Rex August/September 2017

TA K M E HO E ME

Aug/Sept 2017

BLUE HORIZON

Experience a pristine wilderness, abundant wildlife and oysters aplenty on the Sapphire Coast

Into the wild

Get up close and personal with our fantastic fauna

7 Aussie adventures

Action-packed experiences that aren’t for the faint of heart

AUTO REVIEW • ENTERTAINMENT • ART & CULTURE • MINING & INDUSTRY • EDUCATION

*Source: DHF Intralogistik Magazine 2016

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S O L U T I O N S

F O R

E V E R Y

P A L L E T®

Deniliquin, NSW

Get in ! touch EDITOR Zoe Meunier zoe.meunier@edge.agency ART DIRECTOR Guy Pendlebury ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS EDITOR Jiyan Dessens SUB-EDITOR Merran White PRODUCTION MANAGER Brian Ventour CONTRIBUTORS Darren Baguley, Michael Benn, Jiyan Dessens, Deborah DicksonSmith, Leah McLennan, Tim O'Reilly, Ben Smithurst, Rob Tibbett, Anna Warwick, Merran White PRINTER SOS Print & Media ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Scott Hunt Phone: 02 8962 2600 scott.hunt@edge.agency NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Peter Anderson Phone: 02 8962 2600 peter.anderson@edge.agency WA & NT ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Kylee Dixon Phone: 0421 022 004 kylee.dixon@edge.agency Nicole Prioste Phone: 0410 618 331 nicole.prioste@edge.agency MANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard Parker

Read and share Outthere online at issuu.com/edgeinflight

Editor's letter

W Cover image by Rob Mulally

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.

elcome to the August/September issue of Outthere – the year is flying by (quite literally, for those frequent flyers amongst you!).

This issue in Rex, we get lost in the fascinating Riverina town of Deniliquin.

While many people associate ‘Deni’ with its ute muster, the region has so much more to offer, from its natural wonders such as the lush Edward River and vast saltbush plains, to its rich local characters. We meet local Wamba Wamba woman Tracy Hamilton, who helped found the Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, which aims at passing down the elders’ knowledge to future generations; after which houseboating husband and wife team John and Denise Thomas, take us down the river on a houseboat John built with his own two hands.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we show you where you can have the most up-close and personal animal encounters around

Australia – if you’ve ever wanted to cuddle a koala, feed a lion, zipline over animal enclosures or observe wombats and wallabies in the wild, we’ll guide you in the right direction.

Adventure lovers, meanwhile, should head straight to our feature on seven of the most unique experiences around the nation.

Ever considered diving with great white sharks, wading with freshwater crocs or experiencing a cattle muster on horseback?

You will after reading this!

Enjoy getting Outthere!

Zoe Meunier, Editor

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contents

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06 Rex News 1 6 Port Profile

LIFESTYLE

Tee off on King Island.

1 9 Puzzles 2 3 Chasing the Blues

Sun, sea and seafood on the Sapphire Coast.

2 8 Discovering Deni

Rich in beauty and local characters, Deniliquin will captivate your soul.

01 ENTERTAINMENT 03 WHAT'S ON 04 CULTURE CLUB 08 HOT PRODUCTS 13 BIG NAMES, SMALL TOWNS The world's biggest chefs in the least likely places.

3 0 Beyond Brisbane

Discover Greater Brissie's bountiful food bowl.

DESTINATION 16

CRETACEOUS PARK Explore the ancient majesty of the Daintree and the many charms of Port Douglas.

23 CARAVAN PORT DOUGLAS Your guide to touring Far North Queensland.

25 WILD ENCOUNTERS Our best zoo experiences and where to have in-the-wild animal encounters.

35 7 AUSSIE ADVENTURES Unique experiences for action lovers and adrenalin seekers!

INDUSTRY 44 AUTO REVIEW The great ute shoot-out.

49 MINING: A NEW NORM? Have we reached the bottom of the mining cycle?

58 HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT Is it the solution the farming industry has been seeking?

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71 EDUCATION SPECIAL Top boarding schools and universities around Australia.

89 REX DIRECTORY Our pick of Australia's best offerings for travellers.

3

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DRINK YOUR BEER WHERE IT WAS BORN. Mallee born craft and easy drinking mainstream beers all on tap and set inside Mildura’s historic art deco style astor theatre. Enjoy casual lunch and dinner, cold beers and drinks right next to the brewhouse. Perfectly positioned in the heart of town, Mildura Brewery Pub is a must visit destination. It’s the home of great value meals and Mallee born beers.

Mildura Brewery Pub. 20 Langtree Avenue. Mildura Brewhouse, Bar, Casual dining, Entertainment and Brewhouse sales.

Telephone (03) 5021 5399

Bamaga NPA

Mornington Island (Gununa)

Doomadgee

Cairns

Normanton

Burketown

Townsville Mount Isa

Richmond

Julia Creek

Hughenden

Winton Longreach

Boulia Bedourie

Birdsville

Windorah

Charleville

Quilpie

Brisbane Thargomindah

Coober Pedy

Wellcamp/ Toowoomba

St George

Cunnamulla

Lismore Grafton Armidale Cobar

Broken Hill

Perth

Dubbo

Ceduna

Taree

Whyalla

Griffith

Adelaide

Port Lincoln

Albany

Parkes

Mildura

Esperance

Wagga Narrandera/ Wagga Leeton Albury

Kingscote

(Kangaroo Island)

Newcastle

Orange Bathurst

Sydney

Moruya Cooma (Snowy Mtns) Merimbula

Melbourne

Mount Gambier

King Island Burnie

Dear friends of Welcome to the August/September issue of OUTthere.

This August marks the anniversary of our 15th year of operations, a milestone we are proud to have achieved when we think back on the turmoil of Rex’s beginnings following the Ansett collapse.

We have grown and strengthened over these 15 years, which is only because of our hard working staff, solid leadership of our Board, relationships with the regional communities, and of course, our loyal customers. We thank you all.

Rex commenced operations on 2 August 2002 with 21 Saab 340 aircraft and 7 Metroliner 23 aircraft.

We now operate 55 Saab 340 aircraft, and have a total of 94 aircraft in the Regional Express Group between all subsidiary companies.

We operated services to 35 destinations at our 10th birthday, and in the five years since, have added 23 to that list, now operating to 58 destinations throughout all states in Australia.

The tremendous social and economic impact our services have on regional communities is always at the forefront of our minds. Whether you fly with us for business, medical or educational needs, or if you’re travelling

to connect with family and friends, we work in partnership with these communities to balance their needs against Rex commercial imperatives.

Whether you have been with us from the start, or are one of our newer travellers, we thank you for your support over these 15 years and look forward to flying you for many more.

Until next time, from all 1,000 of us at Rex, Air Link, Pel-Air and AAPA, we invite you to sit back, relax and let us do the flying.

The Rex Team

Ballina

(Byron Bay)

rexnews

Rex and AAPA celebrate graduation of first group of Vietnamese cadet pilots ON 12 May Rex celebrated the graduation of the first group of Vietnamese cadets trained at its pilot academy, the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) in Wagga Wagga, NSW. The Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs officiated at the event as the Guest of Honour in the presence of other distinguished guests, including the Federal Member for Riverina and Minister for Small Business, Consulate General of the Vietnam Embassy in Sydney, CEO of Viet Flight Training (VFT), mayor and councillors of Wagga Wagga City Council, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Chairman and Directors of the Board of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA), President of Boeing Australia & South Pacific, Chairman and CEO of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) as well as other airline, community and business leaders.

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After 10 months of intensive training, the cadets are graduating with a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) with Instrument Rating – Multi Engine Aeroplane (IR-MEA) issued by CASA. As AAPA is accredited with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam as well as Vietnam Airlines, the graduates will now be eligible for admission into Vietnam Airlines as airline pilots after their aircraft type endorsements.

The training at AAPA is the result of a partnership with VFT, a company of Vietnam Airlines, whereby the cadets first undergo theory training to an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) level in Vietnam at VFT before coming to AAPA to undergo their flight training and complete all CASA theory and flight tests.

AAPA Chairman Chris Hine said, “This is a special time and AAPA is extremely proud and honoured to have been trusted to train future airline pilots for

Vietnam Airlines, which reaffirms AAPA’s position as one of the world’s best pilot training facilities. The cadet pilots from Vietnam are a wonderful addition to AAPA, and it is rewarding to be part of the international aviation environment.”

VFT CEO Captain Nguyen Nam Lien said, “This graduation is very special and is the culmination of many months of hard work by the graduating cadets. I know that these cadets have been trained to the highest standards and I express my appreciation for AAPA’s professionalism and efforts. This graduation is a significant first achievement for both organisations, AAPA and VFT, as it demonstrates that a high-quality, self-sponsored commercial pilot training scheme can work for aspiring Vietnamese cadets and it lays the foundation for a fruitful cooperation ahead.”

“It is a great honour to be celebrating what will be an unforgettable milestone

rexnews

in the life of seven Vietnamese young men. I can promise them from my personal experience, that this is just the beginning of an exciting time ahead,” Captain Lien added.

In addition to the graduation of these Vietnamese cadets, two batches of Rex cadets have also graduated. This is the 19th and 20th group of cadets trained at its academy since 2008. These cadets have completed a 32 week ab-initio

course and have obtained their CPL with IR-MEA before joining the Rex Group as first officers.

Since 2007 AAPA has enrolled 21 batches – approximately 200 cadets – under the Rex Pilot Cadet programme. Of these, 158 are currently checked to line and flying as fully qualified first officers on scheduled operations within the Rex group of companies, and a total of 56 have progressed to become captains.

Main image (Top Left): Viet Flight Training graduates with Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Hon. Michael McCormack, Minister for Small Business and Member for Riverina; Above top: Captain Phan Xuan Duc, Executive Vice President of Vietnam Airlines (right) and Captain Nguyen Nam Lien, VFT CEO (middle), receiving a token of appreciation from Chris Hine, AAPA Chairman (left); Above: Rex019 and Rex020 graduating cadets with Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Hon. Michael McCormack MP, Minister for Small Business and Member for Riverina.

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Rex helps school canteens get on the road to healthier eating NOT-FOR-PROFIT organisation the Healthy Kids Association was recently the lucky recipient of regional return flights, allowing it to deliver information and services that would otherwise prove almost impossible for a small charity.

The flights allowed Healthy Kids to run a series of information sessions on the new NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy during February and March this year at Albury, Wagga Wagga and Bathurst.

The new strategy, developed jointly by the NSW Departments of Health

and Education, helps canteens choose healthier items to sell in schools and is based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Health Star Rating.

Healthy Kids’ CEO, Jo Gardner, says it’s only with generous sponsorship provided by companies with heightened corporate social responsibility that they can make a big difference to positive population health.

“Rex is one of those companies that realise the uphill climb of charities such as Healthy Kids, whose main aim is to promote and influence healthier

hea Why lth no to fi y-kid t visit abo nd ou s.com .a tm u pro t this g ore u gra r e mm at e

food and drink in the school setting,” she says.

“These flights allowed us to reach more regional towns and cities and get face-to-face with canteen managers who often need to chat through their issues and concerns to get to healthier solutions for their menus.”

With more than 1,000 registered attendees for information sessions throughout NSW, Rex was vital in allowing Healthy Kids presenters to travel to regional areas to deliver muchneeded guidance on the new strategy.

Rex lends support to local charities THE ROTARY Club of Griffith Avanti held a raffle to raise funds for two worthy local charities – the Griffith Carevan, a ‘More than a hot meal’ mobile soup kitchen that assists struggling local individuals and families; and the local Prostate Cancer Support Group, which aids men battling cancer and their families by organising for experts to visit them and discuss relevant topics.

The raffle raised an impressive $1,150 for each charity, with the Rotary club topping up the funds so that each charity received $2,000.

Rex donated two return tickets between Griffith and Sydney for the raffle, which was won by Warren Smith (pictured on right).

9

THE FASTEST WAY TO THE SNOWIES Fly with

Airlines to the snow this winter

Flights daily between Sydney and Cooma

Photo Credit: Perisher

ASIA’S MOST MODERN FLIGHT ACADEMY AAPA IS APPROVED TO ISSUE NATIONALLY RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS FULLY INTEGRATED CAMPUS PROVIDING NEW GLASS COCKPIT TRAINING AIRCRAFT, 3 SIMULATORS AND FULL BOARD AND LODGING VISA APPLICATION ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE

For more information, please visit our website at www.aapa.net.au

© Tim Walsh

rexnews

Helping to inspire the next generation of orchestral musicians INTERACTING WITH school audiences is one of best things about the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) regional tours according to the SSO cellist Christopher Pidcock. “It’s very touching to play for the kids and see their enthusiasm,” says Pidcock. “It means a lot to them, and as musicians we can really feel this when we play.”

Pidcock was one of more than 50 SSO musicians who travelled to Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo in May, thanks to the support of the orchestra’s longstanding Regional Tour Partner, Regional Express (Rex).

“The audiences at our public concerts loved getting exposed to music they know as well as music that was new to them,” Pidcock says.

“The local school kids loved clapping at the concerts and getting involved with the rhythm.”

Ten-year-old Tengis Meiklejohn from Molong Central School was one of the hundreds of primary school students who attended the SSO’s schools concerts

in Orange. Pidcock had worked with Meiklejohn a few weeks earlier when the orchestra flew with Rex to Orange to hold the pop-up music camp, Playerlink.

“Tengis played the Morin Khuur, a Mongolian stringed instrument with a similar range to the cello, and we decided to swap instruments when I was working with him at Playerlink,” Pidcock says. “The sensation of playing was completely different – I needed to have soft fingers to play his instrument whereas he need to take a harder approach. Because Tengis was trained in the eastern tradition he was on a really high level with breathing and moving with the music.”

When the SSO returned to Orange on tour, Pidcock was delighted to learn that Tengis had decided to take on the cello as a second instrument since they met at Playerlink.

“I gave Tengis a certificate for Playerlink and he came to listen to one of the schools concerts,” Pidcock says.

“We had a good chat afterwards and

that’s when he told me he was taking up the cello, which was great to hear.”

The tour was held 23-26 May and saw the orchestra perform a program titled Music Through the Ages, which included works by Bach and the Australian composer Andrew Howes, with SSO Assistant Conductor Toby Thatcher. In each regional centre the orchestra performed an evening concert for the public, as well as two schools concerts during the day.

Linda Lorenza, SSO Director of Learning and Engagement, says that with the support of Rex, the orchestra is able to inspire the next generation of classical musicians in regional centres.

“The regional tour is a chance for local children to get up close and personal to the workings of an orchestra,” Lorenza says. “Some of them may be hearing a concert live for the first time; to hear a performance by some of Australia’s finest musicians is something very special. And as we have found with Tengis, it is inspirational!”

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Frequently Asked Questions As you sit back in comfort en route to your destination, the Rex crew hope you enjoy this interesting and informative light reading.

Q. Why do the flight attendants insist that all window blinds be up for take-off?

A. The most critical phases of a flight are the take-off and the landing. In the most unlikely event of a situation that requires an emergency evacuation, it is important that crew and passengers are able to have a clear view of the outside conditions in case of obstructions. For example, before exits are opened, staff must check for fire or other obstacles that may present potential hazards during the evacuation.

Q. Why do you have to stow your hand luggage in the overhead lockers, under the seats or in the seat pockets for take-off and landing?

A. Flight crews are required by Civil Aviation Regulations to secure the cabin as well as possible for take-off and landing. As mentioned, these are the most critical phases of the flight and securing as much hand luggage as possible ensures that in the unlikely event of an emergency, the exits and aisles stay as clear as possible, in case evacuation is necessary. It is also important to keep hand luggage secure whenever possible to ensure that heavier items do not become airborne within the cabin. This is especially important when the aircraft is experiencing turbulence.

Q. Why do you feel so tired from flying?

A. As the aircraft altitude increases, air pressure decreases. As the pressure of the air decreases, the body absorbs less oxygen than it would at sea level – therefore, it must work harder to supply oxygen to the body’s cells. As the body is working harder, it becomes more tired.

Q. Why do you sometimes feel pain in your ears or sinuses during ascent or descent?

A. The sinuses and middle ear are air-containing cavities that connect with the nose via narrow channels. As aircraft ascend and cabin pressure drops, air passes out of these cavities (without any effort from the passenger) to balance the cabin pressure. It is a different matter during descent, as the cabin pressure increases. The channels close down and must be actively opened by holding the nose and blowing to inflate the cavities. Facial and ear pain can occur

during descent if re-inflation does not occur, and this is much more likely if the passenger has nasal congestion. If you must fly with a cold or hayfever, use a decongestant nasal spray before descent and buy some ‘ear planes’ to plug your ears. (Information contributed by Dr Daniel Hains, ENT Surgeon.)

Q. When can electronic equipment such as laptops, iPods and mobile phones be used?

A. All Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) must be placed in flight mode inside the departure terminal and must remain in flight mode until inside the arrival terminal. Small handheld PEDs weighing less than 1kg, such as mobile phones, can be used in flight mode during all stages of flight on Rex’s Saab 340 aircraft. PEDs over 1kg, such as laptop computers must be stowed appropriately for taxi, take-off and landing, and are permitted to be used only during cruise when the ‘Fasten Seatbelt’ sign is switched off. PEDs cannot be used while crossing the tarmac.

Q. What is the average speed of the aircraft when cruising in-flight?

A. Approximately 500 kilometres per hour.

Q. Why do you have to get permission from the Captain to move to a vacant seat?

A. The aircraft’s take-off speed is calculated by the weight and balance of the aircraft, and many factors need to be considered for a successful take-off. Factors include the weight of passengers and where they are seated, the weight of cargo, freight and fuel, the distance available on the runway et cetera. For example, if there are 100 or more kilograms of freight in the cargo, the balance of the aircraft will be better maintained if passengers are seated in the forward rows.

AIR TURBULENCE Q. Aircraft often experience air turbulence, but what causes it?

A. Imagine the air around the aircraft is water in a stream. We can see how water is disturbed around rocks or when two streams converge.

Turbulence in the air is similar: as the aircraft passes through cold air or in the vicinity of terrain that has disturbed the airflow – often incorrectly

referred to as ‘air pockets’ – the aircraft climbs and descends in the same way that a boat moves on water. Though turbulence can be uncomfortable, it poses no threat to the aircraft and is akin to driving on a rough or unsealed road. More severe turbulence can be associated with developing thunderstorms. The Saab 340 has a sophisticated weather radar that pilots use to avoid these areas. Occasionally, a flight attendant will discontinue serving passengers in turbulent conditions; this is a precaution to ensure everyone’s safety.

Q. Why should you keep your seatbelt fastened even when the ‘Fasten Seatbelt’ sign is switched off?

A. On occasions, the flight crew cannot foresee turbulence or it is not picked up on the flight-deck radar. Because of this, we could unexpectedly experience turbulence at any time. The company recommends that you always keep your seatbelt fastened while you are seated – for your safety, just in case unexpected turbulence is encountered.

ENGINE NOISES Q. Why do the aircraft’s engine noises change during flight?

A. Aircraft need more power to climb than to descend, in the same way that a car needs more power to go up a hill than down one. The Saab 340 turboprop has more than enough power to climb, so shortly after take-off you will notice a change in noises as the power is reduced.

The pilots also control the pitch angle of the propellers for various stages of the flight and as they ‘change gears’, this can also be heard in the cabin.

Q. What should you do if you see or hear something that does not look or sound right or normal?

A. Please advise your flight attendant. The flight attendant may be able to answer your query and allay any fears. If not, the flight attendant will contact the flight deck and advise the pilots of anything unusual. Rex encourages open communication and will always treat a passenger’s concerns with the utmost seriousness.

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Exercise and stretch regularly while seated SEATED EXERCISES

Inflight comfort

ANKLE CIRCLES Lift feet off floor, draw a circle with the toes, simultaneously moving one foot clockwise and the other foot counterclockwise. Reverse circles.

Do each direction for 15 seconds. Repeat if desired.

FOOT PUMPS Start with both heels on the floor and point feet upward as high as you can. Then put both feet flat on the floor. Then lift heels high, keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. Continue cycle in 30-second intervals.

Flying can be demanding and altitude may make your body more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and caffeine.

Sitting in one place for a long time can be uncomfortable and slow down your blood circulation. To help your body adjust to flying and to maintain your personal comfort and wellbeing, we recommend you take the following steps: Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids – water, juice, non-caffeinated soft drinks – to prevent dehydration, fatigue and headaches. Minimise intake of alcohol and coffee. Moisten the face to help reduce the drying effects of cabin air.

Eat lightly. Eat lightly on longer flights to avoid indigestion – our inflight menu is designed to provide lighter meal options.

KNEE LIFTS Lift leg with knee bent while contracting your thigh muscle. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30 times for each leg.

SHOULDER ROLLS Hunch shoulders forward, then upward, then backward, then downward, using a gentle, circular motion.

ARM CURLS Arms held at 90° angles, elbows down, hands in front. Raise hands up to chest and back down. Alternate hands. Repeat in 30-second intervals.

SEATED STRETCHES

Exercise. We encourage you to do the gentle onboard exercises on this page to enhance your wellbeing during the flight.

We recommend you do these exercises for about five minutes every one to two hours. You should also occasionally walk down the aisles, as space permits. In addition, we recommend that you avoid crossing your legs.

Please note: you should not do any of these exercises if they cause you pain or cannot be done with ease.

KNEE TO CHEST Bend forward slightly.

Clasp hands around left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds.

Keeping hands around knee, slowly let it down. Alternate legs. Repeat 10 times.

SHOULDER STRETCH Reach your right hand over your left shoulder. Place your left hand behind your right elbow and gently press your elbow toward your shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

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FORWARD FLEX With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs toward your ankles. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and slowly sit back up.

NECK ROLLS With your shoulders relaxed, drop your ear to shoulder and gently roll your neck forward and to the other side, holding each position for five seconds. Repeat five times.

OVERHEAD STRETCH Raise both hands straight up over your head. With one hand, grasp the wrist of the opposite hand and gently pull to one side. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Please note: you should not do any of these exercises if they cause you pain or cannot be done with ease.

Moving about the aircraft. You may move about the aircraft as space permits and when the seatbelt sign is off.

However, when the seatbelt sign is on you are required to remain seated with the seatbelt fastened.

If you feel unwell, tell the cabin crew.

They can assist with the more common inflight complaints and, if necessary, can seek further advice and assistance for you.

On descent. Ears and sinuses can cause discomfort, due to the change in air pressure on descent. To minimise discomfort: • Yawn or swallow frequently.

• Pinch your nostrils together and blow firmly into your cheeks with your mouth closed.

If you have ongoing discomfort, seek the advice of the cabin crew.

35˚S

The latitude to learn from nature

Curiosity is in your child’s nature – and ours.

Through playing and doing, your child will learn how

Through engaging outdoor play and nature-based

to problem-solve, assess situations and take measured

experiences, our Early Childhood Centre curriculum

risks, all while developing language and measurement

will nurture your son or daughter’s sense of wonder,

concepts. With a 144-acre campus, and onsite access to

the first step in developing critical thinking skills and

bushland and the foreshore, no other school gives your

an enquiring mind.

child more room to flourish than Great Southern Grammar.

To learn more about our Kindergarten to Year Two programme, call 9844 0307 or visit gsg.wa.edu.au

rexnews

PORT PROFILE

KING ISLAND

Anchored in the turbulent waters of Bass Strait, King Island promises visitors green pastures, sublime produce and pristine beaches.

Words: Jiyan Dessens SITUATED roughly midway between

Victoria’s scenic south coast and the beautifully rugged seaside terrain of Tasmania, this easygoing island paradise boasts something interesting at every turn, from Australia’s tallest lighthouse at Cape Wickham to underwater wonders, luxurious accommodation and world-famous fine dining. You can also enjoy exhilarating nature walks and see unique wildlife, including shy platypus, penguins and, if you’re lucky, a rarelyspotted orange-bellied parrot.

Sixty-four kilometres long and 26 kilometres wide, with 145 kilometres of wildly rugged, windswept and attractive coastline, King Island is one of Australia’s larger islands, and traversing it in its entirety is no small feat. Between the three main towns of Currie, Grassy and Naracoopa and the island’s abundance of national parks, magnificent sights and scenic, wellsecreted camping and fishing spots, you’ll need a week at the very least to savour everything it has to offer.

First off, get your bearings at the main township of Currie with a visit to King Island Tourism’s information centre in George Street. Packed with everything you need to know about pristine picnic spots, guided group and individual tours, gourmet trails and all kinds of accommodation options – from camping and caravanning to world-class resorts and leisurely farm-stays – the Centre has lovely staff who will also point you in the direction of idyllic beaches and daytrip destinations.

If you’re a golfer, teeing off on King Island should be high on your agenda.

With links described as resembling those of the legendary St Andrews Links in Scotland, courtesy of rolling fairways tracing the earth’s natural undulations, the island boasts three beautiful golf courses: Ocean Dunes near Currie, with the distinction of being ranked fourth on the list of Australia’s best public courses; Golf King Island in Currie; and Cape Wickham Links on the north coast.

Stay and play at your favourite course or take a full swing at all three.

Seeking more offshore activities?

King Island’s many shipwrecks, diverse marine life and colourful coral provide ample opportunities for snorkellers and scuba divers to explore. Pounded by the Southern Ocean, King Island is also a much-lauded swimming and watersports destination, with strong westerly winds known as the Roaring Forties providing ideal, if challenging conditions for serious surfers.

As for food and wine, get ready to indulge: King Island is the ultimate gourmet getaway. Succulent beef, gourmet cheeses and crayfish plucked from the island’s crystal-clear waters are just three of the local delicacies you can sample on your visit.

With a true ‘paddock to plate’ ethos, the island is renowned for its Long Table Festival, held over a weekend every autumn, during which local and visiting chefs treat tourists to their culinary spins on the island’s rich natural bounty.

KING ISLAND GOLF OPEN Fancy teeing off against some of the best golfers in Australia? Every November, King Island Golf hosts a 36-hole event for golfers over the Melbourne Cup long weekend.

Open to any golfer with an AGU handicap, the event commences on Friday with a 9-hole Chicken Run held in conjunction with an 18-hole 4BBB stableford, and championship rounds of 18 holes on both Saturday and Sunday.

Visit golfkingisland.com for more information.

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T 0364 621633 enquiries@oceandunes.com.au

oceandunes.com.au 7 Main Rd, Currie, Tas, 7256

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SUDOKU Rating 

(Easy)

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

PUZZLES 1. What asset in London UK was valued at £6 billion in 2015: Buckingham Palace; Wimbledon Tennis Club; underground railway; or trees?

7. A term for a dark shape against a brighter background is named after 18th century French author/politician Etienne de (Who?)

2. Alalia, anarthria, aphasia, aphonia, and dysarthria are forms of impaired human: hearing; speech; sight; or taste?

8. What word for sadness referred historically to human black bile in the ancient medical theory of the Four Humours or Four Temperaments?

3. Thermae and balneae are Ancient Roman large and small facilities for: gladiatorial training; bathing; horse stabling/breeding; or cooking and eating?

9. The ‘twi’ in the word twilight meant originally: Cat; Badger; Two; or Kiss?

4. What famous French endurance motor racing track/city is named after the early inhabiting Cenomani Celtic people?

11. Bammy (Jamaica), Bannock (Scotland), Blaa (Ireland), Bublik (Poland), and Boule (France) are types of: cheese; bread; bacon; or rum?

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

THE ANSWERS

6. The primary ingredients of butterscotch confectionery are which (two) of the following: cream; salt; brown sugar; coffee; butter; or cocoa?

10. Amethyst is a variety of: chalk; quartz; sapphire; or glass?

12. The Han ethnic people constitute c.90% of mainland: Australia; China; India; or USA? 13. Annual global production (early 2000s) of rough diamonds is about: 9 kilos; 75 kilos; 500 kilos; or 26 tonnes/metric tons?

14. A neologism is a new: political doctrine; word/expression; plant mutation; or galaxy?

QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Trees (there are 8 million trees in London) 2. Speech 3. Bathing 4. Le Mans 5. Serendip (hence Serendipity - the three princely heroes made happy discoveries by accident) 6. Brown sugar and butter 7. Silhouette 8. Melancholy 9. Two (likely because twilight occurs twice each day) 10. Quartz 11. Bread 12. China 13. 26 tonnes 14. Word/expression

5. Horace Walpole created a popular term for unexpected lucky events/discovery in his 1754 fairy story ‘The Three Princes of (Where?)’: Bonanza; Bonus; Serendip; or Luckydip?

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Bidding sales 5. Bop 7. Prank 8. Fixated 9. Crib 12. Most beloved 15. Leas 19. Begin journey (3,3) 21. Shares secret 22. Bare 23. Heavy thump 24. Actress, Debbie ...

DOWN 1. Pitiful 2. Fashion direction 3. Holed atmosphere layer 4. Bun seed 5. Court clown 6. First-born 10. Greenish-blue 11. Inflatable mattress 12. Disc jockeys (1,2) 13. Emollient, ... vera 14. Italy’s currency unit 15. Good-luck pet 16. Removed (hat) 17. Lose concentration 18. Volunteers 19. Cowardly person 20. Passionate dance

Quiz © Businessballs 2016 / Sudoku & Crossword © Lovatts Puzzles

19

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experience

the On the far south coast of NSW, the Sapphire Coast boasts a pristine wilderness, abundant marine and wildlife, an impressive food scene and more oysters than you could poke a shucking knife at...

WORDS: Belinda Luksic

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experience

ponge’, the tour guide, is nosing our punt towards a cross-stitch of oyster traps poking through the waters of Pambula Lake, a glassy tidal estuary south of Merimbula on New South Wales’ Sapphire Coast.

Save for a solitary eagle, wheeling about high above us, and a couple of small tinnies in the distance, we have the place to ourselves.

Before long, we’re sidling up to a long train of black oyster boxes bobbing gently in the current. It’s here that Brett Weingarth (Sponge is a nickname from high school) grows Sydney rock oysters as well as the temperamental French varietal known as angasi.

It’s a game of patience. According to Sponge, from hatching to harvest takes at least three years – the time it takes the microscopic wild oyster spawn to grow to full size.

The ecology of the lake is essential for oyster survival, too. It’s why, six years ago, the local oyster farmers did away with the traditional – and toxic – tar-coated wood catchments in favour of more sustainable plastic (the lesser of two evils, says Sponge).

We’re on the fantastically named Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tour, a two-hour journey into the oyster world of the Sapphire Coast.

Don’t let the name put you off: it’s a ripper of a tour, even for kids and non-oyster-lovers.

After a quick how-to of oyster farming and a lesson in shucking (wriggle the point of a flat knife into the bottom of the oyster shell to cut the hinge muscle), we cruise downriver, on turquoise waters, towards the mouth of Merimbula Bay. On the way, we slurp on a platter of Sponge’s sea-farm-fresh bivalves.

Like much of the Sapphire Coast, it is quiet and beautiful. Mangroves dot the banks, their briny smell tickling our nostrils. We see Aboriginal shell middens, the 3,000-year-old dumping mounds of the local Thaua people, and pause to admire a white-bellied 24

Image this page: Belinda Luksic

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“It is quiet and beautiful.

Mangroves dot the banks, their briny smell ticking our nostrils”

sea eagle as it glides to its nest high up in the crook of a ghost gum. There is a bush chorus of birdsong, and we see oystercatchers, plovers and terns. Bring a jacket, as it can get cold.

Pambula Lake is part of the awardwinning Sapphire Coast Wilderness Oysters, a consortium of oyster growers whose beds stretch from the whalewatching town of Eden in the south to the fishing community of Bermagui in the north.

And while it’s possible to dine on nothing but oysters and seafood from one end of this brilliant blue coastline to the other, there’s also a terrific paddock-to-table dining scene and some surprise newcomers.

In February, ex-Noma chef William Wade opened Long Time No Sea, a relaxed coastal restaurant with views of Barragga Bay from its low-key location at Bermagui’s Cuttagee Beach Cottages.

Merimbula has Dulcie’s Cottage, a bar, oyster and burger joint where the kitchen crew flips American-style burgers out of a refurbed 1950s caravan.

There’s live music on Sundays, too (or on Friday evenings in winter).

Meanwhile, in Pambula, Longstocking Brewery is the Sapphire Coast’s first and only microbrewery. On the sunny deck, after the oyster tour, we sample a tasting paddle that includes the delightfully named Fanny Arbuckle (a delicious dark ale), Bonnie & Clyde

The Wharf Local in Tathra offers fantastic food with amazing views.

(a pale ale) and The Doctor (a German pilsener). The ginger beer is worth ordering, too: dry, with a light fizz and a hint of lime, it’s possibly one of the best alcoholic ginger beers you’ll try.

In Merimbula after a dip at Bar Beach, a sheltered spot on the bay, we stop at Bar Beach Kiosk. This weatherworn café above the beach (open October to April) has knockout views and a seasonal blackboard menu. I order a coffee and watch stand-up paddle boarders riding the gelato swirl of blues and greens.

The outlook is no less spectacular at the Wharf Local in Tathra. Newly reopened after storms damaged the pier, it’s an Instagram-worthy spot steeped 25

Tanja Lagoon Camp

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in mariner history (there’s even a maritime museum upstairs) and with impossibly blue ocean views. The menu is full of seasonal goodies and the deli selection features local cheeses (Tilba and Bega), pastries and breads (Honor and Wild Ryes). Note that the café closes over August.

We arrive at windswept, sea-wild Tathra after a night at nearby Tanja Lagoon Camp. This eco-friendly safari-tents camp is glamping at its best.

Overlooking a coastal lagoon in Mimosa Rocks National Park, our tent has a wellequipped kitchen and BBQ, a private deck and an extravagantly deep elliptical bath.

At sundown, we go for a bushwalk along the bank of a lagoon buzzing with dragonflies and cicadas, and watch as spoonbills clumsily approach the lagoon to land.

Woken early the next morning by a screeching symphony of birds, we set out in a kayak to explore the lagoon. It’s hard going at first – a strong current and low tide make the waters difficult to

navigate – but eventually we arrive in a large basin of water surrounded by bush.

There are wallabies grazing at the shoreline and a squadron of pelicans camped out on a small, reed-covered sandbank. Sea eagles coast the currents above and a pandemonium of black parrots make a ruckus in the trees.

Water birds skim the water’s surface and, for a moment, we pause our paddling to take it all in.

Further south, in Eden, the whalewatching season runs from midSeptember to late November and it is well worth visiting at this time of year.

Cat Balou cruises depart from the wharf at Twofold Bay and take about threeand-a-half hours.

It can get a bit choppy out at the heads but when a mother whale and her calf breach the water, sending a spray of sparkling droplets into the air, it’s more than worth the rough journey.

Belinda Luksic travelled as a guest of Destination NSW.

INFO GUIDE

WHERE TO STAY Best Western is an awardwinning, eco-friendly motel directly opposite Merimbula Golf Course and minutes from the beach, with package deals available for golfers. bestwestern.com.au Tanja Lagoon Camp offers luxurious safari-tent accommodation for couples and families overlooking a coastal lagoon in magnificent Mimosa Rocks National Park.

Accommodation rates include breakfast and start at $215 per night. tanjalagooncamp.com.au WHAT TO DO Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tour is an entertaining and informative two-hour boat trip on Pambula Lake, on which you’ll learn how to farm and shuck oysters like a pro before eating them fresh from the lake. magicaloystertours.com.au Cat Balou Cruises runs whalewatching cruises most days from mid-September to late November. catbalou.com.au Eden Killer Whale Museum offers visitors a fascinating look at the whaling history of Eden and the town’s relationship with Tom, its most famous killer whale. killerwhalemuseum.com.au MORE INFO

Image: Belinda Luksic

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WHO'S WATCHING WHO?

Join the Humpback Highway this Spring.

Sapphire Coast, NSW

sapphirecoast.com.au/whales

destination

DISCOVERING

Deni ane Frazer’s family has lived in and around Deniliquin, dubbed ‘Deni’ by locals, for generations, and it’s easy to see why. Situated on the extreme edge of the southern New South Wales border on the banks of the beautiful Edward River, whose ebb and flow serves as the lifeblood for surrounding farms, the tiny Riverina township thrives.

Founded in 1840 – “back when wool was king”, says Jane – Deni’s population,

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Ancient red gum forests, dramatic sunsets and one of the largest saltbush plains on the planet: Deniliquin is an idyllic riverside town with much more to offer than just the muster.

WORDS: Jiyan Dessens IMAGES: Rob Mulally

in contrast to that of many other rural and outback towns, has been averaging growth at eight per cent a year since the early 2000s and, with the interruption of the Millennium Drought, has settled at around 7200 people.

“It’s not a big place but there’s a lot here,” says Jane. She gestures casually towards the river, bordered by beaches and lush green parklands on one side and a wealth of beautifully maintained pre-Federation buildings on the other.

The nearest structure, Jane explains, was once Deni’s local public school. Built in 1879, it’s now the Peppin Heritage Centre, incorporating a museum, art gallery and visitor information hub.

It’s also where Jane now works as the tourism and cultural officer for Edward River Council.

An award-winning couturier who was a seamstress for Harrods, Selfridges and Giorgio Armani, she spent more than 10 years living and working in Europe, but

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the distinctive reddish-brown soil of the region runs thick in her veins and, after many years abroad, the appeal of home was just too strong.

“People always come back,” she says.

“It’s just one of those places you return to – there’s nowhere quite like it.”

In the distance, a ruby-red WB Holden Ute soars above the trees. I blink, sure it’s a figment of my imagination.

“That’s our ‘Ute on a Pole’,” Jane says with a wide smile and a laugh.

“Volunteers drove all the way up to Narrandera to pick it up. The man they bought it off was so excited when he heard it was for the Deni Ute Muster – they didn’t have the heart to tell him they were mounting it on a six-metre pole!”

Ute capital of the world Deni is regarded as the ‘Ute Capital of the World’ and, in 1999, it entered the history books, claiming the Guinness Book of World Records title for the

largest parade of utes, with 2,839 drivers taking part.

The annual Deni Play on the Plains Festival, taking place this year from 29–30 September, has been held here ever since. It’s where families come together to celebrate music, culture and all things Australian; past performers have included Keith Urban, Kasey Chambers, Cold Chisel, Suzi Quatro and Lee Kernaghan, who’s performed nine times in 19 years.

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It’s unsurprising that people keep coming back for more. With the scenic Edward River, an anabranch of the mighty Murray, giving visitors so much to enjoy, plus more combined sunshine hours than Queensland, Deni is a town teeming with possibilities.

We get our first good look at the river at the Island Sanctuary, a tiny islet in the heart of Deniliquin, connected to the mainland by a footbridge behind the town’s main street. From our new vantage point, we can see where the river rose to 8.62 metres last December – several metres higher than the spot in which we’re currently standing – drowning the island and dragging centuries-old red gums into the depths.

The Island itself is home to significant sites, says local Wamba Wamba woman Tracy Hamilton of the nearby Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge

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Centre. The centre was founded in 2003

by Tracy and a group of other local Indigenous students. “We wanted to pass on our knowledge to our families, just so they can know their own culture,” she explains. “Lots of people still use the knowledge.”

She leads us down a winding walking track, stopping at a particularly gnarled old river red gum.

“What we’re looking at here is a scarred tree,” says Tracy. “It’s got four scars on it. Very rare to have four on the one tree.” The ‘scars’ signify where the local Wamba Wamba people cut bent pieces of bark out of the still-living tree to make useful items: carriers, shields, even canoes. “You’d cut the bark out and shape the green wood over hot coals to get the proper ‘scoop’ shape,” Tracy explains.

Following her nose, she locates a cluster of river mint by its sharp, fresh

Old man weed, used to treat colds and flus, and as a poultice for wounds to prevent infection.

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“Deni’s flat terrain makes it ideal for keen hikers and mountain bikers of all ages and abilities.”

Houseboat explorers John and Denise Thomas.

smell, then kneels down and picks a sprig of ‘old man weed’ – which, she tells us, was used by the Wamba Wamba in earlier times to treat colds and flus, and as a poultice for wounds to prevent infection.

The island is also something of a refuge for native fauna, including black wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos and more than 150 species of birds, says Tom Wheller, Deni’s local avian enthusiast.

Throughout the introduction, his keen brown eyes scan the treetops, pointing out a white-plumed honeyeater hiding in the boughs of a nearby tree, then an egret, a tawny frogmouth and a brown

tree-creeper. As we walk, his hands caress a pair of binoculars emblazoned with a silver bird insignia.

But birds and birdwatchers aren’t the only ones to use these tracks. Further along the river we meet John Trist, who served in the SAS for 26 years. He and his wife Marg were out earlier this morning, clearing the tracks of debris in preparation for our bike ride.

“When I was a young fellow my family leased all this country from the Forestry Commission and we ran cattle here, so I know pretty much every tree in the scrub,” he says. When the area became Murray Valley Park seven years

ago, he helped create the 25 kilometres of trails that now crisscross their way through the bush.

Deni’s flat terrain makes it ideal for keen hikers and mountain bikers of all ages and abilities. There’s even a map available from the Visitor Information Centre, with routes you can take from nearby Willoughby’s Beach to the Deniliquin Boat Club, so tourists can enjoy the beauty of the Edward River from all angles.

River deep, paddock long But there’s another viewpoint we’re yet to explore and after our one-hour bike ride, I’m eager to get out onto the river itself.

Local husband-and-wife team John and Denise Thomas are keen to oblige, and before long we’re aboard their two-storey houseboat, which John built himself.

“My husband started building it with his own two hands in about 1984 and he completed it in the summer of 1985 and put it in the water,” says Denise. “We had quite an audience that day – a lot of people didn’t think it would float but it did!”

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“Since then we’ve been up and down more times than I could count. It’s such a lovely way to see the river. You can come down some days and not see a soul.”

Houseboating isn’t the only pastime the locals enjoy. With low banks making the river accessible from almost any point in town, and a plethora of sandy beaches, it’s perfect for any sort of water activity.

Canoeing and kayaking are beautiful ways to see the sights, while water sports such as skiing and towing are popular in the higher-speed zones towards the town’s north-west. If you want to teach your kids about water safety, or even how to ski, the Deniliquin Boat Club offers lessons to kids every Friday night from 5:30–7:30pm from Melbourne Cup weekend to Easter, and all it costs is $2. The youngest kid they teach is two years old, and everyone’s welcome, including visitors.

There’s even a draw for anglers, with events such as the Deniliquin RSL XXXX Gold Fishing Classic, held every February, luring in fishing enthusiasts from as far away as Cairns, Broome and Byron Bay for the chance to reel in the largest Murray cod, not to mention a piece of the prize pool, which this year amounted to more than $70,000.

“Failing that, just sit back and float,” says Denise. “Lots of people simply sit in a lilo and float down the river. And having all the national parks around, which used to be state forests, you can head out for a day’s picnic in the bush and be completely isolated but never more than an hour from town. We’re very lucky in that regard.”

Later on, we head inland. The promise of a spectacular sunset and a good feed sustain us as we turn onto the Cobb Highway for a sneak peak of the renowned Long Paddock Touring Route. A famously straight drive from Moama to Wilcannia, passing through Deni along the way, the Long Paddock is the largest and flattest saltbush plain in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s here droughtstricken drovers can always find feed for their sheep and cattle, as the saltbush is hardy and doesn’t need much water to flourish.

“The high salt content also makes our lamb extra-tasty,” jokes Ali McLean, organiser of The Long Paddock Cattle Drive event, whose family farms Dorper sheep on the saltbush plains, 100 kilometres north of Hay, another town on the touring route.

“If you want to teach your kids about water safety, or even how to ski, the Deniliquin Boat Club offers lessons to kids every Friday night.”

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Explore eight open gardens; marvel at the 70 Real Juice Company Citrus Sculptures; enjoy cooking classes and demonstrations with fab foodie Julie Ray, brought to you by De Bortoli Family Winemakers; meet gardening guru Phil Dudman, at one of the many garden workshops brought to you

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INFO GUIDE EAT The food miles can be measured in mere metres at Long Table Cafe, run by Lawry and Kathy Smits and their two kids. Enjoy real food, chemical-free – from cheese, salami and chutney to fresh pasta, smoke-roasted pork and confit of lamb – all grown and raised on the farm, and homemade by Kathy. Bookings essential. longtablecafe.com.au The Crossing Cafe serves up mouthwatering local cuisine courtesy of head chef Karen Benbow, who was the town’s tourism manager for many years and is always happy to give visitors a helping hand. thecrossingcafe.com.au

“Drovers told stories of a headless horseman who appeared suddenly at camp sites, spooking animals and causing stampedes.”

A total of 11 public works of art dot the way, she says, and we’re standing in front of one of the most remarkable of them. A gargantuan structure by Castlemaine artist Geoff Hocking made from laser-cut steel and local red gum, the ‘Headless Horseman’ sculpture is sited at Black Swamp between Wanganella and Booroorban.

In the 19th century, Ali says, drovers told stories of a headless horseman who appeared suddenly at camp sites, spooking animals and causing stampedes. “Local legend says he was the ghost of a drover who died at the swamp,” explains Ali. “We like to use him to scare the kids on camping trips.

It’s pretty eerie when you’re out there all alone, but it’s beautiful, too.”

Watching the sun set behind the statue, I can’t help but agree. We can see cars coming for kilometres. We’re right near the “only bend in the road”, Ali says, and there’s not a cloud in the azure sky, now tinged with rust, burnt umber and gold.

Plein air painters come to Black Swamp because the air is so clear, Ali explains, and this makes it perfect for stargazing. Out on the plains, the Milky Way is so bright we don’t need any extra light. We sit down and watch; counting shooting stars as they pass, gasping in wonder, and in no time at all it’s after midnight. I sigh contentedly and start mentally planning my next visit.

Deniliquin’s just one of those places you can’t help coming back to.

Pub grub reaches whole new levels at Deniliquin Coach House. A classic hotel motel at an original Cobb & Co. site, their delicious desserts are the talk of the town.

(03) 5881 1011 Looking for something to barbecue?

Head to Bimbella Beef, the local butcher shop in Deni. It’s run by sheep and cattle farmers Joe and Sue Weir, who own a 445-hectare property just 40 kilometres east of town. bimbellabeef.com.au STAY BIG4 Deniliquin offers the perfect riverside escape. With everything from luxury villas to powered sites, it’s one of the top caravan parks in Australia – and your hosts Frank and Lynda have the trophy to prove it. big4deniliquin.com.au PLAY Deniliquin is known for its year-round calendar of fantastic activities and events.

This month, check out Deni Ute Muster & Play on the Plains Festival from 29-30 September. deniutemuster.com.au Explore the Edward River to experience all Deni has to offer. Whether you’re keen on fishing, skiing, kayaking, a riverside ride or hiring a houseboat, Jane and the team at Deniliquin Visitor Information Centre will be able to help. visitdeni.com.au

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experience

BOUNTIFUL

BRISBANE and beyond WORDS: Jiyan Dessens

With five-star foodie hubs such as South Bank and West End, Brisbane is already a world-class dining destination. But head into the hills and valleys beyond and you’ll discover an untapped gourmand’s paradise.

As Executive Chef at Brisbane’s

Marriott Hotel, Peter Iwanczyk knows good food. Growing up in Tasmania, where his parents were cattle farmers and orchardists, the importance of farm-fresh produce, grown well, was ingrained in him from a very early age.

“Dad used to graft five varieties of apple on the one tree,” Peter laughs.

“Same with cherries. He said they needed to earn their keep.”

Now, living and working in Queensland’s capital, he’s excited to be in close proximity to some of the

finest growers and primary producers in the country.

“Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim,” he says, counting off these world-famous growing regions on his fingers. “We can have fresh Queensland produce here, in the kitchen, in one hour. We’re a pretty unique capital city in that regard.”

Australia is known for marrying fine local produce with cuisines and cooking styles from across the world and, arguably, nowhere is this philosophy more evident than in Brisbane. Sitting down for Sunday

Sessions on the Green at the city’s River Quay precinct in South Bank Parklands, we’re treated to flavours from both sides of the equator.

Local grilled barramundi from River Quay Fish tossed with fragrant spices; Stokehouse Q’s Straddy king prawn taco; and a croque monsieur made with Kingaroy pork belly ham courtesy of Aquitaine Brasserie tantalise our tastebuds, while Stanthorpe wines and Lilly Pilly Gin from Tamborine Mountain Distillery make perfect palate cleansers. Back at the Marriott’s Motion Bar & Grill, 37

© Shantanu Starick

© Shantanu Starick

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we enjoy strawberry mojitos and Peter’s very own deconstructed laksa.

“It’s all local and simple, showing authenticity with food,” he says, explaining that all the ingredients used tonight – including the coconut milk – have come from local producers.

“Hereabouts, everyone is really good at supporting each other and putting local produce front and centre.”

From the farm gate

With this in mind, we head west next morning to find some of the regional producers in the Lockyer Valley about whom we’ve heard so much, taking the Lilydale turn-off for a tour of nearby 9Dorf Farms.

Fourth-generation family farmer Bronwyn Neuendorf greets us at the gate, kelpie puppies nipping at her heels. In the clean air and lush pastures fed by nearby Flagstone Creek, all living things tend to thrive; even the grass looks greener at 9Dorf.

“There’s a reason for that,” says Bronwyn. “We farm fish as well as 38

lucerne, and by recycling the bore water from our fish farm to fertilise crops, we’re not using any extra water and the crops are growing better than ever before. Plus we’re farming pasture-raised poultry and eggs on the same property – and pork and beef are coming soon, too.”

Behind us, an old machinery shed has been repurposed to hold fish in a series of wide, open tanks.

It’s here, Bronwyn explains, that the Neuendorfs farm 30 tonnes of fish – Murray cod, jade perch and barramundi – more sustainably than an open-pond farm spread across 20 hectares.

“We’ve got a really great reputation because we have good, clean fish,” Bronwyn says proudly.

“As much fish as we can produce, we can sell it – and it’s all local. We really love to get involved with the local restaurants in Brisbane.”

Roaming around the property on one of 9Dorf’s popular farm tours, we see firsthand how Bronwyn and her

family farm sustainably. Visitors are welcome on the first Sunday of every month, through the Lockyer Valley’s much-loved Food Foragers Trail or via personal bookings.

Regional flavours

One high-profile chef 9Dorf works with is Glen Barratt, executive chef at Wild Canary, a botanical bistro in nearby Brookfield. Originally from the Samford Valley, Glen’s a well of knowledge about the best growers and producers in the region. After introductions, the local boy leads us inside for a sneak peek at his new menu, which changes weekly depending on what’s available.

“At the moment, we’ve got the best olives in Australia from Inglewood, tomatoes from the Scenic Rim – they’re one of only two producers in Australia licensed to grow Bella Rosa heritage tomatoes – as well as buffalo mozzarella from Cedar Street Cheeserie in Maleny.

We’re surrounded by something pretty special.”

Image captions: 1 Wild Canary; 2 Regional Flavours Hunting Club beer paddles; 3 Glen Barratt from Wild Canary; 4 Wild Canary; 5&6 9Dorf Farms; Opening page: Lockyer Valley

© Shantanu Starick

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Wild Canary

INFO GUIDE

WHERE TO STAY

6

Brisbane Marriott Hotel offers fivestar dining and accommodation in the heart of the city. marriott.com.au/brisbane WHAT TO DO

With yuzu citrus from Mapleton, pecans from the Lockyer Valley, figs from Grantham, camel milk from Camelot Dairies, made by Glen into a mouth-watering panna cotta, and an abundance of herbs and leafy greens grown in Wild Canary’s very own kitchen garden, we can’t help but agree.

To support local farmers, Glen also holds regular Producers Lunch events, where gourmands can get a taste for Queensland’s different growing regions across a five-course degustation. For keen foodies, Glen also advises visiting roadside stalls and farmers’ markets to taste what each region has to offer.

“Mount Tamborine’s a really good one; I love going up there. There’s heaps of roadside stalls within a really small area.”

We’re visiting all corners of South East Queensland today, so next we head to the Moreton Bay region on the Sunshine Coast, where Paul West of River Cottage Australia fame greets us with freshly caught Moreton Bay bugs, crab, seared scallops and local rock

oysters at the Sandstone Point Hotel.

“What I really love about Queensland in particular is their approach and attitude to food,” he enthuses, taking our seafood straight from the boat to the barbeque. “It’s like the embodiment of that ideal of the relaxed Australian barbeque.

“You’ve got such a great resource on your doorstep if you’re a Queenslander. It’s just so exciting to cook with such quality produce, especially when you’re talking about things like the Moreton Bay bugs, a product that’s uniquely Australian.”

Known all over the country for his paddock-to-plate approach to cooking and dining, Paul has a laidback style that suits sunny South East Queensland perfectly.

“It comes in fresh off the boats and doesn’t have to travel very far to get to Brisbane,” he says. “If you cook simply, then you don’t have to do much if you have quality ingredients, and Queensland has some of the best that this country has to offer.”

Enjoy farm-fresh produce just minutes from the CBD at South Bank. eatsouthbank.com.au 9Dorf Farms offers interactive and personalised tours for people of all ages. 9dorf.com.au Don’t miss heading out to Wild Canary for the best food from all over South East Queensland, or one of their much-loved Producers Lunch events. wildcanary.com.au Stop by Sandstone Point Hotel for local, freshly caught seafood. sandstonepointhotel.com.au

MORE INFO Indulge your inner gourmand with a tour of the whole Lockyer Valley. luvyalockyer.com.au Explore surf, sun and seafood in the Moreton Bay area. visitmoretonbayregion.com.au Check out the best of Brisbane City and beyond. visitbrisbane.com.au

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PULL UP. TAKE OFF. If you want to fly through Sydney Airport there’s nothing quicker than Pronto Valet.

Simply drop off your car and head straight to the gate. It’s that easy. Pronto Valet car parks are conveniently located just steps from the Domestic and International Terminals and you can save by booking online at sydneyairport.com.au

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Entertainment

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

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Pocket Casts

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Steve Earle: So You Wannabe An Outlaw Three-time Grammy Award-winner Steve Earle is a cornerstone artist of Americana music and one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. Earle’s songs have been recorded by music legends including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Carl Perkins, Waylon Jennings, Vince Gill and Joan Baez. On So You Wannabe an Outlaw, Earle, backed by his country rock band The Dukes, explores his country songwriting roots. The album features collaborations with Willie Nelson, Johnny Bush and Miranda Lambert. Out now.

Peter Gabriel: Long Walk Home, vinyl reissue Over the past two years, Peter Gabriel’s seven studio albums have been reissued on vinyl to much acclaim. Excitingly, it’s now time for his critically lauded soundtrack album Long Walk Home to receive the same treatment.

An album based on the music from the film Rabbit-Proof Fence, written and produced by Gabriel, the album is the end result of two years’ work with the film’s director Phillip Noyce and brings together a multitude of different musical origins, cultures, instruments and vocalists. Out now.

watch Tommy’s Honour Drama, M

Set in Scotland in the late 19th century, this moving, vividly entertaining true story charts the origins of the modern game of golf through the tale of the family that pioneered the sport: its founding father, Tom Morris (Peter Mullan), who designed the courses, and his son, Tommy (Jack Lowdon), who mastered the sport. A top-drawer sports flick, Tommy’s Honour will appeal to seasoned golfers and those who have never picked up a club.

In cinemas across Australia from 17 August.

read Off Reservation Bram Connolly, Allen & Unwin $29.99

In the ultra-tough, ultra-lethal domain of the Australian Special Forces nothing is ever as it seems, so when a top commander is given an unthinkable ultimatum his whole world comes crashing down. Fast-paced, frantic and absolutely packed with action, Off Reservation is the second book in Special Forces officer Bram Connolly’s gritty series about military life and high-intensity combat.

Ridgeview Station Michael Trant, Arena $29.99

On a vast outback property, Jack and Lisa are busy preparing for the summer’s muster.

A perfect season brings fattened sheep and all looks well for the farm’s future.

But when lightning starts a bushfire, they must battle to save everything ... and themselves. An Aussie bush yarn full of colourful, authentic characters, set on an outback property.

On the Java Ridge Jock Serong, Text Publishing $29.99

Jock Serong’s highly anticipated third novel starts on Indonesian waters where two vessels float just a few kilometres apart. One is carrying Australian tourists and the other, Takalar, is filled with passengers fleeing persecution. In Canberra, a new policy is being announced regarding assistance to asylum-seeker vessels in distress and it could spell disaster for them all.

App Store, $5.99 Google Play, $3.99 Access all your favourite podcasts anywhere, anytime.

This award-winning app has an easy-to-use browser and curated lists of featured podcasts, plus programs that are currently trending – all designed to make it easy to find new favourites.

With a companion web player and 24-hour tech support, it’s the best casting app on the market.

Untappd

App Store, free Google Play, free Drink socially with Untappd – the world’s newest social network dedicated to discovering and sharing info about the best beers.

Untappd shows you popular bars and venues nearby and what’s on tap. Use Untappd to quickly share info about your favourite beers with the world. Plus, stay ahead of all the news with venue and brewery events alerts. We’ll drink to that!

Freeview FV

App Store, free Google Play, free Access free-to-air TV wherever you may be with the Freeview FV app!

With live streaming, catchup TV and to-the-minute TV guides from 19 free-to-air channels, including ABC, SBS, Seven, Channel 9, TEN, ONE, ABC2/ABC KIDS, ABC ME, ABC News and more, you’ll have all your favourite shows listed in one place and ready to watch at any time of the day or night.

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S AT U R D AY

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S E P T E M B E R

T O

Spring Polo is a unique community event supporting Toowoomba’s award

winning Carnival of Flowers. This event offers something for everyone and has proven to be a “must attend” event with people coming from all over Australia!

This year, Spring Polo features two exhibition polo matches, field side champagne, fabulous fashions, live music and scrumptious food. All this combined to create the perfect atmosphere to sit back and enjoy all the excitement of a day at the polo.

Located in the heart of Toowoomba’s Central Business District, Spring Polo is easily accessible. Just a short walk from the city centre and easy access to public transport. Secure your ticket now.

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What’s On

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

SEPTEMBER

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O T T SED O N MIS BE

Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin, NSW 29–30 SEPTEMBER Celebrate all things Australian at this fun-filled festival in the vibrant riverside town of Deniliquin. Each year thousands throng into this rural Riverina paradise for the Deni Ute Muster. If utes don’t tickle your fancy, don’t worry – there’s plenty more at the Muster to entertain you. With world-class live music; foodie and arts markets; rodeo, wood-chopping and whip-cracking championships, fireworks and more, the whole family will have an absolute ball. deniutemuster.com.au

AUGUST

AUGUST

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SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

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4–7 August

13 August

1–2 September

1–3 September

Garma Festival, Arnhem Land, NT

Chocolate Winterfest, Latrobe, TAS

Birdsville Races, Birdsville, QLD

Hosted by the Yothu Yindu Foundation, Garma Festival is a bright celebration of Indigenous Australian culture, this year with a central theme of healing, or makarrata. Explore the rich traditions of Yolngu culture, which have sustained the clans of Arnhem Land for 50,000 years, with forum discussions, local artwork, delicious food and music and cultural displays. garma.com.au

Shrug off the winter blues by indulging in the ultimate chocolate experience at Chocolate Winterfest, held near Devonport on the Apple Isle’s stunning central north coast. Get involved in the creative Chocolate Wonders of Wearable Art and Lantern Parade, or simply eat, drink, decorate and learn all about the world’s favourite sweet treat.

Experience an Aussie bucket-list event like no other at the 135th Birdsville Races. Held on the striking red terrain of the Simpson Desert, this historic racing carnival unites Aussies in a two-day, 13-race meet, as well as a jam-packed schedule of off-track fun, including gourmet outback fare, on-field fashion, live music, games, fun runs and more. birdsvilleraces.com

Barossa Gourmet Weekend, Barossa Valley, SA

other events

chocolatewinterfest.com.au

1–3 September Lake Argyle Adventure Race Swim, ride, run and paddle on this three-day adventure in the remote East Kimberley. lakeargyleadventurerace.com.au

19 August Broome Cup, WA End the 12-week racing season on an all-time high at WA’s quintessential Broome Cup. broometurfclub.com.au

look

ahead

South Australia’s largest celebration of local food and wine, you have an entire weekend in which to immerse yourself in all that is ‘bespoke Barossa’ –from intimate tastings to exquisite dining.

Choose your own epicurean adventure: there’s a smorgasbord of gourmet galas across the region over the weekend. barossagourmet.com

13–22 October Orange Wine Festival, NSW Sample some of the best cool-climate wines in the world at this vinicultural extravaganza. brandorange.com.au

7 November Melbourne Cup, VIC Frock up and celebrate the race that stops the nation at iconic Flemington Racecourse. melbournecup.com

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lifestyle

CULTURE

club

Got a thing for theatre? Love live music? Enjoy great galleries?

Read on for what’s happening this month...

Black-Jesus-Experience © Bram-LAMMERS

1–31 AUGUST SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LIVING ARTS FESTIVAL, SA The largest and most innovative communitybased visual arts festival in Australia, SALA is a statewide extravaganza dedicated to all things artistic. Art-lovers won’t want to miss awardwinning works in every medium, from sculpture, painting and photography through to mixed media, moving image and enthralling installations, plus unique collaborations in hundreds of exhibition spaces throughout metropolitan and regional South Australia. salafestival.com

DARWIN FESTIVAL, NT 10–27 AUGUST

o ins ob aR Juli nner SALA 2016 Wi

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nw ith he rw inn ing w ork, Rutti Creature ng

Most of the country may be cold and dreary, but life’s still pretty sweet in Darwin! Celebrate the Territory capital’s unique cosmopolitan culture at this 18-day extravaganza packed with free outdoor events, award-winning theatre, Indigenous art and cultural exhibitions, contemporary dance, live music and world-class comedy, plus the outback city’s sensational local cuisine and weather. darwinfestival.org.au

lifestyle

23–27 August CINÉFESTOZ, WA Movie connoisseurs across the country unite for CinéfestOZ!, Western Australia’s premier film festival. Taking place in the scenic coastal centres of Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and the Margaret River wine region, CinéfestOZ premieres feature films and events at the region’s many cinemas, wineries, small bars and galleries, making it a feast for all six senses, and an unforgettable five-day getaway. cinefestoz.com

19 AUGUST–21 OCTOBER

The Father, Sydney Theatre Company A giant of Australian theatre for more than 50 years, John Bell makes a much-anticipated return to the Sydney Theatre Company stage for the Australian premiere of The Father, an extraordinary new play that has captivated audiences in Paris, London and New York.

Written by French playwright Florian Zeller and directed by Damien Ryan, The Father is a touching, funny and deeply unsettling mystery. sydneytheatre.com.au

25 AUGUST–3 SEPTEMBER

Melbourne Writers Festival, VIC

Immerse yourself in the wonder of the written word at this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival. Bringing together writers from around the world to celebrate literature, explore ideas and inspire readers for 10 straight days in Australia’s recognised ‘cultural capital’, the Melbourne Writers Festival is an annual highlight for bookworms across the country. Bookings essential!

mwf.com.au

21–30 September AIDA ON THE BEACH, QLD A royal love triangle, a fight for freedom and the famous ‘Triumphal March’ will light up the starry night sky when Aida comes to the sands of Coolangatta Beach. A huge cast and live orchestra will perform Verdi’s operatic masterpiece, featuring fireworks (of both the vocal and the exploding kind) and intricate technicolour costumes, while local surf lifesavers parade past on the sand. opera.org.au/beach

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lifestyle

Araluen Art Collection.

Acquired from Desert Mob 2016

 Desert Mob, Araluen Arts Centre, NT

7 September–22 October An exhibition unlike any other, Desert Mob is a bold and exhilarating statement of Indigenous art and its dynamism made in the heart of Alice Springs.

Bringing together art centres from across the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia, the exhibition spans three galleries and hundreds of new works in a testament to tradition, experimentation and innovation in contemporary Aboriginal desert art. araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

Rodel Tapaya Do you have a rooster, Pedro? 2015-16, Art Gallery of New South Wales © Rodel Tapaya (From Passion and procession Exhibit)  Passion and procession,

 Brave New World: Australia 1930s,

National Gallery of Victoria Until 15 October Beginning with the Great Depression and ending with World War II, the 1930s was characterised by both optimism and despair. Offering a fresh look at this turbulent time, Brave New World: Australia 1930s explores the engagement of artists with the great issues of the decade, revealing the complex creative forces at work and providing an expanded view of modernism. ngv.vic.gov.au/brave-new-world

The Victorian Railways present The Spirit of Progress 1937 Colour photolithographs, letterpress 20.8 x 26.8 cm State Library of Victoria (From Brave New World Exhibition, NGV)

AMY SHARK

Tickets and tour dates available online now.

TOUR

Art Gallery of New South Wales Until 12 November Part of the Bayanihan Philippine Art Project, Passion and procession explores complex relationships between individuals and the community. Drawing on both current experience and the country’s rich artistic history, the works encompass ancestral traditions, links to the arts of India and China, and modern ties to Spain and Mexico, revealing personal experiences of life and faith, and their public declaration in processions. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

National tour 18 August–9 September

TROPHY EYES National tour 16 August–3 September

MEG MAC The Forum, Melbourne, VIC 9 September

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lifestyle

Casio Pro Trek PRW-3510-1 Triple Sensor

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$695, casio-intl.com

Henty Copilot Messenger

Suit and garment bag, has a large inner tube optimised for storage on weekends away or business trips.

$319, henty.cc

Must haves Gizmos, gadgets and gear to make your life easier

Fospower 10200mAh Heavy Duty Portable Power Bank

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Water and dust proof, with built-in torch.

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RM Williams Dynamic Flex Comfort Craftsman

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ARB Weekender Recovery Kit Go further without the worry.

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Ticks all the boxes when looking for an amazing property investment: Well Priced - Townhouses range from $375,000 - $415,000 Well Located - The resort is beachfront Solid Returns - Returns from 5% NET with annual CPI increases Minimal Outgoings - No outgoings for 20 years Low Maintenance - No maintenance costs for 20 years Easy to Rent - Mantra Wallaroo Shores Resort pays rent 365 days Low Management Fees - There are no management fees Land Value Increase - The land is individually titled and freehold

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24/7 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FROM MANTRA GROUP

The Mantra Wallaroo Shores Resort is not owned, developed, marketed or sold by The Mantra Group or its affiliates. The Vendor has entered an agreement with The Mantra Group to manage Mantra Wallaroo Shores Resort and makes no representation to any party in relation to the financial returns of the resort operation or the financial resources of the Vendor. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the displayed information, the publisher gives no warranty and make no representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of any displayed description, photography, illustration or statement because all this information may be subject to change. Readers should make their own enquiries and satisfy themselves as to whether the information provided is current and should seek advice before entering into any contract. Photographs and illustrations displayed are indicative only and may not depict the final product. Monopoly Property Group RLA 272857

Sensations of Kangaroo Island New luxury food & wine tours

Tours commence September 2017

See it. Feel it. Taste it. Hear it. Embrace it.

Spend three days indulging your every sense.

Packages include return flights, transfers, accommodation, activities & all dining experiences.

Embrace the luxury coastal accommodation staying at LifeTime Private Retreats and combine gourmet delights with award-winning local wines and spirits, all in some of Kangaroo Island’s most inspiring locations.

3 Day Sensations of Spring and Summer Tours from $2,644pp* from Adelaide. Includes: • Indulgent dining experiences include dinner in a rustic shearing shed, breakfast in a beachside taverna and brunch in the fairytale setting of the 150 year-old Enchanted Fig Tree (summer only), hosted by catering specialists Hannaford & Sachs • Exclusive vineyard and winery tour with private barrel room tastings at The Islander Estate Vineyard • Join local chef Tony Nolan, of Latitude 36, for lunch in his farm kitchen for a home-cooked feast, local island produce cooking tips and some ‘island-life’ stories • Visit KI Spirits Distillery, Island Pure Sheep Dairy, Island Beehive, Emu Bay, Stokes Bay and much more *Conditions apply. Return flights from Adelaide only. Price valid to 31 March 2018. Selected departures throughout spring and summer.

Autumn and Winter itineraries will differ. Minimum numbers apply. See website for details. ABN 69 007 122 367.

Call +61 8 8553 0386 Email kireservations@kiodysseys.com.au Visit kangarooislandodysseys.com.au

specialfeature

ISLAND odyssey Five unforgettable experiences you’ll get on the NEW Kangaroo Island Food & Wine Tours

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Enchanted Fig Tree While staying at LifeTime Private Retreats on the stunning North Coast of Kangaroo Island, dine in the 150year old Enchanted Fig Tree and the 80-yearold Shearing Shed. With “dining rooms” buried deep within the tree, all you see of the outside world is dappled light streaming through fig leaves. It’s the most magical al fresco dining experience ever!

The shearing shed is ambient with candle light, antique furniture and 1920s music playing from the gramophone.

Play a game of croquet on the lawn before dinner or enjoy a sky full of stars with some local KI red wine to keep you warm.

Catering specialists, Hannaford & Sachs are charged with creating amazing foodie and dining experiences and the food is fresh, local and created with love.

4

KI Shellfish – Oyster Farm Shop No visit to KI is complete without enjoying the local seafood. There’s no better place to devour oysters, marron, abalone, abaline (baby abalone) and King George whiting all in one place than the Oyster Farm Shop, another of Dudley Wines KI Spirits Distillery Kangaroo Island’s unique Cellar Door & Cellar Door farm-gate experiences.

Once you take a step This distillery is South Located at American into this breathtaking cliff Australia’s first boutique River, look for the top cellar door, you’ll see gin distillery, established turquoise shack with the why Dudley Wines took in 2006 and offering old petrol pumps out front. home a recent cellar door award-winning gins, With everything prepared award. Laze on the lawn vodkas and liqueurs. fresh on site, walk across The distillery is with a glass of wine, stop the road to the wharf and for lunch on the sun deck, rustic, family operated dangle your legs over the and intimate with snuggle up next to the edge and tuck right into undeniable charm. The indoor fire or have a hit the oysters farmed just cellar door is a hive on the one hole, one par 200 metres away. of activity and all staff golf course!

KI Shellfish produce the One could while away know and love their award-winning ‘Snaptop gin. Indulge yourself by Oysters’ – snap-frozen, many hours in a place like this, wine tasting and having a glass of gin pre-topped and ready with their signature golf- to eat. This product is enjoying their gourmet ball-size ice cube, local packaged in a tray that can range of pizzas such as herbs and dehydrated the famous King George go directly from freezer to fruits. It’ll be the most Whiting pizza and oven, designed to keep impressive gin and tonic oysters upright during the slow-cooked beef and you’ve ever had! beetroot pizza. cooking process.

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Island Pure Sheep Dairy Island Pure, on the banks of the beautiful Cygnet River and Gum Creek on Kangaroo Island is South Australia’s first sheep dairy and cheese factory, opened in 1992. The lifestyle is perfect, particularly if you’re a sheep!

This stress-free life allows Island Pure to produce some of the finest sheep cheese and yoghurt available anywhere in Australia.

The entire range is handmade on site from 100% sheep milk and although each batch is unique with slight variations, attention to detail ensures all produce is of the highest quality.

Enjoy their natural and Ligurian bee honey yoghurt and feta, kafalotiri, manchego, haloumi and labneh cheeses.

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lifestyle

RE WHE T TO EIANK & DR

FIVE OF THE BEST

BIG NAMES IN SMALL TOWNS When some of Australia’s – and the world’s – greatest chefs decide the big smoke isn’t for them, here’s where they go.

Words: Ben Smithurst

BANNISTERS

MOLLYMOOK, NSW Few in the British food establishment have upped stumps as dramatically as TV celebrity chef, restaurateur and presenter Rick Stein, who decided in 2009 to open a restaurant in Mollymook, New South Wales – because he remembered eating nice oysters on the NSW South Coast in the 1960s. Oh, and because his second wife, Sarah, was Australian. The resulting eponymous restaurant offers modern seafood with Asian flourishes. “People say why didn’t Sas and I open a restaurant in Sydney, and Sas says, ‘Mollymook’s my spiritual home’,” says Stein. “I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant there.” bannisters.com.au

The creation of Basque culinary genius Andoni Luis Aduriz, culinary heir to El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià, Spanish restaurant Mugaritz has been declared “the most adventurous restaurant in the world” by US GQ. But 11 years ago, Mugaritz’s head chef was Aussie former ‘dish pig’ Dan Hunter. Then Hunter left – for rural Victoria. Birregurra, 134 kilometres’ drive south-west of Melbourne, is now home to Brae, his three-chefs-hatted, decidedly seasonal restaurant. It’s “world-class dining in a country cottage girt by orchards and hens – heaven,” says The Age Good Food Guide. With a menu driven by Hunter’s organic kitchen garden, Brae was just ranked no. 44 in the world’s Top 50 Restaurants of 2017.

Birregurra’s population? Less than 750. braerestaurant.com

BRAE

BIRREGURRA, VIC 13

lifestyle

NU NU

PALM COVE, QLD Head chef at the Hentley Farm winery, Lachlan Colwill, was born in the Barossa – but his path back could hardly have been more roundabout.

He apprenticed locally, then worked around the globe, developing a taste for culinary tournaments that eventually saw him placed third in the world for chefs under the age of 30.

He returned to South Oz to take Adelaide’s The Manse to three consecutive Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year gongs, also winning Chef of the Year. And then he went home.

“Rarely has a new restaurant so rapidly won both awards and customers from near and far,” gushed the Good Food Guide. hentleyfarm.com.au

HENTLEY FARM BAROSSA VALLEY, SA

Caves, large waves and wineries dominate the landscape of south-west Western Australia, but the region’s culinary drawcards extend further than the annual Margaret River Gourmet Escape. Seth James learned his trade under London and Paris-trained luminary Russell Armstrong in Brisbane and restaurant emperor Andrew McConnell in Melbourne, at Cutler & Co. Then, suddenly, James went as far west as he could without falling into the ocean, and ended up doing modern Australian at Wills Domain – and racking up one award after another. Says The Australian’s John Lethlean, Wills is “modern, but not silly.

Pretty. And really satisfying”. Get in. willsdomain.com.au

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WILLS DOMAIN YALLINGUP, WA

Incredible weather. The reef. Laid-back lifestyle. Tropical North Queensland has many drawcards, even if you don’t think skinny-dipping is more fun when you’re being eaten by crocodiles. But the region’s reputation as a foodie destination is erratic, at best. Changing that is Nick Holloway, of contemporary restaurant Nu Nu, who jettisoned his position as head chef at Melbourne’s definitive Pearl (under Geoff Lindsay) for something just a pinch warmer. Over a decade later, apart from the occasional trip south to appear in MasterChef challenges, Holloway is still there. “Clever nuances set Nu Nu apart,” declared the Good Food Guide, awarding Holloway Regional Restaurant of the Year. nunu.com.au

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CRETACEOUS The lush, green Port Douglas and Daintree region is the only place on Earth where you can walk along the shore between two UNESCO World Heritage-listed areas – the ancient Wet Tropics rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef – and spot prehistoric beasts.

ateway to the wilderness and Cape Tribulation, Port Douglas is both laidback and elegant. The town boasts harbourside mansions, mega-yachts, towering palms and fig trees, and a bustling dining and shopping scene.

But before I get too comfy amid all the luxury, I’m reminded that this is Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) after all. A local tells me wild pig hunting is a popular sport, and crocs can be spotted swimming along the beaches, travelling between creeks during the wet.

There’s nowhere in Australia quite as lush and wild as TNQ. Port Douglas is surrounded by head-high cane fields and deep green, towering mountains.

You’d swear you were on a Pacific isle, or the set of Jurassic Park.

Indeed, just 90 minutes’ drive north of Port Douglas, across the Daintree River, lies a land preserved since the time of dinosaurs.

Encompassing ancient tracts of the Daintree rainforest, the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area is a 140-million-yearold surviving fragment of ancient Gondwanan forest, the world’s

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PARK WORDS: ANNA WARWICK

longest-living tropical rainforest – an irreplaceable ecosystem.

A living record of evolution and Australia’s most biodiverse forest, the Wet Tropics have allowed plants and animals from ancient lineages to persist, including the tiny hypsi, or ‘musky rat kangaroo’– ancestor of today’s wallabies and ‘roos. The Southern cassowary, a flightless bird and emblem of the forest, is the closest living creature to meat-eating theropods.

And the omnipresent crocodile is both descendant and living contemporary of the dinosaurs.

The Eastern Kuku Yalanji (pronounced gu-gu u-alan-gee) people, who have lived here for approximately 50,000 years, see the rainforest as a respected elder (which they call maja). They manage the area, with help from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the Wet Tropics Management Authority.

Into the woods Cross the Daintree River in your vehicle on the cable ferry and head north into the rainforest, pausing

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experience

The timeless Cape Tribulation.

for glimpses of the Coral Sea as you wind past pretty beaches en route to Cape Tribulation. From here, you could spend months exploring the reef and rainforest, but this is where the sealed road ends.

I’m joining the half-day tour with local guide Lawrence Mason.

We’re travelling up Bloomfield Road (known as the Bloomfield Track or the ‘coast road’) through the heart of the Wet Tropics.

The 33.7-kilometre Bloomfield Track is one of Australia’s most challenging 4WD routes. Luckily, born-and-bred local Lawrence has done more than 2,000 kilometres along it over the years and knows every treacherous bend like the back of his hand.

He tells us the 4WD Track was built in the early 1980s, recalling sit-in protests by rainforest conservationists, and has since proven a mixed blessing, connecting communities but also inviting regular incidents. Navigating steep, narrow roads beneath the rainforest canopy, we go slowly. An overturned ute to our right speaks volumes.

In a valley, Lawrence drives carefully through a deep running creek that’s flooded the road.

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Ascending, we’re told to keep an eye out for brush turkeys and goannas crossing the road – and if it’s our lucky day, we may catch a glimpse of a cassowary amid the palms and ferns.

Notoriously shy, these birds have the lowest-frequency calls in the world, so we won’t hear them coming.

They live in symbiosis with the ancient ecosystem, eating more than 228 species of plants and kindly, if unwittingly, dispersing the seeds.

We pull over at the top of a hill, and gaze out at a hinterland of mountains wreathed by clouds, their granite rocks patterned by millions of wet seasons. Lawrence describes a recent 1,800-millimetre rainstorm that lasted for 16 hours. He says the valley below is filled with purple jacaranda after the wet.

This landscape has survived due to a series of miracles, says Lawrence.

Consistent climatic conditions – involving the trade winds and rainfall – have kept it pristine.

But the forest has seen some changes. For thousands of years, tribal burning had a huge impact on vegetation. Lawrence also tells us that in the 1880s, many red gum trees were felled for export. Today,

“Cassowaries live in symbiosis with the ancient ecosystem, eating more than 228 species of plants and kindly, if unwittingly, dispersing the seeds”

CROC-SPOTTING (and avoiding) Here in crocodile country, these prehistoric creatures show up all over the place: in rivers, creeks, swamps, wetlands and waterholes, along beaches and even in the ocean – typically, though, they prefer warm, muddy waters where they can hide. From March through winter, look closely at river and sand banks and you may see a crocodile basking in the sun.

BE CROC-WISE • Obey crocodile signs.

• Never swim in opaque water.

• Stay well back from slide marks on river and sand banks.

• Never provoke or interfere with a crocodile – even a small one.

• Feeding crocs is illegal and dangerous.

• Be especially croc-cautious during breeding season: September to April.

The serene Daintree River.

wild pigs do their fair share of damage, digging up the soil – and making them fair game.

The next obstacle we encounter on the Track is a fallen tree. Lawrence gets out and chops at the branches with a machete until there’s enough road to pass. His proficiency at the task shows he’s clearly done this before.

Stopping for a refreshing swim at Myall Creek, a rainforest stream, Lawrence serves tea and delicious cookies home-baked by his mum at their family-owned café in Cape Trib.

At Cape Tribulation Beach Lookout, Wet Tropics mountain ridges plunge from their summits to merge with sandy, near-deserted beaches and the fringing corals of the Great Barrier

Reef. This dual World Heritagelisted terrain is both precious and breathtaking to observe.

We drive on. At remote Emmagen Beach, mangroves appear to crawl on long grey roots over the sand.

As we round a bend, Lawrence brakes again…

HARTLEY’S CROCODILE ADVENTURES Twenty-five minutes’ drive south of Port Douglas, Hartley’s offers outstanding up-close croc action, and it’s all perfectly safe. Get a pic of you and your loved ones cuddling a koala, python or baby croc; stroll wooded pathways to encounter wallabies, goannas, dragons, cassowaries, freshwater and, yes, saltwater crocodiles and their tiny newborns. Take a thrilling boat cruise on Hartley’s Lagoon to see these gigantic prehistoric reptiles leaping from the water, jaws snapping, for their chicken dinner. crocodileadventures.com.au

Where the wild things are It’s a cassowary. I am struck by the shimmering blue and bright red of the neck, the crown-like casque and glossy black-feathered body.

The cassowary appears dressed in evening attire. The huge bird steps warily across the road, three fluffy brown-striped chicks trailing behind it.

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experience A magical sunset at Port Douglas.

THINGS TO DO PORT DOUGLAS MARKET: Stroll grassy market lanes by the Coral Sea on Sunday mornings.

Stallholders here offer everything from massage and crystals to baby clothes, hats, crafty gifts and great coffee.

INDIGENOUS TOURS: Beyond Port Douglas, at the base of mountainous Daintree National Park, you can take guided walks with members of the Kuku Yalanji.

Further north, at quirky Daintree Village, you can also take Indigenous-led tours, on which you might spot saltwater crocodiles, fish for barramundi or marvel at the incredible wildlife.

This is the father, Lawrence explains.

Yes, it’s male cassowary that sits with the eggs on the nest for almost two months, then raises the babies for around nine months, while the larger (up to two metres), plainer female manages several relationships, racing from sevensquare-kilometre territory to territory of her mates.

We’re warned not to get too close while taking photos – the three-toed, sharp-clawed foot of a cassowary can kill with a kick.

Another 4WD has pulled up behind us. “We’re causing a cassajam,” Lawrence jokes.

The mood in the car is ebullient as we drive on. We have seen a reallife dinosaur.

Top of the track Thirty-one kilometres north of Cape Tribulation, Lawrence points out the homes of members of the Wujal community. We’ve reached the mighty Bloomfield River and the end of the Bloomfield Track.

There are crocodile warning signs here. A short walk over river stones reveals that even this early in the wet, the peaceful Wujal 20

waterfall is flowing. We’re shown ancient endemic plants growing close to the water’s edge, but this is no place for wading. I imagine a croc heaving itself up over the rocks right at my toes.

On the way back, Lawrence points out slide tracks on the sandy riverbank.

Back at Mason’s Café, at Cape Tribulation, the tables are turned.

Here, the croc burger has pride of place on the lunch menu. The café also serves buffalo, kangaroo, emu, boar and camel burgers.

Vegetarians can opt for a meatytasting jackfruit burger.

After lunch, for a gold-coin donation, we get to cool off in the rainforest stream onsite, with crystal-clear waters flowing over pebbles beneath a canopy of tall trees that dapples the surface with pools of light. There are no crocs here – just shy fish and little brown turtles that snaffle bread from our hands.

To book a tour with Lawrence, visit masonstours.com.au Explore the Bloomfield Track independently, if you dare: douglas. qld.gov.au/road-conditions/ bloomfield-track

OTHER TNQ ACTIVITIES Enjoy rainforest and wildlife adventures, ‘jungle surfing’, reef tours, sailing and island tours, food and wine tours, horse riding, eco tours, Indigenous-guided walks, scenic flights, fishing tours, river cruises and more. visitportdouglasdaintree.com

WHERE TO STAY QT PORT DOUGLAS: This hip retro resort is handy to Four Mile Beach. Live it up in the lagoon-style pool with swim-up bar and sun loungers, before chilling out in your spacious, airconditioned room. The open plan bar and restaurant serves a mean breakfast buffet and late night cocktails. qthotelsandresorts.com/ port-douglas CAPE TRIB BEACH HOUSE RESORT: This huge rainforest retreat feels like a tropical island getaway, replete with bungalows and a nightly bonfire on the beach.

Outdoor bar-restaurant Tides bustles with local characters and international travellers enjoying a drink and a wide array of delicious cuisine. capetribbeach.com.au

Port Douglas & Daintree Tropical North Queensland

Where rainforest meets the reef Executive Retreats

Indigo Port Douglas

Executive Retreats are the specialists in Tropical North Queensland holiday accommodation and wedding venues. Choose between unique and luxurious destinations dotted along the northern beaches, in the heart of Port Douglas or on private hinterland acreages. Stay in Luxury, Play in Paradise. Indulge...in 'The Art of Tropical Living'.

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+61 7 4098 1418 www.executiveretreats.com.au

Sweet Farm Tours

44’ Fountaine Pajot Cruising Catamaran Max 12 guests on day tours Max 4 guests on overnight and extended charters Family owned and run Sunset Sailing Low Isles Snorkel Trips Private Charters +61 429 901 250 (Colin) Overnight and extended charters

+61 429 933 003 (Ali) www.indigoportdouglas.com.au

Tropical Journeys

Our unique Australian farm gate experience offers an educational journey covering everything you ever wanted to know about Australian origin cocoa and a working sugarcane farm, Australian grown vanilla and a Koala Food plantation.

Australian Origin chocolate tasting and fresh sugarcane juice on all tours.

Bookings Essential +61 7 4098 8134 www.sweetfarmtours.com

Tropical Journeys is proud to be one of the leading family owned tour operators providing first class experiences to both the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest  Calypso offers snorkelling and diving to Agincourt and Opal reefs  Calypso offers half day tours to Low Isles  Experience Aquarius to the Outer Reef for luxury sailing and Aquarius Twilight Sailing  Daintree Tours into the heart of the rainforest +61 7 4099 6999 www.tropicaljourneys.com

#portdouglasdaintree

discover more go to www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com

specialfeature

Port Douglas Rob Tibbett from RvTrips.com.au shares his top tips for touring this stunning part of the world by caravan.

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by caravan

ituated in a truly beautiful (and warm) part of tropical Queensland, Port Douglas is one of those ‘must-visit’ locations in Australia – the perfect place to kick back and enjoy a relaxing winter break.

Visiting Port Douglas while touring Far North Queensland (FNQ) in our caravan, we chose to stay at the BIG4 Port Douglas Glengarry Holiday Park, just outside Port Douglas. Nestled into the rainforest, this is a well located holiday park with great amenities and easy access to Mossman Gorge, beautiful Daintree rainforest and, of course, the magnificent Great Barrier Reef.

Caravanning, for those who haven’t tried it, brings a new dimension to holidaying. You can enjoy the freedom to go where and when you like, in comfort, picking up tips on what to see and where to stay from fellow campers, who are almost always more than happy to share their secrets and lessons learnt. You’ll soon feel part of this RV community, and may be surprised at the fun you’ll have and the lifelong friends you’ll make.

Along with the BIG4, there are plenty of caravan parks, motels, resorts and apartments to choose from in and around Port Douglas. Some are within easy walking distance from town; others can be found in nearby towns such as Mossman, Palm Cove and Cairns – even in the Daintree rainforest itself.

Port Douglas has a wide array of cafés, restaurants and bars along its main street, all well patronised and with daily specials on offer.

We asked a local where to have lunch and were directed to the Port Douglas Surf Club Bar & Bistro overlooking Four Mile Beach, which served an interesting variety of great food – we had the pulled pork in breadcrumbs with bean salsa and a green-tea dipping sauce; and battered coral trout served in tortillas with avocado dip, salsa and sweet-potato chips. We walked off lunch by

heading up Flagstaff Hill to take in the amazing views out to sea, along Four Mile Beach and over the town.

One highlight of our trip was a visit to the Port Douglas Market, held each Sunday from 8am till around lunchtime in the park along the shorefront. There was a great vibe, with locals selling homemade and organic goodies, from cacao-coated frozen bananas to ice blocks made from 100 per cent strawberry, kiwi and mango.

Then we found the Fruit Pooh stall, serving up real fruit sorbets – delicious.

There are several ways to visit the Great Barrier Reef; we chose to take one of the snorkelling trips with a marine biologist to gain a better understanding of the various ecosystems and marine life found in this unique part of Australia.

Totally worthwhile and highly recommended.

No visit to Port Douglas would be complete without spending a day or two exploring Mossman Gorge and Daintree National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland area.

Only a short drive north of Port Douglas is beautiful Mossman Gorge. You could easily spend a day here enjoying a range of rainforest walks (some wheelchair-accessible), relaxing by the river or swimming in the gorge, while the Mossman Gorge Centre offers a range of Aboriginal artworks, meals and ‘good’ coffee from its café.

Heading north from Mossman, you cross the Daintree River on a vehicular ferry, a great experience in itself. Just up the road is the Waluwurrigga Alexandra Range Lookout, offering magnificent views over the Daintree, where the ‘rainforest meets the sea’, before you venture into it for a closer look. Port Douglas’s laidback vibe and natural wonders make for a stunning combination, one not to be missed.

NORTHERN

TOOLKIT • The perfect playlist: Essential accompaniment to your long, scenic drives.

Load up your chosen device and make sure you have digital radio and USB accessibility in your van, plus surround sound.

• Hiking boots: Why not head out on a little adventure into the luscious rainforest greenery? Be sure to pack a comfy pair of hiking boots that won’t leave you with blistered feet in the middle of the Daintree.

• Snorkelling gear: You can’t get this close to the world’s most iconic reef and not take a look underwater! With an array of coral and sea life offshore to explore, a mask, snorkel and fins are sure to come in handy.

• Roadside assistance: You wouldn’t want a flat tyre or electrical fault to derail your explorations.

Make sure you also have insurance. New Age Caravans customers can call New Age Assist on 1300 968 396 for 24/7 help.

Check out the amazing caravan ranges at newagecaravans.com.au

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Enjoy hand-feeding free ranging kangaroos & wallabies, or have a hands-on encounter with a koala, python, owl or dingo! Watch our daily Conservation in Action Wildlife Show, and learn about our animals during our keeper talks.

Moonlit Sanctuary comes alive at night with lantern-lit evening tours. See some of Australia’s most reclusive animals, including gliders, quolls, bettongs and owls, when they are awake and active.

550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale, Victoria. Phone 5978 7935

www.moonlitsanctuary.com.au

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INTOthe

WILD There have never been more exciting and varied ways to get up close and personal with the fauna of Australia, some of the most unique and fascinating land animals in the world.

WORDS: DEBORAH DICKSON-SMITH

Š Ben Brown

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The best kind of photo bomb: A common wombat on Maria Island. ustralia is blessed with wildlife that is not only seriously iconic but highly accessible, and there are plenty of places in which you can experience our unique fauna in its natural habitat – and in world-class zoos – the nation over.

Due to our relative isolation, much of Australia’s wildlife is endemic – meaning that it’s not found anywhere else. Along with its high level of endemism, Australian fauna is further unique due to the high number of marsupial species and scarcity of native placental mammals.

And we don’t just have ‘roos; we have bush kangaroos, tree kangaroos, wallaroos, potoroos, pademelons, wallabies, quokkas, bandicoots and bilbies, along with meateating marsupials such as Tasmanian devils, quolls and numbats – all related to the (now extinct) Tasmanian tiger.

We also have some of the most unusual wildlife on Earth, including two of the five living species of monotreme: the egg-laying, ant-eating echidna and, of course, the platypus – a venomous, egglaying, duck-billed amphibious mammal, acknowledged to be one of the strangest creatures in the animal kingdom.

In the reptile department, we have lizards aplenty, from goannas to thorny devils, 450 varieties of skink and a bluetongued lizard. We’re blessed, too, with the saltwater crocodile – the largest living crocodile on the planet.

Australia has more than 800 species of birds, about a third of which are endemic, including the emu and the cassowary – a strange bird with an axe-like casque atop its head that is actually a listening device (not a weapon to be used on annoying 26

humans that cross its path – it has lethal dagger-like claws between its toes for that).

Australia is also infamous for having more than its fair share of venomous critters – from spiders and scorpions to octopus and jellyfish, molluscs and stingrays, not to mention the deadliest snakes in the world – which is why it’s often wise to explore our iconic wildlife with a guide.

ZOO ENCOUNTERS If you’re not ready to encounter wildlife in the wild, there are plenty of zoos and wildlife parks that allow you to get up close to animals; many of them have handson programs and some even offer onsite accommodation.

Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, one of Australia’s oldest and certainly most well-known zoos, is also one of the world’s most scenic, boasting sweeping views of Sydney Harbour. It has an array of entertaining shows, including the daily Free-flight Bird Show; hands-on wildlife experiences; and a treetops course that takes you above the enclosures. The zoo even hosts weekly yoga

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“There are plenty of places in which you can experience our unique fauna in its natural habitat”

classes. Taronga also offers the ultimate sleepover, Roar and Snore, in luxury tented accommodation. taronga.org.au Only an hour’s drive north of Sydney, the Australian Reptile Park has a wide range of hands-on experiences, and not just with the resident reptiles. As well as a great variety of lizards and freshwater crocodiles, you’ll find wombats, wallabies, dingos and devils, but it’s the hands-on, informative keeper talks that make this wildlife park special. There are opportunities here to wrap a python around your neck, take a Galapagos tortoise for a walk and even cuddle a dingo pup. reptilepark.com.au Nearby Hunter Valley Zoo also has a good selection of Aussie animals as well as a few exotics, such as meerkats, monkeys, lemurs and lions. You can meet the wallabies and kangaroos in the interactive yards and get up close with dozens of endemic and exotic birds, including the very friendly lorikeets, rosellas and noisy macaws. Their hands-on experiences include a chance to go into the meerkat enclosure with the keeper and spend some quality time feeding them and watching them go about their busy

family life. huntervalleyzoo.com.au An hour’s drive south of Sydney, Symbio Wildlife Park has transformed in recent years from a sleepy little country zoo into a social media superstar, courtesty of its Facebook videos of cute koalas Imogen and Willow. symbiozoo.com.au Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast offers visitors 25 listed hands-on animal encounters with everything from pygmy possums to wombats, as well as Roo Heaven, where you can feed kangaroos as they roam freely around their large enclosure. The

Zoo has some of the world’s biggest critters, too, including its famous giant saltwater crocodiles, the biggest, oldest (and smartest) of them being five metres long and weighing in at around a tonne. Australiazoo.com.au Altina Wildlife Park at Darlington Point near Griffith offers an Aussie ‘zoofari’ experience, in which you can mingle with meerkats, feed the lions (if you dare!), give treats to giraffes and zebras and get up close and personal with monkeys. Or, just hop on board a horse-drawn or motorised cart and take in the animals roaming the

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EXPERIENCE !

D L I W E TH Altina Wildlife Park - The Zoo-fari like no other, meet the animals up close and personal with your guide whilst travelling in style on personalised horse drawn or motorised carts. Altina’s guides take all visitors around the park to meet the animals during their daily feed times to see these magnificent animals closer than you ever thought possible.

The guided tour around the park goes for 2.5 hours and is the only way to see Altina’s animals, spots fill up fast so be sure to book for your experience of a lifetime.

For something a little more exciting try our Behind The Scenes Encounters where you feed and have the ultimate Altina experience with your chosen animals.

Altina Wildlife Park is located on the Sturt Highway outside Darlington Point, approximately 40mins drive from Griffith or 1.5 hour drive from Wagga Wagga.

Bookings can be made online www.altinawildlife.com or by calling 0412060342.

altinawildlife.com

experience

AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE COLLECTION

“Enter the Antarctic cool of Sea World’s penguin enclosure to feed King and Gentoo penguins” 207-hectare bush property. The park also has many conservation projects you can get involved in. altinawildlife.com If you’re looking for a close encounter of the aquatic kind, Sea World Gold Coast has countless animal adventures: you can swim with dolphins, snorkel with reef sharks, take part in a Seal Safari and much, much more.

One of the more memorable experiences is the Penguin Antarctic Experience, in which you rug up and enter the Antarctic cool of Sea World’s penguin enclosure to feed King and Gentoo penguins. seaworld.com.au Also on the Gold Coast is Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. With more than 27 hectares of landscaped surrounds and bushland and hundreds of native Australian animals residing in bushland and rainforest settings, you’ll need a full day to do it justice. Hands-on experiences include feeding one of their huge saltwater crocodiles. There are also a couple of fun ways to get around the grounds: through the trees on ladders, bridges and zip lines via the TreeTop Challenge; or wheeling around on a Segway Safari. cws.org.au At Melbourne Zoo, you can get up close with lemurs, meerkats, giraffes and squirrel monkeys as well as with a few of the

natives, such as kangaroos. There are several fantastic ‘Behind the Scenes’ guided tours through the gorilla, orangutan and tiger enclosures, plus a Roar ‘n’ Snore sleepover in the zoo’s historic Elephant House between September and May. zoo.org.au At the top of Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula, Moonlit Sanctuary has 10 hectares of bushland in which you can feed kangaroos and wallabies, pet koalas and see endangered species. Take a magical lantern-lit night tour, and watch as quolls, pademelons and bettongs forage. moonlitsanctuary.com.au Adelaide Zoo has possibly more wildlife encounters than any other zoo in Australia – with everything from squirrel monkeys and lemurs to hippos and big cats. The zoo’s VIP Panda experience allows you to get close to Australia’s only giant pandas and, in summer, the zoo hosts Wild Nights, where you can sleep in a tent on a rooftop garden overlooking the zoo. adelaidezoo.com.au At the National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra, you can meet, feed and/or and play with a variety of animals, from white lions to tigers, cheetahs, giraffes, meerkats, sun bears, tree kangaroos and more. nationalzoo.com.au

This year, 12 of Australia’s leading wildlife tourism experiences joined forces to form the Australian Wildlife Collection. The Collection aims to promote immersive ‘wildlife in the wild’ experiences across Australia, representing a wide array of landscapes, from coral reefs, woodlands, rainforests and wetlands to desert sandplains.

Incorporating Arkaba Wildlife Conservancy; Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours; Exceptional Kangaroo Island; Exmouth Diving; Goin’ Off Safaris; Lady Elliot Island; Lords Kakadu and Arnhemland Safaris; The Maria Island Walk; Oz Whale Watching; Premier Travel Tasmania; SEIT Outback Australia and Wildlife Coast Cruises, the organisation is developing a website that includes information about seasonal wildlife events and peak viewing opportunities to help people plan nationwide trips to see the creatures that interest them.

This one-stop shop will tell you where to swim with whale sharks, turtles or fur seals, where to spot emus, wombats, wallabies and Tassie devils, and the best time of year to do it all. australianwildlifecollection.com

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experience

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Many of Australia’s wildlife icons are found widely throughout Australia, while others are terrain-dependent and can be encountered only in a few small areas.

Though koalas and many of our marsupials are present throughout Australia, the best places to see them are in the bottom righthand corner of the country: in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours offers one-day and multi-day trips out of Melbourne with guaranteed sightings of koalas and the most common marsupials.

Their guides will also point out and interpret the many birds and reptiles you are bound to spot along the way.

Koalas are also virtually guaranteed on a hike through the national parkland of Queensland’s Magnetic Island. Introduced to the island in the 1930s, the Magnetic koala colony is free from natural predators and has thrived, with latest estimates placing the koala population at more than 800.

If you’re happy to swap a cuddly koala for a little (Tassie) devil, take a trip to Maria Island, often described as Tasmania’s Noah’s Ark and for good reason. An island sanctuary, it’s a terrific place to observe 30

wombats, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and wallabies in the wild, as well as more than 100 species of birds. The Maria Island Walk is a four-day trek, with luxury accommodation and gourmet food provided along the way; expert guides help you to spot and understand the island’s unique wildlife.

Kangaroo Island (spot the clue) is an obvious place to go if you’re looking for kangaroos and wallabies. But there’s so much more to see than the hopping macropods: spot koalas dozing in the trees and seals sunning themselves on deserted beaches. At 155 kilometres long and up to 55 kilometres wide, it’s a big place; if you’d like a local to show you the best of it, visit

Exceptional Kangaroo Island and arrange a personalised tour.

While you can see kangaroos in most parts of Australia, there are a few wellknown aggregation points. On the NSW North Coast, you’ll almost trip over the large mobs at Look At Me Now Headland just north of Coffs Harbour, five minutes’ walk from Emerald Beach Holiday Park, and at nearby Safety Beach and Hungry Head. On the South Coast, Depot Beach, just north of Bateman’s Bay, is also a popular spot for ’roos.

As well as being one of the most bizarre creatures on Earth, the platypus is a shy animal, not easy to spot in the wild. One

KOALA CUDDLES The opportunity to cuddle a koala is available in just two states: Queensland and South Australia. Brisbane’s Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary – is a great place to do it. On the Gold Coast, get your koala cuddle fix at Dreamworld and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, or further north on Magnetic Island at Bungalow Bay Koala Village. In South Australia, head to Cleland Wildlife Park in Mount Barker, or to Gorge Wildlife Park in the Adelaide ‘burbs.

of the best places to see platypuses outside of captivity is at Jenolan Caves in NSW’s Blue Mountains region, where you’ll find a couple of residents in the blue lake at the entrance to the caves complex. Rainforest Scuba in Mackay, Queensland, offers excursions on which you can actually snorkel and dive with platypuses.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK To see the most and best of our iconic Australian wildlife in an equally iconic Aussie setting, get off the beaten track and head to the Top End. Kakadu National Park encompasses

almost 20,000 square kilometres of terrain that includes wetlands, rivers and sandstone escarpments. A paradise for birdwatchers, it’s also home to rock wallabies, bandicoots, wallaroos, quolls, dingoes, flying foxes, ghost bats, goannas, frogs, pythons – and the world’s largest reptile, the saltwater crocodile. It’s exactly the sort of place you could lose yourself in for a week, preferably with a guide.

To experience the region properly and meet some classic Australian creatures, book a multi-day safari with Lords Safaris, whose local and Indigenous guides will teach you about much of the wildlife to be found there. lords-safaris.com

Janine and Roger from Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours.

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GLOBAL

ANIMAL CONSERVATION EXPERIENCES

any zoos and wildlife parks contribute to wildlife conservation projects around the world. In Australia, Taronga Zoo’s Taronga Foundation is involved in everything from the establishment of wildlife corridors in the New South Wales Central Coast to the conservation of Fiji’s crested iguanas.

The Australian Reptile Park is spearheading the conservation of Tasmanian Devils with the Devil Ark program, which now includes several Australian zoos, and Australia Zoo has raised millions of dollars which are funnelled to conservation projects for Sumatran tigers, elephants, cheetahs, cassowaries and (of course) crocodiles.

There are also an increasing number of opportunities to volunteer on wildlife conservation projects around the world. Here are three of the best.

The Orangutan Project This not-for-profit organisation supports orangutan conservation, and organises two trips annually to Indonesia’s wilder regions, where a selected group of people get the chance to get up close and personal with some magnificent wildlife, while raising money for The Orangutan Project.

The Trans Borneo Challenge visits all four regions of Kalimantan on a 22-day adventure, while The Last Place on Earth trek guides you into the critically endangered Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra on an 18-day challenge.

Each person selected for these fund-raising adventure tours is expected to raise money for The Orangutan Project beforehand: The Last Place on Earth Challenge guided expedition costs $4,450 per person, which includes a minimum $2,500 fundraising component; the Trans Borneo Challenge costs $4.520pp, including a fundraising component of $2,000.

The cost is inclusive of return airfares from Jakarta, accommodation, meals, transfers, access/permits to all National Parks, guides’ fees and all equipment en route.

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All funds raised are donated to The Orangutan Project, contributing to the project’s target of $90,000. orangutan.org.au/get-involved/ orangutan-adventure-tours/ Turtle tagging in Tetepare Tetepare is the least developed and most remote island in the Solomon Islands, home to vast untouched jungle, dugongs, crocodiles, marine turtles and countless species of fish, with its 13-kilometre-long Marine Protected Area the largest in the Solomons.

The island is also an important nesting ground for the critically endangered Western Pacific leatherback turtle. This is the Telepare conservation program’s primary focus, though it also contributes to coral reef health and seagrass monitoring, coconut crab monitoring and bird banding, and conducts harvest surveys to guide harvest regulations.

The island has a small eco-resort, which allow tourists to participate in turtle tagging and nest protection while providing a sustainable source of income to power these conservation efforts. tetepare.org Elephant Nature Park Located on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, this rescue and rehabilitation centre provides sanctuary for more than 30 elephants, many of them victims of mistreatment. The park offers a wide range of programs for visitors, from oneday visits to seven-day volunteer programs.

On a single-day visit, you’ll learn how to care for elephants while having ample time to watch them interacting in their herd, playing with each other and bathing in the river.

The park has a wonderful volunteer program for those wanting a longer, more intimate experience who don’t mind a bit of hard work. There’s also a program for visiting veterinarians and vet nurses and veterinary students. elephantnaturepark.org

A Room with a Zoo...

Jungle Bungalow

Unforgettable Dining

Giraffe Treehouse

Jamala Wildlife Lodge in Canberra offers 3 very different accommodation facilities and is amongst the most unique animal lodges in the world. You can stay in uShaka Lodge with its own shark tank, in a Jungle Bungalow virtually built into the habitat of a bear, lion, tiger or cheetah, or in a Giraffe Treehouse where you hand feed your tall neighbour. Included are afternoon and morning tours, 5 star accommodation, gourmet meals and fine wines. Dining is in the uShaka Lodge tropical rainforest cave where you will be joined by magnificent white lions and hyenas.

Ph: 02 6287 8444 | Fax: 02 6287 8403 Email: info@jamalawildlifelodge.com.au Web: www.jamalawildlifelodge.com.au Address: 999 Lady Denman Drive, Canberra ACT 2611

Visit Port Lincoln’s glorious beaches, limitless national parks, cool clear Southern Ocean and taste the best seafood ever!

VISIT PORT LINCOLN • • • • • •

Swim with sea lions Dive with Great White sharks Coffin Bay oysters direct from the sea Absorb our nautical and pioneer history Indulge in our local wines and taste our local produce Enjoy the natural beauty of our unspoilt pristine coastline

visitportlincoln.net VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

3 Adelaide Place, Port Lincoln Local call 1300 788 378 Phone/Fax: (08) 8683 3544 Email: info@visitportlincoln.net

Open 7 days a week

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unique AUSSIE ADVENTURES If your idea of a holiday involves excitement, action and perhaps even heart-pumping adrenaline, these Aussie experiences are well worth a whirl WORDS: Leah McLennan

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1

SKI TASSIE’S WILDEST MOUNTAIN Ben Lomond National Park, Tasmania

Chances are you’ve never heard of Ben Lomond, home to a small ski resort best suited to snow-hounds with an aversion to glamour.

A difficult-to-access location and variable weather make skiing at Ben Lomond a thrilling, unpredictable ride. To get to this alpine plateau, an hour and 40 minutes’ drive east of Launceston and three and a half hours’ road trip north from Hobart, you have to ascend Jacob’s Ladder, a zigzag road with hair-raising hairpin bends. If you don’t want to tackle this track yourself, take the shuttle bus and crane your neck looking out the window at the ‘organ pipe’ dolerite cliffs atop Ben Lomond. Surely this is the scariest road in all of Australia.

Once you’ve arrived at the unpretentious resort, with seven lifts and six kilometres of track to explore, there’s the unpredictable Tassie weather to navigate. You can be swishing down the mountain in sunshine one minute and lost in a thick fog the next. A tip? If you plan to fall over, wear good gear. The snow (more ice than powder, in my experience) can leave painful red grazes.

Should you go? The trip is worth it for the national park’s spectacular alpine scenery alone. And then there are all the dinner-party ski stories you’ll have to tell.

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Ben Lomond images © Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service / Dan Broun

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DIVE WITH SHARKS Port Lincoln, South Australia

Suspended in the ocean in a steel cage with a 4.5-metre great white swimming towards you. What’s not to like?

South Australia is one of the few places in the world – and the only place in Australia – where you can eyeball a great white shark from a self-inflicted jail cell. Thanks to the long-nosed fur seal colonies on the windswept Neptune Islands, nearby, the area just off Port Lincoln is a bountiful hunting ground for great whites, which can grow to six metres long. When you’re donning a wetsuit and about to bite down on the regulator linked to an oxygen tank on board, it’s reassuring to think that these magnificent creatures are well fed.

No matter how often you’ve told yourself to relax, once you climb down the ladder into the cage, it’s a heart-racing experience. You’re watching one of the world’s most feared animals eyeing you off at close range. Did it just grin?

Silvery trevally and jack mackerel also glide about, nibbling at the bait floating next to the cage, which hangs three metres or so below the water’s surface. Keep your eyes peeled for sharks of several species other than Great Whites, including the mako, bronze whaler, blue and hammerhead.

Several tour operators offer adventurous visitors the chance to get into the water with sharks off the coast of Port Lincoln, around seven hours by car or 50-odd minutes by air from Adelaide. Local operator Calypso Star Charters describes an encounter with one of the planet’s mightiest apex predators – albeit from the safety of a cage – as “a real bucket list experience”. It’s easy to understand why.

“No matter how often you’ve told yourself to relax, once you climb down the ladder into the cage, it’s a heart-racing experience” 37

experience

“This 750-metrelong tunnel is part of an ancient Devonian reef system, a fossilised barrier reef from 350 million years ago”

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COMMUNE WITH CROCODILES Tunnel Creek, Western Australia

Can’t remember the difference between salties and freshies?

Contemplate stepping into the water in Western Australia’s north and you’ll quickly get up to speed. Freshies – the non-human-eating variety of croc – inhabit Tunnel Creek, halfway between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing. So go right ahead: wade in.

Along with nearby Geikie and Windjana gorges, this 750-metrelong tunnel is part of an ancient Devonian reef system, a fossilised barrier reef from 350 million years ago. Stand next to these timetextured rocks and you’ll appreciate how much of a baby you are on this Earth.

Besides being one of the West Kimberley’s most beloved natural attractions, Tunnel Creek is historically important: this is where Aboriginal folk hero Jandamarra hid to recover after suffering near-fatal wounds in the Battle of Windjana Gorge in 1897.

To get to the idyllic waterhole (at the exit) for a swim, you’ll have to wade through a couple of pools of knee-deep water. Inside the cavernous walls, it’s dark in parts. Shine a torch up at the roof of the cave and you’ll see water dripping off stalactites and fruit bats rushing around like parents getting kids ready for school. Look down and you just might spot the beady eyes of a (harmless) croc.

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CHARTER A ‘BARE BOAT’ Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

‘Bareboating’ is the business of hiring a boat (try a 48-foot catamaran), filling it with family or friends – it doesn’t matter if no-one has done it before – and then sailing it somewhere – in this case, around the Whitsunday Islands. What could possibly go wrong?

Surprisingly little, thanks to the exceptionally thorough pre-departure safety briefing you’ll typically get from Whitsundays bareboat operators.

It seems bonkers that companies such as GoBareboating.com will let you head off (with a gaggle of wine-sipping buddies) into the sparkling blue yonder with one of their million-plus-dollar vessels, and all you have to promise is that you’ll make twice-daily scheduled radio contact which means they have the chance to inform you about the weather.

Potentially cheaper than renting a bunch of rooms at a resort, it’s a hard-to-beat holiday in which you’ll spend the week enjoying a floating mini-apartment, exploring the region’s 74 islands, snorkelling in robinegg blue waters, bushwalking and ‘parking’ at Hamilton Island marina so you can stop in at one of the island’s restaurants or bars for sunset cocktails.

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experience

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AIRBOAT ON MARY RIVER Mary River, Northern Territory

In the Top End, saltwater crocs rule. To get up close to the biggest and meanest reptiles on Earth, take an airboat safari on the Mary River wetland, a thriving microcosm of Northern Territory wildlife, birds and fish. You can arrange an airboat trip from either Bamurru Plains, an African-style safari camp 100-odd kilometres east of Darwin, or from luxury resort Wildman Wilderness Lodge, 167 clicks from Darwin.

Hold onto your Akubra as you zoom across the murky green water in a flat-bottom boat while keeping an eye out for lurking crocs. On the pandanus-lined banks, cranky wild pigs forage for food and, above, magpie geese honk as if they’re in a traffic jam.

A feeling of vulnerability sets in when the guide turns off the engine and all is eerily silent. What’s that? A skittish duck suddenly takes flight. The pink-lily-covered water ripples with barramundi and catfish. On the bank, you can see the telltale slide marks of crocs; the river allegedly, is home to more estuarine crocs than any other Australian waterway. A tip? Don’t do as I did and read the recent news article about an alligator leaping into an airboat in Florida before you embark on your Territory safari. It makes for one heart-thumping ride.

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GO DROVING AT GLENWORTH VALLEY Central Coast, New South Wales

Don’t know the difference between a ‘clean skin’, a ‘micky bull’ and a ‘green horse’? Don’t worry – not a skerrick of experience is required to take part in a cattle muster at Glenworth Valley, just 65 kilometres north of Sydney.

The outfit has 200 steeds to choose from, and the experts at Glenworth will match you with the horse best suited to your ability and size (the minimum age for cattle-drive participants is 12 years). This is as far from traditional ‘nose-to-tail’ trail rides as you can get: once the ‘drovers’ reach the cattle, you’ll be asked to spread out and work together to muster the animals from paddock to paddock and across Popran Creek.

Before the ride, you’re given comprehensive instructions and, during the day, guides stick close to those with little riding experience.

After an epic day moving cattle, you can sleep under the stars on the Valley’s 200 acres of camp ground. Pitch your own tent or stay in one of the pre-erected tepees or in a rustic cabin. Sitting by the camp fire surrounded by tranquil farmland that gives way to dense bushland, you might just consider throwing in your day job for the life of a jackaroo or jillaroo.

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experience

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DELIVER THE POST Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia

In NSW, you can join the Riverboat Postman and potter around on the serene Hawkesbury River, nibbling on homemade Anzac biscuits while delivering and picking up letters and parcels.

If you want to take your postal adventures up a notch, join an outback ‘postie’ as he delivers mail in a fourwheel-drive bus to one of the most remote parts of the country: Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula.

Kicking off in Broome at 5am, this Australia Post run – operated by Ahoy Buccaneers! – bumps 220 kilometres along the Cape Leveque Road. It’s not long before the bitumen ends, replaced by a massively corrugated red-dirt track, which in the wet season can be under water. In the dry season, it’s dusty and potholed and oh so interesting.

Along the way, you call in to the former mission settlements of Beagle Bay, where the chalk-white Sacred Heart Church dazzles visitors with its pearl-shell altar; Lombadina, with its bush church and tiny craft centre; and Indigenous-run ecotourism ventures including Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, home to a scattering of comfortable safari tents. The Kimberley 40

Coast’s glorious white beaches and sky-blue sea rivals the world’s best tropical scenery.

“Cape Leveque mail run is not for mainstream tourists who want a running commentary,” says postie Doug. “It’s a unique adventure for those who are seeking something different and an insight into the [Indigenous] communities.”

Australia Post and the communities it services – any of which might close for a funeral at a moment’s notice – dictate the run, so times and stops can change without notice. Enjoy a day trip, or jump out, stay a while at one of the accommodations along the route, and be picked up again on the next run. Both Kooljaman and nearby Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm are impressive.

Part farm, part tourism venture, Cygnet Bay is a good regional base. From here, you can arrange to take a boat tour of the Buccaneer Archipelago. Stay in a tent or a comfortable pearlers’ cottage; and while you’re here, do try some fresh pearl meat, and enjoy a cocktail in the infinity pool overlooking the secluded mangrove-lined bay.

With a stopover like this, you might be hoping the postie encounters a delay or two on the way to collect the parcels – and you – from Cygnet Bay.

“It’s a unique adventure for those who are seeking something different and an insight into the [Indigenous] communities”

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THE FUTURE OF FARMING? Holistic Management under the microscope

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industry

BIG UTE SHOOT-OUT From tradies’ workhorses to family commuters, Australia loves its utes. But how to choose?

WORDS: MICHAEL BENN

THE TOUGH-NUT ALL-ROUNDER Isuzu D-MAX Seventeen seconds. That’s the average amount of time Todd Sampson/Gruen advertisingagency types spend thinking up new utecommercial concepts before they give up and go with the usual: driving rock music, a deep-voiced Australian accent shouting things like “TOUGH!” and “GO ANYWHERE!”, and a dirty 4WD jamming full-lock turns at ill-advised speeds through some sand and mud.

Oh, and a BIG FONT that looks like it’s made from SHEET METAL, with some NUTS AND BOLTS in it.

All rugged ute ads are the same. But are all rugged utes?

The answer, happily, is no.

If they were all the same, owners would – for example – all be equally happy. They’re not. But Isuzu D-MAX owners are very pleased indeed.

The brand’s customer satisfaction ratings are second only to those of posh-but-passionless 44

Japanese luxury marque Lexus, as judged by Roy Morgan Research’s annual awards – a position Isuzu UTE has held for two years.

And, arriving this year, a very good, honest and unpretentiously updated 2017 D-MAX pick-up should see them maintain that form.

The D-MAX’s stock-in-trade is as a downto-earth workhorse that can turn its hand to seriously hardcore off-roading on the weekends or lap the country towing Olga-sized caravans.

That’s a simple concept but one that’s hard to get right, especially as a value-for-money proposition.

The 2017 iteration sees a freshly tuned 3.0L diesel crafted especially for Australia, maintaining power at 130kW but with torque pumped up from 380Nm to 430Nm, and now available from just 1,700rpm.

The interior doesn’t always please – slathered in utilitarian hard plastic, for the most part – but it does have a 7.0-inch touch

screen (8.0-inch on the higher specs, where sat nav is standard; a reversing camera is included on most models), three USB ports and a host of storage bins and cup holders. All very impressive, if not mind-blowing.

Isuzu is holding the line – which, you suspect, is intentional. The marque has been selling utes hand over fist in Australia, averaging doubledigit growth for almost a decade (helped by the introduction of its MU-X SUV, a D-MAX with the leaf springs swapped out and a seven-seat SUV cabin dropped on). As such, Isuzu’s policy with the 2017 model – like that of those ute TV ad-makers – was probably just ‘more of the same, with a bit of polish’.

While not flashy, the D-MAX reigns as a solid all-rounder: simple, tough, unpretentious and keenly priced. It won’t appear on Gruen, then, but it probably will appear in another swag of loyalty survey lists come December.

industry

“Ford’s Ranger is still doing the business, with nearly 37,000 sold here last year – and for good reason” THE NEW SUPERSTAR Ford Ranger Australia’s love affair with car-based utes barely dipped even at the end. The low-slung, Ford Falcon- and Holden Commodore-derived vehicles contained all the fruit of their sibling sedans and still hold a place in our hearts.

But while it will be rarer on the road with each passing year, Ford’s Ranger is still doing the business, with nearly 37,000 of them sold here last year – and for good reason. The Ranger looks tough – indeed, many owners are keen on aftermarket customisation to personalise their trucks – and the 3.2L, five-pot turbodiesel engine, and trusty six-speed auto ’box is a winning combo.

While pricey, topping out at over $60K for the top-spec Wildtrak (although it’s just $28K for the 4x2 pauper XL), it offers good tech and lovely interior comfort.

“The ute to which others compare themselves when it comes to hardness”

THE UNKILLABLE BEAST Toyota HiLux The ute to which others compare themselves when it comes to hardness, the HiLux is favoured by everyone from desert farmers of the Kalahari to the Islamic State – and for good reason: it’s renowned for ‘going forever’.

The latest HiLux arrived Down Under in late 2015, and there are now almost 30 iterations of it, from a 2WD single-cab model to the top-spec Toyota HiLux TRD (from the Toyota Racing Development team, a skunkworks that should have thought a bit more about what ‘TRD’ looks and sounds like in English).

The SR and SR5 HiLux models have a 130kW/450Nm 2.8L turbo-diesel that is shaded by many of its rivals for grunt, but reasonable trim and a reputation that’s second to none.

Still great, although it is now losing ground to the likes of the Ford Ranger in terms of comfort and badge cachet.

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industry

THE COMFORT PIONEER Mazda BT-50 Sharing much of its current innards, including the engine, with the Ford Ranger, Mazda’s BT50 was one of the first utilities to realise that tradies also like a creature comfort or two.

The current version remains mostly as it was when it debuted in 2011, although the grille and headlights – once chided for looking

a bit too like the cheerful, mega-selling and (secretly) quite good Mazda3’s – have since been revamped to reintroduce a bit of visual robustness.

Unlike some hairsplitting rivals, the BT-50 offers just three choices: the tradiespec XT, mid-range XTR or poshed-up GT.

Meet the X-Class Mercedes is making a ute. Really.

For the world’s oldest and, arguably, most prestigious car brand, creator of iconic 300 SL gullwings and madcap C63 AMG rockets, getting into utes isn’t an obvious move. But the German car maker claims to have poured more than a billion dollars into R&D ahead of its X-Class, which debuted to a social-media firestorm in 2016 and is expected to arrive in Australia as a production vehicle in 2018.

It’s expected to be sturdy – offering a choice of turbo-diesel four-pots and V6 engines – and 3.5-tonne towing, matching that of its best rivals – but its real draw will be a schmick Mercedes cabin, with upmarket interior, buttery leather upholstery, metal inlays, timber highlights and electric everything.

“With the growth in the market, with people switching out of SUVs, it’s the perfect opportunity for a premium manufacturer to move into the segment,” Mercedes spokesman Blake Vincent told The Australian.

Mercedes also claims it will be competitively priced – which would mean well under $70K. We’ll see.

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It’s curiously dated in some ways (the tiny rear-view camera display appears on the rearview mirror, for example, not on the in-dash 7.8-inch touch screen) but surprising in others (dual-zone climate control, auto wipers). Still, its 147kW/470Nm figures stack up, and it’s still surprisingly refined as a daily driver.

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MINING & RESOURCES

HAVE WE HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE MINING CYCLE? After constant news of doom and gloom in mining, is the recent steadying of the industry here to stay?

WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

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industry

“Steel will remain an integral part of our modern world for the foreseeable future and probably beyond”

ron ore peaked at $187.18 per tonne in February 2011 and it seems every day since has brought news of a new low for Australian commodities, such as coal, iron ore and base metals. But a year has made a big difference. Iron ore and metallurgical (coking) coal prices especially have picked up, but uncertainty remains as to whether stronger prices are here to stay.

The question is whether this is a temporary reprieve or the beginning of a long-term trend that will see an extended period of stabilisation in prices at a lower level.

Some parts of the market seem to think the recovery will continue, with iron-ore stocks such as Fortescue Metals Group (ASX: FMG) seeing sharp recoveries in line with the iron-ore price. But Treasury has factored an iron-ore price of US$55 in its budget forecasts and other

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analysts are even more circumspect.

Writing on Montgomery Global Investment Management’s website, research analyst Daniel Wu cautions that there appears to be an ongoing steel glut in China. The current ironore oversupply is likely to be further exacerbated by additional seaborne supply coming online, with Roy Hill’s full production and Vale’s S11D mine expected to add more than 100 million tonnes of supply in 2018.

With steel inventory piling up in China and more production coming on stream, 2017 may be just a temporary jump in iron prices.

Some media outlets have reacted with excitement to China’s One Belt, One Road program – also known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – positing that it may drive demand for Australian resources such as coking coal and iron ore.

One Belt, One Road, a loosely

defined infrastructure program that includes roads, railways, ports, power generation and fuel pipelines, has been likened to the historical Silk Road. The plan is to develop landbased trade links between China and other parts of Asia, Europe and Africa, and maritime links with South-East Asia and East Africa.

Writing in National Australia Bank’s China Economic Update May 2017, NAB senior economist – Asia, Gerard Burg, is cautious about such projections. “Others have suggested that the input demands for infrastructure construction could underpin longer-term demand for Australia’s resource exports.

We would urge caution in such an assessment – as China’s vast overcapacity in sectors such as steel production is too large to be absorbed by near neighbours, while the longerterm outlook for China’s domestic

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“While there are some positives, downturns are the period in which to increase efficiency” demand is likely to be relatively weak. We would argue that the BRI is unlikely to provide another mining boom for Australia.”

While iron-ore and coking-coal prices may decline in coming years, caught between overcapacity and flat or decreasing demand, steel will remain an integral part of our modern world for the foreseeable future and probably beyond. The same cannot be said, however, for thermal coal.

A solar eclipse As long ago as 2014, China’s coal consumption declined while its energy consumption increased – a decoupling many have heralded as the beginning of the end for coal.

With the continuation of this trend, Australian coal-industry boosters have started talking up India; however, it’s looking doubtful that India will supplant China as the world’s largest thermal-coal importer.

The Indian Government has been pushing to increase domestic coal production, at the same time pursuing ambitious solar goals. Indeed, solar is proving so successful in India that it announced in late May that 13.7GW of coal-power projects that were in the pipeline had been cancelled.

There is a strong argument that these events represent the beginning of a long-term trend.

A paper published in the August 2016 issue of Nature Geoscience, ‘China’s post-coal growth’ (Ye Qui, Nicholas Stern, Jiaqi Lu and Fergus Green), contends that “slowing GDP growth, a structural shift away from heavy industry, and more proactive policies on air pollution and clean energy have caused China’s coal use to peak. It seems that economic growth has decoupled from growth

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in coal consumption.”

Indeed, in an interview with The Australian Financial Review, BlackRock Infrastructure Investment Group managing director Jim Barry said that Australia was “denying gravity” by continuing to encourage coal investments. “Coal is dead.

That’s not to say all the coal plants are going to shut tomorrow. But anyone who’s looking to take beyond a 10-year view on coal is gambling very significantly,” he said.

While PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) Mine 2016 report suggests there are some causes for optimism – namely gold and lithium – it also contains some sobering facts. As part of the report, PwC compiled a financial index for the top 40 miners (2015) which shows that EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) for the industry was at a lower level then than it was during the global financial crisis (GFC).

Apart from the negative impact of reduced commodity prices on cash flow, the main driver behind this trend is miners have loaded up on debt to increase production volume, seemingly regardless of the consequences.

While that’s somewhat justifiable in a rising market, more than a few mining companies mistimed the peak of the boom or misjudged how quickly it would unwind. The net result is that for Australia’s top 40 miners, cash flow has not been sufficient to retire the debt taken on during the boom.

While there are some positives, downturns are the period in which to increase efficiency. Mining company executives must be finding the ancient Chinese curse, ‘May you live in interesting times’ coming to mind.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Senceive’s innovative wireless monitoring solutions now available from Position Partners THE LEADING wireless condition

monitoring platform explicitly designed for rail, infrastructure and mining applications now sold and supported in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia by Position Partners.

With a reputation for delivering highly accurate and industrially resilient solutions in some of the UK’s most challenging construction and engineering projects, Senceive’s wireless and mains power free monitoring technology is now available in Oceania from Position Partners.

“No matter how large or complex the job, Senceive’s FlatMesh technology can be tailored to create a highly reliable and cost effective solution,” said Heath Low, Position Partners Business Development Manager for monitoring applications.

“Having successfully installed Senceive on a number of projects in Australia, we are confident this technology is ideally suited to our local markets and that we have the skills and expertise to support customers with all their condition monitoring needs,” he added.

Unlike optical prism-based monitoring solutions, Senceive sensors require very little maintenance or technical support and have a battery life of up to 15 years. The system

can also be rapidly installed and deployed, with patented fixings that can be used on any structure including track bed, tunnels, bridges, embankments and mine sites.

“A good example of just how easy and robust this system was to deploy, is in the monitoring of busy tunnels for London Underground (LU),” Mr Low added. “One particular project illustrates this particularly well. On one 100 metre section with two tunnels, LU needed to monitor in “real time” and in a highly precise and stable manner, the impact of urgent and extensive repair work needed due to soil erosion and cavities created by water leakages in the tunnels.

“Work had to be conducted in very short four-hour maintenance windows at night,” Mr Low continued. “Hundreds of nodes had to be deployed in a matter of minutes at the start of the shift and then moved as works progressed along the tunnels. Senceive is the only system on the market that could excel in those conditions. This hugely successful and award winning project has led to many other deployments in both LU and national UK rail assets. There are today more than 5,000 sensors deployed on the UK rail network alone.”

With a range of geotechnical sensors available to suit the project requirements, Senceive FlatMesh can use either solar powered cellular network to provide a totally mains power and wire free solution, or an industrially resilient USB-based data monitoring hub communication. The latter required where systems are underground and cannot access solar power. All transmit highly accurate repeatable movement data back to the office in real time or whatever remotely changeable reporting rates may be required.

The web-based data access system WebMonitor, provides easy to use and highly user friendly monitoring information to users anywhere in the world on laptops or phones through secure password access. Featuring fully configurable trigger levels and email or SMS alerts, comprehensive reporting tools and network visualisation via maps and images, WebMonitor eliminates the need to install and maintain software and per-user licences.

Available now from Position Partners branches throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, visit www. positionpartners.com.au or call 1300 867 266 to discuss your next project.

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industry

AGRIBUSINESS

IS HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT THE FUTURE OF FARMING? WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

Despite access to powerful technology that enables them to produce greater yields than ever, the farming sector in Australia is in trouble.

Does Allan Savory’s Holistic Management™ decisionmaking framework offer hope?

HM farmer and educator Darren Baguley argues the case. t is increasingly clear that modern industrial farming techniques – synthetic fertilisers, soil cultivation with ever bigger machines, monocultures, antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides – are leading humanity down a dead-end road. Cultivation, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers deplete the natural fertility of the soil, killing or severely reducing the soil microbe populations vital for cycling nutrients; effectively turning living soil into dead dirt.

While modern industrialised farming’s war on nature has boosted

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production, farmers are now stuck on the ‘more on’ treadmill. When yields decline, put more fertiliser on; if pests or weeds are getting out of control, add more pesticide or herbicide. The problem is that all these inputs cost money and the cost of inputs trends higher every year.

By contrast, the prices farmers get for their produce has declined in real terms.

For farmers and graziers, Holistic Management™, a decisionmaking framework developed

by Allan Savory, offers a way to break this cycle of dependence on inputs, enabling them to make balanced decisions that are socially, financially and environmentally sound in both the short and long term. It also combines some environmental systems science, which allows land managers to see living organisms of all sorts – microbes in the soil, dung beetles, earth works and grazing animals, domestic and wild – as tools with

which to regenerate the land and enhance our environment.

The birth of HM Allan Savory grew up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and after completing a biology degree at university, started work with the Game Department of Northern Rhodesia. During his time there, Savory noticed the landscape he loved was being degraded – something the scientific mainstream blamed on too many animals.

Observing that land continued to degrade even in areas that had been denuded of game in a bid to wipe out the deadly tsetse fly, Savory conjectured that animal numbers alone could not be the cause of this land degradation.

He devoted the next two decades to attempting to understand what other factors might be implicated, in the process developing what is now a trademarked system known as Holistic Management, or HM.

HM teaches practitioners to think about management in terms of whole entities, whether the ‘whole’ is a family or an ecosystem. This is a direct challenge to mainstream science’s view of the world, which seeks to reduce everything to its component parts. This reductionist approach, claims Savory, recognises only three tools for managing our environment: technology, fire and resting land.

Unfortunately, Savory contends, both fire and resting land are causes of desertification in ‘brittle’ environments where humidity is distributed unevenly across the year – a description that characterises most of Australia.

In these seasonal rainfall

environments (about two thirds of the Earth’s land), billions of tonnes of above-ground vegetable matter dies every year over a period of a few months.

To maintain the fertility of the soil and the health of the plants growing in it and keep such lands from desertification, Savory says, the nutrients in this dying material must recycle rapidly and biologically.

For thousands of years, traditional peoples, including Australia’s Aborigines, have used fire to recycle dead grass material, but fire pollutes the atmosphere and exposes soil, which Savory contends leads to erosion and contributes to desertification.

When such land is rested by removing livestock or game from the area, slow chemical oxidation replaces fast biological decay, Savory asserts, leading to dying grasslands that people may try to keep alive using fire.

Holistic planned grazing Savory argues that land degradation can be reversed only by the correct management of large grazing animals, which carry microorganisms in their moist guts and have hooves that lay down soilcovering litter.

Any gardener understands the process immediately: break capped bare soil to allow plants to grow, compact soil to get better soil-to-

“Farmers are now stuck on the ‘more on’ treadmill. When yields decline, put more fertiliser on; if pests or weeds are getting out of control, add more pesticide or herbicide” 57

industry THE SOIL FOOD WEB

Trophic level 1 Photosynthesizers

Trophic level 2 Decomposers Mutualists Pathogens, Parasites Root-feeders

Plants & Organic matter

Nematodes, Fungi, Bacteria

seed contact, then lay dead plant material as litter (mulch) to cover the soil so that it retains moisture.

It is Savory’s contention that land degradation is a major driver of climate change, because healthy living soils store massive amounts of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere when the soil degrades.

Recognising the failure of existing grazing systems in brittle environments, Savory developed a system known as Holistic Planned Grazing. He argues that previous grazing systems ignored the daily complexity involved in effective land management: controlling timing to avoid overgrazing and overtrampling while managing livestock behaviour to ensure enough trampling to cause more plants to grow and litter to be laid; constant planning for drought – by time, not by area of land set aside; wildlife control; and much more.

To give land managers a way to deal with such complexity, Savory adapted a military planning process to biological needs, a process he says is currently being used on millions of hectares worldwide and by thousands of landholders wanting to regenerate their land.

Holistic financial planning While Holistic Planned Grazing is a key part of the HM framework, Savory observed that while farmers were regenerating land using his processes, they were still

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Trophic level 3 Shredders Predators Grazers Arthropods, Nematodes, Protozoa

going broke. So he added another component to the HM framework: Holistic Financial Planning (HFP).

HFP walks a person, a family or an organisation – known as the ‘whole under management’ – through a series of steps that help them identify what they would like their life to look like, according to a series of criteria. Using the HM framework, the whole under management can test decisions according to whether the action being considered will move them towards or away from their desired future goals.

Another key aspect of HFP is its approach to profit, for individuals and businesses. Traditionally, profit is seen as what is left over from income after expenses have been

Trophic level 4 Higher level predators Arthropods, Nematodes

Trophic level 5+ Higher level predators Birds, Animals

taken out, but HFP turns this model on its head.

Under HFP, the whole under management looks at their revenue, decides how much profit they want out of that revenue and then manage expenses to ensure they meet that profit goal.

By taking his HM approach, Savory asserts, farmers and ranchers around the world have been helped to take control of their destinies and finances, create better lifestyles for themselves and their families, and manage their land so degraded soils regenerate.

Darren Baguley is a Savory Institute Certified Field Professional.

For more information, visit regenasolutions.com.au

Holistic Management developer Allan Savory.

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Global Thinker

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

At Charles Sturt University, we get that you’re ready to start living life on your terms.

Flexible study options and pathways plus hands-on experience and supportive campus communities mean that you’re training for your dream job from the very start.

And that’s why CSU has Australia’s highest graduate employment rate.* Contact our team of expert course advisors on 1800 334 733 or find out more at futurestudents.csu.edu.au *Graduate Destinations Survey 2013-15, published at www.quilt.edu.au

CRICOS 00005F. F5370

Start your career when you start uni.

specialfeature

Big moments we don’t plan on oday. It’s just another day. You’ve got no big plans until it happens.

Sudden illness. In an instant your world feels strange. People talk around you, exchange worried looks with their phones out. Then you see someone striding towards you in a uniform. You hear a reassuring voice. The sense of relief that a paramedic is by your side is beyond words.

Focus on that calm face. Does it look familiar?

That paramedic could be you. You could be the one in uniform, helping someone when they need it most.

But I don’t know anything about health care. I don’t even know how to do CPR. Neither did Crystal.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) graduate Crystal Cooke works as a Paramedic with NSW Ambulance in Sydney. She is also a medical advisor for Channel Seven, contributing to scripts for shows like Home and Away. But when Crystal started her journey with CSU she

had little knowledge of health care.

“I had no experience in biology, chemistry, didn’t know maths, could not even tell you what blood pressure was. I just knew I really wanted to be a paramedic. Yet by halfway through my first semester I’d been accepted into an accelerated pathway with NSW Ambulance and I had a contract waiting for me when I finished my degree.”

By her second year Crystal was travelling the world – in Canada with other CSU students, doing ride-alongs with the British Columbia Ambulance Service and Alberta Health Services.

After returning to Australia, Crystal completed her internship with NSW Ambulance and became a Qualified Paramedic.

It’s full-on and hands-on.

Like Crystal, you’ll complete the Bachelor of Nursing full-time on campus and the Graduate Diploma of

Clinical Practice (Paramedic) over two years of part-time online study. Your practical work will take place on campus using realistic simulated settings prepped with the latest equipment.

You’ll also have many opportunities to get hands-on workplace experience in community health services, hospitals and aged care facilities – locally, across the country or even internationally.

CSU is a smart choice.

89.9% of CSU Nursing graduates find full-time employment within four months of graduating.* Even better, CSU has the highest graduate employment rate in the country.** And as a Qualified Paramedic, you can work anywhere – in Australia or around the world.

What next?

Visit csu.edu.au/courses/nursing Call 1800 334 733 Watch Crystal’s story at facebook.com/csufuture/

*2017 Good Universities Guide **Graduate Destination Survey 2013–-15, published on Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)

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specialfeature

Marcus Oldham’s Career Enhancing Postgraduate Program We talk to three paricipants in this innovative and practical agribusiness program.

James Hawkins is a farmer and agribusiness entrepreneur from North West Victoria.

James completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine, however, when his career path pointed to agriculture, the Master of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham was a very exciting choice.

“I’ve always seen tertiary education as incredibly important, not just for the academic side, but because you learn so much more than you were anticipating, through researching information and understanding how to read primary literature,” says James.

James encourages prospective postgrad students: “If you’re not learning, you’re not growing. So if you’re thinking about further study, then just jump into it,” he advises.

“But you’ve got to be prepared... because you do it in parallel with your other jobs.”

James says one of the greatest advantages of his studies at Marcus Oldham is that the lecturers are actually working with or connected to industry, which helps graduates find employment links.

“Australia is an exporting country with unparalleled opportunities all over the world. Entrepreneurial Australians will meet these challenges and take the great opportunities,” says James.

“It’s easier [to succeed] if you have a passion for what you are doing,” he says. “The key elements to the future of agribusiness are a combination of learning, entrepreneurship and passion.”

“The key elements to the future of agribusiness are a combination of learning, entrepreneurship and passion”

Janeta Falknau is a graduate and feedlot livestock supervisor, from Goombungee QLD. Janeta undertook postgraduate business studies to add value to her work operational skills. “I completed a Diploma of Applied Science at Emerald, specialising in beef. I’ve also enjoyed leadership training within the industry… Being keen to learn I find the study at Marcus Oldham extremely relevant to what I do day-to-day,” Janeta says.

“It’s inspiring and makes me think outside the square. I love how I can choose topics that relate to my particular interest, for example, Free Trade Agreements.”

When it comes to recommending postgraduate studies, Janeta says, “If it’s something you honestly want to do and you’ll get something out of it, then you’ll make time for it.”

By studying online Janeta can enjoy staying local: “Jondaryan and Goombungee, the town where I live, are really young, active communities. More people are coming into the agricultural industry and you can feel the energy.

Everything moves very quickly in the feedlot scene,” said Janeta. “There’s a lot of change and it’s important to have your finger on the pulse. I wanted a challenge beyond my normal workplace and I love how the focus of my studies is still on agriculture, but takes me beyond what I see day to day and across other agribusinesses as well.”

Wes Lefroy from Moora, WA is a technical manager for a commercial and research soil sampling company based in Perth.

In a bid to extend his business thinking to complement the technical nature of his role, Wes embarked on postgraduate studies. “Agriculture is a fast changing industry and rather than predict the future for certain, I’m trying to develop

James Hawkins, farmer and agribusiness entrepreneur from North West Victoria.

myself as a person, so I can thrive in a changing environment and make the most of the opportunities of innovation that might be coming.

“We’re [already] seeing a diversification of business structures, investment and strategies, some of which is driven by new technologies and data analysis,” he adds.

“A more considered business approach is becoming everyday thinking,” says Wes. “In our business, we use sensors, data collection, soil sampling and soil mapping... because farmers are craving data to make more objective decisions.

I’m also seeing the use of algorithms in beef operations, taking the subjectivity out of matching cows to bulls.”

Wes says his studies at Marcus Oldham will make him a better employee: “Not only do I have my technical abilities, but I can also see the benefits of what I am doing for other people’s businesses.”

75

TOP 2% OF

UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE*

One of the Top 500 universities in the world (out of more than 20 000 universities across the globe) *Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016–17

5

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CHANGEMAKER CAMPUS

8

Recognised as Australia’s first and only Changemaker campus by global social innovation group Ashoka U

3

QUALITY EDUCATION

WHEREVER YOU ARE CQUniversity is Australia’s largest regional university. We’ve grown in response to our students’ needs, delivering what they want to study, how and where they want to study it. That means more locations, more courses and more flexible ways to study. It’s an approach to higher education that’s seen us rank in the top 2 per cent of universities worldwide* and achieve some of the best graduate outcomes in the country^.

For you, it means more choice, whether you’re interested in a certificate, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate or research higher degree – on campus or online, full or part time.

Explore why you should choose CQUniversity.

YOUNG UNIVERSITIES TOP 100** Ranked #90 in the world

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2017

**

WORLD CLASS RESEARCH+ CQUniversity ranked as delivering research of ‘at’, ‘above’ or ‘well above’ world standard in the areas of:

14

Applied Mathematics Mathematical Sciences Nursing Other Medical and Health Services Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

+ 2015–2016 State of Australian University Research Volume 1 ERA National Report

Consistent student satisfaction ratings of more than 80% and rising year-on-year

TOP 4 FOR EMPLOYMENT##

80.6%

of graduates in full-time employment

## Federal Government’s Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching 2016 (Undergraduate employment and salary results)

$60K

RANKED IN SECOND SPOT FOR SALARIES^

Median salary of CQUniversity graduates ^ Federal Government’s Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching 2016 (Undergraduate employment and salary results)

CRICOS: 00219C | RTO: 40939 | P_AD_170044_OT

specialfeature

CQUni’s rise to the top continues CQUniversity Australia has again added to its growing list of accolades, with the prestigious Times Higher Education Rankings placing the university at number 77 in its latest AsiaPacific (APAC) University Rankings.

The result comes just months after CQUniversity was recognised in the World’s Top 100 Young Universities by the Times Higher Education Rankings at number 90 and the stellar achievement of being placed within the top 500 universities worldwide.

The latest APAC results rank CQUni against 243 universities in the AsiaPacific region based upon 13 separate performance indicators across all of the university’s core missions – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Scott Bowman said the result was yet another indication of the University’s growing reputation as a leader in higher education.

“CQUniversity is a university like no other and in recent years we have placed

CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Scott Bowman

a strong strategic focus on growing our engagement and research agendas and involving our communities and industries in everything we do.

“We have invested heavily in improving all of our offerings and because of this we have been able to continuously improve our reputation, not just locally but on an international scale.

“This truly is an incredible achievement and one that everyone connected to the University should be very proud of.”

Despite the prestige of the ranking, Professor Bowman made it clear that CQUniversity would continue to be Australia’s most inclusive university.

“CQUniversity always has been, and always will be, a university that provides opportunities for everyone.

“We are proud to embrace people from all backgrounds and the diversity in

our program offerings, flexible delivery methods and national reach are what set us apart from the rest.”

CQUniversity has a wide range of courses available to study on campus and online across Australia with multiple intakes throughout the year. To find out about what’s available, search ‘CQUni’ online or phone 13 27 86.

Despite the prestige of the ranking, Professor Bowman made it clear that CQUniversity would continue to be Australia’s most inclusive university.

77

Nudgee College Boarding The right move for young men

St Joseph’s Nudgee College 2199 Sandgate Road Boondall QLD 4034 P: 07 3865 0555 E: enrolments@nudgee.com CRICOS Provider No. 00572G

Boys’ day and boarding Years 5 - 12 www.nudgee.com

specialfeature

Fourth-Generation families: The Kidd Family very year the St Joseph’s Nudgee College Annual features photos of students who are sons or grandsons of Nudgee College Old Boys.

This photo provides a visual of the generational connection that many families have with the College. For some families, this connection is so deep that it is shared among sons, brothers, fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, cousins, uncles and great-uncles across four generations.

Nudgee College Boarding has been a strong influence across four generations of the Kidd family. It started with James Edward ‘Jim’ Kidd, who began boarding at the College in 1919, closely followed by his brother Thomas Frances ‘Tom’ Kidd in the mid-1920s. Jim and Tom grew up in Mayfield near Windorah in Western Queensland, and were authentic ‘boys from the bush’. James’ son, James Alexander ‘Sandy’ Kidd, was the next Kidd in boarding, beginning at Nudgee Junior in 1949 before starting at the College in 1954. Now in his late 70s, Sandy still talks about his Nudgee College days. He keeps in contact with his former schoolmates, and can still recite the Nudgee War Cry word for word.

Sandy’s son, Thomas Francis ‘Tom’ Kidd, began his boarding experience in 1977 while attending Nudgee Junior, and then began at the College in 1979. Tom’s brother, James William ‘Dude’ Kidd, soon followed, beginning at Nudgee Junior in 1979, and moving on to Nudgee College in 1983.

Tom’s memories of Nudgee College demonstrate how much the school has changed in more than 30 years.

“I can still remember what Brother Skelly’s cane felt like!” he said.

“I also remember trying very hard to make the Cross Country team because I thought they were served a better breakfast than the boarders.”

Tom now has four sons, three of whom are Old Boys and one who is a current student. Their family lives at

From left to right: Jack,Tommy,Henry,Bill and Tom Kidd

Tabletop Station near Croydon in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Jack Alexander Kidd was the first of Tom’s sons to begin boarding at Nudgee College, starting in 2005 and graduating in 2010. During his years at the College, Jack was captain of the Rodeo Club for three years, and the Cattle Club President when he was in Year 12.

Thomas William ‘Tommy’ Kidd joined his brother as a boarder in 2007.

Tommy was an avid cricketer, and had the opportunity to tour the UK with the Nudgee College Cricket Program in 2010.

This was also the year that a third Kidd joined the Nudgee College boarding family.

Bill Edward Kidd boarded at the College for six years. During this time, he was heavily involved in the Rowing Program, as well as the Social Justice Program, spending countless hours rolling swags for the homeless. He was also a College Vice Captain in his Senior year in 2015.

The youngest Kidd, Henry, has been at the College for three and a half years and is currently in Year 9. With so many

family members already having attended Nudgee College, Henry had a wealth of knowledge at his disposal.

“I was told that Nudgee College was a big sporting school, and that boarding is great because of all the friends that you make,” he said.

“I was looking forward to making new mates, as well as finally getting to play cricket and other sports.”

Henry’s Senior year in 2019 will also mark the 100-year anniversary of the first Kidd, his great-grandfather, starting at Nudgee College.

Henry’s dad Tom said there had been some big changes in the years since he attended there.

“Since I went to the College, the facilities have improved, and there are more opportunities available to the boys, especially the Cattle Club and the Trade Training Centre,” he said.

“I like that Nudgee College has stayed true to its country boarders, and whether it is sport, academics or spending time down at the cattle yards, there is something for everyone.”

79

FRENSHAM

Boarding & Day School FOR Girls

HEAD’S TOUR OF FRENSHAM Saturday 26 August, 1.00pm-3.00pm To reserve a place, please register online @ www.frensham.nsw.edu.au/heads-tour

SAMPLE BOARDING 2017 Thursday 14 & Friday 15 September For details, please see: www.frensham.nsw.edu.au/boarding-sample

PARENT INFORMATION SESSIONS :: :: :: ::

WAGGA WAGGA YOUNG SINGAPORE HAY

– – – –

Wednesday 9 August Wednesday 23 August Monday 28 August Wednesday 6 September

To attend an information session, please register @ www.frensham.nsw.edu.au/ parent-info-session For further information or to book a personalised tour, please contact: The Registrar – +61 2 4860 2000 – registrar@frensham.nsw.edu.au FRENSHAM. Range Road, PO Box 34 Mittagong NSW 2575 AUSTRALIA

Frensham is a member of the UK Boarding Schools’ Association

www.frensham.nsw.edu.au

specialfeature

Boarding at Frensham ... is a way of life t is important to note that around half of Frensham’s 250 boarders are from families new to boarding. Increasingly, parents are seeing the benefits of boarding for developing emotional and intellectual maturity, self-discipline and self-management, and inspiring a deep sense of personal connection.

To assist families to understand how modern boarding works, Frensham offers Sample Boarding. This special programme for girls currently in Year 5 gives prospective boarders an overnight experience as a ‘real boarder’ in a Junior House. From Thursday evening to Friday afternoon, girls can enjoy ‘a sleepover with a difference’.

Head of Frensham, Julie Gillick, explains, ‘With over 70 percent of students in residence, our boarding tradition sets us apart from other schools. In fact, we are the only school in Australia with a full-day tailored programme across the entire week.

Along with sport on weekends, boarders have fixed study and music practice times, evening workshops and academic coaching.

Outside regular classes, teachers are there for support and guidance, but students are also encouraged to work independently, to think critically and creatively, and to value the challenge of learning, not just the end result.’

“I love boarding.

It’s a bit like one long sleepover...

I love my home too.”

Grit, gratitude and good humour Frensham offers girls a rich and rewarding experience at a pivotal time in their lives.

Living together and looking out for one another, they have the unique opportunity to learn the value of friendship, generosity, leadership, integrity and hard work.

“The life of a boarder at Frensham offers a perfect balance of fun, friends and studies. ...the memories we make here will be cherished forever...”

81

FROM ODD JOBS FIND KNOWLEDGE DISCOVER BELIEF

TO SPECIALIST HEALTH CARER

With over 107 professionally-focused degrees across 9 study areas at the No.1 uni in Australia for graduate employability.*

READ JAMIE’S FULL STORY AT USQ.EDU.AU/FEARLESS/JAMIE-W

FIND KNOWLEDGE DISCOVER BELIEF BUSINESS AND COMMERCE Accounting and Commerce

EDUCATION Adult, Professional and Workplace Learning

Agribusiness

Applied Linguistics and TESOL

Aviation

Career Development

Business Economics

Early Childhood

Finance

Education Leadership

Human Resource

Guidance and

With over 107 professionally-focused degrees across 9 study areas at the No.1 uni in Queensland for graduate employability.*

Environmental Engineering

Nursing

Geographic Information Systems

Paramedicine

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Psychology

Computer Systems

Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

Rural and

Engineering

Remote Health

Computing

Mining Engineering

Sport and Exercise

Power Engineering

HUMANITIES AND COMMUNICATION

Information Technology

Anthropology

Law

Behavioural Science

SCIENCES

Structural Engineering Surveying

Information Systems

LAW AND JUSTICE

Management

Counselling

International Business Management and Leadership

Health and Physical Education

Marketing

Primary Education

HEALTH AND COMMUNITY

Project Management

Secondary Education

Alcohol and Drug Studies

Creative Writing

Applied Data Science

Special Education

Biomedical Science and Laboratory Medicine

Editing and Publishing

Astronomy

Child, Youth and Family Clinical Practice

English Literature

Biology

General Studies

Chemistry

History

Environment and

Indigenous Studies

Sustainability

International Relations

Food Science

Sustainable Business Tourism and Events Management

CREATIVE ARTS AND MEDIA Film, Television and Radio Music Theatre Visual Arts

Middle Years

ENGINEERING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Urban and Regional Planning

USQ.EDU.AU/STUDY Archaeology Communication, Public Relations and Media

*Good Universities Guide, 2017

CRICOS: QLD 00244B, NSW 02225M

Agricultural Science

Community Health

Civil Engineering

Health Leadership

Construction

Human Services and Counselling

Journalism

Mathematics

Language and Culture

and Statistics

Mental Health

Legal Studies

Physics and

Midwifery

Professional Studies

Physical Sciences

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Engineering Management

TEQSA: PRV12081

Applied Climate Science

Agricultural Engineering

Gerontology

|

Wine Science

USQ.EDU.AU/FEARLESS *Graduate Destinations Survey, 2014-2016.

Please visit usq.edu.au/study for application closing dates and to check semester intakes.

CRICOS: QLD 00244B, NSW 02225M

|

TEQSA: PRV12081

specialfeature

Young pilot learns to spread her wings at USQ hat’s in a name? A lot, it seems, if your name’s Amelia.

Like Amelia Earheart before her – the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – local woman, Amelia Murphy is also soaring to new heights.

The first-year Bachelor of Aviation student hopes to become a military pilot and believes USQ will help her achieve that goal.

“I always dreamed of having an office in the sky,” Amelia said. “And thanks to USQ, that dream is fast becoming a reality.”

Amelia moved from Melbourne to Brisbane earlier this year in the hope of earning her wings at USQ Springfield.

Working part-time as a Personnel Capability Specialist with the Air Force Reserves at the RAAF Base Amberley – a varied role that supports Air and Ground Operations for the Royal Australian Air Force – Amelia is determined to accelerate her career.

“The idea of becoming an Australian Defence Force pilot appeals to me

USQ.EDU.AU/STUDY

because it’s exciting and fast-paced,” Amelia said.

“How high I go all depends on what I do next.”

USQ’s Bachelor of Aviation offers majors in Aviation Management and Flight Operations, allowing students to undertake flight training during their second academic year before having the opportunity to complete the third year of their degree online.

Students can see and experience the aviation industry first-hand with access to a state-of-the-art flight simulator – the first of its kind in Queensland.

Based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner, the narrow body jet is able to replicate an entire flight, with normal and abnormal scenarios, while simultaneously prompting students to complete checks and procedures, just like airline pilots do.

Along with seven other women, Amelia is among 45 first-year students enrolled in USQ’s Aviation program in 2017.

She believes the image of pilots

being a male-dominated profession was changing with more opportunities than ever before for aspiring female pilots who have the passion to fly.

“There are no barriers or walls stopping women from becoming pilots,” she said.

“I am determined to show females that it is simple to make a start in the aviation industry, and that it’s an exciting career to have.”

Graduates of USQ’s Bachelor of Aviation (Flight Operations) program gain professional pilot qualifications issued by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

They have access to superior industry experience, with highly trained permanent staff including current and recent Airline, Australian Defence Force and Instructor Pilots and managers.

‘Unleash your Fearless’ and learn how to reach for the sky by visiting: usq.edu.au/aviation

Above and top right: USQ student Amelia Murphy 83

School delivered differently Imagine school on the side of a mountain. Or on a remote outback cattle station. Or on the beach.

What would be possible if your child’s school was portable?

Imagine school from 10am to 3pm. Or maybe 4pm to 9pm. Or even 5am to 10am for those early risers.

What would be possible if your child’s school was flexible?

Imagine school where everyone was welcome.

The gifted. The disabled. The bullied. The anxious.

The farmer’s son. The miner’s daughter. The autistic. The aspiring dancer. The want-to-be pro golfer.

What would be possible if your child’s school was inclusive?

Online school is portable, flexible and inclusive.

It was developed specifically to help all students flourish.

As Australia’s largest non-government online school, our students use technology solutions from the likes of Google, Apple and Schoology while following the National Curriculum.

Our team of university-qualified teachers are specialists in delivering education online. They stretch, challenge and grow our students.

Your child is taught by our teachers via digital channels. You play the role of supervisor, not teacher. So relax - you don’t have to ‘know everything’.

Of course, we understand the importance of socialisation, and we run regular cocurricular activities each term, including excursions and sports carnivals.

Online school with Australian Christian College is currently available to students in Qld, NSW and WA. New enrolments are accepted at any time during the year.

Learn how online school could benefit your son or daughter at accde.edu.au.

This is school delivered differently.

specialfeature

Helping the ‘frustrated student’ rediscover a love of learning with online school f your child is frustrated with school due to distractions, commuting times, peer group pressure or wasted time during the school day, they can slowly lose their love of learning.

Your child’s love of learning can be rebuilt with online school.

While many students are driven to online school as a result of various frustrations, it’s also common for a family to simply choose online school as their preferred option.

With online school, your child learns at home or anywhere with a reliable internet connection. The learning is self-paced yet aligned with the National Curriculum.

Online school has become an increasingly popular option for parents looking for schooling choices, a change in lifestyle, or in response to physical or social pressures such as bullying or disability.

Parents with gifted children also report positive outcomes with online school. Gifted students can move ahead as they wish.

ACC’s Online School employs state-ofthe-art digital technologies, the teachers are qualified and experienced in teaching online.

As a government-accredited online

school, the aim is to give parents a proven alternative to traditional face-to-face teaching and make sure all students have the opportunity to experience the best possible education.

The school provides the learning program and online teachers, and the student is

supervised at home by a parent or another responsible adult.

Online school students are diverse. For many it is a proactive choice, often driven by frustrations with regular school. Others live in remote areas and don’t have many local schooling options. Students who’ve been bullied flourish in a safe environment. Those students with special needs such as ADHD, auditory processing problems, autism and dyslexia, typically find the self-paced nature of online learning a blessing. Academically gifted also discover that online school is beneficial because they can move forward quickly. Some have chosen this mode of schooling while pursuing a sporting or performing arts career. For them, the ability to practice during the day and learn in the evening is appealing. Also, students suffering anxiety often find the respite they need with online school.

For all students, online school does not mean a compromise in the quality of education being received.

To register for an upcoming virtual open day, visit accde.edu.au and click through to the ACC School in your state.

85

specialfeature

The science of success at the University of Sydney rom unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos, creating new materials or feeding the population, science is central to our understanding of the world and is leading humanity’s rapid advancement.

The breadth of options and depth of study in science at the University of Sydney provides opportunities and access to expertise and facilities that are driving and enabling our future leaders.

Karl Sternberg made the move to Sydney from the family farm in the Riverina and hasn’t looked back. Now he is in his fourth and final year of a Food and Agribusiness degree.

“The decision to study agriculture in a city may sound a little controversial, but the breadth of disciplines and calibre of teaching offered at the University of Sydney, backed by real-world projects and practical learning on the University farms at Camden, Narrabri and Arthursleigh were real drawcards.

“I was drawn to my degree because

of the cross-disciplinary aspects of studying both science and business. I’ve broadened my skillset, gained confidence, and have a comprehensive understanding of sustainable production, underlying scientific principles and how best to run a profitable enterprise,” Karl said.

As part of his degree, Karl undertook an industry internship at a leading agribusiness firm. He bridged the gap between theory and application and transferred skills gained from his studies.

He has also secured a job with this company, delaying his plans to return home.

“Moving to Sydney helped me gain not only professional skills, but life skills, and I’ve answered that burning question of “what if?” that many young rural professionals ask. A move might confirm that city life isn’t for you, but even so, studying at the University of Sydney provides opportunities, skills and experiences to help determine your path, all the while providing life skills that may

not have been possible studying in a rural location.

“Sydney is a big move, and an expensive one, but there are options for financial support to help with accommodation and tuition fees.

Scholarships are awarded on academic, leadership and equity grounds so it’s worth checking if you meet the eligibility criteria. There are also great mentors, networks and support groups to help students make the transition from country to city, and school to uni.”

The University of Sydney strives to ensure its science graduates, like Karl, are confident, critical thinkers who can collaborate productively and influence the world. With areas as diverse as entomology, molecular biology, geosciences, psychology and food science, and major technological advances opening up quantum computing and nanotechnology, there has never been a more fascinating time to study science.

Learn more: sydney.edu.au/science 87

EUDCTAION CAHNGES EEVRYTIHNG If you’re not educated reading a simple sentence is almost impossible! Imagine trying to get a job, keep yourself healthy or support your family if you never got to finish school? That’s the story for more than 60 million girls around the world.

But it doesn’t have to be... We believe that every girl on the planet has the right to an education. And we’re doing something about it.

We work with girls in Sierra Leone, West Africa – one of the worst places on earth to be born a girl. We provide scholarships, build new classrooms, offer business training and remove the barriers to them completing their education.

And we want you to join us.

BECAUSE AN EDUCATED GIRl CAN CHANGE HER wORlD.

Changing the world one girl at a time.

www.onegirl.org.au

directory Your directory of things to see, eat and do in destinations across Australia

NAME

ADDRESS

WEBSITE

PHONE

NEW SOUTH WALES Absalom Gallery

638 Chapple St, Broken Hill, NSW 2880

jackabsalom.com.au

08 8087 5881

Altina Wildlife Park

Sturt Hwy, Darlington Point, NSW 2706

altinawildlife.com

0412 060 342

Bella Vita Tours

Griffith, NSW 2680

bellavita.tours

0437 927 651

Bimbella Beef

2/346 Victoria St, Deniliquin, NSW 2710

bimbellabeef.com.au

03 5881 2323

Canvas Eatery

546 Dean St, Albury, NSW 2640

canvas-eatery.com.au

02 6023 4923

Cooks Hill Gallery

67 Bull St Cooks Hill, Newcastle, NSW 2300

cookshillgalleries.com.au

02 4926 3899

Eurobodalla South Coast

Batemans Bay | Moruya | Narooma

eurobodalla.com.au

1800 802 528

Go Whale Watching

Sydney, NSW

gowhalewatchingsydney.com.au

02 6495 1686

Panorama Bathurst

51 Durham St, Bathurst, NSW 2795

panoramabathurst.com.au

02 6331 2666

Parkes Visitor Information Centre

Newell Hwy, Parkes, NSW 2870

visitparkes.com.au

02 6862 6000

Sapphire Waters Inn Motel

32–34 Merimbula Dr, Merimbula, NSW 2548

sapphirewatersmotorinn.com.au

02 6495 1999

Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre

Yulin Ave, Cooma, NSW 2630

snowyhydro.com.au

1800 632 776

VIP Private Tours

13 Pleasant Pl, Tuross Head, NSW 2537

viptours.net.au

0437 143 477

QUEENSLAND Bungie Helicopters

Mossman, Cooktown, Coen and Punsand Bay, QLD

bungiehelicopters.com.au

07 4214 5713

Charleville Cosmos Centre & Observatory

1 Milky Way Charleville, QLD 4470

cosmoscentre.com

07 4654 7771

Loyalty Beach Campground & Fishing Lodge

1 Loyalty Beach Rd, New Mapoon, QLD 4876

loyaltybeach.com

07 4069 3808

Rambutan Townsville

113-119 Flinders St Townsville, QLD 4810

rambutantownsville.com.au

07 4771 6915

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Commonwealth Bank RoofClimb

War Memorial Drv, North Adelaide, SA 5006

roofclimb.com.au

08 8331 5222

The Lookout Cave Underground Motel

1141 McKenzie Close, Coober Pedy, SA 5723

thelookoutcave.com

08 8672 5118

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Busy Blue Bus

13 Chevalier St Albany, WA 6330

busybluebus.com.au

08 9842 2133

Quest Albany

176 Adelaide Ter, East Perth, WA 6004

questeastperth.com.au

08 6210 6000

TASMANIA King Island Escapes - Porky Beach Retreat

135 Barnes Rd, Loorana, King Island, TAS 7256

kingislandescapes.com.au

0417 580 550

King Island Green Ponds Guesthouse and Cottage B&B

538 Edward St, Currie, King Island, TAS 7256

kingislandstay.com

03 6462 1171

King Island Pleasure Tours

15 Main St, Currie, King Island, TAS 7256

kingislandtravel.com

0421 062 246

Ocean Dunes King Island

365 North Rd, Loorana, TAS 7256

oceandunes.com.au

03 6462 1633

INTRODUCING THE RE X DESTINATIONS DIRECTORY

Promote your business nationally and reach over 300,000 readers each issue.

To advertise, contact Kylee Dixon: E kylee.dixon@edge.agency T 0421 022 004

89

DIRECTORY

ABSALOM GALLERY

ALTINA WILDLIFE PARK

BELLA VITA TOURS

638 CHAPPLE ST, BROKEN HILL, NSW 2800 T 08 8087 5881 E jackab5@bigpond.com.au jackabsalom.com.au

STURT HWY, DARLINGTON POINT NSW 2706

GRIFFITH, NSW 2680

On your next visit to Broken Hill, a visit to Absalom's Art Gallery is a must. Home to the finest collection of outback paintings by Jack Absalom, it also features the largest opal display in the Southern Hemisphere, courtesy of the region's opal mines.

Come and say hello. Gallery hours 10am-5pm, closed January & February.

Meet the animals up close and personal whilst travelling in style on horse drawn/motorised carts. We take all visitors to meet the animals during their daily feed times. The tour goes for 2.5 hours and is the only way to see Altina’s animals.

Entry/tours by appointment only.

Griffith's early Italian migrants brought with them traditions like salami making, preserving olives and sauce (suggo) day. Since then, Griffith has become a cosmopolitan city with a thriving wine industry, abundant agriculture and top-notch hospitality. Join Bella Vita Tours to experience, taste, and explore the fascinating and beautiful Griffith lifestyle.

BIMBELLA BEEF

CANVAS EATERY

COOKS HILL GALLERY

2/346 VICTORIA ST, DENILIQUIN, NSW 2710

546 DEAN ST, ALBURY, NSW 2640

67 BULL ST, COOKS HILL, NEWCASTLE, NSW 2300

Bimbella Beef is the premium quality Paddock to Plate Riverina experience. Owned by farmers Joe and Sue Weir, they have a boutique retail butcher shop to showcase their farm selected beef, lamb and other gourmet meats and farm products.

Located in the heart of Albury, Canvas is a modern and contemporary dining space that opens out to a beautiful garden terrace. Offering a quality seasonal menu paired with a sophisticated wine list, Canvas is the number one place to dine out in Albury.

The show I will promote is September 22–October 9, 2017. Susan Weaver: Oil pastel landscape seascape.

Exhibition titled: 'Fire and islands' Steve Glassborow: Bronze figurative sculpture.

IT'S WARMER! EUROBODALLA, STH COAST NSW

GO WHALE WATCHING

PANORAMA BATHURST

DEPARTING FROM DARLING HARBOUR, SYDNEY DAILY JUNE TO NOVEMBER.

51 DURHAM ST, BATHURST NSW 2795

T 02 6495 1686 E info@gowhalewatchingsydney.com.au gowhalewatchingsydney.com.au

T 02 6331 2666 E reservations@panoramabathurst.com.au panoramabathurst.com.au

A smaller company with a commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of all whales, our passionate crew enjoy sharing their experience and knowledge of these magnificent animals. Our cruises are relaxed, friendly and informative. Mention this ad and receive 50% off your booking!

Our 70-room motel in the heart of Bathurst’s CBD is just 2.5hrs drive from Sydney and conveniently close to shops, cafés, sporting facilities, showgrounds and parks. Our award-winning chef serves delicious meals for dinner seven days a week. Our coffee shop, The Brew Drive Thru, also serves great coffee and snacks.

T 03 5881 2323 E sales@bimbellabeef.com.au bimbellabeef.com.au

BATEMANS BAY | MORUYA | NAROOMA, NSW T 1800 802 528 E info@eurobodalla.com.au eurobodalla.com.au It may be chilly inland but it’s wonderful temperate weather in unspoilt Eurobodalla. 83 beaches to explore, four mighty rivers to fish, islands to visit, wildlife galore, ancient headlands and tall timbered forests offering first time and returning visitors lots to discover. Grab your FREE brochure today.

90

T 0412 060 342 E info@altinawildlife.com altinawildlife.com

T 02 6023 4923 E info@canvas-eatery.com.au canvas-eatery.com.au

T 0437 927 651 E info@bellavita.tours bellavita.tours

T 02 4926 3899 E mail@cookshillgalleries.com.au cookshillgalleries.com.au

DIRECTORY

PARKES VISITOR INFO CENTRE

SAPPHIRE WATERS MOTOR INN

PARKES, NSW

32–34 MERIMBULA DR, MERIMBULA, NSW 2548 T 02 6495 1999 E info@sapphirewatersmotorinn.com.au sapphirewatersmotorinn.com.au

T 02 6862 6000 E elvis@parkes.nsw.gov.au parkeselvisfestival.com.au Pop on your blue suede shoes and shake rattle'n'roll your way to the 2018 Parkes Elvis Festival, 10-14 January.

Twenty-five thousand Elvis fans will be celebrating 50 years since the '68 Comeback Special, with a jam-packed five-day program of more than 150 events. We'll see you for your comeback in Parkes!

SNOWY HYDRO DISCOVERY CENTRE YULIN AVE, COOMA, NSW 2630

T 1800 632 776 E info@snowyhydro.com.au snowyhydro.com.au

Sapphire Waters Motor Inn is an award winning motel located a short walk from the CBD, restaurants and clubs of Merimbula. We have a large range of room types to suit all occasions. Set on Merimbula Lake on the Sapphire Coast, we offer some of the most spectacular scenery on the NSW south coast.

This state-of-the-art visitor facility showcases the amazing history of the Snowy Mountains Scheme; from the early days of construction through to current operations by Snowy Hydro. This is a must for any visitor the Snowy Mountains region! Entry is free all year round.

VIP PRIVATE TOURS

BUNGIE HELICOPTERS

TUROSS HEAD, NSW FAR SOUTH COAST, 2537

WE ARE LOCATED IN MOSSMAN, COOKTOWN, COEN AND PUNSAND BAY, QUEENSLAND

CHARLEVILLE COSMOS CENTRE & OBSERVATORY

T 0437 143 477 E hello@viptours.net.au viptours.net.au

From arrival at Moruya Airport, VIP Private Tours will integrate your travel between accommodation, business, leisure activities and sightseeing.

Our flexible private transport and local tours accommodate up to six people with luggage. Book a tour and visit a working oyster farm, see stunning coastal scenery and get close to native wildlife.

T 07 4214 5713 E info@bungiehelicopters.com.au bungiehelicopters.com.au

1 MILKY WAY, CHARLEVILLE, QLD 4470

T 07 4654 7771 E enquiries@cosmoscentre.com experiencecharleville.com.au

Operating in Cape York for over 25 years, we offer helifishing and scenic flights ex Mossman, Cooktown and Punsand Bay. Bungie Helicopters also operates a unique and private campground, Melanie Camp, near Coen and offers a 3-day all-inclusive Helifish Experience. Call now for the adventure of a lifetime!

BE AMAZED – visit our observatory and experience the wonder of our outback sky. View the sheer beauty of the Milky Way Galaxy, by stargazing through powerful Meade telescopes. During daylight hours join us in sun viewing and astronomy by day.

Bookings are essential.

LOYALTY BEACH CAMPGROUND & FISHING LODGE

RAMBUTAN TOWNSVILLE

COMMONWEALTH BANK ROOFCLIMB

1 LOYALTY BEACH RD, NEW MAPOON, QLD, 4876

T 07 4771 6915 E bookings@rambutantownsville.com rambutantownsville.com.au

ADELAIDE OVAL, WAR MEMORIAL DR, NORTH ADELAIDE, SA 5006

A luxury backpacker’s hostel for both international and domestic travellers visiting tropical Townsville, Rambutan is Townsville's most vibrant place to eat, stay or play. Rambutan Backpacker Resort combines a variety of affordable accommodation options, with a relaxing poolside plus a stunning rooftop bar and restaurant where guests can get acquainted.

RoofClimb will literally take you to new heights at the world-class Adelaide Oval – in the heart of the city!

This exhilarating adventure will have you travelling along the impressive curved roofline of the oval as you soak up 360 degree views of the city and beyond.

T 07 4069 3808 E fishcapeyork@bigpond.com loyaltybeach.com

Located 45 minutes from Australia's northernmost tip, we sit on 13 acres of spectacular beachfront, including 11 acres of open bush camping. The campground is lush with wildlife and uses town water and power supplies. Our restaurant and bar operates seven days a week with perfect sunset views.

113-119 FLINDERS ST, TOWNSVILLE, QLD 4810

T 08 8331 5222 E enquiries@roofclimb.com.au roofclimb.com.au

91

DIRECTORY

THE LOOKOUT CAVE UNDERGROUND MOTEL

BUSY BLUE BUS

QUEST EAST PERTH

1141 MCKENZIE CLOSE, COOBER PEDY, SA 5723 T 08 8672 5118 E info@thelookoutcave.com thelookoutcave.com

13 CHEVALIER ST, ALBANY, WA 6330 T 08 9842 2133 E info@busybluebus.com.au busybluebus.com.au

176 ADELAIDE TER, EAST PERTH, WA 6004 T 08 6210 6000 E questeastperth@questapartments.com.au questeastperth.com.au

Sleeping underground is a one of a kind experience.

A popular destination for outback travellers, the Lookout Cave is a motel excavated into sandstone, set on a hillside overlooking Coober Pedy. Plan your holiday and cross it off your bucket list! Mention this ad for 10% off and complimentary airport transfers.

Busy Blue Bus is the premier tour operator along the amazing south coast of Western Australia, showcasing the extraordinary natural landscape, cool climate wines, delicious local produce and iconic Australian historic connections. We have the ‘must do’ touring for any visitor to the south coast region!

Opened late 2016, brand new Quest East Perth is within easy walking distance to many of Perth’s attractions. Choose from 130 rooms – studio, 1- or 2-bedroom apartments – ideal for an overnight or long stay. With 24hr reception, a roof top BBQ area and free wifi (400mb), Quest is your perfect location to stay.

KING ISLAND ESCAPES PORKY BEACH RETREAT

KING ISLAND GREEN PONDS GUESTHOUSE AND COTTAGE B&B

KING ISLAND PLEASURE TOURS

135 BARNES RD, LOORANA, KING ISLAND, TAS 7256

538 EDWARD ST, CURRIE, KING ISLAND, TAS

T 0421 062 246 E kingislandpleasuretours@gmail.com kingislandtravel.com

This ultimate beach retreat will take your King Island experience to another level, with views to take your breath away. Our 4-bedroom architecturally designed beachfront accommodation, with bespoke cedar hot tub and sauna, are set in a unique hidden coastal setting with direct access to your private beach.

Country comfort at its best. Come as visitors, leave as friends. Vintage country styling, cosy woodfires, old world hospitality. Nestled in the heart of Currie, the roomy Guesthouse or private Cottage King Island B&B are perfect for your relaxing escape or King Island business. Perfect for singles, couples or groups.

T 0417 580 550 E stay@kingislandescapes.com.au kingislandescapes.com.au

T 03 6462 1171 E kigreenponds@bigpond.com kingislandstay.com

15 MAIN ST, CURRIE KING ISLAND, TAS, 7256

Want a quick escape? Your interests in a package. On your own? Join a ‘Small Group’ or ‘Women’s Only’ tour.

Relax, explore, and discover new friendships. Want longer for King Island unique experiences? Take a 4 to 6 day trip. Book, pack your bag – we'll do the rest.

TO ADVERTISE IN THE REX EXPERIENCE SECTION, C O N TAC T U S TO DAY. OCEAN DUNES KING ISLAND 365 NORTH RD, LOORANA, TAS, 7256

T 03 6462 1633 E enquiries@oceandunes.com.au oceandunes.com.au Scottish Links On Tasmania's King Island. A very special 'Stay & Play' links golf course on King Island overlooking the Great Southern Ocean.

92

kylee.dixon@edge.agency

T 0421 022 004

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