Alliance August/September 2016

AUG/SEPT 2016

TRANQUILITY

BASE Find out what New South Wales has to offer for weekend escapes

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welcome

Alliance Airlines: Working together to get you there – safely, reliably and on time.

Scott McMillan Managing Director

Over the past 12 months, Alliance operated more than 27,000 flights and transported more than 1.3 million passengers throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia. In addition to our regular FIFO flying for the resources industry and tourism charters for domestic and inbound tourist groups, Alliance provides tailored air charter services for school groups and sporting teams.

This month, Alliance will fly more than 300 children, parents and coaching staff to Netball Queensland’s 2016 Suzuki Challenge Carnival in Townsville. The event will bring together some of Queensland’s youngest talent, with under-12s to under-16s teams competing in the event. Alliance will also be providing air charter services to a number of schools visiting Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

If you are interested in chartering an Alliance aircraft, visit our website at allianceairlines.com.au or email us at media@allianceairlines.com.au

Scott McMillan Managing Director, Alliance Airlines

Castle Hill, Townsville.

1

routemap

Where we fly

GROOTE EYLANDT

CAIRNS

TOWNSVILLE PORT HEDLAND KARRATHA

SUNSHINE COAST BRISBANE

AUCKLAND PERTH

SYDNEY

ADELAIDE

WELLINGTON

2

safetyinfo

ABOUT US Alliance Airlines is Australia’s leading air charter services operator, dedicated to providing specialised services for the resources industry, and inbound and domestic group travel. Alliance has a proud history of delivering safe and reliable aviation services that aim to transform the travel experience. We offer our clients optimal flight schedules, cost efficiencies and customer satisfaction through our national footprint, locally based maintenance facilities and by maintaining a sufficient level of surplus capacity to meet emerging client requirements.

CHARTER BOOKINGS For corporate or charter bookings, complete our online charter form at allianceairlines.com.au or call our Sales Team on 07 3212 1501.

FLIGHT BOOKINGS – REGULAR PASSENGER TRANSPORT (RPT) Passengers wishing to book flights can visit our website at allianceairlines.com.au. Alliance proudly operates scheduled RPT services to the following destinations: • Brisbane and Emerald • Adelaide and Olympic Dam • Perth and Karratha • Perth and Newman

SAFETY INFORMATION ALCOHOL

Passengers are not permitted to bring alcohol on board for inflight consumption. On flights where Alliance offers a bar service, our flight attendants adhere to RSA guidelines.

CABIN BAGGAGE

OUR FLEET FOKKER F100

Number

15

Passengers

100

Length

35.5 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 650-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,167km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

FOKKER F70LR

Number

8

Passengers

80

Length

31 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 620-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,800km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

Passengers should ensure that cabin baggage is correctly stowed and does not weigh more than 7kg on the F100/F70 or 5kg on the F50.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Small hand-held electronic devices utilising the flight mode option may be used throughout the flight.

If your device does not have a flight mode option, it must be switched off. Larger devices such as laptop computers must be stowed for take-off and landing.

SEATBELTS

In the interest of your safety, please ensure that seatbelts are firmly fastened at all times and whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated.

SMOKING

Government regulations prohibit smoking on all flights. Smoking is a fire hazard and smoke detectors have been fitted on all Alliance aircraft. Smoking is also prohibited on the tarmac and throughout the airport and terminal buildings.

FOKKER F50

Number

5

Passengers

52

Length

25 metres

Wingspan

29 metres

Engines

2 x PW125B Turboprop

Cruise Altitude

7,800 metres

Cruise Speed

500km/h

Range

2,600km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

3

alliancenews

Variety Footy Jet 2016 Following the success of last year’s event, Alliance and Variety SA teamed up to offer 100 guests the opportunity to fly to Melbourne to watch AFL team the Adelaide Crows take on the Richmond Tigers. The day was hosted by former Crows Premiership Captain, Mark Bickley, and included brunch served at the Alliance terminal, reserved seating at the game, transfers to and from the MCG and refreshments on the return leg – it was the only way to travel in VIP style. The event raised more than $50,000, with all proceeds going to help kids who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.

How good was that! Wake up at home in Adelaide by morning, travel to Etihad Stadium to watch the Crows knock off Richmond in Melbourne by day, and back home in time for tea! Great fun had by all on the 2016 Variety SA Footy Jet. Thanks to Alliance Airlines, the AFL and SITA coaches for their generous support. Also a big thank you to everyone who attended this event and made it a big success.

The funds raised from this year’s Footy Jet event will go directly to supporting South Australian children living with a disability or special needs. Through this process we strive to meet our goal of helping ‘kids be kids,’ something that is often taken for granted!

Suzuki Challenge Carnival

Dirranbandi Show,

St George

In April this year, the Alliance team flew 80 guests to St George to experience the hospitality and resilience of the proud rural community members who have been standing tall despite years of drought. The two-day outback travel adventure toured Cubbie Station, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest irrigation property, paid a visit to the 96th annual Dirranbandi Show and included top-class entertainment. All funds raised were donated to DV Connect (combating domestic violence) and Tie up the Black Dog (helping people with mental illness).

In conjunction with Netball Queensland, Alliance will be providing charter services for a number of Queensland schools that are taking part in this year’s Netball Suzuki Challenge.

This year’s event will be held in Townsville and runs from September 17–19. The carnival will see teams from Under 12s to Under 16s compete, with more than 300 eager children, teens, parents and support staff travelling on Alliance Airlines to the event.

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thecrust

E WHERAT TO EINK & DR

FIVE OF THE BEST

ICONIC ROADHOUSES

They’re far from posh, but few sights are as welcome on a long, dull and dusty trip through the Outback as a good old Aussie roadhouse.

WORDS: Ben Smithurst

The Pink Roadhouse Oodnadatta, SA For such an empty state, South Australia is all but chockers with iconic roadhouses, including those at Pimba, Nullarbor, Marla and Glendambo, and the Innamincka Trading Post, which was built in 1972 – only 111 years too late to save Burke and Wills. But if you’re after a hearty feed in the middle of nowhere, head 200 kilometres north-east of Coober Pedy, where the very pink Pink Roadhouse has been banging out heart-busting, mouth-watering Oodnaburgers for 16 years.

But why is it pink? “Sorry to say, we actually painted it pink for marketing,” admitted ex-owner, Outback character Lynnie Plate, in 2013. pinkroadhouse.com.au

Threeways Roadhouse Tennant Creek, NT Even in the days of GPS-everything and 1,000km-a-tank hybrids, it’s possible to worry that you’re lost in the middle of nowhere. If you are, though, you’re likely right near the Threeways. Expect Outback grub – meaning basic, and at a price – but with portions worthy of a hungry cattleman. With a big Aussie breakfast available 6–10am – and a bar that, worryingly, opens at 9am and closes at 11pm – Tennant Creek’s Threeways Roadhouse seems like a throwback, happily crammed with proper truckies. And yet it’s come a long way since the 1960s, when it kicked off selling fuel to Outback desperadoes from 44-gallon drums. threewaysroadhouse.com.au

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thecrust

ICONIC ROADHOUSES

(CONTINUED)

HELL’S GATE ROADHOUSE Nicholson, Qld Just over 50 kilometres east of the Queensland/ Northern Territory border – and 173km west of Burketown, home of the rolling, awe-inspiring ‘Morning Glory’ cloud, Hell’s Gate was once a legendary drover’s landmark in pioneer-era Queensland. It’s only open during the dry season (April to September/October), with leafy camping facilities and fire pits as well as basic food and a properly laconic Outback vibe. In fact, one Hell’s Gate sign became mildly internet-famous after being photographed by a visitor. It read: ‘SNAKES: Lights attract insects. Insects attract frogs. Frogs attract snakes. SNAKES BITE! Turn off lights. Flying Doctors are two hours away’. 07 4745 8258

RED KANGAROO ROADHOUSE Beaufort, Vic

BALLADONIA ROADHOUSE Balladonia, WA

Slim Dusty released more than 100 albums over his career but sadly, many of the iconic Aussie places he helped immortalise have since closed (Sydney’s Town & Country Hotel, where Slim would “love to have a beer with Duncan”, for example, has just closed). But Slim sang of the Red Roo Roadhouse’s $6 truckies’ breakfast in 1994, and the regional Victorian institution powers on (“You can keep your bran and your orange juice,” Slim warbled, “because I’m a hungry bloke”.). A typical truck-stop menu is made quickly but is reliably tasty, with – as a bonus – real coffee.

03 5349 3180

Western Australia has dozens of roadhouses of note, and the western edge of the Nullarbor boasts its fair share, including the roadside oases at Cocklebiddy, Mundrabilla and Madura. Balladonia is a pimple on the map – almost literally: the name is an Aboriginal word for “big rock by itself”. In 1979, the area briefly gained global fame when Skylab landed on it. Today you can still see bits of the fallen space station at the BP Balladonia roadhouse, 385 kilometres south-east of Kalgoorlie and just before the 90 Mile Straight, one of the world’s longest stretches of road without a turn. balladoniahotelmotel.com.au/ service-station.php 9

uncovered

H I G H W A Y

TO HELP No-one is quite sure where they’re headed on a Mystery Box Rally, or if their budget bangers will make it to the finish line.

But who cares when there’s this much fun to be had?

Words: Paul Rodger

10

uncovered

here comes a point in every Mystery Box Rally when a team realises it’s not if their car is going to need serious medical attention, but when. Some teams realise all too early. Others are lured into a false sense of impregnability, only to blow a head gasket or snap a rear axle on the home stretch.

That’s when the truth hits home – they really are driving a shitbox.

There’s no point sugar-coating things on a Mystery Box Rally. Most of the cars entered into the event really are ill-equipped to take on a 2,500km journey across isolated and weatherworn country. Forget your Audi Quattros and your Subaru Imprezas – we’re talking cars that you’d be nervous negotiating a shopping centre carpark in.

To make matters worse, conditions encountered along the way only serve to bring out the worst in each and every one of them.

That knocking rear suspension that didn’t sound so bad when you were driving on bitumen? Just wait until you’ve spent a day gunning down a rutted dirt track.

But in among the hardship lies the fun.

An $850 banger is never going to be a bundle of laughs driving to work every day. But slap some sponsors’ stickers on it, add some homemade after-market modifications (we’re talking egg cartons and cardboard here), point it at the dusty horizon and all of a sudden you’re the greatest rally driver the world’s never heard of.

All for a good cause The fun starts on the first night, when all the rally participants come together to choose their chariots from among the pool of clapped-out cars made available for the rally by automotive auction house Manheim Auctions. It’s also an opportunity to hear about how the event began and how the next few days will play out.

11

Tennis Star Alicia Molik

93 Konkerberry Drive PO Box 20 Kununurra, Western Australia, 6743 Phone: +61 (08) 9169 1133 Fax: +61 (08) 9168 1188 Freecall: 1800 852 144 (within Australia) Email: info@kimberleyfinediamonds.com.au www. kimberleyfinediamonds.com.au

When founder James Freeman takes to the microphone, it’s to tell everyone that the Mystery Box rallies have raised more than $800,000 for the Cancer Council since 2013.

Together with the associated Shitbox Rally (organisers call the Mystery Box the ‘mad baby brother’ of the Shitbox), the rallies have succeeded in raising over $7.1 million to date, making them the largest community fundraising event for the Cancer Council nationally. It’s an impressive achievement.

Freeman lost both of his parents to cancer within 12 months of one another and he found solace in putting on the very first Shitbox Rally back in 2010. That fundraiser involved 17 teams driving from Sydney to Alice Springs via the Oodnadatta Track. The rallies have grown in popularity ever since.

The fundraising component is undoubtedly an important part of each rally run – and not just because monies raised are used to help fund important research initiatives. The amount each team raises also determines what car they are going to spend the next five days in. This is, after all, where the element of mystery comes in. That, and in the fact that teams only know for certain where they’re going when they show up to each morning’s rally briefing.

Raise a lot of coin in the lead-up to the auction event and you and your co-driver can outbid every other team for the low-mileage 4WD SUV with the thick tyre tread and sweet bull bar. But raise just over the minimum entry amount of $3,000 and you’re left scrapping for the three-door small car that crosses the auction block chugging like a lawnmower and blowing smoke rings.

The amount each team raises also determines what car each team is going to spend the next five days in.

On the road When the rally gets underway, it’s in ‘buddy’ groups of eight to 10 cars that act as support when anything goes wrong with one of the cars in the group. Everyone mucks in to help when misfortune strikes, but sometimes even the collective knowledge of the buddy group isn’t enough to get a lame car back on the road.

That’s when one of the official support crew members, all of whom are volunteers, is called upon to assist.

Small patch-ups are performed by the support crew on the side of the road, while a more serious fault will necessitate a car going to the triage area set up at each camping spot at the end of the day.

This is surgery as might be carried out on a battlefield, where makeshift materials and a dose of ingenuity are all there is to keep a car fighting on for another day. A cut-up soft drink can and some putty to fix a leaking sump, anyone?

Pulling into camp at the end of a long day’s drive isn’t just a chance to make running repairs to the vehicles, but an occasion to swap stories from the road with some new buddies. Each team must carry a handheld UHF radio as a means of keeping in touch with their buddy 13

uncovered

The banter spills over into the camp site at the end of the day.

FAST FACTS Must-pack items include a decent pair of boots, sunscreen, mozzie repellent, a UHF hand-held radio per car, a tyre pressure gauge, loo paper and baby wipes (a good substitute for a shower).

The Shitbox Rally (big brother of the Mystery Box) raises on average $6,500 per team for cancer research.

group. It’s a means by which to engage in a bit of cheeky banter while on the road – and that banter spills over into the camp site at the end of the day.

Arriving into the host town at nightfall is a chance to be thankful that you’ve made it through another day. It’s also an opportunity to buy the support crew a beer or two and have a laugh at the frankly ridiculous costumes that some teams have spent the day wearing.

From Sydney to our first night’s stop at Lake Cargelligo, from Menindee near the NSW/SA border to Louth, and then to Orange for our fourth and final night, the costumes get more farfetched, the banter more ridiculous, and the bond between teams more apparent.

There’s a lot to like about an event that measures success not by who got what podium place, but by the amount of funds raised for cancer research – and by the amount of stories you get to tell your mates when you get home.

As for the cars, plenty finished the rally with parts other than those they’d started with. And some knackered cars didn’t make it at all, their final resting place being a wrecker’s yard in a small town out the back of beyond.

Those cars paid the ultimate sacrifice – but all in the service of a fantastic cause.

For more, go to mystery-box.com.au 14

Each of the Top 10 fundraising teams from each Mystery Box Rally is offered a highly soughtafter place in the following Shitbox Rally.

The two main issues to beset the rally cars? Cracked oil sumps and flat tyres.

The next Mystery Box runs from September 24–28, departing from Adelaide.

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From the editor...

Spring is in the air!

GROUP EDITOR Faye James faye.james@edge.agency ASSOCIATE EDITOR Danielle Chenery SUB-EDITORS Alarna Haigh, Merran White ART DIRECTOR Guy Pendlebury PRODUCTION MANAGER Brian Ventour CONTRIBUTORS Darren Baguley, Claire Bond, Sheridan Rhodes, Carla Grossetti, Ben Smithurst PRINTER SOS Print & Media ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Scott Hunt scott.hunt@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Peter Anderson peter.anderson@edgecustom.com.au WA, SA and NT SALES REP Helen Glasson, Hogan Media Phone: 08 9381 3991 helen@hoganmedia.com.au

Finally winter is coming to a close and warmer weather is on the horizon.

This issue, we travel north of Sydney to uncover the delights of the NSW Central Coast, from Newcastle to Byron. Amazing beaches, sumptuous cuisine and fabulous scenery abound. Who would know there’s so much diversity?

We also discover the beauty of Macao, find the best places to take a summer holiday and take a rail journey through Queensland’s outback. Come along for the ride! facebook.com/OUTthereMagazineAustralia

MANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard Parker

@OUTthereMagAus

Faye James and the OUTthere team

OUTthere is published by Edge Level 4, 10–14 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Phone: +61 2 8962 2600 edgecustom.com.au

Byron Ba y.

OUTthere is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge, under license to MGI Publishing Pty Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. OUTthere cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Some images used in OUTthere are from Thinkstock and Getty Images.

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contents

43

29

Issue 139 • August/September 2016 05 planner

Our pick of events coming up around the country from August to October

11 cultureclub

20

20 globetrotter

We head to the glamorous city of the East, Macao to discover a vibrant and exciting destination for all.

What’s happening around the country, from art and music to theatre, cinema and the latest exhibitions.

29 weekendspecial

17 getaway

43 topspots

Carla Grossetti goes to Queenland’s outback on the Spirit of the Outback rail.

+

We travel from the Central Coast, through to Newcastle and finally Byron.

Get your family ready as we trawl the best spots to enjoy the perfect holiday.

RegionalBusinessReview Mini-mag inside featuring all the latest news & views from around Australia, including: • Inside Mining • Investment

• Agribusiness • News & Reviews 3

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Out & About

AUGUST

06

Our top pick of events coming up around the country...

National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs), Darwin

OF NT NTH E EVE MO TH

AUGUST 6 Held at The Amphitheatre, Darwin Botanical Gardens, the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) brings together Indigenous music stars from across the country to celebrate contemporary Indigenous music, dance and culture. The NIMAs includes a concert and awards show, with previous performers and winners including Briggs, Gurrumul, Jessica Mauboy, Archie Roach and Dan Sultan (pictured). musicnt.com.au

AUGUST

AUGUST

11

21

AUGUST 11–14

AUGUST 21

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

25

09

AUGUST 25–SEPTEMBER 25

SEPTEMBER 9–OCTOBER 3

Adelaide Guitar Festival

2016 Sydney Tower Stair Challenge

Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza, Sydney

Mudgee Wine and Food Festival

Australia’s largest guitar festival, held biennially in August, includes concerts, master classes, hands-on workshops, late-night club sessions and a Meet the Maker series. The 2016 Festival will be headlined by international stars Punch Brothers, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, and is presented by the Adelaide Festival Centre. adelaideguitarfestival.com.au

The Sydney Tower Stair Challenge is all about raising money for Giant Steps, which is an autism support and education charity for children and young adults. Take your fitness to new heights by running, walking or crawling your way to the top of the Sydney Tower Eye to help raise $150,000. active8change.com.au

The Sydney leg of this world-famous performance is showing at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.

Be blown away by thrilling acrobatic performances intertwined with the art of clowning. The show follows ‘The Innocent’s’ journey of self-discovery, with eccentric characters, electrifying thrills and out-of-the-box surprises along the way. cirquedusoleil.com

The festival features numerous cellardoor events including live music, special lunches and dinners, the ‘Go Grazing’ event (September 10), the Mudgee Wine Show (September 14–16), the Mudgee Wine Show Dinner (September 16), the ‘Go Tasting’ event (September 17) and Flavours of Mudgee (September 24). facebook.com/mudgeewine

© Cirque du Soleil

look

ahead

OCTOBER 1–31 Good Food Month, Sydney Sydney celebrates food, with everything from fine-dining to free, family-friendly outdoor gatherings. goodfoodmonth.com

NOVEMBER 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup The race that stops the nation is on the first Tuesday of November at 3pm. flemington.com.au/melbournecup-carnival

else

where

AUGUST 28–SEPTEMBER 5 Burning Man Festival, USA Release yourself into a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression and self-reliance. burningman.org

SEPTEMBER 17–OCTOBER 3 Oktoberfest, Germany Experience this historic annual festival that celebrates the region’s traditional German heritage. oktoberfest.de/en

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entertainment

Entertainment

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The latest and greatest things to hear, see and read...

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listen Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Getaway

Fans, rejoice! Red Hot Chili Peppers’ new album The Getaway, the band’s first album since 2011, was released on June 17. ‘Dark Necessities’ is the first single to be released from the album and, with a sound that’s unmistakeably Red Hot Chili Peppers, although more mellow than some of their older tunes, it reminds you exactly why they’re one of the most successful acts in rock history. Just to confirm they’ve still got it: Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined at Lollapalooza, Chicago on July 30.

st picaff k

Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris: The Complete Trio Collection Classic country music fans will want to get their hands on this three-disc set, which includes rare and previously unreleased music from Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. It’s a newly remastered version of their albums Trio (1987) and Trio II (1999), which combined to sell more than five million copies worldwide and win three Grammy® Awards. The Complete Trio Collection will be released on September 9.

watch Bad Moms Comedy

Bad Moms is a comedy poking fun at the over-the-top expectations placed on parents. It’s from the writers of The Hangover and stars Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate and Kristen Bell, so you know you’re in for something good. Amy (Kunis) has the clichéd ‘perfect life’ but is exhausted, so she joins forces with two other stressed-out mums who decide to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities. Of course, this puts them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn (Applegate) and her tribe of mums, and hilarity ensues... In cinemas August 11.

read The Fighting Season, Bram Connolly, Allen & Unwin $29.99 In the badlands of central Afghanistan an Australian Special Forces platoon is fatally hit by a roadside bomb.

A shadowy Taliban commander, codenamed ‘Rapier’, is identified as responsible for the deadly attack. Matt Rix, the ultra tough commando who led the ambushed platoon swears vengeance. Rix is one of Special Forces’ most lethal operators. He’ll neutralise Rapier whatever it takes.

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In the Month of the Midnight Sun Cecilia Ekbäck, Hachette Australia, $32.99 Cecilia Ekbäck’s last offering is a gripping historical Nordic Noir thriller, set in Sweden in 1855. A priest, a law enforcement officer, and a local settler have been massacred on one of Lapland’s mountains by one of the indigenous Sami people. The Minister of Justice sends his son-inlaw and daughter to investigate but what they discover about the murders pales in comparison to what they learn about themselves.

The Eat Real Food Cookbook David Gillespie, Macmillan Australia, $39.99 What could be simpler or more intuitive than just eating real food?

Unfortunately this can often be harder than it sounds, especially if you’re time poor. This latest offering from David Gillespie will help point you in the direction of eating real food; that is, the kind of food that helps fill your body with nutrition and looks after the long term health of your family.

App Store, free Google Play, free The colouring-in trend has been going strong for a while now, so of course there’s an app for that.

Recolor features more than 700 unique colouring pictures and introduces new ones every day.

It’s free to download but there are in-app purchases. Themes include mandalas, animals, bouquets and more, and they range in complexity from ‘beginner’ to ‘expert’.

PackPoint App Store, free Google Play, free Sick of arriving at your destination only to realise you’ve left behind what you really needed? This app helps you organise what you need to pack based on location, number of days of travel, the likely weather at your destination and any activities planned during your trip. It’ll even prompt you to bring an umbrella if rain is forecast and suggest different quantities of clothing if you’ll have access to laundry facilities.

CluckAR App Store, free Google Play, free Consumer advocacy group CHOICE has released an app to show you just how freerange the eggs you select in the supermarket are. This app enables you to point your phone at the top of an egg carton and see for yourself just how spacious the living conditions of the hens that produced those eggs are.

You’ll see that free-range labelling isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

This is as close as you’ll get to real combat Outside the wire, Uruzghan Province, Afghanistan, 2010...

In the badlands of central Afghanistan an Australian Special Forces platoon is fatally hit by a roadside bomb.

A shadowy Taliban commander, codenamed ‘Rapier’, is identified as responsible for the deadly attack. Matt Rix, the ultratough commando who led the ambushed platoon, swears vengeance. Rix is one of Special Forces’ most lethal operators.

He’ll neutralise Rapier—whatever it takes.

But in Afghanistan’s brutal war, not all things are as they seem.

Must haves Check out our faves this issue...

Navman MIVUE530 Full HD Digital Drive Camera Safeguard your car and yourself

$125, jbhifi.com.au

Layered Teardrop Earrings Look & feel good for a good cause

$12.95, oxfamshop.org.au

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musthaves

Bebop Drone and Skycontroller Explore like never before

US$449.99, parrot.com

iPad not included

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Endure tough conditions, on time

Mens $2,750, Womens $1,650 tagheuer.com.au

Adventure Scratch Wall Map Keep track of places you visit

$49.99, yellowoctopus.com.au

staff pick

Blackwolf Grand Tour 65L

Wheeled travel pack & daypack

$209, blackwolf.com.au

On Safari Bento Boxes Make feeding time fun

$10.80 each, forbabyandup.com.au 9

CULTURE CLUB GOT A THING FOR THEATRE? LOVE LIVE MUSIC? ENJOY GREAT GALLERIES? READ ON FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH...

ALADDIN, SYDNEY

AUGUST 3–OCTOBER 23 The Capitol Theatre is showing this muchloved Disney tale, brought to life as a musical full of colour, stunning costumes, lighting and set design. It’s from the producer of The Lion King and was met with rave reviews in the US. Enjoy all your favourite songs from the film as well as new musical numbers.

It’s recommended for ages six and up. For details, visit capitoltheatre.com.au/aladdin

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2016 DARWIN FESTIVAL AUGUST 4–21

Bold burlesque, captivating cultural works and major Australian music stars descend on Darwin for this festival, which offers something for all ages. Australian songstress Sarah Blasko and legendary West Arnhem Land group Nabarlek headline the free Santos Opening Night Concert (August 4 at The Amphitheatre in the George Brown Botanic Gardens). For the full program, go to darwinfestival.org.au

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August 5–7 ABORIGINAL ART FAIR, DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY It’s a year for 10th birthdays and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair is no exception. This year, it’s doubled in size to encompass fashion, film, a panel discussion, workshops and dancing. The DAAF Runway Show is on August 5, as is the panel discussion. In 2015, the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair raised $1.75 million, with 100 per cent of the revenue returning to remote communities. For more info, visit darwinaboriginalartfair.com.au

Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin, NSW September 30–October 1 With a jam-packed program of ute events, family-friendly fun and live music scheduled across two days, the Deni Ute Muster is a showcase of all things Australian. The event has grown steadily since its inception in 1999, when it broke a Guinness World Record for the largest parade of legally registered utes in the world, and is expected to attract around 25,000 Aussie and international visitors this year, with a convoy of ute events, the annual Blue Singlet Count, food and drink stalls, on-site camping, and a stellar musical line-up headed by country superstar Keith Urban, as well as James Reyne, Adam Brand and The Outlaws, John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley and Shannon Noll. For further details and to buy tickets, visit: deniutemuster.com.au

GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER, SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND

August 25–28

Singer-songwriters such as Kasey Chambers and John Williamson, along with the winner of the ARIA for Best Country Album, Shane Nicolson, Best New Talent 2016 Golden Guitar artist Christie Lamb and the hugely popular Beccy Cole are just some of the performers scheduled to grace the stages at the 35th Gympie Music Muster. Ben Ransom will also be there, performing his new single ‘Dry Town’. Run by the community, for the community, the Muster is a not-forprofit charity event that’s raised more than $15 million for charities Australiawide since its inception. For more info and tickets, go to muster.com.au

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LEADERS OF TOMORROW

Educational excellence from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.

We invite you to experience King’s yourself.

Contact us to arrange a tour or book online.

Call 02 9683 8555 or visit www.kings.edu.au Cricos # 02326F · a: 87-129 Pennant Hills Road, North Parramatta SINCE 1831

© National Maritime Museum

© Courtesy of John Olsen and Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney.

Exhibitions  Cameron Robbins - Field Lines

MONA, Hobart. Until Aug 29 Field Lines presents a sample of Australian artist Cameron Robbins’ drawing practice, alongside sound and video work, photography, installations and sculpture that interpret natural phenomena.

This is an artist who ‘transcribes the patterns of the wind’, so come prepared to expand your mind.

The exhibition includes seven new commissions, many responding to the physical world of MONA. For more information, visit: mona.net.au/cameron-robbins  Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney. Aug 11–Nov 6 The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on loan from London’s Natural History Museum.

It includes 100 mind-blowing images from the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition that provide a window into animal behaviour as well as wild landscapes. These days, this photography event, now in its 50th year, attracts more than 42,000 entries from 96 countries. The 100 finalists’ images that make up this exhibition are now on the Australian leg of an international tour that will span six continents. For details, go to anmm.gov.au/whats-on

Above: Where the bee sucks, there suck I. 1984–86, oil on composition board 183 cm x 244.6 cm. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.  John Olsen: The You Beaut Country

 Mionomehi Oriseegé (Ancestral Paths)

Short St Gallery, Broome. Aug 18–Sept 14 Mionomehi Oriseegé (Ancestral Paths) showcases wonderful artwork from the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. The exhibition is presented by Short St Gallery in conjunction with Omie Artists.

It is a celebration of nioge (barkcloth), an art form practiced exclusively by the women of the Oro Province. The exhibition will take viewers on a journey along the artists’ ancestral paths; providing a glimpse into the living art and culture of the Omie people. For more info, visit shortstgallery.com

Above: John Olsen, born in Australia 1928

ELLIE GOULDING

Tickets and tour dates available online now.

TOUR 14

The Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia, Melbourne. Sept 16–Feb 12 Soak in the most comprehensive survey of John Olsen’s work to date; including creations from all seven decades of his career. You’ll see Australian landscapes through brand-new eyes after this exhibition of works by one of Australia’s most prominent living artists. Along with paintings and works on paper, the exhibition will feature commissioned ceiling paintings, tapestries and ceramics drawn from public and private collections throughout Australia. For details, go to ngv.vic.gov.au

October 5–12 Most capital cities

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX

APOCALYPTICA

August 5–18 Most capital cities

September 21–25 Most capital cities

Ride the rails into Queensland’s heartland aboard the Spirit of the Outback. Relax in comfort, let the friendly onboard staff take care of your every need, admire the scenery from panoramic windows, mingle with other travellers, read a book in the lounge, all while enjoying quality Queensland cuisine - who wouldn’t enjoy this.

“The nostalgia of a traditional train journey will will fill your heart with warmth and leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Spirit of the Outback travels to Longreach twice a week.

First Class Sleeper with all-inclusive meals

from $427*

ex Brisbane per adult, one-way

For more details call 1300 551 581 or visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au *Conditions apply. Based on B-Quick fare conditions, subject to availability. For full booking terms and conditions visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au | QRT1015.1_InFlightAd_220x285_0717

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REASONS TO VISIT THE

QUEENSLAND

OUTBACK Queensland Rail’s Spirit of the Outback travels through some of the state’s richest landscapes as it snakes its way between Brisbane and Longreach. While you can stay on board throughout the 26-hour journey, Carla Grossetti finds 20 good reasons to hop off along the way.

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Travel on the Spirit of the Outback The Spirit of the Outback creaks and clickety-clacks its way along the 1,325 kilometres of track linking Brisbane and Longreach twice a week in each direction. Enjoy dinner in the Tuckerbox Dining Car, then hunker down in your airconditioned cabin (or economy seat) to watch the scenery whizz by. Queenslandrailtravel.com.au

Have a bath under the stars in Longreach When you disembark the Spirit of the Outback in Longreach, you can posh it up in a Pioneer Slab Hut that is a lot more luxe than the homes of the early explorers would have been.

Pour yourself a bath on a terrace full of tubs and watch the stars pin-cushioned in the night sky.

Kinnonandco.com.au

Enjoy the melodies of bush poetry Outback Queensland is full of colourful characters. Tom Lockie of Artesian Country Tours is one of them. Break up the Spirit of the Outback trip with a bespoke tour in Barcaldine with Tom, a bush poet and president of the Barcaldine Goat Racing Committee, as he spins a few yarns about Captain Starlight and Central West Queensland.

Artesiancountrytours.com.au Visit the birthplace of the ALP It’s 125 years since striking shearers gathered under a large ghost gum in Barcaldine, which led to the formation of the Australian Labor Party. The multimillion dollar Tree of Knowledge memorial is now a popular spot for political pilgrims, who hop off the train here to pay their respects. treeofknowledge.com.au

Learn to dig it in the ‘Dinosaur Capital of Australia’ It’s the Disneyland of dinosaurs and it’s in the Queensland Outback. Press pause on your Spirit of the Outback adventure in Winton, where you can take a side-trip by coach to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum of natural history and Dinosaur Stampede National Monument.

Australianageofdinosaurs.com Go for a gallop on a Cobb & Co Coach Experience the nostalgic romance of transport in the form of a restored stagecoach ride that follows the original LongreachWindorah mail route along a dirt road stubbled with dry grass.

Hang onto your hats as the coach transports you back to our pioneering past before returning to your first-class sleeper.

Kinnonandco.com.au

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Enjoy a cracking outback show in Longreach Take the opportunity to spend a few extra days in Longreach; there is so much here to see and do. The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre tells the story of the real-life tough-as-oldboots stockmen and women who work the land. Watch award-winning stockman Lachie Cossor as he kicks up puffs of dirt while commanding trick horses and dogs during the Outback Stockman’s Show.

Outbackheritage.com.au Visit the famous Camden Park Station Queensland Rail’s Outback Getaway includes a guided tour of the Walker family’s famous Camden Park Station and 1920s sheep shearing shed, which was visited by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1970. This component of the tour includes dinner and drinks at the Artesian Pools, which affords panoramic views over this land of sweeping plains. camdenparkstation.com.au

Qantas Founders Museum If you’re an aviation anorak, the Qantas Founders Museum is a must. The museum is one of many stop-offs on Queensland Rail’s Longreach and Winton Do It All Discovery tour, which commemorates the founders of the Australian company. Get a behind-thescenes look at a passenger jet, take a walk on a wing and test your skills in the flight simulator.

Qfom.com.au Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame includes five themed galleries, which celebrate Australia’s ‘land and people’ and pay tribute to everyone from Indigenous Australians to our early explorers. It is also included in the Longreach and Winton Do it All Discovery tour.

Outbackheritage.com.au Sunset Dinner Cruise on the MV Explorer Immerse yourself in the rich outback landscape while Camden Park Station.

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cruising up the Coolabah-lined Thomson River on board the MV Explorer, which is part of Queensland Rail’s Legendary Longreach and Winton package.

Disembark from your cruise at Sunset Bend to enjoy dinner and a few yarns and songs at Smithy’s Outback Bar under the stars.

Outbackaussietours.com.au Lark Quarry Tour It’s possible to imagine what the world was like when dinosaurs roamed this region when you learn that more than 2,000 of their footprints were discovered at Lark Quarry. Delay your return rail journey back to Brisbane and spend a few days exploring the dramatic red mesa rock formations of Cory’s Range and the Williams Valley.

Carisbrooketours.com.au Enjoy an amber ale or two at the Artesian Hotel The Artesian Hotel gets a bit wild and woolly on the weekends, when you could find yourself rubbing elbows with everyone from local politicians to backpackers (who seem to be routinely adopted by the local community). The pub is opposite the railway station platform where you can rejoin the Spirit of the Outback afterwards. facebook.com/artesianhotel Discover an oasis at Lara Station and Wetlands Lara Wetlands is one of those dots on the map that has become a lure for everyone from photographers to birdwatchers and keen canoeists. Hire a car for the day and head to Lara Station, where you can melt in the healing waters of the Artesian hot springs, which are surrounded by box wood and eucalyptus trees. larastation.com.au

Rangelands Sunset Tour Disembark the Spirit of the Outback at Winton and take a day tour to the jump-up (mesa) region of Rangelands Station – an area in which erosion has created dramatic rifts in the landscape. After wandering around the rugged rifts, enjoy drinks and nibbles while admiring another spectacular outback sunset, presented with painterly precision. reddirttours.com.au Sunday breakfast at the Ridgee Didge Cafe As owner of the Ridgee Didge Cafe, Cheryl Thompson is known for her home-cooked fare.

Thompson is also a community ambassador and mentors young Indigenous students at her family-run hostel. Fuel up on a bacon-and-egg roll and then stretch your legs by joining Thompson on a tour of the town that includes a visit to the Central West Aboriginal Corporation, where you can buy Indigenous art and craft. Oak St, Barcaldine, 07 4651 1931

Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame.

Linger in Longreach at Iningai Nature Park Named after the Iningai, the traditional custodians of the land, this nature reserve is located on the Longreach Town Common.

Connect the dots around Queensland’s outback by following local Indigenous tour guide ‘Scotty’ on a 1.5-hour trek through the park, during which he will share knowledge about the area from an Indigenous perspective. longreach.qld.gov.au Catch Nostalgia Night at the Royal Theatre Being on board the Spirit of the Outback allows a lot of time for contemplation. You can also enjoy a nod to nostalgia curled up in a canvas seat under the stars at Winton’s Royal Open Air Theatre, which was established in 1918.

The theatre is home to the world’s largest deckchair as well as a museum that puts the cinema’s history in the spotlight. Nostalgia Nights are held every Wednesday from April to September. experiencewinton.com.au

Take some time out at the Combo Waterhole Keep your eyes peeled for jolly swagmen at the Combo Waterhole, which is said to be the swimming spot that inspired the lyrics to Banjo Paterson’s ‘Waltzing Matilda’. The song was said to be composed in 1895 at the Combo, which is a top spot to take some time out and recharge. Go for the full ‘combo’ – a fish, a swim and a camp – before rejoining the Spirit of the Outback in Winton. experiencewinton.com.au An eating adventure along the Matilda Way It’s mandatory to stop for a bakery treat while travelling along the Matilda Way, which stretches 1,812 kilometres from the New South Wales border. It’s worth hopping on and off the Spirit of the Outback to visit the Merino Bakery in Longreach, which does a beef, mashed potato and mushy pea pie; Longreach’s Yeast2West Bakery for a Nutella-filled Danish; and Snow’s Bread in Alpha, which is a top spot for ‘a dog’s eye with dead horse’ (pie and sauce). kinnonandco.com.au

Carla Grossetti was a guest of Queensland Rail. This itinerary includes many reasons to explore Outback Queensland with Queensland Rail. To read up about regional rail tours, including the Legendary Longreach & Winton and Outback Getaway packages, visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au

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EXP 20

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ERIENCE MACAO There’s far more to Macao than slot machines and casinos, says Sheriden Rhodes.

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The historic heart of Macao lies in complete contrast to the mind-boggling developments that have sprung up around it.

ong overshadowed by Hong Kong, its flamboyant sister across the Pearl River Delta, Macao is enjoying its moment in the spotlight. On the one hand, visitors can catch a glimpse of fastfading old Asia; on the other, they can experience all that’s shiny, modern and exciting. There are historic villages that look more European than Asian; the world’s highest bungee jump; colossal shopping malls; striking neon-lit architecture; world-class shows; 22

and the bright lights and constant buzz of the Cotai Strip.

The historic heart of Macao, granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005, lies in complete contrast to the mind-boggling development that has sprung up around it. On any street, you might find a Taoist temple and a Catholic Church; Chinese shophouses decorated with Mediterranean stucco; people practicing tai chi in a Portuguese park; European-style pavement cafés; and clattering Chinese

restaurants. Streetscapes and piazzas, mansions, classical Chinese gardens and Moorish barracks sit side by side with the glitzy Cotai Strip, Macao’s fabulous entertainment district.

Built on reclaimed swampland, the Cotai Strip is home to gargantuan integrated resorts including the Venetian, the City of Dreams, Sands Cotai Central and Galaxy Macau, with their mix of shopping malls, water parks, entertainment shows, mega-resorts, bars and restaurants.

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Tuck into everything from 3-star Michelin cuisine to the local specialties such as pork-chop buns and African chicken.

Eventually, Galaxy Macau will be the world’s largest integrated entertainment complex, while the $4.5 billion Lisboa Palace is set to open next year.

To get a perspective of the strip’s vast scale, head up Macau Tower, the 10th-highest tower in the world, home to the world’s highest bungee jump, run by A J Hackett. Amazingly, while taking in the view across to China, we see a young man hurtle towards earth – voluntarily! Moments later he appears via camera, looking dazed and shell

shocked, giving a hesitant thumbs up.

If flinging yourself from a 338-metre tower is not your thing, you can opt for a walk around the tower exterior (hand rails optional) or do the white-knuckle mast climb.

Back at street level, gondoliers serenade visitors along reproduction Venetian canals and happy diners tuck into everything from three-star Michelin cuisine to local specialties such as pork-chop buns and African chicken. There are superlative spas,

themed rides and quaint teashops. You can take a spin on the Golden Reel, the first ferris wheel in the world to move in a full figure eight, or ride the fast-flowing rapids of the world’s longest skytop aquatic adventure ride at Galaxy Macau (also home to the world’s largest rooftop wave pool).

To catch your breath, step inside the Zen-like Banyan Tree Macau, part of the Galaxy Macau complex. The award-winning spa feels like a world within a world: inside, talented 23

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therapists, mostly from Thailand, lead guests through a bamboo- and waterfilled courtyard to serene treatment rooms. After they’ve worked their magic, you’ll feel ready once more to get out into the frenetic action.

Macao is a terrific place to catch a show. See the sexy Taboo and the blockbuster House of the Dancing Water, the world’s largest water-based show, at the City of Dreams. Over at Studio City, the newest entertainment hotel precinct on the Cotai Strip, the House of Magic show recently opened, starring illusionist Franz Harary.

Hungry? At Chinese restaurant Eight inside the Grand Lisboa Hotel, with its decadent goldfish-themed interior, threeMichelin-star yum cha is on the menu.

Macao boasts the world’s earliest ‘fusion’ cuisine, and at restaurants such as Restaurant Litoral, you can try Macanese specialties like spicy African chicken and Portugese fried rice with tomato sauce and chorizo. The local dessert, serradura – Macanese ‘sawdust’ pudding – is another must-try.

Once you’ve had your fill, wander Macao’s historic heart, admiring the ruins of St Paul’s and the old fort, before embarking on some serious retail therapy. Near Senado Square you’ll find everything from shoe shops, fabric outlets and bookstores to clothing, antique and tea shops. Vintage stores can be found a few streets away.

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Macao is visa-free for Australian and New Zealand passport-holders and most nationalities.

It’s a 55-minute ferry ride from downtown Hong Kong and Kowloon, or 50 minutes from Hong Kong International Airport via either the SeaExpress or Cotai Water Jet ferry service. Ferries run frequently.

Duty-free shopping is Macao’s new draw, and the territory offers gigantic malls, including the Venetian Macau, with its 650 brand names along a maze of ‘streets’, and Studio City’s Boulevard, featuring a star-studded cast of luxurybrand stores.

By night, the neon lights beckon. Visit the colourful Music Fountain Show at

the Wynn Hotel, take in a show, then head for the newly opened China Rouge, which celebrates Old Shanghai with its sexy interiors and creative cocktails.

In four jam-packed days, we barely scratched the surface of the world’s most densely populated city – which means there’s just one thing for it: we need to go back!

Macao Government Tourism Office Australia Ph: 02 9264 1488 For the latest information and specials to Macao – visitmacao.com.au

M

Celebrations all year round...

acao is a city that never sleeps and has some of the most colourful events in the world, only to be found in the former Portuguese enclave. With its full year’s calendar of events and festivals, why not travel and join in on the action and the exciting experiences that can be had in Macao.

28th

Macao International Fireworks Display Contest Dates: 3rd, 10th 15th, 24th September & 1st October, 2016 The annual Macao International Fireworks Display Contest - universally acclaimed as one of the best of its kind - takes place on the Macau Tower Shorefront on all the weekends in September, the ultimate showing on the 1st October every year. Over the years, more than 100 international teams from China, the Philippines, Thailand, Chinese Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Australia, the UK, Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain have participated in this world-class pyrotechnic shoot-out. Many visitors choose this time of year to come to Macao to enjoy a holiday illuminated by spectacular displays in the night, to be viewed from many vantage points on the Macao Peninsula and adjacent Taipa Island.

Find out more: www.fireworks.macaotourism.gov.mo

Chinese New Year Parade in Macao

Dates: January, 2017 The “Parade for Celebration” features a fabulous float parade along with more than 1000 performers and spectacular fireworks. This event is joined by 14 floats, 28 local groups as well as a total of nine performance groups from different parts of the globe.

A multimedia opening show will kick off the parade, promising an extravaganza of light

6th

Parade through Macao, Latin City Dates: 4th December, 2016 Created in 2011, this cultural event is held annually to mark the anniversary of Macao’s Handover to China and focuses on a colourful procession through the streets of Macao. Every year, several foreign performing groups as well as hundreds of talented local artists are invited to be creative. They lead the locals and tourists on an adventure through Macao’s streets and alleyways with plenty of song and dance in the city’s historical quarters. The parade, which highlights Macao’s unique cultural features and the City’s multicultural atmosphere, culminates in a grand joint performance in which the artists present dazzlingly colourful performances, bringing the celebration to a vivid climax.

63rd

35th

Macau Grand Prix Dates: 17th - 20th November, 2016 Recognised as the most internationally prestigious event on the local calendar, the legendary Macau Grand Prix - now edging into its sixth decade - pits the best motorcycle, WTCC and Formula 3 racers in the world against each other and the clock in dedicated competitions along the narrow, twisting Guia street circuit. The high-pitched whines of racing engines, the roar of the crowd, and the adrenalin-charged atmosphere make for a colourful four days of non-stop, head-turning excitement in the streets of Macao.

Find out more: www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo

The Macau Marathon Dates: 4th December, 2016 This international marathon, first hosted by Macao in 1981, continues to attract large numbers of local and international long distance runners. The full course Marathon includes the Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, while the Half-Marathon and Mini-Marathon have been created to attract not only professional athletes but budding amateurs seeking to test their endurance on the course.

Find out more: www.macaumarathon.com/en

For all the latest news on festivals and events

www.macaotourism.gov.mo

MacaoTourismAUNZ

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MACAO FOR KIDS

Watch Shrek and the gang ham it up on stage, take a whiz around a go-kart track or visit giant pandas: Macao is magical for kids of all ages.

© MGTO

Words: Sheriden Rhodes

SEE THE GIANT PANDAS Kids will love meeting Kai Kai and Xin Xin, the two playful inhabitants of the Giant Panda Pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park.

Nuzzled up against a hillside on Coloane Island, the park has been home to giant pandas from the Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre for five years. The park houses other animals, too, including toucans, peacocks and monkeys.

Best of all, admission for children aged under 12 is free.

TO THE BAT CAVE At Studio City, kids can take a ride on the thrilling 4-D Batman Dark Flight. The specially designed simulation ride features a virtual fly-through over Gotham City. The immersive multi-themed environment includes Wayne Industries, Batman’s auxiliary bat-cave, and features some of the most iconic super-villains from Batman’s Rogues Gallery. © DC Comics & Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.

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N RIDE O A L E E K E A T IS WH e Golden A FERR th on

a spin heel kids for ferris w Take the io City, the first eight. tud ll figure Reel at S to move in a fu wheel is orld d ferris e m e in the w th ’ve the ampunk tres abo e m The ‘ste 0 ’s 13 ed at dio City suspend tween two Stu s abin , be has 17 c ground d n a , s r we p to hotel to dating u commo c a h c a . e le 10 peop

HOUSE OF THE DANCING WATER Children will love the colourful spectacular House of the Dancing Water – the world’s largest water extravaganza – created and directed by Franco Dragone. The epic show at the City of Dreams cost a staggering US$250m to develop and includes performances by acrobats, stuntmen and musicians, along with special effects and dazzling costumes.

HIT THE TRACK Over on the adjoining island of Coloane, Kartodromo offers an international go-kart track with a 1.25-kilometre circuit as well as a grandstand, control tower and children’s track. The circuit adjoins Caesars Golf Macau near Seac Pai Van Park.

RIDE THE RAPIDS Time the kids on the fast-flowing rapids of the world’s longest skytop aquatic adventure ride at Galaxy Macau. Kids can ride tubes down the Adventure Rapids, which run for 575 metres.

There is also a 350-tonne white-sand beach, fun waterslides, the world’s largest rooftop wave pool, beach lagoons, geysers, waterfalls and Macau’s largest kids’ aquatic zone.

MEET SHREK AND THE GANG Kids can see Shrek and the gang and a bunch of other Dreamworks characters on stage at the Holiday Inn, Cotai Central. Shrek, along with Kung Fu Panda and the characters of Madagascar star in ‘Shrekfast’, a fun breakfast experience with all the characters in attendance. There are also photo opportunities in Paradise Gardens and an All Star Parade daily.

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COASTAL ESCAPES If you are after a diverse getaway, Australia’s most populous state has more to offer than you could imagine. Here are three places to get you started.

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Docta Q&A This month we speak to Dr Andrew Rochford and uncover the magic of the new Docta app.

What made you want to move into the app world? I have always loved solutions more than problems. That’s probably why I love being a doctor. The health system needs help and technology has such great potential to create a solution that works for people, health professionals and the entire health system.

The prospect of that really excites me.

Ok then, in a nutshell, what is the DOCTA app? For people, Docta connects them with their local qualified health professionals in the comfort of their own home. For health professionals, it offers a cost-effective way to grow their health business with the flexibility to choose when they work and how far they want to travel.

How does it work? Health Professionals list their business. People choose the type of help they need and post a ‘Care Request’. The ‘Care Request’ is sent to all the corresponding providers in their area. The health professionals reply with a ‘Care Offer’ with their available times and price. The user then confirms who they want and what time is best. Payment is made via a secure payment gateway and an appointment is created

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for both consumer and provider. There is no cost to join or download the app (for anyone!). All payments are done through the app. It’s about bringing health and wellbeing back to a more personal experience for everyone.

What is your favorite feature of the app?

The ability to directly notify your own personalised local health team that will come to you is great. It maintains the all-important continuity of care between health providers and clients, with added convenience and flexibility.

How is Docta changing Australia’s idea of modern medicine? Docta’s aim is to use modern technology to create a flexible, convenient and personalised modern health system with prevention and wellness at its centre – two things that can be achieved in a person’s home. We also want to find a way to efficiently harness all the amazing trained health professionals in our community in a way that suits everyone.

Why is it important to get started in Australia? Australia is built on the foundation of community, mateship and caring for your neighbours. Docta wants to utilise that culture to create a mobile ‘local’ health system for every postcode; where the providers in that community care for the people in that community. Docta is also about balance and flexibility.

In Australia, we embrace life through balance between work and living, and Docta aims to provide health professionals and their clients with the chance to build a business, care for their health and that of others, and achieve that important life-work balance.

What are the future goals for Docta? It’s important to think big, especially when it comes to health. We are all living longer and we all want to be as healthy and happy as we can for as long as we can. For us, the goal of efficient localised community healthcare is one that can be translated right across the globe.

How can Docta be free to use to book appointments? Docta is built on the philosophy that we only make money if we are successfully connecting people and providers. So it’s free to download, free for businesses to list, free to make care requests and we only charge a 10 per cent transaction fee on a successful visit.

How will Docta engage community on a deeper level? Bringing back a sense of community. We want to bring back that comfort of knowing your healthcare professional and having the ability to connect with them with ease, especially in a time of need.

Dr Andrew Rochford is one of Australia’s most popular media personalities and medical health experts. He is known for his winning appearance on Channel Nine’s The Block and work in Channel 10’s The Project. He is currently with Channel Seven Network as National Health Editor.

A husband and father of three young children, Andrew is passionate about family, fitness and health, with a dedication to innovation in the health and wellbeing industry, which has seen him fervently committing the last few years to seeing Docta come to life. Launched in June, this is only early days for Docta and many feel it will be a major game changer for the way we experience a better living.

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The Central Coast has many beautiful beaches, but one part of the coast you shouldn’t miss is Bouddi Peninsula, where you’ll find such gems as Killcare, Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe. OUTthere visited them all!

ocated just over an hour’s drive or a short seaplane ride north of Sydney, the Central Coast’s Bouddi Peninsula is loved for its laid-back coastal lifestyle.

It’s an aquatic playground for surfing, kayaking, boating and superb fishing.

The Bouddi Peninsula encompasses Killcare, Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe, and is surrounded by the glorious wilderness of Bouddi National Park. The park offers a number of walking and cycling tracks, lookouts, picnic areas and camping spots, and has been pivotal in the preservation

central of this secluded and charming area.

Visitors can view the remains of the wreck of the PS Maitland at Maitland Bay and visit one of Australia’s first protected marine areas, the Bouddi National Park Marine Extension, between Gerrin Point and Bombi Point. The park is also home to several significant Aboriginal sites and has some terrific lookouts.

There are picnic facilities at Putty Beach, Little Beach and Mount Bouddi (Dingeldei).

Whether you want to eat ice-cream by the beach, sip a latte in a beachside

Aerial view of Bouddi National Park showing Tallow Beach on the left, with Lion Island and Pittwater in the background.

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café or indulge at a fine-dining restaurant, you will find a suitable establishment in Killcare.

Spoil yourself with dinner at Manfredi at Bells, its wonderful Italian cuisine concocted by internationally renowned chef Stefano Manfredi.

The views from this fivestar beach-house are so uninterrupted it feels as if you’re on a cruise ship.

Killcare Beach House.

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The Fat Goose Cafe is a relaxed setting in which to enjoy breakfast, lunch and coffee, while Horizons (above Killcare SLSC) offers modern Australian cuisine including excellent seafood, and outstanding ocean views.

Killcare town also has a charming local store and is a foodies’ delight, with gorgeous quaint cafés and restaurants along the esplanade.

There are plenty of places to stay in Killcare; however, if you’re heading there with a large group of friends or family, we recommend renting out a property with beach views.

Perfectly sited on this quintessential Australian coastline, you’ll find the awe-inspiring Killcare Beach House, where holidaymakers come to experience beach living at its finest. The 885-square-metre, three-level, glass-encased home is luxuriously surreal, and you can while away the hours in this luxury beachfront retreat gazing blissfully upon nature’s wild beauty and everchanging panorama.

The views from this five-star beach-house are so uninterrupted it feels as if you’re on a cruise ship, but here, with direct beach access only footsteps from the property, you can ‘disembark’ and take a walk along the sand whenever you want.

The home has five large bedrooms, four of which are doubles, and a generous lower-level rumpus room with three bunk beds, so the property is ideal for large family groups. Adults

© Tourism NSW

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Things to do 1 Enjoy a lazy breakfast at the Killcare Surf Lifesaving Club, a stone’s throw from the property.

2 Visit Hardys Bay and stop in at The Fat Goose for breakfast or lunch (thefatgoose. com.au) – it’s a café, bakery and deli that also does the best coffee in town.

3 Killcare Cellars & Convenience Store is a handy place to stock up on supplies.

4 Check out the Aboriginal artworks at Bouddi Gallery (bouddigallery.com.au).

5 Browse Mooch Inside (moochinside. com.au) at Hardys Bay for highend homewares, gifts, clothing and accessories.

6 Go fishing at Hardys Bay – you can fish from the jetty.

7 Take a seaplane from Hardys Bay to Sydney (seaplanes.com.au).

8 Enjoy a long lunch or dinner at Manfredi at Bells at Killcare. (bellsatkillcare.com.au).

9 Enjoy picnics at sunset around Hardys Bay. 10 Take a ferry from Wagstaffe to Palm Beach (palmbeachferries.com.au).

Surfhouse Restaurant, Merewether Beach

© Sacha Fernandez

will love the top-floor parents’ retreat, which has its own spacious living area, plus an en suite complete with a freestanding bath and opaque glass surrounds. Wake up to breathtaking views before heading down to make a leisurely breakfast in the ultra-sleek custom-designed kitchen.

After breakfast, take a dip in the perfectly appointed pool and lounge on the surrounding terrace, which takes full advantage of a sun-drenched northerly aspect.

For lunch, make use of the beachhouse’s outdoor features, which include an integrated barbeque station, ceiling heaters (perfect in winter!) and a louvred roof for protection from the elements.

Sunrise, Putty Beach.

The property is ideally set up for entertaining, with three separate alfresco areas. The extensive, glassembraced living-dining area, set against a dramatic coastal backdrop, is perfect for hosting large-scale gatherings to impress.

The masterfully built and impeccably furnished Killcare residence commands intimate north-

easterly ocean and headland views from virtually every vantage point, making it the perfect spot from which to absorb and relish the beauty and tranquility of this fabulous region.

For more info, visit centralcoastaustralia.com.au To book a stay at Killcare Beach House, visit luxehouses.com.au 33

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Newcastle, or as the locals refer to it, ‘Newy’, is Australia’s second oldest city and a unique fusion of history and innovation located just a couple of hours’ drive north of Sydney.

nce a settlement for dangerous convicts, Newcastle is now recognised as a thriving centre of art, industry and architecture, all hugging the beautiful New South Wales coastline.

Like so many places along the coast, Newcastle is renowned for its picturesque beaches and laidback waterside way of life. Surfers, swimmers and families flock to Newcastle’s famous Nobbys Beach to take advantage of the consistent surf breaks, while Horseshoe Beach, where

pooches are free to splash about and run freely on the sand, is a favourite spot for dog owners. For families, Bar Beach offers a patrolled swimming area and a sheltered rock pool that are perfect for younger swimmers.

While all of the local beaches offer refreshing ocean pools, the Merewether Baths is the largest ocean-pool complex in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, you’ll see dedicated swimmers diving in even during the coldest months. Another popular spot to cool off is the famous Bogey Hole, carved into the rock by convict

Nobbys lighthouse, Newcastle.

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Sunrise at Nobbys lighthouse.

labourers back in the 1800s. On fine days, locals and visitors can be found taking advantage of this picturesque swimming hole and sunning themselves on the surrounding rocks.

With coastline come coastal walks, of which Newcastle has many. Explore the city’s surf culture and fascinating maritime history on the Shoreline Walking Tour, or stretch your legs on the five-kilometre Bathers Way coastal walk, which links three of the city’s best beaches as well as a number of parklands and heritage sites. Adjoining Bathers Way is the Newcastle Memorial Walk, established to commemorate the 100th anniversary

of the ANZAC landing and offering superlative 360-degree views of the ocean and city.

First lit in 1858, the Nobbys Head Light is a working lighthouse to this day, as well as being one of Newcastle’s top tourist attractions. Every year, thousands of people make the steep climb to the top of the hill to enjoy outstanding ocean views, watch passing whales and check out the historical photographs displayed in the cottages.

What is arguably Newcastle’s finest view, as well as history aplenty, can be found at Fort Scratchley. Previously an active defense battery, the site is now a museum that allows visitors to walk through 200 years of history.

Highlights include the tour of the fortification tunnel, the daily firing of

What is arguably Newcastle’s finest view, as well as history aplenty, can be found at Fort Scratchley.

An aerial view of Fort Scratchley.

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the gun at 1pm and the unforgettable views of the coastline, harbour and city from the Fort’s lookout points.

To see one of Australia’s busiest ports in action, head to the Foreshore promenade. It’s just a few minutes from the city centre and is an excellent place to take a walk, catch a ferry or just watch the world go by. There are a number of premier restaurants and

© Tourism NSW

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Bound Round For more fantastic family destinations in Australia and around the world, visit boundround.com Abicus, Darby Street.

The Landing Bar & Kitchen. cafés along the promenade where you can have a coffee or a meal with water views on the side. Nearby, grassy Foreshore Park is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a sunny afternoon while the kids let off steam in the adventure playground.

One of Newcastle’s hidden gems is its vibrant street art scene, with local artists collaborating to adorn alleyways, lanes and the city’s blank spaces with striking murals. Simone Sheridan of Street Art Walking has worked directly with artists in the area since 2010 and runs guided walking tours through Newcastle’s colourful back streets.

To see a more traditional, yet no less creative side of Newcastle’s art scene, visit Newcastle Art Gallery, which showcases local works and pieces from around Australia. In the interests of fostering new talent, the gallery also holds workshops and craft activities every weekend at which kids can develop their own creative works.

To enjoy a walk on the wild side, visit Hunter Wetlands Centre.

Considered a ‘wetland of national and international importance for

Surfhouse Restaurant, Merewether Beach.

Robert Stein Winery.

The Christ Church Cathedral, completed in 1902. excellence in wetland conservation, education and ecotourism’, the centre offers visitors the chance to get up close and personal with pythons, go dip-netting for creepy-crawlies in the wetland ponds, and look for wildlife as they canoe or cycle through stunning coastal rainforest.

The fascinating history of the Hunter region and the impact of the

coal-mining industry on the area’s development can be explored at Newcastle Museum, where interactive exhibits help kids create their own tornadoes, play in a magnetic field and even attempt to lift a car. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum has a changing special program offering new and exciting ways to expand young minds.

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At Joeys, we’re family.

Sure, as a family of more than 1,000 boys we may go through more toast and breakfast cereal than the average family.

But the care, support and encouragement that exists within our College community is as strong and as genuine as within any other family.

Students from regional and rural Australia have always been an integral part of St Joseph’s College. The mix of students from the country and the city helps create a diverse and vibrant community that is highly valued by the students, their families and staff.

St Joseph’s is dedicated to helping each student achieve his potential. As our boys learn about the world, they also learn important lessons about themselves and the sort of men they want to be. They find that with guidance, hard work and determination they are capable of much more than they imagined. A range of enrolment options, including full boarding, weekly boarding and day student with extended hours, offer families the important choice of what enrolment best suits their individual needs.

We invite you to meet the Joeys family and discover why St Joseph’s College has been one of Australia’s leading secondary schools for boys for 135 years.

For more information, or to arrange a tour of the college, telephone the Registrar on (02) 9816 0806 or visit the website www.joeys.org.

ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE

HUNTERS HILL • WWW.JOEYS.ORG

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Northern New South Wales’ Byron Bay is famed for its artsy culture and laid-back bohemian lifestyle – and this north-coast town’s popularity continues to grow.

Here is OUTthere’s take on the best it has to offer.

1. ELEMENTS OF BYRON RESORT & SPA This newly opened beachfront property is the ultimate place to stay in Byron.

The site encompasses rainforest, lakes and two kilometres of absolute beach frontage, as well as 103 luxuriously appointed villas, the central resort and leisure facilities. Guests are granted an awe-inspiring welcome, with water and fire elements flanking the entrance to the contoured main pavilion. Three separate pavilions make up the central resort and leisure facilities: a signature

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restaurant and lobby bar; a poolside bar and kiosk; and a gymnasium and fivesuite garden spa. Weaving through the resort grounds is a large lagoon pool.

There’s also a spa, numerous additional water features and a sunken fire pit.

Feminine, organic materials and forms have been employed to invoke an air of relaxation and connection to the earth. The spa treatments on offer are designed to induce relaxation and bliss; while the restaurant serves up some of the best cuisine in the region.

A not-to-be-missed treat for families and couples alike. elementsofbyron.com.au

The 50-acre Elements of Byron site, Belongil Beach Byron Bay. 39

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2. NEWRYBAR MERCHANTS In the five months since it opened, Newrybar Merchants has established itself as a destination hotspot.

Located in an old homestead in the hinterlands above Byron Bay, the homeware and lifestyle collective, a collaboration between some of Australia’s most recognised interior designers, is a one-stop shop where you can find gorgeous, distinctive pieces from high-quality local and international home and lifestyle brands. Prepare to go home armed with beautiful knick-knacks. newrybarmerchants.com

Aptly named Beach Café/restaurant.

4. FOAM FOOD + WINE

Newrybar Merchants.

3. HARVEST CAFÉ Just opposite Newrybar Merchants you’ll find the hugely popular Harvest Café, renowned for its use of local and organic produce. A breakfast, lunch or dinner here is an absolute must.

Enjoy the cruisy, laid-back atmosphere of Byron while you gorge on healthy, hearty food made with absolute attention to detail. We love Harvest’s braised lamb shoulder and its roasted chicken. The flavours and freshness of the produce are outstanding. The Harvest deli shelves are stocked with local and international artisan products, including Harvest’s own range of sauces and condiments, and Harvest Bakery’s organic wood-fired sourdough breads and pastries – perfect take-home gifts. harvestcafé.com.au 40

Highly original menus and flawlessly executed dishes, changing weekly.

Refined, relaxed service – no staff member here will call you ‘guys’.

Owned jointly by chef Chris Harrington and manager-host Marcus Corcoran, Foam oozes the kind of relaxed sophistication that only those who truly know what they are doing can pull off. Marcus has an exhaustive knowledge of food and wine, along with a killer wine list featuring an extensive selection of natural wines.

And all this comes with ocean views.

What more could you want? foamlennox.com

5. CRYSTAL CASTLE & SHAMBHALA GARDENS The energy here is why people come to Byron – and at Crystal Castle, many feel, there is a genuine healing intention. It’s impossible not to feel the air of peace, the spiritual energy and the presence of ‘nature’ spirits in the beautiful Shambhala Gardens. This is not a theme park – while it could be categorised as a tourist attraction, it is in fact a beacon of joy and light. Once you pay to get in, all the workshops are free of charge and are fabulous fun.

The castle’s Lotus Café overlooks the spectacular hinterland and the staff are the real deal – you just want to pack them up and take them home with you. crystalcastle.com.au

6. BAYSHORE BUNGALOWS Set in lush bushland next to Belongil Beach, the Bayshore complex has only 13 one- and two-bedroom bungalow/villas – all of them private and beautifully appointed. The accommodation here is very reasonably priced, given that it is fully selfcontained, spacious and right on the beach, and that guests can take advantage of resort facilities that include a lovely swimming pool, tennis court and barbeque area. For a onebedroom loft villa, you’ll pay just $145 per night when you book for seven or more nights ($220 for a single night), and they’re super-luxurious inside. bayshorebungalows.com.au

7. BEACH BYRON BAY This café/restaurant is absolute beachfront on Clarkes Beach. The cuisine is inspired, the service exceptional – professional, yet relaxed and friendly, and the interiors are

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Enjoy the cruisy, laid-back atmosphere of Byron while you gorge on healthy, hearty food made with absolute attention to detail.

Infinity pool at Elements of Byron.

Bayshore Bungalows

Abicus, Darby Street

forever being upgraded. The exterior is nature at its best – sea and surf on one side and a fabulous park on the other.

This place is a crowd-pleaser. It’s open for big café breakfasts and satisfying lunches daily, and for dinner during the warmer months. beachbyronbay.com.au

8. CAPE BYRON KAYAKS Byron is all about the beach lifestyle.

Here you can hop in a kayak, supported by fabulous guides, paddle out into the ocean and be surrounded by dolphins. In whale season (May to November) you can experience the thrill of being up close and personal with these gigantic, otherworldly creatures. And there are turtles and all kinds of fabulous sea creatures to see. It’s super-fun, and there are Tim Tams and piping-hot tea, coffee and Milo for morning or afternoon tea. The cost is just $69 for a three-hour ocean kayaking experience with life jackets, wetsuits and helmets provided. capebyronkayaks.com

9. THE SUN BISTRO This place is cheap and cheerful – a family bistro with lots of timber, plenty of light and a fabulous big garden for

The iconic Cape Byron lighthouse.

kids to run around in. Other pluses are the live music and great food, including a wide selection of $12 meals. It’s a place where the locals go – but not just ‘local locals’, people drive in from Mullumbimby, Bangalow and all around to drink, dine and socialise at this venue. thesunbistro.com

10. BELLA ROSA GELATERIA/ESPRESSO BAR For homemade, deliciously indulgent ice-cream in the heart of Byron Bay town, stop in at Bella Rosa, where you can choose from a myriad of flavours, including burnt caramel with pecan nuts, peanut-butter fudge with choc chips, and bloodorange sorbet. This is some of the best ice-cream and sorbet you’ll ever taste, definitely worth stopping by, especially if it’s a typical sunny Byron Bay day.

OUTthere was a guest of Elements of Byron and hired a car with Europcar to tour the region. For more information on hiring a vehicle from Europcar for your Byron Bay stay, visit europcar.com.au/ places/australia/ballina/ballina-airport

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AUSTRALIAN SUMMER HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS for families With six long weeks of school holidays and seemingly endless sunny days, summer is what Australia does best. From dripping humidity in tropical rainforests to sun-baked outback and miles of sandy beaches, all over the country there are great destinations to check out with the family. Here are five of the best spots to consider when the time comes to dig out your swimmers and sunnies for summer.

GOLD COAST, QUEENSLAND It’s no secret that the Gold Coast is one of Australia’s most popular holiday spots – both tourists and outof-towners flock in their thousands to its sandy shores all year round for surfing, thrills and the bright lights of Surfers Paradise. In the summer, however, the Gold Coast really comes into its own. Far enough down the coast to be stinger safe and offering some of the best surf breaks around, the Gold Coast is the perfect place to grab your board and hit the waves. If that isn’t enough excitement, the Gold Coast is Australia’s theme park capital with roller coasters, water slides and adventures that will delight even the most determined young thrillseekers.

Dreamworld and Movie World offer the real big guns when it comes to dizzying drops and high-speed twists and turns, while Wet’n’Wild and White Water World are the best ways to cool off when Queensland turns up the heat.

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KAKADU, NORTHERN TERRITORY Australia’s largest national park on dry land is one of nature’s most impressive sights year round, but between the months of November and March the park is a truly spectacular sight to witness. The monsoon season sees dusty, dry river basins flooded and bursting with wildlife, lush lagoons filled with crocs, vast wetlands, thundering waterfalls plummeting from craggy cliff edges and dramatic electrical storms lighting up the night sky. Temperatures are high and the unrelenting Australian sun bakes the park from dawn until dusk, so sunscreen is an absolute must. Some areas of the park are closed due to flooding in the summer months, but visiting in the off-season means less crowds and more reasonable costs.

The sheer vastness of Kakadu can make it a challenge to know where to start, but luckily the park has a list of summer itineraries for families that will ensure you make the most of this incredible natural wonder.

HOBART, TASMANIA When the baking Aussie heat starts to become a bit much, Tasmania offers a welcome respite. Much milder than most of the country and bursting with history, nature and activities, Tasmania’s capital city Hobart is not to be forgotten as a great summer holiday option. Wander around Hobart’s waterfront and soak up the maritime atmosphere at the dozens of shops, galleries and restaurants, peruse the quirky vintage shops and markets at Salamanca, discover Australia’s dark convict history at Port Arthur and make the hike up Mount Wellington to take in the breathtaking views from the top.

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TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND On the doorstep of both the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, it’s no surprise that Tropical North Queensland is one of Australia’s top summer holiday destinations. Cairns is a great place to enjoy stinger-free swimming in the lagoon and combining nature and thrills at the Cairns Wildlife Dome & Zoom, while the chilled out town of Port Douglas is the perfect base from which to head off and explore the World Heritage sites.

Head into the Daintree and explore the world’s oldest tropical rainforest – from lush Mossman Gorge to The Kuranda Scenic Railway, there are a myriad of sights and experiences to enjoy. Of course it goes without saying that snorkelling on the reef is an unforgettable experience and a chance to see aquatic life like nowhere else on earth. Plenty of different companies offer trips out to different parts of the reef, but they are all impressive!

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GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VICTORIA What better way to celebrate the long, free days of summer than by loading up the car and hitting the road? Road tripping is a great way to enjoy some real quality time with the family and to explore some great destinations without breaking the bank. Victoria’s Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most iconic drives, as well as being a World Heritage Site and the world’s longest war memorial. Stretching 243 kilometres from Allansford to Torquay, this scenic coastal drive takes in dozens of pristine beaches that are a dream come true for surfers, including the famous Bells Beach, which offers some of the best breaks around. Along the way are pretty coastal towns, stunning cliff views and, of course, the stunning natural rock spires of the Twelve Apostles which are a sight nobody is likely to forget in a hurry.

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Bound Round For more fantastic family destinations in Australia and around the world, visit boundround.com

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The latest news, information and innovations from the agriculture industry

Helpful insights and fascinating facts about the Australian mining and resource sector

Insights into some of the best education institutions in the country

Motoring review Agribusiness events Safety spotlight And more...

RegionalBusinessReview August/September 2016

FLYINGHIGH The future is here as operators discover the capabilities of remotely piloted aircraft

autoreview

HERE COMES

FUN The BMW M2 arrives to take on brilliant and established rivals. Can it win?

WORDS: MICHAEL BENN THERE HAS NEVER been a better time to be a fancier of (relatively) affordable, pure performance, prestige driver’s cars. Each of the German marques now produces punchy, focussed and exceptionally thrilling pocket rockets for under $100K. This is thanks to the ministrations of their more and more prominent go-fast divisions: Mercedes’ Clarkson-ian “MORE POWWWER!” loons at AMG, BMW’s mad-scientist M Division and Audi’s own increasingly prominent nutjobs at RS (taken from the German RennSport, which literally translates as “racing sport”).

It doesn’t necessarily make it easy for the manufacturers, however. To properly succeed, new vehicles need both a defined identity and a niche in the market. When your competitors have already released recent, brilliant cars in a segment, how do you set yourself apart – no matter how great your offering?

If this dilemma ever occurred to BMW, it doesn’t show. Their M2 coupe has arrived with the sort of acrossthe-board adoration drunks reserve for pizza or the Woman’s Weekly for royal babies. And it deserves every accolade. Not just for taking the battle to its very brilliant rivals – in this case, the magma-hot hot-hatch pairing of the Mercedes-AMG A45 and Audi RS 3 Sportback – but for immediately having its own identity.

All three cars are utterly brilliant.

All are brilliant in slightly different 2

RegionalBusinessReview

ways, with distinctive personalities.

And even in such exalted company, the Bavarian coupe might just be the most alluring of all. Both despite and, in a weird way, because of its flaws.

Take the engine note, for example.

The BMW is powered by a beautiful, turbocharged 3.0L inline six, which is capable of 272kW and 465Nm, the torque figure briefly jumping by another 35kW on overboost from as far down as 1,400rpm. Its engine note is glorious, but like most modern cars, it is so well insulated from the road that its hard to hear from behind the wheel.

Many carmakers get around this muffling by such confections as microphones in the engine bay or tubes piping the noise into the cabin. BMW, nefariously, plays recorded and/or fake engine noises through the speakers.

Which sucks. But it’s also, it’s a shame to admit, glorious to experience.

Happily, this is an artifice not repeated elsewhere in the M2.

Its available in manual, for example, the first fillip to its enthusiast credentials (and one not offered by it’s obvious rivals mentioned here – although available an alleged step down, in the lovely, chavvier Ford Focus ST). A second is that it’s rearwheel drive, now a rare beast, and thus allowing – electronic gimcrackery sufficiently disabled, in the hands of one properly trained – a slathering of adrenalised, tail-happy oversteer on its standard 19’ alloys. Its seats

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It’s rear-wheel drive, allowing a slathering of adrenalised, tail-happy oversteer on its standard 19’ alloys.

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3

autoreview

are properly brilliant, firmly bolstered but adjustable, whether you’re at a track day or have skipped a few years of gym.

(Unless you’re in the back seats, which are a sort of cosmic joke on the concept of seats; sympathy for the 911.)

Its chassis is a gift from God. It doesn’t need its neck wrung to thrill; in fact, quite the opposite, which is its own reward. Its cabin is, well, about what you’d expect from BMW’s M division – not the most lavish or design oriented available, but more obviously sporty for it. Certainly its 8.8’ infotainment screen is lovely, as is a generous inclusion of safety and driver’s aids.

When describing a car’s personality – a thing that, as a machine, cars technically don’t have – it is sometimes handy to think of them as different people, and consider how each person would deal with a particular situation.

Take, for example, crossing a crowded bar. Faced with this challenge, the Audi RS 3 Sportback could finesse its way

through the crowd, on a raft of polite thank-yous, or it might spy a gap and punch across, all at once, its face a mask of calm Teutonic efficiency, nary a drop of beer spilled. The Mercedes-AMG, supremely goal-focussed, aggression in its DNA, would simply machine gun the drinkers in its way, then stride across the corpses. Then roar. But BMW’s M2… well, it’s a third thing entirely.

It would careen across the space, all charisma and confidence, making assets of its imperfections. Charming each group it bumped into. Arriving at the far side a touch slower than its rivals, perhaps, but having had more fun along the way.

The Mercedes-AMG A45 is brutal and brilliant, but perhaps too full-on as a daily ride. The Audi RS 3 Sportback is perhaps the perfect, perfectly efficient German all-rounder. Certainly, with its quattro all-wheel drive system, the most flattering to the driver. But the BMW M2 understands more than either rival

that people who like driver’s cars partly remain, for whatever success they’ve enjoyed, rev-heads at heart. That there is a joy in getting there faster than the other guy – in slicing up apexes like so much sushi – but that there is equal joy getting there with flair as with surgical precision or brute force.

You can go wrong with neither car.

But in terms of heart, you’ll never go less wrong than with BMW’s immediately wonderful M2.

BMW M2 PRICING AND SPECIFICATIONS Price: from $98,900 plus on-roads Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo petrol Power: 272kW Torque: 500Nm on overboost Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive Fuel use: 7.9L/100km

The BMW M2 understands more than either rival that people who like driver’s cars partly remain, for whatever success they’ve enjoyed, rev-heads at heart.

4

RegionalBusinessReview

TENSOR REVO HIGH ACCESS Welcome to the latest advance in heavy duty bolting.

Atlas Copco has released the Tensor Revo HA electronic nutrunner for the Offroad and Mining markets.

The Tensor Revo HA is a reliable, durable and fast solution for all bolting applications providing traceability, operator feedback and error proofing to ensure the correct tightening every time.

For information on purchase, hire or to set up an on site demonstration call us or email on:

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agribusiness

MAKING HAY

WHILE THE SUN SHINES The Pilbara is being irrigated to produce hay for thousands of Rio Tinto cattle.

WORDS: CLAIRE BOND While the mining boom has long been a source of wealth and prosperity for the west of Australia, the downturn in commodities has mining companies looking for innovative ways to make land profitable while the market is soft.

At one of Australia’s newest and largest agricultural irrigation projects, the heat of the scorching Pilbara sun can reach 55 degrees Celsius, but the end result is hundreds of hectares of ripening Rhodes grass, growing as hay to feed thousands of Rio Tinto cattle.

The wide brown land has

6

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become a little greener thanks to the innovative Rio Tinto-owned Hamersley Agriculture Project (HAP), in the resources-rich Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The project – on a site 45 kilometres north-east of Tom Price and the first of its kind in the region – utilises surplus water from the nearby Marandoo iron-ore mine to cultivate 850 hectares of irrigated hay crop, destined for the bellies of 25,000-odd head of cattle owned by Rio Tinto and those of other local pastoralists.

Irrigation and water-management specialist provider Total Eden won

the tender with its proposal to supply mining giant Rio Tinto with the irrigation infrastructure for the HAP project, which features 17 gigantic Reinke centre irrigation pivots.

The giant centre pivot machines – shipped from the USA and assembled on site – are designed to cover the ground slowly and systematically on sets of self-propelled wheels to deliver a life-giving supply of water evenly and automatically.

Total Eden Project Manager Clive Croxford is excited by the project.

“Irrigated pivots are commonly used in Australian broadacre farming to assist

agribusiness

Other key HAP facts • There are 17 centre pivots, 12 capable of covering 50ha, four of covering 39ha and one able to cover 7ha.

• All water delivered to the irrigators has a base injection of fertiliser.

• Each centre pivot is equipped with a fertiliser injector to allow a top-up

in the production of crops but this is the first time it has been used in the Pilbara,” he said.

“Twelve of the 17 pivots are designed to each cover an area of 50 hectares.”

The rich, red-clay lime soils of Hamersley Station respond well to their daily 14-millimetre soaking, mixed with the perfect cocktail of fertiliser and trace elements to ensure a successful crop in record growing time.

Already, the irrigation project is producing more than 30,000 tonnes of hay per annum – remarkable in an area with an average annual rainfall of just 427mm.

“It is an exciting and unique project to be involved with,” Croxford said, “especially considering the positive environmental impact it will have on the area. It’s a genuine win-win for all parties involved and we are very pleased to be able to assist Rio Tinto in achieving their goals.”

A small proportion of the irrigated area has been set aside for the growing and harvesting of native seeds to supply Rio Tinto’s rehabilitation program across the Pilbara.

With mining at Marandoo going on below the water table, the mine is pumping out 20 gigalitres of surplus water to the project, at a flow rate of 1,250 litres per second.

THE PROJECT UTILISES SURPLUS WATER FROM THE NEARBY MARANDOO IRON-ORE MINE TO CULTIVATE 850 HECTARES OF IRRIGATED HAY CROP, DESTINED FOR THE BELLIES OF 25,000ODD HEAD OF CATTLE.

of nutrients and micromanagement of trace elements.

• Control of each pivot, generator and fertiliser injection system is by remote, via an ‘Observant’ communication and control network linked with the system by radio and internet.

• Sensors connected through the Observant system allow users to monitor and enable better control of soil moisture, soil conductivity, pivot application rates, fertiliser injection rates, pivot position and all alarms.

• Power is delivered by generator at each pivot. Each generating set is controlled remotely and monitored via the Observant control centre.

General Manager for Climate Change, Water and Environment for Rio Tinto, Allan Jackson, said the project provided a direct benefit by reducing the discharge of surplus water into surrounding ecosystems.

“By establishing irrigated agriculture in the Pilbara,” Jackson said, “we can potentially increase local stocking rates, reduce the total area grazed and rest large areas that may be under pressure from grazing.”

Rio Tinto owns six pastoral stations in the Pilbara covering 1.5 million hectares.

Total Eden is a leading provider of endto-end water management solutions to Australia’s mining and exploration industries.

RegionalBusinessReview

7

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events

AGRICULTURAL EVENTS ROUND-UP AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FIELD DAYS (ANFD) 2016

Futuristic ag-bots and cool new inventions; exhilarating wood-chopping, horsemanship and sheep-herding; art, fashion and stiltwalkers – there’s plenty for everyone at the annual ANFD in outback NSW. At this year’s Australian National Field Days, visitors can see, handle and compare the latest farm-related technology, products and equipment – from air seeders and breeds of alpaca to water-saving devices, woodworking equipment and wool products – and discuss them directly with manufacturers and suppliers.

ANFD 2016 will feature displays and demonstrations of new technology and innovations, including drones, precision agriculture equipment and machinery designed to boost efficiency and productivity; exciting inventions at The Land Farm Machine of the Year competition and cool

BEEFUP FORUMS

MLA’s BeefUp forums are a chance for northern Australia’s beef farmers to learn about the latest RD&E and get tips and tools from industry experts.

Meat and Livestock Australia’s BeefUp forums aim to keep beef farmers across Northern Australia abreast of developments in beef-related RD&E, encourage them to participate in regional research, and give them tips and tools “that they can take home and put into practice on-farm immediately” to make their enterprises more sustainable and profitable.

Each BeefUp day will feature speakers from leading industry and research bodies including the Regional Beef Research Committees (RBRC) and MLA, helming information sessions, panel discussions and R&D updates.

Discussion will focus on key profit-

new products at the Awards of Excellence.

There’s plenty for families: displays of wood-chopping skill by world champion axeman David Foster; the alwaysentertaining Dogpro-sponsored NSW Workers Sheepdog Trials and Hawkesbury Working Kelpie Stud canine team; a sheep and cattle activities centre and Horse Expo area; ATV and 4WD demos; daily fashion parades and CWA cooking sessions; a rural art competition and sale; stilt-walkers and heli-flights.

Kids can test their farming knowledge in the schools education area, join in daily children’s activities and let off steam on the jumping castle, while grown-ups attend info-sessions on seeds, pruning, woodsplitting and woodwork, weed and water management, backyard beekeeping and vegetable-growing, tillage and hay; and equine health and husbandry.

For more information, visit anfd.com.au

drivers in the beef industry and in practical sustainability practices that can make a significant difference to beef enterprises’ input costs, productivity and bottom lines.

The organisers hope to encourage farmers’ participation in regional beefrelated R&D, with forums giving local beef producers and industry stakeholders opportunities to learn about and give their input into beef-related R&D. Day-long BeefUp forums have been scheduled for the Queensland towns of Capella (Tue 6 Sept), Chinchilla (Tue 13 Sept), Charleville (Thu 29 Sept), Katherine, NT (Tue 11 Oct) and finally in Kingaroy, Qld (Wed 19 Oct).

Details about each event will be posted on the MLA website as they become available.

For more information, visit mla.com.au or contact Barbara Bishop on barbara@barbarabishop.com.au

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FIELD DAYS (ANFD) 2016

WHEN: Thu 20–Sat 22 October 2016 WHERE: Field Days site, 563 Borenore Rd, Borenore, NSW (15km from Orange) ENTRY PRICES: Adult $15, child $5, family $35 (2-day entry: adult extra $5, family extra $15)

BEEFUP FORUMS

WHERE: Regional Queensland and NT WHEN: 6, 13 & 29 September, 11 & 19 October 2016 ADMISSION: Price varies depending on the event, check website for details

RegionalBusinessReview

9

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insidemining

Helpful insights and fascinating facts about the Australian mining and resources sector.

news+views

news+views MINERALS COUNCIL HITS BACK AT INDEPENDENT INQUIRY RECOMMENDATIONS The Minerals Council of Australia’s Victorian Division has hit back at the independent Inquiry into the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) report recommending even more regulation for the Victorian mining industry.

The report contends that ‘...the mining industry (does not) face the same level of environmental regulation as other industries with a similar risk profile or scale’. According to the MCA, this is clearly inaccurate. It argues the minerals industry is one of the most highly regulated industries in Australia and must abide by all state and relevant Commonwealth environmental laws.

The MCA’s submission to the inquiry clearly showed that the EPA does not possess the technical ability to advise on the range of complex issues considered in licensing the minerals industry. Inaccurate or inconsistent advice provided by the EPA and a

lack of decision-making capability causes significant delays and impacts the operability of sites. According to the MCA, the sector most recently experienced this when the EPA took 11 months to determine that a specific project did not require an EPA works approval or licence.

The EPA does not have the ability to be responsible for compliance and enforcement of the environmental conditions on a mining site and rehabilitation requirements – there are a number of environmental conditions that clearly do not fit within the EPA’s remit, including native vegetation clearance and biodiversity offsets.

3D LASER MAPPING LAUNCHES MULTIPLATFORM MAPPING SYSTEM World leading geospatial technology supplier 3D Laser Mapping has launched an innovative multi-platform mapping system at GeoBusiness 2016.

The new platform, named ROBIN,

is the first of its kind on the market and provides three alternative mapping options rolled into one solution. The versatile system allows users to benefit from the ability to map areas via walking, driving or flying.

ROBIN provides a multi-purpose allround system, integrating a 12MP camera (for drive) and 18MP (for walk and fly), two GNSS antennas, GIS-grade IMU navigation system, touch-screen control unit, three mounting systems, capture software, a post-processing software package and a 330-degree field of view.

Long-range and precision versions are also available.

Graham Hunter, executive chairman at 3D Laser Mapping, explains further: “Our customers are looking for flexible solutions that can support a high return on investment. ROBIN is an extremely exciting product for the industry and is the first on the market to offer a three-in-one system.

Covering a wide range of terrain, ROBIN allows high-quality data capture from areas such as footpaths, forests and coastlines that are only accessible by foot.”

Above: Software from 3D Laser Mapping’s innovative multi-platform mapping system (ROBIN).

RegionalBusinessReview

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news+views

PLANNING FOR COMMITMENT AT THE CENTRE of every Management Operating System (MOS) is the simple behaviour of committing to a plan.

Over the years we’ve found one of the toughest challenges of a MOS project is to get people to believe that the plan they are committing to is in fact possible. This is normally because plans never play out the way they are planned.

It’s seldom that a team in any operation is able to simply get on with their work without interaction with other teams. With most frontline planning spreadsheets it’s impossible to reliably bring all the production, maintenance, project, roster, leave, training and safety work together into a complete shift plan.

This means people at all levels are reticent to commit to it. The crew may see low targets on some shifts and unachievable targets on the shifts where the work they have to do doesn’t match the target. They can start to believe the planners and coordinators don’t know what they’re doing…

What’s needed is a “Commitment Management System” that provides an

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It is possible to quickly take your current MOS and turn it into an effective commitment management system. In most cases the missing link is a visual software tool that helps people make reasonable commitments to each other,

communicate these commitments visibly across the site and then see when these commitments are delivered upon. In this day and age you can do much better than a macro laden spreadsheet or series of whiteboards.

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spotlight

THE COLD, HARD

TRUTH MINING SITES ARE HARSH ENVIRONMENTS AND VEHICLES WORKING IN THEM NEED HIGH-QUALITY MAINTENANCE TO KEEP THEM OPERATING AT PEAK PERFORMANCE LEVELS. WHAT ABOUT THE AIR-CONDITIONING? WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

RegionalBusinessReview

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spotlight

FATIGUE IS OFTEN cited as a safety issue (see page 27), but one factor that seems to escape the notice of nearly everyone – operators, unions, mining companies and regulators – is carbon dioxide buildup in the cabs of heavy vehicles.

Carbon dioxide poisoning is something that most of us have experienced at some point in our lives. If you’ve ever been at a conference or at a training session in a classroom and had to stand up to keep yourself awake around midafternoon, you’ve suffered from the ill effects of too high a concentration of carbon dioxide. It’s pretty simple, really: everyone in the room is breathing in air and exhaling carbon dioxide, and unless there is a very high level of external air flow to keep

the air in that room refreshed, the carbon dioxide levels will creep up and up as the day goes on. As the CO2 levels increase, you start to feel drowsy, no matter how much coffee you drink or sugary treats you eat.

The same thing happens with vehicles on mine sites, according to LSM Technologies engineering manager and managing director Peter Woodford .

“This is only a fledgling area of research but we’re starting to see more and more evidence that often what we call ‘fatigue’-related accidents are actually caused by high CO2 level rather than the usual attributed cause of not enough sleep, stress, working too hard, et cetera,” he told Inside Mining.

It doesn’t take long because

with most vehicles on mine sites, including heavy vehicles, the airconditioner filters will clog within a few hours or the evaporator will get choked and stop completely. It can happen even faster if the vehicle drives through or is working in a dust plume. As a result, most vehicles on mine sites drive around with the air conditioning set to recirculate, which just recycles the air that’s already in the cab.

When this happens, CO2 levels go up very quickly indeed.

“The World Health Organization recommended allowable limit is 700 to 800 parts per million (PPM),” says Woodford. “But inside the cabin of a vehicle, in the worst cases, the CO2 level can get to 33,000ppm in eight minutes. Not surprisingly, research

“The World Health Organization recommended allowable limit is 700 to 800 parts per million (PPM), But inside the cabin of a vehicle, in the worst cases, the CO2 level can get to 33,000ppm in eight minutes.”

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spotlight

has found that in 35 to 40 per cent of truck crashes, the air conditioning was found to be on full recirculate .”

Somewhat counter-intuitively, Woodford points out, when air conditioning is on full recirculate it is actually creating negative air pressure inside the cabin of the vehicle. When this happens, dust, carbon monoxide and other airborne particles actually get sucked into the vehicle. This can cause problems in a number of ways. It damages the air conditioning system, at a cost of $5,000 to $10,000 per repair job, and some of those airborne particles can be carcinogenic diesel soot or worse.

Woodford believes that it’s possible that respiratory diseases such as ‘black lung’ and silicosis, which appear to be making a comeback, may stem from the

complacency engendered by enclosed cabs.

The secret to stopping this from happening is two-fold. One: the air needs to be filtered using a multistage filtration system to stop the system getting clogged with dust; and two: the cab needs to be kept under positive air pressure – greater than 50 pascals – so that air is pushed out rather than drawn in.

Doing this requires a certain amount of airflow – 10 to 15 litres of airflow per occupant – but the system also requires leakage to allow the air to exchange sufficiently.

LSM Technologies is the sole distributor of Sy-klone’s RESPA™ Technologies. RESPA filters dust out of the air to a level below that needed for compliance and is the only cabin pressuriser/filtration technology that

When air-conditioning is on full recirculate it is actually creating negative air pressure inside the cabin of the vehicle.

has been field tested and certified to be compliant by an Australian OH&S regulator – the Queensland Mines Inspectorate Health Surveillance Unit. This certification was achieved after a two-week trial.

The conclusions are summarised in a report RESPA Trial 2009 occupational hygiene monitoring for airborne particulate matter and respirable crystalline silica inside of an excavator cabin – before and after fitting a pre-cleaner, filter and pressurisation unit (File 042066).

Installing filtration units such as the RESPA can also save on air-conditioning maintenance. One site where RESPA units have been installed by LSM Technologies has operated without failure for more than 14,000 hours, or four years, at a cost saving estimated to be in excess of $30,000 per annum, per machine.

LSM Technologies is able to provide RESPA filters and booster kits to suit all kinds of mining heavy vehicles, ranging from excavators to haul trucks to wheel loaders.

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KNOW THE RULES – FLY SAFE You must only fly during the day and keep your RPA within visual line-of sight.

You must not fly your RPA higher than 120 metres (400ft) AGL.

You can only fly one RPA at a time.

You must not fly your RPA over any populous areas.

These can include: beaches, parks and sporting ovals.

You must keep your RPA at least 5.5km away from controlled aerodromes.

You must keep your RPA at least 30 metres away from other people.

You must not fly your RPA near emergency efforts such as firefighting, search and rescue and police operations.

c a s a . g o v. a u / r p a

agribusiness

DRONES:

A FACT OF LIFE ON MINING SITES It’s only been a few years since the first unmanned aerial vehicles, now referred to as ‘remotely piloted aircraft’ or RPAs, took to the skies over mining sites, but the technology is becoming increasingly common as operators discover their unmatched capabilities.

RPAs have been a game-changer for the mining industry. Tasks such as stockpile surveys that used to take several surveyors and vehicles weeks are now being done in less than a day using fewer people and vehicles.

Some of the more unusual tasks for which mining companies have used RPAs include flying them under bridges

to check for structural soundness or along tailings dam walls to check for cracking and seepage. More mundane uses include for site planning, mapping assessment, and flora and fauna surveys.

Despite these advances, Land Surveys UAV coordinator Matthew Power believes that remotely piloted aircraft are nowhere near to attaining

WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

100 per cent penetration of the mining industry.

“Anyone in the mining game should be well and truly aware that UAVs are a faster and much safer way of capturing data, but among the smaller companies especially, there is a lack of people trained to use UAVs and process the data,” Power says.

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agribusiness

“That means they still tend to do things in the old way. “[Another inhibitor] is that UAVs are still a very new technology and some companies have been burnt by someone going out on site with a drone and having a disaster. Whether it’s been attacked by a Wedge-Tailed eagle, had a bad landing, or for some reason just not produced good-quality data, the people on site have had a bad experience with the technology.”

Many companies, however, are embracing the technology. Both Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have the capability to operate RPAs in-house, and Land Survey recently spent six months working with Fortescue to help get its survey team skilled up to operate the drones and the data processing software required, as well as ensuring they were certified by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to fly RPAs. According to Power, the CASA certification is about to become less important as of September 29 this year, when an amended set of regulations comes into force for sub-2kg RPAs. Currently, anyone operating an RPA commercially needs CASA certification – specifically, the Remote Operator’s Certificate (ReOC). The process of qualifying for this certificate is quite rigorous; it’s similar to that required of a small aircraft charter company, although it does give companies a very good grounding in operating RPAs and in the aviation industry generally.

According to CASA flack Patrick Cape, RPA operators wishing to fly in the ‘Excluded’ sub-2kg category may fly only one remotely piloted aircraft at a time, may fly only during the day and must keep the drone within line-of-sight and below 120 metres (400 ft.) in altitude.

Operators must also maintain a safe distance from other people (at least 30 metres), stay more than 5.5km from controlled aerodromes and not fly RPAs 24

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MANY COMPANIES, HOWEVER, ARE EMBRACING THE TECHNOLOGY. BOTH RIO TINTO AND BHP BILLITON HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO OPERATE RPAS IN-HOUSE. over populous areas or areas where their presence may affect public safety, such as in proximity to a car accident, fire or ongoing police operation.

Drone operators wanting to fly outside of these operating conditions will still require an ReOC and in some cases will also need prior approval.

While this move to loosen the regulations is a step in the right direction, Power cautions that mine surveying takes more than just being able to fly a drone.

“If you’re operating a UAV and the end result is survey data, you need a surveyor involved,” he says. “There are a

lot of variables and parameters – overlap, resolution, et cetera – that need to be managed. If you don’t have a surveyor on the team, then there is the risk you can end up with data that’s not able to give you what you need.”

Nevertheless, the future looks bright for RPAs. There are companies currently experimenting with LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) and drones.

Only the larger machines are capable of carrying such heavy and expensive equipment but as the technology becomes lighter and cheaper, RPAs will experience a quantum leap in capability.

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Reliable Precise Aerial Surveys here are a multitude of options when it comes to selecting a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). A plethora of hardware, from built-in-the-backyard-shed to futuristic space-craft titanium models, an array of cameras for high resolution photos to nearinfrared and LiDAR, plus an ever-growing number of software solutions for processing, analysing and presenting the data.

There are even options when it comes to what the technology is called!

Commonly referred to in the media as ‘drones’, despite the term’s negative connotations with espionage and military usage, ‘Unmanned Aerial Systems’ or ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ are increasingly being phased out in favour of RPAS. Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have both adopted the term RPAS to reinforce the fact that these aircraft have a certified pilot who is in control of the plane.

So how does a geospatial professional sort through the options?

The first and most important aspect is to think of the output you need. If you are expecting survey-grade data that you can get accurate measurements from, clearly a backyard shed build with a GoPro camera is not going to cut it. You need a tried and tested, built by the industry, for the industry version.

Hobbyist drones might be able to take a few good aerial photos, but if you need accurate measurements you need to invest in a solution that offers state-of-the-art inflight stability, redundancy and safety.

You also need to think of the type of terrain you will need to cover and the scale of your projects. If you need to reach

inaccessible or hazardous areas that are not suitable to survey on-foot, consider a solution that doesn’t require setting out ground control points such as the Sirius Pro by MAVinci.

This fixed-wing RTK aircraft uses onboard and ground-based GNSS to effectively place ground control in the air, removing the need to physically set them out on the ground.

If you are looking for flexible camera or payload options and the ability to use the RPAS for monitoring or inspections,

count. Unlike traditional survey methods such as optical instruments and GNSS, RPAS technology captures EVERYTHING. And if you’re working on a big project, that’s a lot of data.

As with all things computing, the ability to store and handle increasing sizes of data is expanding rapidly with more powerful processors and faster internet speeds. Yet software downloads and local storage of data continues to be a pain point for many, especially those working in large corporations or government agencies.

New innovations such as Propeller Aero offer a webbased data processing, viewing and sharing portal that negates the need to download software.

Propeller offers powerful visualisation tools that enable the user to view historical data sets layered on top of one another, giving an instant picture of how the landscape has changed over time. It offers comprehensive project records along with more efficient and collaborative surveying methods.

Keeping up a multi-rotor solution such as the Falcon 8 by Ascending Technologies might be a better fit.

The Falcon 8 can be fitted with a wide range of cameras, is extremely portable and easy to operate and comes with exceptional in-flight stability, which means it can still deliver accurate data in a wide range of conditions.

It’s the data that matters As with all surveying methods, the technique of capturing the data is only half, at best, of the story. The data that can be extracted and its accuracy are what really

In this rapidly changing world of RPAS technology solutions, it is a challenge for geospatial professionals to sort through the plethora of options available.

However compelling some of the off-the-shelf, low costs solutions may be, it is the data that is needed at the end of a flight that should drive the choice of a solution.

There are some unique and tailored features that are specifically suited to, and tested in, real-world industry environments. As with all cutting-edge technology, the system also needs to be supported by a supplier with the right level of expertise that is able to assist with training and technical support.

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25

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LOCKED AND LOADED ast year Aeris Resources, Tritton Copper mine operation in Nyngan NSW took a leap of faith and became the first underground mining company in Australia to purchase and install a Load Volume Scanner (LVS) payload measurement system from Loadscan Ltd in New Zealand.

The reason to install the LVS system came about due to consistent inaccuracies with their current payload measurement system used to track daily ore production. The mine used a combination of paper records along with load weight information.

Truck operators were filling out time sheets for each shift, documenting their activities, such as truck ID, load destination, time loaded and time dumped. It was then combined with load weight information gained from a weighbridge and uploaded to a production tracking database, all of which the LVS system now does automatically.

Some of the issues Tritton faced with their original system included limited forward 26

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compatibility. Any upgrades to the trucking fleet meant current weighing systems quickly became redundant, the weighbridge system had limited data compatibility with their production tracking database and due to the weighbridge requiring physical contact, it was prone to wear and tear, requiring regular maintenance. All of which cost a considerable amount of time and money.

Mathew Gouldstone from Tritton Mine says, “the scanner receives no wear and tear as it is scanning as opposed to weighing and is much more durable given the conditions it operates under.

“There have been two major benefits gained from installing the LVS system, one being the immediate, accurate load volume has allowed for real-time feedback to underground loader operators, allowing for informal coaching from the supervisors using the 3D load profiling software. This has resulted in the trucks being loaded to capacity and has increased trucking factors by 9.7%, ultimately resulting in a lower cost per tonne hauled.

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“The second benefit is the data tracking software. Cycle time is easy to track and a simple interface allows supervisors to understand loads per shift or day. Training the supervisors how to use this data has meant 10–20 minutes per shift has been saved from reading back through plods and tallying up tonnes moved.

“The level of detail obtained by the LVS is impressive to everyone who has used the software.

“Overall the return on investment has been extremely quick; within the first full month after installation the LVS had paid for itself.”

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FIGHTING

FATIGUE ONE OF THE MAJOR CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS ON ANY MINE SITE IS FATIGUE, BUT NOW SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE MINING INDUSTRY IS BEING DEVELOPED TO HELP COMPANIES COMBAT WORKER FATIGUE. WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

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27

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ccording to Caterpillar Safety Services’ global support manager Kellen Timboe, the Cat™ Driver Safety System™ (DSS) is just one part of a comprehensive safety suite enabling mine sites to mitigate fatigue risk, improve productivity and develop a culture of safety.

“The technology is integrated into operations along with a fatigue education and cultural training program. Together, the technology and training drive a culture of employee fatigue management and provide instant fatigue intervention.

The DSS uses patented eye-tracking technology to pick up on the signs of fatigue and intervene with a sound and vibration alert in the seconds it takes for a micro-sleep to occur.”

According to Timboe, the ability of the DSS to integrate into mixed-truck fleets while remaining independent of the operator is delivering unparalleled results.

“Infra-red pods and a high-resolution

sensor allow the DSS to clearly and effectively detect the signs of fatigue during day and night-time operations. The sensor tracks points on the operator’s face and identifies fatigue indicators, such as yawning and elongated blinking (when a blink goes from milliseconds to seconds).

Since operators don’t need to touch, move or think about the DSS for it to operate, intervention is automatic and reliable.

“When a fatigue event is detected, the operator is immediately alerted and engaged, providing instant protection. Event information is also sent via the site’s existing communications network (3G/4G/ telemetry, et cetera) to the Caterpillar Monitoring and Reporting Centre, where safety advisors provide independent analysis 24/7.

“At the Monitoring and Reporting Centre, a safety advisor reviews and classifies a small portion of the video data. If verified as a fatigue event, the safety advisor will follow a predetermined site-specific response procedure. The safety advisors have

direct communication lines to the mine site, allowing them to deliver timely, comprehensive updates regarding operator fatigue risk.”

The Caterpillar Monitoring and Reporting Centre is also correlating other data streams from machines with the DSS metrics, says Timboe.

“When you combine fatigue and machine data, you’re creating a comprehensive picture that allows you to measure the impact of driver fatigue and distraction events against property damage, fuel burn and tyre abuse. By combining multiple data points, we can map out areas of risk on site – identifying specific locations where fatigue, machine wear or damage are more likely to occur – and work with customers to find solutions.”

Caterpillar Safety Services Asia-Pacific regional manager Brett Haskins says technology like the DSS is transforming the way we manage safety.

“It provides us with visibility to previously hidden risks while creating opportunities to mitigate those

“When a fatigue event is detected, the operator is immediately alerted and engaged, providing instant protection.”

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safetyspecial

risks instantly. What’s more, the technology helps the customer to see overall risk and identify how much fatigue and distraction are impacting operations,” Haskins says.

The DSS is designed to form one part of a comprehensive solution that engages employees and gives tools and knowledge to help them manage fatigue, while giving organisations the tools they need to mitigate fatigue risk.

The tools Caterpillar Safety Services uses to create the comprehensive solution that engages operators include the Cat® Smartband, which is designed to help operators understand the connection between sleep, fatigue and accident risk. It’s a wrist-worn device that monitors sleep patterns to calculate a mental effectiveness score that can be associated to an equivalent blood-alcohol level. Sites looking for opportunities to optimise their work schedules or help their employees understand fatigue are using the aggregated Cat Smartband data for both analysis and wearer education.

SmartCap Technologies, an Australian company, is using a different technique to solve the problem of operator fatigue. The wearable technology can fit into a cap, a beanie or a hard hat and is based on the gold standard for sleep monitoring technology, the electroencephalogram (EEG), which tracks the electrical activity of the brain. The SmartCap reads the electrical brain activity of the wearer and processes that information to determine how alert or fatigued the person is.

The system can operate inside the cabin of any vehicle and transmits the data via a Bluetooth wireless connection to an in-cab display. The system also saves the data for downloading later, or it can be transmitted in real time using 3G/4G or wi-fi.

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There will be a product update in September that will do away with a lot of the clutter in the cab by leveraging commonly used existing technology, and will make the SmartCap truly mobile.

SmartCap Technologies CEO and director Dush Wimal says, “Because we use EEG to monitor SmartCap wearers, it’s predictive rather than reactive. People can have micro-sleeps with their eyes open.

The lights are on but there is no-one home. We’re trying to eliminate micro-sleeps rather than respond[ing] after one has happened.”

Currently, SmartCap is being used by some of the largest mining and transport companies in the world but Wimal’s aim is for it to become as common as seatbelts.

“We’re doing trials with aviation, railways, the military, air traffic control, processing plants, but really, anyone will be able to use this technology.

“Even if you’re in an office job and not in any danger if you have a microsleep, you could still use a SmartCap to work out when you’re at your most alert and when you’re tired. That way, you know when you should review that contract or report and when you should get up from your desk and go for a quick walk.”

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REGIONAL INVESTMENT

NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIAN STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING TO BOOST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EACH STATE GOVERNMENT HAS INITIATIVES TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT ACROSS THE STATE. IN THIS ISSUE, WE LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NSW. WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

WITH SYDNEY bursting at the seams, the NSW State Government is working hard to encourage rural development. In what’s known as the Economic Development Strategy for Regional NSW, the government has five stated goals: to promote key regional sectors and regional competitiveness; drive regional employment and regional business growth; invest in economic infrastructure and connectivity; maximise government efficiency and enhance regional governance; and improve information-sharing and build the evidence base.

Included as part of this initiative is a pledge that a minimum of 30 per cent of the Jobs for NSW fund will be allocated to regional and rural areas, which include all areas in NSW outside of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Similarly, the government has announced that regional NSW will receive 30 per cent of the funds from the $20 billion Rebuilding NSW plan.

The state government has also contributed an additional $24 million for the federal government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, which aims to fix 795 mobile-phone ‘black spots’ across

a 14,000 square-kilometre area.

In addition, the state government has committed $32.5 million to the Murray Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification program.

This program is intended to drive jobs growth and assist in building resilient communities better able to adjust to a future in which water constraints will be a feature of the environment.

In a similar vein, the $110 million Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund is designed to drive investment in infrastructure that facilitates regional tourism– including airport upgrades – to increase economic

The $110 million Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund is designed to drive investment in infrastructure that facilitates regional tourism.

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opportunities in regional NSW. One local council that is taking advantage of the drive for regional investment is Albury City Council.

Situated on the Murray River in the south of NSW, Albury has one of the largest regional airports in Australia, serving Qantas, Virgin Australia, Regional Express and Jetgo flights, according to economic development team leader Andrew Cottrill.

“Despite not having any local mining activity in the area, a large number of mining workers live in Albury and commute/FIFO to and from mine sites all over Australia.

The airport is undergoing a major upgrade to double the passenger arrival and baggage claim area, along with upgraded passenger spaces,” Cottrill says.

Other investment in Albury includes an $8 million-plus upgrade to the Lavington Sports Ground and the Nexus Industrial Estate; and a $42 million investment in 450 hectares of prime industrial land, zoned for heavy industry 24/7 operation and located in a precinct with an operational openaccess rail freight hub. Over the next five to 10 years, the Nexus Estate is expected to deliver more than 1,100 jobs, Cottrill predicts.

At the other end of the state, Lismore City Council Councillor Jenny Dowell can point to an array of initiatives the council has put in place to encourage investment in the local government area. “We have a prospectus, both online and hard copy, which is geared towards funding applications to state and federal governments, but it’s also useful

for private enterprise. We run ‘Red carpet, not Red Tape’ seminars about what council is doing to assist new businesses to get started and existing businesses to expand,” she says.

“Lismore was also an early signatory as a Business Friendly Council. Council has been a member of the local chamber for a long time but the requirements of this ‘certification’ are very specific,” Dowell notes. “We didn’t find them easy to agree to but after some negotiation, we did. We’re also a participant in the Lismore Leaders Group, which consists of large organisations, government and private, such as the university, base hospital, the TAFE, major businesses in town, such as Norco, and some other large manufacturers. We all have a seat at the table when we’re talking about economic growth.”

Lismore City Council is also putting in place specific businessfriendly initiatives. For example, it sought to boost the town’s café culture by giving 12 months’ free use of footpath areas for dining if cafés agreed to go smoke-free before this was mandated by legislation.

According to Richmond Valley Council economic development officer Mike Perkins, council in this region has taken a different tack, seeking to encourage investment

around the town of Casino by developing an industrial park.

“We’re actually a player in the market. We have industrial sites available so if someone is looking at relocating, we can look at what we’ve got and whether it meets their needs. And where often, councils can be adversarial, we’ve developed strong relationships with those large rural industries, such as Northern Co-operative Meat Company and Richmond Dairy,” Perkins explains.

In addition to the state and regional government incentives, there are a number of federal government incentives available to businesses seeking to establish themselves.

Companies investing in projects or undertaking activities in Australia may be eligible for the federal government’s Research & development (R&D) tax incentive program.

The Exploration Development Incentive (EDI) supports junior exploration companies in conducting “greenfield” mineral exploration to assist in raising capital from privatesector investors through a refundable tax offset.

Lastly, the 2014–15 Federal Budget established the $484.2 million Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme, which will be delivered through the new Single Business Service initiative.

Companies investing in projects or undertaking activities in Australia may be eligible for support under the Australian Government’s Research and Development Tax Incentive program.

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A passion for life long learning t. 02 6457 1022 w. www.smgs.nsw.edu.au/explore e. info@smgs.nsw.edu.au

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AN AMAZING PLACE TO CHALLENGE, BELONG & EXPLORE ew schools can match the natural ‘playground’ that day and boarding students at Snowy Mountains Grammar School call home. The spectacular lakeside location nestled in the mountains guarantees an environment in which to grow and develop that is safe, clean and healthy. Canberra is a two-hour drive to the north, whilst Perisher and Thredbo are just thirty minutes away.

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and performing arts programs.

This winter, SMGS unveiled the Elite Snowsports Academy (ESA). Our ESA program offers full-time and winter-only programs as well as the option to enrol as a day or residential student, giving participants the opportunity to excel in snowsports while maintaining high academic standards. Our personalised learning approach enables ESA athletes to participate in full-time on-snow training programs at either Perisher or Thredbo, while attending a majority of normal timetabled classroom lessons each week.

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AN EDUCATION DESIGNED FOR GIRLS Educating girls matters. At St Patrick’s College Townsville, we recognise the importance of providing expert staff, programs and facilities designed specifically for girls.

POSITIVE LEARNING CULTURE A personalised learning focus in a fully Wi-Fi connected campus.

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EDUCATING GIRLS

MATTERS t St Patrick’s College Townsville, we recognise the importance of providing expert staff, programs and facilities designed specifically for girls.

As leaders and specialists in the education of girls, we know that young women benefit academically from attending all girls’ schools; they grow in confidence and are more likely to choose less stereotyped subjects, particularly science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In an all-girls environment, leadership roles are filled by girls and the challenges of adolescence are navigated without distraction.

At St Patrick’s College Townsville we also know that positive emotions play a significant role in enhancing learning. A girl’s feelings and moods can influence her motivation and that is why considerable effort is going into refurbishing the campus to create a calm and sophisticated space, tailored to appeal to young women.

New in 2016 Teaching & Learning New subject offerings: Marine Science, Graphics, English for ESL

Learners, Careers Education, Personal Development, Reading and Digital Technologies. Our Above and Beyond Program will see some of our girls traveling to NASA Space Camp and Google Headquarters in September.

nutritionist and we are pleased to offer an extensive range of healthy eating options.

We have also renovated our boarding dormitories which now feature innovative study spaces and the independent living dorm, the Catherine McAuley Suites.

Health & Well-being We have welcomed a strengthened Pastoral team this year, with a psychologist, a nurse and three Pastoral Deans led by the Director of Pastoral Care. This strong team of women provide the support our girls need to make healthy and responsible choices and to develop their self-esteem.

Women’s Career Network Through our strong alumni program, we are connecting past students with our senior girls, creating professional mentoring relationships – linking education with the real world.

Technology The College is fully Wi-Fi connected and we are transitioning to a BYOD environment, allowing our girls the opportunity to collaborate, communicate and create in the digital world.

Renovated Boarding Facilities with Ocean Views Our boarders’ dining room has been fully renovated and is now the Café by Sea, featuring a large deck overlooking the Strand beachfront. Our dining menus have been assessed by a medical

Raising Confident Daughters Our College Psychologist and Director of Boarding present regular seminars, “Raising Confident Daughters”, providing parents with practical information to navigate the teenage years.

With an ocean-front location, Mercy tradition and affirmative culture, our girls are learning, innovating and creating in an environment that has been designed to appeal to young women.

We invite you to visit our beautiful campus situated on Townsville’s Strand beachfront. For more info visit: stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

Above left: The Café by Sea features an expansive deck with ocean views for our girls to enjoy; Above right: St Patrick’s College Townsville has a proud Mercy tradition, educating generations of girls.

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All Souls St Gabriels School

Celebrating 100 Years in 2020 All Souls St Gabriels School is one of Queensland’s oldest and finest co-educational day and boarding schools. Souls offers strong academic and vocational pathways, with a full range of OP Subjects and co-curricular activities. Our students thrive in the friendly inclusive community offered by the school, small classes, a safe environment, great staff and dedicated teachers - making Souls the quality choice for your family.

ENROL NOW for 2017 and beyond.

Boarding available for Years 6 to 12 MIND . BODY . SPIRIT

Charters Towers, Qld 07 4787 1433 | allsouls.qld.edu.au enrolments@allsouls.qld.edu.au

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OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS

AT SOULS or more than 95 years All Souls St Gabriels School has been chosen by families as an educational home for their sons and daughters.

The school offers state of the art facilities with a wide range of OP Subject choices, vocational pathways and co- curricular activities. Souls has a diverse extracurricular program not only on campus, with the sporting, musical, cultural, horse and cattle club programs but within the Charters Towers Community. Students are also engaged in the local community sporting clubs, theatre and dancing classes, Z Club (Zonta) and more.

Many of our students play representative sport for North Queensland. These sports include, Rugby Union, Golf, Rugby League, Tennis, Touch Football, Softball, Netball and Swimming. Souls also takes part in the annual Queensland Netball & Football Confraternity Competition with the boys

1st Rugby League team taking home the Q.I.S.S.R.L Confraternity Bowl Trophy and the 1st Netball girls coming in 3rd overall in Division 5 for 2015. The School’s Z Club girls meet weekly and engage regularly with the local Zonta ladies and are continuously working on projects and fundraising activities at school and within the community. Our Horse Club students partake in regular Hack, Show Jumping and Challenge events and our Cattle Club attends various regional Shows and engages in cattle handling & Judging Schools and Competitions. The Cattle Club recently took out the Trophy for “Overall School” at the annual Malanda Show Cattle Handling event. For those with a love for the Arts, Charters Towers offers not only professional dance, music and voice lessons but also an opportunity to engage in the world of theatre with the Towers Players who host regular productions throughout the year.

Souls has a strong sense of community and although we value our traditions, we are all about “Creating our own History”.

The school continually embraces new technology, learning opportunities and educational programs and encourages its students to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things. With Boarding available from Year 6, our students are accommodated in one of the six boarding houses across the 40 Hectare school campus (3 Boys & 3 Girls), in a safe, friendly and supportive environment.

Encouraging and nurturing the growth of “Mind, Body & Spirit” of all our students, no matter what their passions are, is all part of a Souls education. Souls also offers Academic and Music Scholarships, a great opportunity for those entering Year 7 in 2018.

For more info, go to allsouls.qld.edu.au

“Souls has a strong sense of community and although we value our traditions, we are all about creating our own history”

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CRANBROOK IS A WORLD CLASS SCHOOL WHICH ENCOURAGES AND ENABLES ALL OF ITS STUDENTS TO EXPLORE, ENJOY AND FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL Set on a beautiful campus overlooking Sydney Harbour, Boarding at Cranbrook offers boys a supportive home with exceptional facilities and expansive sporting grounds. Our Boarding Housemasters and their families live on site in our two boutique Boarding Houses and prepare our boys to fulfil their talents, flourish and exercise influence in a rapidly evolving and challenging world.

Boarders are at the heart of Cranbrook life: they contribute generously to School, grow in confidence and experience, enrich their horizons and discover their talents.

For further information please visit www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au Cranbrook is an Anglican independent day and boarding school for boys, Pre-school to Year 12 in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

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Boarding at Cranbrook School ranbrook School is an Anglican independent day and boarding school for boys, Preschool to Year 12 located in Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.

At Cranbrook our vision is to be a world class school which encourages and enables all of our students to explore, enjoy and fulfil their potential. We lead our students to discover and make the most of their talents, give of their best and thrive in and love the pursuit of excellence.

As a school we energise the educational environment by offering a rich and distinctive schooling both within and beyond the curriculum and give powerful pastoral support.

We uphold the character of our Anglican foundation in order to promote the moral and spiritual development of each student and foster the principles of service.

Cranbrook builds resilience and confidence so that each student can face the challenges of the twenty-first century with personal confidence,

intellectual versatility, academic hunger and optimism. We inspire and support them to respect the integrity of differences, lead adventurous, courageous and generous lives contributing to the betterment of society.

Boarding at Cranbrook offers a powerful and remarkably contemporary form of schooling. Being at the centre of school life gives an experience filled with valuable activities and engagements: living, and working, alongside peers and mentors enables the growth both of self-belief and of interpersonal skills.

Last year Cranbrook’s two Boarding Houses underwent a thorough refurbishment resulting in exceptional facilities that meet the demands of growing young men. The culture of our Boarding Houses is not developed simply by the physical space alone but how the space is utilised to integrate, to share, to live together as a family and form deep bonds.

The recent renovations of the Boarding Houses has not only ensured our boys

experience exceptional facilities but has enhanced this strong sense of identity and pride in their House.

Our boarders learn to love, enjoy and appreciate their urban setting very quickly. They have access to so much of what Sydney has to offer and it is great to see them embracing so many cultural experiences: museums, theatres, libraries, historical landmarks together with international sporting events, worldrenowned beaches and Sydney Harbour.

Boarders have out of hours use of all the academic facilities and supported by our outstanding boarding academic team, the opportunities for learning beyond the classroom are extensive.

Many of Cranbrook’s boarders appear on the ‘Headmaster’s List for Outstanding Academic Effort’ indicative of the significant resources that are made available to the boarding community.

Boarding at Cranbrook offers boys a strong supportive home in an outstanding educational environment. As a School we are committed to providing boys with an all-encompassing boarding experience which teaches them to be independent, self-confident, responsible and successful young men of the future.

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The right move for young men OPEN DAY 9 August, 2016

www.nudgee.com

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THE GREAT

WHEELBARROW RACE

BY CHRISTOPHER DUKE, YEAR 12 BOARDER

n May, ten St Joseph’s Nudgee College men embarked on the journey of a lifetime. A journey that would challenge each and every one of us, both physically and mentally. A journey known as the Great Wheelbarrow Race.

The Nudgee College team has raised (and will continue to do so) money for drought relief. It is hoped that this will not only support the countless Nudgee College farming and rural families, but also those in the wider country community in need of assistance.

The Great Wheelbarrow Race is a gruelling 140km trek that begins in Mareeba and finishes in Chillagoe, with stoppage breaks in Dimbulah and Almaden. The men in the blue and white excelled in the tough conditions, receiving a position of second overall, and first in the school division. With a time of 6 hours and 53 minutes, the Nudgee College boys broke the record for the school’s competition, which was previously 7 hours and 5 minutes. The effort displayed by the team of 2016 saw Nudgee College written in the history books as just the

third team ever, across all divisions, to complete the race in under 7 hours.

On the night prior to the end of the race, a talent competition was held in Almaden. This competition exhibited a wide variety of acts ranging from singing to acrobatics.

Certainly the most inspiring, however, was the speech and poem written and presented by Rick Heaton, a solo runner and Iraq veteran. Rick raises money for the R U OK charity, which helps people to manage depression, PTSD, anxiety and other mental health illnesses.

The team was awarded a cash prize of $500 as a result of winning the schools competition. Inspired by the speech of Rick Heaton, along with his cause, the Nudgee College team decided the money should go towards the R U OK charity.

The Great Wheelbarrow Race is fast becoming a Nudgee College tradition, and another way the boys in the blue and white are going out into the community and being Signum Fidei, Signs of Faith.

“The Nudgee College team has raised (and will continue to do so) money for drought relief. It is hoped that this will not only support the countless Nudgee College farming and rural families, but also those in the wider country community in need of assistance”

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DISCOVER

the St Margaret’s DIFFERENCE

Now Boarding 2017 and Beyond My daughter completed Year 12 as a happy, confident, respectful and knowledgeable young woman.

Choosing to send our daughters to St Margaret’s was the best decision we’ve ever made.

2015 Year 12 Parent

”

St Margaret’s PRE-PREP - YEAR 12

www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au

E: admissions@stmargarets.qld.edu.au T: (07) 3862 0777 St Margaret’s School Council Ltd ABN: 69069684019 CRICOS Code: 00511K

BOARDING YEARS 5-12

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A BOARDING VILLAGE

HELPS RAISE A CHILD s the oft-quoted African proverb goes, “it takes a whole village to raise a child”. For St Margaret’s boarders, that village is the wide network of people who all contribute to their wellbeing – from peers and ‘big sisters’, housemothers and senior boarding house staff, to teachers, classmates and the families who regularly welcome them into their homes.

St Margaret’s Head of Boarding Lesa Fowler says developing authentic relationships is key to a successful boarding house, ensuring a sense of

“Everyone in the boarding family strives to form relationships with each member of our community”

connectedness that is vital to a boarder’s sense of belonging in their ‘home away from home’.

“Everyone in the boarding family strives to form relationships with each member of our community,” says Ms Fowler, “both within the house and with all members of the school community.

“With a significant boarding population and being one of the few ‘full-time’ boarding schools, meaning we don’t accept weekly boarders, boarding is at the heart of St Margaret’s, and the community has a deep understanding of and empathy for what it means to be a boarder,” Ms Fowler said.

Many people contribute to this successful boarding community, including the registered nurses in the on-site health centre and qualified chefs who ensure boarders are always well nourished. Academic staff also

give their time after hours to supervise boarders’ prep.

Ms Fowler said a close and continuing connection with home was vital. In addition to the many regular phone calls, a closed Facebook page shares regular updates with families, and an entertaining and informative newsletter, All Aboard, is eagerly received each week.

St Margaret’s welcomes boarders from Year 5. The boarding house is in the very heart of the campus in the quiet and beautiful leafy Brisbane suburb of Ascot, helping to create a peaceful and happy ‘village’ atmosphere.

The school is now interviewing for entry from 2017 to 2019. Call our admissions team on (07) 3862 0777 or email admissions@stmargarets.qld.edu.au for further information or to arrange a tour.

Top image: The May Day long weekend is extended especially for boarders to spend time at home and to take their day girl friends with them; Above left: A dedicated precinct for our youngest boarders helps ease the transition from home to boarding school Above right: Nourishing healthy meals are planned and prepared by top quality chefs with all dietary requirements catered for.

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DOWNLANDS COLLEGE

THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS ocated in Toowoomba, Queensland, Downlands College has been guiding boarding and day students towards academic success for 85 years.

During this time the College has developed an exceptional curriculum that caters for individual learning needs, and has cemented itself as having one of the most diverse curriculum offerings on the Darling Downs. Numerous programs have been created to assist students’ academic development, including Maths and English tutoring; compulsory study sessions for all boarders; learning support and career guidance for students in Years 10-12.

This holistic approach to academia has seen the College achieve consistently high OP results. Last year the College was ranked 3rd in the Toowoomba region for OP results between 1-5. Based on these results, Downlands was the highest ranking coeducational Catholic school in the city.

This success can only be achieved by a universal approach from staff and students towards common learning outcomes.

Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning, Mr Stephen Koch explains how the College delivers results for all students.

“Our methods promote learning excellence whilst encouraging students to integrate faith with life and develop a love of learning.”

“We actively engage students in learning processes that will help them become effective life long learners and develop a range of skills to ensure success well into the future.”

Two such students who have embraced this learning philosophy are Jacob Currie (Year 12) and Kate Neale (Year 9).

Since arriving in Year 8, Jacob has consistently challenged himself academically whilst also participating in various cocurricular activities, including Volleyball, Maths Team Challenge and Debating.

In addition to the challenge of completing Year 12, Jacob has also completed two Head

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Start courses offered through the University of Southern Queensland - Communication and Scholarship and Accounting for Decision Making, receiving a Distinction in both.

“I was first made aware of the Head Start program offered at USQ in Year 8 and I immediately knew it was something I was interested in because I had always loved challenging myself academically. Even though both my courses were completed over summer holidays, it was very easy to stay motivated because I chose courses that I was interested in.”

Supported by the Downlands Careers and Learning Pathways Centre, Head Start has allowed Jacob to make a start on his university degree whilst completing his Year 12 schooling. His goal this year is to achieve the best possible academic results and continue to grow in the MSC values that he has experienced at Downlands.

Junior School student Kate Neale has enjoyed her first two years of secondary education at Downlands.

“The positive environment at Downlands enables me to relax and concentrate on my studies. I am given the opportunities to expand my knowledge and to succeed in different subjects.”

In 2015 Kate received the Downlands Award for Academic Excellence – an award for a student who has acheived academic excellence within their cohort, and has this year participated in the USQ Mathematics Enrichment program for gifted high school students.

Like Jacob, Kate has managed to balance her academic achievements with a variety of co-curricular subjects including Debating, Netball, Swimming, Maths Team Challenge and the Student Representative Committee.

From her Downlands education Kate wishes to gain an understanding of different academic fields that will allow her to discover her passion to guide her towards potential career options.

Jacob and Kate will undoubtedly go on to achieve great things with their one

precious life, just as notable Past Students such as Professor Mary O’Kane AC (leading researcher in science and engineering), Hon. Mike Ahern (former Queensland Premier) and high profile Lawyer, Damian Scattini have done before them.

Latest News Update - Downlands College is looking to expand into Primary education with approval for the introduction of Years 5 and 6 currently before the Minister.

Top image: Kate Neale; Above: Jacob Currie

& Farming Field Days 1ST - 3RD SEPTEMBER 2016 TOOWOOMBA SHOWGROUNDS OPEN: Thursday & Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm

COST: Adults $10, Aged Seniors Card $8, Children free with an adult.

For conditions of entry, visit the event website.

Queensland Beef Expo is set to be Southern Queensland’s leading Beef Industry and Farming event, showcasing a vast range of products and services used for growing and managing Beef, stock control, transportation, breed displays, better on-farm practices, export opportunities, as well as farm machinery, vehicles, tractors, equipment, safety and more.

For exhibitor site bookings and further event information, contact Australian Events

Freecall 1800 671 588 Media Partners

Event Supporters

www.beefexpo.com.au www.facebook.com/qldbeefexpo

Visit www.australianevents.com.au for other major events