycled along that same path on my weekend there – but it did when local photographer Chris McFerran took that shot, no photoshopping required. Of course, it takes some effort to be in the right place at the right time and McFerran has learnt to read the signs of the brilliant cloud formations as they roll in, but the rest of us just might get lucky. You see, the sky really is different out Warwick way (something to do with the vast plains), so much so that it’s a hot spot for storm chasers – McFerran is a veteran and has the shots to prove it. Sunsets are another popular shot and a staple in McFerran’s collection (see more online at www.facebook.com/ SeQldWeatherPhotography). He did give me one tip to take away. “Don’t give up after the sun’s gone down. Most people think it’s too late for a good shot then but just wait for that moment the sun has set and there can be a beautiful afterglow,” he says. Another thing I learned even before I arrived in Warwick was that I needed much more than the two hours I’d estimated to get there and properly enjoy the journey, there are so many stops to explore on the way, from villages dotted with curio shops to a random little heritage cottage on the side of the
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road with a sign outside welcoming visitors inside, and the best scones ever, baked fresh by Fay and her helpers at the Aratula café. When I finally arrived in front of the charming Guy House it was just as its pictures promise – a character B&B in a quiet street, just a block from the city centre. I just had time for a walk before happy hour back at the house with a glass of wine and an antipasto tasting plate on the verandah. There are five walks to choose from on a pocket map in the welcome pack Larraine gave me so I chose the CBD walk; it’s easy, flat, a circuit of little more than 2km. (The next day I chose the River Walk circuit to cycle on that path pictured above and on a route from Abbey of the Roses and back, also mostly flat and avoiding the main streets through town.) Guy House is opposite Leslie Park and the century old Slade Gates – standing majestically on one corner of the open park, but keeping nothing or no one in or out – is the first point of interest on the map. The local story is that they came from the historic Glengallan homestead, a landmark nearby on the New England Highway that fell derelict soon after. It stayed that way for decades until a local trust was formed to rescue it. Now, the story goes, they want the gates back but the council is not about to move them again. There are 15 sites marked on the CBD walk that offer a brief snapshot of one of the oldest
cities in Queensland, from the old church hall that was the first St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church built in 1865 (and now overshadowed by the new church that towers over it built in 1926), to the Thomas Byrnes monument, a statue of the first Queensland-born Premier that stands at the junction of Palmerin and Grafton Streets. Of course, he’s not the only famous Queenslander from these parts. Arthur Morgan and Anna Bligh also became Premiers and Duncan Thompson was a much lauded rugby league player and coach before Wayne Bennett left Warwick for a stellar career. Other ‘notables’ include a couple of Olympic hockey players and filmmaker Charles Chauvel on a list of sportsmen, politicians, judges, performers and others who have found success since leaving Warwick. More recently, though, a younger generation has come back to Warwick, giving it a new lease on life – for the benefit of locals and visitors. Mark Favero and his wife grew up in the area and came back to raise their family in Warwick. For the last four years Mark has been running the Belle Vue café (119 Palmerin Street) which has been an institution in the city for almost 100 years. The building is still owned by the family who first operated the café and furniture and some fittings, including the milk shake machine, are originals from its last great refurb in the 1950s. Mark’s biggest challenge today is to find replicas in
The sky above Warwick really can look stunning and while it takes some effort to be in the right place at the right time, you might just get lucky. caption here
WHERE TO STAY ABBEY OF THE ROSES
Jumpers and Jazz Festival 21-31 July 2016. See www.jumpersandjazz.com and see www.southernqueenslandcountry.com.au
the same style as he expands. It’s busy at weekend lunch with families, locals and tourists coming in for Devonshire teas, buttermilk pancakes with smokehouse bacon, a Ploughman’s board or perhaps a Byron Bay coffee and cous cous salad. The Belle Vue is open for breakfast and lunch but Mark is mixing things up a bit and has introduced some very successful band nights featuring local talent and occasional paddock-to-plate dinners. Jim and Katie Osborn worked in hospitality overseas, interstate and in Brisbane (Soul Bistro, Milton) before they returned to Warwick to open Bluebird Kitchen (130 Palmerin Street) a year ago. Jim has a passion for American-style food and brings that to the converted motorbike repair shop on the corner of Percy Street. They smoke their own meats, make their own bagels and source local produce on their doorstep for dishes that include slow roasted brisket, sticky pork riblet (dinner) and, my choice for Sunday morning breakfast, the Hodgepodge, a hearty one pan mash-up of egg, bacon, sausage, potato, smoked onion and herbs. Bluebird Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday to Sunday and for dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Jess Kerle is another who left town and found her passion, then brought it back with her to start a new business in Warwick. She opened the Essence of My Heart Yoga and Pilates studio (2/53
Grafton Street) earlier this year and she is already attracting a loyal flock of locals. Fortunately, she has a beginner’s class at a reasonable hour on a Sunday morning (in summer she often takes classes outdoors) and visitors are welcome. It’s a great warm-up (or loosen up) for my next activity, bushwalking to Queen Mary Falls. The drive through Killarney to the Falls Drive is pretty, well sign-posted and easy to follow. At Queen Mary Falls there are two options: the short walk to the top of the falls and the full 2km circuit that follows the gorge to the bottom of the falls and back to the car park and picnic grounds. After that, there’s just one more stop for me before the homeward journey – Spring Creek Café and Cottages, just a few minutes further along the road beside Carr’s Lookout. The views are magnificent, the scones delightful and I lingered a little too long, savouring the sight of the Scenic Rim and Tamborine Mountain (book a table on the balcony if you can) before taking the slow road back to Boonah. It’s narrow at times, dark under tree-lined arches then bright again past fields and cows standing at the side of the road, across cattle grids, one lane bridges and small creek crossings. And then I looked skyward. It may not have been as spectacular as a Chris McFerran photograph, but the clouds looked otherworldly, as if suspended on a different plane altogether, and glowing as the sun went down.
This former convent, boarding school and function centre is now a charming mansion (above) offering bed and breakfast a few minutes from the city centre. It may be steeped in history but it’s far from stuffy and owners Mark Cains and Sonia Hunt make guests feel right at home. Instead of boarding school dorms there are now 12 suites (they are too big to be called rooms) each with private bathrooms or ensuites. The former vestry is now a private dining room for two and the chapel remains for weddings. Bicycles are available for guests to go exploring. Alternatively, visit for morning tea and a tour, or even just take a ground floor tour, but bookings are essential. Abbey of the Roses Country House Manor, 8 Locke Street, Warwick. Call (07) 4661 9777 or see www.abbeyoftheroses.com
GUY HOUSE
A smaller cottage-style bed and breakfast built around 1880 (below) that pre-dates the Abbey by about 13 years and is equally charming with just two guest rooms and a private bathroom. A continental breakfast is served in the dining room or take it on the sunny verandah (temperature permitting). Owner Larraine provides a welcome pack of information about places of interest to visit, a town map (essential) and a discount voucher for scones at Belle Vue café (also essential – use before leaving!) Ask her for dinner recommendations and favourite local haunts. Guy House, 31 Guy St, Warwick. Call (07) 4661 7669 or see www.guyhousebnb.com.au
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Copenhagen in style
Danes have been called the happiest people in the world and if you’re tempted to see why then Copenhagen is the place to go. It’s also been consistently rated one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit and not just because it’s home to the best restaurant in the world, noma. Before you go, netpreneurs Anna Peucket and Søren Jepson, creators of city guide website 12hrs.net, provide a stylish introduction to all the coolest places to eat, sleep and shop in their new book Copenhagen Style Guide. Not everything is lavish – it also reveals quirky gems such as the smallest hotel (one room) and smallest café (five seats), where to find street food or gourmet popsicles, when and where to find the flea market and the work of the city’s artisans – and they do share a 12hour hit list. Overnighters can immerse themselves in Danish design by opting to stay in the Arne Jacobsen room at the Hotel Alexandra (pictured below), an homage to its namesake and just one of several in the hotel to choose from. The guide is divided into precincts, includes Q&As with some arty locals and features street style images that provide some wistful browsing whether you decide to travel or not. Copenhagen Style Guide, RRP$39.99, published by Murdoch Books.
Are you a senior doctor looking for a change of scene? Hunter New England Local Health District has a rewarding career ready for you! Tamworth is a progressive regional capital city, offering country living with city style. Renowned for its country hospitality and natural beauty, you and your family will have access to a wide range of attractions, recreational activities, cultural and community experiences and excellent schools. Whether its bush walking in stunning national parks, gourmet food and wine, country music or horse riding that you’re into, Tamworth has something to offer. There are daily flights to and from Sydney and Brisbane, connecting you to metropolitan areas. We offer a supportive and stimulating environment in our brand new, purpose built, state-of-the-art hospital where clinical excellence, and leading teaching and research come together. We have strong links with the Universities of New England and Newcastle’s Joint Medical Program which focuses on training the best and brightest doctors of the next generation. We currently have vacancies at Tamworth Hospital in:
Canyoning near Cairns
• General Paediatrics • Orthopaedics • Emergency Medicine
Raging Thunder Adventures has added a new half-day adventure to its tour program in Queensland’s tropical north. Thrillseekers can abseil, zip line, slide and jump across and alongside the waterfalls and pools of Crystal Canyon near Cairns on the Canyoning tour which takes a maximum 12 people with two guides and is suitable even for beginners. The rocky watercourse goes behind the public access areas of the Crystal Cascades on an 11-metre descent – and although the activities are strictly controlled for safety, you will get wet! However, it is in the middle of a tropical rainforest so the water is warm. Protective safety gear is provided. Cairns Canyoning at Crystal Canyon tour costs $169 per person including return transfers, all training, equipment and a light lunch. Book at www.ragingthunder.com.au
Z09621
For more information go to nswhealth.erecruit.com.au
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TRAVEL EXTRA
TRAVEL APPS WikiCamps Australia
Kokoda preview The rugged terrain of the Owen Stanley Range and the Kokoda Track are legendary and a gruelling reminder of the Australian Army’s heroic struggle to defend Port Moresby in 1942. It’s a trek on many adventurers’ bucket lists and seasoned travel operator World Expeditions offers an insight to what nine days over 96km of the track can be like – following trails from the tropical rainforests to the rarefied ranges across the geographical heart of Papua New Guinea (PNG). At a special presentation night they show what it’s like to stay overnight in secluded jungle camps and share experiences with the traditional villagers in some of the most remote regions of PNG. To attend the presentation from 6pm on Thursday 26 May at Level 2, 129 Margaret Street, Brisbane call 1300 720 000 or register at www.worldexpeditions.com
Tamworth route a hit Just a year since it started direct flights between Brisbane and Tamworth regional airline Jetgo is adding another weekly return service to its schedule to meet growing demand, boosting its return flights on the route to eight a week. According to Jetgo’s Paul Bredereck, passengers have embraced the small jet travel and Brisbane has become the go-to alternative to Sydney for Tamworth locals who want to access medical and other professional services, as well as offering them a gateway to more holiday options on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and connections with the increasing number of cruise ships now operating from Brisbane. Meanwhile Tamworth’s city-meets-country vibe, with cool coffee spots and city bars, friendly farm gate trails and a surrounding natural beauty is now also an easy weekend getaway just an hour from Brisbane. For flight schedules and bookings see www.jetgo.com
Before you go camping take a look at this with more than 21,000 listings already, including caravan parks, camp sites, backpacker hostels, day stops, points of interest and information centres, and it’s continually being updated as sites are added, edited and shared by users. Download to use content offline. See what a site is like before you go and plan your getaway from information about activities (swimming, fishing, 4x4ing), pet rules, WiFi hotspots, pricing, toilets, showers and more. Extras include satellite dish pointer, camping checklist, home clock, compass. Cost $7.49 for android and iDevices. For more information see http://wikicamps.com.au
The Nullarbor This is one of the world’s great road journeys and it is the most contrasting, dramatic and isolated region on the Eyre Peninsula. The interactive map provides indepth journey highlights, visitor information and essential traveller services for the trip between Adelaide and Perth, including accommodation, tours and booking information. Download to use offline when internet access is zero on the Nullarbor. Free for android and iDevices. See www.exploreeyrepeninsula.com.au
World Guide by Triposo Super convenient single travel guide for the world. Select country or city and download content to use offline. Suggestions for things to see and do based on your location, weather, etc. Handy maps, guide to major sights, restaurants, nightlife options and more. Also has a currency converter, phrasebooks for nonEnglish locations and weather forecasts and current events are updated when online. Free for android and iDevices. For more information see www.triposo.com BNE May/June 2016 | 27
TASTE
WHAT’S
NEXT AT FOOD LAB
TOP: Ben Williamson (left) and Steve Harry plan the menu. ABOVE RIGHT: Prawn Satin. ABOVE: Camel Wafer among the dishes at the Food Lab, an event where the chefs show their (even more) creative flair
There’s no doubt chefs are being more creative with ingredients now – a dish has got to look good as well as taste good to cut the mustard with discerning amateur foodies, and the more interesting its back story the better. After all, everyone’s flaunting their paddock-to-plate connections and any budding master chef can create a foam, pipe their puréed vegies onto the plate or whip up a bird’s nest of spun sugar filaments. So, what to do next? Steve Harry, head chef at Gerard’s Bar, has an answer. Last month Harry teamed up with his counterpart at Gerard’s Bistro (across the car park) Ben Williamson to host their first Food Lab to openly experiment with new dishes before a select audience. The dishes may or may not make the menu or ever be repeated but it’s fun to be guinea pig for a night just to see what they will think of next. On the first night, for example, top marks went to the camel wafer – a super thin wafer of camel meat marinated in fish sauce and served crispy with mini dobs of sour cream and pickled mushroom. Also mind-boggling in an ‘I see it but I don’t believe it’ way was the Prawn Satin with Persian XO and fresh pistachio – the prawn puréed and ironed out (yes, to a flat layer) and served in bite size pieces with just a bit of kick. The menu includes up to 10 plates
served in degustation style with matched wines and diners not only get to watch the food being prepared, the chefs take turns in serving their dishes to tell you what they actually are. Later they also ask for feedback from the diners. Steve Harry says the Food Lab is an extension of what they already do at Gerard’s Bar behind the counter, where the crew is constantly experimenting and then deciding what they like and making just enough to serve for a few days before they move onto the next best thing. At Food Lab nights, though, the diners also get to take part as taste testers. According to Harry, they’ve got more than enough inspiration to make Food Lab a monthly event for now and each menu will be a collaboration with another chef to showcase different styles and skills. And, as Harry says, it’s a nice change from the burger-fuelled ‘Dude Food movement’ currently sweeping Brisbane. This is food at another level entirely and worth every cent. Cost $85 per person for food plus $55 per person with beverages.
A different
WORLD
Bushtucker tours every hour, wine tastings, picnics and art displays are a few of the temptations on the World Apart weekend in the Mt Barney Valley of the Scenic Rim, designed to entice day trippers to take a detour off the highway and onto the country backroads. A handful of local operators including Mt Barney Lodge and Barney Creek Vineyard open their gates to show visitors some good old country hospitality, including giant outdoor games, alpaca and llama feeding and garden tours. A World Apart is on 28 and 29 May. Head towards Boonah through Beaudesert and follow the signs. Download directions and a map at www.scenicrimescapes.com.au/mt-barney BNE May/June 2016 | 29
TASTE
New at The LAB
Anita Green is a country girl at heart, hailing from a one-store town and cutting her teeth in kitchens from the heart of cattle country at Tennant Creek, Northern Territory to the Gold Coast’s glitter strip. She once cooked more than 600 steaks to order in one dinner service so it’s no surprise the new sous chef at Treasury Hotel and Casino has given emphasis to meat (and game) cooked well in her winter menu for The Lab Restaurant. Green doesn’t get too fancy; she calls her menu “bold, clean and simple”, giving pride of place to lamb backstrap, venison, quail, veal and Diamantina eye fillet (and there is a seafood selection in a nod to her Gold Coast days). Highlights of the new menu include kangaroo with sweet potato puree, macadamia dukkah, snow pea and lemon myrtle salad (pictured above); duck with charred fennel, figs and shiraz glaze; or quail with ricotta, creamed corn and juniper berry jus. It’s Green’s first time creating a complete menu of her own but she has already shown she can take the heat. The Lab Restaurant and Bar is open for breakfast and dinner and offers high tea (weekends only) and degustation menus too. See www.treasurybrisbane.com.au
COCKTAIL Heaven
THE NEW SAZERAC BAR, ON LEVEL 30 ABOVE THE FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON HOTEL IN THE CITY TAKES ITS NAME FROM WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FIRST KNOWN COCKTAIL, CREATED IN NEW ORLEANS, AND IN HOMAGE TO THAT THE BAR’S SIGNATURE COCKTAIL IS THE SAZERAC, A STRONG MIX OF RYE WHISKEY, COGNAC, ABSINTHE AND PEYCHAUD BITTERS. SAZERAC BAR, 99 MARY STREET, CITY, OPEN NOON UNTIL LATE SEVEN DAYS.
FEAST by the beach
It may seem that chefs have no fun, slaving over a hot stove night and day trying to please ever more demanding amateur foodies like you and me. But it’s not all hard work as Ben O’Donoghue, (Billykart, Annerley and West End), left, can attest, as the keen surfer will be facing off against other chefs and surfing stars in the waves before cooking up a barbecue breakfast on Main Beach as part of Noosa Food and Wine on Sunday 22 May. The Surfers v Chefs Breakfast is all for a good cause to raise funds for SurfAid and, for some, it will be a good way to clear the head after three days of eating and drinking their way through the best produce Queensland has to offer at more than 40 events hosted by top chefs, including Brisbane’s Richard Ousby (Stokehouse) and Ben Williamson (Gerard’s Bistro). Free events include cooking demos at Noosa Farmers Market and a Spanish Quarter eat street offering tasting plates for sale amid a carnival atmosphere. Noosa Food and Wine, 19-22 May, various locations around Noosa. For the program and tickets see www.noosafoodandwinefestival.com.au
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Nordic fare Helge Olsen, who hails from Norway, and Brisbane-born Corey Thoms have combined their skills as chefs to open their first casual eatery and bar, Lokal & Co in West End, serving up modern seasonal plates with a Nordic influence, crafted from local produce. Some breakfast tempters are the house cured salmon with rye soldiers, goats curd, pickled baby beets, blistered cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs (pictured); or green olive tapenade on toast with poached eggs and a salad of zucchini, currants and Persian feta. At 6 O’Connell Street, West End. Open seven days, including weekend nights. Dishes around $15 to $20. Follow them online at www.facebook.com/lokalandco
MILE-HIGH menu
I
s this the busiest kitchen in Queensland? The Q Catering Centre in Brisbane is a state-of-the-art facility that provides more than six million meals for more than 35,000 Qantas domestic and international flights that take off from Brisbane Airport every year. More than 300 staff work around the clock to prepare up to 20,000 meals a day! Up to 13 dietary options can be requested pre-flight which are made in the centre, including vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, diabetic, kosher and halal, or meals specifically for children and infants. It’s not unusual for restaurants to regularly rejuvenate their menus to keep customers coming back, and Qantas chefs do the same – creating different menus every six months which are rotated between ports each week to reduce the chances of customers being offered the same meal. There are always more than 220 meal options flying around the domestic network at any one time in an effort try to avoid the airline’s most frequent flyers ever getting the same meal twice.
While some airlines have cut food options on flights to a bare minimum, Qantas still offers a choice of hot meal or salad in Economy on every flight and when it swapped tray service for boxes in Economy, portion size actually got bigger. Just a few of the new winter menu selections in Domestic Economy include chicken teriyaki, beef and mushroom pie, pulled pork and Mexican slaw salad, or roasted vegetable and cous cous salad with pomegranate dressing. When Qantas changes its Domestic Business Class menu at the end of June it will have served up more than 130,000 tubs of Maggie Beer ice cream (Burnt Fig and Honey is the favourite pick, accounting for a third of the total), more than three tonnes of tiger prawns in a salad with chardonnay vinaigrette and more than 32,000 lamb shanks. Economy fliers have an equally hearty appetite – particularly for the sweet stuff, including 4 million Lindt chocolate balls (about 1000kg a week), 3.5 million cookies and 2.5 million ice creams.
BNE May/June 2016 | 31
WHAT’S ON
OUTBACK film festival
Winton, the town in outback Queensland famous for its dinosaur fossils (and for being the birthplace of Qantas), rolls out the red carpet for the annual Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival from 24 June to 2 July, celebrating the greatest dinosaur films of all time. The program also includes new releases such as horror flick Red Billabong and budget drama Broke, which was filmed in Gladstone, as well as some classics (including One Million Years B.C. from 1966), kids films, short films and the US documentary Dinosaur 13 about the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex remains ever found. The best seats in the house are the deck chairs lined up at the historic Royal Theatre open-air cinema (pictured below) in Winton’s main street but other festival attractions include workshops, masterclass events and tours of outback film locations. Winton is 1350km north west of Brisbane, accessible by train (the Spirit of the Outback) or air (via Qantas to Longreach then two hours drive to Winton). See www.visionsplendidfilmfest.com
Creature features John Cox is a master of monsters, creating wild and wonderful creatures for film, television, theme parks and exhibitions from his Gold Coast workshop for more than 30 years. His filmography includes The Chronicles of Narnia, Nim’s Island, Peter Pan and George of the Jungle 2 but Cox is still most proud of his work on Babe which earned him an Academy Award for visual effects in the 1990s. The interactive exhibition How to Make a Monster: the art and technology of animatronics gives a behind-thescenes peek at the science and art that come together in Cox’s work, from design, moulding and sculpting to the components that bring the creatures to life. After 12 years of touring the exhibition the doors will close for good on this showcase on 12 June at Gold Coast City Gallery, Arts Centre, 135 Bundall Road Surfers Paradise.
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MURDER most foul
Sound of nature
William Barton (above) grew up in Mount Isa and started to play the didgeridoo at an early age. He soon found he had a passion for it as well as talent, believing he could tell a story with its sound. By 15 he was touring internationally and by 17 he had made his debut as a soloist with a professional orchestra. Barton has since taken the didgeridoo to places no one else thought possible, including Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Festival Hall, and he has composed pieces that team it with piano and electric guitar (friends say Barton is also a mad guitar player and a fan of heavy metal) to push the boundaries of people’s perceptions of the instrument. Now 34, Barton travels the world in demand as a performer and composer so it’s a rare treat indeed to see him in Brisbane, accompanied by the Southern Cross Soloists, performing in Visions of Earth at the Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane on 19 June. Tickets $55 plus fees at www.qpac.com.au
Naomi Price (right) has shown she’s got the guts to try anything – from channelling Adele and Miley Cyrus in her own successful productions to Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar – even real-life talent show contestant on The Voice. However, her latest role may be her most challenging as she takes on mutiple personalities in La Boite Theatre Company’s production of The Tragedy of King Richard III. It’s a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play and while it’s equally brutal, the similarities end there. Instead, inspired by the fiction of Shakespeare’s play, this interpretation explores the notion that you can’t always believe what you see, hear or read – but how do you know who to believe? And how do you recognise a monster (of the human kind)? Price, a cabaret and musical veteran, is relishing with glee her turn to be evil and hopes audiences expectations are challenged. It’s violent and bloody and there are parts that will give you a bit of a fright, but that’s what makes it exciting, says Price. At the Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove, from 21 May to 11 June. Tickets from $25 to $70 plus fees, see www.laboite.com.au
Screen stars turn to stage
Molly Ringwald (pictured right) might be best recognised for her roles in cult coming-of-age movies The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, but Brisbane will see another side to the star when she takes to the stage (3 June) in the Queensland Cabaret Festival. Ringwald performs with her jazz trio and features interpretations of ‘I’ll Take Romance’ and ‘The Very Thought of You’, as well as a throwback to her ’80s fame with ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’. Another star not normally associated with cabaret is Harry Shearer whose distinctive voice is unforgettable from The Simpsons but he, too, plays a different part with his wife, singer-songwriter Judith Owen, in This Infernal Racket (12 June), a performance that tackles fame, celebrity, politics, religion and relationships with music and laughter – and yes, listen up because Mr Burns just might have something to say about that! Queensland Cabaret Festival from 3 to 12 June at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm. Program details and tickets $79 each plus fees at www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
BEST BUBBLES EVER How do you get an elephant in a bubble? Only Fan Yang can answer that as he’s done it, along with many other slippery tricks with bubbles that have earned him 16 Guinness World Records. Yang’s daughter Melody follows in his footsteps to host the Gazillion Bubble Show at the Concert Hall, QPAC, for the school holidays from 23-27 June. Tickets from $39 plus fees. The show is one of 40 events in Out of the Box Festival, including the Snow4kids park, designed for children up to age 8 at various locations across the cultural precinct from 21-28 June. For program and tickets see www.outoftheboxfestival.com.au
LIVESPARK AND MIX TAPE See an ever-changing and eclectic mix of indie, pop, folk, alternative, country and rock each Sunday at Livespark. Mix Tape continues on the last Sunday of every month, offering unique collaborations between singer-songwriters. Highlights for the May to June program include Asa Broomhall, We All Want To, Love Like Hate, Ben Ely, Carol Lloyd and artists from the Festival of Tibet.
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE POWERHOUSE, BRISBANE AIRPORT AND APRA/AMCOS DATE Every Sunday TIME 3.30pm DURATION 2hrs VENUE Turbine platform TICKETS FREE
BRISBANE AIRPORT IS KEEPING THIS FREE
FREE BRISBANEPOWERHOUSE.ORG BNE May/June 2016 | 33
WHAT’S ON
TODD’S
A PERFECT 10
Homage to GOLDEN AGE Strictly Gershwin is a spectacular tribute to the big band era of the 1930s, the songs of George and Ira Gershwin and the silver screen magic of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It’s Queensland Ballet like you’ve never seen them before, dancing to such classics as ‘An American in Paris’, ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, ‘ ’S Wonderful’, ‘I Got Rhythm’ and more, accompanied by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, a jazz orchestra and glamorous costumes from the English National Ballet. From 27 May to 4 June, at Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets from $40 to $140 plus fees, see www.queenslandballet.com.au
American feminist and activist Gloria Steinem will discuss stories from her memoir My Life on the Road with former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on 15 May at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm, see www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
As Todd McKenney takes to the stage singing the songs of our favourite ‘Boy from Oz’ Peter Allen, the shoe is on the other foot for the judge we all love to hate on Dancing with the Stars. And he doesn’t mind one bit – he playfully encourages fans to bring their own scorecard to rate his performance. By all accounts he has nothing to worry about – his high energy performance so far has been given a perfect 10 by audiences who can’t get enough of this cheeky entertainer reprising the role that made him a household name almost 20 years ago in the original production of The Boy from Oz. Ever since he launched his album Todd McKenney Sings Peter Allen in 2013 he’s been playing sell-out shows across the country. However, the show is not just a playlist of Peter Allen hits. There are songs from other musicals, stories and anecdotes about Allen and some goss from Dancing with the Stars. Todd McKenney sings Peter Allen at the Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside, 3 and 4 June. Tickets $63.67 plus fees at www.ticketmaster. com.au
LA BOITE PRESENTS
T H E TR A GE DY OF KING
RICHARD III
B O O K NOW LABOITE.COM.AU
21 MAY – 11 JUN 2016
BY MARCEL DORNEY AND DANIEL EVANS BASED ON THE PLAY BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
LA B O ITE TH EATR E C O M PA NY
La Boite Theatre Company is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland
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La Boite Theatre Company is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its funding and advisory body
WHEN WHAT
WHERE
MAY
SMART ART
Philip Bacon Galleries hosts an exhibition of 90 works by Jeffrey Smart which spans his career, from early pieces produced in South Australia in the 1940s to a study for his last ever painting, Labyrinth (2011) which is now part of the collection of the National Gallery of Australia. Many rare sketches and drawings will be on display, as well as a Brisbane-themed picture painted in 2000 – Mother and child (The Gasworks, Newstead). From 31 May to 25 June at Philip Bacon Galleries, 2 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley, open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. For more information see www.philipbacongalleries.com.au
Study for ‘Airport at night’, 1969-70 by Jeffrey Smart
Costume drama
Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) presents an exhibition of more than 50 large-scale works by American photographer Cindy Sherman from 28 May to 3 October. Photographs are drawn from public and private collections, including a new body of work created this year and on show for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere. Sherman became famous for posing as the characters in her photographs, using makeup, costumes, prosthetics and later, digital techniques, to enhance or exaggerate the features of her ‘subjects’. Sherman’s works reference film, fashion, society stereotypes and contemporary culture and GOMA’s exhibition features some of Sherman’s iconic series, including her five-metre tall society portraits, her Balenciaga-themed collection (Untitled #458 2007-08 pictured) commissioned by Vogue and her garish clowns. Tickets $15 adult. For more information see www.qagoma.qld.gov.au
4
Iron Maiden
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
5
The Gremlins, comic theatre
Old Skate Arena, Red Hill
7
Rudimentals
Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens
7
Queensland Pops, Best of British
Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane
7+8
Brisbane Model Train Show
Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills
From 7 Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art
QAGOMA, South Brisbane
8
The Ten Tenors
Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane
12-19
Madama Butterfly, OperaQ
Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane
13+14
Nitro Circus Live
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
14
M83
Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
14+15
Gluten Free Expo
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
15
Living in the City curators tour
Museum of Brisbane, City Hall
16
Australian Chamber Orchestra Concert Hall, QPAC, South (ACO) plays Beethoven and Mozart Brisbane
20
When Time Stops, Expressions Dance Company
Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane
20
Switzerland, Queensland Theatre Company
Bille Brown Studio, South Brisbane
21
Brisbane Swap Meet
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
21+22
Queensland Hot Rod Show
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
From 21 Sally Gabori exhibition
QAGOMA, South Brisbane
23
Jonathan Franzen, in conversation
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
25
Hugh Mackay, Writers and Ideas
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
26
Cherie Currie (the voice of The Runaways)
The Triffid, Newstead
27
The Pointer Sisters
Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
27
Swing
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
27
Celtic Thunder
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
28+29
Pool and Spa Expo
Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills
JUNE 1
Little Shop of Horrors
Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane
3-12
Queensland Cabaret Festival
Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
7-12
Carl Barron
Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane
8-13
Caravan, Camping and Touring super show
Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills
Goodbye Beards
11
Wallabies v England
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
11
The Rubens
Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
Has the fashion for beards had its day? Are hirsute hipsters passé? The Beards, the band who made a career out of singing only about beards for 10 years, are calling it a day and play their goodbye gig in Brisbane at the Triffid, Newstead, on 18 June. Tickets $35.10 includes fees. See www.thetriffid.com.au
From 11 Sense and Sensibility
Brisbane Arts Theatre, Petrie Terrace
From 11 Time of Others, collaborative Asia Pacific Exhibition
QAGOMA, South Brisbane
13
Air Supply
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
14
52 Storey Treehouse (children’s)
QUT Gardens Theatre, city
16
Michael Jackson HIStory
Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane
17
Spirit of Anzac Experience
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
17-19
Pregnancy, Babies and Children’s Expo
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
18
Josh Pyke
Redland Bay Hotel, Redland Bay
21-28
Little Red Riding Hood, Queensland Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane Ballet
23
Not the Last Night of the Proms, Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Brisbane City Hall, CBD
23-27
Disney on Ice
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall
30
Leo Sayer and Lulu
Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane BNE May/Junel 2016 | 35
MY BRISBANE
Gus Eagleton Artist
Where are you from? Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast. Why did you decide to make Brisbane your home? For a long time I knew I wanted to be an artist and I needed to live somewhere with opportunities in the art world as well as places to study art, so I decided to move to Brisbane. It has a lot of potential for people who want to make a career out of art. It’s also not as big and overwhelming as Sydney and Melbourne can be, and I had some friends here which was a great start. Where do you live? Spring Hill, which I love because it’s only a short walk to the CBD and Fortitude Valley. It also has a great view of the city!
Photography by Marc Grimwade
36 | BNE May/June 2016
Where can we see your street art around Brisbane? My murals tend to come and go but at the moment I have several in pubs and clubs like The Foundry, The Met, Kerbside (all Fortitude Valley) and The Stock Exchange Hotel (CBD). You can also check out some in West End on Ashington Street. I have murals all around Brisbane but one special project I have been involved with is the Pillars, transforming Brisbane’s boring concrete pillars into bright
contemporary murals. They can be seen on the corner of Merivale Street and Montague Road, South Brisbane. What was your first street art project and where was it? I painted a mural for a group exhibition organised by Amnesty International at Juggler’s Art Space in Fortitude Valley which doubled as a fundraiser for the great work that Amnesty does. It was a fulfilling experience, collaborating with other artists as well as raising money for a good cause. Where can people see some of the best street art in Brisbane? Art is starting to become more prominent in the streets of Brisbane. Since the first Brisbane Street Art Festival in February this year we are seeing a big change in the mindset of the Brisbane community. There are some great new works to be found, like Guido Van Helton’s sixstorey high piece in Woolloongabba (Trafalgar Lane, 855 Stanley Street) – it’s hard to miss! And there are many others around the city – 60 artists participated in the festival painting murals all around Brisbane inside and outside establishments. Where have you painted besides Brisbane? I have painted all around Australia, more so in the capital cities than anywhere else. I have also
Gus’ TOP PICKS
JACOB’S LADDER Spring Hill
NEW FARM DELI
Brunswick St, New Farm
painted abroad in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Italy and Germany. What makes Brisbane different from other cities in Australia you have been? Brisbane is special because there’s not millions of people jammed into one place like Melbourne or Sydney. The traffic alone in those places could send you insane. Brisbane is a bit more chilled and the overall attitude people have is more laid back. What has changed for the better in Brisbane since you have lived here? People are starting to warm up to the idea of street art and graffiti. In the past, it was very difficult to get nice places to paint. Now there are opportunities to be taken seriously and to paint large scale pieces for everyone to admire. Got a hot tip for visitors? Sometimes after a long week some friends and I grab brunch and chill out. Usually we wouldn’t go out of our way on a Saturday morning to do anything unless we had to but this breakfast spot has got us hooked! New Farm Deli (900 Brunswick Street) is awesome; they do an Eggs Benedict like you wouldn’t believe. They do allday breakfast except for a few items on the menu, which is great if you want to sleep in. It’s always busy no matter what time of day it is with about 20 staff working – no joke – which shows how
good it really is. It’s the place to be! What’s your favourite meal to eat out? There is an awesome amount of variety in Brisbane and one of my favourite foods is Japanese ramen. There is no better place in Brisbane for a big bowl of ramen than Taro’s on Edward Street (there’s another Taro’s on Racecourse Road in Ascot). Their ramen is made fresh in house with so much tradition and care that it takes you to another place – it really is that good. Do you have a favourite chillout activity away from art? When it gets really hot most people flock to the coast. Little do they realise that there are some great waterfalls and rock pools not far away. For example, Cedar Creek Falls at Mount Tamborine is less than an hour’s drive from Brisbane. That one is super easy to access but it’s not the only one and the water is always nice and crisp. It’s a perfect day out to beat the heat! A favourite short break outside Brisbane? I like going to the Sunshine Coast where there are some really nice beaches and places to relax. And there is a super chill atmosphere like everyone is on vacation and there is no stress.
CEDAR CREEK FALLS Mt Tamborine
TARO’S RAMEN Edward St, City
FROM TOP: Spring Hill is just a short walk from the city. Image by Koji Hashimoto/Flickr. Brunch at New Farm Deli is a Saturday morning ritual. Image by Marc Grimwade. Cooling off period in mountain water holes. Image from www.discovertamborine.com.au. A big bowl of ramen at Taro’s hits the spot. MAIN: Catch and Release is one of Gus’ works at Ashington Street, West End BNE May/June 2016 | 37
day in the life
Arrivals and departures
7.00am Who Laurence Yan, from Sydney, NSW Where Departing for Christchurch, New Zealand Why Mountain bike riding is on top of Laurence’s To Do list while on three weeks holiday.
8.30am 7.30am Who Matt Garnham, from East Brisbane Where Departing for Bali, Indonesia Why Matt will be surfing at Sanur and Uluwatu and catching up with friends on his holiday.
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7.30am 7.15am Who Katie Harley and Alexander De Luca from Aspley, Brisbane Where Departing for Christchurch, New Zealand Why Water skiing and fishing in the Marlborough region is on their itinerary.
9.30am Who Alice Huang, from Stretton and David Kim, from Underwood, Queensland Where Departing for Melbourne, Victoria Why The couple are looking forward to a short break of fun and good food with friends.
7.30am Who Pardeep Kumar and Simranpreet Kaur, from Sunnybank, Brisbane Where Departing for India Why Their arrival will be a big surprise for family in India who don’t know they are coming.
9.45am Who Jordan and Julia Khalaf, from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Where In transit in Brisbane on the way to the Gold Coast Why Mother and son are on their way to an engagement party and will enjoy five days holiday on the coast.
More than 600 flights arrive and depart from Brisbane Airport every day transporting passengers to 71 destinations in Australia and around the world. Brisbane photographer Marc Grimwade captured some of those travellers on their journey through Brisbane Airport
8.00am Who Abbey Wolfenden and Nathan Humblett, from Kelvin Grove, Brisbane Where Departing for Fiji Why Relaxing, snorkelling and spa time are top of the agenda for their nine-night holiday.
10.30am Who Gurung Sonam, from Nepal Where In transit from Sydney, travelling to Bundaberg, Queensland Why Gurung will spend a month touring the central Queensland coast to Cairns.
8.15am Who Louise and Andrew Bellchambers with children Mia and Cuba, from Hawthorne, Brisbane Where Departing for New York, USA Why The family is tavelling to the Big Apple for a week before heading to the Bahamas to celebrate Louise’s 40th birthday.
BNE May/June 2016 | 39
BRISBANE TO THE WORLD
Tokyo (Narita) Seoul
Japan
South Korea
Dubai
Guangzhou
Shanghai** (Pudong) China Taipei Taiwan
China
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Hong Kong China
Manila
Philippines
Bangkok Thailand
Singapore
Singapore
Denpasar
Port Moresby Papua New Guinea
Indonesia
Honiara
Solomon Islands
BRISBANE
Brisbane to the world
To 71 destinations direct from Brisbane and beyond
*Flights start June 2016. **Flights start November 2016.
Vancouver* Canada
Los Angeles USA
Honolulu
USA
Darwin
Nauru
Cairns
Nauru
Cloncurry Mount Isa
Port Hedland
Longreach
Alice Springs Samoa
Birdsville
Espiritu Santo Vanuatu
Port Vila Vanuatu
Emerald
Biloela
Rockhampton Gladstone
Windorah Bundaberg Charleville Fraser Coast (Hervey Bay) Quilpie Roma Miles
Thargomindah
Nadi
Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) Hamilton Island Mackay
Moranbah Barcaldine
Blackall
Apia
Townsville
BRISBANE
St George Cunnamulla
Toowoomba
Fiji
Noumea
New Caledonia
Coffs Harbour Tamworth
Perth
Dubbo
Norfolk Island Australia
Newcastle Sydney
Adelaide Canberra
Melbourne
Auckland New Zealand
Wellington New Zealand
Christchurch New Zealand
Dunedin
New Zealand
Queenstown New Zealand
Map not to scale. Please note airlines and destinations are current at time of print.
Launceston Hobart
Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island
need to know Airport ambassadors
Welcoming volunteers are available to answer questions and offer directions to visitors within Brisbane Airport’s Domestic and International terminals. Look for ambassadors wearing bright blue shirts if you need assistance and our team of Chinese-speaking ambassadors wear red shirts.
BNE PARKING
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Terminal transfers
Passengers transferring between the terminals can travel via the free Transfer Bus which departs at regular intervals from Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal and travels via Skygate.
Transport bookings Coach, rail, limousine and corporate car bookings can be made at the Visitor Information Centre, Level 2 International Terminal or Level 1 Domestic Terminal.
Public transport
TransLink is the local bus, ferry and train public transport network stretching north to Gympie, south to Coolangatta and west to Helidon. See www.translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.
TAXIS AND AIRTRAIN Taxi ranks are located kerbside Level 2
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BNE Maps + More Download the Brisbane Airport app to access important flight information, terminal maps and parking, shopping and dining options at the airport. Add your itinerary and more. Available free for iPhone and Android at Google play and App Store.
42 | BNE May/June 2016
important information Visitor Information Centres For information about accommodation, tours, transfer tickets and general enquiries, Visitor Information Centres are on Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal (Central Area). Currency exchange Travelex currency exchange and transfer facilities are on Levels 2, 3 and 4 International Terminal and Level 2 Domestic Terminal near Gate 23. Baggage lockers Find small, medium and large lockers for short and long-term hire at the terminal entrance to the public car park at the International Terminal, at either end of the Domestic Terminal, or next to Woolworths at Skygate. Tax Refund Scheme (TRS) The TRS enables you to claim a refund, subject to certain conditions, of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) that you pay on goods bought in Australia. See www. customs.gov.au or call 1300 363 263. Lost property International: enquiries to Visitor Information Centre, Level 2; call (07) 3406 3190 or email international@sqt. com.au. Domestic: enquiries first to your airline. Qantas call (07) 3867 3264, Virgin Australia (07) 3114 8150, Jetstar (07) 3336 1752 or email Tigerair at ttbne.ops@ aerocare.com.au before contacting the Visitor Information Centre on Level 1; call (07) 3068 6698 or send emails to domestic@sqt.com.au Disability access Lifts, travelators, ramps, aerobridges, rest points, accessible parking spaces and toilet facilities are in place for passengers with limited mobility or disabilities. Airlines are
The new food precinct at Skygate is now open, offering a range of indoor and outdoor casual dining options available day and night. It’s right next to the recently expanded DFO shopping centre and just minutes from Brisbane Airport’s passenger terminals by free Transfer Bus. responsible for assisting passengers with disabilities within terminals. Passengers should refer to their airline’s policies prior to booking their ticket. There is no porter service or any form of direct assistance provided at Brisbane Airport other than any assistance that may be provided by the passenger’s airline. Local amenities Skygate is Brisbane Airport’s retail and dining precinct, a short free ride on the Transfer Bus from the terminals. There are more than 130 stores, including brandname factory outlets, a 24/7 supermarket, hairdresser, gym, restaurants, chemist, medical clinic, hotel, beauty services, barber, tavern and golf leisure centre. Prayer Room A multi-denominational prayer room is located at International Terminal Level 4. Police For assistance at Brisbane Airport telephone 13 12 37. Acknowledgement In keeping with the spirit of reconciliation, we respectfully acknowledge the Turrbal people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Brisbane Airport stands, and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. Follow Brisbane Airport
GETTING TO THE CITY M4
Route Number
25
Exit Number Train Line
TO SUNSHINE COAST
Main Road AirportlinkM7 & Clem Jones Tunnels Brisbane CBD Service Centre
Nudgee
A3
Banyo
BRISBANE AIRPORT
W ay
M3
Nundah
Boggy Creek
DOMESTIC TERMINAL
So ut he rn Cr os s
Gympie Road
Sandgate Road
A3
Airp ort Driv e
Chermside
26
Stafford
TO CITY
e
Rd
Albion
Lytton way otor yM ewa Gat
ra ge og En
ross Way rn C
Lutwyche
th S ou
Clayfield
M7
INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL
terial Road t Ar Ea s t -Wes
M7
A3
Mo tor way
Stafford Ro ad
Breakfast Creek
Hamilton Eagle Farm
77 Enoggera Creek
Bowen Hills
31
Aquarium Passage
30
RI V E R
M4
Newstead
Inn e r C i
Wynnum West
Spring Hill
Paddington
Morningside 15
BRISBANE West End
Main Street
33
y wa tor Mo ific Pac
Co ro na tio nD riv e
M1
Bulimba
s
ty
By pa s
Kelvin Grove
Milton
BRIS BANE
25
Por tO fB risb ane
26
Windsor
M1
Road nnum Wy
New Farm 23
23
Manly R oad
Norman Park TO GOLD COAST
* Map not to scale.
BNE May/June 2016 | 43
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Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.
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