ROCKS January 2014

TAKE ME! HOME

ADVENTURE TRAVEL • EVENTS • PEOPLE • FOOD • ENTERTAINMENT • SPORTS

ISSUE 10 JAN/FEB 2014

HEY, MONA!

The apple of the Apple Isle’s eye

KING OF KONG

The Hong Kong Sevens in style

UNLEASH!

France, Hawaii, Vietnam and Cockatoo Island

PidLeUmSining

OR INE F Z A G RY MA THE R INDUST U YO

ins

GET CARTER

Oil rig rider Paul Carter defies death

THE $75K SUPERCAR: WE DRIVE THE STUPENDOUS NEW ALFA 4C

Welcome to ROCKS, the in-flight magazine for Alliance Airlines

Image: Tourism SA

Firstly, I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome back all of our passengers who were lucky enough to spend some quality time over the festive season catching up with family and friends. To those of you who had to work their shift throughout the Christmas and new year, I trust you will now relish your well-deserved break!

Far from having a break ourselves, Alliance Airlines has been working tirelessly throughout the year to bring you the best FIFO service in Australia. Due to growing demand for our flights, we purchased an additional five Fokker 70LR jet aircraft; bringing the total number of aircraft in our fleet to 31. We have also been establishing facilities at various major airports around the country.

We have opened a base in Darwin to better service the Top End, and also a dedicated FIFO passsenger facility at Brisbane’s airport to address the rapid expansion of Queensland’s resources sector.

In addition to this, we will also be the launch customer for Perth’s new $120 million T2 regional passenger terminal, which is due to open in March 2014.

We’re glad you’re flying with us today, and I encourage you to contact us at executive@allianceairlines.com.au if you have any feedback from your flight.

Scott ScottMcMillan McMillan Managing ManagingDirector Director

Port Augusta, South Australia

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Hespe DEPUTY EDITOR Ben Smithurst SENIOR DESIGNERS Guy Pendlebury, Yulia Santoso SUBEDITORS Liani Solari, Kath Wakelin PRE-PRESS OPERATOR Tarn Mount CONTRIBUTORS Connor Stephenson, Simone-Henderson Smart, Adam Burnett, Claire Chaffey, Melinda Hammond, Karen Halabi, Fleur Bainger, Nathan Dyer, Cynthia Dix,

Susan Gough Henly, Christine Retschlag, Fiona Poynter, Kris Madden, Oryana Angel, Jane Slack-Smith, Amal Awad.

ROCKS is published by Edge 51 Whistler Street, Manly NSW 2095 Phone: 02 8962 2600 edgecustom.com.au

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES 02 8962 2600 E: advertising@edgecustom.com.au WA AND NT SALES AGENT Helen Glasson, Hogan Media: 08 9381 3991 E: helen@hoganmedia.com.au

ROCKS is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge.

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.

ROCKS cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. A selection of images used in this publication has been sourced from Thinkstock, Getty Images and Corbis.

PUBLISHER Geoff Campbell CEO Eddie Thomas PRINTER SOS Print & Media

January/February 2014

1

A tropical

hideaway near lively Chaweng Beach

Tucked along the curving north end of Chaweng Beach, one of Koh Samui’s most famous and longest shores, Anantara Lawana Resort & Spa Samui promises the best of both worlds.

Embark on a journey rich with discovery at anantara.com or email lawanasamui@anantara.com Thailand • Cambodia • China • Indonesia • Maldives • Mozambique • United Arab Emirates • Vietnam

DARWIN

GROOTE EYLANDT

LAWN HILL

CAIRNS TOWNSVILLE

THE GRANITES

TREPELL

SHAY GAP KARRATHA ONSLOW

PHOSPHATE HILL TELFER

BARIMUNYA

COONDEWANNA

CLONCURRY

MOUNT ISA

EMERALD

NEWMAN

PARABURDOO

ALICE SPRINGS

GLADSTONE

BALLERA COOBER PEDY MOUNT KEITH LEINSTER

MILES

BRISBANE

PROMINENT HILL OLYMPIC DAM

LEONORA

PERTH

PORT AUGUSTA ADELAIDE

MELBOURNE

January/February 2014

3

When you’re at the coalface... ...New Mongrels Metguard with Poron XRD are the boots of choice The Mongrel SP Workboot range is designed to meet the individual needs of different work places – from lightweight styles in warehouse situations to heavy duty versions for industrial environments such as mining. For example the coal mining industry in particular requires a Metguard style that gives extra protection to the metatarsal area of the foot. The metatarsal shield in Mongrels Metguard workboots is moulded from internationally acclaimed and provides high impact protection without rigid, bulky or constrictive padding. The combination of Steel toe cap and provides maximum protection for the metatarsal and toes. Check out our website for further information on Mongrel Metguard workboots. *

is a registered trademark of the Rogers Corporation

Aussie Born and Bred

Victor Footwear 15 George Young St Auburn NSW 2144 p: 02 8667 2555 f: 02 8667 2500 e: sales@mongrelboots.com.au w: www.mongrelboots.com.au

ABOUT US Alliance Airlines was established in 2002, recognising the growing demand from the domestic mining and energy sector for a provider of safe and reliable air transportation services to and from remote site locations. Alliance commenced operations with two Fokker 100 aircraft servicing two FIFO contracts, both of which are still serviced today.

Our company has since expanded its fleet and operational capabilities to better service the continuing air transportation needs of the mining and energy sector .

Alliance is a leading mining services company specialising in providing: • FIFO services • Ad hoc charter services • ACMI, or wet leasing, services.

In December 2011, Alliance successfully listed on the ASX as AQZ.

FLIGHT BOOKINGS For customers wishing to book flights between Perth and Karratha, this must be done online: www.allianceairlines.com.au/home For customers wishing to book flights between Adelaide and Olympic Dam, this can be done online: www.qantas.com

OUR FLEET FOKKER F100

Number

18

Passengers

100

Length

35.5 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 650-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,167km

Passenger Detail

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

FOKKER F70LR

CHARTER BOOKINGS For corporate or private charters of Alliance aircraft, the following contacts are available: www.allianceairlines.com.au/charters sales@allianceairlines.com.au 07 3212 1501

SAFETY INFORMATION Even though you may travel frequently, please familiarise yourself with the Safety On Board card located in your seat pocket.

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

SEAT BELTS Please observe the ‘Fasten Seat Belt’ signs when illuminated. In the interest of safety, keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

CABIN BAGGAGE

Passengers should ensure that carry-on baggage does not weigh more than 7kg and fits into the overhead lockers.

Number

7

Passengers

75

Length

31 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 620-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,800km

Passenger Detail

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

FOKKER F50

Number

6

Passengers

52

Length

25 metres

Wingspan

29 metres

Engines

2 x PW125B Turboprop

Cruise Altitude

7,800 metres

Cruise Speed

500km/h

Range

2,600km

Passenger Detail

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

January/February 2014

5

The MATRIX Off Road Caravan from Australia’s leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, Australian Off Road, offers an exciting blend of versatile camper combined with caravan comfort to fulfil your dreams.

Using AOR’s proven off-road technology, the MATRIX is loaded with luxuries you would expect from a full-feature caravan.

With a compact body design that is 4.9m long and 1.95m wide, the MATRIX has a tare weight of only 1,750 kg and a track and width that matches your 4WD towing vehicle.

Designed to go places where a road-based caravan cannot travel, the MATRIX offers exceptional off-road handling and capabilities. On-board equipment makes you completely comfortable and independent for extended stays away from civilisation (particularly toilet, water and power).

The MATRIX offers simple functionality in a refined design – make your dreams a reality with a MATRIX Off Road Caravan!

Call (07) 5390 0300 to speak to an off-road expert or visit our website www.australianoffroad.com.au for more info on our range of full off-road campers and caravans.

SHOWROOM 39 Ron Parkenson Crescent, Caloundra QLD 4551 EMAIL sales@australianoffroad.com.au

- Internal lounge/dinette - Full internal kitchen - 3 burner gas cooktop and 110L fridge/freezer with optional outside BBQ or mini kitchen - Internal ensuite - hot/cold shower and AOR’s unique electric macerator ‘Nomad Dual Evacuation’ toilet system - 8” luxury inner spring queen size mattress - 1,360 litres storage capacity - 12V system throughout, including 300W pure sine inverter - 2 x 145 Watt solar panels - 2 armour plated water tanks hold 220L plus seperate 35L flushing water tank - Independent trailing arm suspension, King Springs, twin EFS Off Road shocks (per wheel), 12” electric drum brakes and 2.5 tonne axle

Luxurious European Decore

Full Queen Size Bed

www.australianoffroad.com.au

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The Hong Kong Sevens

46

CONTENTS THE PICK

08 THE PICK

Tennis, tuna tossing, tubular tubes and teutonic targeteers.

The Monuments Men, books and Kenny Rogers: vampire.

12 MAN + MACHINE

Meet the outlandish Alfa 4C: the ubersexy $75k supercar.

14 CRUST

Classic Australian waterfront dining doesn’t get any better.

Surf on a sand dune, ride an ostrich and sample some suspect street food in this South-East Asian surprise.

40 MARSEILLES

11 OUTER EDGE

IN ORE

UNLEASHED

30 VIETNAM

12

58

ISSUE 10

It’s France’s second largest city, but it might just be Europe’s new adventure capital.

46 HAWAII

Adrenalin or Mai Tai downtime? It’s your choice in the USA’s 50th state.

53 HOBART

16 INTERVIEW: PAUL CARTER

The world’s most exciting upstart art museum is just the beginning of the Apple Isle’s capital charms.

The oil rigger cum bestselling author talks world biodiesel speed records, lethal surprise liposuction and his mission to meet the living winners of the Victoria Cross.

58 COCKATOO ISLAND Only a stone’s throw from the Sydney CBD is an island where fascinating history and modern culture collide. And now you can even stay overnight and go glamping.

24 THE HONG KONG RUGBY SEVENS

It’s the greatest, funnest, most spontaneous festival in the world rugby calendar, but can anyone beat the almighty All Blacks? Maybe!

40 insidemining • •

• •

news & current affairs international mining issues resources sector profiles finance & technology January/February 2014

7

THE PICK

ROCKS has sniffed out the best stuff so you don’t have to.

Just sit back, relax and enjoy!

E VENTS + ENTERTAINMENT + TECH + MOTORS + FOOD & DRINK

ON THE DOWNLOAD Play, create, snap – 3 cool apps Hassle Me! (Free, iOS/Android) An app that turns your phone into a nag – in a good way. Set a reminder and it will literally hassle you (at intervals of your choice) until you get it done.

Touchgrind Skate 2 ($5.49, iOS)

UNHOLY RACKETS > January sees men with one giant arm,

grunting Eastern Bloc tennis robots and three-quarter-pant fancier Rafa Nadal hit Melbourne for the tennis. Plus Lleyton, still covering more court than the Legal Times and injury free. The Rod Laver Arena has hosted more epic battles than Iron Chef, but can Djokovic and Azarenka win again? Will Murray smile? Will Tomic’s dad go mental? ausopen.com Jan 13-26

AUSTRALIAN OPEN OF SURFING > Victoria’s Bells Pro is mud, blood and

beer and the Gold Coast’s Quik Pro is a hectic barrel-fest, but Manly’s Australian Open is an unapologetically metropolitan festival of surfing. With skating… and crowds… and bands. Brave the Corso, count cool/woeful tattoos and watch some of the world’s most light-footed surfers take flight just 15km from the CBD. australianopenofsurfing.com Feb 8-16

SCHUTZENFEST AND TUNARAMA > It’s fun-to-say festivals month in SA. First is

the 51st Schutzenfest (yes: historically, a shooting festival). On Jan 10-11, $20 gets you in to Bonython Park, Thebarton, wherein exists a perfect combo: beer, sausages and celebrities firing rifles for the first time. Then it’s Port Lincoln’s 53rd Tunarama, on the Australia Day long weekend. You’ll know it for the tuna throw. Get along and hurl an 8-10kg fish! schutzenfest.com.au, tunarama.net

MINING & ENGINEERING WA EXHIBITION

6–8 May 2014, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre A mining sector exhibition that focuses on the unique needs, challenges and opportunities facing WA’s mining industry.

NETWORK with industry peers GAIN insights into improving efficiency and boosting productivity SOURCE the latest mining technology and innovation for your operations Register at: miningandengineeringwa.com.au

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January/February 2014

“Skate like a pro in the most realistic mini-touch skateboarding ever!” says the blurb, but who has ever tried really skating on their fingers? Still, this rules.

My 52 Tuesdays (Free, iOS/Android) A “worldwide participatory project”, this app sends you a question a week – eg.

‘What are you most likely to die trying?’ Trawling the photo replies is addictive.

SAY WHAT?

Got something to say about ROCKS ? Is there something you’re burning to see covered?

Don’t mumble it under your breath – tell us what you think!

Send an email to rocks@ edgecustom.com.au and have your say.* *Please be kind – our fragile egos might not be able to take it.

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DEVELOP NEW BUSINESS Queensland is the growth state and there are three distinct regions that are leading the way.

Australian Events have three events that hit the heart of each of these regions in 2014, and you are invited to participate.

TOWNSVILLE, THE FAR NORTH AND png

These are dynamic events with special Industry Forums, site visits, business networking functions and a comprehensive two day exposition in each location.

GLADSTONE, ROCKHAMPTON & CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

These events are short, sharp and focussed to allow businesses the best opportunities to grow industry connectivity and discover new opportunities for business development.

TOOWOOMBA, SURAT BASIN & SOUTH WEST QUEENSLAND

For exhibitor enquiries

frEECALL 1800 671 588 GOLD SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSOR

CQ EXPO SPONSOR

EVENT SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS

Surat Basin

NEWS

CQEXPO CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

INDUSTRY & RESOURCES

19th & 20th March 2014 ROCKHAMPTON SHOWGROUNDS

www.cqexpo.com.au

27th & 28th March 2014 TOWNSVILLE ENTERTAINMENT & CONVENTION CENTRE

www.nqexpo.com.au

SURAT BASIN

ENERGY & MINING EXPO 18th & 19th June 2014 TOOWOOMBA SHOWGROUNDS

www.suratbasinexpo.com.au

www.australianevents.com.au

www.facebook.com/austevents

OUTER EDGE

BOOKS THE LAST GIRL

MOVIE

THE MONUMENTS MEN

Y

ou can’t rely on much in Hollywood. In fact, just three things: 1) baddies are crap shots; 2) that quiet guy is hiding a zombie bite; 3) if a movie has such a huge, kickass ensemble cast, it’s a sure bet they’ll somehow ruin it. Often, oddly, by adding the usually great Brad Pitt. Like in Troy. Or The Men Who Stare At Goats. Or Ocean’s 12.

But George Clooney is on a roll, and this February, instead of Pitt, Clooney has Bill Murray on board. Plus Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig, Matt Damon and more, to tell the true-life derring-do of a band of allied WWII soldiers and French civilians who snatched a fortune in pillaged art back from the Nazis during WWII. “It’ll remind you of all the war films from the ’50s and

’60s and ’70s that we liked,” Clooney said. Also, it has Bill Murray. The very tricky to contact, let alone cast, Bill Murray. But how?

“We’re really good friends,” said Clooney. “[Bill] doesn’t have an agent, he doesn’t have a manager. Now he has a phone, which is helpful… and he called me up and said, ‘Great, I’ll be there.’

And he showed up.”

To Germany. Bravo!

MUSIC

SOUND ON THE GO

E

njoy better sound while on the go, everywhere you go, with the SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® speaker.

It delivers full, natural sound from an ultracompact speaker that fits in the palm of your hand. It connects wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or

other Bluetooth® device, and comes with a charging cradle so it’s ready to grab and go at any time. Amp up your music, videos and games in places they’ve never been before. The SoundLink® Mini speaker is engineered with a solid, anodised aluminium housing and skid-proof rubber

bottom, so it can stand up to everyday use.

You can even customise it with coloured soft covers to suit your unique style.

There’s also an accessory travel bag and/or additional wall charger available for use while travelling. bose.com.au RRP: $249

MICHAEL ADAMS, $19.95 The best YAH – or young adult historical fiction – is far better than the sneer inherent in those initials, and this is brilliant proof.

Set in a Sydney torn apart by ‘the snap’ – an instant where everyone becomes instantly psychic … and then largely psychotic – its heroine, Danby, battles to cross the city and save her brother.

Intense, action-y and topical.

SLOW GETTING UP

NATE JACKSON, $26.99 Nate Jackson played six seasons in the brutal NFL, but he wasn’t a star – just a middling talent, hence his memoir’s second sell: “A story of NFL survival from the bottom of the pile”. Like cricketer Ed Cowan, it’s odd that a sportsman should write so well – but unlike Cowan’s book, Jackson’s has human growth hormone, drugs, women, drugs and hilarity.

JFK: THE SMOKING GUN COLIN MCLAREN,

$22.99 A book with a fatal flaw, which is this: McLaren’s convincing theory is that JFK, wounded

by Oswald, was capped with an accidental rifle headshot from a jolted, panicked secret service guy in the car behind – which was hushed up. But … do you still need to read the whole thing?

QUIET: THE POWER OF INTROVERTS IN A WORLD THAT CAN’T STOP TALKING

SUSAN CAIN, $29.95 The idea that leaders ought to be shouty ‘follow me, lads, over the top to GLOOORY!’ extroverts is long debunked – but the third of the world that’s shy is still overlooked. A book about how we all miss out by doing so.

January/February 2014

11

THINGGSO THATOM VRO

THE $75K

SUPERCAR

WORDS: Connor Stephenson

Behold the incredible Alfa 4C: light, lust-worthy and priced so keenly you’ll get change from a single kidney…

12

January/February 2014

D

eciding on a price for a new supercar must be fun. First, take the number of dollars that the car cost to design and build – if it’s a Ferrari, a Bugatti or a Lamborghini, this is probably a hefty sum. Now double it. Then multiply it by the number of spanners in a Sidchrome tool kit.

And then throw a zero on the end.

The fact is, of course, that a company like Ferrari can charge just about whatever it likes for a car, and then hit its stupidly rich buyers up for more in options (cruise control on a $490,000 458 Spider costs $1906, for example,

while shiny white paint is $64,500).

This is because its customers have fat wallets and even fatter heads.

Thus the dream of owning a supercar has been beyond mortals with actual jobs. Until now.

You might argue that Alfa Romeo’s new 4C can’t be an actual supercar, because it’s only an Alfa, but seriously, look at it. How can this sexy beast, built in Modena (its engine in the Maserati factory, no less) not deserve the title?

A car this good, and exclusive – only 2500 a year will be built worldwide – would have no trouble finding buyers at $150,000, which would still make it a relative bargain, as supercars go. What is

MAN + MACHINE

INCOMING!

It’s not just the Alfa – 2014 LOOMS AS A HELLUVA CAR YEAR

SUBARU WRX

pilot weep, yet this car, this $75,000 car (or $54,000 if you’re lucky enough to live in America) kept bellowing for more.

Its only real flaws are a boot that would be lucky to fit a bootie, and that you can’t have a manual model with a clutch. The flappy-paddle gearbox is a bit of a disappointment, compared to the rest of the car. Its upchanges are spine-smackingly quick, but it tends to argue with you

THERE IS SIMPLY NO BODYROLL, AT ALL, AND THE EXPERIENCE IS TRULY RACE-CAR LIKE. about what time is good for a spirited downchange, and will then sulk and ignore you if it doesn’t agree.

But then supercars, the Italian footballers of the car world, are meant to be a bit difficult. Beautiful, talented and just a bit emotional.

The 4C is going to bring the supercar dream not so much to the masses, but certainly to a wider wallet pool than has ever had the chance. Slap your deposit down now.

SPECIFICATIONS

truly incredible, even more than its waif weight of 895kg, is that Alfa intends to sell it in Australia starting at just $75,000 (a Launch Edition version, with more bling, will go for $110,000 – $120,000).

That unfeasibly light weight – even a Porsche Cayman, its nearest theoretical competitor, weighs 1310kg – is due to genuine super technology. The 4C’s chassis is an entirely carbon-fibre monocoque, which puts it in the league of cars like Lamborghini’s $4 million, all-carbon Sesto Elemento, or the McLaren MP4-12C, at $493,100.

Carbon fibre is everywhere as you climb into the 4C, and obvious as soon as you tear into a corner.

There is simply no bodyroll at all, and the experience is truly race-car like. Even the steering is unassisted, partly to shave even more weight, so the connection between your hands, the tyres and the road is as pure as possible.

The tiddling girth means the Alfa can run a 1.75-litre, four-pot turbo, making just 177kW and 350Nm. On its own, the powerplant wouldn’t sound supercar worthy, but in this package, it’s good for a 4.5-second 0 to 100km/h time.

That’s faster than a $243,000 Porsche 911, with an engine bark and exhaust shriek that sounds like a proper Ferrari. Belting the 4C around Alfa’s own test track, in Balocco, northern Italy, we saw 240+km/h and experienced G-forces that would make a fighter

MODEL ENGINE TRANSMISSION POWER TORQUE PRICE

Alfa Romeo 4C Petrol, 1.75L, 4cyl 6-speed TCT auto 177kW 350Nm $75,000 (est)

THE CAR THAT redefined cheap performance – and ram-raiding – in the late ’90s is an icon: vicious, fun and a bit chavvy. Like a straight jab before a knock-out hook, the $40k-ish fourth-gen four-pot lands in March, two months before the hardcore STi version.

Capacity will drop from 2.5L to 2.0L, but its skinny 5.3s 0-100km/h time probably will, too.

PORSCHE 918 SPYDER

A HYBRID – but not in a whale-hugging way – $800k super-sports car with a 453kW, 4.6L track-bred V8, 114kW electric motor and 1274Nm of torque. What does that mean?

Oh, just 350km/h, a new Nurburgring record (6min 57 seconds) and a 0-100km/h mark of 2.8 seconds, doing 2.8L/100km (but with the battery draining like the Gabba after rain).

MERCEDES GLA

WHEN THE MINI MACAN joins the Cayenne, Porsche will be – by volume – an SUV company. It’s where the money is. So Merc is in a soft-roader development frenzy as well, and as the near-perfect A 45 AMG has set a new bar for hot hatches, this second quarter 2014 release is their $45k-ish attempt to blow away rivals in the emerging dinky-SUV segment.

September/October January/February 2014 2013

13

WHERAET TO E INK & DR

FIVE OF THE BEST

ABSOLUTELY BEACHED If you dig waterfront dining, you’ll love these breezy spots within a frisbee throw of the ocean.

WORDS: SIMONE HENDERSON-SMART

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The Pantry Sydney, NSW

Angsana Palm Cove, Qld

Sails Noosa, Qld

Republica Melbourne, Vic

Housed in the old 1919 tea house and change rooms smack bang on Manly beach, this place could be tempted to rest on its location laurels.

Thankfully, the view is just the beginning of a long list of delights that includes some lovely deli-inspired charcuterie and crusty artisan breads.

Ocean Promenade, North Steyne, Manly, 02 9977 0566, thepantrymanly.com.au

There are a few dining options at Angsana Resort, not far from Cairns Zoo, but you’d be crazy not to take advantage of their beachfront location. Each night, their chef wanders down onto the sand to fire up the barbie for a chargrilled spread of seafood and meat. (None from the zoo, fortunately.)

1 Veivers Road, Palm Cove, 07 4055 3000, angsana.com

There are plenty of joints jostling for supremacy along this prestige Sunshine Coast strip, but Sails is a standout.

Executive Chef Paul Leete worships at the altars of fresh and seasonal and you will too, after sampling his menu. It’s littered with lip-smacking, locally sourced gems.

75 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads, 07 5447 4235, sailsnoosa.com.au

Republica is so laid back it’s practically horizontal. The beats are as chilled as the beer and the salty-skinned crowd like to linger well past the in-your-face sunset and relax into a night of – well – relaxing. Head down fridays for $2 shucked oysters.

St Kilda Sea Baths, 10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda, 03 8598 9055 republica.net.au

January/February 2014

CRUST

ROOM TO GROOVE Get toe-tapping and fist pumping at these noisy joints

THE PRINCE BANDROOM

This cranking corner in the heart of Melbourne’s perennially hip St Kilda has been a dedicated live music venue for 60 years. Audiences have jumped around – often on stage – to the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay, Bright Eyes, Goldfrapp, Jack Johnson, Scissor Sisters, Ben Harper and Pink, to name but a few. The room is wired for perfect sound, and if you bop ‘til you drop – or bash your head again and again on a table after hearing Pink – there’s a swank boutique hotel attached for a conveniently short stagger to bed. princebandroom.com.au

Star of Greece Port Willunga, SA You could be forgiven for thinking you’re in the Mediterranean as you gaze out at the turquoise waters of the Gulf St Vincent, eating fresh local calamari and sipping on an icy glass of vino. It’s always been top notch, but the new owners have really elevated this lofty Hellenic standard.

1 Esplanade, Port Willunga, 08 8557 7420, starofgreece.com.au

THE BARTON THEATRE

THE ZOO

This grand old dame of venues was opened in 1928, and like Paul Hogan, has regular work done in order to age gracefully. Just 10 minutes from the Adelaide CBD, the ‘Thebby’ is all grandeur with leather chairs, plastered stalls, theatrical lighting, rosettes on the ceiling and a proscenium arch. Big enough to fit 2000, but small enough to let everyone experience the raw energy of the stage, the Thebby gets the balance just right.

Don’t let the olde worlde vibe fool you – this old girl thumps to the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and The Amity Affliction, as well as more mellow folk like Xavier Rudd. thebartontheatre.com.au

Despite starting out life as a café and pool hall, this music mecca in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley has morphed into one serious live venue, where the girls who run the place are all about nurturing young talent. In fact, over the years many struggling artists have pulled beers here to subsidise their incomes, including members of Powderfinger and Regurgitator, so you could even find yourself being served by the next big thing. Just don’t ask for rum. They don’t serve the stuff. Apparently the music is more than enough to lift the spirits and even though it’s called The Zoo, it’s really no place for animals. thezoo.com.au January/February 2014

15

INORE

Oil rigger turned knockabout author, adventurer and motorcycle nut, Paul Carter is mad, bald and hilarious.

WORDS: BEN SMITHURST

THE

ROUGHNECK RACONTEUR R

are is the person who hasn’t ever-so-slightly embellished a yarn or two for a better pub, barbecue or schoolyard retelling. Because it’s always more interesting when ‘the one that got away’ is closer to Moby Dick than Dory, and unless you’ve got a cool, one-word name – Slash, say, or Thor – every anecdote will have a flat bit. Paul Carter embellishes, too, but only just.

In fact, he’s done it just the once. Carter’s first memoir, the now legendary Don’t Tell Mum I Work On The Rigs, She Thinks I’m A Piano Player In A Whorehouse, did what all good bullshitters do, which is put the big lie out in front. In Carter’s case, it was in the title. The Scottish-born Western Australian’s mum worked in oil and gas; she not only knew where Carter was, she’d gotten him his first job.

“I came from Scotland as a 15-year-old, where there’s no beach and you certainly don’t

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January/February 2014

see a woman’s ankles,” he says. “And the next thing you know I was on the beach in Perth and it was just tits, man! I was really distracted and I failed miserably at all my classes. My mother realised that I wasn’t studious, so she embraced the horror and got me my first job.”

It’s Carter’s only published lie. Because it’s been the only embellishment necessary.

The slap-headed ex-Pom attracts stories like spilled chips attract seagulls and he has filled four books of cracking knockabout real-life yarns. He’s even the subject of a forthcoming film version, which considering the subject matter, should play as a less greed-driven, nonfinancial Wolf Of Wall Street. A natural raconteur, Carter has worked on countless rigs, been held hostage, shot at, victimised by monkeys, binged on Colombian powders and ladies of the night, fought burglars (nude) and finally settled down… only to take off again.

INORE

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Carter’s new book is called Ride Like Hell and You’ll Get There. In it he tries to break a salt flat world speed record on a four-metre, 500kg biodiesel motorcycle. He succeeds in breaking his back. But he rides on – literally.

DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH? No, I assure you I don’t. Not at all!

IN THIS BOOK, YOU ALMOST HIT TWO EAGLES ON A TEST TRACK AT 177KM/H. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU GONE CLOSE TO MEETING THE REAPER? Oh, right. Well, I nearly blew myself up in Leinster [Ireland] when I was a teenager with a 44-gallon drum of petrol. That was a bad moment because I burned my hair off and lost my eyebrows. Then there was an incident when we were working in Colombia and getting shot at. And then on a drilling rig in the South China Sea, the rig took a gas kick as I was running across a bridge that connects the fixed platform with a barge tender. That bridge is called a widowmaker, for obvious reasons! And I fell off the f__king thing, at night, offshore.

My colleague literally grabbed me by my coveralls – I was 100 feet above the raging sea.

Dangling by my coveralls.

YOU’VE ALSO BEEN SHOT AT A BIT. Yeah. When I was doing book two, I was embedded with a private military contractors’ outfit in Afghanistan for a month. They’re all professional soldiers and they said, “If this happens, this is what we’ll do”. But when it actually happened I went into full-on panic mode. I was literally trying to cram my entire body into the foot space behind the driver’s seat.

WHAT HAPPENED? The next thing you know I’ve got this giant hand around my throat. He dragged me out of the car and shoved my head behind the wheel at the back of the car and then stood on it – stood on my head. And there was an exchange of fire and lots of hot brass came down on my back, and the next thing he’s picking me up and he sticks me back in the car and says, “Keep your f__king head down”. It was all over in two minutes.

WE’RE GLAD YOU WEREN’T SHOT. F__king so am I! Oh, there have been loads of incidents with firearms. I was shot at in Thailand, in the Philippines, Colombia, Afghanistan. And then there’s several bike accidents. It’s always stressful when something goes horribly wrong.

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January/February 2014

? In Oil crisisPentagon of he 2009, tthat each litre$105 revealecodst around UuSt into a petrol time it was premote by thebat vehicle inverage com hanistan. A per Afg e: 22 litres usag n, per day. ma

INORE

“A COLLEAGUE LITERALLY CAUGHT ME BY MY COVERALLS. THERE I WAS, DANGLING 100 FEET ABOVE THE RAGING SEA, AT NIGHT, FAR OFFSHORE.”

ONWARD, TRUSTY STEED In 2013, Paul Carter set an Australian biodiesel powered motorcycle speed record of 158km/h on at Lake Gairdner, SA. His 200kg bike was powered by a modified 90kW 1.7-litre turbocharged diesel engine, pried from the bowels of a Holden Astra and donated

by Holden Australia. It was married to a Harley Davidson gearbox and a frame big enough for Andre the Giant to pillion Shaq home with a fridge under each arm.

Shoved by a crosswind, it also toppled onto Carter, breaking his spine. That’s got to hurt.

WAS WORKING ON RIGS A LOT MORE DANGEROUS BACK IN THE DAY? Oh, Jesus, man – the amount of guys who lost body parts, fingers, arms … the whole drill floor back then was just one big pinch point.

Guys would lose legs and arms all the time.

WHAT WAS THE WORST CASE? He was an American driller, a big, heavyset, beer-gutted guy. It was on a semisubmersible rig in Vietnam and it was bad weather and so the rig’s pivoting on all axes.

They were trying to join up two giant, two-tonne pieces of pipe vertically, manhandling them, trying to get the threads lined up. But the storm was jostling the rig and they couldn’t get it. They were these small Vietnamese roughnecks, and this big American guy got pissed off and just walked over and got it in this kind of headlock and shunted it over to the box end. But his belly was sitting on the rim.

January/February 2014

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INORE

SPEED ASSAULT FANCY RACING ON OUR OUTBACK SALT FLATS?

The two connections just lined up and pinched his belly fat off inside the connection.

It eviscerated him below his bellybutton and his lower intestines spilled out all over the deck and he bled out and died on the spot.

OH, GOD! Then we couldn’t get him choppered out because of the bad weather, so we put him in the freezer. Only when the weather did clear, he was such a big f__ker that we couldn’t get him into the helicopter the way he was frozen. So we thawed him out on the helipad, then gaffer taped him to a plastic garden chair and re-froze him in a sitting position. That way we could put him in the helicopter in a chair with a fourpoint harness on, frozen, and he could go home.

WHEN YOU WERE ALMOST HIT BY THOSE EAGLES, YOU HAD ANOTHER GO STRAIGHTAWAY. DID YOU THINK IT WAS TOO UNLUCKY TO HAPPEN TWICE? Exactly, yeah. Well, what were the chances of another two large eagles flying at head-height across a racetrack? It would have to be pretty small. So I though I’d just keep going.

“WHAT WERE THE CHANCES OF ANOTHER TWO EAGLES FLYING AT HEAD-HIGH ACR0SS A RACETRACK?” AT LEAST YOU GOT TO THE SALT LAKE AFTER THAT, EVEN IF THE WIND STOPPED YOU HITTING FULL SPEED… Also I broke my L5 vertebrae, but that was in the queue. I was waiting for my turn to get a run on salt, gasbagging to another rider when a 20km/h crosswind came through and blew half the queue off their bikes. We’re taking a four-metre-long, half-metre-wide, 200kg motorcycle. I lost balance, I couldn’t get away from it quickly enough and it landed on my hip.

And broke one of my vertebrae. I was good for a day but the next day I couldn’t get out of bed.

Paul Carter’s injury-scuppered record attempt was held at Dry Lake Racers; Australia’s annual Speed Week. It’s held at Lake Gairdner, a dazzlingly white, 160km-long, 50km-wide salt lake 550km north of Adelaide.

The 24th Annual Speed Week runs from Friday, 28th February to Friday 7th March, 2014. The closing date for pre-entries is 15th January, but volunteers are also sought and spectators welcome, although watch the skies: a wet January can hamper the event by turning the lake into an actual lake.

Spectators pay a flat $25 entry fee regardless of their length of stay, which – insanely – gives you access to the pits at race times, where you’ll mingle with hundreds of the most speed addicted, salt-crusted racers in the world.

Including Paul Carter.

“It’s an American team that holds [the bio-diesel motorbike world record] , so it’s generally quoted in mph, but it equates to approximately 212km/h,” says Colin Kestrell, creator of Paul’s bike. “We’ve had ours just shy of 200 kilometres an hour. And we’re fairly confident it can get to the mid 200s.”

See dlra.org.au for more.

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INORE PAUL’S BOOKS DON’T TELL MUM I WORK ON THE RIGS, SHE THINKS I’M A PIANO PLAYER IN A WHOREHOUSE Published: 2006 Quote: “They hired me as a porter. I was punctual and polite, but they fired me because I was caught having sex with a guest by a room attendant.”

THIS IS NOT A DRILL: JUST ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY IN THE OILFIELD Published: 2008 Quotes: “Only in the oil industry – the messy, cut-a-limb-off side of the oil industry – does one realise first hand that no matter what else is going on in the world, the drilling goes on.”

“If drinking was an Olympic sport, these guys would be the best in the world. I’m not sure how I survived it.”

“I COULDN’T GET AWAY AND THE 200KG BIKE LANDED ON MY HIP.” SPEAKING OF NEXT, HAVE YOU ALREADY BEGUN PLANNING THE NEXT BOOK?

COOL. BUT HOW CAN YOU WRITE A FIRST PERSON ADVENTURE BOOK ABOUT THAT?

Yes – my dad died 18 months ago, and among his things I found a Ministry of Defence leather documents wallet. Inside, my dad had gotten every single surviving Victoria Cross winner of World War II, Vietnam and the Falklands to sign a collection of envelopes: 81 signatures.

Well, I was flying out of Perth the other day, when who should I find myself next to but trooper Mark Donaldson, VC! I put my hand out and said, ‘Thanks for your service!’ He was on a book tour as well. So we have a great conversation and I realise: the next book has to be about how my father went travelling all over meeting these incredible blokes. All I have to do is continue on, and get the guys who have received the VC from the end of the Falklands to now, and get them to sign. I’ll call Mark to help me, and then I’ll release the book. I’m by no means a rich man, but I’ll auction the whole bloody lot and split it straight down the middle with Legacy.

IT’S A COLLECTOR’S ITEM… And they’ve all been endorsed by the MoD, and then he mailed them to himself from the country where the action took place. For example, the Falklands one has the two Ghurkha guys who were decorated and it was mailed from Port Stanley in September 1982 – well, the war only finished in April!

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IS THAT THING DIESEL? ONE MAN, ONE BIKE AND THE FIRST LAP AROUND AUSTRALIA ON USED COOKING OIL Published: 2010 Quote: “There’s more cat pee than carpet in the house – it’s like the blood in those Alien movies.”

RIDE LIKE HELL AND YOU’LL GET THERE: DETOURS INTO MAYHEM Published: 2011 Quote: “I need to continue challenging myself, otherwise I’m going to fail at middle-aged bliss.”

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INORE

WITH AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: ED JENKINS

THE MAGNIFICENT

SEVENS The Hong Kong Sevens is an institution – and probably the greatest party on the international rugby calendar.

Here’s what to expect in 2014.

WORDS: ADAM BURNETT

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“THERE’S 45,000

fans right on top of you. You can study the opposition as much as you like – what they do, how they might play – but if your strategy doesn’t work, there is no time for a Plan B. You just have to trust your instincts, play what’s in front of you, and go for it.”

Welcome to a world that rotates around 14-minute chunks of fast and furious football action. Teams from all over the world descend upon South-East Asia for the rugby party that is the Hong Kong Sevens.

Australia captain (and savagely cheekboned former GQ cover model) Ed Jenkins’ description sums it up. From its foundation days in 1976, the Hong Kong Sevens has developed into one of the biggest occasions on the Sevens calendar, and arguably the biggest annual sporting event in Hong Kong.

On March 28, it’s on again. Three days of footy, fun and festivities. Below, Jenkins runs through the ins, the outs, the heroes and the hopefuls of the leanest version of the game they play in heaven.

THE ATMOSPHERE “It’s a huge event in Hong Kong – it’s the one stop on the circuit that they extend out over three days,” explains Jenkins. “It’s largely the expats who drive the popularity, but everyone gets into it during the week leading up to it – there’s a real party atmosphere as soon as you arrive.

“The tickets are balloted now, which gives you an idea of how popular it’s become. But even if you don’t have tickets, the rugby is only part of the party. There’s a heap of places through downtown Hong Kong to watch the games, and everyone kicks on into the early hours – don’t ask me where though, I’m usually tucked up in bed by then! People will have to find that out for themselves.”

THE CONTENDERS With a remarkable record in Sevens overall – they’ve won the world series 10 times in the past 13 years (Hong Kong is the seventh of this year’s nine-tournament series) – NZ tops Jenkins’ Hong Kong heavyweight list.

“You always have to look at the Kiwis as probably the team to beat,” he says. “They’ve got guys all over the park who can hurt you.

Their captain, DJ Forbes, really leads from the front, Tomasi Cama has been on the circuit for years . . . and their record speaks for itself.

They beat us in the final on the Gold Coast

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(last October) and they’ll be one of the teams to beat in Hong Kong, no doubt.”

Then there is Fiji – winners of the Hong Kong Sevens for two years running and one of world rugby’s most entertaining sides.

“The Fijians have so much depth – last year they turned up to Hong King with a completely new side – so it’s hard to know who’ll be there for them,” says Jenkins. “But it doesn’t tend to matter much – they’re all big, powerful and fast.”

Aiding Fiji’s quest to return to the top of the Sevens pile – they haven’t won the overall Championship since 2005-06 – is new coach Ben Ryan, appointed in September, shortly after quitting as England mentor.

“Ryan will bring consistency to their game, in terms of structure and who’ll be on the park each tournament,” says Jenkins.

“They’ll be among the favourites again in Hong Kong, as they should be.

“The South Africans are really tracking in the right direction as well. Being one of the best 15-a-side teams in the world, they’ve

Last on the list but by no means least is Australia. Runners-up on the Gold Coast recently, Hong Kong has not been a happy hunting ground for the green-and-golds.

“We’re definitely hoping to bring the trophy home,” he says. “An Australian side hasn’t managed that since 1988, but if we’ve got our best players fit, we’ll give it a shake.”

THE ROUGHIES Typically more often associated with distance running, Kenya have turned their hand to the seven-man game with alacrity in recent years. They now loom as a respected side in their own right.

“The Kenyans are perfect Sevens athletes,” says Jenkins. “They’re fast, super fit and strong, and their position (sixth) on the table last season showed just how far they’ve come.

“They’ve also got a new coach, (South African) Paul Treu, so he’ll bring plenty to the table and help improve the set-up there.

They were good in Hong Kong last year and they’ll surprise plenty again.”

“EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE TICKETS, THE RUGBY IS ONLY PART OF THE PARTY.” obviously got the pedigree there, and they’ve got some amazing athletes in their squad.”

Jenkins also nominates two northern hemisphere sides as genuine threats.

“The Six Nations sides (England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy) really take it seriously and have done for quite a few years now,” says Jenkins. “The Welsh were in the final at Hong Kong last year, and they led 19-0 at half-time before Fiji came over the top of them. So they’ll be looking to go one better this time.

“And England came second at the Rugby World Cup in Moscow just a few months ago.

They’re a very strong side as well.”

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THE SEVENS PACK THE 40,000-SEAT HONG KONG STADIUM

INORE

MEET THE TOP GUNS

SHANNON WALKER AUSTRALIA

TIM MIKKELSON NEW ZEALAND

Jenkins is hopeful the lightning-fast Walker will be at his elusive best come March.

“We need him fit and ready to go, and if he is, he becomes one of our most important players,” he says of the former Gold Coast Titans rugby league flyer.

The dangerous 27-year-old outside back was last season’s IRB Sevens Player of the Year, and will again be crucial to New Zealand’s fortunes.“I could’ve picked plenty of blokes from the Kiwis,” says Jenkins. “But Mikkelson has been extremely damaging for them.”

CECIL AFRIKA SOUTH AFRICA “Very explosive, and one the South Africans will be relying on if they’re to go deep into the tournament in Hong Kong,” says Jenkins. At 25, the aptly-named Afrika is a point-scoring machine and has already made himself a YouTube favourite with a series of stunning Sevens tries.

DAN NORTON ENGLAND Norton brings to the table an abundance of the most priceless asset in the sport – raw speed.

“He’s probably the quickest guy on the circuit,” Jenkins says.

“And he’s been a big reason why England have seen a bit of success lately.”

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IMAGE: GUY WILKINSON

IMAGE: GUY WILKINSON

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: DISH FROM ANANTARA MUI NE RESORT & SPA; SEAMSTRESS AT WORK; SEAFOOD AT AVANI QUY NHON RESORT & SPA; LOCAL KIDS IN QUY NHON; COCKTAIL TIME AND THE POOL AT ANANTARA MUI NE RESORT & SPA; MAN AND BICYCLE, MUI NE. INSET: BEACHSIDE VILLA AT ANANTARA MUI NE RESORT & SPA.

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TOP TO BOTTOM: TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS DANCE PERFORMANCE AT QUANG TRUNG MUSEUM; QUAD BIKING AT MUI NE SAND DUNES.

Eating jellyfish blubber, snails and pigs’ ears, riding ostriches, hitting the sand dunes Mad Max-style, and then fitting in some pampering... It’s all in the name of embracing Vietnamese culture.

WORDS: MICHELLE HESPE

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DUNES & OSTRICHES I am riding a bird. Yep. I am sitting on big bird’s back, leather saddle beneath me, cantering along a dirt path with palm trees speeding past in a blue-sky blur. Just when I think my bird is mellowing, it accelerates into a gallop and it’s a fight to stay upright on its bony back as it careers into a corner. No, I am not on drugs. I am in Vietnam. And that’s what you do for ‘thrills rides’ on an ostrich, as it proclaims on a slightly mangled sign outside the, er… ostrich… riding… place? Ostrich rink? Whatever it’s called, it’s definitely a thrills ride.

There are many ostrich-riding hotspots dotted around Mui Ne, in South-East Vietnam. It seems to be a mystery, like many things in Asia, as to who first thought to saddle a two-metre bird made of feathers and anger, but for $1 a pop, it’s a damn good way to kick off your holiday with a belly laugh. Watch a friend try to look composed on the back of one, and you’re guaranteed a fit of hysterics – not to mention an avalanche of Facebook acronyms (WTF! LOL! ROFL!) and a full-blown ‘liking’ frenzy.

Even if you’re only vaguely interested in creating Facebook envy back home, Vietnam gets you off to a fabulous start.

I’d flown into Ho Chi Minh City for a weeklong trip in Vietnam. Devastatingly for locals, the typhoon that ripped through the Philippines and ambushed China also caused havoc in Vietnam and flash flooding in Hoi An – destroying my travel itinerary in the process. But you can’t fight Mother Nature, so rather than heading North to Hoi An’s annual lantern festival, I headed five hours by bus to Mui Ne – a province that was once a sleepy strip of beaches outside a busy local fishing village.

Over the last 15 years, the coastal areas outside the town of Mui Ne have seen huge development. Hotels, resorts and stores have mushroomed along a 15km strip on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street. It’s now a bustling hub for locals and tourists, many of whom

“IT’S A FIGHT TO STAY UPRIGHT ON ITS BONY BACK AS IT CAREERS INTO A CORNER.”

TOP TO BOTTOM: MUI NE SAND DUNES; HO CHI MINH CITY IN ALL ITS GLORY

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are, interestingly, Russian; Mui Ne historically offering one of the closest ideologically aligned getaways for holidaying Soviets.

Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas opened their Mui Ne property in 2013.

It’s a perfect example of the company’s approach to drawing on the rich cultural traditions and natural beauty of the destinations where its 100+ properties are based. The five-star resort is crouched against the beach, with abundant pockets of lush tropical gardens and jungle-clad private areas.

The result is a hotel that feels a thousand miles from the real world. There are completely hidden beach villas with their own in-ground pools and outdoor stone baths and showers, allowing guests who really want to switch off to relax in a paradise of their own. Guests can also choose to dine on the beach, where the staff set up intimate candlelit dinners in traditional wooden basket boats on the sand.

One of the main attractions for adventure-loving types in Mui Ne is the nearby sand dunes. For cheap, fun thrills and silliness with the local kids, hire a piece of shiny cardboard with a rope handle attached for 50c. Then simply launch yourself off the top of a dune to speed downhill with a bunch of giggling grommets in pursuit. It will take all your

skill to stay on the piece of flimsiness while they rocket past you in full control.

Or you can crank things up a notch and hire a quad bike to hit the dunes in a different way: by channelling your inner Mad Max. Like most things in rural South-East Asia, no ID, license or helmet is necessary – just pick a bike, jump on and take off. Even at full throttle, for experienced on-road bikers, it’s easy to get bogged on the steep side of a sand dune. But don’t worry – again, the local kids (whom you’ll shortly concede are much better than you at everything) will race up, leap aboard your bike and somehow get you out of a fix within minutes. Even if that means launching at the highest possible speed directly down a slope you’d never have the moxie to tackle on your own. It’s embarrassing, especially for those who consider themselves hot-to-trot on a motorbike. Get used to it. Vietnamese kids have balls.

Another Mui Ne attraction is the Fairy Stream – named for it’s Tolkien-esque dreaminess – that winds its way through a vivid orange and white sandstone gorge. As a bonus, you can check out the hundreds of heavy lidded kegs at the entrance. They produce something most of us like using liberally in our Asian dishes: fish sauce. And fish sauce is exactly that: just dead,

KICK BACK IN A TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE BOAT ON THE BEACH FOR A CANDLELIT DINNER AT ANANTARA MUI NE RESORT & SPA.

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“LAUNCH YOURSELF OFF THE TOP OF A DUNE AND GO SPEEDING DOWNHILL WITH A BUNCH OF GIGGLING GROMMETS IN PURSUIT.”

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fermenting fish that sits in pots for weeks or months on end, adding only salt. The fluid that is graciously dispelled from the rotting fish may be the elixir with which we douse stir-fries, Thai beef salads and curries, but in its raw form, in the rows of stinky pots, the smell is enough to have visitors making a beeline for the Fairy Stream, gagging.

If you prefer to stay put at Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, you can still absorb some local culture at their Spice Spoons cooking class. A hosted trip to the markets will show you how to buy all the ingredients yourself, or you can sit by the pool drinking cocktails and wait for the chef to bring them along. You’ll be taken through four courses of fresh, inspiring Vietnamese deliciousness. Get you hands dirty and be guided by the professionals; making and rolling your own spring rolls, wrapping your own betel leaf cho sam and then creating an incredible papaya and mango salad. The chicken curry you make to finish is the pièce de resistance, one that has most participants marvelling at their own spiced-up brilliance.

And if that’s not enough of a fantastic day before a dip or a sundowner at the wickedly attractive swim-up bar in a pool surrounded by palms and friendly waiters, why not pop into the Anantara Mui Ne Spa? A Vietnamese massage will iron out the kinks from ostrich and quad bike riding, or you can go the whole hog and book a choice of unlimited spa treatments, all day, every day, with your room. Whatever you choose, you’ll leave the spa drifting along in a pamperinduced stupor to your villa by the sea, where its simply a choice of sleep, skinny dipping in your own pool or bathing under the moonlight with the spoils of the mini bar an arm’s reach away.

KUNG-FU PAMPER It’s a four to five-hour bus ride (private car hire is available) back to Ho Chi Minh City, and then a 90-minute flight to Quy Nhon. Along the way you transition from the wide-open, busy fishing beaches of Mui Ne, to the quiet, deserted beach and island below AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa. They’re surrounded by a ridiculously fertile

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IMAGE: GUY WILKINSON

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jungle sprawling on all sides. It’s another slice of Vietnamese heaven surrounded by local villages, and a 10-minute drive into the heaving industrial city of Quy Nhon – one of Vietnam’s five main economic zones alongside the arguably more famous Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Da Nang and Hoi Ann. Explore the stores of Quy Nhon, with its pretty promenades, inviting parks and boardwalks, and immaculate gardens. Then make your way gradually into a more local way of life in the suburbs, which evolves into acres of farming land, dotted with haystacks, ramshackle homes, churches and the occasional temple.

At Quang Trung Museum (40kms Northwest of Quy Nhon) you can check out a martial arts performance featuring serious Vietnamese ninja moves (some actors flailing swords, others wielding

rakes) mixed with the tacky charm of old world Asian music (lots of boing-boings, chimes, ting-tings, drums and reverberations). It’s all filtered through the sweet tackiness of a Vietnamese performance – ie. lots of gaudily coloured props, ad hoc ninja outfits (that are actually more like tracksuits paired with Nikes) and a widely spread over-zealous application of white make-up and Pollyanna-red cheeks. Not to mention entirely serious faces behind rakes in rapid action. In a calm, zen-like space, it’s pure, frantic entertainment, the lithe performers flying like the wind with swashbuckling, air-cutting moves that have the audience staring on in amazement. And if you’re lucky, you might even catch a robed monk calmly documenting the show from the front row with his iPhone. And taking the occasional selfie.

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STAY Caravelle Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City caravellehotel.com Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa mui-ne.anantara.com AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa avanihotels.com/quynhon DO • Ostrich riding • Sand dune quad-biking • Spice Spoons Cooking School Book through mui-ne.anantara.com • Martial arts dance performance • Spa treatments • Seafood BBQ dinner Book through avanihotels.com/quynhon

YOU MIGHT EVEN CATCH A ROBED MONK TAKING SELFIES IN THE FRONT ROW WITH HIS iPHONE.

GET THERE For an interesting stop-over in an exciting Chinese city, China Southern Airlines fly from Guangzhou to Ho Chi Minh City. www.csair.com/en Vietnam Airlines has daily flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon. vietnam-airline.org For direct flights from Australia, Malaysia Airlines and Virgin Australia both have direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City. malaysiaairlines.com virginaustralia.com/au

Back at AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa , where the sound of waves, the rustle of jungle and the birdsong is as relaxing as the demeanour of the staff, it’s spa time. The stroll from the suites – all of which are enormous, white-tiled havens boasting four-posted beds and showers facing the beach – to the spa area of the property, is just magical.

Climbing the stone steps, with flowers spilling from the gardens on either side and birds flitting through the jungle’s many tiers, it feels like you’re stepping back into ancient Vietnam. The spa is at the top of a hill and the treatment tables are in private wooden fales high above the beach. No need for meditation soundtracks of burbling streams and exotic birds here. It’s the real deal.

Indulge in a traditional massage or a body wrap where ingredients such as black sesame seed, sea salt and coconut

have your dead skin – and all of your worries – falling to the ground. And afterwards, it’s just a float down to the open-air restaurant or bar and BBQ area, where a smorgasbord of seafood, salads and the greenest of greens is only a request away. Food in Vietnam is all about freshness and sharing. Just go easy, in the more local places, on the jelly blubber, pig ears, turtle, snails and snake’s blood, dished up as delicacies.

You might take more of it back home with you than you want. Trust me.

Falling asleep with the sound of waves tumbling ashore, it’s hard to imagine departing the beautiful country of contrasts that is Vietnam. The smiles of the locals say it all. There is a simple way of life and a lot of laughs and happiness to be discovered in this part of the world. You may leave. But you will most definitely be back.

IMAGE: GUY WILKINSON

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: AVANI QUY NHON RESORT & SPA; DRIED FISH SELLER AT PHAN THIET MARKETS; FISH SAUCE VESSELS AT THE FAIRY STREAM; MONK PHOTOGRAPHS MARTIAL ARTS PERFORMANCE AT QUANG TRUNG MUSEUM; SUITES AT AVANI QUY NHON RESORT & SPA. INSET: SPRING ROLL-MAKING AT SPICE SPOONS COOKING SCHOOL, ANANTARA MUI NE RESORT & SPA. BELOW: FISHERMAN HAULS IN HIS BOAT AT HOA THANG BEACH.

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Create your own Arabian Adventure in an ancient land of prophets, kings and legends.

Oman – home to the wandering Bedouin, a land dominated by mystic mountains and endless deserts, bordered by the immense Empty Quarter on one side and the blue waters of the Arabian Sea on the other – has attracted explorers for centuries. The hardest decision the latter-day Wilfred Thesiger has to make is where to start.

Run, ride or trek along coastal paths, through wonderful wadis to desert oases

or up mountain trails to discover historic forts, castles and souks perched on the top of remote peaks. Look for traces of Arabian leopards among the frankincense tree or take a 4WD and venture into the shifting sands of the immense Empty Quarter, to camp under an unspoilt canopy of stars.

Dive, kayak or kite-surf along the picturesque coastline of the Musandam Peninsula, or visit the beaches of Ras Al Jinz, where giant green turtles have been visiting

Beauty has an address ~ Oman www.tourismoman.com.au | Phone: +61 2 9286 8930 | info@tourismoman.com.au

to lay their eggs for many millennia.

Test your nerves by doing the Balcony Walk high above the ‘Grand Canyon of Oman’, and explore the country’s highest mountain, Jebel Shams. If that’s not enough for you, go on a serious mission to climb Jebel Misht. And when you’ve earned an appetite, refuel with the gastronomic delights of Old Arabia. Discover where ‘Beauty Has an Address ~ Oman’, and create your adventure of a lifetime

Visit SidetripofaLifetime.com.au

UNLEASHED

High on

adventure WORDS: CLAIRE CHAFFEY

France’s second largest city has managed to stay off the main tourist trail for years, but the sheer natural beauty of its surrounds makes Marseilles well worth a visit.

FAST FACT The base of New York’s Statue of Liberty, given as a gift to the Americans by the French in 1886, is made from limestone from the calanques.

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THE ULTIMATE FRENCH ADVENTURE CHECKLIST

or a city labelled ‘the murder capital of France’, it’s remarkable how much fun you can have in Marseilles.

There’s no argument that France’s second largest city has its problems: drug-related violence, high unemployment rates and impoverished tenements in the city’s north.

But Marseilles, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur capital, is making real progress in its effort to exchange its sordid reputation for one of a welcoming, friendly city, one where outdoor pursuits mingle comfortably with art and culture.

It helps that Marseilles was recently awarded the European Capital of Culture title for 2013, and the fact that the city is blessed with one of the most stunning natural attributes found in the Mediterranean: Le Massif des Calanques.

Just to the city’s east, a ribbon of limestone cliffs plunge deep into the crystalline sea. Here, hiking, climbing and kayaking are the activities du jour – ones that remain largely undiscovered by the millions of tourists that descend upon La Belle France each year.

TAKE A HIKE The dramatic Massif des Calanques is a 20km stretch of rough and rugged outdoor heaven. Flanked by the waveless Mediterranean to the south, bustling Marseilles to the east, and the quaint port town of Cassis to the west, a network of dusty and undulating trails crisscrosses the terrain. This is ideal hiking territory.

One option guaranteed to please is the 14km trek from Pointe Rouge, on the edge of Marseilles proper, to the tiny, pretty, pristine beach at Sormiou.

Following the water’s edge along a hilly trail, this is what Mediterranean dreams are made of. The deafening hum of cicadas provides the soundtrack to your adventure, while heady aromas of wild rosemary and rambling pine forest add to the sheer deliciousness of it all.

From its highest points, the trail’s views across the vast azure Med are simply breathtaking, and taking a well-earned break under a shady pine—with fresh baguette, camembert and local smoked sausage on hand—is even better.

In the searing summer heat, reaching the remote hamlet of Sormiou, where you’ll

1. PARAGLIDING IN CATHAR COUNTRY Combine fascinating history with adrenalinpumping adventure when you paraglide over the spectacularly perched Peyrepertuse Cathar Castle in mythical, mysterious Languedoc-Roussillon.

2. CYCLING THE COL DE PAILHERES Follow in the tyre tracks of Tour de France legends and cycle up this punishing 2001-metre peak in the Pyrenees. It’s a 4.5-hour ascent from the valley below. Bonne chance! (Continues next page)

LE MASSIF DES CALANQUES IS ONE OF THE JEWELS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

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UNLEASHED find a clutch of tiny houses, a bar and hippies playing pétanque, is like finding an oasis in the desert. But beware, the infamous mistral—an icy, raging wind that rips through from the north—can drop the water temperature by 10 degrees overnight.

Best to send your friend in first.

More information: www.marseille-tourisme. com/en/marseille-calanques-walks

“TRY OUT DEEP WATER SOLOING ON THE STEEP CLIFF FACES.” ROCK ON For something a little more daunting, you’ll be pleased to know that the calanques are considered one of the best rock climbing spots in France. There are eight main climbing destinations in the area, and one of the prime attractions is the chance to partake in a bit of deep water soloing on the steep cliff faces (with the risk of plunging into the deep water below actually a welcome one).

One of the most popular choices is the barren, 150-metre high cliff face that looms over Sormiou. Here there are 23 main climbing areas for all levels of climbers, and you’ll have an audience of day-trippers trekking in from Marseilles.

SKIING IN MONT BLANC CHAMONIX

3. SKIING IN CHAMONIX The French Alps boast some of the most diverse and spectacular ski runs in the world, with altitudes — and après ski — extreme enough to test anyone’s mettle.

4. BUNGEE JUMPING AT THE GORGES DU VERDON At 182 metres, the Pont de l’Artuby in the Var region is France’s highest bridge from which you can legally throw yourself — and one sure to get you screaming in your very best French accent.

5. WHITEWATER RAFTING IN THE AUDE VALLEY The gorges of the upper Aude Valley are wild, secluded and off the beaten path — the perfect spot for a bout of affordable outdoor adventure coupled with local food and wine to die for.

GORGES DU VERDON

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A non-profit humanitarian organisation whose aim is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing. surfaid.org

UNLEASHED 6. CANYONING IN THE ALPES-MARITIMES Just an hour from glitzy, glamorous Nice you’ll find a swathe of incredibly scenic, pristine and well-hidden spots for canyoning, from docile trickles to extreme plunges.

7. MOUNTAIN BIKING IN MORZINE Considered one of the fiercest spots for downhill mountain biking in the world, you’ll be blown away by the sheer scale and beauty of this gem on the French-Swiss border.

8. RAMBLING IN THE AUVERGNE

SECRET CAVE

Volcanoes, lakes, mountains, quaint villages and exceptionally talented cows make the Auvergne region in central France one of the country’s best spots for hiking—with a side of cheese.

In 1985, diver Henri Cosquer discovered an enormous cave 37 metres underwater at the Calanque de Morgiou.

In it were hundreds of prehistoric paintings and engravings. The find was kept secret until 1991, when three divers exploring the cave became lost and drowned.

9. KITE SURFING IN CORSICA There are so many reasons to visit Corsica, including the fact that it’s an up-and-coming kite surfing hotspot, with deserted beaches, sparkling inlets and lots of wind (especially after the Corsican wild boar ragout).

10. SURFING THE BASQUE Follow the trail of Kombi vans down the Atlantic coast and you’ll eventually land in Biarritz, France’s spiritual and traditional surfing home, where long, sandy beaches stretch into the northern corner of Spain.

STAY Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port sofitel.com/Marseilles

Pension Edelweiss

pension-edelweiss.fr

EAT L’Epuisette

l-epuisette.fr/site/en

Chez Fonfon

chez-fonfon.com

“THERE’S SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT THE SHEER GRANDEUR OF THE LIMESTONE CLIFFS.” Another equally popular option is the Calanque d’en Vau, a spectacular strip of azure water flanked by two enormous limestone cliffs, dotted with tufts of vegetation and overlooking the luxury yachts that drift in from the south.

One of the more famous calanques, there are 16 main climbing areas here covering multiple routes, some of which are up to 150 metres high. This is one of the more popular areas to test your skills while enjoying one of the most gorgeous beaches along this stretch of coast.

More information: summitpost.org/parcnational-des-calanques/150256

ALL ABOARD If the thought of plunging into the sea from a great height terrifies you, then jumping into a sea kayak to explore the calanques might be more your style.

There are several good companies

offering guided or unguided tours of the calanques by sea kayak. One of the best, Raskas Kayak, offers a range of expeditions from half-day tours to five-day courses.

Starting out from Marseille or Cassis, you’ll have the chance to explore a range of gems that are inaccessible by foot, including caves, hidden grottos and deserted beaches, all of which practically lie in wait to be picnicked upon.

Aside from the odd tinnie that splutters past with local fisherman on board, this is the most tranquil and relaxing way to explore the calanques.

There’s something truly magical about the gentle rhythm of your paddle in the water accompanied by the hum of distant cicadas and the sheer, desolate, overwhelming grandeur of the limestone cliffs above. And your bellyful of cheese is reasonably magical as well.

More information: raskas-kayak.com January/February 2014

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overing Whether h upting over an er volcano or to slipping in , bliss pampered aiian w a H e h t n i choice e h t , s d n a isl is yours.

A H O L A I I A W HA MOND

INDA HAM

EL WORDS: M

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“THERE USED TO BE HOUSES DOWN THERE,” SAYS MIKE, MY PILOT FOR THE DAY, CHEERFULLY INTO MY HEADSET, “BUT THE LAVA ATE THEM.” e’ve flown for miles over the lava-ravaged landscape of the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii to reach our destination, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. A patchwork of active volcanoes and cooling lava flows, “there used to be houses down there,” says Mike, my pilot for the day, cheerfully into my headset, “but the lava ate them.”

It’s Mike’s job to make sure this intrepid photographer gets all the pics she needs, and then some. Securely strapped into my Blue Hawaiian Helicopter seat, I snap off a dozen shots as Mike circles lower. His figure eights are an added touch so that I can shoot both the lava hitting the ocean and the glowing molten rock on the inside of the volcano.

“Got enough?” he calls, clearly enjoying himself far more than he should.

I risk a nod, as my gaze alternates between the horizon and the conflagration below.

Puking on the pilot isn’t part of the plan. At least he let me keep the doors on. Real photographers, it seems, show no such inhibitions – Mike has shown me where they attach their safety lines to hang gleefully out of the side of the chopper.

ZIP-TOWED THROUGH THE GREEN BITS I always considered myself gung-ho, so it is with keen anticipation that I throw myself into my Hawaiian adventure.

My Big Island experience began on the west coast, with its cattle ranches, lush greenery and verdant hillsides. It’s from there I was dangled over a fire-belching boil on the skin of the earth, and it seemed I might not be the rugged type after all. But upon landing, I am surprised to find that I’m keen for more.

I settle for an activity less edgy for some, perhaps, but right up there on my personal list of fear factor activities: ziplining over the 75m KoleKole Falls. It’s one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls; a breathtaking, privately-owned wonder downstream from the famous Akaka Falls State Park.

Skyline Eco Adventures has seven permanent ziplines, the daddy of which is 900m long. Without feeling the rush first hand, the effortless descent – surrounded only by air, wind rushing past your face and lush jungle below – is almost indescribable.

Seratonin exhausted, it’s time to head over the top of the island for more gentle pursuits.

The beached-fringed eastern shore, the Kohala Coast, boasts a string of luxury hotels and carpet-like golf resorts. It’s a place where Mai Tais are delivered poolside, golf-side, and, as I enjoy a sunset sail with Ocean Sports at Waikoloa, deck-side.

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UNLEASHED MAHALO, BRO. AM I HAVING FUN YET? Book into the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and it’s possible to head straight to the first tee at the lava-landscaped Jack Nicklaus signature Hualalai Golf Course.

At first glance, the jewel of the course seems to be the signature 17th, par-three ocean hole. Its tee-to-green seven-iron shot is a sure bet, unless you count all the lava rock in between, the ocean to the left and the lagoon to the right. At least the green is big.

But the best part is the drinks cart on the 18th, and as a dapperly dressed waiter passes you a Mai Tai in a plastic cup, replete with umbrella and flamingo swizzle stick, it’s easy to forget that you’re behind a tree without a shot to call your own. Perhaps John Daly was onto something.

SET YOUR PAMPER TO ELEVEN After golf, it’s off to the Fairmont Orchid Resort for a Hiwahiwa Treatment at the Spa Without Walls. While an international contingent of triathletes battle it out in 40°C heat atop bikes costing more than my entire month in Hawaii, I enjoy a hibiscus tea. It’s infused with citrus water, cucumber and ginger. Then I retire to a thatched hut without walls – well, there are half walls – where I recline beneath my allocated sheet, listening to the cascading waterfall outside and awaiting my nurturing experience. Dan starts with a traditional chant and an indigenous Hawaiian mamaki-andvolcanic-mud foot wrap to draw out my tension. He follows with a one-of-a-kind flower essence infusion and a Lomilomi energy massage to lift all my cares away. I may not be adrenalised, but at least I am learning some killer Scrabble words.

LUAU KNOW-HOW After a lazy afternoon poolside at the Big Island Four Seasons, it’s dinner with chef Nick Mastrascusa, formerly of the acclaimed 57 restaurant in New York.

Mastrascusa cooks up an eight-course degustation feast at the ’ULU Ocean Grill.

Starting with Hawaiian ’Ahi Poke (sea asparagus, ogo, maui onions, white shoyu and sesame oil), an heirloom tomato salad

TOP TO BOTTOM: WAIKIKI SUNSET; ZIPLINING AT THE FALLS; THE ESSENTIAL MAI TAI.

with hearts of palm, mint and nuoc cham, and Kulana grass-fed tenderloin with shiso chimichurri and kabocha squash, I battle valiantly through the regional, seasonal and artisanal feast. It helps that sommelier, Julie, organised the wine tasting, starting, of course, with a Mai Tai. Well, when in Hawaii…

OAHU BOUND Back on the main island of Oahu, and the frenetic pace of Waikiki’s beachfront, the hardest decisions you need to make are where to base yourself, which restaurant to eat in, and how to reserve a beach chair to watch the sunset. I settle for the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort, from which I really needn’t have further ventured, but I’d heard about the infamous Duke’s Restaurant and Barefoot Bar in Honolulu. Bare feet! Who could resist?

So, it’s out of the Village and left on the foreshore path. Outdoor restaurants are aglow with torches lit for another balmy tropical island evening, the atmosphere jacked by local bands, Hawaiian dancers and fireworks. It’s just another laid-back non-stop party night getting underway, with tourists and locals alike momentarily distracted as they turn their cameras to yet another show – the spectacular sun dipping over Waikiki.

It’s hard not to be enamoured with the oldest and grandest hotel on the strip, the Moana Surfrider. Known as the ‘Grand Lady’

“A LOMILOMI ENERGY MASSAGE LIFTS ALL MY CARES AWAY. I MAY NOT BE ADRENALISED, BUT I AM LEARNING SOME KILLER SCRABBLE WORDS.” January/February 2013

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UNLEASHED CLOCKWISE FROM THIS SHOT: THE NORTH SHORE; THE WAIALUA BAKERY; TURTLES AT HANAUMA BAY; KITE BOARDING IN KAILUA.

“OAHU IS FAMOUS FOR ITS NORTH SHORE SURFING, TURTLE WATCHING AND KITEBOARDING ON THE EASTERN KAILUA COAST.”

café up north, for sandwiches and smoothies, and an audience of tame geckoes on the front verandah to play with while you wait.

A LITTLE ALOHA, ANYONE?

of Waikiki, it opened in 1901, and has seen (unsolved) murder mysteries and generations of aristocracy bed down in its rooms. It is a former playground of such incongruous luminaries as legendary Hawaiian surfing evangelist/Olympian Duke Kahanamoku and a young King Edward VIII (who loved to dive from its pier). Hard to imagine ol’ Queen Liz bombing Prince Philip in a bikini.

When all that food, those private beach clubs and five star Michelin restaurants become exhausting, the answer is a trip around the island. Oahu is famous for its north shore surfing, turtle watching in the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Beach Park, and kiteboarding on the eastern Kailua Coast. The luxury of a guided tour makes the trip all the more relaxing, especially for those interested in the rich history of Hawaii, but a two dollar local bus hop around the island, alighting where and when the will strikes, is an equally invigorating way to fill, oh, 10 hours or so. Between wave watching, take time to duck into the Waialua Bakery, a little 50

January/February 2014

Leave your shopping until the end, or you risk diving into the Ala Moana Centre, one of the largest luxury shopping complexes you’ll ever come across, emerging only to fly home.

Shopping is Waikiki’s raison d’être, but even if you’re just window shopping, the Ala Moana’s nearly 300 stores will take a day to survey.

Be sure to leave before nightfall, when the reliably grand sunset is augmented by fireworks of the literal kind. Face not towards the hotels but outward, to the horizon, as the resorts firework technicians indulge you in 20 minutes of showmanship, winding up with a cascade of champagne-inspired sparks that burst above an awestruck throng of watchers on the beach. It’s a veritable waterfall of luxury that reminds you that, in Hawaii, as long as you don’t turn your back, adventure is what you make it.

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UNLEASHED

HOBART: WORDS: MICHELLE HESPE

PICTURE: RÉMI CHAUVIN / MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART.

WORTH THE HYPE

TWO CONFRONTING ARTWORKS AT MONA SCAR TISSUE (ABOVE) AND PUPA (RIGHT) BY FIONA HALL.

fter Hobart was picked

by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 cities of the world to visit in 2013, hordes of travellers began to descend upon our unsung southern city. Word of its endearing qualities spread wide and far. Terms like ‘laidback’, ‘lovely’, ‘arty’, ‘gourmet’ and ‘historic’ are freely bandied about when it comes to describing the second oldest capital city in Australia, and really, they’re pretty spot-on. What is there not to love? It may have been established as a penal colony to keep the bad blood away from the mainland, but today, the locals are having the last laugh. After all, they’re the ones living in a pretty city by a river, on a working harbour, surrounded by mountains on an island where the produce is as fresh as the air. And now they’ve also got one of the most talked-about galleries on the planet: MONA.

ARTISTIC BENT Imagine walking along white, square marble stepping stones, through a large, dark, box of a room, ink-black water as still as glass on either side. It’s dead quiet. You move from tile to tile, towards a platform where a noose hangs. Reaching the platform, you step up to stand between January/February 2014

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two concrete slabs. One holds the body of an Egyptian mummy, in a casket that has never been opened. On the other slab is a depiction of the mummy inside, an x-ray exposing the remains of a person who lived thousands of years ago. You stand silently, reading a poem etched into the marble before you called The Butterfly.

There’s one sentence in the piece that might come close to summing up the place you’re in – “It’s a pun on the present.”

Welcome to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, owned by eccentric Tasmanian multi-millionaire David Walsh. David loves his gambling (probably because he can ‘count cards’) and his art. It’s Walsh’s ‘subversive Disneyland for Adults’ and in the world of art, MONA is a red-hot topic on many lips. It’s progressive, confronting, hipper than hipster and as controversial as it is downright intriguing.

Don’t bother going if you don’t want to be challenged, and don’t go if you don’t want to be surrounded by the things in life many people try to politely avoid. Sex, death, love, human excrement, greed, blood, tragedy and human frailty are all dished up as art here. And you can let Walsh know, via an iPod touch device, which artworks you love and which ones you hate. He’ll keep the ones you hate, of course. Go the whole hog and have a drink at the bar upon entering – after all, Walsh believes art and alcohol should be mixed.

Especially when you’re doing something like using a real euthanasia machine and it’s asking you if you understand that you are about to die. Or watching (not

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PICTURE: LEIGH CARMICHAEL / MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART.

AN OLD STABLE YARD IS NOW THE WONDERFUL ETHOS: EAT DRINK.

to mention smelling) the ‘poo-machine’ that’s fed throughout the day, so that it excretes faeces at 2pm on the dot via a series of hanging glass sculptures. Just a nice take on a stinky chandelier, really.

WINE, DINE, STEP BACK IN TIME Strolling up the hill from the Travelodge in downtown Hobart, with its shopping malls, concrete car parks and modern facades, into the quiet, leafy suburb of Battery Point, is like walking back through time. Battery Point was named for a battery of guns erected there in 1818 as part of the Hobart coastal defense.

Today, however, it’s all sandstone walls and pretty trellises, historic houses painted in pastels, abundant rose gardens and cafes with old-fashioned awnings.

And poky little floor-boarded stores selling homemade ice cream, where handmade chocolates and lolly jars lined up on old shelves make you feel as though

you should be arriving by horse and cart.

One of the most popular local haunts in this area is Jam Jar Lounge Café. The intimate mood and feeling of yesteryear is firmly set with art deco lamps, turn of the century furniture, wooden tables decorated with montages of things owned by former patrons (such as boarding passes and theatre tickets), a well-stocked library, open wood fire place, and the dapper men behind the bar wearing fedora hats and braces. They take their fine coffee, tea and wine seriously here, and it’s all about good, healthy food, so don’t put time restraints upon yourself – you’ll more than likely want to lounge around and indulge.

Or you could just keep the good food, wine and coffee coming and roll down the road from Battery Point to Elizabeth Street, where the good people at Ethos: Eat Drink, will ensure you get a taste for the wonderful produce that Tasmania is

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TOP TO BOTTOM: BATTERY POINT; ETHOS CULINARY DELIGHTS; JAM JAR LOUNGE CAFE. SOUTHERN FACADE OF THE MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART, VIEWED FROM ACROSS RIVER DERWENT.

“THEY TAKE THEIR FINE COFFEE, TEA AND WINE SERIOUSLY HERE.” known for. What was once a stable yard and carriageway for The Old Hobart Hotel is now a restaurant tucked away down a sandstone tunnel. With potted herbs and flowers in abundance at the entrance, it’s a charming welcome to this little world where everything revolves around local produce brought from paddock to plate.

Either choose from the ever-changing menu that moves in time with the seasons and whatever is fresh and available, or take on an eight-course tasting menu of deliciousness. Sitting in the old stable house, the 200-year-old sandstone building breathing Hobart’s history, you might be heading towards becoming another of Hobart’s many enthusiastic lovers.

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UNLEASHED STAY

Travelodge Hotel Hobart and Travelodge Hotel Hobart Airport With one property at the airport and one smack bang in the middle of Hobart, Travelodge makes a holiday in these parts comfy and affordable. travelodge.com.au Woodbridge on Derwent Just outside of Hobart in the Derwent Valley is Tasmania’s only hotel in the Small Luxury Hotel group. Set amid spectacular gardens on the Derwent River, the hotel is an ode to style, grace and immaculate detail. woodbridgenn.com.au

WINE & DINE Jam Jar Lounge jamjarlounge.com Ethos ethoseatdrink.com Smolt A newbie on the block, and right amongst it all near Salamanca Markets in the bustling waterfront dining district, Smolt is all about great local produce with a focus on flair and integrity.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: CHARCUTERIE BOARD AT FROGMORE CREEK WINES; PUDDLEDUCK VINEYARD’S CELLAR DOOR AND GARDENS AND THE FAMOUS LUCKY DUCK; THE BEAUTIFUL WOODBRIDGE ON DERWENT.

THEIR SPARKLING WINES SUM UP EVERYTHING PERFECT ABOUT TASSIE.

VA-VA-VOOM VINEYARDS Tasmania has a knack for making place names sound as though they’re straight from the pages of a fairytale. And you can’t go to Tassie without tasting their finest export – wine. Three renowned vineyards that are as whimsically named as their picture-book settings are Pooley Wines, Puddleduck Vineyard and Frogmore Creek Wines.

Pooley has two vineyards in the Coal Valley, 20 minutes east of Hobart, and an historical property for wine tastings where three generations of family involvement have reinforced a deep

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passion for wine that’s led to multiple awards. Pooley is renowned for its rieslings with floral characters typical of the Coal Valley, and pinot noirs – their Pooley 2011 Coal River Pinot Noir was a double trophy winner at 2012 RASV Royal Melbourne Wine Show, and winner of Top Gold at 2012 Rutherglen Wine Show.

Meanwhile, their sparkling wines sum up everything perfect about the island state’s take on bubbles. They’re crisp, clean, refreshing and something to smile about.

Puddleduck is just down the road in Richmond and is another Tassie family success story. It is owned and run by a husband and wife team who rightfully adore their little piece of paradise, with a beautiful cellar door in a blue cottage sitting among the reeds by the side of a dam. As you sip, you can hear wild ducks frolic. The cottage also has a gift store brimming with everything duck-themed.

The star of the show is the winemaker’s pet duck Lucky, who loves to get to know

the visitors. If he’s in the right mood, Lucky will perch on your outspread hands and chat about the many vinous offerings.

(To the untrained ear this chat sounds a lot like normal quacking, but don’t be fooled by that!)

Frogmore Creek Wines is also in the Coal Valley and has a renowned Frenchtrained chief winemaker at its helm.

Vintner Alain Rousseau is from an old vigneron family in the Loire Valley region of France. He was trained in Burgundy before moving to Tasmania with his wife in 1991, when Tassie’s wine scene really started to kick off. The modern Australian restaurant, with its ceiling-to-floor glass windows overlooking the vines, is the kind of place you could easily get stuck in all day long. In fact, Tasmania is the kind of place you could easily get stuck into all year long. You certainly wouldn’t run out of great things to see and do. Thank you to Lonely Planet for the heads up – because it really is worth all the hype.

Available at selected Carry On, David Jones and many other wonderfully colourful stockists all around Australia!

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Images courtesy of Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

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Cockatoo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site in Sydney Harbour.

You can stay there in luxurious accommodation or even go glamping, just a stone’s throw from the CBD. WORDS: MICHELLE HESPE

FAST FACT In 1856, Frederick Ward was sentenced to seven years on Cockatoo Island for stealing horses. His wife, Mary Bugg, swam to the island, leaving him the tools to break free.

He escaped and became the legendry bushranger Captain Thunderbolt.

icking back on the balcony of the Harbour View Apartments on Cockatoo Island, looking across magnificent, sprawling Sydney Harbour with the city lit up beneath a swathe of bright stars, is a completely gobsmacking experience. It’s easily one of the best views you’ll find in rented accommodation in the city. And there is a beautiful quietness, except for the sound of seagulls coming in to rest and the resident crickets chirping, because there is no traffic. Just the hum of the city from across the water. From a distance, the two semidetached historical houses seem to be mere metres from the sharp edge of a seriously steep cliff, overlooking the industrial beauty of the surrounding landscape. Manicured gardens that were planted a century ago, sturdy lavender bushes, stone steps and sandstone walls complete the pretty picture.

Cockatoo Island is one of the most fascinating and fun historical places in a city that loves to wallow in its past.

In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with 10 other Australian sites, for its convict roots.

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TENTS WITH MILLION DOLLAR VIEWS TO BOOT

PIZZA FROM THE ISLAND BAR

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and a Maritime Trail, as the island was It’s a cool cultural hub that plays host to once a gaol for convicts and the dockyard festivals and arts events, making it an for the Royal Australian Navy. A few ideal daytrip for those after a good dose of culture and history. It’s also an affordable of the highlights include remnants of island getaway with city glamping, laying convict solitary confinement cells and claim to being the world’s first urban grain silos, a military guardhouse, camping ground. And it’s all just convict workshops and vast, intriguing spooky industrial buildings. a 15-minute ferry ride from Or if you simply want to Sydney’s CBD. History buffs can chill out while lapping up the easily spend half a day spectacular views, make exploring the sites on a beeline for the super-cool Cockatoo Island, and Island Bar, which is made there’s a great choice from recycled shipping of self-guided tours. containers. Lay back in the The 1.5-hour yellow deckchairs peppered Highlights Journey across the astroturf, beneath R UA takes in the top the shade of a beach umbrella, T HE G attractions and some of the with a cocktail in one hand and more fascinating historical a slice of pizza in the other. features such as the main Geoff Bailey, executive director of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, has industrial icons and Sutherland Dock. been working with the trust since 2000, The 2.5-hour In-Depth Journey is a more and the most rewarding part of his job comprehensive walk that delves further back into history. There is a Convict Trail is seeing once-derelict sites such as

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UNLEASHED Cockatoo Island transformed into places that people flock to in droves.

People literally pour in for the events, festivals and shows hosted on the island.

From 21 March to 9 June 2014, the Biennale of Sydney will see ferry-loads of people checking out awesome site-specific artworks. In late 2014 there will be a heritage photography exhibition interpreting the island’s dockyard history.

New Year’s Eve pulls the big crowds.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more relaxing venue from which to watch the world-famous fireworks spill off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and light up the harbour.

Bailey regularly takes his family glamping on Cockatoo Island for a weekend getaway. “We don’t need to take anything

with us – it’s all set up and ready to go,” he says. “You fall asleep at the water’s edge, under the stars, and wake up to stunning views of Sydney Harbour. You’re still close to the city but there’s a distinct ‘island time’ vibe that makes you relax and unwind.”

At this camping ground recently named “one of the world’s most spectacularly located campsites” by Lonely Planet Traveller magazine, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is working on setting up basketball and handball courts to keep happy campers happy.

One thing’s for sure: Whether it’s the history, the views or the chance to camp on a Sydney island and chill out in an island bar that lures you to Cockatoo, you’ll no doubt be lured back again and again.

LONELY PLANET TRAVELLER MAGAZINE NAMED COCKATOO ISLAND’S CAMPING GROUND “ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST SPECTACULARLY LOCATED CAMPSITES”.

CHILLIN’ OUT AT THE ISLAND BAR

STAY The Heritage Holiday Houses were once home to the island’s medical officer and engineering manager when the island was a busy shipyard. They are beautifully decorated and set among gardens and have four bedrooms. They sleep up to 10 people and range from $595 a night or $3590 a week.

The two Harbour View Apartments rent for between $370 and $470 a night, depending on which days, and are interconnected for groups. They each have two double bedrooms and balconies with a barbecue overlooking the harbour.

Glamping will set you back $145 a night on weekdays and $165 a night from Friday to Sunday.

The glamping package includes a pre-erected tent, two single beds or a double bed, mattresses, bedding, towels, sun lounges, an esky and a lantern.

All prices valid until 31 May 2014. cockatooisland.gov.au 02 8898 9774 DO SOME OF THE MANY HISTORICAL BUILDINGS TO EXPLORE

To book the tennis court, call the Accommodation Office on 02 8898 9774. It’s $20 an hour ($10 if you’re staying overnight) and $5 for racquet hire.

For self-guided and audio tours, call 02 8969 2100. They are $5 per person and bookings for groups of 15 or more are essential.

This image courtesy Red Bull Media House

January/February 2014

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insidemining Issue 07 – January/February 2014

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news+views standardised safety protocol. The second is that since contractors are independent hires, they may not ever be fully briefed on each individual site’s safety procedures. Bell urges senior managers to proactively instruct each contractor in their site safety standards, explaining that the only way to minimise contractor death is to conscientiously consider these workers as members of the team at each respective site.

BACK TO SCHOOL

According to the National Academy of Engineering (USA), engineers worldwide are facing a whirlwind of change. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace that engineers must update half of everything they know every couple of years.

Additionally, demands from customers are putting pressure on companies to adapt and evolve. For example, the fluid-power industry is challenged to improve reliability, reduce the size and weight of components and systems, and reduce the environmental impact of its work. To remain competitive, fluid-power companies must be open to the concept of lifelong learning for their staff and support their continuous improvement. In Australia the HYDAC Training Centre, which is now entering its third year, offers 10 practical courses on a variety of hydraulics topics.

From understanding the basics of hydraulics, to tackling specific products such as thermal optimisation, filtration and electronics, HYDAC’s courses are designed to keep engineers on top of their game. Last year a milestone was reached when HYDAC began a partnership with the Kangan Institute to offer national recognition for its training. HYDAC’s technical training officer, Paul Marley, is very pleased with the response: “Since we made national recognition available for our Understanding Hydraulics 1 course, more than 31 per cent of attendees have added the national statement of attainment to their training outcome, and more than 58 per cent have purchased the supporting textbook.” For full details on courses and availability, and to download an enrolment form, visit hydac.com.au/school.aspx.

COST TO BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR NSW REGIONS After much deliberation, the New South Wales Government has passed an amendment that makes the state and the region the primary factor when considering prospective mining development projects. A cost/benefit analysis is made based on the specific resource in question. Potential economic benefits to the community from developing the resource, including job creation, expenditure, and state royalties are weighed against the expected costs to the community, such as air and noise pollution. The amendment applies to all current and future mining projects with the exception of coal seam gas or other petroleum production, or extractive industries.

Implementing this amendment should regulate and ease the decision process, since the various specific factors are graded in order of importance beforehand.

FLY-IN FLY-OUT FAMILIES COMPETE FOR COAL WITH CREDENTIALS, NOT CASH The Queensland government is experimenting for the first time with non-cash bids for coal exploration tenders. Previously, exploration rights were granted to whichever party had the highest cash bid. In light of the demand for coal, the Queensland government has opted to make the qualifications for land more stringent. Now, in order to gain rights to the land, applicants will need to provide a detailed proposal outlining how they intend to use the land. This new method may make it possible for upcoming juniors to obtain land, since it emphasises quality of the plan over quantity

of resources. Tender will be awarded to whomever has the best plan, provided they have the resources to bring that plan to fruition.

CONTRACTORS AT RISK AT COAL SITES The Queensland Mines and Quarry Safety Report for 2012–13 shows that contractors account for 9 out of 10 coal mining industry fatalities. Stewart Bell, Queensland Mine Safety and Health Commissioner, proposes two potential reasons for that statistic. The first is that contractors are often required to perform unique tasks that may not have

The trend of long distance commuting has become so common in the wake of the mineral boom that The House of Representatives launched a study to understand the particulars. They focused on Western Australia, specifically Busselton and Mandurah, and discovered that due to the poor economy, many of the locals have sought work in the Perth mining industry, rendering the Perth-Mandurah route as one of the largest work-related commutes in the country. Since Perth is 230 kilometres from Mandurah, the workers use a block-roster schedule. The regularity of the schedule and amount of time at work verses time at home is usually the determining factor between 3

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whether or not the FIFO workers grow to enjoy their lifestyle. To balance out the challenges, FIFO jobs tend to pay approximately $40,000 more per year, and may prove to have a positive impact on local economies.

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Sydney University and Adelaide University students and researchers are embarking on a three-year collaborative venture to better understand rock fracturing through a series of mesoscale experiments. Too much stress on the rocks contributes to the seismic instability that can lead to accidents, therefore the more they learn about the rock fracturing, the better they are able to prevent dangerous situations from occurring. Though the experiments are still in the preliminary stages, Dr. Luming Shen, the study’s chief investigator, says the project is already advancing geotechnical engineering.

NSW RAISES THE STANDARD FOR DUST CONTROL In response to community concerns about the potentially detrimental effects of mining-related dust, The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) launched a multi-stage dust management

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Dr Margarita Vargas is looking at corrosion in tropical environments.

agenda. The goal of the Dust Stop Program is to reduce dust by 80 per cent by August 2014.

As of September 2013, the program was in its third stage, and mandated that all 30 of NSW open-cut coal mines to assess their own dust control plans. Specifically, the EPA requires mines to enforce poor weather plans.

BOOM BENEFITS A new report commissioned by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union (CFMEU) reveals that while mining company profits have surged over the past 20 years, the amount that the companies are paying in wages has actually dropped, and workers salaries have decreased. Companies state that the discrepancy comes from the greater amount of taxes they are required to pay, but Andrew Vickers, the CFMEU divisional secretary questions how much companies are actually paying in taxes, compared to what they claim they are paying. The CFMEU is campaigning to have the mining tax changed, with the goal of ensuring that the mining boom benefits Australia at large.

“Microbiologically influenced corrosion is a problem in structures that are immersed in seawaters...”

WA’S CHINA EXPORTS ON TOP A new study has shown that Western Australia has pulled in $300 billion from exports to China between 2008-2013, exponentially more than every other state and territory. The reason being that Western Australia produces approximately 97 per cent of Australia’s of iron ore, and China’s rapid industrialisation requires massive quantities of the mineral. The Australian dollar has accumulated more value in response to this boom, and since constant growth isn’t sustainable, chief economist Dr Shane Oliver is concerned for the Australian economy when industrialisation in China slows, and the demand for iron dwindles.

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CUTTING EDGE CORROSION RESEARCH

According to researchers at the North Australian Centre for Oil and Gas (NACOG) at Charles Darwin University, corrosion-related damage costs the oil and gas industry between three and five per cent of GDP, equating to trillions of dollars globally each year. NACOG reached this conclusion by looking at the different factors that affect the corrosion behaviour of offshore rigs and similar structures.

Located in the Northern Territory, Charles Darwin University (CDU) is well placed to look at issues relevant to the industry in tropical environments. One of the research areas at NACOG is microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Dr Margarita Vargas (pictured) said that MIC is a problem in structures that are immersed in seawaters as well as in many other microbiologically active environments.

“At NACOG we want to find out how marine organisms affect the corrosion behaviour of structural materials such as pipelines and offshore rigs, particularly in the tropical environments,” Dr Vargas said. The $7 million NACOG centre has significantly strengthened the university’s capacity to offer training for the resource industry.

CDU is the first Australian university to offer bachelor and master programs in chemical engineering online. The programs prepare people looking to succeed in the mining, gas and energy industries. With an increasingly mobile population, online study allows students to successfully balance work and family. The only requirement to attend campus is for lab work in week-long intensive sessions. Industry demand for qualified chemical engineers looks set to remain strong well into the future, with challenging and well-paid opportunities. cdu.edu.au/studyengineering

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forefront

STATE OF PLAY FOLLOWING A TUMULTUOUS YEAR FOR THE RESOURCES INDUSTRY, WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2014?

WORDS: CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG

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epending on whether you look at pure number of projects or the dollar figures attached, coal and iron ore look set to continue to be dominant forces in Australia’s mining industry as it turns the corner into 2014. Major infrastructure and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and petroleum will also be big influencers in the Australian mining story, which experienced a less than fairytale existence throughout 2013.

But first, a caveat. Until that thorny issue of the carbon tax goes away, little is unlikely to unfold quickly. Major miners want certainty and they want it now. That’s just one of the issues unravelling on home soil. Overseas, they will be looking to the performance of the Australian dollar against the greenback to see how costly exporting minerals will be. Then there’s the issue of major customers such as China and whether they will continue to shop around for suppliers cheaper and closer to Asia, or whether their appetite for Australian resources has returned.

Crystal balls aside, some of the best indicators of what’s ahead lay in the Australian Government’s

Bureau of Resources and Energy (BREE) Economics Major Projects report published in April 2013.

(At the time of going to press, the November report had not been released). In short, this snapshot of the mineral resources and energy sector found there were 113 projects at the publicly announced stage, with a combined planned capital expenditure spend over the life of the projects of between $121–$171 billion. At the feasibility stage, the stock of planned capital expenditure was estimated at around $232 billion from a total of 174 projects. But most interestingly, only 21 of those projects were completed at a value of $15.3 billion. So what happened?

The report’s executive summary paints an interesting picture, highlighting “an emerging trend” of project proponents delaying or cancelling high value resources and energy projects in Australia, with around $150 billion worth of projects delayed, cancelled or re-assessed in the 12 months leading to the report. They predict this trend to continue this year.

“In 2014, the stock of committed investment is expected to decrease by $8 billion, and then by a further $63 billion in 2015.

From 2017 onwards, the stock of committed investment in the

“The report highlights an ‘emerging trend’ of project proponents delaying or cancelling high value projects.”

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forefront

“Australia’s thermal coalmine operating costs now sit at a staggering 66 per cent above the global average.”

mining sector is projected to revert back to levels comparable to 2007,” the report states.

More optimistic, yet cautious, in their projections for 2014 is the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) in a Parliamentary Policy Briefing document released in late October. In the report, the MCA states that while the Australian economy and mining industry have entered a “more constrained and demanding phase”, it was both “wrong and defeatist” to declare the “mining boom” over.

“This view misrepresents mining’s long-run growth trajectory, the large gains still to be won from future investment and export growth, and the urgent policy challenge Australia now faces,” the MCA report states.

“Policy and regulatory settings are critical to the scale, duration and location of gains from future resource development. Research for the MCA concludes that policy decisions made now can create or destroy economic opportunity equal to more than five per cent of the Australian economy in 30 years’ time.

“The export expansion phase arising from past investment is still ramping up and there remains a significant opportunity for future investment projects. The reality, however, is that Australia’s position as a destination for investment and as a cost competitive supplier of minerals is not what it should be,” says the MCA report.

In a thinly-veiled warning to the ground Australia’s competitors could gain, the MCA report cites research

by Port Jackson Partners which states more than half of the nation’s existing mines across thermal and metallurgical coal, copper and nickel have operating costs higher than the global average. Australia’s thermal coalmine operating costs now sit at a staggering 66 per cent above the global average.

Pointedly, the report goes to lengths to highlight three messages to the parliament: • There is still significant future investment and export growth to be unlocked in coming years across a large number of projects.

• Australia needs to be “hungrier” in bringing on projects of all

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sizes, including small and medium-sized mining projects.

• The urgency with which policy-makers tackle the nation’s structural competitiveness problem will determine if Australia secures maximum returns from future minerals resource development.

Highlighting other threats to the industry moving forward into 2014, in a speech to the World Coal Conference in Berlin in October, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Michael Roche attacked environmentalists over their comments relating to mining and the Great Barrier Reef.

“The anti-coal movement – led by Greenpeace – is continuing to play on ignorance and emotion by claiming that the growth of coal exports from Queensland is the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.

“Neither an increase in shipping traffic, nor decades of port dredging, have been recorded as contributing to coral cover loss, or a historical decline in the environmental health

of the reef. But dredging is the new bogeyman for anti-coal industry activists. They know that if they can block dredging, they can shut down existing ports and prevent port expansions, eventually leading to a shutdown of the Queensland coal industry.”

Acting QRC chief executive Greg Lane has told Inside Mining that Australia was starting to fall behind the rest of the world in terms of investment attractiveness.

“Australia is an expensive place to do business and we don’t have a mortgage over the world’s minerals and energy inventory,” he said.

“Queensland’s leading export industry is coal and it took a beating in 2013. It will bounce back as it has done in the past, but it will be leaner cost-wise to operate successfully in a global market that we believe is over-supplied for several years to come.”

So while the mining industry was held hostage to an election during 2013, all indications are that 2014 will be the year that ransoms are paid – one way or another.

DID YOU KNOW? • The minerals industry has accounted directly for up to 8 per cent of GDP, upwards of 20 per cent of business investment and around 50 per cent of national exports, according to the MCA. • The industry has paid more than $145 billion in federal company income tax and state royalties since 2001-02 – before additional taxes like the carbon tax and the Minerals Resources Rent Tax (MRRT), the MCA reports.

• Less than 2 per cent of Australia’s land mass is currently under mine lease. Mining accounts for up to 30 per cent of Indigenous employment in some regions and is the largest private sector employer of Indigenous Australians, according to the MCA.

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AS COMMODITY PRICES CONTINUE TO MAKE HEADLINE NEWS, IT’S EASY TO LOSE SIGHT OF IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF MINING, SUCH AS COMMUNICATION AND POWER GENERATION. BUT LOOK SHARP, BECAUSE THESE AREAS ARE SEEING SOME EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS. WORDS: FIONA POYNTER

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RELIABLE tracking and communications systems are critical to ensuring both the safety of mine workers and the operational efficiency of the mine. Like most areas of technology, the landscape is changing fast, and significant advancements have been made even in the past few months.

Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, is playing a leading role in the development of tracking and communications technology for use in mining. The work forms part of an $86 million research effort, in collaboration with some major mining houses.

The CSIRO has developed a new real-time wireless tracking technology that can home in on mineworkers deep underground, helping save lives and boost productivity. The technology, known as Wireless Ad hoc System for Positioning (WASP), can track people and objects to an accuracy of about half a metre. “It is a great improvement on conventional methods, such as GPS and WiFi-based tracking, which in underground environments, are either inaccurate or don’t work at all,” says CSIRO. The WASP technology can be used, among other things, to locate workers underground in emergency situations. It has the ability to act as a network, sending sensor data – such as a worker’s heart rate, core temperature or gas and radiation levels – to a receiving point at the surface of the mine.

WASP can also track materials and vehicles, enhancing productivity and preventing collisions.

Mobile tags are attached to people and objects being tracked, while ‘anchor nodes’ are placed at fixed locations to form a cable-less infrastructure.

Minetec, a Western Australia-based mining communication company, commercialised the technology in August 2013, becoming the first company to incorporate WASP into its locating systems. “WASP is critical to modern underground mining and will significantly improve productivity, lower operational costs and reduce health and safety issues for mining operations,” says Minetec’s executive general manager Andy Sheppard.

Minetec has already deployed the WASP technology on a pilot basis in operational mines in Australia, Indonesia and South Africa.

WASP will work alongside more conventional, but no less critical technologies used every day in mining, such as telephones and direct access communication (DAC). Coalmine health and safety regulation requires that every mine must have telephones and DACs, with each form of communication checked daily.

The parameters of a DAC are considerably more limited than a telephone. But DACs play an important role in the operation of a mine by providing an alternative channel of communication to avoid blocking phone lines.

Left and above: Dr Mark Hedley and Dr Jay Guo show off WASP; the Trax+Tags II user interface.

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industryfocus

A DAC is limited to communications with the surface control room and the section of the mine in which it is installed. In contrast, telephones in mines also allow for communication with other ‘districts’ of the mine and in some cases, allow for external dial-out to suppliers, homes and other mines. Each mine must have a number of telephones located at key places, adjacent to sub stations and conveyor belts.

Personal emergency devices (PEDs) are another critical safety element of mining, used to warn of potential danger. Mine workers are alerted of a message when the lamp they are wearing starts flashing. “The message could say something like ‘Attention – mine evacuation in place – this is not a drill’,” says Tim Whyte, a former mine worker and now Queensland district secretary for mining trade union CFMEU. But the devices are currently limited to one-way communication, allowing mineworkers to receive but not send messages.

In addition to its WASP technology, CSIRO has developed a two-way PED system. But this technology is yet to be commercialised, in part because of the high costs involved in switching from a one-way to two-way system.

Communications systems in underground coalmines face many obstacles, not least because

Fast Facts CSIRO’s new WASP technology can home in on mineworkers deep underground, helping to save lives.

The WASP communicates across a range of 400 metres to more than 1 kilometre.

It can track people and objects to an accuracy of about half a metre.

of the safety concerns related to the use of electrical equipment in the mine. All electrical systems used in underground coal mining must be incapable of creating a spark hot enough and for long enough to ignite the methane gases produced by the coal. Naturally, this makes generating electricity to power mine sites a challenge.

Powering on Power generation in mining can vary considerably, depending on the type of mine operations and the location of the mine. In Queensland, all of the state’s coalmines are connected to the Eastern Australian electricity grid. But every mine has its own generator to enable it to operate if power supply from the grid fails. These generators are small in comparison to the supply from the grid but allow for essential services to continue, such as ventilation, water control and gas monitoring.

Many Australian mines are unable to draw power from the grid because of their remote location. Mining giant BHP Billiton is building its own 190-megawatt gas-fired power station to secure future power supply for its West Australian iron ore mining operations in the Pilbara.

The development, known as Yarnima Power Station, incorporates cutting-edge technology.

Yarnima will include gas turbines equipped

Above: The Trax+Tags II in use.

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industryfocus

FAST FACTS • BHP’s 190-megawatt Yarnima Power Station development includes gas turbines equipped with heat recovery steam generators to capture waste heat for the generation of additional power and reduced carbon emissions. (shown below) • The new 242-megawatt Diamantina power station will produce enough power to supply mines and communities across the Mount Isa region.

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“In deep coalmines, methane is extracted from the seam and used to generate power. The change has meant that previously unmineable seams have become mineable.” with heat recovery steam generators to capture waste heat for the generation of additional power.

This will minimise gas usage while increasing thermal efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

In the event of a gas service interruption, the plant has also been configured to allow normal operations to continue using diesel fuel. It is due to start operations in the first half of 2014.

Glencore’s Mount Isa Mines in North Queensland is one of the biggest mining operations in Australia, extracting copper and zinc. With no access to the Eastern Australian grid, Mount Isa Mines is now benefitting from power from the newly developed 242-megawatt gas-fired power station at Mount Isa, known as Diamantina. The power station has already begun delivering some electricity, although it will not be commissioned until early 2014.

Diamantina will produce sufficient electricity to supply mines and communities in the Mount

Isa region, with scope for further expansion in line with energy demand increases.

“Our primary power sources currently include Mica Creek Power Station, Mines Power Station and Xstrata Power Station,” says a Mount Isa Mines spokesperson. “When Diamantina Power Station comes online, we can expect a more reliable and efficient supply of energy, coupled with an increased capacity to supply and a reduced reliance on our internal power generation facilities for day-to-day operations.”

In deep coalmines, such as Anglo American’s Grasstree mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, methane is extracted from the coal seam and used to generate power. “The change to mining with methane in-seam and or surface-to-seam methane extraction has meant that previously unmineable seams have become mineable by the reduction of methane in the seam, which in turn, lowers the risks of ignition, outbursts and explosions,” says CFMEU’s Whyte.

However, there are downsides to the use of methane in power generation. The process creates high levels of coal dust that must be suppressed by the application of water at the coal-cutting face. If this is not done effectively, the dust becomes an explosion hazard.

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miningreview

LET THERE BE LIGHT Lighting is a crucial safety element in all mines, and there are some exciting advances in this vital area.

WORDS: CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG

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I

t’s about as iconic an image as Vegemite. A bunch of burly miners descending into a pitch-black pit and emerging 12 hours later, faces as dark as the breakfast spread itself, helmets a-light, and leaving behind the mysterious underground world.

While much has been written about what Australia extracts and exports from its mines, less has been penned about the operations themselves. Such as those finer details like lighting, which is critical when working in one of the most hostile environments on the planet.

Certainly, light is one question that Beaconsfield mine disaster survivors Brant Webb and Todd Russell would have pondered during the two weeks they spent trapped 900 metres underground in April 2006, when the mine in which they were working collapsed. The two reportedly had a “small amount of light” and it would have provided minimal comfort as the hours turned into days and then weeks before they were rescued from the tiny space in which they were wedged, initially believed dead. But while Webb and Russell said it was the humidity and confined space that were the most challenging elements of their entrapment, without light it would have been almost unbearable.

In 2011, Mine Site Technologies (MST), which is headquartered in Sydney and bills itself as a “global leader in providing communication solutions to the mining industry”, won recognition from the prestigious Australian International Design Award for its underground mining cap lamp. The lamp is a component of MST’s Integrated Communications Cap Lamp (ICCL), designed to provide every miner working underground with a complete single system solution for light generation, personnel tracking and receiving of emergency communications and alerts. It was built to replace the traditional incandescent bulb-type lamp, which has dominated the traditional miner’s cap lamp brands for more than 50 years, with modern LED lighting and optics technology.

“A cap lamp is an essential piece of working equipment for underground

Above: LED lighting and an LED headpiece, both essential mine safety tools, in use in an underground mine.

miners. Many times it is an underground miners’ only light source in an otherwise pitch-dark working environment. Because of this, it is an essential safety tool as well, arguably the most important piece of a miner’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It must function flawlessly for 12 hours or more on a single charge,” a MST spokesperson said.

“Mines are a rugged and hostile environment where equipment has to be ready for the abuse and the restrictions and requirements imposed on equipment operating in hazardous atmospheres.

The circuit design offers both thermal

and spark reduction techniques commensurate with the requirements of intrinsically safe apparatus,” said MST. MST’s design of the ICCL battery pack, which provide an integrated system of lighting, tracking and alerts, received this same prestigious award in 2005 and has sold more than 30,000 units.

Underground mine lighting products need to be designed to meet, if not exceed, mechanical requirements, taking into account impact, drops, flammability, strain, static discharge, thermal differentials and ingression protection. The Ingression Protection Rating, also referred to as the

27

miningreview

International Protection rating, classifies and rates the degree of protection provided against the intrusion of body parts such as hands and fingers, dust, accidental contact, and water in mechanical casings and with electrical enclosures.

Under Australian conventions, each person underground must carry a light source, as many parts of a mine have no general lighting, and all mobile machines also need lights to ensure safe use. The practice is similar across all states.

MST senior executive Denis Kent, a former mine manager, told Inside Mining that Australian mines tend to use better quality cap lamps and incorporate communication

and tracking technologies within the cap lamp, compared with overseas operations.

Kent says simply setting up any permanent lighting to survive a harsh mine environment, which is subject to corrosive water and physical damage by machinery in a confined work area, is one of the major challenges.

“In terms of health and safety, you need to ensure adequate lighting where required in this particularly hazardous environment, where there are many safety issues for workers operating in poor visibility conditions with heavy machinery,” he says.

“In the special case of coal mines, lighting systems in the working areas

and all personal cap lamps need to be certified as explosion protected. In the case of personal, battery-operated cap lamps, they need to be intrinsically safe to ensure their safe use in areas where is a potential for methane gas to be present.

“Mine lighting has been an essential technology since miners first went underground. For decades it was only personal lighting, but with the introduction of machinery underground, lighting expanded to ensure their safe use. But the miner’s personal cap lamp still remains an essential item of personal protective equipment to this day with every miner going underground wearing one.”

“Under Australian conventions, each person underground must carry a light source, as many parts of a mine have no general lighting, and all mobile machines also need lights to ensure safe use.”

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miningtalks

THE FUTURE IS NOW TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IS DRIVING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MINING OPERATIONS. AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES ARE LEADING THE WAY WITH THE ADOPTION OF REMOTE TECHNOLOGIES THAT AIM TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY WHILE REDUCING OPERATING COSTS. WORDS: KRIS MADDEN

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miningtalks

31

miningtalks

By 2025 the mining industry

will look very different than it does today, with automated sites, highspeed telecommunications, regional mapping and advanced robotics all in the mix.

The rollout of the federal government’s National Broadband Network (NBN) is expected to create a wealth of opportunity for the mining industry, including facilitating increased remote mining operations.

Wayne Gerard, Australian mining entrepreneur and founder of several companies in the mining sector, says future innovation in the mining industry relies on the NBN and its availability in mining regions.

“The NBN is critical for the mining industry to realise productivity and efficiency gains, to enable Australia to compete globally. Automation and remote operations are set to transform Australian mining, and with this comes the demand for fast broadband capability,” said Gerard.

“For the mining industry the NBN is critical for growing efficiencies, improving safety and maximising return on investment.”

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Software development for the global mining industry is a very important growth area and one in which Australia already excels – about 60 per cent of the world’s mining computer software is developed in Australia. In addition, general exports of mining equipment, technology and services are currently valued at more than $5 billion a year.

Gerard says widespread adoption of new technologies such as cloud computing and Software as a

“The NBN is critical for the mining industry.”

Service (SaaS) is also revolutionising the mining sector. SaaS and cloud integration allow companies to integrate their various applications so data is entered once, saving time and creating consistency across business centres.

“Other technologies such as autonomous vehicles, wireless mesh networks and the industrial

application of the Internet of Things will all deliver significant commercial advantages as they mature,” he says.

According to a recent industry poll conducted by Informa Australia, the technologies that will have the biggest impact on mining are autonomous or near-autonomous vehicles and the automation of knowledge. These were followed by advanced robotics, with mobile internet further down the list.

Mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have both launched remote operation centres in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, calling the move mining’s future.

BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Integrated Remote Operations Centre (IROC) in Perth, which opened in July this year, is billed as a world-class operational control centre, providing BHP Billiton with a real-time view of its entire Western Australian iron ore supply chain.

The IROC uses technology applications comprising a mine fleet management system, train control and fixed plant control systems for mine and port operations. CCTV and radio systems are used for communication with the site.

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“The IROC is able to operate remotely on a 24-hour, 365-daysa-year basis and plays an integral role in driving the company’s productivity agenda to achieve growth to 220 million tonnes per annum,” said BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s president, Jimmy Wilson.

“For the first time we can see our total supply chain in real time and in one place, enabling us to proactively make the right decisions for the whole business.”

However, the large-scale uptake of autonomous and remote operations technologies also has its problems.

According to a report prepared by the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) at the University of Queensland, such technologies change the nature of employment in the mining sector and affect the way mines interact with the communities in which they operate.

Employment in some roles will be reduced, while new roles will require

34

new skills. Industry representatives suggest a possible 30 to 40 per cent reduction in the mining workforce (50 per cent reduction in operational roles) at those operations that adopt large-scale automation.

“Technologies change the nature of employment.”

Combined with the move to relocate workers in centralised remote operation centres, this has potentially significant implications for semiskilled and unskilled workers who live in regional and remote areas and are not geographically mobile.

Indigenous groups, in particular, may be significantly affected by a large-scale uptake of automation, the CSRM reports. More than

50 per cent of Indigenous employees in Australian mining operations occupy semiskilled positions.

On the plus side, the report also states that autonomous and remote operation technologies may also present opportunities for other demographic groups, such as women and people living in larger regional centres, to participate in the mining industry, thus spreading the benefits of mining and increasing workforce participation in the sector.

The Mining Industry Skills Centre is just one organisation looking at the education and training requirements of automation, as well as what the mine of the future will be, more generally.

With Rio Tinto moving more than 100 million tonnes of iron ore using autonomous haul fleets at its Pilbara operation since it started trials five years ago, and about 300 people trained in the operation, it seems the future of mining is already here.

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innovations

DUE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY, MINING SITES WILL OPERATE VERY DIFFERENTLY IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE. WORDS: ORYANA ANGEL Image copyright © 2013 Rio Tinto

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FORESTRY

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innovations

Image copyright © 2013 Rio Tinto

FROM fully automated

underground hard rock mining machines and mineral exploration in space, to autonomous drills and driverless trucks, new technology is steering the mining industry into a period of dramatic change.

Technology has the potential to revolutionise mining, both now and in the future, says Alan Broome, chairman of Austmine, the peak body of the Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) industry.

At the forefront of this charge is the development of automation – equipment and systems that don’t require physical human operators.

CSIRO Minerals Down Under Flagship business development and commercialisation director Ian Dover says increased productivity and reduced overall costs are the main drivers of this technology.

“It is also extremely useful in improving safety – removing people from situations that are hazardous because of monotony,” he adds.

One such example is the CSIRO and Australian Coal Associationdeveloped LASC longwall technology,

an automated system to take coal off the mine face. The majority of new underground coalmines in Australia now use the technology and many others have been retrofitted, representing a 50 per cent uptake by the industry in just a few years.

Technology development is a buzzword in the sector right now due to the current industry cycle.

“When things are going gangbusters, companies have little

time to think about developing new technology,” explains Dover.

“Because of the dollars involved in the infrastructure, it’s not the time to risk playing with innovation, when everything has to be very reliable.

The real questioning and critiquing starts to occur when we are getting into the lower part of the cycle.”

As the last boom stretched for a solid decade, the technology currently used in many Australian

39

innovations

mines is based on technology that was around 10 years ago. But this hiatus hasn’t stopped the big miners and organisations like the CSIRO, universities and METS companies continuing to work on developing new technology.

“It’s a matter of getting innovation, which has been taken to a prototype level, into the mining operations,” says Dover.

The average time to get a new piece of innovation to a global market, he adds, is 12 to 15 years, a number he hopes can be reduced.

“It would mean good technology will find its way into mining operations faster – which means greater productivity, safety and environmental improvements.”

Some of the technologies that CSIRO and its partner organisations have developed include tele-operated rock breakers and ship loaders that can be operated in real time, 3D mobile mapping technology, underground location tracking technology and an online coal measurement system.

Australia is highly competitive across the spectrum, including the development of mining software and equipment, scientific analysis, exploration assessment technology, mineral processing technology,

40

environmental services and health and safety services and equipment.

Broome says Australiandeveloped mining technology has been around for a long time and we are a clearly a world leader in the field.

“Australian mining technology has led the global mining industry historically,” he points out. “Much of the technology used in mining around the world has its origins in Australia, even as far back as the 1800s and the gold rush.”

On the downside, some are concerned that the push towards automation will mean job losses in the industry. However, Broome says this is not an issue.

“There won’t be a reduction in people, rather they will be redeployed into different skill sets,” he says. “We’ll still need the same number of people maintaining the system, but we will need more sophisticated people using more sophisticated technology.”

This means different areas of employment, adds Broome. Rather than a lot of people deployed in equipment on mine sites, he says they will be in operating centres, remote from the mine site. That potentially means more software developers, specialist

“Much of the technology used in mining around the world has its origins in Australia, even as far back as the 1800s and the gold rush.”

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When heights really do matter WIDTHS 18 TO 30m – HEIGHTS 9 TO 14m View our CALT - EXTRA TALL Range at www.allshelter.com.au

Have we got it right?

Have your say, visit our website.

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PH: 1800 08 2244

innovations

communications personnel, systems, electronics, software and other niche technical disciplines.

Rio Tinto, a world leader in the technical revolution, sees employment of innovations as a positive for the workforce.

“While some specific roles are likely to disappear over time, a far greater number will be added or enhanced,” a Rio Tinto spokesperson tells Inside Mining.

In Rio Tinto’s autonomous operations in the Pilbara, the company has trained more than 270 employees to operate and work alongside its expanding fleet of driverless trucks.

Rio Tinto launched its Mine of the Future program in 2008 to find better ways to extract minerals, reduce environmental impacts and improve safety. Since then, autonomy is where the company is most progressed.

“We’re focused on operating the first significantly autonomous iron

ore mine by combining autonomous drilling, semi-autonomous blast loading with autonomous trucks and a range of advanced sensing and telecommunications technologies,” says the spokesperson.

The company has already taken a significant leap in surface mining, with much of this work taking place at its iron ore operations in the Pilbara.

By 2015, the world’s largest fleet – 150 driverless trucks – will be deployed to the region, and driverless trains and autonomous drills are not too far behind.

“Autonomous haulage also results in improved equipment reliability,” says the company spokesperson. “Artificial intelligence in the equipment learns the layout of the mine, how to recognise and avoid other vehicles and obstacles, and how to transport loads rapidly and efficiently with the least wear and tear, delay and use of fuel.”

“In the Pilbara, Rio Tinto has trained more than 270 employees to operate and work alongside its expanding fleet of driverless trucks.”

Image copyright © 2013 Rio Tinto

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advertorial

Northern Territory launch celebrated Northern Territory Deputy Chief Minister The Hon. David Tollner MLA launched All Trenching Australia and Reay Services Group’s NT division, based in Darwin, with a night of celebrations.

The launch of All Trenching

Australia (ATA) and Reay Services Group (RSG) into the NT infrastructure market was celebrated as a success by those who attended the launch and Christmas party on Friday 6 December at SKYCITY casino in Darwin.

Influential attendees from major NT construction organisations were impressed with the capacity and capability of ATA/ RSG, in particular the fleet of Vermeer trenching machines that are available for the cutting of trench profiles.

ATA’s trenching machines are 10 times more efficient than using excavators to complete the same task. These machines have the capacity to deliver a shallow, thin trench or cut a profile 6 metres deep and 1.8 metres wide. Should a wider, purpose-specific trench be required, these additional parameters can be met by implement or machine set-up or change.

RSG is all about pipes. Its core activity is the design, construction and installation of gas and water pipeline systems. This activity, supported by sister company

ATA with its fleet of trenchers, ensures ATA/RSG is a one-stop shop for the installation of pipelines.

The official launch of ATA/RSG at SKYCITY was facilitated on a Friday evening by NT Deputy Chief Minister The Hon. David Tollner MLA. Mr Tollner had witnessed the capability of the trenching machines and during his opening speech congratulated the managing director of ATA/RSG,

“RSG’s core activity is the design, construction and installation of pipeline systems.”

Brett Reay, for having the foresight to invest resources in Darwin, which has culminated in the establishment of the business in the NT, with offices located at 10 Campion Drive, East Arm, Darwin.

The ATA/RSG group takes pride in its corporate activities with a continual

focus on leaving a credible legacy in the regions where it is engaged. The company believes localising training and employment outcomes ensures operations are delivered in a safe, proactive manner while the money that is paid within the local community provides the lifeblood that supports people wanting to achieve.

The team at ATA/RSG are excited about the future of the NT and are looking forward to a long and fruitful engagement while delivering infrastructure in a safe and cost-effective manner. reaygroup.com.au

Above: Managing director of ATA/RSG, Brett Reay, and NT Deputy Chief Minister The Hon. David Tollner MLA.

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advertorial

Size-wise shelters Allshelter unveils a new range of container shelters in a variety of sizes to benefit the resources industry.

Understanding

the challenges faced by the resources industry in its unrelenting quest to curb overheads such as operational costs, Allshelter, a leader in innovative weather protection systems, has responded with the launch of the next wave in container shelters.

Available in kit form, these multipurpose super-size models (up to 14 metres high and 30 metres wide, excluding container size) are easy to assemble, dismantle and relocate. Eliminating the eroding cost of permanent construction, these flexible and environmentally adaptive structures provide a dynamic, cost-efficient solution.

Allshelter was Australia’s first manufacturer of container shelters, which have since become one of the most sought after alternative covering system in the mining industry. Listening to its customers’ need for larger configurations and taking into account their recommendations, Allshelter is now offering additional quality options as part of the standard range.

“It was a logical step – expanding our range and size offerings will support our customers,” said Roger Reddel, director at Allshelter. “In applications where height and width really do matter, it is vital for the optimal solution to be selected from a standard range, which can significantly

46

reduce design and implementation time, effort and purchase cost.”

The new shelters are specifically developed to mount containers, providing intelligent solutions. See the table below for dimensions and features (sizes do not include container).

Ideal for mine sites and short- or long-term projects, the aesthetically pleasing container shelters minimise costly downtime caused by rain or other weather events and maximise employee efficiency by providing fittingly ventilated conditions out of the sun. The high-strength semitranslucent woven polyethylene fabric provides ultraviolet protection, natural light and a cooler environment.

All structures are site-specific windrated and engineered to withstand winds

greater than 300 kilometres per hour with the cover on.

Allshelter was the first Australian container shelter manufacturer with triple certification including ISO9001 and the first to offer a warranty on the frame and cover of its wind-rated shelters.

Allshelter stands above the rest as a result of its commitment to quality and dedication to best-in-class performance in customer service.

“Continuous improvement and the need for new applications will keep us releasing more products and empowering solutions to help the mining industry and keep our customers coming back,” said Reddel.

Allshelter products are available through allshelter.com.au or by calling +61 2 6898 2244.

Shelter

CASA Wide Range

CALS Extra Wide Range

CATA Tall Range

CALT Extra Tall Range

Height

1 to 5 metres

4 to 8 metres

2 to 7 metres

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Width

6 to 20 metres

20 to 30 metres

5 to 17 metres

18 to 30 metres

Description

Short silhouette suitable for applications such as paint and spray bay, parking machinery or general storage of equipment and goods.

Voluminous size suitable for applications such as refuel stations, sandblasting and painting or satellite workshop.

Tall outline suitable for applications such as washdown area, high storage of large equipment and bulk goods, plant and equipment maintenance or welding area.

Unbeatable heights for applications such as dump truck repairs, crane maintenance, machinery dismantling, ADTs and most giant machines.

GET THE ADVANTAGE DISCOVER CLEANER, MORE ADVANCED DIESEL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO OPTIMISE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF YOUR BUSINESS. The Caltex TecDiesel Advantage is a suite of advanced diesel fuel products and services that have been developed to deliver real-world benefits to operators of diesel-powered mining, transport and industrial equipment.

From advanced fuel additives and filtering processes to engineering solutions and fuel-saving low-viscosity engine oils, Caltex TecDiesel Advantage enhances your operational efficiency. And because these solutions are developed by Caltex, you know they’re underpinned by a flexible and reliable supply chain.

Get the advantage. Call Caltex on 1300 364 169 or visit caltex.com.au/tecd

Built for War, Adventure & Tradies The Titan4x2 is a military grade almost indestructible smartphone.

Tough enough to withstand war zone conditions, and intelligent enough to respond to even the slightest finger touch.

The phone is impervious to non-corrosive liquids, and can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes without sustaining any damage. The non-slip case design also protects the phone from up to 2 meters of shock.

Visit our website for more info, or like our Facebook page for a chance to win a gift voucher. 

www.titan4x2.com.au

NEXT GENERATION WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY: “Advances that will transform life, business and the global economy” Ubiquitous wireless networks are having an enormous impact in every aspect of our lives. In business, smartphones and tablets connected to cloud based services are transforming productivity. This technology is creating exciting business models and whole new ways of delivering services. Machine-to-Machine communication in specialised applications such as Autonomous Haulage and telemetry has the potential to deliver enormous productivity gains and reduce costs.

Challenge Networks has taken the advances in carrier class 3G and next generation 4G (LTE) technology and adapted these to the specialised requirements of the mining industry. We can economically scale an enterprise solution from a single site covering a small mine operation to site clusters providing coverage to hundreds of square kilometers.

For further information contacts us at: info@challengenetworks.com.au Or vists us at: www.challengenetworks.com.au

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techspecial

The future is here Australian-based Rowan Melrose, Sandvik Mining’s recently appointed global automation manager, outlines the benefits of automation and what’s on offer. n the coming decades the Australian mining industry will face a number of challenges: keeping tight control of costs while increasing production; more difficult mining conditions; and ensuring the highest levels of safety. The latest mining automation technology offers solutions to these challenges. Mining automation truly is the future of mining, not only in Australia but around the world.

For the Australian mining industry, automation is an economic imperative to ensure it maintains control of costs and remains competitive in the longer term.

At the same time, miners are expected to ensure the highest levels of safety in their operations. Mines will also go deeper over the next 25 years, so mine managers will face numerous challenges to ensure they can operate safely and cost-effectively.

These challenges are combining to make mining automation ever more attractive.

Within the next 10 years we expect to see the age of the ‘intelligent mine’ with fully autonomous machines, process-like production and mine-wide

information networks. By removing workers from mine danger zones using the latest remotely operated equipment and automation options, mine management can deliver the safest possible mining environments, even in the world’s deepest mines and most inhospitable conditions.

Increased levels of automation also ensure more predictable and consistent mining operations, resulting in higher productivity and lower mining costs.

Over the past 10 years Sandvik Mining has been developing a range of mining automation systems, known as AutoMine, designed to offer scalable levels of automation to suit individual mines’ needs.

In underground hard-rock operations Sandvik’s automation offerings include: • AutoMine Hauling, a fully automated ore transportation system • AutoMine Loading, a semi-automated production system (bucket loading is by remote control) with fully automated haulage • AutoMine Lite for single load-hauldump operations, providing an advanced alternative to conventional remotecontrolled systems.

In underground coalmining Sandvik’s AutoCut automates continuous miners, providing improved cutting consistency, higher production and increased safety.

In surface coal and hard-rock mining Sandvik offers AutoMine Surface Drilling for drilling in hazardous locations, with operation either by remote control or fully autonomous drilling and tramming.

Australia is leading the way in the adoption of automated mining technology, with some of our largest underground hard-rock mines having successfully implemented AutoMine systems in recent years.

49

advertorial

Protecting your workers In environments where employees can be exposed to flames, heat, arc flash and flash fire, flame-resistant workwear is essential to protect your most valuable asset: your workers.

It’s unbelievable

to think that not so long ago few companies in the resources sector understood the need for their workers to wear flame-resistant clothing in highrisk environments where they were susceptible to arc flash and flash flame.

Today’s flame-resistant garments provide vital protection as well as comfort, with brands such as Bisley Workwear, a division of the Gazal Corporation, always ready to introduce the most advanced safety technology in association with TenCate, which is recognised as the leading global innovator in flame-resistant fabric.

Bisley manufactures a rugged range of inherently flame-resistant clothing with TenCate Tecasafe® Plus in a regular weight of 237gsm and the lightweight 197gsm.

Because its flame-resistant properties are actually built into the fabric and won’t wash out, the range provides ongoing premium protection against arc flash and flash flame. It also complies with industry-specific Australian and international standards NFPA 2112, NFPA 70E and ISO 11612.

Designed with the wearer in mind, Bisley’s flame-resistant range consists of light and regular-weight shirting, cargo work pants and coveralls in orange, navy and high-visibility yellow and combines maximum comfort with exceptional functionality and durability. The special cellulosic fibre content ensures superior moisture management.

Even after repeated launderings, the fabric retains its as-new look, outstanding abrasion resistance and strength. It also maintains its permanent50

press appearance better than other protective fabrics.

Regarded as one of Australia’s most trustworthy brands, Bisley has a heritage dating back to the 1950s. As an operating division of Gazal Corporation Pty Limited, it has become Australasia’s fastest-growing work wear brand.

The Bisley range encompasses work wear, protective wear, safety wear, casual wear and business wear for men and women, and custom-made garments can be designed to company specifications.

David Gazal, executive director of Gazal, attributes Bisley’s success to

investing in innovative technologies while standing by the brand’s quality and value for money. “I believe it’s a combination of our competitive pricing, exceptional quality and accessibility that sets us apart from our competition,” he said.

Bisley’s flame-resistant range is available from Gazal Corporation’s WA and NSW distribution centres, with an 8-week production and delivery lead time on stock fabrics. Dedicated manufacturing lines also ensure scalable production, while quality assurance, testing and certifications are set to the highest global standards. bisleyworkwear.com.au

WE DELIVER RESULTS. EVERY TIME. Action Drill & Blast is Australia’s fastest growing drill and blast contractor.

Providing services to the civil and mining industries, many of our team have over 20 years’ experience across a diverse number of projects and commodities including iron ore, gold and coal.

We understand what it takes to deliver results on time and on budget, recognising that each project or commodity has its own unique set of challenges and deliverables.

At Action Drill & Blast, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide drilling and blasting solutions that deliver tangible returns for our clients.

WE DRILL. WE BLAST. WE DELIVER. Visit actiondb.com.au or email wedeliver@actiondb.com.au

Robust, Powerful & Reliable High Pressure Cleaners.

Often the toughest operating conditions such as in the mining sector, call for portable and durable machines.

Kärcher’s hot water high-pressure cleaners with operating pressures of up to 3500 psi combined with flow rates reaching 37 l/min offer the complete cleaning solution. Water-cooled, diesel-powered Kubota Engines in conjunction with industrial duty tri-plunger low RPM pumps and a rugged steel frame makes these high pressure cleaners the ideal machines for heavy duty cleaning applications.

www.karcher.com.au 1300 KARCHER

advertorial

Skills training for every industry TAFE Western works with industry clients to configure training solutions that meet their needs.

TAFE Western

is a highly valued regional provider of vocational education and training with a footprint of nearly 500,000 square kilometres, which covers more than 50 per cent of NSW. The institute services nearly 40,000 students and more than 1000 employers, 2000 apprentices and 1500 trainees – in more than 400 vocational courses.

As a preferred and trusted partner with industry, TAFE Western has become adept at finding flexible and innovative ways to design, deliver and manage education and training services. At the beginning of 2013 the institute launched its new Business Capability Unit to meet the needs of industry, businesses and employers in NSW. Since its launch, the unit has been focused on one priority: to provide a centralised and first-class service for all of TAFE Western’s industry customers.

The Business Capability Unit’s team of dedicated client managers provides the link between TAFE Western’s customers and the diverse range of educational products and services offered by the institute. Furthermore, this ensures TAFE Western has a streamlined and efficient customer model that provides a single customer point of contact.

TAFE Western client managers help employers to get the most for their training dollar by assisting them to access government funding to extend their training budgets. They also provide guidance and expertise in meeting compliance, legislative and industryspecific training requirements.

Recently, TAFE Western has been working with the Bernardi Group, a strong and growing regional business committed to providing learning opportunities and relevant training for all of its employees.

TAFE Western and the Bernardi Group have developed a partnership to undertake a workplace training and assessment program in the Bernardi’s Marketplace (Super IGA) and Discount Dave’s retail stores operated by the group.

In partnership with TAFE Western, all Bernardi employees are offered pathways into the Certificate III in Retail Operations, with school-based trainees undertaking the Certificate II in Retail Services. On the back of the partnership’s success to date, TAFE Western is now working with the organisation on a new opportunity for a flexible and customised training pathway into the Certificate IV in Retail Management for store supervisors.

“Although it was noted this was going to be a massive job, it was not until I started working alongside TAFE Western employees that I truly understood what the task involved in mapping our documents, manuals and employee learning materials

into a cohesive program customised for our business needs,” said Dianne Collie, HR manager for the Bernardi Group.

“To put it plainly, the work that resulted was amazing! TAFE Western was able to decipher the course requirements and discern how our documentation could be mapped to the required course competencies, as well as identify gaps in the Bernardi Group documentation – and all in record time, as there was a tight timeline to meet. Thanks to the work of TAFE Western, our trainees of 2013 are enjoying their course of study the Bernardi Group way, and the group looks forward to our ongoing partnership with TAFE Western,” Dianne said.

For more information about customised training solutions and workforce development, or to start a discussion about how TAFE Western can work with you, please call 1300 823 393. wit.tafensw.edu.au 53

techtalk

ACCELERATED

BORING TECHNOLOGY NEWLY ADAPTED TO EXCAVATING MINING PROJECTS IS DELIVERING SUPERIOR SAFETY AND PROJECT COMPLETION SPEED. WORDS: MITCH BROOK

n an Australian first for mining, and a first for coalmines worldwide, Anglo American’s Grosvenor project will use Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) technology to sink two mine drifts, or tunnels. This will provide access to a metallurgical coalmine in Moranbah, south-west of Mackay, in Queensland.

An EPB TBM is an enormous machine that is used to bore tunnels, with a screw conveyor removing conditioned soil from the tunnel face and balancing soil and water pressures without the use of slurry.

The EPB TBM contains a precast segmental lining, which is installed

54

as the machine excavates, providing a nearly maintenance-free tunnel.

Anglo American’s Grosvenor project’s TBM is provided by Robbins, with technical support provided by GHD, a leading engineering and environmental consulting company.

“We are providing a range of services from geotechnical investigations and detailed tunnel design, to reviewing the TBM specification, launch and excavation methodologies, and EPB operating pressures,” says Richard Fechner, GHD’s global technical leader, energy and resources.

The EPB TBM is eight metres in diameter, and will excavate two one-kilometre-long drifts from the surface down to the coal seam. One

will be used to transport personnel and equipment down to the mine and the other will house a conveyor to remove material from the mine.

“The TBM is operated by workers inside the machine and the tunnel,” says GHD project director Brendan Henry. “The tunnel lining is installed inside the machine so that the workers are never exposed to the ground.”

The benefit of using such technology to excavate drifts down to the coal seam is that workers are protected from hazards during excavation, and access to the seam will be granted more quickly than it would by other excavation methods.

“This will enable Anglo American to access the coal seam

techtalk

FAST FACT • EPB TBM technology has been used for a range of non-mining projects around Australia, including boring tunnels for roads, rail and sewers.

in a fraction of the time a traditionally excavated drift would take,” says GHD’s Fechner. “It will provide a maintenance-free access tunnel structure for the life of the mine, expected to be 40 years.”

EPB TBM isn’t a new technology to be used in Australia. GHD has previously worked on a number of significant projects in Australia’s major cities that required EPB TBM technology to excavate tunnels.

Examples of recent Australian projects where this technology has been used include the Epping to Chatswood Railway Line in Sydney, the Legacy Way road tunnels in Brisbane, the Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance in Victoria and the Melbourne Main Sewer.

While the technology has been used in Australia for other projects for some time, risk management protocols have made it difficult to apply the EPB TBM to mining projects.

“One of the key reasons TBMs have not been used is the potential for encountering gas,” says Brendan Henry. “For this reason, Anglo American’s Grosvenor project’s TBM is zoned into explosive risk and non-explosive risk, with innovative ventilation systems to safely manage methane gas.”

The Grosvenor TBM was commissioned on 21 October 2013.

The project is worth $1.95 billion and the company considers this a key milestone for their project. “It is exciting to reach this milestone

today after almost 1.5 years of construction activity,” says Anglo American’s head of underground excellence, Dieter Haage. “The earth pressure balance machine will allow us to reach the coal seam early next year, bringing us that step closer to longwall production in late 2016.”

The mine is projected to produce five million tonnes during every year of its operation, with Grosvenor project director Glenn Tonkin saying that “the TBM tunnelling method will deliver advances in safety, higher quality drifts and faster project development.”

Anglo American will retain the EPB TBM for potential use on future projects.

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Conquer Cystic Fibrosis through research

I

n 2002 a small group of

parents of children with CF decided to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis WA (CFWA) which, at the time, was in need of financial support.

The 65 Roses Grand Ball for Cystic Fibrosis was born and $42,986.25 was raised.

Realising the potential they had to raise significant funds, and driven by the need to do all they could to make a real difference for people with CF, in 2003 this same group, in addition to raising money for CFWA, raised funds to donate to research.

Since then, the group has grown to encompass people with CF and family friends. This very dedicated and extremely hard working group have continued to organise the 65 Roses Grand Ball for Cystic Fibrosis, making it an annual event. Their major focus being research. Why? The answer is best told in the numbers. Life expectancy in Australia for people with CF in

the 1960’s was 5 years. It is now 35 years. Deaths in Australia of younger people have, thankfully declined dramatically since 1998. The six years from 1998 to 2004 saw a fall of 70% in the number of deaths of people with CF aged under 20 years.

The greatest contributing factor to this is undoubtedly research.

Research leads to improvements in treatments,which in turn leads to longer, healthier lives.

To date the 65 Roses Balls have raised $910,976.13 for CFWA and CF research.

In 2012, Conquer Cystic Fibrosis was incorporated, thus allowing for expansion and increased fundraising for CF research.

The Ball, the major fundraising event has been renamed “The Conquer Cystic Fibrosis Grand Ball”.

Unfortunately there is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. But that is something Conquer Cystic Fibrosis Inc, intends to change.

There is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis

Conquer www.conquercysticfibrosis.com

C stic Fibrosis Inc.

advertorial

SUCCESS IN THE PIPELINE

An innovative pipeline company’s research-and-development investment is paying big dividends.

A major focus on delivering

innovative ideas to the pipeline construction industry has seen pipeline constructor Murphy Pipe & Civil rapidly increase its presence across Australia’s resources sector. With more than $1 billion in pipeline work already on its to-do list in 2014, the Queensland-based company has been a true success story since entering the Australian pipeline construction arena in 2008.

While Murphy Pipe & Civil has many years of experience as a constructor of traditional steel pipelines, the company ventured into uncharted territory in 2010 and invested heavily in Spiderplough technology to accommodate the growing needs of Queensland’s coal seam gas (CSG) sector.

To say the investment gamble has paid off for Murphy Pipe & Civil would be an understatement. The company’s extensive research and development into this new technology delivered a much faster and much safer ploughing method for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline installation, soon garnering plenty of interest from the CSG industry.

On the back of this interest, Murphy Pipe & Civil picked up the Queensland Gas Company (QGC) contract to build Australia’s largest CSG gathering network and increased its investment in Spiderplough to now possess the largest fleet in the world.

While the company has been busy with CSG commitments over the past three years, it has also secured large-

scale steel pipeline contracts in its home base of Queensland. In recent times, the company has stretched its steel pipeline construction arm to Western Australia with three large-scale projects now successfully completed for the Sino Iron Ore Project and Rio Tinto’s Coastal Water Project. Such was the company’s success in the west, it recently opened a Perth office to further increase its presence in this booming resources region.

With a workforce of 1,800 pipeliners currently delivering pipeline solutions for some of Australia’s leading resources companies, Murphy Pipe & Civil’s future certainly looks bright.

To find out more about this innovative company’s achievements and unique capabilities visit mpcgroup.com.au.

Above and this image: The introduction of Spiderploughs to the CSG sector has attracted widespread adoption due to the technology’s increased safety and productivity; Murphy Pipe & Civil played a key role in the delivery of large-scale pipelines for the Sino Iron Ore Project in WA.

57

Communications for Australian resources NewSat’s Jabiru-2 satellite will deliver highly focused Ku-band coverage to satisfy the demanding communication requirements for resource projects in and around Australia.

Jabiru-2 coverage High intensity zones

2013 Top Operator Rankings 2012 Awards for Excellence Top 3 Finalist World Teleport Association

2012 Top Operator Rankings 2011 Top Operator Rankings

All images are for illustration purposes only. Satellite coverage zones and technical specifications are subject to change and are for general guidance only. Terms and conditions apply. For more information go to newsat.com or call +61 3 9674 4688. Š2013 NewSat Ltd ABN 12 003 237 303.

newsat.com/jabiru-2

National

propertyguide

Making a house a home If the success of home renovation shows is any sort of yardstick, Australians love fixing up their homes, writes Amal Awad.

WHETHER for love or money, homeowners are increasingly taking up tools to personalise and improve their homes. As a nation, we’ve devoted hours of time to home renovation shows like Channel Nine’s The Block.

While enhancements can increase the value of a home, for many it’s about lifestyle, as Mortgage Choice’s 2013 Homeowners’ Intention Survey revealed earlier this year.

According to the survey, 43 per cent of Australian homeowners plan to renovate.

Polling 1,000 Australian mortgage holders, of those who plan to renovate, 77 per cent of them saw undertaking upgrades

as a way to improve their quality of living.

On the funding front, 72 per cent had budgeted between $0 and $20,000, while 20 per cent were preparing for spending between $20,001 and $50,000.

Only nine per cent had a budget exceeding more than $50,000 for home improvement.

Australia’s biggest renovators While the thirst for improved spaces is a nationwide trend,

research from Commonwealth Bank shows the average home renovation blows out the budget by nearly $3,000. Based on a survey of 1000 people, the result emerged from homeowners who have completed renovations.

The reasons for spending over a budget are identifiable – and avoidable. Forty-eight per cent of respondents had to pay for unexpected material, while 47 per cent cited labour costs.

Timing was also a factor for renovators, with almost 58 per

59

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$379,900 Terrace Home and Land With No Body Corporate rent unfurnished @ $450pw/rent furnished @ $550pw Cash Flow Per Annum $4,238 The Mackay Regional Council area is one of the fastest growing in Queensland, with an average annual growth rate of 2.9% The Mackay region is the gateway to the rich coal deposits in the Bowen basin.

• • • • • •

Suitable for SMSF 3 Bedrooms 1Bathroom 2 Car Garage House Area 150m2 Registered

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Whether you’re a first time investor, or an investor adding to your portfolio our professional team will assist you to develop an individual investment strategy and to locate quality, high performing properties that will enable you to achieve your individual investment goals. Our professional team can arrange financing the deal with lenders who understand the needs of property investors

Brand New Townhouses for Sale Each townhouse consists of: - 3 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms - Ensuite & WIR to main - BIR to the second & third bedrooms - Double Lock up garage - Open plan living area - Modern fittings and fixtures - Landscaping with shared recreation area - Deck LISTED: $495,000.00 REF: One11

Jays Real Estate is family owned and operated, boasting 3 generations who work in the business. As Mount Isa’s largest agent, Jays has remained independent of national franchise agencies, standing alone on its record of professionalism for over 30 years. We strive to give old fashioned service and care, with plenty of local knowledge.

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HOUSES, TOWNHOUSES & DUPLEXES FROM $330,000 TO $550,000 SUITABLE FOR SELF-MANAGED SUPERANNUATION FUNDS In the following high-growth areas in QLD: • Chinchilla • Miles • Roma • Emerald • Gladstone • Mackay • Moranbah • Clermont • Blackwater • Kingaroy • Coomeran • Pimpama • Northlakes • Brisbane ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED IN PRIME RENTAL AREAS AND WILL HAVE PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Contact Alan at: info@wilsonrealty.com.au or on 0421 705 116.

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77 Camooweal Street, Mount Isa Ph: 07 4744 8000 sales@jaysre.com.au

www.jaysre.com.au

National

propertyguide cent saying the improvements took longer than expected.

“The longer time required is likely to be particularly inconvenient for the 76 per cent of renovators who lived in their home during the renovations,” said the bank at the time.

Interestingly, around two thirds of homeowners had to compromise on renovations because they were short on funding. According to the survey results, the most common changes included: • progressing with a less grand design (21 per cent); • using cheaper or lower quality materials (19 per cent); • postponing renovating some areas of the house (18 per cent); • using second hand materials (11 per cent); • going without renovating areas of the house (11 per cent); and • fewer or smaller rooms (9 per cent).

THE FIXER-UPPERER: WHERE THE WORK GOES

• Respondents indicated the top areas of the home they intended to renovate first, the top three being: - Kitchen – 28% - Bathroom – 27% - Outdoor entertainment area – 15% • The scale of renovation varied: - Major cosmetic renovations (e.g. retiling or replacing cupboards) – 54% - Major structural changes (e.g. changing the layout of the home) – 27% - Minor cosmetic changes (e.g. coat of paint) – 19%

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F LY I N T O Y O U R F U T U R E R E T I R E M E N T The heart of good property investment is finding the next boom, but it can be tricky. Traditionally, it was seaside towns that displayed the double-digit growth we were looking for. Today, it is locations with high employment growth that is sending property prices soaring. Blue Horizons, has identified two towns backed with the strength of mining and gas developments, that are packing a fierce punch. Chinchilla and Miles, in Queensland’s Surat Basin, are the next hotspots; rural towns set to explode thanks to the $30 billion worth of coal and gas projects surrounding them.

A boomtown is about more than just the booming employment – it’s about the corresponding development in both residential and commercial arenas. Skyrocketing rents and capital gains are in store for anyone smart enough to invest in property now. You are in the perfect position to expand your wealth beyond your expectations.

Blue Horizons is your perfect partner. We specialize in offering high yield, rapid capital growth property investments resulting from mining and industrial expansion. We have been 100% focused on the Surat Basin since 2008. You can find comfort, knowing that Blue Horizons puts their money where their mouth is – we have such confidence that this region will be the stand out performer in the Eastern states for the next 10 years we have personally invested ourselves. This investment opportunity mirrors the same property boom that has occurred in various mining towns over the last decade, including the Bowen Basin, Mackay and Gladstone. Blue Horizons led the charge in both of these cases, with our investor clients in the Bowen Basin and Gladstone now enjoying properties that have doubled in value.

Roma

Miles

Chinchilla

Brisbane

The precedent has been set and it is now common knowledge that towns leveraged to resource booms are quickly followed by skyrocketing property prices and rental demand. It is not too late. In fact, housing prices in the three key support towns for the Surat Basin, Chinchilla, Miles and Roma, remain affordable and representative of new house prices in any part of Australia. The astute investor buys before the boom. This region is at the very beginning of a breathtaking growth spurt. Here is where you come in. With the benefit of Blue Horizons experience and knowledge, you can be one of the forerunners, investing in property to maximise your profits.

The extra bonus that comes attached to the Surat Basin is that the region is not solely dependent on the resource boom. While coal and gas projects are providing the impetus for growth, the region is already thriving in its own right with a staunch and proven agricultural industry. Surviving droughts and economic uncertainty, the Surat Basin’s agricultural roots have remained a stalwart pillar for the community.

TOWNHOUSES IN THE SURAT BASIN. RETURNS UP TO 14.4% Blue Horizons Property is proud to announce this exciting new high-yielding property investment in the heart of the Surat Basin.

This is one of the most attractive offers seen in the last 12 months. With a very limited number of townhouses and rental figures booming, offers are being taken on a first come, first serve basis only.

*Images and colours are indicative only & may vary from the finished product

Situated in the heart of the Surat Basin, Queensland 3 to 4 bedroom townhouses from $439,000 to $469,000 Rent returns yielding up to $1,300 per week High end accommodation with superior inclusions Strategically located close to centre of gas boom town Only 10% deposit required with completion mid 2014 Very limited number of these townhouses available To find out more, please fill out the contact form on our website,

www.bluehorizonsproperty.com. Corr or Helene will contact you within 48 hours of your enquiry.

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Resolve to retire young If you start planning now, you have the potential to retire much younger than the average worker.

WITH the silly season behind us for another 12 months, it is time to starting thinking about your property investment goals for 2014. What are you aspiring for this year? To get the right answer you have to ask the right question. If you want to spend 2014 doing what you want to do, rather than what you have to do, you need to ask yourself, “What am I going to do differently?”

Have you ever considered retiring before 40? It’s possible with property. Let’s say you need approximately $140,000 in passive income each year to continue your current lifestyle.

How would you achieve this? For the purposes of this example, let’s pretend you’ve invested in six properties over 10, 15 or 20 years and have paid off all the debt on your properties.

Assuming an average property value of $350,000, you’d have a total of $2.1 million worth of real estate (these figures don’t assume any capital growth).

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You may be wondering how in the world you could pay off so many properties so quickly.

It’s certainly very possible, if your investments are efficiently structured, to achieve such a goal. At Positive Real Estate we’ve helped hundreds of property investors achieve these kinds of results. We can show you how!

Let’s assume you’re enjoying an average rental yield of seven per cent on these properties. At Positive Real Estate we aim to hit that sweet spot of between six and seven per cent average rental yield. If we enjoyed a rental yield of seven per cent we would have $140,000 dollars worth of passive rental income each year and own $2 million worth of properties, free and clear!

Of course your results will vary because not all properties, despite our best efforts, will achieve this rental yield, and then those that do get a strong yield, won’t necessarily do this

each and every year. This is why investing in property is a proactive endeavour, not a reactive one. We look ahead at what possible impacts certain conditions will have on the market place, especially where our properties are concerned, and we take steps to minimise any potential problems before they become a problem (e.g. set up a generous buffer to counter any fall in values).

Judy, a worker in the Australian mining industry, was earning less than $80,000 a year before joining Positive Real Estate 12 months ago.

She had never owned an investment property before, but within three months of our Lifetime Mentoring Program, Judy settled on two positive cash flow properties, using her savings and new loans to make

the purchases. This starter portfolio now earns her an extra net income of $10,470 per annum. Her next steps are to make a third property purchase within six months, set-up a Self Managed Super Fund and buy one capital growth property within the next 12 months. In fact, one of her first property deals was a unit in Western Australia, made her an extra $65,000 in equity alone!

To find out more about Positive Real Estate’s tips and strategies for investing in property, come along to our next Property Investor Night.

There’s no obligation to buy or do anything at our events, just take a bit of time out of your day and learn how you can change up your current investment strategy, or perhaps start a new one! You’ll be glad you did!

If you want to spend 2014 doing what you want to do, rather than what you have to do, you need to ask yourself, “What am I going to do differently?”

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When Elaine Chase came to Positive Real Estate in 2010, she had fallen victim to a property organisation that almost ruined her financially. Elaine was close to giving up when she heard about Positive Real Estate's Lifetime Mentoring Program. With the help of her

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Let our expert team show you exclusive deals in the right markets and how to use proven strategies to achieve your financial goals. Positive Real Estate is an exclusive, full-service investor agency who have brokered thousands of successful property deals in the past 10 years for our clients.

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Canning Vale .............................. 13/01/14 Perth CBD..................................... 15/01/14 Canning Vale ............................ 20/01/14 Canning Vale ............................ 10/02/14 Canning Vale ..............................17/02/14

SOUTH AUSTRALIA CBD Adelaide Central........ 21/01/14 Mawson Lakes........................04/02/14 Southern Adelaide.............04/02/14 CBD Adelaide Central.......18/02/14

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Brisbane CBD ............................ 21/01/14 Toowoomba ...............................22/01/14 Townsville.....................................28/01/14 Sunshine Coast ...................... 30/01/14 Brisbane CBD .........................04/02/14 Gold Coast.................................04/02/14 Springfield ...................................12/02/14 Gladstone ......................................17/02/14 Rockhampton...........................18/02/14 Toowoomba ...............................19/02/14 Mackay............................................19/02/14

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*Conditions apply, these scenarios do not take into account your personal circumstances, for more information on these results see the website. All information is of a general nature only and does not constitute professional advice. Please seek advice from licensed professionals about your personal situation. This information is subject to the disclaimer on www.positiverealestate.com.au/disclaimer

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Your Own Gold Mine

How to create more wealth from your home JANE SLACKSMITH Mortgage broker and investment expert

LAST ISSUE I shared how your home is actually a gold mine that you are sitting on, and how I believe there are three ways you can start mining that gold mine, so you can reach your goals rather than having to work for years on end. This month, let’s turn your attention to your current home and some steps towards making it work for you.

Most of us love where we live but we know we are not really getting ahead. Other people would like to move into something bigger, smaller, or more modern (the list goes on) but we know that the cost of selling and buying is high and so it is not really an option.

There is an option and that is to renovate. Australia is a ‘reno-nation’ – we are mad for it. I have taught renovation for many years and renovated lots of properties so I know a thing or two and let me tell you the biggest secret – most

renovations go over cost and over capitalise – but they really needn’t with careful planning.

As home owners, people often fall in love with things that they think that have to have. In fact, what you’ll find if you analyse renovations, is that property investors know the bang for their buck is in cosmetic renovations with no requirement for council approvals, so they wisely concentrate on a new kitchen and bathroom.

Whereas home owners are often trying to create the ultimate space, so they have months of council planning issues, building and usually the uprooting of the family and moving out whilst it’s all done.

And the outcome? They have the best house on the street and everything they want, but often they have spent too much and it is not until they come to sell that they realise that.

So what do you need to know to make money from renovating your home?

1. Consider what your requirements really are. This means make a list, and how long you realistically plan to remain in your home. Be honest!

2. You need to establish what type of renovation you need to satisfy your requirements. So if your house is too small and you do need to go through the whole council process, then be prepared for a long time commitment. It could in fact could be better to purchase a property that suits your needs. But before you rush out and do that, I will show you how to catapult your gold mine with strategies on where to buy. Potentially though, you might just need a quick and relatively painless cosmetic renovation 3. If you do need to renovate, how much will it cost and what will you get at the end?

If you want to optimise your renovation, you need to start thinking like an investor.

That is knowing this one key to renovation success – you need

to create more perceived value than the actual cost. I used the strategies of successful investors to buy my first home.

I bought it for $425,000 and did a renovation that took nine months, while I lived in it. The renovation cost $50,000 and at the end of the renovation, the property was worth $700,000.

So imagine if you complete a renovation (using not your savings, but some of the value from your home – we will look at this in one of the upcoming articles) and not only do you get the home that suits your needs, but also a property that is worth more. So when you sell, you sell for more and have more funds to invest in your next home or funds left over for that dream holiday. Or your daughter’s wedding, the kids’ schooling, or the Winnebago you’ve always wanted. The choice is entirely yours.

That is the power of using your own gold mine – your home – to reach goals and make your dreams come true, faster.

“I have taught renovation for many years and renovated lots of properties so I know a thing or two and let me tell you the biggest secret – most renovations go over cost and over capitalise – but they shouldn’t!”

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Disclaimer: Information provided is not intended to be Tax, Financial or Accounting advice. We recommended to obtain independent advice from your own Tax, Financial or Accounting Professionals as individual tax or financial positions may vary.

Disclaimer: Information provided is not intended to be Tax, Financial or Accounting advice. We recommended to obtain independent advice from your own Tax, Financial or Accounting Professionals as individual tax or financial positions may vary.

Disclaimer: Information provided is not intended to be Tax, Financial or Accounting advice. We recommended to obtain independent advice from your own Tax, Financial or Accounting Professionals as individual tax or financial positions may vary.

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You Can’t Become a Property Investor Sitting In a Seminar!

What if everything you need to know is right here in this article

Start NOW No One Can “Make You” A Successful Property Investor In A Seminar, But Rocket Property Group Can Make It So Step-By-Step Simple That It Just Happens “For You”.

My name is Ian Hosking Richards. I attempted what most people do; I began reading everything I could get my hands on and attending every seminar about the subject. I didn’t find that exercise particularly helpful. There was plenty of information but much of it was contradictory. The more I read the more confused I got.

Maybe you’ve come to the same conclusion I did, the subject of property investing does not lend itself to a theoretical approach.

You must take Action.

My approach might seem a little impulsive, I can assure you, it is actually a cunning plan that will allow you to get started straight away with minimal risk even without knowing everything about investing. See like you, I wanted to BE a property investor, not just KNOW about property investing. So I decided all I needed to do was to find the “right” someone who was already very successful in property investing and just copy his or her pattern. So I carefully chose my mentors and JUST GOT STARTED! I decided I’d keep my plan and actions quite simple and I stopped burdening myself with more unnecessary information.

Once I set my plan down on paper, my first few purchases were ‘copycat’ buys, I simply bought where they bought. Within a few short years I had achieved my goals and amassed quite an impressive portfolio. That’s when I was able to leave my day job.

Interesting how things have come full circle and now I have become the mentor. My attitude has changed a little. I still think that you don’t need to know everything before you get started, but it does make sense to have a good grasp of the basics. Learning by doing still seems a natural course to take. The basics I learned have become the basis of the ROCKET SCIENCE SYSTEM, I and the Rocket Property Group team use to help others, to more easily ACT on the dream of become a successful property investors.

“The approach I still use myself and teach others is simple and smart investing. I don’t consider myself particularly intelligent, and I am not good with numbers, but I am a successful property investor. Just as you create wealth by using leverage through bank loans, you should also be leveraging off the experience of others who know much more than you do.”

We meet with many people who come to us for advice. They are either “interested” in talking about property or “ready” to act. I never tell a client what to do. I can only ask one question “Are You Ready to Act?”.

What can you do right now to stop wasting your valuable time and start investing now? Instead of sitting on the fence, over researching, getting stuck in another seminar or panic buying the first thing you see, let Rocket Property Group guide you through The Smart Investors Planning Guide. You’ll learn a few simple guidelines to help you easily come to a decision if property investing is the way to achieve your goals.

Get the first 2 chapters of “Rocket Fuel!” to fast track your property investing success

Property Investing Is Rocket Science

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ENJOY FREE SHIPPING AND 21 DAY RISK FREE TRIAL WHEN YOU BUY DIRECTLY FROM BOSE®

The first in-ear noise cancelling headphones from Bose. With revolutionary technology that lets you get totally immersed in your music — or stay connected to the outside world as you listen. So you’ll enjoy better sound every day, everywhere you go.

In-ear.

Noise cancelling.

Better sound.

QuietComfort 20i ®

Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones

®

“...an excellent investment for anyone who wants amazing audio quality and incredible noise cancellation.”

Stephen Fenech, Tech Guide, 30 August 2013 CALL BOSE DIRECT: 1800 663 004 quoting code QA93 BUY ONLINE: visit www.bose.com.au VISIT A STORE: for your nearest stockist visit reseller.bose.com.au

CALL 13 BOSE (2673) FOR YOUR NEAREST BOSE STORE: Westfield Sydney, Westfield Bondi Junction, Westfield Penrith, Homebush DFO, Neutral Bay, Canberra, Adelaide, Camberwell, Melbourne City, St Kilda, Subiaco, Chermside, Carindale

© 2014 Bose Corporation. All rights reserved. 21 day risk-free trial and free shipping refers to purchases made by phoning 1800 663 004, via www.bose.com.au or from a Bose store. 21 day risk-free trial and free shipping is not available when purchasing from other authorised Bose resellers. Quote reproduced with permission: Tech Guide, 30 August 2013.