Alliance April/May 2016

APR/MAY 2016

JOURNEY TO

MIDDLE

EARTH We uncover some of the best experiences in and around Queenstown, NZ

FOOD TRUCKS

HUNTER VALLEY

SKI RESORTS

OIL & GAS

EDUCATION

GAS TESTING ATMOSPHERES

CONFINED SPACE RESCUE PLANS

CONFINED SPACE SENTRIES

EQUIPMENT HIRE

welcome

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

April and May herald the end of the wet season and the beginning of the dry.

The northern wet season always presents significant challenges, so it’s a credit to the entire Alliance team, who operated with minimal disruption and short notice during this period.

We are incredibly proud of everyone in the Alliance Airlines team, from flight attendants to engineers, ground staff and baggage handlers. As a team we are continually trying harder to find new ways to improve the Alliance experience, from the moment you book to the moment you step off the plane at your destination.

If you have any feedback for the Alliance team or if you would like to share your experience flying with us, visit our website at allianceairlines.com.au or email us at media@allianceairlines.com.au.

Scott McMillan Managing Director, Alliance Airlines

Scott McMillan Managing Director

Queenstown, New Zealand.

3

routemap

Where we fly

GROOTE EYLANDT

CAIRNS

TOWNSVILLE PORT HEDLAND KARRATHA

SUNSHINE COAST BRISBANE

AUCKLAND PERTH

SYDNEY

ADELAIDE

WELLINGTON

4

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 www.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 www.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, 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

5

alliancenews

Flying above industry standards ALLIANCE PROUDLY maintained an average of 94% on-time performance for 2015.

Our on-time performance is measured by flights that depart within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time. We make no exceptions for bad weather, air traffic control, delays from suppliers, unscheduled maintenance, consequences of previous delays or external factors.

With up to 300 flights each week to various destinations throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia, Alliance’s reliability is well above the 86.5% industry standard of other Australian airlines.

It makes sense to come fly with Alliance Airlines SAFETY. COMFORT. CONVENIENCE. These are just some of the reasons why travellers are choosing private air charters over commercial flights. Booking a private charter may be more affordable than you think. Plus you receive many added benefits: you’re in control – you leave on time, anytime, direct to where you need to go. Our charter aircraft operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be booked with minimal notice. Whether for business or pleasure, Alliance can save you time and simplify your journey to a variety of destinations around Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia.

• • • • • • • •

A cost-effective and efficient solution for group travel A tailored schedule, maximising the overall travel experience A dedicated aircraft to get you to or from your destination A more reliable and flexible flight service Reduced accommodation, meal and connecting airfare expenses No waiting time at arrivals, check-in, security and customs Increased baggage allowance Catering to your standards

If you have an upcoming event and are interested in a chartering an Alliance Airlines aircraft, contact our Sales Team on 07 3212 1501 or email us at sales@allianceairlines.com.au

Transporting dangerous goods – are you doing it correctly?

ACCORDING TO the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), lithium batteries topped the 2015 “Top 10 Least Wanted Dangerous Goods” for the second consecutive year. The list reflects the most dangerous goods carried by passengers in Australian skies and is designed to raise awareness about how everyday items can pose a risk to aviation safety if incorrectly taken on board aircraft.

Lithium batteries remain the most problematic dangerous good due to their common use in electrical products and for their propensity to short-circuit and catch fire if damaged or not carried correctly. Numerous occurrences of undeclared spare batteries igniting on both passenger and cargo flights have led to serious accidents.

Electronic cigarettes made the list for the first time following multiple international incidents including a fire in the luggage hold of a passenger jet at Boston airport. It is believed

an e-cigarette packed in the side pocket of a passenger’s bag activated when pressed against another bag. Passengers need to remember that all electronic cigarettes must be packed in carry-on luggage only and never placed in checked luggage. Safety regulations also prohibit passengers from recharging these devices during flight, as a significant number of e-cigarette fires – not necessarily on aircraft – occur during recharging.

Portable power packs and power storage devices also made the list for the first time due to their often unregulated and dubious manufacturing standards. These devices can range in power capacity from being able to recharge mobile phones through to jumpstarting a car. These devices, like batteries, are strictly regulated based on watt-hour ratings.

CASA recently launched a battery safety web page containing information on how to travel safely with these devices and how

to protect against short-circuiting, as well as instructions on calculating watt-hours.

Please visit CASA’s Dangerous Goods website at casa.gov.au for more information.

The ‘Top 10 Least Wanted’ for 2015 were: • Lithium batteries • E-cigarettes and vaping devices • Portable power packs and power storage devices • Gas cylinders and camping stoves • Chainsaws and whipper snippers • Lighters and matches • Fireworks • Aerosol cans: flammable propellant • Life jackets and flares • Paint and household chemicals

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thecrust

E WHERAT TO EINK & DR

FIVE OF THE BEST

NEW-WAVE FOOD TRUCKS

Their roots date back to the Texan chuck wagons of the Old West, but today’s food trucks are more modern than ever.

WORDS: Ben Smithurst

Yang’s Malaysian Food Truck Sydney, NSW Malaysian street food is one of the culinary jewels of a continent that, arguably, does street food better than anywhere else. Sydney’s burgeoning kitchen-onwheels scene (download the truck-locator app at sydneyfoodtrucks.com.au) is now so lusted-after that it leads foodies about like an aromatic Pied Piper, hordes clamouring for Yang’s thick, rich, flaky roti, Singapore-style chilli soft-shell crab, chicken curry, dahl or hot wings. “We had a vision to do what we romantically thought Sydney food trucks should be like,” said Yang, announcing a sabbatical in late October 2015. “‘Good and Cheap’ was our motto from the get-go and we stuck with it … we’ll be back next year!” facebook.com/yangsfoodtruckau

Juan More Taco Brisbane, Qld Mexican food has swept Australia like a Down-Under Santa Ana wind sweeping through the Alamo, and the puntastic Juan More Taco taco fires from the hip, from an unlikely Friday-night base: the Bob Jane T-Mart’s car park in Coorparoo.

“I originally wanted a bricks-and-mortar base and then I saw this old Mr Whippy™ van and I thought, ‘I could do something with that,’” said owner Naomi Subat.

Track the Juan van on their website, then chow down on simple, spicy and fresh taco options: Pork Carnitas, Beef Barbacoa, Pollo (chicken) Pibil, the vegetarian De Calabacitas or a seasonal special. juanmoretaco.com.au

8

thecrust

AFROFEAST Melbourne, VIC Former Ugandan street urchin Dennis Grace arrived in Melbourne in 2011 and was soon struck by the absence of African fare among Yarraville’s bustling food truck scene. “I learnt to survive on the streets and grew up eating street foods,” he says, “so that had a big influence on me. The truck is a way to celebrate my culture.” Tuck into anything from bunny chow (a hollowed-out cob loaf filled with Durban-style lamb curry – the tipsy man’s heaven), to rolex (a sort of Ugandan egg and vegetable chapatti burrito wrap) to ugali na nyama, a rich goat or beef stew with a polenta-style side dish. afrofeast.com.au

JUMPLINGS TASTY DUMPLINGS Perth, WA

DELECTABALLS Adelaide, SA

Los Angeles’ Roy Choi’s revolutionary (and improbable) Korean/Mexican fusion food trucks sparked the modern American craze for meals served literally on wheels, and Perth’s Roy Chin has taken careful notes. Since starting his food truck service in 2013, his focus on good food (rather than, say, a hipster Gulfstream van) has proved a winner.

His gyoza – ‘Jumplings’ is a portmanteau of ‘Japanese’ and ‘dumplings’ – are crispy, soft, aromatic and addictive all at once. Chicken, duck and veggie are regulars on the menu, but grab the chilli crab jumplings if you can… facebook.com/Jumplings

His truck’s called Mr Darcy, but Delectaballs’ boss/ culinary mastermind David Porcaro is of proud Italian stock – which is to say, he’s obsessed with meatballs.

But not just the ones his nonna made. “Over [my] years of travelling and dining out, if there was a ball to be tasted, I was there,” he says. “I have become obsessed. Balls are running through my dreams… kofta, rissoles...” David and his partner Christina Adamczyk’s handmade meatballs – served on rice, in rolls, wraps, or on sticks – cross all cultural boundaries, and even include vegetarian versions.

But they’re all great. Try the butter chicken balls, or the Mexican-style ‘Gringo’ balls, or Mamma’s calamari balls, or… delectaballs.com.au 9

uncovered

urtling through the Clutha River rapids on New Zealand’s South Island, lost in an aquamarine haze and dodging huge boulders, trout and branches, I’m reminded of the horror on instructor Lance’s face just minutes earlier.

“You’re not planning on bringing that in the water are you?” he had asked, incredulously, as I grabbed my camera. “You need both hands free in order to protect your head!”

Lance wasn’t wrong!

Although I’m clad like a gimp hell-bent on drowning, donning a seven-millimetre semi-dry wetsuit, back-plate wing-style BCD and DIR regulator hose configuration, I want to scream and shout, so amazing is the experience of whizzing through the river at break-neck speed.

New Zealand is catnip to adrenaline junkies, with more than 150,000 bungee jumps and 75,000 skydives carried out each year. That’s not including the 110,000 whitewater rafters, hordes of winos touring vineyards on horseback and bicycles, and those daft enough to admit they supported Australia in the Rugby World Cup. But the new cray-cray craze here is river drift diving. That’s right, riding rapids sans raft, clad in the thickest scuba gear – garb that wouldn’t look unusual in a fetish club.

Descend Scuba Diving is based within the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fiordland area at Milford Sound, but its PADIaccredited instructors, Lance McKirdy and Simone Schreck, regularly make the eight- to 10-hour round trip to Queenstown to pick up those keen to experience what is, indisputably, the fastest drift diving in the world.

The Clutha River contains New Zealand’s highest concentration of rainbow and brown trout, and Descend regularly guides competent divers through six different river drift/dive sites

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A JOURNEY INTO

MIDDLE EARTH Alliance uncovers some of New Zealand’s best action experiences in and around Queenstown.

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– those chosen depending on the dive group’s experience and the weather conditions – in 30 kilometres of the clearest waters.

The one-hour drive from Queenstown to the Clutha River is extraordinary in itself, skirting the edges of Wanaka, which is all snowy peaks, emerald-green meadows and turquoise lakes.

It had been years since my last dive so after a safety briefing, I kissed my dignity goodbye to squeeze into two neoprene vests, socks, booties, gloves, a hat and a super-snug semi-dry wetsuit. Quite a sight, considering I’m only 158 centimetres tall. The water temperature in the Clutha River typically varies from about 10 to 19 degrees Celsius, so claustrophobia is a small price to pay.

Lance helps me re-master the art of equalising and once I’m reassured that my eardrums and head aren’t going to explode, we’re off and away. We hit the first rapid within minutes and the trick is to go right under them; otherwise you can be thrown topsy-turvy, upside down, inside out and boom, there goes your head.

The Clutha is the longest river on the South Island and its Maori name is Mata-Au, meaning

The sheer magnificence is humbling and diving the marine reserve is an incredible experience.

12

‘mighty swift’ or ‘surface current’. On this particular day, the water flow is 220 cumecs (cubic meters per second) and Lance snaps away with his GoPro® as we cover six kilometres in 30 minutes. Not bad for a bunch of novices!

Afterwards, as we munch on scrumptious pies at the Doughbin Bakery in Wanaka, Lance and Simone describe what scuba diving is like in Milford Sound (‘Piopiotahi’, in Maori). Their love and knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, marine life is so contagious, we decide to go back with them and give it a whirl.

Whether you’re a beginner or skilled diver, the five-hour boat cruise of Fiordland National Park, set amid mountains and waterfalls, is celestial. The sheer magnificence is humbling

Milford Sound is home to a surprising array of sealife more commonly seen in deep ocean.

and diving the marine reserve is an incredible experience that can’t be found anywhere else on earth.

The fiord has a top layer of fresh water over the ocean’s salt water and this blocks much of the sunlight, providing a unique ecosystem, in which species of plant and coral that are usually found only in much deeper waters thrive.

Visibility on this occasion is a respectable 15 to 20 metres and despite Lance and Simone saying that dolphins pop by only a handful of times a year, we are lucky enough to get an opportunity to swim with these majestic creatures. We also spot seals, dog sharks, puffer fish, huge black corals, crayfish the size of dinosaurs, snails and an octopus.

Because of the 945-metre altitude on the Milford Highway, New Zealand’s government recommends that anyone who scuba dives in Milford Sound stays overnight post-dive, so we also experience the amazing night-sky constellations, thanks to the fact that this pristine area may have the lowest amount of light pollution in the world.

Hotel Mercure Queenstown Resort overlooks Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown Gardens. From here, on a good day, you can see a hobbit and Gollum climbing Cecil Peak.

After a dip in the pool and a cheeky chocolate martini at the bar it’s bedtime, so as to be ready to prepare for yet another adventure: golf, arranged by SHE golfs – part of the SHE 13

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travels company, followed by whitewater rafting.

The following day, it’s back to our Superior Lake View room at the Mercure.

Millbrook Resort is situated in nearby historic goldmining area Arrowtown and was voted Best Golf Resort in New Zealand at the inaugural 2014 World Golf Awards. It’s easy to see why. Its 27-hole course is set in a natural alpine amphitheatre, with The Remarkables mountain range framing manicured fairways and lake views.

SHE golfs is a seven-day, six-night holiday for ladies and is the perfect program for beginners seeking to learn everything from scratch, or for more experienced golfers wanting to improve their existing skills. Despite not knowing my wedge from my iron, I quickly get the hang of it during my intensive session with a golf pro, and it’s fair to say I grip it and rip it.

After three hours of genius swings, it’s time to smash those rapids again – this time in a raft.

Queenstown Rafting offers various packages, from rafting grade 2–3 rapids down the scenic Kawarau River – used to depict the River Anduin in the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy – to the Shotover River’s grade 3–5 rapids. You’ve got to be in to win it, and with names like Oh Sh*t, Pinball, Aftershock and Jaws, the rapids on the more challenging Shotover made it a no-brainer when it came to deciding which trip to choose.

The coach journey to the Shotover’s Deep Creek via Skippers Canyon is an adrenaline rush in itself and, with sheer drops to oblivion either side of the spaghetti-skinny road, you spend every second thinking you’re about to visit heaven via Middle Earth. In winter that fear would be fact, so the only way to access the river in winter-time is via helicopter, which costs an extra NZ$100.

Speeding down the Shotover is exhilarating and, with everyone paddling an oar, there’s a lot of banter. There are about nine rapids but the final one, Cascade, is by far the scariest – and the (hilarious) image of the poor kid we have since named Augustus Gloop catapulting out of the raft is etched into my brain forever.

After working up an appetite, we disembark at picturesque Arthur’s Point, still laughing.

Queenstown has a plethora of bars and restaurants: for what could possibly be the best steak in the world, check out the Jervois Steak House. The oysters there are delicious, too.

We finish the night with cocktails at Below Zero Ice Bar and are somewhat alarmed when British bar manager Dave warns in his Scouse accent: 14

“Whatever you do, don’t climb on the woolly mammoth, elephant or penguins…” Thankfully, we realise he means the ice statues.

For our Queenstown swansong we book a high-adrenaline tour of Lake Wakatipu via Hydro Attack’s Seabreacher X – the ultimate blend of shark and machine – for the following morning, departing from Lapsley Butson Wharf.

The Hydro Attack’s 260-horsepower, supercharged engine accelerates from 0 to 80 kilometres per hour in 3.9 seconds and although the ride takes just under 20 minutes, each one feels like your last. Despite the fact that we’re sitting safely in a pneumaticallysealed cockpit, it’s a heart-starter as the driver zooms a metre and a half down through crystal-

clear water to the bottom of the lake, revs hard, and then leaps five or six metres out of the water. Repeatedly. It’s great fun and we leave Queenstown slightly delirious.

Of course, no trip to New Zealand’s South Island would be truly complete without a glacier tour, so for the final two days we drive north for almost five hours to reach the 12-kilometre-long Franz Josef Glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the island’s windswept West Coast.

Franz Josef Glacier Guides offer many different packages, from walking tours to ice climbs; we opt for the three-hour Heli Hike, which includes at least two hours on the glacier ice and entry to the Glacier Hot Pools.

FACT FILE For splendid rooms with stunning views, head to the Mercure Queenstown Resort, where prices start from $139 a night. Book via accorhotels.com River drift diving and scuba dives at Milford Sound start from $280 (NZ$299) with Descend Scuba Diving. descend.co.nz Whitewater rafting starts from $205 (NZ$219) with Queenstown Rafting. Get details at queenstownrafting.co.nz A 15-minute highadrenaline ‘Shark Ride’ with Hydro Attack will set you back $140 (NZ$149) per person. hydroattack.co.nz Prices for the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk and Ice Explorer are $70 (NZ$75) and $318 (NZ$339) respectively. franzjosefglacier.com To brave a bungee jump or the Nevis Swing, head to bungy.co.nz

With just four people fitting in the helicopter, the flight is very personal and the panoramic views of snow, mountains and huge, glistening blue ice formations are jaw-dropping.

Thankfully, hiking boots and crampons are provided, and although the sun can make things sweltering up here, it’s smart to wear thick trousers as slipping on the ice is like landing on serrated concrete. I learn this the hard way.

Again, touring the glacier is a once-in-alifetime experience that every visitor to New Zealand should have. And so with heavy hearts, scabby knees and enough adrenaline coursing through our bodies to keep us awake for the next year, we say goodbye to the South Island.

Until the next time.

SHE Golfs is a seven-day, six-night golf program for small all-female groups or singles (there are no single supplements). Destination experiences include daily sessions with a golf pro, three nights at Millbrook and three nights at St Moritz, most meals, yoga, a two-hour spa experience and lots of extras including a SHE golf vest. shetravels.net.au For more details head to queenstownnz.co.nz

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From the editor...

Winter is coming...

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, Michael Benn, Claire Bond, Deborah Dickson-Smith PRINTER SOS Print & Media ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Scott Hunt scott.hunt@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Peter Anderson peter.anderson@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Robert Desgouttes robert.desgouttes@edgecustom.com.au WA, SA and NT SALES REP Helen Glasson, Hogan Media Phone: 08 9381 3991 helen@hoganmedia.com.au

We’re feeling the mid-year chill, but all the more reason to rug up and make the most of our favourite winter destinations!

We recently visited top ski resorts and inside we have some tips to help you make the most of your time on the slopes.

Don’t fancy skiing? The Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival is coming and is sure to delight the gourmet traveller in you.

Wherever you plan to go, may you enjoy the season and enjoy your flight.

facebook.com/OUTthereMagazineAustralia @OUTthereMagAus

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Geoff Campbell MANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard Parker

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 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.

1

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To find out more, speak to a specialist from our MBA team on (08) 6488 4999 or visit mba.uwa.edu.au

contents

16

Issue 137 • April/May 2016

31

37

10 cultureclub

27 flavours

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

Check out all the latest news on the food scene around Australia.

14 kitchenconfidential

31 weekender

Chef Julien Pouteau hails from France, but his cuisine spans the whole Mediterranean.

OUTthere heads to Dubbo and finds a safarilike zoo, 19th-century gaol, lively town and all manner of unexpected family pursuits.

16 getaway Deborah Dickson-Smith discovers that the Hunter Valley’s kid-friendly attractions almost rival the region’s number of cellar doors.

37 discovery

20 food&wine

47 healthnews

The Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival is back and now spans two whole months... so you have no excuse for missing out.

Find the latest news for healthy living, including why you should never skip breakfast and what supplements are good for travellers.

+

We explore Australia’s top ski resorts and offer top tips to make the most of your time there.

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

• Agribusiness • News & Reviews 3

AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER FISHING LODGES Situated 80kms to the north of Darwin are the Tiwi Islands; home of the Tiwi people and also to some of Australia’s premier barramundi fishing lodges.

All lodges provide a high quality, professionally-guided catch & release fishing adventure situated in a spectacular, pristine wilderness environment.

Dominant fish species include Barramundi, Mangrove Jacks, Threadfin Salmon, Saratoga, Golden Snapper, Black Jewfish, Queenfish, Giant Trevally, Spanish Mackeral plus 40 or so other species of quality river, creek and reef fish.

calendar

Calendar

APRIL

02

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

The Variety Cycle, east coast of Australia

OF NT NTH E EVE MO TH

APRIL 02–16 In this hardcore charity cycling event, participants pedal all the way from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef to benefit kids who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.

Participants can take the full 15-day option or choose from smaller challenges that range between oneday, two-day and seven-day routes, so it’s suitable for cyclists of all skill and fitness levels. The event is in its third year and offers the perfect mix of challenge, cycling and charity. thevarietycycle.com.au

APRIL

APRIL

10

17

APRIL 10

APRIL 17 & 23

APRIL

MAY

08

21

APRIL 08–MAY 14

MAY 21

Felton Food Festival, QLD

Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day

Em Rusciano, nationwide

Bass in the Grass, Darwin

The annual Felton Food Festival is a celebration of authentic country life, showcasing everything the Felton Valley is famous for: delectable produce, stunning landscapes and real country living.

Enjoy delicious food, browse market stalls, take a crop tour or meet a local farmer. feltonfoodfestival.org.au

Sunday April 17 is Malbec World Day, traditionally an Argentinian celebration of that nation’s most famous grape variety, the Malbec, This year, the celebrations are taking place Down Under, in Melbourne on Sunday April 17 and in Sydney the following week.

Expect lots of tango dancing and empanadas. gauchitogil.com.au

Get ready to laugh out loud because Em Rusciano is one funny lady. Due to popular demand, she’s has added more shows to her countrywide tour. The ‘Em Rusciano is NOT a Diva’ tour includes a full band performance and makes mention of her time on Australian Idol. emrusciano.com.au

With the likes of Angus & Julia Stone, Bliss n Eso and Boy & Bear in the line-up, this festival is going to be one of the highlights of Darwin’s cultural calendar. Suitable for music-lovers of all ages and tastes, it includes performances from electronic and pop artists as well as punk and metal bands. bassinthegrass.com.au

look

ahead

JUNE 8–19 Sydney Film Festival, Sydney Held in venues throughout Sydney, this 12-day festival screens feature films from around the world. sff.org.au

JUNE 10–12 Barunga Festival, Katherine, NT This festival celebrates the rich cultural history of the Central Australian town of Katherine. barungafestival.com.au

else

where

JUNE 29–JULY 27 Gay Pride Berlin, Germany Berlin’s Christopher Street Day is one of Europe’s biggest gay and lesbian parades and street parties. csd-berlin.de

JUNE 29 Battala del Vinos Held annually in the Spanish town of Haro, this saint’s day is all about covering everyone and everything in wine. wine-fight.com

5

What to pack Our fave holiday essentials...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT6 16.1MP waterproof/shockproof camera, $328, azurite.com.au

6

Casio Oceanus Smart Access titanium watch, $1299, watchcentre.com.au

whattopack

JBL Clip bluetooth splashproof speaker, $79, jbhifi.com.au

LED Lenser headlamp, $47, ledlenser.com.au

Leatherman Skeletool, $159, leatherman.com

staff pick

Korjo multi-USB travel charger, $34.99, korjo.com

Blackwolf Kronos 30L, $119.99, blackwolf.com.au

Stephanie Johnson makeup travel bag, $88, stephaniejohnson.com

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entertainment

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

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listen st picaff k

Adele: When We Were Young The second single from Adele’s latest album 25, titled ‘When We Were Young’, is just as addictive as the first (‘Hello’). In an interview with Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1, Adele named ‘When We Were Young’ as her favourite track from 25. The song takes you on a melancholic journey that makes you want to call long-lost friends for a trip down memory lane.

Cameron Daddo: Songs From The Shed This new EP from Cameron Daddo includes six original tunes and a newly recorded duet with Max Merritt (made famous in Max Merritt and the Meteors; a 1975 hit was ‘Slipping Away’). The EP reflects Daddo’s love of country music with a couple of up-tempo country rockers thrown in the mix. The album’s name is inspired by the spot where Daddo fine-tuned the songs: his hillside home in Los Angeles’ Topanga.

watch M, Drama

This delightful French film, directed by Xavier Giannoli, tells the story of Marguerite Dumont, whose army of ‘fans’ encourage her to follow her dream to sing by visiting her castle to watch her performances. Only problem is, Marguerite can’t carry a tune and the audience is really only there for a bit of a laugh. Nominated for 11 César Awards, it stars Catherine Frot (Haute Cuisine) and Christa Théret (Renoir). In cinemas now.

read Sam Bleakley, Quarto UK, $19.99 Saltwater cures everything, so where better to experience a soul-soothing meditation than out in the ocean? Sam Bleakley explores surfing – including lunar cycles, river surfing and the Taoism of nature – revealing an acute awareness of what the oceans can tell us about our place in the natural world.

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App Store, free Google Play, free Designed by a FIFO worker for FIFO workers, this app helps you stay connected with home.

Featuring an countdown timer to let your loved ones know how long it will be until you’re home, and a calendar that lets you manage and share your roster with family and friends, this app helps bridge the gap between home and away.

Hotel Tonight

Marguerite

Mindfulness and Surfing, Reflections for Saltwater Souls

One Minute Closer

App Store, free Google Play, free Need a hotel at the last minute?

This app allows you to book a room in 10 seconds while taking advantage of discounted rates. It arranges hotels into categories, so you can find the room you need faster. The hotels included on the app are a hand-picked selection of toprated hotels at a bargain rate.

Movesum The Silent Inheritance

Australia Cooks

Joy Dettman, Macmillan, $32.99 Dettman weaves a mysterious story in this fictional novel about a woman named Sarah Carter, who’s living in suburban Melbourne, hiding from her past. When one of her daughter’s classmates is abducted Sarah’s fledgling sense of safety is destroyed and her past threatens to catch up with her. Sure to grab your attention!

Kelli Brett, HarperCollins, $49.99 Celebrate true Australian produce with this recipe book that encapsulates a journey across regional Australia. Its seasonal recipes include instructions on how to make Maroochy River mud crab cakes to Bruny Island baked eggs, and so much more.

Dinner will never be boring again.

App Store, free Google Play, free A basic step counter that will inspire you to move more, Movesum is a built-in pedometer on your phone. It links how many steps you’ve taken with what you’ve eaten – so you know what you need to burn off. Set yourself goals and feel the pride when you reach your target.

cultureclub

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

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL: PROGRAM LAUNCH

MAY 11

Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley will showcase the range of films that will form this year’s Sydney Film Festival.

This free event will be held at Customs House Library, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney, from 6pm to 7pm and is the perfect introduction to the full festival, on from June 8 to 19. sff.org.au

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS MAGICAL ICE FESTIVAL, NATIONWIDE

JUNE 2–JULY 17

Just when you thought that Frozen mania was fading, this year’s instalment of Disney on Ice is bringing the magical winter wonderland of Arendelle to life. Arendelle and its residents Elsa and Anna, snowman Olaf, Kristoff and Sven were made for Disney on Ice, really, with producer Nicole Feld saying Disney on Ice has been waiting for a film like Frozen for 30 years. The Little Mermaid, Tangled and Beauty and The Beast round out the show, which is presented by hosts Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. disneyonice.com.au

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THE 20TH BIENNALE OF SYDNEY March 18–June 5 The 20th Biennale of Sydney’s title this year, ‘The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed’, was inspired by a sci-fi writer. Let that set the scene for a festival feast a feast of thought-provoking art. Works will be presented in seven different venues, dubbed “embassies of thought”.

One of these will be Cockatoo Island, the Embassy of the Real, which will display major works by Korakrit Arunanondchai, William Forsythe, Camille Henrot, Lee Bul, Chiharu Shiota, Ming Wong and Xu Zhen (produced by MadeIn Company). biennaleofsydney.com.au

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cultureclub

March 23–April 17 THE BEST OF MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL If laughter is the best medicine, then consider the Melbourne International Comedy Festival an intensive health retreat. This year the festival includes comedy legends Ciel and Brit Jeff Green; multi-talented YouTube juggernauts Alex Williamson, Neel Kolhatkar and Frenchy; huge ticket-selling, critically adored phenomena Joel Creasey and Em Rusciano, and critics’ and audience favourites Alice Fraser and Emily Tresidder. comedyfestival.com.au

MAD SYD: Tomorrow’s meal, Sydney Opera House

April 3 MAD SYD will be a gathering of international chefs and culinary thinkers discussing ideas on the future of food at the Sydney Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre.

MAD (the Danish word for ‘food’) is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to build a community of cooks, purveyors, thinkers and food enthusiasts with an appetite for knowledge and a desire to create a better world through better meals. sydneyoperahouse.com

REVIVE RETREAT, SMITHS BEACH, YALLINGUP (MARGARET RIVER REGION)

May 13–17 Set on Western Australia’s pristine south-west coast, the Revive Retreat for women includes coastal hikes, surfing lessons, yoga, pilates, meditation, seminars and cooking lessons to help you commit to a healthier and happier lifestyle. It’s about learning to bring back balance through nourishing your body, getting back into shape, ditching the yo-yo dieting, breaking bad eating habits and kickstarting a new, healthier life. reviveweightlossretreat.com.au

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© Wendy Whiteley

Exhibitions  Whiteley: Other Places

Brett Whiteley Studio, Sydney Until May 8 Brett Whiteley’s travels to New York, Fiji, Tokyo, Tangier, London and Paris are superbly documented in this exhibition of his works in charcoal, photographs and paint, many of which have not been exhibited before.

Showing at the Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney, these works are presented with the artist’s 1989 late Paris series ‘Regard de Cote’, works Whiteley created after revisiting the city three decades later. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

 200 Years of Australian Fashion, NGV, Melbourne Until July 31 Fashion-lovers, rejoice. This exhibition displays more than 120 works from 90-plus designers.

It’s the first major survey of Australian fashion in this country from the time of early settlement to today. Showing at the National Gallery of Victoria, it includes outfits drawn from the NGV’s own collection and that of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney, along with pieces from other key collections, and a number of private loans. The opening weekend includes pop-up design talks and a symposium exploring the question: What is Australian fashion? ngv.vic.gov.au

 Great tales in Asian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide From March 25 This stunning exhibition tells epic stories from Asian culture through paintings, textiles, screens and woodblock prints. Showing until November, it includes highlights such as scenes from The Tale of Genji, alleged to

Above: The green mountain (Fiji) 1969 by Brett Whiteley, oil, collage on cardboard, 137 x 122cm.

be the world’s first novel, written in the 11th century by lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. artgallery.sa.gov.au  Rosemary Valadon: A Sensual World,

India, Krishna and Radha on the Jamuna river, early 20th century, Rajasthan, Kishangarh, cotton cloth, pigment, gold, silver and mica shellac, 231.0 x 254.0cm; Van Dam Bequest Fund 2012, Art Gallery of South Australia.

SARAH BLASKO APRIL 7–23

Tickets and tour dates available online now.

TOUR 12

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Bathurst April 1–May 8 This exhibition is an exploration of awardwinning Australian artist Rosemary Valadon’s work over the past 25 years, from her earlier series reinterpreting myths and stereotypes of women (‘Goddess’, ‘Finding the Feminine’ and ‘Wicked Women’) to her most recent large still-life panoramas, imbued with the richness of regional life in historic Hill End. bathurstart.com.au

HILLTOP HOODS APRIL 2

WE WILL ROCK YOU APRIL 30–JANUARY 17

TIWI ISLANDS

ART

| CULTURE | WILDLIFE

Discover the Northern Territory’s beautiful Tiwi Islands.

Find a Tiwi art treasure, venture onto untouched waterways teeming with native fish, birds and wildlife and relax at a waterfront Island lodge.

Enjoy a taste of remote island life in the Tiwi Islands, only a short ferry trip or 20 minute flight from Darwin. Get to know the Tiwi people, meet the artists at the art centres, hear the dreaming stories, fish the pristine waters and experience amazing bird, fish and wildlife encounters in this beautiful, untouched country. This 4 day tour truly captures the essence of the Tiwi Islands.

Inclusions: SeaLink ferry or flights ex Darwin, scenic flight on Tiwi Islands, guided sightseeing and fishing by boat and on foot, traditional welcome ceremony, art centres and museum, screen printing workshop with local artists, all meals, non-alcoholic drinks, and remote lodge accommodation, optional full day wetland and creek wilderness adventure (available on the 4 day tour).

A personalised, small group experience available on selected dates from June – September 2016.

For more information call 1300

sealinknt.com.au

• • • • • •

Lodge accommodation Ferry transfers Tiwi art & culture Top end fishing Guided sightseeing Coastal exploration

TIWI ISLANDS

ULTIMATE TOUR 3 days

$2425PP

4 days

$3225PP

130 679 or visit Northern Territory

French

kitchenconfidential

We speak to Julien Pouteau, Executive Chef at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, about his greatest love in life, food.

French native Julien Pouteau heads up the dining experience at the luxurious InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. The dynamic and passionate young chef started his career on his home turf, France’s Brittany region, where he completed culinary school and an apprenticeship. He then took on chef roles in a number of leading hotels and Michelin-star restaurants across France.

In 2010, Julien moved to Australia and joined the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) as Executive Sous Chef at InterContinental Sydney in the CBD. His mandate was to refresh the hotel’s food production and presentation with innovative flair. He set about building an energetic team who could elevate the hotel’s culinary reputation.

His pioneering spirit and leadership skills, coupled with world-class cooking flair and an eye for plating, are why Julien was selected to head up the food division – and set the culinary tone – for the restaurants of the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. His ambition is to deliver dining experiences on par with Sydney’s best restaurants, with a focus on healthy options and premium local ingredients, and a push towards celebrating ‘homemade’ cuisine with in-house pickling, curing and preserving as well as cooking on a Japanese-style robata (‘fireside’) grill.

“Eating well is one of the greatest pleasures in life; it is good for the body and soul.”

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kitchenconfidential

Rapidfire What’s the last meal you cooked at home?

“I am fortunate to have a spacious kitchen at home. My last meal was a mushroom brioche beef fillet. I rolled a beef fillet and pine mushrooms in a buttered brioche dough, baked it for one hour and shared with some friends with a great pinot drop!”

What ingredient couldn’t you live without?

“Cheese. Of all kinds.”

WHen you’re not cooking, how do you spend your time?

“Running, exploring and spending quality time with friends and family.”

What’s your favourite dish on your current menu?

“The carrot-glazed short rib is my favourite dish on our current Stockroom menu.

The beef is slow-cooked, brushed with our house-made sticky carrot glaze and cooked on the robata grill. DELICIOUS!” What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten?

“A monkfish liver at Le Chateaubriand restaurant in Paris. Cooked the same way as foie gras, it was outstanding.”

As far as traditional and cultural research goes, what country would you like to go to?

“I would like to go to Greece. I have lived in the South of France for a few years and fell in love for Mediterranean cuisine: the produce is amazing – cooked simply, it’s juicy and full of flavours.”

Explain the creative process of coming up with a new dish. Does it unfold organically or do you spend a lot of time planning?

“I always try to get the best of the moment, taking into consideration the season and my producers’ availability. My kitchen is a place where I like to involve all the chefs in the creating process, sharing ideas and developing dishes together. Most dishes need to be tested a few times before they reach greatness.”

What adventure can we expect to see you embark on next?

“Anything, as long as there is food involved!”

WAGYU BEEF RUMP CAP, WITH SALSA AND BBQ CORN Beef and salsa ingredients: • 4g lemongrass, finely chopped • 5g garlic, finely chopped • 2g chilli, finely chopped • 2g ginger, finely chopped • 10ml grapeseed oil • 350g wagyu beef rump, cap on • 1–2 avocados • 5g small tomatoes • 5g Spanish (red) onion • 10g lime • 10g Maldon Sea Salt Flakes • Bunch coriander • 5ml La Barre Extra Virgin Olive Oil

BBQ corn ingredients: • 320g ketchup • 280g tomato paste • 160ml whisky • 160ml malt vinegar • 40ml Worcestershire sauce • 30ml molasses • 6g celery salt • Black pepper, ground • Cayenne pepper • Salt • 1kg corn, fresh, on the cob

Beef preparation 1. Make spice marinade by combining lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chilli and grapeseed oil.

2. Score the top of the wagyu rump cap. Rub spice marinade over the wagyu rump cap then let it sit in the marinade for one hour.

3. Place beef in a vacuum bag, sealing in a vacuum-pack machine to remove all air from inside the bag.

4. Set a circulator with water; set the temperature to 58 degrees Celsius and place the beef in the water bath; let it slow-cook for three hours.

5. To make the avocado salsa: dice the avocados, mix with lime juice. Dice Spanish onion; remove the seeds of the tomato and dice the flesh. Add onion and tomato to the avocado. Finish with olive oil.

BBQ corn preparation 1. Combine all the ingredients (except corn) in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Cook corn in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then remove and coat in the sauce, and grill until charred and caramelised. Season to taste.

Final presentation To finish the beef, sear on a robata grill. Serve with the avocado salsa and corn.

15

getaway

hen you’re travelling with the family, it’s a smart idea to find somewhere the kids are going to enjoy before you treat yourself. That way, they’ll expend some energy and when you then visit your first cellar door, they won’t be moaning and groaning while you’re attempting to weigh up the merits of a Shiraz versus those of a Shiraz Viognier, and decide whether it’s necessary to buy both. Here are some top tips for Hunter Valley trips.

Hunter Valley Gardens is a vast landscaped park that spans 25 hectares (more than 60 acres) and incorporates 10 feature gardens, so there’s plenty of running around to be had.

The Storybook Garden is a particular favourite of younger children: it features nursery-rhyme characters; topiary shrubs in the shapes of animals including horses, ducks and teddy bears; and a hill to tumble down with Jack and Jill.

During school holiday periods, the gardens are open for longer hours and usually host extra park activities for kids, such as petting zoos, face-painting, jumping castles, Easter egg hunts and Christmas light shows. huntervalleygardens.com.au

It’s worth taking a stroll through the Village Shops next to the gardens, where you’ll find interesting little shops selling all sorts of goodies, such as the Hunter Valley Christmas Shop, Hunter Valley Chocolate Company and (not to be missed), the British Lolly Shop.

The adjacent Hunter Valley Aqua Golf & Putt Putt is also a highlight for offspring.

What kids don’t love a game of putt putt?

This place has the added attraction of allowing visitors – for a small fee – to hit lightweight golf balls into a lake. If your ball lands in one of the floating target nets, you can win vouchers for local cellar doors, restaurants and hot air balloon rides.

Horseriding through vineyard territory with Hunter Valley Horse Riding & Adventures is something even the grown-ups will enjoy – a pleasant meander through the trees that takes about an hour and a half, with spectacular views of the vineyards in the valley below. The stables cater for beginners and experienced riders, and even offers pony rides for smaller kids.

Hunter Valley Horse Riding & Adventures also operates an off-road four-wheel drive evening adventure, which is an exciting opportunity to see some of the native wildlife, as many of the local species are more active at night. huntervalleyhorseriding.com.au

The Hunter Valley’s wine country is more family-friendly than you might think, and it’s easy enough to mix things up and keep everyone happy on a valley weekend.

THE HUNTER VALLEY 16

© Holly O’Sullivan

getaway

Hunter Valley Zoo is a fantastic interactive

It’s an early start – usually around 4am, but hot air ballooning over the beautiful Hunter Valley with Balloon Aloft is an experience you will never forget. The balloon glides swiftly and silently above the valley, and you drift over vineyards, with kangaroos scattering in your shadow.

wildlife centre where you can feed kangaroos and wallabies, hold a few reptiles and cuddle up to koalas. There is quite a wide variety of exotic and native animals here, including monkeys, American alligators, Tasmanian Devils, dingoes and lots of birds. huntervalleyzoo.com.au

One cellar door worth stopping in at with the kids is the one at Wandin Valley Estate, where there’s plenty of space outdoors for little ones to run around, including a cricket ground and pavilion, while the grown-ups sample wines.

There’s even an activities table, set up permanently just inside the cellar door. wandinvalley.com.au

Foodies will enjoy a vineyard tour with NSW Segway. The experience starts at the Hunter Valley Resort & Brew House Pokolbin with a half-hour Segway training session before you get to go off-road and roll through the surrounding bush. On tour, you’re likely to see kangaroos, foxes, hares and wombats, but you’ll need to be quiet so you don’t scare them away.

The Hunter Valley Cheese Factory has a number of cheese tasting experiences to choose from, from mild to smelly, as well as other dairy delights including gelato and chocolate.

EastCoastXperiences.com.au

Where to detox in the Hunter Valley A high fence with an imposing gate surrounds the Valley’s Golden Door Health Retreat (pictured right).

Inside, you’ll find hushed tones, gourmet (organic) meals, massage therapists, yoga instructors and dieticians. And ever-so-soothing silence. There is no alcohol, here, and no drugs; no food except that provided by the retreat; no sugar, no salt and no mobile phones.

You can stay at this glorious retreat for as little or as long as you like, with some guests choosing to come just for a weekend, others for a serious detoxing stint – sometimes staying as long as 10 weeks.

Each morning at the Golden Door, you’ll be woken at 6am for a tai chi class on ‘Meditation Hill’, looking out

over Hunter Valley vineyards as the sun rises – along with a few hot air balloons. Serious exercise is usually done in the mornings here, with afternoons kept free for relaxation – and your choice of spa treatments at Elysia Spa. Some days, the morning activity might be a hike through the vineyards; other days, a session of deep aqua-running in the pool followed by a stretching class and guided meditation. You will emerge looking and feeling healthy and relaxed. goldendoor.com.au Day spas can also be found at a number of Hunter Valley resorts: check out the Spa at Chateau Elan and Ubika Spa at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.

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getaway

Where to stay Cypress Lakes Resort is a good choice

for families, offering one-bedroom to four-bedroom villas, all with kitchenettes or full kitchen and laundry facilities, as well as three outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a day spa and the resort’s 18-hole championship golf course. It’s very conveniently located in Pokolbin, affording easy access to family-friendly attractions such as the Hunter Valley Zoo and Hunter Valley Gardens. oakshotelsresorts.com/ cypress-lakes-resort

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Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley has deluxe king and twin rooms, spa suites and multiple-bedroom self-contained villas.

Leisure facilities include the Ubika Spa, an 18-hole golf course, a 25-metre outdoor heated pool, a fitness centre and the on-site Kidzone and Water Dragons Kids Club. crowneplazahuntervalley.com.au Mercure Hunter Valley Resort is

situated in the heart of Pokolbin, right next to Hunter Valley Gardens and a short walk to the Village Shops. It has a wide range

of accommodation options – 72 rooms, each with a private balcony or terrace – and an outdoor swimming pool. mercure.com/ gb/hotel-6941-mercure-hunter-valley-resort Carriages Boutique Hotel (pictured below)

has 10 luxurious rooms set on an awardwinning vineyard. In winter you can relax on a squashy sofa with a bottle of wine in front of a roaring log fire; in summer, take a dip in the pool and try your hand at tennis. Sleep on crisp white sheets and wake up to a fresh breakfast basket at your door. thecarriages.com.au

Visit Hunter Valley Gardens and experience all the award-winning delights that Australia’s largest display garden has to offer.

The Gardens also host over a dozen annual events such as, Christmas Lights Spectacular, Snow Time in the Garden, Mega Creatures and more.

www.hvg.com.au

Ph: 02 4998 4000 | BROKE ROAD, POKOLBIN NSW 2320 | www.hvg.com.au

food&wine

Hunter Valley

Wine & Food Festival The hugely popular Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month has grown so big since its humble beginnings that it’s now too large to fit into one month, writes Deborah Dickson Smith.

THE NEWLY renamed Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival now spans both May and June, giving foodies and wine-lovers more opportunities to sample everything the region has to offer.

The Hunter Valley is well known for its year-round food and wine offerings, but throughout May and June, dozens of special events allow Festival-goers to get up close and personal with the region’s chefs and winemakers.

It’s an excellent opportunity to find out more about the valley’s wine, learn how to cook flavourful new dishes and get expert tips on pairing wines with food.

This year’s festival includes a huge line-up of events, everything from progressive dinners to chef-led cooking classes and street parties.

Allandale Winery The Lovedale Long Lunch, to be held on the weekend of May 14 and 15, is a leisurely ‘progressive lunch’, during which guests get to discover – and celebrate – the epicurean wonders of the Lovedale area.

Some of the Hunter Valley’s leading chefs will team up with seven of Lovedale’s finest wineries, including Allandale, Emma’s Cottage, Saltire, Tatler and Wandin Valley, to create and host the various courses, with local performers providing the entertainment. Whether you attend Saturday’s or Sunday’s Long Lunch event, you’re guaranteed a wonderfully decadent day of drinking and dining. lovedalelonglunch.com.au

Whispering Brook The annual Whispering Brook Olive Long Table Luncheon has become one of the region’s most popular events. Guests start with a tutored walking tour through the olive grove, then are seated at a long table in Whispering Brook’s olive grove (weatherpermitting) and served Mediterranean-inspired dishes devised by chef Andrew Wright to showcase Whispering Brook’s premium extra virgin olive oil.

The guest speaker at this year’s luncheon will be 20

leading cardiologist Professor Len Kritharides, who’ll talk about the health-promoting qualities of the Mediterranean diet and of extra virgin olive oil. The lunch will be accompanied by live music.

The $139 per-person ticket price includes lunch with matching wines, olive oil and olive tutorials. whispering-brook.com

Brokenwood Wines This year, Brokenwood Wines and The Cellar Restaurant have teamed up for The Grazing Blaze, a bonfire supper and wine-tasting among the vines at Brokenwood’s iconic Graveyard Vineyard on Saturday June 11.

Chef Andy Wright will cook grazing-style dishes over burning canes, adding beautiful smoky flavours to the food. Brokenwood will match each dish with one of its latest-release wines. With live music and fireside seating, you can relax and enjoy the sunset. Tickets are $70 per person. brokenwood.com.au

Margan Margan is hosting several Wine & Food Festival events this year, including a Meet the Farmer Dinner on Saturday June 25 from 6pm, which sees Margan join forces with five local food producers to present a fantastic dinner showcasing the best Hunter Valley produce and the people behind it. It’s $99 per person for the four-course degustation.

Margan is also running a series of Garden to Plate Cooking Schools on May 20, June 3 and 24.

Each will consist of a garden tour and harvest with horticulturalist Pat Hansson, followed by a hands-on cooking session and a delicious lunch matched with Margan wines. The cost is $85 per person, The original Margan 100-metre-meal, held daily at Margan during June, promises to be agri-dining at its finest, with everything on your plate and in your glass produced on site, most of it within 100 metres of the restaurant. It’s $45 per person for one course, including wine.

food&wine

It’s an excellent opportunity to find out more about the valley’s wine, learn how to cook flavourful new dishes, and get expert tips on pairing wines with food.

21

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Visit dha.gov.au/lookforward

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food&wine

Hunter Valley

Previous page: Margan; This page: Ridgeview

Other festival events at Margan this year include the Annual Barrel Hall Sale, the White Label Lunch and Trophy Wine Trails. margan.com.au

Bimbadgen Estate Bimbadgen will highlight the evolution of Hunter Valley beef this year, using Hunter Natural freerange, hormone-free, grass-fed beef as the basis for an ‘edible experience’ called Beef-olution, in which guests will get to enjoy four sample-size beef dishes made with ingredients sourced from the Bimbadgen Estate garden and matched with award-winning Bimbadgen wines. Tickets to Beef-olution are $90 per person. bimbadgen.com.au

Ridgeview On Saturday June 18, Ridgeview will host an Ocean to the Paddock event: a delicious seven-course degustation with matching wines for $125 per person. The winery’s Chef’s Plate will be available Thursday to Saturday between noon and 5pm throughout May and June; it’s $39 per person for two courses and a glass of wine. ridgeview.com.au

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley Hunter Valley Wine Festival, Saturday June 4.

Ridgeview will host an Ocean to the Paddock event: a delicious seven-course degustation with matching wines.

The fourth Hunter Valley Wine Festival takes place on the picturesque grounds of the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, with an extensive array of wine, food, beer and cider on offer, accompanied by live entertainment. It’s an opportunity to see everything the region has to offer in one day, with top drops from some 40 Hunter Valley wineries on show.

The event is family-friendly, with plenty of activities, including miniature train rides, face painting and a bouncy castle, to keep the kids happy while you sample fine regional wines. Funds raised at the event will be donated to the local Rural Fire Service.

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley is offering a special Hunter Valley Wine Festival Weekend Package from $285 per night; it includes a night’s accommodation, breakfast and festival tickets. crowneplazahuntervalley.com.au 23

food&wine

Upper Hunter Wine & Food Affair: Saturday May 7, Denman The Hunter’s Best Street Party happens every year on the first Saturday of May along Ogilvie Street in Denman, which is transformed for the occasion into a ‘wine and gourmet feast extravaganza’.

Here you’ll get to sample world-famous Upper Hunter wines as well as an amazing selection of street food and gourmet takeaway. The line-up of live entertainment includes local band Kyda Rock and The Voice finalist Holly Tapp; a monster wood-chop contest with more than 25 competitors; and a lowlevel fly-over aerobatic show by Paul Bennett.

There are plenty of activities for the kids, too, with laser tag, zorb balls and entertainment courtesy of Sparkles the Clown.

Entry is $10 per adult, $5 per kid, and includes an unlimited all-day ride pass. upperhunterwineandfoodaffair.com.au

A Taste of Wollombi: Sunday May 29 and Sunday June 26.

Wollombi’s main street will come alive with stalls offering jams, honey, oils, olives, homegrown vegetables and homemade fresh cheeses to taste and buy, as well as jewellery, candles and wood crafts.

There will be live music all day, so bring your picnic rug and find a sunny spot on the grassy slopes outside the historic Wollombi Tavern – and don’t forget to sample their famous Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice. visitwollombi.com.au

Wollombi

The Verandah

There will be live music all day, so bring your picnic rug and find a sunny spot on the grassy slopes outside the historic Wollombi Tavern.

The Verandah Restaurant Renowned Hunter Valley chef Matt Dillow will be running his hugely popular Spanish paella classes again this year, every Sunday in June. In Matt’s class you will learn how to cook Spanish jamon, then tuck into a feast of jamon served with crusty bread and Hunter Valley sparkling wine, paella served with sangria, and Spanish-style churros with chocolate dipping sauce. Tickets to the class and feast are $90 per person. verandahrestaurant.com.au Visit winecountry.com.au for a full list of 2016 Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival events and venues.

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A M EMBER OF S MALL L UXURY H OTELS OF T HE W ORLD

SECRET SANCTUARY "Experience traditional Thai elegance in a contemporary living space …with only nature at your doorstep"

Pimalai is one of those rare resorts whose architecture has been designed entirely around the natural contours and lush vegetation of over one hundred acres of grounds leading to 900 meters of pristine sandy beach.

Indulge in luxury in one of our elegantly designed pool villas, set high in the lush hillside allowing you to be as close as possible to nature. From your villa, all you will see is what has been there for thousands of years; virgin forest enveloping steep hills climbing into a blue sky.

The tranquility of the place, the abundance of flora, the exquisite views, the fiery sunsets, all combine to maximize the sensation of being in a heavenly place. Indeed the name of the resort “Pimalai” translates as heavenly. Enjoy a private romantic dinner on your terrace, sip champagne while dipping in your pool, or perhaps a soothing massage* in your villa’s sala…

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flavours

DUTCH TRADING COMPANY (DTC) Victoria Park, Perth

FLAVOURS From new happenings to fab produce, we unearth the latest tabletop treats.

Home baking

GREAT AUSTRALIAN COOKING

THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN COOKBOOK features 165 recipes contributed by an impressive line-up of 100 of Australia’s culinary legends, including Stephanie Alexander, Matt Moran, Neil Perry, Kylie Kwong, Frank Camorra, Maggie Beer and Margaret Fulton, along with local food heroes from all over the country.

“The Great Australian Cookbook is an affectionate snapshot of Australia and the food we love to eat,” says co-editor Helen Greenwood. “These celebrated chefs and beloved cooks, dedicated farmers and fishers, wondrous pastry cooks, and hard-working bakers and food-makers bowled us over with their willingness to share their thoughts, time and recipes. The happy result is a book for all Australians who want to cook with, and for, love.”

The Great Australian Cookbook is out now, RRP $49.95.

THE NEWLY OPENED Dutch Trad ing Company, home to the best craft beer selection in Perth plus affordable Dutch-influenced food, is already piping hot and popular!

The venue’s fit-out is a comforting hybrid of modern home kitchen and ye olde Dutch-s tyle pub, with some intriguing Dutch paraphernalia on the walls.

The Dutch Trading Company’s sele ction of rare craft beers on tap is extensive and includes brews from Victoria’s Black Dog Brewery, Tasm ania’s Moo Brew, New Zealand’s Tuatara Brewery and many more on rotation, depending on availability. Order the Double Dutch Rudder (a truly enormous beer-tas ting platter) for a couple of swigs of each of the 18 beers on tap. There are also some experimental ‘beer coc ktails’ on offer for more adventurous types.

The Dutch-inspired bar menu incl udes offerings such as a kilo of Louisiana steamed prawns, beef-cheek bitterballen, a ‘Double Dutch Burg er’ (two patties with Dutch smoked gouda) and local mussels steamed in wheat beer, as well as sharing plates – try the cheeseboard with quince jam and housepickled vegetables, or hot ’n’ spicy chicken wings with blue cheese dressing.

Check the Dutch Trading Company out at facebook. com/dutchtradingco or get down there for a trivia night now.

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f lavours flavours

[Top eats] Love Moroccan food? Book a seat at Afous, arguably Sydney’s best Moroccan/Spanish eatery. It’s located right on the Spit Bridge, so you can enjoy fabulous views along with hearty classics such as lamb tagine or lighter bites from the tapas menu. When you walk through the door, you’ll be greeted by the owner Omar Majdi, who warmly welcomes you to his home while splashing your hands with rose water. Cooking classes and catering services are also offered. afous.com.au

Cardini’s Original Caesar Dressing

With all natural ingredients, no preservatives, no added sugar and less than 1g of carbohydrates per serving, Cardini’s Original Caesar Dressing delivers the true taste of a classic Caesar salad.

Allegedly, this now-legendary salad was created

by Caesar (Cesare) Cardini, who ran a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, that was popular with Hollywood stars including Jean Harlow and Clark Gable during the Prohibition period of the 1920s. On a hot fourth of July, 1924, with the kitchen unprepared for a full restaurant, he gathered up the ingredients he had available, tossed them together with a flourish in the middle of the crowded restaurant and invented, almost by accident, his famous salad. The rest is history!

Cardini’s Original Caesar Dressing is available nationally through Coles, Woolworths, IGA and other independent supermarkets, speciality delicatessens and fruiterers; RRP $5.30 for a 350mL bottle.

Destination: Flavour Taste of Tamworth, April 1–10 The Hunter Valley, May 15–June 4

FRESH PICKINGS

This month we’re loving: POMEGRANATES Pomegranates are luscious, delicious and packed full of vitamins.

The name comes from the Latin words pomum granatum, which means “seeded apple”. Experts trace its origins back to northern India and Iran. The Spanish conquistadors brought the pomegranate to America in the early 1500s. The seeds are what you want from this succulent fruit. After you crack one open, you’ll find plenty packed into little compartments that are separated by bitter-tasting, whitish membranes. Each seed is surrounded by a transparent red pulp that is sweet yet tart that’s the tasty stuff.

28

Masterclass

Pizzini Wines, the makers of modern Italian wine styles, run hands-on cooking classes in their purpose-built A tavola! Cooking School near Bright, Victoria, about three and a half hours’ drive out of Melbourne.

The kitchen is equipped for up to 10 participants per class, and each class runs for approximately four hours.

You might choose to: • master the art of making different types of pastries and puddings, savoury and sweet; • learn to make perfect pasta, gnocchi and risotto; • become an expert at preparing an array of entréesized dishes, such as dumplings, gyoza and various tapas; • enhance your vegetarian repertoire; or • learn the best way to roast a pig on a spit.

Find out more or book your place in a class at pizzini.com.au/pizzini/pizzini-cooking-school.php

MORNINGTON FARMERS’MARKET MORNINGTON, VIC

The Mornington Farmers’ Market showcases an array of fresh, seasonal produce from regional Victoria, including the Mornington Peninsula. Get there early for a breakfast of organic sourdough and local cheeses, or for the community-run barbecue, then fill your car boot with organic fruit and vegetables, homemade conserves, free-range eggs and savoury snacks. The local farmers are more than happy to chat with you about the provenance of their produce.

WHERE: Mornington Park, Schnapper Point Drive, Mornington Vic. WHEN: The second Saturday of every month, 9am–1pm.

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weekender

Dubbo

DUBBO UNCOVERED For the perfect weekend escape, we explore Dubbo and the Western Plains.

Words: Deborah Dickson-Smith

31

weekender

aronga Western Plains Zoo is reason enough to take a holiday to Dubbo, but there are plenty more. From a gaol that’s no longer a gaol to a beach that’s not really a beach, this historic country town has plenty of activities and attractions to keep visitors of all ages and sizes entertained. Curious?

Dubbo is about five hours’ drive west of Sydney, over the Great Dividing Range in the Macquarie Valley, at the junction of three major outback routes: the Newell, Mitchell and Golden highways.

The area was first settled in the early 1830s and quickly became a major pastoral region, with a number of large cattle and sheep stations established in the area throughout the 19th century.

This history can be explored in a number of ways throughout Dubbo, and a good place to start is at the Old Dubbo Gaol. The gaol is fully restored to its 19th-century glory, and they’ve added some animatronics and hologram exhibits to bring its stories to life.

You can walk through the gaol and experience the eerie silence of solitary confinement, view the dreadful living conditions and witness examples of prison labour, as well as inspect actual prisoner records and find out about their crimes. You’ll meet the Condemned Man and guides will tell you stories about the Ghost of Dubbo Gaol, the executioner and the gallows.

Another great way to explore Dubbo’s history is on a Heritage Walk.

This guided walking tour winds its

You’ll see lots of Dubbo’s historic buildings and hear stories of the characters that used to live here.

Dubbo’s gaol (above) and courthouse (left) date back to 1887.

32

way through the centre of Dubbo, where you’ll see historic buildings and hear stories of the characters that used to live here – such as one Kate Leigh, also known as ‘Flash Kate’, who used to run the town’s casino and went on to become a queen of the Sydney underworld (remember Underbelly: Razor?); or Old Dubbo Gaol’s most notable escapee, Johnny Dunn, who once, allegedly, rode with bushrangers Ben Hall and John Gilbert.

Dubbos’ biggest drawcard is, of course, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, a sprawling open-range zoo that you can walk, ride or drive around. One of the best options is to hire a bike; and the zoo has bikes for all ages, even bikes with baby seats for the real littlies.

The zoo is home to hundreds of species, including rare and endangered animals. The kids will love spotting giraffes, rhinos, elephants and big cats, and it’s an awesome experience to see them roaming freely in wide open spaces – almost like being on safari.

Throughout the day there are plenty of keeper talks and animal

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The kids will love spotting giraffes, rhinos, elephants and big cats, and it’s awesome to see them roaming freely in wide open spaces.

encounters to watch out for but to get the real safari experience, stay overnight at Billabong Camp or with a view of the zoo’s African Savannah section at the Savannah Cabins or in one of the luxurious African-inspired Zoofari lodges.

The mighty Macquarie River provides a wide range of outdoor activities, from cycling along riverbank cycle tracks to kayaking and other watersports on the river itself.

Riverbank Park is a prime spot for a family picnic and a stroll along the river from the centre of Dubbo to Sandy Beach. Running through the park is Tracker Riley Cycleway and Walking Trail, a 13-kilometre loop that runs along both sides of the river.

Sandy Beach is a popular swimming hole, even if the beach is not actually sandy, but made up mainly of gravel – it’s a shallow entrance to the river so it’s safe swimming spot for swimmers of all ages.

To explore the Macquarie River on a wider scale, call in to Adventure Watersports and hire a kayak or stand-up paddleboard, or if you’d rather a faster pace, try waterskiing, wakeboarding,

kneeboarding or tube rides.

Another great place to get wet is the Dubbo Aquatic Leisure Centre, which has an Olympic-size swimming pool, a kids’ pool and (best of all) an aquatic playground with twin water slides. In the centre of town, Elston Park Water Park is another place to cool down in summer.

If you’d rather burn energy than get wet, head to Flip Out Dubbo indoor to learn how to bounce and flip like a pro, or simply jump around madly on indoor, wall-to-wall trampolines.

For a more subdued day out, find your inner peace at Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden. Located in Elizabeth Park, it’s made up of four different gardens, the most famous of which is Shoyoen, the Japanese Garden.

The garden was gifted to the city

by Dubbo’s sister city Minokamo,

Japan, and was designed by students from the Kamo Agricultural and Forestry High School. There are cherry trees, camellias and Japanese pine trees, dry garden landscapes of rounded stones and raked gravel, a waterfall, streams and a lake stocked with Japanese koi carp.

Other garden sections here include Oasis Valley, which features plants from Australia’s diminishing ‘dry rainforests’, the Sensory Gardens, which are planted with flowers and foliage designed to stimulate all five senses, and the Biodiversity Garden, which displays local plants in natural habitats.

Wondering where to make a pit stop? Try Hollydene Estate at 3483 Golden Highway, Jerry’s Plains.

The cellar door is open daily from 10am–4pm. hollydeneestate.com 35

discovery

Cold winter holidays can really heat up when you head to the snow and pull on your ski gear, as OUTthere discovers.

TOP ski resorts 37

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discovery

ustralia is largely a land of sunshine, but it also gets cold enough to cover our southern mountains in bountiful white snow.

Victoria is home to the nation’s largest number of ski resorts, including Lake Mountain – 120 kilometres from Melbourne – Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Mount Buller. Sydney’s nearest ski fields, Thredbo and Perisher, are about six hours’ drive from the city in Kosciuszko National Park, while Tasmania has Ben Lomond Ski Village and Mount Mawson.

In contrast to most other ski destinations around the world, the Australian ski season kicks off in June (with an abundance of festivities), and it’s typically Aussie because you get to ski between magnificent snow gums.

Mt Hotham, Victoria --------------------------------DAY 1 ---------------------------------

Do: The trickiest part of a skiing holiday with kids is getting organised, so we spend our first day in Mount Hotham doing just that. Driving up the mountain in the snow has the little ones very excited, so we continue the extra 12 kilometres to Dinner Plain, where hiring gear’s a breeze.

Australia is largely a land of sunshine, but it also gets cold enough to cover our southern mountains in white snow.

© Charlie Brown Photography

The enticement of Dinner Plain is the small village and snow park, perfect for beginner skiing. We layer up, strap on our snow boots and build snowmen, fly down the tube and take to the small slope. Now we might be ready for whatever the next few days have in store.

Eat: While ski trips—certainly those with kids in tow—used to come with low expectations of food quality, times have changed and Hotham is leading the way.

Lunch at Dinner Plain needs to be a warm affair of nourishing comfort food, and so we head to Mountain Kitchen for soups and homemade pies.

Dinner at Yama Kitchen and Bar is a must back on Hotham and while it serves fine food, kids are welcomed with a small version of the adults’ menu. We share plates of deliciousness in this Japanese-inspired eatery.

39

discovery

--------------------------------DAY 2 ---------------------------------

you come back without the rug rats) is as casual as a bacon-and-egg roll.

Lunch breaks up a tiring day on the slopes, with Zirky’s accommodation and dining complex providing a big buffet.

Dinner is a full-stomach affair at the popular beer hall, Arco, where you can order amber ale by the litre and meat aplenty. Meals here are not for the faint-hearted (or for kilojoule-counters).

--------------------------------DAY 3 ---------------------------------

© Destination NSW

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© Destination NSW

Do: Time for lessons to brush up on the dusty skiing skills. One child heads to ski school, where the instructors are super patient in guiding little legs through the basics. Graduating to the best kids’ slope, Big D, is the ultimate thrill for ‘L-plate’ skiiers.

Adults can have tuition too, and you can choose from a group lesson suited to your skills or book in an intensive one-on-one session. “Stop overthinking it!” is the catchcry of our tutor. It’s a good tip for all beginner and intermediate skiers because thinking too much about sliding down the side of a mountain is never a good idea and invariably means you end up doing exactly that. Lessons complete, we eagerly practise our new skills along a range of ski runs.

Known as the more advanced of the ski resorts, Hotham is actually a good all-rounder and surprisingly well-suited to families. Whether you’re on a green (beginner), blue (intermediate) or black (advanced) level, Hotham has some fun in store for you.

Eat: If you’re dropping kids off at the daycare centre or ski school, both located at the Big D, the easiest breakfast option is The General. Known for some of the heartiest food on the mountain, this café (which turns into a roaring bar at night – handy to know if

Do: If the kids are up for more skiing and the weather is behaving itself, hit the slopes again and enjoy all your new skills. We do some easy runs with the children in the morning before lunching, snow-playing and returning our gear.

The weather has turned on us, with a snowstorm to blame for closing many lifts and the fog making visibility poor.

The kids are keen to play in the freshly dumped snow so we check out the Hotham Snow Stuff Park, home to the mountain’s sled dogs – if you miss their tours, you can pay to pat and play with these beautiful creatures.

Toboggans and snowmobiles are available for hire here, too, so we take turns racing down the small hill, with snow softly floating onto our faces.

Hotham might have just become our new favourite winter holiday destination.

Eat: The Summit Bar & Café at the Snowbird Inn is a favourite among

discovery

Enjoy stunning sunrises everyday at Hotham.

Hotham regulars, particularly hipsters, with its quinoa porridge, homemade beans and eggs every which way headlining the menu.

Before heading back down the mountain, it’s important to have a good feed, and this is your chance to try a new spot for pizza or soup – perhaps that place you’ve heard other skiers rave about or the café you’ve been eyeing off over the past few days.

Thredbo, Perisher and Jindabyne, NSW Jindabyne

© Destination NSW

Do: Thredbo is 496 kilometres and the Perisher Valley is 493 kilometres from Sydney, and many holidaymakers opt to stay in Jindabyne (34 kilometres from Thredbo and 31 kilometres from Perisher) due to budget and availability – accommodation in Thredbo can cost up to double the price of Jindabyne, and in Perisher it can be triple.

Jindabyne, in the heart of the Snowy Mountains, is also accessible by both car and train. Perisher’s Skitube Alpine Railway starts 20 kilometres from Jindabyne at Bullocks Flat Terminal; it takes 20 minutes to get to Perisher and a further 10 to reach Blue Cow. Eat: C.B.D. Coffee Beats Drinks in Jindabyne is a quirky café serving drinks in jam jars and Tracie’s Cafe is a no-frills eatery perfect for brunch.

If you’re hankering after a Sunday roast with all the trimmings, The Bowlo Bistro at Jindabyne Bowling & Sports 41

© Destination NSW

discovery

Club is a good option. Spice-lovers can either eat in or get a tasty takeaway at Namaste Indian Cuisine.

Perisher Do: There’s a friendly rivalry between Perisher and Thredbo: staying at the resorts themselves is classed as ‘onsnow’, so is more expensive, but doing this also means less time travelling and more time skiing!

Muddles Lodge in the Perisher Valley is a luxury ski-in, ski-out log private log chalet on the mountain perfect for families or small groups.

As well as having its own resident chef, Donna Tuckwell, it also boasts outstanding views, a private outdoor hot tub, loft playroom, storage facilities, easy mountain access via the Interceptor Chairlift and North Perisher T-Bar – and the kids adore

Staying at the resorts themselves is classed as ‘on-snow’, which means less time travelling and more time skiing!

the novelty of being picked up in a snowmobile every day.

Eat: When not dining in the lodge, there is plenty to choose from within Perisher’s four main ski areas – Perisher Valley, Mount Blue Cow, Guthega and Smiggin Holes: family-friendly Wildbrumby, The Man from Snowy River, Burning Log Restaurant, The White Spider Restaurant, and the Sundeck Hotel are firm favourites.

DO

Thredbo

T MI SS N’ l tiva

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© Destination NSW

Sunset on Blue Cow, Perisher.

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Fes -day usic 5 for 4 l. Bed M k c 12 Pea sher $ ges in 325 i a r k e c m$ at P , or pa ast fro 3 f s pas Break e 10-1 n & Ju

Do: If staying ‘on the mountain’, you walk out of your chalet, pick your skis up at the front door, click on your boots, take a couple of steps to the chairlift and away you go. If visiting on a weekend, watching the fireworks and Saturday night flare runs (and night skiing) are a must. Advanced skiers can sign up to take part in the weekly flare run at Valley Terminal.

Thredbo is also a mecca for nature walks and the national park is perfect for seeing Australia at its whitest and brightest. Being in a national park, it’s bursting with wildlife including wombats, possums, echidnas and wallabies.

Eat: Thredbo is a more Europeanstyle resort and coffee snobs swear

by Central Road 2625, while those wanting a heartier meal can’t go wrong at Bernti’s Tapas Bar & Cafe.

Kareele Hutte actually overlooks the Supertrail piste but you have to ski down afterwards, so don’t overindulge!

Terrace Restaurant, with its cool retro flavour, is another find.

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With a senior sales and marketing roles in the sporting I was looking for a business I can goods, liquor industry and B2B. I started my own own and be the business owner, not business so I could stop travelling and spend more a manger. I was primarily looking for time with my family. I wanted to meet the challenge of a business that can run and operate running my own business and hopefully have more control smoothly, and with the right support, of my destiny. From my experience I saw that there would always be a one that wouldn’t be so dependent on the owner. need for signage and having bought signage in my corporate life.

I liked the idea of dealing with other businesses and not retail stores. I wanted to ensure I had flexibility and create more time for my family down the track.

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After 25 years of corporate life, I wanted the challenge of running my own business. I had exposure to buying/selling businesses and the Transworld brand seemed to be a good fit. Their business model has enabled me to be active in the market in gaining listings, enquiries, provide a platform for growth and definitely form long-term business relationships.

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HEALTH NEWS

healthnews

Three top healthy travel essentials

Whether you’re travelling by land or flying, a work daytrip or a longawaited holiday, being on the go can leave hair and skin feeling lacklustre. But there are some beauty ‘travel essentials’ that’ll have you glowing from the inside out.

High-quality H20 There’s no getting around the fact that high-quality spring water is a health and beauty essential. But not all waters are the same. Look for aqua that is mineral-rich, straight from Mother Nature and not simply filtered tap water. Thirst can often disguise itself as hunger, so if you’re on the go, be sure to carry a refillable bottle of high-quality spring water with you for regular hydration (rather than buying the disposable kind, which only add to landfill). findaspring.com/category/locations/oceania

Naturopath Narelle Plapp’s five top tips for a healthy breakfast Many people skip breakfast due to their busy lives and a lack of time in the mornings. According to experts, however, eating breakfast is integral to both mental and physical health. In fact, people who eat breakfast consume fewer kilojoules throughout the entire day – however this does depend on what is eaten and how healthy it really is.

Narelle Plapp, naturopath and founder of Food for Health, says that to get the most out of breakfast, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1

Eat breakfast like a king Have you heard of the saying, ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper’? People are more likely to maintain their weight and have a better-functioning digestive system if they eat this way.

Breakfast should include a balance between healthy fats, protein, carbs, fibre and little refined sugar.

2

Breaking the fast A larger breakfast takes time to prepare, but remember that breakfast is ‘breaking the fast’ so you should give your body the fuel it deserves and yourself the time to prepare.

Getting out of bed a little earlier will

make all the difference to whether you have time to make and eat a healthy, wholesome breakfast.

3

Drinking water Drink a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon or lime 30 minutes before you eat; it will get your gut enzymes active. Gut enzymes (digestive enzymes) break down our food into nutrients so that our bodies can absorb them.

4

Including protein Eat protein! Protein keeps you fuller for longer. Foods that are high in protein and great with breakfast are eggs, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, milk, baked beans, bacon, salmon, nuts and some grains, including quinoa, to name a few.

5

Preparation is the key Be prepared by having a fridge full of healthy options. My fridge always has: eggs, smoked salmon, avocado, milk, full-fat yoghurt and berries. My cupboard always has: rolled oats, Food for Health seed boosters, quinoa, fruit-free clusters and fibre-cleanse muesli.

Visit foodforhealth.com.au for more information.

Hair, skin and nail supplement No matter what we put on the outside, it’s what goes within that can have the biggest beauty benefits.

Qsilica’s award-winning One-A-Day supplement is a 10-second beauty routine that nourishes hair, skin and nails from within thanks to formulated natural ingredients, such as zinc, selenium and biotin, as well as colloidal mineral silica. It’s an ideal travel companion: simply take one every day, with food. $34.95RRP (30 tabs), $69.89 (90 tabs). Available from your health food store, pharmacy or online at qsilica.com.au

Essential fatty acids Essential fatty acids (EFAs), like vitamins, cannot be made by the body and so must be included in the diet. When we travel, healthy diet plans often take a back seat, making supplementation even more important. EFAs, in the form of fish oil or evening primrose oil, can boost brain function, and also help foster softer, smoother skin and even healthier hair. Try Efamol Efalex Formula, $24.95RRP (120 capsules) or $44.95 (240 capsules) from your health food store or pharmacy. planethealth.com.au

Extra virgin coconut oil Flying high can wreak havoc on your hair, as can city water supplies, chlorinated pools and even the sun.

Extra virgin coconut oil has been used by islanders for centuries as a healthy hair must-have, helping to soften dry ends. Its anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties also make this fragrant oil ideal for eating straight off the spoon. Simply take a tablespoon of oil and sweep it through the ends of your hair last thing at night, rinsing it off during your morning shower. You can find a good-quality coconut oil, such as Loving Earth Cold Pressed Coconut Oil at your local health food store or online. $15.90RRP (400ml) lovingearth.net

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AGRIBUSINESS

MINING

EDUCATION

PLUS...

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 Digital innovation Agribusiness events And more...

RegionalBusinessReview Issue 9 – Apr/May 2016

DEEP TROUBLE

DEEPER DEPTHS USUALLY MEANS AN INCREASE IN RISK, BUT DOES IT HAVE TO? WE EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES

autoreview

A NEW CHALLENGER

EMERGES WORDS: MICHAEL BENN

The Mitsubishi Pajero is doomed.

But for now, long live the Pajero Sport!

DID YOU LIKE the old Mitsubishi Challenger? An SUV built on the bones of the tough Triton ute, it was rugged but unrefined, like a swig of frontier rotgut whiskey.

But like frontier livin’ in general, it turns out that ‘rugged but unrefined’ is a hard day-to-day prospect when there are more comfortable alternatives.

Meaning: SUVs that don’t feel like they’ve been built to equip ISIS, drive from pole-to-pole or pioneer Mars.

Tough is admirable. But tough and comfortable wins every time.

And so the Challenger has been replaced by this. The new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport remains an SUV shell dropped onto a Triton ute chassis – albeit the next generation version of that ute – and, most importantly for fans of the Challenger, it retains its ability. But it’s also been through some sort of automotive version of that excellent and much-missed British reality show Ladette to Lady, where fist-fighting, tits-out harridans are transformed into prim English roses.

Hence the new name. It goes with Pajero Sport’s polished new deportment.

Choosing ‘Challenger’ over ‘Pajero’ makes sense for now, even if it’s a curious long-term choice. Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko admitted last December that a successor to the current model Pajero, with its 17-year history, will not be developed (although 2

RegionalBusinessReview

the current Pajero will continue for a good while).

In the meantime, ‘Pajero’ has cachet here – although less so in Spanishspeaking countries where the word means, ahem, ‘wanker’ – and this model slots into Mitzi’s ranks just beneath the traditional Paj. Well done, Mitsubishi, because nameplate aside, this is a worthy and well-considered update to a model that failed to meet expectations, its agricultural roots remaining too obvious for local tastes.

There’s nothing wrong, per se, with putting an SUV shell onto a tradie-vehicle chassis, especially if any leaf springs have been consigned to the parts bin. In fact, lots of manufacturers do it, from Isuzu’s MU-X to the Ford Everest to Toyota’s Fortuna to the Holden Colorado 7.

The reasons are obvious: it’s easy and cheap because most of the engineering has been done; and SUV sales – particularly – have gone so far through the roof in recent years that they’re a danger to passing air traffic.

Buyers get proper 4x4 functionality, including off-road capability, and the heft to drag a van around the country.

All of which is true here, and all of which is not bad for a vehicle with an entry point of $45,000 for the baseline GLX version.

As well as that chassis, the Pajero Sport shares the Triton’s solid 2.4 litre

autoreview

PAJERO SPORT SPECIFICATIONS

Tough is admirable. But tough and comfortable wins every time.

Price from: GLX $45,000; GLS $48,500; Exceed $52,750 (plus on-road costs) Engine: 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre MIVEC turbodiesel/8-spd sports automatic, 8.0L/100km Kerb weight: 2,045 (GLX), 2,060kg (GLS) or 2,070 (Exceed) Payload: 650kg Towing Capacity 3.1 tonne (braked)

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MIVEC turbodiesel engine. Despite having three variants – the GLX, the mid-spec GLS ($48,500) and the top-line Exceed ($52,750) – the new Sport also shares an eight-speed auto gearbox and Super Select 4WD system.

All but the entry-level GLX get a locking centre differential, helping you to make the most of the 133kW peak power (at 3,500rpm) and 430Nm of torque (from 2,500rpm), should you wish to abandon the bitumen. And it’s capable of tackling serious inclines, mud-holes and scrabbly descents.

So far, so like the old Challenger.

It’s during everyday driving that the Sport’s leaps and bounds over the previous model Pajero become apparent.

During highway driving, on road tyres, it’s unfussy and quiet inside, with the typical diesel torque generated by that single-spec 2.4L motor a dismissive rebuff to ascents and overtaking requirements. Or it is once you’ve gotten up to cruising speed; unsurprisingly, this is no 911 off the line.

The new exterior will polarise buyers, its slashed, almost Lexus-ish cheeks stuffed with walnuts for the winter, but the Sport is aerodynamically quiet, with minimal wind noise.

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Like any ute-based SUV worth its salt, the Pajero Sport has also pitched any thought of leaf springs over the back axle – here, they’ve been exchanged for a threelink coil-sprung layout – and the comfort it adds to daily driving is class-leading.

The pay-off is a certain wallowiness, but the relative Clive Palmer-ness of its body roll can be forgiven in what is now a genuine family vehicle.

In the end, this is what Mitsubishi has achieved: unquestionable family SUV status. Triton capability overwhelmingly remains. Comfort arrives at the table. It’s reflected in the interior

fit and feel: stylish dash, well-designed cockpit, solid switchgear, with leather trim on the top two specs. Touches such as the reversing camera, digital radio, seven-inch touchscreen with voice control and keyless entry/push-button start are standard in Sport models across the board. The boot is enormous – note that there are only five seats – and cupholders abound.

The Challenger is officially dead but ironically, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is more of a challenger to its many rivals in a highly competitive category than its predecessor ever was.

The relative Clive Palmer-ness of its body roll can be forgiven in what is now a genuine family vehicle.

I’M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE JOURNEY WITH MAHINDRA

During my cricket career, I loved playing the game with strength and power, but I always did it with a bit of heart. When choosing who I partner with in business, I look for these same qualities.

Find out more about our story at mahindra.com.au Matthew Hayden Mahindra Brand Ambassador

agribusiness

THE FLOW ON EFFECT OF INNOVATION IN WATER MANAGEMENT IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY IS CENTRAL TO ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE. HOW CAN THIS BE ACHIEVED? WORDS: CLAIRE BOND

mproving productivity in agriculture is central to Australia’s economic performance – indeed, the federal government has pinpointed our agricultural sector as a key pillar of the nation’s economy.

Increased farm productivity brings better returns to farmers and greater competitiveness in domestic and international markets.

Access to sufficient supplies of useable water is integral to such productivity, and where supply is scarce, it is traded as a commodity, adding to farm costs. The disruption to rainfall patterns resulting from climate change and from weather systems such El Niño contribute to the uncertainty farmers face each season.

It’s hardly surprising that Australia, a dry continent, ranks highly when it comes to the adoption of innovative technologies and systems for monitoring and managing agricultural water resources. Our farmers are making the most of oft-scarce water 6

RegionalBusinessReview

resources by looking to innovations in technology: everything from sensors that monitor soil moisture levels to recirculating water in hydroponic systems and cutting-edge methods of crop irrigation.

While sophisticated irrigation systems are most often deployed by the intensive cropping industry – primarily in sectors such as viticulture and horticulture – the iconic Aussie stockman has also jumped on board, using automated technology and systems to improve outcomes for livestock and pasture crops.

The hours spent travelling to and from bores and troughs in distant paddocks, to check that stock-water levels are adequate or to resolve problems with flow, can now be bypassed thanks to ‘smart’ automated systems that allow for water monitoring via an online platform.

Farmers can view real-time sensor readings of soil moisture, water levels and other key variables from wherever

they are via laptops, tablets and smartphones. They can also switch to a camera view of the water trough.

Depending on the reading, the farmer can alter the flow of water through an irrigation line or into a trough remotely via the click of a mouse.

Inadequate telecommunications infrastructure and slow, erratic internet connections across many parts of rural Australia is a problem for the many farmers wanting to employ the new digital technology. Fortunately, automated agricultural systems are becoming more sensitive to these limitations.

Regional Manager of Total Eden Water Engineering Services, Andrew Chittick, who works with such systems, is confident ‘data drought’ and connectivity obstacles can be sidestepped.

“It doesn’t matter what your access is like – solutions can be tailored to fit,” he assures. “These systems are ‘intelligent’ and can be designed to

agribusiness

operate with radio frequency, cloud/ mobile access or satellite.

“Remote management of irrigation – bores, pumps and troughs – is becoming a reality for many properties and it reduces their labour costs significantly,” Chittick says.

According to Chittick, many of Australia’s dairy farmers have been early adopters of automated agricultural technology, but more and more broadacre farmers and other agribusiness owners are interested in the efficiencies such technology offers.

“People think that irrigation is just about pumps and pipelines but it is so much more,” says Chittick. “The sensors … we are installing measure the soil moisture uptake profile, where the water is in a field, or the location of a centre pivot. [This] assists the farmer in the decision of when or when not to irrigate and exactly how much.”

With systems helping crop producers optimise water use, outcomes for harvest improve

dramatically, Chittick assures.

“Better water management equals better crops – and so much can be done from the comfort of home,” he says. “You don’t have to travel out to the field to get an accurate picture of the health of your plants.”

Although many farmers are starting to invest in technology, and the federal and state governments are encouraging innovation – through, for example, Australian Government Department of Environment grant schemes such as the On-farm Irrigation Efficiency Program – there is still a widespread perception that the upfront cost of upgrading existing farm equipment and systems to include new automated technology is prohibitive.

Total Eden works through various scenarios and options to ensure that farmers ‘buy smart’, advising that they lease or rent irrigation equipment rather than tying up capital in it.

“When a potential customer sees the cost to convert a single paddock

– and they have 100 paddocks – you can see their enthusiasm fade pretty quickly,” Chittick admits.

However, there are many ways to reap the benefits of the new agri-technology without outlaying a fortune, he assures.

“For example, rotating equipment through paddocks utilising a roving automated irrigation schedule eliminates the need to cover every inch of land with equipment.”

“Farmers can ‘buy back lifestyle’,” Chittick adds, “by adopting a few simple measures that maximise water use, saving labour, water and time.”

For small-scale farmers looking to strike a balance between farm work and ‘lifestyle’ without sacrificing productivity; or for large-scale agribusinesses seeking to maximise efficiency and yield while cutting labour and input costs, the new technology and systems streamlining water and irrigation management are a welcome development.

“REMOTE MANAGEMENT OF IRRIGATION – BORES, PUMPS AND TROUGHS – IS BECOMING A REALITY FOR MANY PROPERTIES AND IT REDUCES THEIR LABOUR COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY.”

WHAT IS A DROUGHT? A drought is a prolonged, abnormally dry period when there is not enough water for users’ normal needs. Drought is not simply low rainfall; if it was, much of inland Australia would be in almost perpetual drought. Because people use water in so many different ways, there is no universal definition of drought. Australian Bureau of Meteorology

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WHERE THERE IS WATER, THERE IS LIFE In Australia, securing water supplies for urban areas and for agriculture has always been a priority. Ours is a climate of extremes, from drought to flood and from torrential cyclones to devastating fire.

Water solutions need to be flexible and multi-disciplinary, we need infrastructure that can cope with adversity.

Total Eden’s water solutions network is an integral part of the industry, we can

deliver robust infrastructure, and work with customers in tailoring solutions to unique circumstances.

We strive to meet the evolving needs of agribusiness through continued innovation which considers current and future social, ecological and economic conditions.

Effective management of water is key to the success of the agriculture industry.

www.totaleden.com.au

37 locations across Australia

events

AGRICULTURAL EVENTS ROUND-UP IAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE/ AGRITECHNICA 2016

Irrigation Australia Limited’s annual gathering of industry heavyweights shares the spotlight with the first-ever Agritechnica Australia over three exciting days in late May. The annual gathering hosted by peak industry body Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL) will see 3,000-odd irrigation experts converge on Melbourne to discuss issues impacting the industry’s ‘prosperity and wellbeing’.

This year’s IAL Conference will address 10 key themes, including urban irrigation, new technology and efficiency investments, in keynote speeches and seminars helmed by national and global industry leaders, hands-on workshops and technical tours.

The accompanying free expo will be awash with cutting-edge innovations, emerging technologies and new products from top irrigation equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and key

INTERNATIONAL NUT AND DRIED FRUIT COUNCIL (INC) WORLD CONGRESS

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) World Congress, now in its 35th year, is billed as ‘the world’s greatest nut and dried fruit industry event’.

The annual INC Congress attracts delegates from around the world – dried fruit and nut producers, processors, distributors and marketers, leading academics and industry experts – for a lively exchange of information, ideas and business cards.

The conference component includes keynote speakers, roundtables, seminars and satellite sessions, as well as sessions and meetings tailored for members of the dried fruit industry and those of almonds, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios and peanuts.

service providers. You’ll also get to meet and mingle with expert advisors, product developers and influential reps from all levels of government. The extracurricular program includes networking drinks and an industry gala dinner.

The inaugural Agritechnica Australia, to be held alongside the IAL Conference, is a forum for sharing knowledge about how new agricultural tools and technology can help Aussie farmers ‘produce more with less’. A free exhibition will showcase the latest developments in precision agriculture, sensor tech, automated farm equipment and protected cropping – drones, driverless tractors and ag-bots; RTK navigation; biotechnology and biosecurity solutions; and closed ecological and ‘vertical farming’ systems. Check out high-tech ag solutions from around the world and discuss their finer points with experts in the field.

For more information or to register for the IAL and/or Agritechnica conferences, visit irrigationaustralia.com.au/conference

Here, you’ll get the latest industry stats and forecasts on crops, supply, consumption and market dynamics; new research findings on the health and nutritional benefits of dried fruits and nuts; and updates on food safety science and regulations.

Lunches, cocktail parties and extracurricular activities give delegates ample opportunity to network with fellow industry members; learn about the latest trends, challenges and opportunities; and discuss the sector’s hot topics with global decision-makers.

The Congress ends with a gala dinner in the Grand Hyatt’s ballroom at which the INC’s coveted Golden Nut Award will be announced.

Tours of San Diego’s attractions have been scheduled for non-attending guests.

For more information and/or to register your place for this year’s INC Congress, visit nutfruitcongress.org/sandiego2016

IAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE/ AGRITECHNICA 2016

WHERE: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Victoria WHEN: May 24–26, 2016

INTERNATIONAL NUT AND DRIED FRUIT COUNCIL (INC) WORLD CONGRESS WHERE: San Diego, California, US WHEN: May 30–June 1, 2016

RegionalBusinessReview

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From miner to manager...Dragon are hiring

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As a fly-in fly-out miner, working on remote mine camps Australia-wide can get tough! Provision of work may not always be available to you and organizing shifts amongst site managers can be stressful. The mining industry will often afford you with unsocial shift structures and this is where Dragon Labour Hire come in…

We specialise in the recruitment of construction-based jobs across Australia that are both sought after and financially rewarding.

From carpenter and foreman jobs to project and site manager jobs, Dragon has the work that fits to your circumstances. Our database holds a

list of some of the key players within Australia’s industry, so whether it’s a temporary or full time position you’re after, we can find you the right projects.

Dragon Labour Hire are interested in motivated and trade qualified individuals to join our dynamic team. We undertake projects of all sizes and a great deal of high end construction projects.

We foster constant development and opportunity to all of our employees. Whether you’re in business operations and want to partner up or if you’re looking for professional development, you’ve come to the right place.

Visit us at thedragongroup.com.au for more information or send over your details to jobs@thedragongroup.com.au

insidemining

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

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spotlight

Mining by

REMOTE

CONTROL

MINES ARE LOCATED FAR FROM COMFORTS AND, WHILE MINING JOBS ARE LUCRATIVE, CONDITIONS ON SITE CAN BE HAZARDOUS FOR HUMAN OPERATORS. IS REMOTE TECH THE ANSWER?

© Leica Geosystems

WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

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spotlight

© 2015 Caterpillar

LONG THE province of science fiction writers, operating a mine by remote control with maintenance staff the only humans on site may be closer than many of us think.

Whether it is big-ticket items such as autonomous haul trucks, drones, remote-controlled jumbos and drill rigs, or high-tech sensors scattered all over the mine site, safety concerns and increased productivity are driving research into and adoption of remote technology at a breakneck pace.

Mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector peak body Austmine CEO, Chris Gibbs Stewart, believes the advent of remote technology is nothing short of “a major step change” that will alter the industry forever.

“The miner of the future will need data skills and their IT background will be just as important as their mining engineering background, because the big-step changes in mining today are all about automation, robotics, simulation, visualisation and remote monitoring,” she says.

“Of course, overlaying all this is the data-collection ability inherent in all those technologies.”

Safety is a major driver in the development of remote technology in mining that makes it possible for automated machines and systems to take over many of the more dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs in mining, freeing human workers to take on less risky roles – such as monitoring and managing the site

(with its potentially harmful large machinery, unstable rock faces, explosions and other dangers inherent in mine sites, whether they’re underground or on the surface) from a cool, clean and comparatively riskfree remote location.

According to Gibbs Stewart, a lot of these new technologies “[are now being] controlled by someone sitting in an air-conditioned office several hundred kilometres away from the mine site”.

“It really is how mining is changing,” she says. “Most of the big companies operating in Western Australia now have their remote operations centre in Perth.”

What companies are also discovering as they deploy this new technology is that as well as

It is possible for automated machines and systems to take over many of the more dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs in mining.

Coppabella Village.

14 Civeo’s RegionalBusinessReview

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spotlight

© Leica Geosystems

being safer, it’s more efficient and improves productivity.

Following the downturn in commodity prices over the past couple of years, mining companies are looking at ways to drive down their costs, and new technologies enabling remote working are one of the main ways to do that, says Gibbs Stewart.

The slowdown also gives companies the opportunity to make those changes, she notes.

When prices are good and there is strong demand for the product, the emphasis is on maintaining or increasing production – no company wants to shut down a site to implement a new technology that may or may not work.

Nevertheless, many of the productivity increases achieved using remote technology are hardwon through intensive research and innovation, says CRCmining Chief Opportunity Officer Kevin Greenwood.

Greenwood cites, as an example, a recent CRCmining research project that used an innovative method to help automated, remotely controlled bulldozers’ performance match that of ’dozers driven by skilled human operators.

“With something like a bulldozer, when you take a human off the machine and operate it remotely, the productivity drops substantially – by about 40 per cent.

So some of the research we’ve been doing is trying to work out why this happens,” Greenwood explains.

“What we found out is that a good bulldozer operator relies on a bunch of different sensory inputs as they’re operating the machine. They can hear and see what it is doing, of course, but also feel things – like the pitch and angle of the machine.”

Leica J3 Autonomous Remote Control Unit

CRCmining’s bulldozer project team was able to recreate the sensory input received by bulldozer operators on mine sites by attaching a ’dozer driver’s seat to a remotely located platform similar to those you might find in a highend computer-game simulator.

By experimenting with the feedback – dialling up or down the sensations the driver experiences, CRCmining researchers were able to determine the main sensory inputs a ’dozer operator needs to do the job remotely.

Over time, the researchers were able to use these simulated sensory cues – visual, auditory and motion – to improve the productivity of the remotely controlled bulldozer to the point where it exceeded that of a machine with a real-live operator sitting on it.

All this technology is in the process of being implemented in Caterpillar’s remote-controlled ’dozing solutions, Greenwood says, but is not quite out on site yet.

Another remote technology CRCmining is hard at work on uses fibre-optic sensors to figure out what’s happening out on the mine site. The advantage of fibre optics, says Greenwood, is that it is a distributed sensor system.

Many of the productivity increases achieved using remote technology are hard-won through intensive research and innovation.

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“It can be put in place all along the areas you’re trying to measure,” he explains.

Flexible, energy-friendly fibre optics have many potential applications in mining, Greenwood says.

“One project we’re working on currently is using fibre-optic technology to monitor conveyors. It measures the noise level on the belt idlers, so it’s like having thousands of microphones along the path of the conveyor,” he explains.

“And we’re finding we can predict the failure of components such as idlers.”

On mine sites, this technology promises to provide personnel with the data they need to schedule timely maintenance – such as to replace a worn part before it breaks rather than waiting for it to fail and then having to replace it, with all the lost production and safety issues that entails.

“It’s early days, but research is advancing very rapidly and it’s looking very positive,” Greenwood says.

With the pace of technological change in the mining sector quickening, one thing Stewart and Greenwood agree on is that the speed of innovation will also increase. Currently, it takes about 15 years for a completely new technology to be adopted, and Stewart says this cycle “really needs to be sped up”.

“We need to work on accelerating the innovation,” he says.

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HITACHI PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES itachi’s new ZW-5 wheel loaders has seen the range extend significantly upwards in capacity, bringing the efficiency and reliability of Hitachi wheel loaders to large quarries and the lower end of the mining market. The biggest model in the range is the 397kW ZW5505, with an operating weight of more than 47 tonnes and bucket capacity of up to 7.2m3. Other new models in the range are the ZW370-5 (289 kW, 34T, up to 6.2m3) and ZW330-5 (213 kW, 27T, up to 5.0m3).

With a broad range of Hitachi and John Deere wheel loaders, customers can choose a machine that directly caters to their job-site requirements and task demands. Wheel loaders are suitable for a wide range of applications across various industries due to their dynamic design, advanced technological features and myriad of optional attachments. Frank Gili, General Manager of Construction and Forestry Sales, from Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia says the machines share a number of features that enhance productivity, ease of operation and maintenance.

“The addition of these larger models makes our industry-leading wheel loader design available to a new range of customers in different applications,” Frank says.

“Like the rest of the models in the range, those at the big end are all about getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible, with no compromise on safety or comfort. For customers in the quarry and mining sectors where work happens around the clock, this level of reliability and ease of use is essential.”

For customers in the quarry and mining sectors where work happens around the clock, this level of reliability and ease of use is essential.

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safetyspecial

DEEP TROUBLE AS MINERS AND MACHINERY GO DEEPER UNDERGROUND IN MINES THAT HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR DECADES, THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH INCREASES. WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

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safetyspecial

ustralia is a developed mining environment, and while Australian underground mines may not have the longevity of Sweden’s Garpenberg (operating since 1354 – perhaps even earlier) or Bolivia’s Potosi (operating since 1546) deposits, many are ageing, and going deeper and further as a result.

Despite the technological advances of recent years, such as hydraulic pit props, the deeper a mine goes, the higher the geotechnical risk. And it’s also not just about technology. Leading occupational health and safety specialist Dr Marcus Cattani warns that we should never lose sight of the human factor when it comes to workplace health and safety.

According to CRCMining’s Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Greenwood, “Mines are getting deeper, stresses are getting higher and underground mining as a whole is getting more dangerous. So the question is whether it’s possible to design excavations that can resist or absorb the geological stresses so as to prevent cave-ins and maintain the integrity of shafts and tunnels.

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“It’s increasingly a concern because it’s a larger and larger problem for the industry – and we have to be able to solve those problems. [Meeting] the challenge, however, presents a whole new world of design of mines and design of ground support.”

Getting humans out of and away from potentially hazardous machines underground completely is a fast-

and proximity detection systems to improve worker safety. A move to make this technology compulsory has been proposed in Queensland, too, but as yet, it is not in force.

A focus of CRCMining is finding viable ways to make underground mining safer, such as changing the formulations of materials or the way technology operates so as to eliminate or reduce the risk.

Mines are getting deeper, stresses are getting higher and underground mining as a whole is getting more dangerous. growing trend; however, even with automated machinery and ‘intelligent’ IoT systems, there is still the risk of machine-to-machine damage occurring, or of someone on the mine site being harmed or killed by an autonomous machine merely as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One technology that has the potential to reduce this risk greatly is that of collision avoidance and automatic stopping systems. Already, the United States and South Africa have made it mandatory for mine sites to implement collision avoidance

The company has done a lot of work on blasting compounds, Greenwood notes “In Australia, we use ammonium nitrate explosives which produce noxious fumes,” he says.

Greenwood says CRCMining is working on a new formulation that has characteristics similar to those of ammonium nitrate explosives, and “may turn out to actually be less expensive to produce, but does not produce the noxious fumes.”

The use of such a compound would greatly reduce the risk to underground miners as well as the

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time to empty a mine after a blast.

“There’s always an amount of time you lose when you blast,” says Greenwood, “and there is always the risk of noxious fumes getting trapped [in an air pocket or some other sort of anomaly].”

Another technology CRCMining developed to help make working in underground mines safer – the oscillating disc cutter (ODC) – is already in production.

The ODC was licenced to Joy Global in 2006, with the company now marketing it as the Dynacut.

The ODC was developed in a bid to reduce the process of having jumbos go in to drill a blasting pattern, blasting etc. “It’s dangerous because it’s blasting,” says Greenwood, and after you’ve hauled out all the ore, you need to do it all over again.

“CRCMining’s research was trying to eliminate this process completely by going to a cutting process that works more like the techniques used in coal mines. This has proved to be really

exciting new technology. Not only is it safer, but the extraction rates are higher and the energy use is much lower, making it more productive all round.”

Technology such as better engineering and design, collision avoidance and automatic stopping systems, improved blasting compounds and new ways of cutting shafts, are safer or will increase mining safety underground. Nevertheless, Dr Cattani warns that the dismissal of ‘people skills’ such as leadership and good communication in the mining industry is a significant contributing factor in safety issues.

Dr Cattani, whose eight-step The JOURNEY Program™ has become a model in safety leadership training since it was released in 2012, believes

that ultimately, leadership is critical.

“In OH&S, the trend is to put the emphasis on the leadership team,” he contends. “That team will have to have an understanding of safety and how effective the company’s measures are. To do this they will have to be involved in management of risk of injury, and that’s been shown over and over again to be a useful thing.”

While this has been a trend in companies that really ‘walk the walk’ on safety, Dr Cattani sees that a new trend in work health and safety legislation is to emphasise and define the role of the leadership team, and he believes this cannot help but have a positive impact on the assessment of risk on mine sites.

“Not only is it safer, but the extraction rates are higher and the energy use is much lower, making it more productive all round.”

RegionalBusinessReview

23

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MASTER OF ALL TRADES andvik has a complete offering for mass mining, from underground drilling, loading and hauling, to crushing, screening and the latest in automation and clean energy technology.

As a Platinum Sponsor of the 7th International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (Mass Min 2016), we will be showcasing our world-leading equipment and technology at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, May 9-11.

On display will be the new DD422i development drill rig, as part of its official Australian launch. The DD422i has recently completed successful trials underground at Northern Star’s Jundee mine site in Western Australia receiving exceptional feedback from contractor Byrnecut. See our Underground Drilling experts at Mass Min 2016 to find out more about the DD422i’s revolutionary drilling and boom control system, highly ergonomic cabin, improved carrier and wide range of Automation levels.

Sandvik’s TH663 truck and LH621 loader will also be on display at Mass Min 2016, representing the latest in underground loading and hauling technology and launching Sandvik’s collaboration with Volvo Penta engines. See our

machines in action underground through our live streaming channel, broadcast from Northparkes Mines in NSW. As leaders in underground fleet automation systems, our ‘Automation Chair’ display is not to be missed, as we demonstrate automated operation of our load and haul equipment in Sandvik’s test mine in Finland, without leaving the Sandvik booth at Mass Min. Sandvik’s Optimine Monitoring system technology will also be showcased at Mass Min, with a live streaming channel from Finch mine in Canada demonstrating real-time data collection across Sandvik’s underground loaders, trucks, drill rigs and road headers.

Sandvik has a complete offering for mass mining, from underground drilling, loading and hauling, to crushing, screening and the latest in automation and clean energy technology.

RegionalBusinessReview

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affected by poor reception, good mobile coverage, not just in rural areas but in urban areas affected by poor signal strength. It also allows people to take advantage of the benefits of 4G broadband by maximising data bandwidth. The device can have an instant and dramatic effect.” said General Manager for Cel-Fi Australia’s distributor, Scott Hampton.

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OIL&GAS INNOVATION GOES DIGITAL

IN THE MIDST OF A CYCLICAL DOWNTURN, SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS OIL AND GAS EXECUTIVES HAVE TO MAKE WILL BE ABOUT INVESTMENT IN INNOVATION. WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

RegionalBusinessReview

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specialreport

THERE IS NO doubt that the resources and energy industry is in the midst of a cyclic downturn.

According to the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’s Resources and Energy Quarterly (December Quarter 2015), this financial year, “Australia’s export earnings from resources and energy commodities are forecast to decline by 4 per cent to $166 billion as an increase in export volumes, particularly LNG and iron ore, are more than offset by lower prices.

“LNG export volumes are forecast to increase by 45 per cent to 36 million tonnes following the commissioning of the Queensland Curtis LNG project and the start of production at the Gladstone LNG project.

“While the Australian dollar is assumed to depreciate, it is unlikely to mitigate the effect of lower prices on Australia’s export earnings.”

Such an environment presents

companies with challenges but also opportunities. Lower prices reduce revenue but the general slowdown gets companies off the ‘get it out of the ground and ship faster, faster, faster’ treadmill.

This means that oil and gas company management needs to walk a fine line between cutting costs and increasing productivity, and investing in innovation. Any innovations implemented now are what will set oil and gas companies up for even greater profitability come the next boom.

The latest issue of Lloyd’s Register’s energy, oil and gas Technology Radar research series, ‘Innovating in a New Environment 2015’, argues that “Dropping or postponing a project today may help the bottom line in the short term, but it could impair the company’s ability to find and exploit new reserves of oil and gas tomorrow.

Downturn or not, the reality remains that future reserves will

be harder to reach and ever more expensive to get out of the ground.

“Business leaders in the industry are not shying away from making tough decisions, judging by the large number of major development projects being shelved – and, as this study finds, the technology innovation initiatives being put on ice. Cost reduction and improved operating efficiency are the watchwords for oil and gas innovation today.”

While oil and gas innovation is far from frozen even in today’s difficult environment, it is indicative of the environment that 47 per cent of the oil and gas executives interviewed for the LRE report say they have fallen short of their innovation goals – double the amount cited in the 2014 report.

It is not all doom and gloom, however. While the bar remains high for new investment in expensive production technology, the digital revolution that has

Any innovations implemented now are what will set oil and gas companies up for even greater profitability come the next boom.

28

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already changed the way many other industries operate is finally making inroads with the resources sector.

The adoption of simulation and visualisation technologies have been major trends across all resource industries for some time now – even during the heady years of the boom.

In particular, rapidly maturating advanced data technologies are now having an impact. These technologies are generally not expensive to deploy, can readily be outsourced to providers such as IBM’s Watson cognitive computing system and offer near-term gains in efficiency improvement.

Digital and data underpin some of the key initiatives technology leaders are hoping to push in their firms, with one of the major projects coming out of Australia’s largest oil and gas company, Woodside Petroleum.

Beginning in 2014, Woodside has established the Woodside Innovation and Technology Hub (WITH) under Silicon Valley veteran Shaun Gregory. Speaking at an event in Perth in August 2015

that was widely reported by the ABC and other outlets, Gregory has credited artificial intelligence (AI) technology with giving the company a competitive edge in tough market conditions.

Gregory asserts that Woodside’s analytics platform is now larger than Twitter’s and that a search for data that once would have taken days now takes just seconds because the AI is so efficient.

At the event, Gregory also revealed that the company is developing algorithms that will be able to predict when a system requires maintenance or a component has a high probability of failure. “[Algorithms] are making a prediction, they can also selfanalyse how successful they are,

so they track their own success rate and they can publish themselves ‘that I’m not good enough’,” Gregory said, according to the ABC website.

Because of this process of feedback, monitoring and evolution, in a matter of months the algorithms had become much more efficient and were now up to 85 per cent accurate.

Gregory reportedly said, “The biggest thing we have seen in the past 12 months has been digital and the evolution of computing, artificial intelligence, big data analysis. We now predict that events are going to happen in one week, one month, three months’ time and intercept the failure before it happens, so you get a whole lot more efficiency and maintenance and increased production.”

The adoption of simulation and visualisation technologies have been major trends across all resource industries for some time now.

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education

Insights into some of the best education institutions in the country.

advertorial

THE MBA WITH A GREAT SOCIAL SCENE BARS, HIGH TEA, CYCLING AND AN MBA BALL — UWA’S SOCIAL SCENE HAS IT ALL tudents embarking on a Master of Business Administration (MBA) know they are in for years of hard study.

But what new students may not expect is to make enduring friendships and have a ball at bars, cycling trips and other social events.

At The University of Western Australia Business School, the MBA Social Club gives its members the opportunity to escape from the stresses of study and chat like old friends.

UWA MBA students Adrian Bland, Tarmianne Marshall and Tomy Hwang founded the club three years ago.

The club’s goal, explains Hwang, was to help students to make strong friendships.

“Our core purpose has always been about making friendships that last. We understand how important it is to network in your professional life, but sometimes people also need a friend who understands the issues and can be confided in when

networking, CV writing, interviews, case the going gets tough,” Hwang said.

“Friends outside university often don’t studies and other areas which help MBA understand the stress of papers being graduates land sought after jobs.

“Employers are looking for future due, group assignment dynamics, and leaders who are strategic thinkers, the looming threat of exams. The club have a strong sense of integrity and also provides a social outlet whereby everyone have inner strengths such is experiencing the same stresses and challenges.

Beyond social as intellectual curiosity and a clear set of values,” Instead of making networks, events, UWA McClurg explained. you can walk away having With the vast majority made some genuine MBA students of UWA MBA students friendships,” Marshall added.

“The inaugural ball (held also have access working full-time while they in 2015) was by far our to a range of study - and often looking largest and most ambitious for promotions or to move professional event. We filled the Astral into new industries – the Ballroom at Crown Perth, development combination of flexible study, and it was a fabulous night.” professional development opportunities. opportunities and an active Beyond social events, UWA MBA students also social club means that have access to a range of professional students can enjoy their time at the UWA development opportunities.

Business School.

UWA MBA Career Services Manager Tracey McClurg believes it is important To learn more about the UWA MBA, visit mba.uwa.edu.au for students to gain a range of skills in

RegionalBusinessReview

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advertorial

TEENAGE STAR MAKES HIS MUSICAL MARK ON DOWNLANDS t’s been a huge year for talented singer, Jeremy Beamish. Relocating from the Gold Coast just a year ago, Jeremy is now in his senior year at Downlands College, a newly elected Cultural Captain and is also about to play the lead role in Les Misérables.

Downlands was top of the school options list as Jeremy’s mother, Liza Beamish, is a Downlands Past Student with fond memories of her time at the College.

However it was the strong Arts program and inclusive, welcoming attitude of everyone they met that made the decision a lot easier.

Jeremy is particularly excited about being awarded the role of Jean Valjean in the upcoming College musical Les Misérables.

“To be cast as the lead in Les Misérables is a huge compliment. There are so many really talented singers and performers at Downlands, so it’s quite an honour to be given such an integral role like Jean Valjean,” said Jeremy.

Downlands Head of the Arts and Musical Director, Mr Shane Tooley, is

also a Past Student of the College, and said he chose this particular musical for a few reasons.

“I selected Les Misérables because of its powerful storyline and music, and it was a natural choice for the vast array of talent we currently have on offer. It is the world’s most beloved musical, and I believe it will be the musical students talk about well after our final performance,” Mr Tooley explains.

Choosing a challenging musical is only one part of Mr Tooley’s upcoming plans for progressing Performing Arts at the College.

“We have already made a few changes in Performing Arts, including new ensembles and a Middle School Drama Club.”

“Combined with the Dance Troupe which was introduced in 2015, and our existing ensembles, I believe we have one of the strongest and most diverse co-curricular Performing Arts offerings available,” Mr Tooley said.

The diverse Performing Arts program at Downlands is only one of the many choices available to students. The College boasts one of the broadest academic curriculum on

offer within the Darling Downs, along with an extensive range of co-curricular activities and sport to cater for many interests.

While making the most of the opportunities presented at school, Jeremy and his brother, Ben, also write and perform their own songs as ‘The Beamish Boys’. They have already enjoyed success, having written a song for the 2018 Commonwealth Games sizzler reel; featuring on the television program Sunrise; and founding their own company, Next Generation Music.

As for Jeremy, he already has his future planned out, “I would love to be a professional singer. I love performing and writing songs, so I hope one day to tour the world doing what I love”.

BREAKING NEWS: Former Wallaby and Downlands Past Student, Garrick Morgan, has been appointed as Director of Rugby for 2016. Garrick will oversee coaching and plans to build one of the best Australian school rugby programs at Downlands College.

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Open Day Saturday 21 May, 2016 Register at www.nudgee.com St Joseph’s Nudgee College A Brisbane boys’ day and boarding school for Years 5 to 12 in the Edmund Rice Tradition enrolments@nudgee.com · 07 3865 0555

advertorial

INTRODUCING THE KNOX SENIOR SECONDARY ACADEMY

STUDENTS AND STAFF RETURNING TO KNOX GRAMMAR IN WAHROONGA, SYDNEY, AT THE START OF TERM 3 HAD AN EXTRA SPRING IN THEIR STEP WITH THE OPENING OF A GROUND-BREAKING NEW FACILITY. fter more than 18 months’ construction, the a modern library; a 150-seat lecture theatre and state-ofKnox Grammar Senior Secondary Academy the-art Science labs. The facility also has modern Finance (KSSA) threw open its doors for the first time. and Legal Studies classrooms, including a space that has The KSSA is more than been modelled on a corporate boardroom. a new building, in the six months since “The facility does illustrate that ‘Knox is A key it opened there has been a massive innovation wrapped in tradition’,” said the inspiration for Headmaster. transformation in the culture and ethic of the design of the A key inspiration for the design of the senior students at Knox.

“The Academy has been designed to meet Academy was Academy was ‘Social Learning Theory’. This the specific learning needs of Year 11 and 12 concept, developed by Stamford University students as they transition from school to the ‘Social Learning psychology professor Albert Bandura, says that more independent world of future studies,” Theory’. This behaviour is learned from the environment said Knox Headmaster John Weeks. concept says through the process of observational learning.

Over the spring school holidays, the KSSA The Academy provides many new that behaviour was also open for boys in Year 12 to use as a innovative opportunities, especially for Boarders. For example, the new Year 11 and is learned from place to prepare for the HSC examinations, and many boys took up this opportunity.

12 library in the KSSA has extended opening the environment The feedback from Knox staff has also hours from early in the morning until late in through the been wonderful, with the teachers enjoying the evening, with specialist staff available to working in a fresh, modern workplace, with provide extra tuition and academic support. process of new spaces to try innovative teaching practice, The facade of the Academy has been observational such as team teaching. designed in the style of ‘Scottish Baronial’ architecture but inside the building you will learning For more information and to watch a video find flexible learning spaces, new technology about the KSSA, visit www.knox.nsw.edu.au/kssa. and passionate, creative teachers dedicated to the boys’ To book a tour of the new Knox Senior Secondary academic success.

Academy or the Knox Boarding House, please contact Some of the key features of the KSSA include a large Mr Martin Gooding, Head of Enrolments, on Seniors Hall used by students for group and individual 02 9473 9768 or goodingm@knox.nsw.edu.au. study, recreation and for meetings with students and staff; RegionalBusinessReview

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Discover what you can do Whether you’re on a computer, or any other mobile device, you can now learn when and where you want.

At TAFE NSW Riverina Institute we understand that studying on campus, or in a classroom, isn’t always possible. That’s why we offer a

collaborative online learning environment with exceptional support. You’ll learn with state-ofthe-art online technologies, extensive resources and a connected online learning community.

So why not discover what you can do online today! Call us or visit our website for more information on the huge range of courses available.

1300 TAFE RI (1300 8233 74) rit.tafensw.edu.au/online

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YOUR WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY STARTS WITH ONLINE LEARNING AT TAFE NSW RIVERNIA INSITUTE hen Helen Coles started her online educational journey, little did she know that on completion of her Diploma she would be awarded the TAFE NSW Riverina Institute 2015 Outstanding Student Achievement Award and continue on to be recognised at the NSW Excellence in Surveying and Spatial Information Awards as TAFE Student of the Year.

Based in Brisbane, Helen enrolled in the Diploma of Spatial Information Services which is delivered from Riverina Institute’s National Environment Centre on the outskirts of Albury, New South Wales.

Helen’s goal was to provide herself with further career options in the field of spatial science.

“Throughout my career I have used Geographic Information Systems software for mapping, however I always suspected the software I was using was capable of so much more”.

“I began researching spatial education available to off-campus

students. The online diploma offered

by Riverina Institute had no equal.

The subjects available are outstanding, providing a thorough education in all areas expected of a spatial career”.

Helen attributed her achievements while studying online to the quality of training she received from Riverina Institute while getting continuous support from her teachers.

“The teachers who guided me through my studies at Riverina Institute are all first class in my opinion”.

Riverina Institute has many success stories like Helen’s when it comes to online learning.

Our expert teachers maintain strong links to industry, which means Riverina Institute adapts and customises training to provide industry-current skills.

No matter what stage you are in your career, business and life – starting or upgrading your career, returning to work, needing new workplace skills, learning new skills to fuel your personal interests – our online learning options can offer you educational solutions that support

your personal career growth.

At Riverina Institute we have focused our online courses on areas in which we specialise, where we have a point of difference from other educational providers.

Courses range from Civil Construction, Water Operations and Spatial Technologies to Community Services, Aged Care and Disability Support. There is a vast array of business courses ranging from Certificate II in Business to Advanced Diploma of Leadership Management, Human Resource Management and Public Safety (Emergency Management).

We aim to provide access to education for everyone, no matter where you are.

To see our full range of online learning options please visit our website at www. rit.tafensw.edu.au/online or you can call our customer service staff on 1300 8233 74 to discuss your training needs.

We look forward to meeting you online at Riverina Institute.

RegionalBusinessReview

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Education Advertisement

advertorial

STAYING CONNECTED ome to 160 Boarders, Stuartholme is small enough for each student to be personally known, yet large enough to offer extensive opportunities.

As Brisbane’s only Catholic girls’ boarding school, Stuartholme’s boarding community offers students a rich experience of cultural and social diversity with girls coming from rural and remote areas of Qld and NSW as well as many corners of the globe including Dubai, Madagascar, China, and PNG. A culture of welcome, inclusion and kindness is emphasised at Stuartholme and boarders’ learn the life-long skills of communication and respect.

Principal, Kristen Sharpe explains that a key to making the girls feel comfortable in their ‘home-away-from-

home’ is to make sure they are still connected to their families, no matter how far away.

“We have fully embraced the use of technology to keep parents and students connected,” Kristen said.

An online learning system is accessed by parents who can review their daughter’s progress in real time.

Academic results are uploaded regularly allowing parents to monitor their daughter’s progress throughout the year, not just when reports are issued.

In keeping with its emphasis on education of the whole person, Stuartholme offers girls an extensive cocurricular program including equestrian, rowing, netball, water polo, music and drama as well as social justice and service learning opportunities.

Boarders can volunteer at a refugee homework club at Yeronga State High School, Orange Sky Laundry and also at an annual Sony Camp for disabled children.

Boarding families stay in touch with this vast array of activities through regular updates on a Boarding Community Facebook page as well as the School Facebook page.

As Andree Rice, Deputy Principal Mission and Boarding comments, “Parents feel so much more connected through the use of our Facebook page.

They can see the way that Stuartholme Boarding is extending their daughters and encouraging them to be the best they can be.”

Find out more on the School website www.stuartholme.com

A culture of welcome, inclusion and kindness is emphasised at Stuartholme and boarders’ learn the life-long skills of communication and respect.

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MARIST COLLEGE ASHGROVE A Catholic boys’ day and boarding College in the Marist Tradition since 1940

“There is a strong sense of belonging, I feel like I am part of a community.”

(Year 12 student, Marist College Ashgrove)

Boarders are the ‘heart and soul’ of our College We strive to ensure that boarding at Marist is a safe, rewarding and socially satisfying experience where boys from a diverse range of backgrounds learn to live, play, work and pray together.

Marist is unique in that most of our 200 boarders are resident seven days a week during term time.

This means we’re able to offer an exceptionally wide range of academic, sporting and recreational opportunities. The consistency, camaraderie and care provided by this model is something parents have told us they want for their sons.

Only seven kilometres from Brisbane CBD, the College is located on 22 hectares of land rich in native flora and fauna. We offer state-of-the-art music, drama, learning and sports facilities, a brand new Olympicsize heated water sports complex as well as recently refurbished boarding residences.

Book a tour of Marist College Ashgrove today - phone 07 3858 4507, email enrol@marash.qld.edu.au or visit us online www.marash.qld.edu.au

advertorial

HOW DO STUDENTS VIEW LIFE AT MARIST COLLEGE ASHGROVE? ory McHugh (shown right) comes from a large family who have attended Marist College Ashgrove. He was selected as College Vice Captain in his senior year and, as a student leader and boarder, was actively involved in school life.

We recently asked students to reflect on their time at the College. This is what Rory had to say: What did you like most about attending Marist College Ashgrove? “Boarding has definitely been one of the most memorable and enjoyable aspects,” reflects Rory. “I have loved being able to live, study and play with my closet 50 mates 24/7.”

“I feel immense attachment to the school. This place has been my home away from home for five years. It has made up the most part of my identity as a person and a man and for that I am deeply grateful. I will forever have fond memories of this place and lifetime friendships to hold on to. Words can’t really say or show it but the pride is extremely present within me and intertwined into my DNA.” “As a boarder I’ve been involved in College activities to the tenfold compared

to day students. The education at school is very diverse, there’s a wide program that supports everyone and is so much more than learning the maths textbook from back to front. Its religious, communal, intellectual, social and a good system that honestly does develop good young Marist men.

I think that pastorally as well as academically the school offers a brilliant and balanced education.”

How do you think Marist compares to other schools? “Our school spirit is super strong. Positive school culture is one of the things I’ve noticed differentiates us from other schools. Tradition here is that everyone’s involved in the success of the school. If you didn’t make the team, you’re still there every weekend to support and back your mates. That’s the big thing here, no matter what you’re doing or who you are, you’ll always have the school behind you believing in you, wanting you to strive and get the A or score the try. Our diversity in people and cultures is supported immensely well. And I have the greatest respect for our teachers, they are just so generous, kind and eager to help out with

school work, general life assistance, sports and social activities.”

What’s been your most exciting experience? “It’s been thrilling being part of the Swarm (Marist’s sports crowd).

When we lift and everyone goes crazy, yelling war cries and chanting loudly to support the boys, and then the team lifts and we get the win! It’s such a sweet feeling recalling those moments.”

Your favourite activity? “As awesome as the sports, my favourite activity is the MATES ministry program. It’s this brilliant set up where different grades and our school collectively get out into the wider community and help others in need of support. It’s been a societal eye-opener, rewarding me with a deeper understanding and view of society outside the grounds of the school.”

Rory’s brothers, uncles and cousins have attended Marist. Does he wish to keep this family tradition alive?

“Absolutely,” he says, “If I were to have a son one day, I would send him here. I think it’s an experience all boys should go through in life, if possible. At least, it’s something I wish for my blood to do. It’s a place where I can be proud of who they’ll become, what they’ll learn, their faith development, memories and friendships gained, definitely something I’d want for my son.”

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Dubbo Christian School was established in 1983 and offers Bible-based and Christ centred schooling for children aged 3 years to Year 12 in Sheraton Road Dubbo in beautiful surroundings with great facilities.

K-6 schooling is also offered at Wellington Christian School, which is managed by Dubbo Christian School. We are delighted to now also offer boarding for Years 7-12 students from rural and remote areas.

BOARDING FACILITIES (7-12) 2016 POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Call us to arrange a school tour anytime!

www.dubbocs.edu.au

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DUBBO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ubbo Christian School commenced managing Pumula Lodge at the beginning of 2015 and can now offer boarding at this 16-resident student hostel situated just 5 minutes from the school. Boarding is available for students in Years 7-12 from rural and remote areas who attend Dubbo Christian School.

Features of Pumula Lodge include 5-day boarding, full-time Christian house-parents, with pastoral and academic support. Also, transport is provided to and from Dubbo Christian School each day.

Dubbo Christian School commenced in 1983 and is set in beautiful grounds in Sheraton Road Dubbo. With a passionate and committed staff and a 570-strong student cohort, facilities include a 900 seat auditorium, Library Resource Centre and Gymnasium as

well as pre-Kindergarten programs.

We offer a full curriculum and senior studies program, providing an enriching schooling experience right through to the HSC. The purchase of land surrounding the school will allow us to meet our strategic master-planning goals for further expansion. In 2014 we took over the operation of Wellington Christian School – a small school in the picturesque town of Wellington, just 30 minutes down the Mitchell Highway.

A visit to Dubbo Christian School today reveals a caring learning community seeking to live out our

mission ‘To provide quality schooling which is Bible-based and Christcentred’. We are blessed with a positive, caring school culture that flows out of our commitment to Christ.

We’re about partnering with parents to prepare students for life after school in terms of academic preparation and whole of life preparation through service, faith and character.

Picture your family as part of the great Dubbo Christian School learning community - call us on 6882 0044 (ext 153) if you would like to find our more, or take a look around our school and boarding facility.

We’re about partnering with parents to prepare students for life after school in terms of academic preparation and whole of life preparation through service, faith and character.

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FRENSHAM STEM: F1 in Schools Engineering Challenge

Cambridge University Global Perspectives

Year 9 Challenge Jamieson Programme

A member of the UK Boarding Schools’ Association

Fit for the Future The Centenary Pool

CHARACTER LEADERSHIP ACADEMIC ASPIRATION

SAMPLE BOARDING – 15 & 16 September 2016

+61 2 4860 2000 registrar@frensham.nsw.edu.au MITTAGONG NSW 2575 AUSTRALIA

Scholarships, including ACER, and Educational Grants

www.frensham.nsw.edu.au

Contact the Registrar to enquire re:

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PREPARING GIRLS FOR THEIR FUTURE NOT OUR PAST... rensham is an outward-looking and forward-thinking boarding school that provides a rigorous and personalised academic programme, with meaningful, lifelong and valued connections.

In an inspiring culture and spectacular living and learning environment, girls are challenged and supported to develop the skills and willingness to make a difference in the world. Frensham has an unwavering commitment to inspiring girls to be fit for the future – physically, mentally and in terms of their character and values in action.

Parents confirm that the key drivers for selecting Frensham for their daughters are: recommendations from past students and current or past parents ~ values and culture of the school ~ academic standards ~ character and leadership development ~ teacher quality ~ high expectation of students ~ fitness and wellbeing focus ~ personalised approach.

Frensham’s academic programme and studies environment are focused on best-practice and ‘next practice’ in a global context. We expect to be measured by our strength in three key areas: quality of teachers, quality of professional learning and resources for teachers, and quality of the personalised approach to the support and guidance of students - and we have outstanding teachers - in the classroom and, equally importantly, in our Houses.

World best-practice confirms that the best teachers have strong academic records and good qualifications but they must also be really good people who ‘like and have the ability to be an inspirer of children’.

and whole-school needs. Our unique Jamieson Programme sees all of Year 9 participate in the Cambridge *IGCSE Global Perspectives course and Year 10 complete the high level AS General course, also offered through Cambridge.

Core to our approach to teaching and learning is the deeply considered support of each girl’s growth on an individual, personal basis; progress and achievement are monitored closely, in a data-driven approach to enhancing understanding of individual talents and needs.

Defining qualities of academic excellence include intellectual curiosity, discernment, courage and grit.

Unique Features: • Frensham’s Sturt Campus, provides world-class, innovative and inspired interdisciplinary STEM programmes in the areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics, entrepreneurship and design.

• 310 individual music lessons (for 340 girls) are taught weekly by a college of professional tutors, supporting an environment where independent study

and practice of instrumental and vocal music are integral to daily life.

• A bonus for Frensham is full involvement in the weekly Sydneybased Girls School Sports competition (IGSSA), with home grounds to accommodate extraordinarily high participation in team sports.

• At 102 years old, Frensham is one of the largest boarding schools for girls in the world and House life is central to the School experience for every girl.

For rural and regional families: • Frensham provides world class education in a spectacular setting.

• Three new former School of the Air boarders started in Year 7, 2016 (from Broken Hill, Mt Isa and Hillston - in a cohort of 30 boarders).

• In Year 12, 48 of the total enrolment of 57 girls are boarders.

Frensham is a boarding school, not a school with boarders, unique in Australia with more than seventy percent of the total school enrolment of 340 girls in residence.

Defining qualities of academic excellence include intellectual curiosity, discernment, courage and grit

Frensham takes advantage of opportunities to build links internationally for students and staff while also personalising the curriculum to meet individual student *International General Certificate of Secondary Education RegionalBusinessReview

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Aquinas Catholic residential college is for tertiary students who are looking to reside with others and who have positive ideals and a determination to succeed.

Situated close to the Adelaide CBD, it is a home for students who attend South Australia’s three universities.

Contact us today for more information

Aquinas Catholic College

Enro are no lments w accep being for th ted acade e 2017 mic ye ar.

T +61 8 8334 5000 E admin@aquinas.edu.au www.aquinas.edu.au

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AQUINAS COLLEGE: SITUATED ON MONTEFIORE HILL OVERLOOKING THE ADELAIDE OVAL quinas College is a Catholic Residential College which provides a home for over 200 tertiary students who study at one of South Australia’s three major tertiary institutions; the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, and the University of South Australia.

Aquinas College provides an opportunity for young women and men to develop their talents to their full capacity, to form critical minds and compassionate hearts, and to become effective leaders mature in faith and committed to justice in this world.

Aquinas College is named after Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican medieval philosopher whose giant intellect dominated philosophical discussion for many hundreds of years. He was a fine teacher and encouraged students to ask questions and seek truth.

While the students live their own lives, the security, stability and

convenience offered by the College and the sharing of common interests are certainly a significant factor in the high academic success of Aquinas students.

Academic support is provided in several ways. As well as the College tutorials, peer support is available in most subjects from students in the same year or students who have recently completed courses. Academic reviews are conducted by College staff and former Aquinas College students. In these reviews students are given the opportunity to reflect on their academic progress and to seek guidance if needed.

Recognition is also given to all who do well; prizes are given to the top student in each area of study and Academic Scholarships are awarded to the top students of each year level.

In keeping with Catholic social justice teaching, Aquinas College aims to promote “a faith that seeks justice” in all students. An Outreach Programme

enables students to engage in activities that help others who are less fortunate than themselves. This commitment can take a variety of forms and may include: advocacy, community awareness raising, fundraising, tutoring, or the provision of direct service such as volunteer work in a soup-kitchen, hospital or other charitable organisations.

Aquinas provides a safe and family like environment where students are encouraged to not only focus on their studies and future careers, but also to live a healthy and ethical lifestyle through personal fitness, social activities and sporting opportunities.

Enrolments for 2017 are now being processed. More information can be obtained through the Aquinas College website, www.aquinas.edu. au or contact the College Admissions Officer on 08 8344 5000 or admin@ aquinas.edu.au

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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:

IDENTIFYING, BELONGING AND ACHIEVING ranbrook School is an Anglican independent day and boarding school for boys, Pre-school to Year 12 located in Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Our two Boarding Houses promote a close, family-like environment so boys feel confident and secure.

Leadership, cross-age interaction, camaraderie and a strong sense of belonging to their ‘home away from home’ are cultivated as the boys experience boarding together. 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.

The sense of belonging and being part of the boarding family develops quickly for the boys as they are immersed into the many weekend boarding activities.

Archie Hyles, a Year 7 boarder from Bookham, joined Cranbrook at the beginning of this year and has quickly

settled into boarding life. He attributes this to the ‘the boys in the House making you feel at home and part of the family.

The older boys look out for you in and around the school.’

With access to exceptional facilities and learning opportunities, boarding offers a whole education that empowers boys to recognise their own unique potential.

Supported by an outstanding boarding academic team, the opportunities for learning beyond the classroom are extensive. Talking about his own experiences as a Cranbrook Year 11 boarder and Second Head Prefect is Ben Clarke from Port Macquarie who stated: ‘Boarding really opens up every opportunity to get involved in all aspects of school life and helps you find your niche; not only what you enjoy but what

you are really good at. Boarding is about learning new things, getting out of your comfort zone, and finding out what kind of person you can, and want to be.’

Boarders can easily access the early morning extension classes and academic clinics available at school. With no travel time to factor in to their timetable the boys can put extra effort into their study, sport, music or any of the other cocurricular activities they are interested in.

Cranbrook’s Director of Boarding, James Boyd, said: ‘Boarding at Cranbrook provides not only a level of academic advantage but also empowers the boys to recognise their own unique potential and learn valuable life skills such as independence, confidence, resilience, compassion and companionship. All of which are essential for life beyond school.’

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